Just another day in the Happiest Place on Earth! Completed April 24th!!

[suse66]

Captains Grill looks great, especially love the sound of that quinoa fruit salad. I've read lots of good things about it lately, so will definitely have to try it next time we're staying in the boardwalk area.

Still can't believe how much you all are saving compared to the dining plan, especially with 3 teenage boys. It's never appealed to us, largely because it doesn't work with how we like to eat but I always thought it at least offered a savings. Clearly not.

We tried out OOP last year when we were staying CL and would never go back to the DDP now. I love the flexibility of going out to the lounges for a quick meal and ordering what I feel like eating rather than being tied to a set order. I'm 100 times more likely to order an adult bevvie (or 2!) than a soda and we all always have ice water with our meals. We were always too full for dessert and if we felt like something sweet later on, we just picked it up. It worked really well for us and I think the saving were pretty close to $500 by the end of the trip. I'll definitely being paying OOP on my bday trip as well!

 

[suse66]

It does depending on how you use it. If you eat at a lot of character buffet dinners and more expensive QS you will have a savings, especially if you have any disney kids in the mix. If you eat at less expensive TS like breakfast or Sci Fi you will definitely lose money (and flexibility). I don't think signatures are in general a great use of credits either. If the places you prefer are not the pricey ones you would end up spending more.

I think the big thing for us was having our three teens having to pay as Disney "adults". They really don't have that sophisticated a palate yet although the twins surprised us towards the end of the trip with some adventurous choices. I really like the flexibility of going OOP, we found it worked really well for us.

 

[suse66]

Enjoying the reviews

Glad to have you along, Lori!

 

[Lisa F]

I think the big thing for us was having our three teens having to pay as Disney "adults". They really don't have that sophisticated a palate yet although the twins surprised us towards the end of the trip with some adventurous choices. I really like the flexibility of going OOP, we found it worked really well for us.

yeah taking kids to buffets where the entire cost of the plan is paid for just in that one meal really helps. I'm doing a combo of DDP and OOP on my upcoming trip - it's a split stay and for first 4 nights we will do DDP and I will save on the things I have booked then. Then the things that are not a good value or you can't get what you want with DDP I will pay OOP. Will save about $150 on the DDP portion though. I have an 8 year old kiddo so it's just one kid and one adult. The entire 4 nights for us is about what you would pay a day, $331 for the whole thing! If I had another adult to share food with I might be less inclined but since my kiddo and I eat different things, it makes sense. I am leaving some money in the budget for some grownup drinks too! and loving the reviews you are solely responsible for me rearranging things a 4th time to fit Ohana back in. Kiddo will eat the chicken and steak but none of the other sides, hoping I can get some mac and cheese to go with his meat and the brownie and ice cream dessert.

 

[suse66]

yeah taking kids to buffets where the entire cost of the plan is paid for just in that one meal really helps. I'm doing a combo of DDP and OOP on my upcoming trip - it's a split stay and for first 4 nights we will do DDP and I will save on the things I have booked then. Then the things that are not a good value or you can't get what you want with DDP I will pay OOP. Will save about $150 on the DDP portion though. I have an 8 year old kiddo so it's just one kid and one adult. The entire 4 nights for us is about what you would pay a day, $331 for the whole thing! If I had another adult to share food with I might be less inclined but since my kiddo and I eat different things, it makes sense. I am leaving some money in the budget for some grownup drinks too! and loving the reviews you are solely responsible for me rearranging things a 4th time to fit Ohana back in. Kiddo will eat the chicken and steak but none of the other sides, hoping I can get some mac and cheese to go with his meat and the brownie and ice cream dessert.

they are so flexible at O'hana. They did chicken fingers and fries for DS1 back when he was in his picky stage. I am sure you'll have an amazing time! Wow, $331 for 4 nights Of DDP! That is insane! You will definitely come out ahead there. Hope you have an amazing trip and thanks for reading along!

 

[suse66]

On this beautiful Tuesday morning we were up very, very early as we were off for the "Marceline to Magic" tour at Magic Kingdom! We did a quick in room breakfast of cereal and fruit and threw some water bottles and granola bars in the bag for later. This tour is incredible! For $35/pp you are drawn back into Walt's early life and learn how many of his experiences helped shape the Magic Kingdom. Plus, you get behind the scenes access to the Haunted Mansion!!! This is an amazing experience and not to be missed.

After our amazing tour, we hit up some of our park favourites and were happy to have FPs as the Spring Break crowds were in full force! After coming off the Jungle Cruise we were all feeling like a snack and headed over to Sunshine Tree Terrace to pick up some citrus swirls. These were melting pretty quickly in the heat but very still very refreshing!

By about 1:30 we were ready to head out and make our way over to the Whispering Canyon Cafe. After enjoying a lovely cruise over to the Wilderness Lodge on the launch we made our way to the Cafe for lunch. Due to the fact we were arriving at the very end of the lunch period, it was very quiet. Our server was Diego and he was excellent, very personable and funny. After perusing the menus we decided beverages were the first order of the day. Dh and I both chose a hometown favourite of ours, the Moosehead Lager.

The boys all went for the super creamy and delicious vanilla milkshakes.

Discussion ensued about ordering an appetizer and we decided to go for the western tortilla chips with an assortment of dips. There was probably enough for 6 people! The chips were freshly made, there was a creamy salsa, a bean dip and con queso. Wow! This was so, so good!

We then settled on our mains; DH went for the chopped turkey salad which was fresh, crisp and flavourful. He really enjoyed it!

I went for the grilled red quinoa cakes with a minted yogurt sauce and edamame salsa. This was one of my favourite meals of the week! The quinoa cakes were moist and flavourful and the earthiness of the quinoa was complemented nicely with the tanginess of the yogurt sauce. The edamame salsa was so fresh, lots of zingy, yummy flavour profiles. If I could have picked up my plate and licked it clean, I would have!

Unsurprisingly my three monkeys went for the Angus cheeseburgers with fries. At this point I was beginning to lose count count of how many hamburgers they had consumed but they all enjoyed them and managed to polish them off despite having two refills each on the milkshakes.

Dh was feeling virtuous with his salad main course so decided to treat himself to dessert. He went for the strawberry cheesecake and loved it!

All in all, a very successful meal at Whispering Canyon with excellent food and service. We'll definitely be back again!

Next up is a late night ice cream dinner at Beaches and Cream!

 

[suse66]

It's never too late in the evening for ice cream, right?? That's what we thought to ourselves as we headed over for our 9:30 pm reservation at Beaches and Cream!

Making tough ice cream choices..........

The final verdict..... 2 Milky Way sundaes (DH and I)

The twins went for the banana splits and DS 1 had yet another burger and a two scoops of vanilla ice cream! Seriously, how many burgers can one 15 year old eat??

All the boys (including DH) managed to demolish their choices. I gave mine a valiant effort but had to declare defeat about 2/3rds of the way through. A delicious first trip to Beaches and Cream!

Totals for March 15th:
Citrus Swirls at Sunshine Tree Terrace: $19.87
Lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe: $146.06
Ice cream dinner at Beaches and Cream: $75.78
Total OOP costs for the day: $241.71
Savings vs using DDP: $76.79

 

[LindseyJo22]

I think the big thing for us was having our three teens having to pay as Disney "adults". They really don't have that sophisticated a palate yet although the twins surprised us towards the end of the trip with some adventurous choices. I really like the flexibility of going OOP, we found it worked really well for us.

Wow, I'm also loving the savings! We went OOP for our September honeymoon and compared it to the cost of the dining plan just to see - we ate a TS meal every day of the trip and still came out way ahead of the plan, even with drinks at Trader Sam's and some Ghirardelli ice cream in there. We love the flexibility - I ordered an appetizer a couple of places because it was what sounded good. And we love food, so we were somewhat surprised. But even though we love food, DDP would be way too much. We're planning on going OOP for our upcoming May trip, and even with another round of lots of TS meals, I'm sure we'll come out ahead. It's great for those that it fits, and we might look into it when we have some "Disney kids" since you really do seem to get a lot of value there, but until then it's not for us.

Also loving the reviews in general, and glad to hear that Whispering Canyon was good. It's on the short list for a future trip, so I'm always looking for different perspectives! We loved Beaches and Cream recently, and I can't wait to get back for a No Way Jose

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I've never really considered Whispering Canyon but you have me thinking about it now! I am also a burger lover...I'd love to know what each of your crew deemed the best burger of the trip!

 

[Mainemom23]

I have been eyeing a trip to Whispering Canyon Cafe for our November trip. Glad to hear you liked it. We will be coming from Poly and then going to MK after our early dinner. How long do you think the boat ride would take from Poly? Is it easy to do? Never been to WL.... Thanks!

 

[suse66]

So great to have all of you following along!

Wow, I'm also loving the savings! We went OOP for our September honeymoon and compared it to the cost of the dining plan just to see - we ate a TS meal every day of the trip and still came out way ahead of the plan, even with drinks at Trader Sam's and some Ghirardelli ice cream in there. We love the flexibility - I ordered an appetizer a couple of places because it was what sounded good. And we love food, so we were somewhat surprised. But even though we love food, DDP would be way too much. We're planning on going OOP for our upcoming May trip, and even with another round of lots of TS meals, I'm sure we'll come out ahead. It's great for those that it fits, and we might look into it when we have some "Disney kids" since you really do seem to get a lot of value there, but until then it's not for us.

Also loving the reviews in general, and glad to hear that Whispering Canyon was good. It's on the short list for a future trip, so I'm always looking for different perspectives! We loved Beaches and Cream recently, and I can't wait to get back for a No Way Jose

OOP was definitely the way to go for us and I know I'll be doing that on my August solo birthday trip. You must be getting so excited for your trip in May! Where are you staying? We loved our meal at Whispering Canyon, the combination of yummy food and great service is always a winner in my books!

I've never really considered Whispering Canyon but you have me thinking about it now! I am also a burger lover...I'd love to know what each of your crew deemed the best burger of the trip!

Give Whispering Canyon a try..... I think you'll like it! I would go back for those Western chips and dip alone! Plus Wilderness Lodge is a beautiful resort to visit. As for the best burger of the trip, it was a resounding yes for Sci-Fi Drive In. We all love it there so much and their black bean veggie burger is pretty awesome too if you have non-meat eaters in your party.

I have been eyeing a trip to Whispering Canyon Cafe for our November trip. Glad to hear you liked it. We will be coming from Poly and then going to MK after our early dinner. How long do you think the boat ride would take from Poly? Is it easy to do? Never been to WL.... Thanks!

If you're going from the Poly, it would be easy to take the launch over to the MK, then hop the launch to Wilderness Lodge. WL is such a lovely resort, be sure to leave a little time to take it in. Just sitting and relaxing in the lobby is awesome. The huge fireplace and totem poles are so cool. It's actually my DH's favourite resort although we have yet to stay there as the only option for a family of 5 is the CL junior suite and that is $$$$. We have it on the short list for the two of us for 2019 20th anniversary trip though. After dinner, just hop the launch back to the MK for a fun evening. I hope you enjoy it!

 

[LindseyJo22]

OOP was definitely the way to go for us and I know I'll be doing that on my August solo birthday trip. You must be getting so excited for your trip in May! Where are you staying? We loved our meal at Whispering Canyon, the combination of yummy food and great service is always a winner in my books!

We are so excited! 40 days today

We're at the Boardwalk, but I've put in a waitlist request for Beach Club - if that goes through it will be nice, but Boardwalk seems like home base since we've been there for our past two trips! Next time I'm aiming to stay somewhere different

 

[kastoney]

Never heard of the tour you mentioned. Sounds like a great experience (and even better price tag). Gotta look into that

Your Whispering Canyon report is reminding me how much we enjoyed it. And how we'll be at the lodge in just a week and are likely to eat there ; ) Did they do any of the "hijinks" on you all?

Your beaches and cream ice creams look so good. Making me kick myself for not ordering something more imaginative on our last trip.

 

[suse66]

Never heard of the tour you mentioned. Sounds like a great experience (and even better price tag). Gotta look into that

Your Whispering Canyon report is reminding me how much we enjoyed it. And how we'll be at the lodge in just a week and are likely to eat there ; ) Did they do any of the "hijinks" on you all?

Your beaches and cream ice creams look so good. Making me kick myself for not ordering something more imaginative on our last trip.

Marceline to Magic is awesome, Kari. I do think you have to be at least 13 for the tour though. They do have a family magic tour that is geared more for families with younger children which might be fun to check out. I'm still debating adding on "Keys to the Kingdom" for my birthday trip....DH really wants to do it too though so I might wait for a family trip. Check out the WDW website for all the tours and events, I think it's listed under "things to do".

So, are you staying at the Lodge? Why did I have the idea you were in the Epcot area?? Either way, a meal at WCC would be great! No hijinks other than huge piles of straws and napkins thrown on the table. The boys weren't really in the mood for it and the restaurant was almost empty. Our server was so awesome though, we talked all about his upcoming wedding, how many members of his family work for WDW and the fact that he and his fiance are honeymooning at Disneyland. Such a sweetheart! I need to figure out how to make those quinoa cakes.....so yummy!

 

[kastoney]

So, are you staying at the Lodge? Why did I have the idea you were in the Epcot area??

Yep we're doing Wilderness Lodge this time, though you are dead on that we were originally in the Beach Club. At first it was just us so that was the "cheapest" option but when the inlaws decided to come along the "magical" rate we got wasn't available for their dates. Ended up switching to wilderness with the annual pass rate so it would be cheaper for them. We ended up paying a tiny bit more, but they are from West Virginia and love the mountains and cabin feel so Wilderness felt like the right place to take them anyway.

 

[Mainemama]

Just found your reviews, and loving them! We are gearing up for a summer yacht club trip and are looking forward to trying Beaches and Cream sundaes, among other things! I am particularly enjoying the preview of eating with three hungry teens. I have a few years to go, but it is good to be prepared for what seems like an uptick in burger consumption! And that they don't seem to want to share with you!

 

[suse66]

Just found your reviews, and loving them! We are gearing up for a summer yacht club trip and are looking forward to trying Beaches and Cream sundaes, among other things! I am particularly enjoying the preview of eating with three hungry teens. I have a few years to go, but it is good to be prepared for what seems like an uptick in burger consumption! And that they don't seem to want to share with you!

So glad to have you along! Nothing better than reliving great Disney memories by writing about them......unless it's planning another trip! Hope you have an amazing time this summer!

 

[suse66]

The Lodge is so gorgeous, I'm sure you'll have an amazing time!

 

[vettegirl]

Everything looks quite amazing at the Wilderness Lodge for lunch. Your right that dip could feed a small army for sure. I have yet to try Beach and Cream but it looks like I am totally missing out by those pictures you shared.

 

[elaine amj]

Just found your reviews and loving them! Really neat to see your cost comparison vs DDP, especially since u have been eating pretty close to DDP style (with less desserts!) for each meal.

I am considering OOP for our next trip. Hoping to go with my brother and his family and been crunching numbers like crazy...with the price increases for rooms and tickets, I'm seriously considering an offsite villa.

We did OOP when we stayed at the Dolphin for 3 nights in Dec 2014. Couldn't tell if we saved though since we still splurged on every meal. It was certainly more flexible without juggling credits.

The quinoa cakes at WCC look amazing. I tried to tell DH to order that but he tends to default to fish when he sees it on the menu. I bet he would have liked the quinoa cakes more.

BTW, I noticed u flew out of Detroit - so do we! We live in Windsor