Just got back 2-27 on DDP

[KJ and Crew]

DINING:

there is no way on earth anyone could eat all that (has anyone tried?) There is WAYYY too much food, and we didn't get to try half the snacks we wanted to! Bummer for us!

Pricing: It cost my family (2 adults, 3 kids) $110 per day on the DDP, and almost every TS meal was $100 just for that ONE meal! So I don't know how you could go and NOT save money IF you have at least on TS a day ... we left with an entire day of counter service credits (FIVE!) but still came out way ahead.

KIDS FOOD NOTE: My kids were not happy with the choices: nuggets, mac n' cheese, and pizza at most places. And most of hte time they didn't like the type of mac 'n cheese. They DID like the Uncrustables at many places (esp. bakery shops), the applesauce, and grapes...

Here are my TS reviews:

GARDEN GRILL(EP) -- characters came around 3 times! best dinner w/ characters (food quality and atmosphere... I loved being served rather than getting up), quieter restaurant, nice ambiance!

50'S PRIME TIME (DHS) -- food was SO YUMMY!!! Fried chicken totally ROCKS and dad's brownie sundae was GREAT!

LIBERTY TREE (MK) -- good, tastes like Thanksgiving dinner, and not as greasy as other food! Esp. love the mashed potatoes and apple dessert!

TUSKER HOUSE BUFFET (AK) -- magical start to the day! Character interaction and dancing is worth it!

CRYSTAL PALACE (MK) -- least fav., but Pooh characters are cute. The food ranged from yuck to good depending on the dish. The kids hated the cardboard pizza...

CORAL REEF (EP) -- OH MY GOSH - this is a league of it's own!! I got the blakened catfish, DH got the Mahi Mahi. Is this really on the dining plan? Also loved the butterscotch creme brulee and the chocolate wave!

CAPE MAY BF BUFFET (Beach Club) -- the characters were slow, and we had less time with them, but the food was absolutely amazing, even better than Tusker house! Beautiful upscale place, we will certainly go back!

NOTES ON CS: I looked over the CS and menus before we left, then planned to "wing-it" in the parks. Somewhat of a mistake... we couldn't remember where the best kids' food was, and if there was anything we wanted to try (except in Epcot)... so, you may need to note if there is a particular CS place you want to go to.

CS Reviews: not many worth mentioning except:

Earl of Sandwhich (DTD): YOU HAVE to try this!!! Yummm! Our lunch (for 2 of us) would've cost $20 without the plan, so we saved money that day! Totally delicious!

FISH IN CHIPS STAND (Epcot): sooooo good!! Small portion, but that's OK. It's worth it!

Lotus Blossum (Epcot): we liked the orange chicken, but the same as you can expect from your local Chinese place.

Mainstreet Bakery (MK): my tomato and mozarella sandwhich was so fresh and yummy! DH's sandwich was only OK. Desserts were fabulous!

If you have any questions, just let me know while it's fresh in my mind, and I'll be happy to help!

KJ

 

[septbaby]

DINING:

NOTES ON CS: I looked over the CS and menus before we left, then planned to "wing-it" in the parks. Somewhat of a mistake... we couldn't remember where the best kids' food was, and if there was anything we wanted to try (except in Epcot)... so, you may need to note if there is a particular CS place you want to go to.

CS Reviews: not many worth mentioning except:

FISH IN CHIPS STAND (Epcot): sooooo good!! Small portion, but that's OK. It's worth it! I once read a reply about sharing at this location the reply was: "yes with an ant" so I'm not surprised by our experience.

Mainstreet Bakery (MK): my tomato and mozarella sandwhich was so fresh and yummy! DH's sandwich was only OK. Desserts were fabulous! I had the same sandwich and response.

If you have any questions, just let me know while it's fresh in my mind, and I'll be happy to help!

KJ

Glad you had a good dining trip.

I usually caution people that having a strict plan for CS: we are eating at this one place, can be a mistake because while in the park so many things can happen such that you are nowhere near that CS location when hunger strikes. Sounds like your wing it plan kind of yielded the same result. What did work for us was having at least 3 options at any park that could work for us. That is how we ended up at MSB one night after Spectro. We are vegetarians so I really needed to know where we could eat. Finally, my nephew was like your kids and really liked those Uncrustables. , but hey he was happy and I mean scary happy to have found them.

 

[smiths02]

DINING:

there is no way on earth anyone could eat all that (has anyone tried?) There is WAYYY too much food, and we didn't get to try half the snacks we wanted to! Bummer for us!

Pricing: It cost my family (2 adults, 3 kids) $110 per day on the DDP, and almost every TS meal was $100 just for that ONE meal! So I don't know how you could go and NOT save money IF you have at least on TS a day ... we left with an entire day of counter service credits (FIVE!) but still came out way ahead.

K

On the character buffets, the kids easily pay for their plan for the day (and you haven't used CS yet!)...if you were just 2 adults and say ate at Sci-Fi Diner for lunch and each just ordered a burger and a coke each...that would only be $31 + tax then add $20 counter service (assuming you skip desert) and $6 snacks =$58.86 vs. $79.98/day of the dining plan...My family, for instance is 4 adults and a 2 year old...we are probably just breaking even if you count that we really wouldn't eat that many snacks and desserts...so those are a bonus, but the plan isn't saving us money that we would have spent anyhow...except the holiday surcharge does change that since we want a lot of buffets!

I do like the convenience of pre-paid though. I am so excited for our trip!

 

[jenseib]

We love the prepaid convenience too. It is alot of food and we never go hungry. LOL! We always make out ahead, but we too wouldn't order desserts every time if we paid OOP. But I like that they are included. I really loved when tip and appetizer was included too! Oh the good ol' days!

 

[Poohbug]

Glad you had a great trip and thanks for the reviews.

I agree that the DP is alot of food. I can't imagine what the deluxe plan is like-we could never eat that much. But then we don't go to Disney to eat, if we find some great food it is just a cherry on top of our sundae-KWIM.

 

[patches07]

Glad you had a great trip and thanks for the review.

 

[kandemom]

Glad you had a nice trip, thanks for your review. We leave on Friday, and were so excited about the food