Food is ruling our trip

[kelleigh1]

As with everything in life, some will love the DDP and some will hate it.

We made our ADR's at the 180 day mark (and had decided on there where and when before that) and we will be flexible with our park touring based on those ADR's. But it also helps that (a) we don't have kids to worry about and (b) we are going during value season when parks close earlier so we can just dine after closing (or close to it).

I think it's all a matter of where you want the flexibility. If we didn't have the DDP, we'd be eating off-site for dinner most nights, which takes even more time. So the DDP is a way for us to get more park time.

 

[Miss Park Avenue]

I too plan on what park I will be on what day, and then figure out where I'd like to eat in that park and make ADRs. I agree with the others that say to make the plan work for you and not you working for the plan.

I remember getting nervous in line at Splash Mtn worrying because we were going to miss our ADR at the Plaza. That was no fun. However all that's needed is a call to Disney Dining (put the number on your cell phone) and let them know you are coming. It's OK to be a little late, you are guaranteed the next table open when you get there, NOT at the time you booked for the ADR. Just call disney dining and you should be OK.

Another time we were at the Grand Floridian hoping to walk up for 1900 Park Fair When we were rejected, I walked up to the phone bank and called Disney Dining. I told the person where we were and that we would like to know what was open on the monorail line (but not in MK) We got an ADR for Kona Cafe for 30 minutes later. We were never there before. It was spontanious, delicious, and fun! If you're open enough, you can find openings.


Hope this little bit helps.

 

[daisy112878]

We've always planned our meals even before DDP and calling them ADRs. Our family likes to do the TS meals and take a break from the parks. We either do them for breakfast or dinner but rarely lunch. But we're also not commando style at the parks. We have our favorites that we must do and then the rest is left up to whatever we feel like.

 

[Ishy]

You are planning a trip full of delicious, affordable, and nutritious meals while your family is on vacation. My reasoning is this - 8 days in Disney - happily very active with the entire family - you can't eat fast crappy food all week!

With that said, it is nice to give each family member a choice of where to dine if they are old enough. Top my son's list with the 'Clam bake at Cape May Cafe' and 'The Japanese SteakHouse'! -- My daughter's top are 'Kona Cafe' for dinner and 'Crystal Palace' for breakfast 8am.

The dining is a GREAT part of the trip for everyone in my family - we have done plenty of commando style vacationing in the past, - the DDP makes my budget more predictable (free dining makes the budget) and less stressfull.

My children are 21 & 13 - this kind of logic works for us

 

[marcyinPA]

Its definately easier to not eat too much when its free! If I had to pay for it, I would probably get the mentality that we had to get our money's worth and would end up overeating. When its free, I have the luxury of losing credits or not eating all that's offered without worrying about the cost.

I totally agree! We enjoyed the plan so much more when we had it for free! If we didn't want dessert or whatever, we just didn't get it. This time around, I had that "we paid for it" mentality. Even when I tried to relax on that, I still kept thinking "get your money's worth"....even though I knew that we had still come out ahead at the end of the day.

For next trip, we just don't want to eat as many TS meals, so the DP isn't going to work for us. It kills me when I hear people refer to CS food as "crappy fast food" though, because there are many places that have really good choices (Wolfgang Puck's Express, Tusker House, Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace, most of the Epcot places....) In fact, I really could have eaten more CS meals at Epcot this past trip, and felt sort of like we were missing out on something!

Marcy

 

[estherhead]

This is our first trip to WDW and at first I felt the same way; it felt so confining and overwhelming.

I went about it backwards really. I looked at the restaurants, made my ADRs, and then decided what parks I would be in each day.

I should have chosen the park and then the restaurants but it was too late. With free dining there was no way I could change ADRs to match my parks so I made my parks match my ADRs.

Are you sure it is too late? We're going in Sept & I've changed my ADR's several times already as my daily needs changed. For example, we found out about the Fantasyland only EMH & so I changed & made that my MK day & so had to change the ADR to an MK place. I got Crystal Palace for lunch no problem. I just did that a week ago.

 

[Brygida]

It kills me when I hear people refer to CS food as "crappy fast food" though, because there are many places that have really good choices (Wolfgang Puck's Express, Tusker House, Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace, most of the Epcot places....) In fact, I really could have eaten more CS meals at Epcot this past trip, and felt sort of like we were missing out on something!

Marcy

When I mentioned "crappy fast food" it was in regards to a previous poster mentioning that her family preferred going to McD and BK instead of eating on the DDP. That would literally make me sick.

I agree that many CS at WDW are just as good as TS, namely the delicious Wolfgang Puck Express and some EPCOT places. Tusker House is pretty good too. Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace has been a TS that last 2 times we have gone.

There are many CS, especially at MK, that are pretty MCD-like... those I avoid.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

It's hard to live the life of an anal WDW planner, of which I am guilty. I guess part of it is because we just about always carry guests with us (ah, the glories of DVC!), and since it may be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for them, I want them to get the maximum bang for their buck. So, yeah, I'm a commando. But if I were just visiting the beach for a week, my approach would be totally different.

I do totally agree that you can have a great WDW vacation and go strictly CS, and never touch a burger and fries.

Do what works for you, and do it to give yourself minimal stress. That's why it's called a vacation.

If I ever give the impression on DIS that I'm judging others because of their vacation/dining styles, I ask forgiveness in advance. I wasn't raised to be that way.

I might add that I am as content at Jiko as I am at MickeyD's. It just depends on what I'm in the mood for.

 

[septbaby]

When I planned our ADRs I thought of the dining experiences just like the attractions, so I'm looking forward to them just like parks:

Narcoossee's, special way to open our trip and get EWP and Wishes w/o using a park ticket.

Chef Mickey's, gotta do a character meal and this one gets high marks, we'll be able to boat over from MK or use the monorail. Great experiences for my 5yr old nephew. Alright for me too, am I that transparent?

Boma, can't wait to see AKL, read the food and experience are awesome.

Hollywood & Vine, my mom wants Fantasmic seats, she gets 'em.

So though I intend to get my fill, the experiences are a huge part of the draw.

 

[DiszyDean]

I think the only part about the whole "being tied down to reservations" that I do not understand is the fact that you can always make reservations and then cancel them if you decide to do something different.

I always look at reservations as a way of guaranteeing that we will have somewhere to eat that night. If we are in the park and decide we would rather eat somewhere else (that has availability) or just grab a quick service meal, I would call Disney Dining and cancel my original reservation and eat there. This also gives you the flexibility to eat off property if you like.

If you end up with some extra TS credits at the end of your trip...have some nice sitdown breakfasts or lunches. I realize you are not "maximizing" your credits that way but it allows for you to at least not worry about actually "losing" the credits you paid for and still allows you flexibility.

I think the whole issue of planning you reservations months ahead of time is a little overblown. Think of it as your "safety net" not an absolute "cannot-miss" appointment and you will feel a lot better about it. Just be sure to program the DDP number into your cell phone so that you can do the right thing and cancel any ADRs you do not use.

 

[eliza61]

How do you plan where to eat three months from now? How do you know what parks you will be in? While you are in the parks do you leave to a resort to eat? Doesn't that waste alot of time?

It makes me feel like we are going to WDW to eat.


Am I alone??

I think it's a very individual choice. I only make a few ADR's before hand because I generally don't like to micro manage my vacation. I'm sort of the "play it by ear" type of gal. But, I'm also a realist. Disney is packed and if you go during free dining, it can be impossible to get a TS meal in a park. I try to be flexible. If I have a park hopper, I may go to 1 park in the morning, have a late TS lunch at a resort and then hit a 2nd park or I may hang out at a park for most of the day and then do my TS dinner at a resort at the end of the night.
When I wake up in the morning I call Disney dining and see what is available for that day. I generally know a couple of days out what park I'm going to hit when.

This is not a plan I would advise a newcomer to do, we have been to Disney many times so we know our favorites and we have tips that work for us. We love touring disney leisurely and don't ever do it commando style any more. We love, love, love not being a slave to ADR's

 

[micksterlee]

We had always used the dining plan on our trips until our Easter trip this year. I always felt with DDP my trip was indeed ruled by the food. It seemed like every time I looked at my watch it was time that we had better head for a restaurant.On our Easter trip we skipped the DDP and enjoyed CS meals.We made no ADRs and had no schedule to keep, for us this worked out great.A lot of people will immediately tell you if you don't make ADRs you will be stuck eating hamburgers all week and this simply isn't true, there are tons of CS choices thru out the parks and at the food courts in the resorts.

 

[Brian Noble]

MrsPiglet, you are not alone. I try to make one TS per day based on what I think I'll be doing. But, we easily cancel 1/3 to 1/2 of them, because our plans change. Sometimes we replace them with other TS meals, sometimes we don't. Instead, we might eat CS, have a meal in our condo, or do takeout or offsite.

Having that flexibility is one of the big reasons I *don't* buy the DDP. And, I find that, in the end, I don't spend a lot more money on food than the DDP would cost---and some trips spend less.

 

[MrsPiglet]

Ok, I will settle down and if we miss a adrs (make sure to call) it really is no big deal. I think I am going to change my to late breakfast or lunch, so I can plan which morning in which parks.

I just don't want to be in MK and have to go to a resort to dinner. I guess I am not sure how we will react, last time we went the schedule was more on evenings, due to being night people. But now my body is schedule to get up at 5 am, I'm not sure I can stay up till midnight.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I too plan on what park I will be on what day, and then figure out where I'd like to eat in that park and make ADRs. I agree with the others that say to make the plan work for you and not you working for the plan.

I remember getting nervous in line at Splash Mtn worrying because we were going to miss our ADR at the Plaza. That was no fun. However all that's needed is a call to Disney Dining (put the number on your cell phone) and let them know you are coming. It's OK to be a little late, you are guaranteed the next table open when you get there, NOT at the time you booked for the ADR. Just call disney dining and you should be OK.

Another time we were at the Grand Floridian hoping to walk up for 1900 Park Fair When we were rejected, I walked up to the phone bank and called Disney Dining. I told the person where we were and that we would like to know what was open on the monorail line (but not in MK) We got an ADR for Kona Cafe for 30 minutes later. We were never there before. It was spontanious, delicious, and fun! If you're open enough, you can find openings.


Hope this little bit helps.

Great post with some great tips! Especially loved making the plan work for you instead of the other way around. So true. A plan doesn't have to be an anchor around your neck. Used properly, it can be a liberating thing.

 

[tinkerbell1967]

How do you plan where to eat three months from now? How do you know what parks you will be in? While you are in the parks do you leave to a resort to eat? Doesn't that waste alot of time?

It makes me feel like we are going to WDW to eat.


Am I alone??

To me it is part of the trip I enjoy. I love planning where we are going to eat and enjoy looking at the menus for the places we have never tried. Tomorrow is my 180 days out and I will be on the phone at 7:00 to make my ADR's. I looked at where I wanted to eat, looked at the park hours for December and planned on what parks we would go to. I guess it depends if you like to plan or if you like to just go and decide when you get there. Nothing wrong with either way!!

 

[pooch]

we don't go back to the room for an afternoon break. We have no small kids anymore and only DH still gets cranky !!! We don't get to the parks until 11 or 12 and look forward to our 7:30 ADRs for our break. I plan which park which day and base ADRs around that. This will be our 2nd go round on free DDP and I think we'll be better at it this time. It took 2 days to convince DH NOT to pay for anything!!! Like anything else, it takes time to get the hang of it. DDP works for our style of vacationing, but not for everyone's. That's why we all have choices!!!!

 

[HappyMomof4]

I know it is hard to plan 3 months ahead but for Disney it is necessary. We just returned from a week at Disney on the DDP and LOVED it!! We never felt rushed to make an ADR because we were always in that park near that restaurant. For example, at Epcot we had a 5:15 ADR for Coral Reef. We made sure to start Epcot in the morning on the side with Mission Space. We toured World Showcase starting with Mexico and by late afternoon we were back on the side of the Living Seas. After dinner we toured the Living Seas and thus completed out day at Epcot. I am a big planner but in order to maximize each park you really need to have an idea of what you want to do and where you want to begin. Hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[dawnball]

I tend to agree that Disney dining is a hassle, but I don't see it as a Dining Plan problem. I just finished making our last ADRs for our September trip and it was a lot of work. Worse, now that I have ADRs, the work isn't anywhere near done yet.

In our party of 4 (although we have 2 others who will join us for some meals) we have 1 gluten free, pepper free adult, 1 vegetarian adult, one gluten free, dairy free, nightshade free adult and one gluten free child. So I have to call every restaurant (which usually involves multiple calls before you get through) and discuss what's on the menu, what can be altered, make special arrangements for foods they don't normally carry (DD likes mac and cheese, which they can get but have to special order, the vegetarian won't eat most of the standard vegetarian options and almost nothing is both gluten and dairy free). I'm ordering food 3 months in advance. It's one thing to say "I can find something I'll eat here" and it's another to say "I'd like this particular dish, at this particular time" I can't (in good conscience) cancel those reservations on no notice because it's inconvenient.

I'm really missing staying offsite for this trip, just because Dining has been so much more of a hassle than I expected. We don't eat as well when we're in a condo, but I don't have to try to figure out what I can eat 3 months in advance either. Or try to figure out what my pre-schooler will eat 3 months from now.

It doesn't help that half of our days are Blizzard Beach days, where there's very little that we all can/will eat. Ah well, next trip we'll stay offsite.

 

[time101]

It is so funny how people look at things differently. We've never been to WDW with the dining plan (primarily because our circumstances have made it necessary to travel at different times of the year). But even then, my DW and I print out all the menus of the restaurants we want to try. My wife and I (like a number of other DIS'ers, I'm sure) have almost all the restaurants memorized anyway. We excitedly pore over these menus and pick where we want to eat. My wife then gets out the highlighter and picks out what she is going to order! (of course, I do too)

We probably do plan our parks first and then the meals around the parks. Since our trips to WDW are only every 2 years or so, then we start planning which rides/attractions we want to see and the order in which we want to see them, building them around our meals.

We enjoy every minute of this insane planning. It feels like it makes the trip last a lot longer than the few days we are actually there.

And by the way, we also call for our ADR's as early as possible, generally on the day they become available.

Are we nuts? Probably...