Dining Plans - Please comment

[Vavasmon]

We are planning our third Disney trip from 3/31 - 4/10/2004.

We are a family of three myself, DH, and DD who is 8.

We eat out often and DD enjoys almost all types of food - she loves the adult buffet at BOMA.

The only two places we will never eat again are the SCI-FI dinner
(the food and service were both awful) and Tepanakki (better tepan dining at home). We like 2 sit down meals each day (dining is part of the vacation for us). We have decided to go with the silver plan this trip. We are staying at the Wilderness Lodge.

Day 1 : Early Flight and DQ/Cirque 3/31
Breakfast at either McDonalds or IAD
Lunch at Cheescake Factory in DD
Early dinner at House of Blues (before Cirque)

Day 2: MK 4/1
Breakfast at Roaring Forks
Lunch at CRT
Dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern

Day 3: Animal Kingdom 4/2
Breakfast at Roaring Forks
Lunch at Flame Tree BBQ
Dinner at Boma

Day 4: MGM 4/3
Breakfast at Roaring Forks
Lunch at 50s Prime Time Cafe
Dinner at Hollywood Brown Derby (Fantasmic Package)

Day 5: Waterpark Day 4/4
Breakfast at Kona Cafe
Lunch - Counter Service
Dinner 1900 Park Fare Princess Dinner

Day 6: EPCOT 4/5
Breakfast - Askerhouse Princess Storybook
Lunch - Counter Service
Dinner - Cape May Clambake at Beach Club

Day 7: MGM Early move to EPCOT before lunch 4/6
Breakfast - Roaring Forks
Lunch - Moracco
Dinner- LeCellier

Day 8: Waterpark Day 4/7
Breakfast - Cape May Character breakfast
Lunch - Waterpark counter service
Dinner - Chef Mickey's

Day 9: Magic Kingdom Early/Resort 4/8
Breakfast - CRT (crossed fingers for a PS)
Lunch - Columbia Harbour House
Dinner - Hoop De Doo

Day 9: Resort Day/Mini Golf/Disney Quest 4/9
Breakfast - O'Hannas
Lunch - ??? (based on where we are)
Dinner - O'Hannas
(hoping for Grand Adventures in cooking for DD)

Day 10: Checkout/Shop/Last Visits 4/10
Breakfast - Whispering Canyon Cafe
Late Lunch - Beaches and Cream
Dinner - Hotdogs at MCO (Late flight home)


Thanks for your ideas and critiques.

 

[lovespugs]

Here are a few thoughts from someone who has used the silver plan before

The Cheesecake Factory in DTD isn't a real Cheesecake Factory. It's more of a counter service restaurant, and it's located inside Disney Quest. Unless you're going to be at DQ (with a paid admission), you won't be able to eat there.

Second, were you planning on using wishes for Cirque? Unless things have changed, when using wishes for Cirque tickets you can't pick them up in advance. You will request and receive them when you check into your resort and the number of tickets available each night for wish use is limited. When we used wishes to see Cirque there were plenty of tickets still available, but this is just something to be aware of. We were prepared with a back up night just in case there weren't any more tickets available for our first night.

My last thought is more of a general observation. You listed several restaurants (Liberty Tree Tavern, Boma, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's, 'Ohana, Beaches and Cream, and all the sit down breakfasts - I'm assuming you aren't planning on using wishes for counter service) that aren't really the best use of wishes. Now different people use the silver plan for different reasons. DH and I used it for the convenience, not necessarily to save money. However, lots of people use it to save money. If saving money is what you're trying to accomplish, you're probably just going to break even. If it's convenience that you're after, well I have to say that nothing beats the convenience of the silver plan!

 

[Vavasmon]

Thanks for the input.

The plans are to spend the first afternoon in DQ - my DD and DH love the virtural coaster - the adminission is included in the UPH.
I am debating between WCC for lunch and the counter service at the Cheesecake Factory in DQ. Since we are eating dinner early that night my DH voted for the counter service.

We already have seats reserved for Cirque. Our DU agent noted that were we using wishes to pay for the tickets. I am required to pick them up at the box office the day of the show - My plan is to do that while the others are in DQ.

I agree with you - we are using the silver plan for convienence and plan to just break even.

 

[jcemom]

I haven't read many reviews about Cheesecake Factory in DQ, but the ones I have seen were all good. We're planning to eat there when we visit DQ in February. We're doing the DQ/Cirque combo as well, and this just seemed so convenient. They also seem to have something that we all would like.

I'm by no means an expert, but I think your choices look good to me. Good variety. I hope you're hungry! lol

 

[lovespugs]

Originally posted by Vavasmon
Thanks for the input.

The plans are to spend the first afternoon in DQ - my DD and DH love the virtural coaster - the adminission is included in the UPH.
I am debating between WCC for lunch and the counter service at the Cheesecake Factory in DQ. Since we are eating dinner early that night my DH voted for the counter service.

We already have seats reserved for Cirque. Our DU agent noted that were we using wishes to pay for the tickets. I am required to pick them up at the box office the day of the show - My plan is to do that while the others are in DQ.

I agree with you - we are using the silver plan for convienence and plan to just break even.

Sounds like you have everything under control then. Have a great trip!