We just got back from eight nights at WDW and did use the DDP. Overall, it was a great deal since we rented DVC points and did not have to pay rack rates for our room at the BW to get access to the DDP.
Here are some general observations:
1) Restaurants were generally very crowded. Several places were not accepting any walk up reservations. We were generally seated on time but we ate early to avoid having or seating time delayed. The only bad experience we had was at Coral Reef. We had a 5:00 AR and were told that the restaurant was running thirty minutes behind. How this was even possible given that dinner started at 4:30 was beyond me - nevertheless, we waited almost forty minutes before I simply walked out. The place was an absolute madhouse and several people were very upset (me included) by the fact that they had so overbooked the restaurant.
2) I had made AR's about 180 days out and was able to eat where we wanted. I did not have to make many changes since WDW did not change the EMH schedules at the parks as WDW has done in the past. I think WDW may now understand that changing park hours and EMH hours is not a good idea.
3) Service was generally very good, even though the servers knew we were on the dining plan. There were two glaring exceptions - at Boma, our server Lisa was simply awful and I noticed that other servers ended up doing her job. We have had her before, and she was just as bad so maybe it wasn't the DDP. At Le Cellier, our server was also terrible - she was unattentive and had a real attitude once she found out we were on the DDP.
4) All credits are still pooled. For our CS meals, my two kids were able to find items they liked on the kids menus. I do agree that the kids CS meals are very limited and it kep us from eating at a few CS places we like (Pizzafari being the example I can think of). Therefore, we did not commit the mortal sin of ordering any adult CS for our kids. We did, however, have an adults only meal at YS (kids were in the Sandcastle Club at the BC) and therefore used 4 credits at this restaurant. I did not try to give them back to WDW, pay OOP for a later meal or otherwise give penance for this terrible act. Given that we spent $40 dollars on childcare and another $60 on wine, I also don't think WDW cared very much.
5. Snack credits were actually hard to use - I thought we would go through these in a few days given that we buy ALOT of liquids in the parks. However, many soda vendors did not accept credits and the system was frequently down. I did use all snack credits and was generally able to use them on higher priced items - Dole Whips, ice cream, Boardwalk Bakery - than the $2.00 waters and sodas.
6. There was ALOT of food on the DDP. We did save alot of money. On our past trips, we typically did eat at nicer TS restaurants and the DDP saves alot of money at these places. We did order appetizers and desserts (on previous trips we would order one but not both), and rarely finished everything. The CS meal desserts were truly unncessary but were pretty good (at Tusker House, Seasons and Tangier's they were really good). Eating these (or, more accurately, portions of these) did make it harder to use our snack credits since we did not seem to want may snacks.
Any questions? I will try to tally the actual amount saved (and provide more detailed restaurant reviews) later.
Here are some general observations:
1) Restaurants were generally very crowded. Several places were not accepting any walk up reservations. We were generally seated on time but we ate early to avoid having or seating time delayed. The only bad experience we had was at Coral Reef. We had a 5:00 AR and were told that the restaurant was running thirty minutes behind. How this was even possible given that dinner started at 4:30 was beyond me - nevertheless, we waited almost forty minutes before I simply walked out. The place was an absolute madhouse and several people were very upset (me included) by the fact that they had so overbooked the restaurant.
2) I had made AR's about 180 days out and was able to eat where we wanted. I did not have to make many changes since WDW did not change the EMH schedules at the parks as WDW has done in the past. I think WDW may now understand that changing park hours and EMH hours is not a good idea.
3) Service was generally very good, even though the servers knew we were on the dining plan. There were two glaring exceptions - at Boma, our server Lisa was simply awful and I noticed that other servers ended up doing her job. We have had her before, and she was just as bad so maybe it wasn't the DDP. At Le Cellier, our server was also terrible - she was unattentive and had a real attitude once she found out we were on the DDP.
4) All credits are still pooled. For our CS meals, my two kids were able to find items they liked on the kids menus. I do agree that the kids CS meals are very limited and it kep us from eating at a few CS places we like (Pizzafari being the example I can think of). Therefore, we did not commit the mortal sin of ordering any adult CS for our kids. We did, however, have an adults only meal at YS (kids were in the Sandcastle Club at the BC) and therefore used 4 credits at this restaurant. I did not try to give them back to WDW, pay OOP for a later meal or otherwise give penance for this terrible act. Given that we spent $40 dollars on childcare and another $60 on wine, I also don't think WDW cared very much.
5. Snack credits were actually hard to use - I thought we would go through these in a few days given that we buy ALOT of liquids in the parks. However, many soda vendors did not accept credits and the system was frequently down. I did use all snack credits and was generally able to use them on higher priced items - Dole Whips, ice cream, Boardwalk Bakery - than the $2.00 waters and sodas.
6. There was ALOT of food on the DDP. We did save alot of money. On our past trips, we typically did eat at nicer TS restaurants and the DDP saves alot of money at these places. We did order appetizers and desserts (on previous trips we would order one but not both), and rarely finished everything. The CS meal desserts were truly unncessary but were pretty good (at Tusker House, Seasons and Tangier's they were really good). Eating these (or, more accurately, portions of these) did make it harder to use our snack credits since we did not seem to want may snacks.
Any questions? I will try to tally the actual amount saved (and provide more detailed restaurant reviews) later.
I should edit my post but might be hard to explain that poor service at Boma was not necessarily DDP related. 
Even if our bill was $100 (and I think it was close), he only would get $10! Maybe this is only true for non-Disney owned restaraunts. 
