I have become obessed with maximizing the plan!

Oh and I have not even started on counter service yet!!! I want the best food and value here too!!! I am crazy I guess!! :rotfl2:
 
Well first of all, most of the TS you have chosen will probably be a good "value" in the sense that they will cover the cost per day of the plan - especially if you change those lunches to dinners, which I would do. This will make you feel you have "maximized" and you won't feel so full mid-day. It will also give you a nice meal to look forward to every evening.

If that holds true, you are still coming out waaaay ahead as your CS and snack will basically be a "freebie". Try to think of it that way.

Secondly, I agree that there comes a point where you cross the line so to speak between enjoying the experience and worrying about eeking out every penny. I think that sort of defeats the purpose of the plan, which for many people is to not think about the food cost, it's already taken care of.

I would hate for you to pay that much money to stress yourself out.

Have fun planning!

Oh, also, don't worry about trying to get every pennies' worth out of CS - most of the prices are pretty comparable if you are getting a "complete" meal. There is however, a thread here somewhere about some of the best CS deals. (I think I remember Cosmic Ray's being one of them.) Just do a search and you'll find it.
 
I will tell you that the first year we used the DDP that all I was reading on this board was how I should maximize the plan. I tried to do that and it caused more stress than it was worth. Last year we enjoyed the DDP and just ate where we wanted to based on food we liked and restaurant atmosphere. It was much more fun and still saved money!
 
We are thinking hard about where to eat as well. We definitely want to maximize the plan. So we are only doing one breakfast TS, because we don't think it is a great use of the plan. The rest of our TS we picked because we liked the restaurant.
But like others have said we are more focusing on counter service. What choices where. And especially on the kids meals choices. My kids can't eat PB and Jelly and some places only have that for a choice listed. So we are doing some intense planning to make sure we go to good CS places.
 

I've been thinking a lot about ADRs for my September trip recently, and trying to figure out what would be best money-value wise. But then I realized that I really wanted to do CP, Ohana, and Boma, and who cares if they're less bang for the buck. I love those places, and the DDP is free for me anyway. I mean, I'm still doing some more expensive, (or would-be expensive OOP,) places, Le Cellier and Flying Fish, but I'm going to my favorites as well.
 
We used DDP last year during our September trip, and have requested it for our 2007 trip in October.

While planning our trip, we quickly came to the conclusion there are two ways to view things: There are places to go at WDW and there just happen to be restaurants located there -or- there are restaurants at WDW and there just happen to be things to do there.

We decided to experience exciting things at WDW and fit restaurants in around them...

Either way you decide how to plan your trip, I hope you have an enjoyable vacation!
 
That's an interesting perspective Mike. I think, though, that there is a middle-ground: The realization that it doesn't matter when you experience which exciting things. They're going to be just about as fun whether you do XXX on Monday and YYY on Tuesday or if you do YYY on Monday and XXX on Tuesday.
 
That's an interesting perspective Mike. I think, though, that there is a middle-ground: The realization that it doesn't matter when you experience which exciting things. They're going to be just about as fun whether you do XXX on Monday and YYY on Tuesday or if you do YYY on Monday and XXX on Tuesday.

Agreed. ...and restaurants just happen to be nearby...
 
... except that attractions don't typically book up days in advance, while some restaurants do.
 
... except that attractions don't typically book up days in advance, while some restaurants do.


While I'm not trying to have the last word here, bicker, the OP said she made her ADRs. Sounds like advance planning to me.

I think that takes care of restaurants booking up before the attractions. I believe one would decide where one will be on a given day, then make ADRs based upon the day's location.

...or have I been doing it wrong all these years?
 
Sorry, I must have misunderstood: I thought the question was whether one should do advance dining reservations or not, the argument against being, "There are places to go at WDW and there just happen to be restaurants located there". Sorry for my confusion.
 
I think I am going to keep most of what I have. I think that I have posted it in another thread but just to update you guys, here is what I have:

4/14 Crystal Palace -dinner (thinking of changing to LTT)
4/15 50s Prime Time -lunch (thinking dinner would be better value?)
4/16 Coral Reef-lunch (again thinking dinner would be better value?)
4/17 Kona Cafe-dinner
4/18 CRT-lunch (oop)
4/19 LeCellier-dinner
4/20 Ohana(again not sure of the value here)
4/21 Princess Storybook Norway(again worried about value) maybe should pay oop here. This is departure day.

See here I go obessing again!!!! (sorry I had to edit this. I didn't finish my post)

I think you did a terrific job with your ADR's! You have a couple of character meals, a couple of buffets, a couple of "family style" or preplated restaurants, a couple of places with entertainment/personality and several regular sit-down and order off the menu restaurants. In other words, a wide variety of meals.

One thing I would urge you NOT to do is change all your meals to dinner just to get the "maximum" value out of the DDP. We did nearly all dinners (for that very reason), and it was just too much. We really enjoyed the 2 nights we didn't have dinner ADR's (one we had a lunch TS; the other we cancelled dinner because my dh said he couldn't face another steak, lol). It was fun to "snack" around the parks in the evening (which we never did after dinner because we were too stuffed). At most places, lunches are nearly identical, and only slightly cheaper, so you're still getting your money's worth. Just go, enjoy, and try to forget about the bottom line (I know, easier said than done).
 
Thanks thunderbird1! I thought about changing them to dinners instead of lunches, but I had the same thought about always haveing an adr at night. That is why I tried to plan some lunches, so that we could be where ever on some evenings and not have to worry about it! I guess the whole prepaid thing is getting to me. I don't want to lose credits or waste them or not get my moneys worth. I also don't want it to rule our trip, but I just can't stop thinking about it. Thanks for the responses!
 
I need to slim down before Disney, because the DDP will pack on the pounds.[/QUOTE]

I agree!! We've done the DDP & it is more than enough food! I understand the thought of wanting the most for your money-I still feel that way a little. I would really just try to look at where you want to eat the most & order anything you want!! It is so nice that it is all paid for up front. That is the part about the plan that is the most appealling to me. The least appealling is the 5-8lbs extra that will be sitting in my airplane seat on the way home!:rolleyes1
 
We still have our favorites Restaurants that we always eat at however, We have used the plan to try new places that we normally may not have because they are a little pricey. Afther trying them we have added a couple of new favorite restaurants to our list. Good luck and whatever you decide have a magical trip!!!
 
I have all of our adrs made for April 14-21 2007, and all of the sudden I have become obssesed with maximizing the plan! I am thinking about changing alot of my adrs because I feel like I am not getting the most for my money. Does anyone else do this? For instance, I am doing Crystal Palace and Ohana's and I feel that I could get a better value at another ts that you can order off of the menu!!! Please tell me that I am not crazy! :confused:

Why put that stress on yourself???:confused3 Just go, eat what you want, and enjoy!!! That's the whole point of the dining plan, right?:thumbsup2
 















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