DxDDP lovers going OOP

[Colleen27]

We're in the very, very early planning for a "maybe" trip at the end of August, but we all know how leaving dining reservations for the last minute can go so I'm looking to put together a rough dining plan now and make a few ADRs.

We've never done Disney without a dining plan, and we've used (and loved) the DxDDP for the last three trips. However, before our next trip our middle child will turn 10 and our youngest will turn 3, and with the middle child being a light eater and the youngest not caring much for "kid food" we're thinking ordering OOP and having them share meals will work better for this trip. Plus our first choice accommodations are the Ft Wilderness cabins and we'll almost certainly be BBQing a couple times just because we can.

The only ADR I have right now is Tokyo Dining for our Epcot day, because the sushi menu there is excluded from the dining plan and DS & I have both been dying to try it.

So what I'm looking for is suggestions of must-try, non-DDP restaurants for what might be our only non-plan trip (depending on how it works out). We'll have a car but don't really plan on venturing offsite much unless it is for something really, really fabulous.

 

[aubriee]

Just bumping this up for you.

I go to WDW several times a year and have used the DDP or DxDDP every single trip since they first started. For my upcoming solo trip in late Sept/early Oct I've been considering getting out of my comfort zone and doing OOP, just so I can try restaurants that I have either never tried or haven't tried in years because they are not on the DDP. The ones I'm considering are: Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex, upstairs Wolfgang Pucks, House of Blues, Bongos, Portobello's, Paradise 37, Fulton's, Bistro de Paris, Shula, Blue Zoo, Garden Grove buffet, Il Mulino, and Kimono's. None of these are on the DDP.

 

[CarrieR]

Just a thought, but if you do opt for the DDP, could you order an adult entree for the 3yo and kids' for the 10yo? Credits are still the same, just swapping them.

 

[Colleen27]

The ones I'm considering are: Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex, upstairs Wolfgang Pucks, House of Blues, Bongos, Portobello's, Paradise 37, Fulton's, Bistro de Paris, Shula, Blue Zoo, Garden Grove buffet, Il Mulino, and Kimono's. None of these are on the DDP.

Kimono's is a definite for us. I already ordered a Restaurant.com certificate to use for that one, because DS13, DD2 & I all love sushi.

Rainforest and T-Rex are out because DD2 is terrified by Rainforest here at home. Sure, she'll be a little older but those places are loud and I'd rather not chance a meltdown over dinner.

I'm not sure about some of the others because they don't strike me as kid-friendly. Bistro, Shulas, and Wolfgang Puck Upstairs especially.

I forgot all about Fultons. That one will have to make the list because we've been wanting to try it forever!

Just a thought, but if you do opt for the DDP, could you order an adult entree for the 3yo and kids' for the 10yo? Credits are still the same, just swapping them.

Both girls would rather have adult choices. When we go out at home they share a single adult entree about 90% of the time, and we seldom if ever order kids meals. But between the two of them they often don't finish that one entree, so while sharing the adult credit would work it would still be overkill once you add in the entree and dessert, and the kids' credits would mostly be wasted. The basic DDP doesn't appeal to us at all because we don't really do in-park counter service, maybe once per trip if that, and Fort Wilderness doesn't have much for resort counter service either.

Besides, if we end up registering DD9 for the class she wants to take we'll have discounted tickets through that program and wouldn't be able to add dining anyway.

 

[vinotinto]

I'm curious about how your trip turns out and what will be your new "finds." I've heard fab things about bluezoo, we haven't done it because it's hard to justify the OOP cost after paying for DxDP. Also, I would consider places that are very strong on the "apps" department. You can perhaps have two apps instead of the traditional app+entree set-up of the DxDP (Cali Grill comes to mind). If you like sushi, another option is the Kona Sushi bar. Only problem is that it's just that - a bar, not much in the way of seating for a family and obviously, no ADRs. I've also heard you can sit at Kona and order from the sushi bar, so that may be a good option for an MK day. Also, there are some places at Disney that I did not think were overpriced, and we would pay OOP for (Sanaa comes to mind).