Help with Meal Planning and DDP Credits!

[AtlMom]

My Mom and I are heading to the World for a 3 night/4 day trip in May '07. We are using the Magic Your Way package and need some guidance about how best to take advantage of the DDP. Please help!

Here is what we have planned as far as meals:

Day 1: Lunch- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Jiko (2 Table credits per person=4 total)

Day 2: Lunch- Chefs de France (1 Table credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)

Day 3: Lunch- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Marrakesh (1 Table credit per person=2 total)

This plan puts us over by 2 Table credits due to the Jiko meal. I am trying to figure out how best to manage this. Should we just pay for one of the table service meals out of pocket, and in this case which one? Or, is it possible to share a meal (perhaps the Marrakesh meal), and use only 1 Table credit that way?

We haven't eaten at any of these restaurants before, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Jiko is a fantastic restaurant so I would keep that and since its expensive, use the DDP for this meal. Honestly, I would skip Chefs De France unless your hearts are set on it. There have been some negative reviews about this eatery. I've never eaten at Marrakesh, but I don't think you can share a meal there but I could be wrong. If you really want to, pay Marrakesh out of pocket. Chefs de France can be expensive too.

 

[jjohnson]

If you have your heart set on Chefs for lunch I would pay OOP as dinner at Marrakesh will cost more. Sharing at either shouldn't be a problem.

 

[suffolkprincess]

We ate at Marrakesh for dinner last week and the tab would have been well over $100 for the three of us (DH, DD4 and I.)

I would not have been satisfied if I had been sharing a meal with DH there. The portions are large, but not excessively so. Appetizer portions are NOT large at all.

We thoroughly enjoyed our entire Morroccan experience, but we wish we had asked for the food to be made "like you do at home." I had read that tip and forgotten it; we are adventurous diners and found the seasoning just a little more bland than we would prefer BUT we did enjoy it very much.

I would think that paying OOp for a lunch and maybe sharing some elements of that and then later that day having a snack using a snack credit would make more sense. Maybe have lunch at Chefs then use a snack credit for a pastry for dessert from the bakery in France. That would save on the lunch tab without cheating yourself of a lovely french dessert!

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Can you elaborate on the "prepare it like you would at home", we plan on eating here very soon.

 

[AtlMom]

Thank you all for the great advice! The only place we really have our hearts set on is Jiko. The others were just places we wanted to try, as we work our way through the restaurants. We love to eat! I'm thinking we may just drop the Chefs de France, since we don't feel strongly about it.

Thank you again! It's so great to have someplace to go for help!

 

[jjohnson]

Maybe have lunch at Chefs then use a snack credit for a pastry for dessert from the bakery in France. That would save on the lunch tab without cheating yourself of a lovely french dessert!

Unfortunately, France will not allow guests to use a snack credit for their wonderful pastries. You could use a CS and receive 2 items + a drink.

 

[Hound 109]

My Mom and I are heading to the World for a 3 night/4 day trip in May '07. We are using the Magic Your Way package and need some guidance about how best to take advantage of the DDP. Please help!

Here is what we have planned as far as meals:

Day 1: Lunch- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Jiko (2 Table credits per person=4 total)

Day 2: Lunch- Chefs de France (1 Table credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)

Day 3: Lunch- Counter Service TBD (1 Counter credit per person=2 total)
Dinner- Marrakesh (1 Table credit per person=2 total)

This plan puts us over by 2 Table credits due to the Jiko meal. I am trying to figure out how best to manage this. Should we just pay for one of the table service meals out of pocket, and in this case which one? Or, is it possible to share a meal (perhaps the Marrakesh meal), and use only 1 Table credit that way?

We haven't eaten at any of these restaurants before, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

My opinion (based on your desired Restaurant choices and portions served) would be:

Jiko - enjoy as you have stated.

Chef's of France - Pay for an Onion Soup OOP. Split it along with appetizer, entree & dessert. Plenty for lunch. (and if still hungry later eat a snack at one of the Nations. (One TS Credit)

Marakech - Pay for an Entree (or Appetizer or Salad) OOP. Same reason as Chefs. (One TS Credit).

Have fun!

hound

 

[robinb]

I would use credits for only 1 person at Jiko's and pay OOP for the other person. You could share the appetizer and the dessert and you would only have to pay for the entree and drink. The $35-40 for the Jiko's entree will be less than two entire meals at Chef's or Marrakesh.

ETA: I put together a chart of most of the restaurants this summer and the per-credit "value":
http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/DisneyDiningRanking.htm