Just back -- any ?

[lizardqueen]

We just got back early this morning from WDW. We were there 8/30 - 9/5 on the free DDP. Tried out the Extra Magic Hours/Magical Beginnings. I plan on writing a trip report (hope to get around to it sometime soon), but if you have any questions, feel free to ask away.

 

[kenny]

How was the construction on the castle? Could you see the crane or anything during the day?

 

[outlander]

did you have a blast?

 

[brooke1]

what restaurants did you go to and how was the food using the DDP

Brooke

 

[lizardqueen]

Let's see...

I did not notice them taking any parts of the castle off while we are there. Heard that they would be doing that maybe next week. You couldn't see the crane unless you knew it was there and were actually looking for it. I was worried that it would be very noticeable in our pics, but you couldn't see it at all.

Did we have a blast? Well yes and no. More yes than no, but I've learned that traveling with DH's parents is not really the best way to go for me. I love them dearly, but DMIL just wanted to shop and then they wondered why we missed certain attractions. DD and DS were quite overwhelmed by everything. Especially DD -- she had some major issues with every attraction except Small World and Cinderella's Carrousel. But we all loved walking around and taking it all in. Usually I am commando, so I had to learn to slow it down a lot. The weather (I think) kept the crowds away for the most parts and we were able to see alot.

As far as dining. If it wasn't free, I don't think we would "do" the plan. It was simply way too much food for us. And we are big eaters. They had an "incentive" for cashing in your table service meals at the food court for counter service meals and you would receive merchandise/snack credits -- so we did that our last day. As far as where we ate:

1900 Park Fare for dinner
Chef Mickey's for lunch
Coral Reef for lunch
Whispering Canyon Cafe for breakfast
Hollywood & Vine for breakfast

counter services
Everything Pop food court (several times)
Cosmic Rays
Flame Tree BBQ
Main Street Bake Shop

I was really worried that we would have alot of problems using the plan, but it wasn't really that bad. Except somehow we got screwed out of 3 snack credits. We had kept track of them all week and on the last day had 8 left, but when I went to use them at the Main Street Bakery in MK, they told me I only had 5. When I asked at concierge at Pop, they gave me a print out that told me I had used 3 at some place I had never heard of. They insisted that I did, and would not credit us for the snacks. Since we were about 45 minutes away from our DME pick up time, I didn't fight with them about it, but they really do need to have something in place for these kinds of mix ups. They couldn't even tell me where this place that I had used them was, only the name of it. Other than that it was good. There were no restrictions on the menus at all.