First Time Using DDP - Loads of Questions!

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Wow, I just Akershus at 6:55 for dinner the day we leave! I can't believe it!

Congrats!

(and never mind about touring plans )

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Wow, I just Akershus at 6:55 for dinner the day we leave! I can't believe it!

Oh, and that is like the perfect time to eat and go outside to watch Illuminations. You should be finished between 8:30 and 8:45. Just make sure you ask for the check before 8:15. As everything is a set price, it doesn't really matter when you pay. They won't rush you out after paying if you are still finishing up dinner and dessert. By 8:30, everyone is trying to finish up, pay, and leave for Illuminations, and the servers can get backed up trying to processes everyone's checks.

If you don't find a spot right near Norway, start walking towards the back of World Showcase. You are more likely to find a good spot in that direction.

 

[kizmet311]

Oh, and that is like the perfect time to eat and go outside to watch Illuminations. You should be finished between 8:30 and 8:45. Just make sure you ask for the check before 8:15. As everything is a set price, it doesn't really matter when you pay. They won't rush you out after paying if you are still finishing up dinner and dessert. By 8:30, everyone is trying to finish up, pay, and leave for Illuminations, and the servers can get backed up trying to processes everyone's checks.

If you don't find a spot right near Norway, start walking towards the back of World Showcase. You are more likely to find a good spot in that direction.

I don't know if anyone else has had this experience with their children, but do your children enjoy meeting the same princess more than once? We are doing Cindy's for breakfast on Day 3, plus we would be trying to meet Rapunzel, Elena, Belle, and Jasmine on one of our two MK days or at Epcot in the morning/early afternoon. I know that the princesses rotate at Akershus, so I wouldn't want to risk waiting to meet Belle or Jasmine there in case they aren't there for our day. If google is correct, it tells me that Cindy, Ariel, Aurora, and Snow White are typically at Cindy's, so I would hate for us to meet the same 4 princesses at Akershus, since we would definitely not be going for the food.

Does Disney ever post or have consistency in which princesses are at Akershus dinner or is it really a day-to-day rotation? Since the reservation is so late on our last day, we can't risk waiting to meet a princess there just in case she's not on the schedule that day.

 

[kizmet311]

In what park would you be sharing the QS meals?

You can try Touring plans reservation finder to look for the an akershus adr.

Sorry, I would guess we would be in AK or Epcot for the QS meals we would be sharing, since those are our last 2 park days, although I am going to do a spreadsheet to see if we can make the 4 QS meal credits each last 5 days so sharing at any park would be helpful to make them last longer.

For QS I know we would use 1 QS for my DD and I to share breakfast at BOG on Day 2, dinner on Day 3 would be QS, we would need to eat 2 QS meals on Day 4, and a QS breakfast at the Poly on Day 5. That leaves Day 1 with an 11:35 TS at DHS, but no dinner and Day 2 needing a QS lunch for hubby and step-D and probably a QS dinner for everyone. I am definitely going to be short on QS credits, I think, even if we only use 3 credits per meal for the 4 of us.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

My kids love seeing the Princesses more than once, but my kids are Disney nuts. They love meeting all the characters over and over. Even the boys love meeting the Princesses!

Regarding Akershus, and character meals in general, they are normally the same characters. Perhaps 90-95% of the time. However, there are occasional substitutes, and even the occasional no show. "Face" characters are more likely to have substitutes and no shows than "fur" characters. At Akershus, Belle is almost always the princess that greets you, and takes the photopass picture with you. That said, if you aren't going for the food, I would suggest elsewhere. My initial Akershus recommendation was for the food!

If I remember correctly, CRT has Cindy, Ariel, Jasmine, and Snow White. Akershus substitutes Belle for Jasmine (but Belle, not Cindy, doing the entrance photo).

If your goal is to see Belle, I would try to fit in Enchanted Tales with Belle at MK. That is a combination show and meet and greet, and EXTREMELY well done.

So, that puts my EP TS recommendation at Coral Reef for sea food, Tutto Italia for Italian, and Teppan Edo for Japanese steak house. There's also Rose and Crown, which, if you can get a 7:15 or later ADR, gives you a reserved space for Illuminations. You could get a patio table with a view of the lagoon, but if you don't have a good view, or are indoors, they have a private patio diners can walk out to for the show, and then return to their table.

QS meals:
AK: Flame Tree BBQ has HUGE meals. Depends on how much you and DH eat, 2 meals (and maybe a side item or 2) would probably be enough for your family.

EP: Tangeriene café has very large meals, if you like Meditarianian food. The other option is Sunshine Seasons for large meals.

MK: Cosmic Rays has large QS meals similar (but not as good) as flame tree. Check the menu for Pinnochio villiage house also.

For HS, I assume you are going after Sept 4? That's when Hollywood and Vine lunch is switching from Disney jr. to Minnie's seasonal dine. For dinner, ABC has shareable meals.

As you will be paying for some meals OOP, I would use the credits for lunch and dinner, and pay for quickservice breakfast OOP at your resort. They really aren't that expensive. (BOG the obvious exception to that). Also, you will be getting the refillable mug for drinks (includes tea and coffee).

 

[Dakota731]

I didn't think you were allowed to share at buffets?

 

[sharonabe]

I didn't think you were allowed to share at buffets?

You can't, and OP is not planning on sharing at the buffet/AYCTE meals.

 

[kizmet311]

My kids love seeing the Princesses more than once, but my kids are Disney nuts. They love meeting all the characters over and over. Even the boys love meeting the Princesses!

Regarding Akershus, and character meals in general, they are normally the same characters. Perhaps 90-95% of the time. However, there are occasional substitutes, and even the occasional no show. "Face" characters are more likely to have substitutes and no shows than "fur" characters. At Akershus, Belle is almost always the princess that greets you, and takes the photopass picture with you. That said, if you aren't going for the food, I would suggest elsewhere. My initial Akershus recommendation was for the food!

If I remember correctly, CRT has Cindy, Ariel, Jasmine, and Snow White. Akershus substitutes Belle for Jasmine (but Belle, not Cindy, doing the entrance photo).

If your goal is to see Belle, I would try to fit in Enchanted Tales with Belle at MK. That is a combination show and meet and greet, and EXTREMELY well done.

So, that puts my EP TS recommendation at Coral Reef for sea food, Tutto Italia for Italian, and Teppan Edo for Japanese steak house. There's also Rose and Crown, which, if you can get a 7:15 or later ADR, gives you a reserved space for Illuminations. You could get a patio table with a view of the lagoon, but if you don't have a good view, or are indoors, they have a private patio diners can walk out to for the show, and then return to their table.

QS meals:
AK: Flame Tree BBQ has HUGE meals. Depends on how much you and DH eat, 2 meals (and maybe a side item or 2) would probably be enough for your family.

EP: Tangeriene café has very large meals, if you like Meditarianian food. The other option is Sunshine Seasons for large meals.

MK: Cosmic Rays has large QS meals similar (but not as good) as flame tree. Check the menu for Pinnochio villiage house also.

For HS, I assume you are going after Sept 4? That's when Hollywood and Vine lunch is switching from Disney jr. to Minnie's seasonal dine. For dinner, ABC has shareable meals.

As you will be paying for some meals OOP, I would use the credits for lunch and dinner, and pay for quickservice breakfast OOP at your resort. They really aren't that expensive. (BOG the obvious exception to that). Also, you will be getting the refillable mug for drinks (includes tea and coffee).

Thanks again, haha! You're info is super helpful. Yeah, my family isn't that adventurous with food, so Akershus would definitely be for the princesses, but hopefully we would have met them all by then and it would just be a bonus visit. At ETwB, does she sign autographs or can you just get the picture? I assume there wouldn't be much interaction there, so one positive of Akershus would be more interaction with Belle IF she greets that day. I'll glance at the menus for CR and TI with DH to see how he feels about dinner that day and whether he would be ok with more princesses or would rather just have a good meal.

Is Aurora anywhere that you can meet besides the extra tea party? I think my DD would be fine if we didn't get to meet her, but she has been a favorite in the past. Her favorite forever was Ariel, now it seems to be Jasmine, and she also adores Rapunzel and Belle. She loves Elena too. I'm also praying that Moana comes back somewhere for a M&G, but it may be too late in the game if they haven't announced it yet. She loves Frozen too, so I may try to FP Elsa & Anna.

For Rose & Crown and the Illuminations viewing - is there an extra cost for the viewing or just the one TS credit?

And yes, we are going in October, so I was very excited to stumble upon the H&V Minnie's Seasonal Dine when I was making reservations, then I got even more excited when I realized they added lunch and managed to snag that! I'm glad we'll be able to meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy in one fell swoop and not have to worry about meeting them the rest of the week. We also have the Fantasmic viewing package with this meal.

Good idea on paying for breakfast OOP! I think I can work this out with minimal OOP costs. Are there any restaurants that sell snacks that would be substantial enough to sub for breakfast or lunch? I know it sounds bad, but I could probably feed my DD or step-D a big soft pretzel for lunch or a pastry for breakfast because neither of them eat much, lol.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I goofed earlier: I left Aurora out of my list of princesses. She's usually at both CRT and Akershus (there's generally 5 at each, 1 greets and 4 rotate among the tables).

ETwB: I don't know if she will sign autographs. Perhaps not. But, personally, I would choose the story time and picture over an autograph and picture. It's a very intimate room, so you really feel you are spending a lot of time with her.

Else and Anna don't have FP. The line to see them doesn't get that long though.

Rose and Crown: same TS credit. Illuminatiosn viewing is for everyone who is in the restaurant for dinner at 9:00 (you can't leave and come back for Illuminations viewing)

Resort food court has lots of snacks that work for breakfast. I'd look there first.

 

[kizmet311]

So, I could get Rose & Crown at 7:10 or 7:50

I goofed earlier: I left Aurora out of my list of princesses. She's usually at both CRT and Akershus (there's generally 5 at each, 1 greets and 4 rotate among the tables).

ETwB: I don't know if she will sign autographs. Perhaps not. But, personally, I would choose the story time and picture over an autograph and picture. It's a very intimate room, so you really feel you are spending a lot of time with her.

Else and Anna don't have FP. The line to see them doesn't get that long though.

Rose and Crown: same TS credit. Illuminatiosn viewing is for everyone who is in the restaurant for dinner at 9:00 (you can't leave and come back for Illuminations viewing)

Resort food court has lots of snacks that work for breakfast. I'd look there first.

One more question about Rose & Crown. I just cancelled Akershus and made a 7:00 R&C ADR because I wanted to get there early enough to get outdoor seating. However, although the schedule shows Illuminations as being at 9:00 tonight, it shows that it is at 10:00 the night we will be there! Is it usually later during F&W Festival? I'm wondering if I should take the 7:55 reservation instead. Do you think they would let me drag dinner out for 3 hours?

I have a friend that does planning for KTTW and she said that I am a pickier eater than her and she won't eat at Akershus for anything but breakfast, so I figured I best not take the family there. More princesses would be nice, but I hate to waste a TS credit on something no one will eat.

Thanks for the note about E&A. I think I even looked at that earlier today and noticed no FP, but I guess I forgot that quickly!

 

[CouponGirl]

I am new to dining plans, but thought I read they expire on the evening of your last night and therefore would not work on the day of checkout... Is that not the case?

 

[kizmet311]

I am new to dining plans, but thought I read they expire on the evening of your last night and therefore would not work on the day of checkout... Is that not the case?

Well, I am going to have to look into that. I for some reason was under the impression they would work through midnight on checkout day, but maybe I have gotten confused.

 

[kizmet311]

Just did a chat with WDW online and this was the response I got. They are good through midnight on checkout day.

 

[kizmet311]

On the flip side - for our arrival day, since we can't check in to the Poly until after 3:00, but plan on being at DHS as close to opening as possible and have an 11:35 ADR at H&V, the Disney cast member gave me this advice:

 

[kizmet311]

I've gone ADR crazy, lol. Finally cancelled BOG during the MNSSHP after discussing it with the DH and deciding we might risk missing party events for it. He really doesn't care if DD and I go to breakfast at BOG without him and step-D, so that is the current plan.

I've also booked TWO ROL Dining Packages at AK for Tusker House. One is a breakfast around 10:20, because the breakfast menu sounds the best. One is a lunchtime reservation. I am wondering which is best. We will already meet Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Daisy, & Goofy at Minnie's Seasonal Dine at H&V on our first day. I really don't care about meeting Mickey and Donald in their safari gear. Since we are trying to take midday breaks post-lunch to go back to the Poly, I wonder if stopping for breakfast at 10:20 is going to interrupt our attraction time and if we should just power through as many attractions as possible from park opening until lunch at 11:55. Also, I thought you had to have two hours between ADRs, but maybe it let me do it because one is at breakfast and the other is at lunch?

I also bumped my R&C ADR from 7:00 to 7:50, because the schedule shows that Illuminations doesn't show until 10:00 during the F&W Festival. I think most recommendations I was getting to do the earlier reservation for an outdoor spot were because the show is usually at 9:00. Articles I found and the schedule on Disney's website show it at 10:00 the day I'm going. The cast member I chatted with this morning thought that getting there at 7:00 for a 10:00 show was too early and that it would be difficult to stretch dinner out for 3 hours.

Finally - I can't keep both Tusker House and R&C, because I will only have enough TS credits left for one. So, now it comes down to which one would benefit me the most in trying to view ROL or Illuminations. Should I keep Tusker House because it actually gets us reserved seating for ROL and there are lots of good viewing spots for Illuminations without the R&C reservation? However, Epcot is our last day after hotel check out and we have nowhere to go when we need a break, so should we save our TS credit for Epcot so that we can have a rest period at that park and just risk whether or not we get to view ROL?

 

[CouponGirl]

Just did a chat with WDW online and this was the response I got. They are good through midnight on checkout day.

View attachment 254985

That's great! I am glad I misunderstood. It makes a lot more sense that you can also use them the day you leave.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Good move switching the ride and crown adr to later. My earlier advice assumed 9 pm illumination.
Rol dining package saves you a lot of time over standby. 10:20 is a great time for an ADR at tusker. You will be able to eat breakfast and still be there at 11 when they switch to lunch so you can try their lunch choices also. And their breakfast buffet selection is fantastic with both standard fare and African themed choices.

If you go with the RoL package will that Epcot dinner be with a quick service credit or oop? If oop, check the menu of rose and crown. Some of their entrees are only a few dollars more than a QS credit.

You could also make a dinner from walking around and sampling food and wine items. Many off them take snack credits, so that's a great way to use them up if you have any left. If it came down to choosing between the to, I would take the RoL package over rose and crown for illuminations. And this is far from close.

I would advise against going back to poly from AK for a break. Travel time is so long and draining that I think it's counterproductive. Unless you actually need a bed, I think its much more energizing to take a break in a restaurant with ac, including a QS one. I would do the late breakfast tusker package and not go back to poly that day.

Going back to poly from mk for a break is an exception from that as that is just so easy.

An 8:00 dinner is to late for a useful break. But there are plenty of options around world showcase where you can stop and rest.

Regarding your arrival day dining; doing on line check in with an early listed arrival time should work. If they text you your room number you are good to go. Are your tickets part of a package? If so your tickets won't be active before you are checked in just like the dining plan. If you find they are not active, guest services at Hollywood studios can activate them for you.

If you were to find out at h&v that your dining plan wasn't activated and you had to pay with a credit card, the consierge at the poly can easily refund your credit card and deduct the dinning plan credits for you.

 

[kizmet311]

Good move switching the ride and crown adr to later. My earlier advice assumed 9 pm illumination.
Rol dining package saves you a lot of time over standby. 10:20 is a great time for an ADR at tusker. You will be able to eat breakfast and still be there at 11 when they switch to lunch so you can try their lunch choices also. And their breakfast buffet selection is fantastic with both standard fare and African themed choices.

If you go with the RoL package will that Epcot dinner be with a quick service credit or oop? If oop, check the menu of rose and crown. Some of their entrees are only a few dollars more than a QS credit.

You could also make a dinner from walking around and sampling food and wine items. Many off them take snack credits, so that's a great way to use them up if you have any left. If it came down to choosing between the to, I would take the RoL package over rose and crown for illuminations. And this is far from close.

I would advise against going back to poly from AK for a break. Travel time is so long and draining that I think it's counterproductive. Unless you actually need a bed, I think its much more energizing to take a break in a restaurant with ac, including a QS one. I would do the late breakfast tusker package and not go back to poly that day.

Going back to poly from mk for a break is an exception from that as that is just so easy.

An 8:00 dinner is to late for a useful break. But there are plenty of options around world showcase where you can stop and rest.

Regarding your arrival day dining; doing on line check in with an early listed arrival time should work. If they text you your room number you are good to go. Are your tickets part of a package? If so your tickets won't be active before you are checked in just like the dining plan. If you find they are not active, guest services at Hollywood studios can activate them for you.

If you were to find out at h&v that your dining plan wasn't activated and you had to pay with a credit card, the consierge at the poly can easily refund your credit card and deduct the dinning plan credits for you.

Thanks again for the help. The ROL dining package at Tusker House would use the last of our TS credits, so R&C would be OOP if we keep that reservation for Illuminations viewing. I suppose I can hold on to that reservation a while longer and decide whether we should eat there or do a QS/snacks or something cheaper OOP at Epcot. It seems I've read that there are more good spots to watch Illuminations around the lagoon, so maybe having a reserved spot for viewing isn't quite as important. Plus, I know we're not guaranteed a patio table at R&C.

Do you think the 10:20 reservation at TH gives us plenty of time for breakfast? I've read that you don't always get seated immediately, so maybe we could try to arrive by 10 to make sure we're seated in time to eat breakfast without rushing before they switch the buffet to lunch. I wouldn't mind trying some of the lunch items, but I don't think I want it to be our main meal.

Since we are driving our vehicle, we wouldn't be using Disney transportation to get between Poly/AK, but do you think it would still take too much time to go back for an afternoon break? I suppose we could do like you said and have a late lunch/early dinner in a QS restaurant for a break. Honestly, I plan on us driving everywhere except MK just because it will be faster, although slightly less convenient.

This isn't a dining question, but I plan on doing the online check in when it's available. Will it allow me to request a certain type of room? Could I request first floor? I know nothing is guaranteed, but I didn't know if it would have a place for such requests. My tickets are part of a MYW package with the room.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Personally indicate not have the stamina to go all day. I like a midday break whether I nap or not

Also if it's hot I get to shower before heading out again

We will often hit rope drop, then a ts lunch, rest period and either back to a park or just dinner somewhere

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks again for the help. The ROL dining package at Tusker House would use the last of our TS credits, so R&C would be OOP if we keep that reservation for Illuminations viewing. I suppose I can hold on to that reservation a while longer and decide whether we should eat there or do a QS/snacks or something cheaper OOP at Epcot. It seems I've read that there are more good spots to watch Illuminations around the lagoon, so maybe having a reserved spot for viewing isn't quite as important. Plus, I know we're not guaranteed a patio table at R&C.

Do you think the 10:20 reservation at TH gives us plenty of time for breakfast? I've read that you don't always get seated immediately, so maybe we could try to arrive by 10 to make sure we're seated in time to eat breakfast without rushing before they switch the buffet to lunch. I wouldn't mind trying some of the lunch items, but I don't think I want it to be our main meal.

Since we are driving our vehicle, we wouldn't be using Disney transportation to get between Poly/AK, but do you think it would still take too much time to go back for an afternoon break? I suppose we could do like you said and have a late lunch/early dinner in a QS restaurant for a break. Honestly, I plan on us driving everywhere except MK just because it will be faster, although slightly less convenient.

This isn't a dining question, but I plan on doing the online check in when it's available. Will it allow me to request a certain type of room? Could I request first floor? I know nothing is guaranteed, but I didn't know if it would have a place for such requests. My tickets are part of a MYW package with the room.

There is a spot in online check in for room requests, but it seems the most likely way to get your requests met is by faxing the resort directly about 5 days prior to arrival. I would ask the people on the poly faq thread that's on the resorts forum for the fax number.

If you show up at tusker 10-15 min early you should be seated by 10:30, which should give you about a half hour for breakfast food. We haven't had a late breakfast there in years, but when we went they had one side breakfast and the other lunch for awhile. Our server also said of there's something gone we still wanted he could go in the back and get it.

Leaving an for a break:
20 min to walk to the car
20 min to drive to poly
5 min to walk to your room
Then the reverse after the break

So you are looking at 1.5 hours away from the park not including how ever long you rest in your room.