How to organize/plan your DDP....?

[Rachandgarry]

Hi,

This will be our first time using DDP and I'm a little bit unsure as to the best way to use it to the best advantage. Wonder if you would be kind enough to share your opinions or experiences, to help me get a better idea.

We will be there for about 16 days next Easter and are a party of 4 adults and 2 children ages 6 and 7. We're staying at CBR and have a car.

Obviously, we will need to decide on our table service meals way in advance and get those booked. We will be doing as much character dining as we can. We're looking through the menus now to do that. However, with the credits for counter-service meal and the snacks - do you just tend to decide as you go round the parks or do you try and pick some of these in advance?

I am totally unsure as to how to do it and don't want to stand around in the parks going "oh so where do we want to eat now?" and then getting there and not liking the menu, it being somewhere that has no desserts (waste of the DDP) etc.

Thanks so much in advance for anything you can add to my confusion!

Rachel x

 

[icc2515]

Wow, 16 days good for you.

We usually use a site like this:

http://media.disneywebcontent.com/S.../pdf/ParkHours/WDW_Operating_Calendar_apr.pdf

This gives us an idea of the park hours, which are subject to and most likely will change. Then we mark down where we are going each day. Obviously if you are going to Epcot it is not a good idea time wise to eat at say the Magic Kingdom, especially if you do not have park hoppers. Then we make our ressy's based on that.

For CS we just make the decision when we are hungry. Pecos Bills has good burgers with a huge topping bar. As for desserts don't worry, I cannot think of any CS that does not have one. Mind you they mostly all are less than steller. Look at all ears for the menus to see what you like.

http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

Here are some places for us that are not to miss for dinner: 'Ohana, Teppan Edo, Restaurant Marrakesh. Some good character meals are Chef Mickey's, Akershus, Crystal Palace, and 'Ohana (breakfast). The only place I can tell you to avoid is Hollywood and Vine at Hollywood Studios.

 

[melissafox18]

We booked more last minute, so we didn't have as many options to choose from (Chef Mickey's among some others were already booked). I did A LOT of research - the Unofficial Guide to WDW was immensely helpful and I also am subscribed to TouringPlans.com which gives you a day by day average (based on past history) of when peak crowds are and parks to go to/avoid on a given day.

I made a somewhat confusing looking spreadsheet and started with places NOT go to based on history and then booked our TS meals based on that. So on a day I knew we were not going to MK, I didn't even look for Crystal Palace for breakfast. We are also park hopping for our 6 night stay, so our plans don't have to be AS rigid as if we were only visiting one park per day.

I definitely agree with PP to check out allears.net menus. They have been very helpful in deciding where to and not to eat (since I'm somewhat of a picky eater). Plus, I can convince DH that he will get good meals on a daily basis since he has his choice of fish or steak at pretty much every dinner.

Make a list of all your ideal places and then book from most important to least important and then fill in the gaps as necessary. We actually have one day we are doing 2 TS meals and another day with none so we can be more free and easy that day. Meal won't dictate where we are going that day.

Good luck! I had a hard enough time trying to book our 6 reservations (but I'm indecisive!)

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I make a chart listing one way dates (along the vertical) and meals/ snacks along the horizontal). then I plan out the meals basically. We have 3 people and share 2 CS meals when we eat CS

So example

Monday (date)

breakfast - Tusker House 3 TS

lunch 2 CS

Dinner 2 CS

Snacks - 2 S (to be used at some point during the day)


I also list out CS by park that we will enjoy (having read the menus in advance). So if we're standing in Animal Kingdom for lunchtime I can tell DH and DD we can eat at Yak and Yeti, Flametree BBQ or Pizzafari.

 

[melissafox18]

I make a chart listing one way dates (along the vertical) and meals/ snacks along the horizontal). then I plan out the meals basically. We have 3 people and share 2 CS meals when we eat CS

So example

Monday (date)

breakfast - Tusker House 3 TS

lunch 2 CS

Dinner 2 CS

Snacks - 2 S (to be used at some point during the day)


I also list out CS by park that we will enjoy (having read the menus in advance). So if we're standing in Animal Kingdom for lunchtime I can tell DH and DD we can eat at Yak and Yeti, Flametree BBQ or Pizzafari.

This is a great idea for all the CS meal options instead of just having a long list. I think I will work on this and then make DH look at the menus before he leaves. He's going to kill me if I show him anything else about Disney before we go!

 

[dskib]

We plan out our TS meals and make sure to include at least 2 character breakfasts.

On days without a character bfast, we generally give ds cereal in the room and skip breakfast ourselves. We then have an early CS lunch and our TS dinner.

On days with character bfast, we try to eat early, go to a park and use a snack credit at lunchtime. There's lots of things you can get. At AK, for example, I got a big bowl of chicken fried rice for a snack. Then have our TS meal.

Im usually pretty good at bringing along snacks for my DS, but if he needs something beyond the plan, we just make sure he's taken care of. It doesn't happen very often though. The kids meals come with 2 sides, and he usually only eats one. So I'll grab the other for him to snack on later.