How do you not do it all??

[brooke.jax.gia]

Yes, I understand there are time constraints here. But... I want to eat everywhere!! How in the world do yall narrow it down?? I am definately going to be doing the DxDP b/c we want to do a majority of TS meals. But then most of them are 2 credits, this is by far the most confusing thing I have ever tried to put together (this vacation).

 

[brooke.jax.gia]

I guess we could see what park we will be in for the day, but I have no clue about that either. I really see myself stressing for the next 5 months till I get this ADR stuff done. LOL

 

[mom2ee]

there are lots of table service meals that are not signature (2 credits). I would start by planning your day and then working the meal into it. try to keep your meal where you are already located to minimize the travel time. doing DxDP works IF you plan on eating that way anyway, or plan to do signature dining. Otherwise, you might find yourself missing out on park touring because you are just spending your time traveling from ADR to ADR

 

[brooke.jax.gia]

Well, we'd like to do early morning character breakfasts, like first available. Then we plan to go to the parks and spend the day, do a QS lunch, and then a TS meal. Probably mid-evening meal. That way we can go back into the parks afterwards. Does this sound logical?

 

[DEA]

Well, we'd like to do early morning character breakfasts, like first available. Then we plan to go to the parks and spend the day, do a QS lunch, and then a TS meal. Probably mid-evening meal. That way we can go back into the parks afterwards. Does this sound logical?

It makes sense, I think, as long as your route is coherent. For instance, if you're doing Animal Kingdom in the morning, then a breakfast at Tusker House, or even at Boma over at the AKL, would be a good step in that direction. QS meals are not going to be the best bang for your buck on the Deluxe Dining Plan, so you might want to think about going out of pocket on those and then having signature dinners, if you are really interested in trying the best food at WDW.

It will be a lot of food, though. Good luck!

 

[brooke.jax.gia]

Great idea for going OOP on QS lunches! And now I guess I just need to figure out which parks on which days. This is so hard for a newbie... or maybe I'm making it out to be harder than it is.

 

[robinb]

If this is your FIRST trip, I would recommend cutting back to the regular DDP. Otherwise, your whole trip will be centered around food and not around the parks. You will spend way too much of your time eating or trying to get to your next reservation. You also don't want to do too many character breakfasts or you will be eating instead of using the precious morning hours for touring. You can get more done in the first 2-3 hours a park is open then the remaining time put together.

Don't get me wrong! I love to eat at WDW restaurants but I would never consider it for a newbie to the parks. It "eats" up way too much time.

 

[Zife]

The first time we did the DxDP (which was the first time we ever really ate at on-World), we spent a couple weeks looking at menus on allears.net, narrowing down our choices (I'm a bit of a picky eater) and we went from there. Once we had our 'short list,' we used reviews on various sites to narrow things down further.

When it was finally time to make ADRs, we had an issue with our booking, so couldn't make them until a few days after they opened up. Then we took what we could get based off of our final list.

I don't really remember if we decided to go with restaurants based off what park we were going to, or what park we were going to based off what restaurants we could get...

 

[robinsegg]

Hi!
Maybe I can help a bit, since we just got back a week ago from our first trip ever and were on the DxDP.
First, I went to AllEars.net and found the menus. Since we have 3 kids, we looked for both fun (character or other fun stuff) and for things our kids would actually eat.
Second, we were a bit surprised (not too much, but a bit) by the amount of gratuity for each sit-down meal . . . so be forewarned that even a non-signature meal will have you throwing down $20 or more for a tip, except at most breakfasts.
Thirdly, we looked at the mealtimes as a way to slow our touring down so we could relax instead of going all the way back to our resort.

Ok, so that down, we decided which day we would be in each park and found the best places (the ones we wanted to eat at most) in each area. For instance, the days we were at EPCOT, we ate at: Cape May Cafe, Askershus, Tangieriene & Tutto Italia.
When we went to Animal Kingdom, we ate at Boma & Pizzafari (wanted to go to the FlameTree BBQ, but couldn't figure out if the meals were on the plan). We had dinner near our resort, at Chef Mickey's.
When we went to DHS, we ate at Goofy's Beach Club (at Cape May), ended up eating at our resort for lunch (baby got sick), and ate at the Sci-Fi Dine-In for dinner (more for ambiance than food).
At MK, we ate at Columbia Harbour House, Cosmic Ray's, Tony's, and otherwise ate at nearby resorts (Whispering Canyon Cafe, Grand Floridian Cafe, Chef Mickey's, etc.).

If you can plan your eating around your touring, it may work out best. Also, if you're staying on-property (I think with the DDP you must be?), take into account EMH. We found ourselves leaving the parks at lunchtime and returning around dinner when we could stay for EMH. Just a thought

 

[Colleen27]

We plan our park days first, around any special events, extended hours, etc. that matter to us and then plan dining around that. But to do that, you'll have to wait for park hours to be published which won't happen until about 6 months before your travel dates.

On the deluxe plan we eat two meals a day most days. Either an early morning character breakfast (try for times before the parks open, so you aren't eating during the low-crowd morning hours) or a quiet TS lunch, then a signature dinner in the evening. And we always stick in or near our park for the day to minimize travel time.

 

[stitchaholic]

I can honestly say, unless you are really big eaters, that after one of those breakfast buffets, you will probably not be very hungry for lunch and may just use a snack credit later on in the day.

and it is true that if this is your first time visiting the parks, you will want your park time, and get tired of chasing your ADR's, so plan them carefully according to your day, and have 2nd choices for backup ready in case you cannot get your preffered ADR

 

[PoohsFan1]

there are lots of table service meals that are not signature (2 credits). I would start by planning your day and then working the meal into it. try to keep your meal where you are already located to minimize the travel time. doing DxDP works IF you plan on eating that way anyway, or plan to do signature dining. Otherwise, you might find yourself missing out on park touring because you are just spending your time traveling from ADR to ADR

I agree with this, this is exactly how we plan our meals. We always make our ADRs for wherever we are going to be at, if we do have to travel, we make sure our ADR is close, if not at, our resort that we are staying. We did DxDP for the first time in September and we are going to be doing it again in May, we loved it so much. You have a very good plan already in the works with doing a character breakfast than a nice sit down meal for dinner, just go onto allears.net like other PPs have already mentioned, then make a list of where everyone in your party would like to eat, then once you know what parks you are doing (or not doing), try to fit those restaurants into those days. Have a great trip.

 

[brooke.jax.gia]

Wow, thanks for all of the great ideas!

I have something I'd like some clarification on though... We are very early risers. Especially when on vacation. Do they have early breakfasts that we will be able to finish before park opening? Because ideally, that is when I would like to get there, at opening.

 

[Colleen27]

Wow, thanks for all of the great ideas!

I have something I'd like some clarification on though... We are very early risers. Especially when on vacation. Do they have early breakfasts that we will be able to finish before park opening? Because ideally, that is when I would like to get there, at opening.

For the in-park character meals the first seating is usually 8:05, which is typically early enough to be finishing the meal right around the time the park opens (generally 9).

At the resort character meals, seating begins at 7 which is plenty of time to get to the park for opening. Just be sure to plan those close to the park you're planning for the day (not too difficult since all but one are at MK area resorts, and the other is at an Epcot area resort).

 

[MickeyNicki]

I admit it is very difficult to pick dining choices, especially when your wonderful husband changes it all around once you get to WDW

How I do it is make sure we have all our dinners set...I tend to go with mostly our favorites and try to add 2-3 new places in there.

Then I book 2 TS breakfasts and wing the rest of the breakfasts with CS stuff, always a hit with us is Cape May, Kona and Boma

Then for TS lunch I may add 2 favorites but we usually decide that stuff when we get there because it is so easy to walk in for a TS lunch

 

[loganpaulsmom]

last time I was at the world (2008) we had ddxp and it was TOO much food.. Also,I felt like we were running from ADR to ADR.. Just when you thought you were having fun you needed to run to your next ADR.. It was was ALOT of food.. Even without the buffets.. You would get app, dinner entree and dessert at every meal.. and if you want to get the most bang for your buck you would eat all 3 meals.. We actually didn't do any signature last time because we had 3 kids and thought it would be wasted on them..

This time we are just going with ourselves, 5 year old son and hubby and myself.. I did DDP.. so we get.. 1 TS, 1 CS, and 1 snack per day.. This is how I planned..

Went to Touring Plans to see what were the best parks for my days..
I chose my parks first..
then I chose the restaurant that I wanted to eat in the most at that park..and then went from there.. On the days that we are not at the parks I chose the restaurants that I wanted to eat at the most..
Here is an example..
May 4th thru 12th..
first day MK.. Dinner at Liberty Tavern (family style meal and made my time according to when the parade would go by, so a little over an hour before because I read its a great place to see parade)
Day 2.. HS.. early lunch at 50's Prime Time.. last ressie for dessert at Sci -Fi (just for atmosphere and paying OOP)
Day 3 (No park).. Dinner at Ohana's.. This gives us ALL day to do whatever we want and go where ever we want without having to worry.
Day 4.. AK.. Dinner at Yak and Yeti.. (this may change if I do the exhibition everest run)
Day 5.. Mothers Day.. Le cellier.. this is now a signature.. but.. I planned for a late lunch that.. So we are only using 1 ts..

I think you get the idea.. Having a touring plan for yourself is a great way to pre-plan.. Just know with 3 kids especially.. don't overplan.. they will get tired and they will get tired being dragged from one place to another.. This is why this year I didn't do more than 2 days at parks without a day inbetween.. Good luck.. I am sure whatever you do, the kids will have a great time!

 

[robinsegg]

Actually, if you wanted to use 2 at a time with kids you could do so at a dinner show (MBYBBQ, HDD, Luau at Polynesian) or at CRT and do just fine.
What we generally did was make the ADR for breakfast & dinner, then found a CS place for lunch. There were times, though, that we *did* plan for a sit-down lunch. That was usually when we planned to use EMH that night and needed a break (it was too cold for the pool most days, and we didn't really want to just sit around the resort room, so we had a leisurely sit-down lunch and took a boat to/from the lunch to help us relax). A couple of times, it helped us get out of the park just as it was getting most crowded, then we would return around dinner time. We also *did* take a couple of naps (esp. baby and me, since we got sick), one of which while dh took the older kids to the pool (on a warmer day ).

 

[robinb]

Actually, if you wanted to use 2 at a time with kids you could do so at a dinner show (MBYBBQ, HDD, Luau at Polynesian) or at CRT and do just fine.
What we generally did was make the ADR for breakfast & dinner, then found a CS place for lunch.

Yes but ... (1) you are still paying out of pocket for a CS lunch after spending $79 PER ADULT PER DAY for the DxDDP and (2) the per-credit value of the Signature restaurants and 2-credit dinner shows is pretty low.

 

[robinsegg]

Yes but ... (1) you are still paying out of pocket for a CS lunch after spending $79 PER ADULT PER DAY for the DxDDP and (2) the per-credit value of the Signature restaurants and 2-credit dinner shows is pretty low.

It seemed the poster was interested in 2-pt meals, but couldn't figure out how to handle it with kids. While we didn't use our DxDP credits that way, I wanted to share the information that there *are* child-friendly ways to do it.

 

[GailT]

Yes, I understand there are time constraints here. But... I want to eat everywhere!! How in the world do yall narrow it down?? I am definately going to be doing the DxDP b/c we want to do a majority of TS meals. But then most of them are 2 credits, this is by far the most confusing thing I have ever tried to put together (this vacation).

I am on the DDP and I eat everyday 2ts or supper use my on left for breakfast and for lunch I just wing it with my credits. I at one point ate 3 tables settings and it was way to much food. Good luck on whatever you decided to do, dont stress just go and have a fun time, never enough tome to do everyhting DW is so big