How Would You ....

[MajorMinnie]

We are going 9/1 for six days and using DDP for first time. How would you use your DDP if this were you? Looking for ideas.

 

[septbaby]

Welcome to DIS and look forward to a magical time at WDW.

I highly recommend you call tonight to see what dining reservations you can get. You are going during the free dining promotion, so a higher percentage of WDW visitors will be using the Table Service restaurants, so it may be tough to get reservations right now. 1-407-WDW-DINE is the number.

That said it would be helpful to know who is in your group to suggest fun meals for everyone.

If you have kids in the group, definitely try to book a character meal. If they are young the Playhouse Disney meal at the Disney Hollywood Studios may have some openings at this point. That is a lunch or breakfast option. The breakfast at Cape May is another good choice where you could find availability.

The Grand Floridian Cafe is another hidden gem so you might get lucky with that one too. They serve breakfast, lunch or dinner.

We really liked Boma for dinner. We went after our day at the Animal Kingdom, very quick bus ride. You could also try for breakfast before going to the Animal Kingdom.

Hope that helps.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Remember your dining credits are based on the number of nights you are staying.

Maya Grill (CSR)
Turf Club (SSR)
maybe Maya Grill again
Chefs de France
and probably any other WS restaurant (Biergarten, Morocco, etc)

 

[catne]

We are going 9/1 for six days and using DDP for first time. How would you use your DDP if this were you? Looking for ideas.

OMG, I sure hope you have reservations for your table service meals already and are just asking for counter service & snack ideas...

if not, get on the phone with Disney dining right now...and good luck to you getting anything. Unless a lot of people cancel vacation entirely due to storms, there will be no table service restaurants available. Last year, they put signs outside all the table service restaurants telling people there were no tables available...all booked. Many people had to use table service credits at counter service instead.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Chef Mickey's is doing a lunch buffet (with characters) during the free dining period; you might be able to snag a reservation there.

The Magic Kingdom has 2 kind of "overflow" restaurants for the busy period, as well. They are Diamond Horseshoe and Tomorrowland Terrace. Ask about those.

Beaches & Cream is a TS restaurant at Beach Club Resort, near Epcot's International Gateway. They don't accept ADRs, so you can just show up and wait for a table.

Where are you staying? If your resort has a TS restaurant (i.e., not a Value resort, or the Port Orleans French Quarter), try to get a dinner or breakfast there.

You actually might not do too badly. We'll be there at the same time (arriving this Saturday, the 30th, for 7 nights) and I was able to book another ADR without any trouble about 4-6 weeks ago, and actually had my choice of times. We went last year the week of Labor Day and it wasn't as crowded as other times during the free dining promotion. Most kids start school by shortly after Labor Day and not all parents are like me and pull their kids out of school!

 

[brack]

OMG, I sure hope you have reservations for your table service meals already and are just asking for counter service & snack ideas...

I'm MajorMinnie's DH and she was able to book very good reservations including some Character Meals.

Thanks to those of you who gave the suggestions. We are now looking on how to best use our counter services and snacks.

 

[catne]

I'm MajorMinnie's DH and she was able to book very good reservations including some Character Meals.

Thanks to those of you who gave the suggestions. We are now looking on how to best use our counter services and snacks.

Alright! Was so afraid you were going to be another disappointed first-timer on the DDP without ADR's.

O.K. Counter service recommendations...for really good meals/good quantities

MK-Cosmic Rays does a combo meal of chicken & BBQ ribs with sides (like veggies) Very good, and a lot of food.

AK-Flame Tree BBQ-BBQ ribs combo comes with cornbread, beans, drink & dessert. If it's hot, get the Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade for dessert...wonderful to carry around cooling of in the park.

Epcot- we love Sunshine Seasons (downstairs in The Land building) for the variety, and "non-fast-food" fast food choices. Everyone can find foods they like, lots of very good desserts too.

DHS-we really like Starring Rolls for lunch...it's a bakery, but around 11:30 or so, they put out a couple of choices...there's a grilled veggie wrap and there's a turkey on foccacia bread that are both very large servings & very good. You get a bag of chips & a drink with it, plus your choice of the bakery items for dessert (instead of the usual counter service pre-packaged dessert, you can choose things like triple choc muffin, chocolate croissant, banana split cake, etc.)

Snacks-most of the parks have bakeries...most of the bakeries have wonderful choices that count as snack credits. Like school bread in Kringla Bakerie/Norway/Epcot; or the sweet pretzels at Kringla; Dole Whip cone or Dole Whip floats at Aloha Isla/Adventureland/MK; Beignets at POFQ (get the 6 pack); of course many will say the Mickey Ice Cream bars are a must-do (available everywhere.) At Main Street bakery in MK, the homemade icecream/cookie sandwich (you choose the ice cream!) At the resorts food courts, many of the dessert items can be purchased for a snack credit (like ice cream sundaes, milk shakes, cake, sweet rolls, cupcakes, etc.)

Hope that gives you some ideas! Happy eating We'll be there too

 

[KatMark]

I'm so glad you got your table service ressies...I was worried when I saw you are arriving on Monday (the same day we arrive and we made ours 180 days out and I know some people have had a lot of trouble getting what they want). Our favorite counter services are:

Resort -- Pepper Market at the Coronado
Magic Kingdom -- Columbia Harbor House
Epcot -- Sunshine Seasons
Hollywood Studios -- none (we leave and go to our resort that day)
Animal Kingdom -- Flame Tree Barbecue

Snacks: Popcorn (I have to have one a day), Mickey Mouse Bars, anything at the Main Street Bakery, Dole Whip, pretzels, etc.