Mistakes you made the 1st time you did DDP.

[CanadianPaco]

I managed to get a ressie at Le Cellier for lunch on a day when I booked Coral Reef for dinner. I will not do 2 TS meals in one day... talk about too much food!

 

[Faldred]

Thanks to all of the advice at the DIS, going through the menus at AllEars.net, and meticulous planning, I think we wound up making very few true "mistakes" in March on the DxDP, even though it was our first time on any dining plan.

The closest to a real mistake was, as most people point out, being too parsimonious with the snack credits. We never went hungry, and always got a snack when the feeling struck us. Admittedly, on Deluxe, splitting a single snack amongst the five of us (myself, DW, DS3, DD2, and DS2) usually worked, though DW and I each had to have our own dole whip floats! But we did pay for water or juice a few times OOP instead of using snack credits, especially earlier in the week, and did wind up with a few leftover snack credits, though we didn;t mind using them at Goofy's on the way out of town.

 

[JeffreyY]

We were able to switch our CS for 3 Snack credits at places that had both CS meals and snacks. A CM told us about this and then we just asked at each place we wanted to do it at. The bakery on Main Street was most accommodating. We brought home several baked goods.

 

[Rainkiss]

I didn't make reservations. Not a single one.

Fortunately, we were there the first week of February, crowds were light, we only had real trouble finding a place to eat one night. (Took three places at Epcot, we wound up at Coral Reef.)

I have 8/10 scheduled for our next trip.

 

[minniebeth]

We were able to switch our CS for 3 Snack credits at places that had both CS meals and snacks. A CM told us about this and then we just asked at each place we wanted to do it at. The bakery on Main Street was most accommodating. We brought home several baked goods.

Thank you! This is really good to know...

 

[somethingblue]

I have to throw my two cents in here as well...

I know a lot of people are saying that it was a bad idea to keep snacks/bottled water in the room. But let me say this: If you are doing a lot of evening Extra Magic Hours, or if you are a night owl who will likely not be going to bed until midnight or after, and especially if you are prone to midnight munchies, it really is a good investment to have a few things to eat in your room because you will not be able to get anything to eat this late at the resorts. Now, you could use like half of your snack credits to get some munchies for these occasions on the first day, or you could buy things from home, or you could save your desserts or sides or whatever and bring them back...

But if you're like me, you're going to want to have something to eat when you get back from a late night in the parks! We had things like string cheese, capri sun, and granola bars from the drive to Florida that doubled as late-night snacks and emergency munchies in situations where my sister was going to have a melt down if she didn't eat something NOW.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I have to throw my two cents in here as well...

I know a lot of people are saying that it was a bad idea to keep snacks/bottled water in the room. But let me say this: If you are doing a lot of evening Extra Magic Hours, or if you are a night owl who will likely not be going to bed until midnight or after, and especially if you are prone to midnight munchies, it really is a good investment to have a few things to eat in your room because you will not be able to get anything to eat this late at the resorts. Now, you could use like half of your snack credits to get some munchies for these occasions on the first day, or you could buy things from home, or you could save your desserts or sides or whatever and bring them back...

But if you're like me, you're going to want to have something to eat when you get back from a late night in the parks! We had things like string cheese, capri sun, and granola bars from the drive to Florida that doubled as late-night snacks and emergency munchies in situations where my sister was going to have a melt down if she didn't eat something NOW.

You are completely right about this. We went to Epcot extra magic hours and when we came back to the resort all the pop fountains were shut down and we were very thirsty, it would have been nice to have had some drinks stocked up in the room.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

I have a 1st timer here at work, going to WDW and getting the Free Dining. What mistake did you make the 1st time you used the DDP that you won't make again. I'm trying to make sure I get him addicted like the rest of us.

I did the regular plan not the deluxe. I have been deluxe ever since.

 

[nmanning19]

just bumping for new responses, thanks!

 

[WV4dmb]

What in everyone's opinion is the best day of the week for Le Cellier?
We will be going Thursday - Thursday to Disney and staying at CBR.


Been to Disney approximately 7 times but never experienced DDP, going to try it this time!

Thanks!

 

[Tricia1972]

Just a friendly reminder, please make sure that your tips and hints don't violate Disney's written guidelines.

Posts that offer tricks or hints to get around Disney policy will be removed without comment to the poster.

 

[mjamm]

I think this time around I will also stay away from the TS meals that cost 2 credits. We were all excited last year when I was able to get CRT and we were looking forward to that all week. Well on Day 1 my DH came down with the stomach flu, then me on Day 2, then DD on Day 3. We all tried to pull it together for the rest of the week, but still didn't feel 100%. Then when we finally ate at CRT, we were disappointed with the meal and the character interactions, after eating Princess Storybook Dinner in Epcot. We would do that meal 10 times over before rebooking Cinderella's royal table. But regardless of all the planning, you never know what may be in store for you that magical week!

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

Subbing

(Thinking of doing DDP next trip.....)

 

[Stitch's mom]

Glad to read so many saying not ot do the "signature" restaurants with trading in two table services. I was going around and around about it but once I read so many saying it's not worth it it cinched it! Saved me from having to do math!

 

[lunapnp]

I have to throw my two cents in here as well...

I know a lot of people are saying that it was a bad idea to keep snacks/bottled water in the room. But let me say this: If you are doing a lot of evening Extra Magic Hours, or if you are a night owl who will likely not be going to bed until midnight or after, and especially if you are prone to midnight munchies, it really is a good investment to have a few things to eat in your room because you will not be able to get anything to eat this late at the resorts. Now, you could use like half of your snack credits to get some munchies for these occasions on the first day, or you could buy things from home, or you could save your desserts or sides or whatever and bring them back...

But if you're like me, you're going to want to have something to eat when you get back from a late night in the parks! We had things like string cheese, capri sun, and granola bars from the drive to Florida that doubled as late-night snacks and emergency munchies in situations where my sister was going to have a melt down if she didn't eat something NOW.

I will definitely have some drinks in the room...actually lots of drinks! I am not a diet coke fan at all...have to have my diet pepsi! I will only waste a snack credit on a diet coke if absolutely necessary...even then I would probably opt for water. Now, on the flip side, I can handle the fountain diet coke much better than diet coke from a bottle or can.

 

[neatokimmo]

A mistake from this go around was going to the Luau. I asked the ressie person if it was indoors and she said yes.

It was 90. It was outside. There wasn't any air circulating. Even the all you can drink beer didn't make that situation better!

Pre show was stupid. After show was nice. But I wish we hadn't wasted 2 credits on it.

 

[Kansasdreamers]

great thread

 

[Brook1099]

First time we went to our first TS meal @ Fultons Crab house when it was on the list we did'nt know til the endwhen we went to pay the bill that we could of had appetizers. Also the best was we got gifts with unused credits the first year and our fishing excursion was used with credits so Disney obviously made more mistakes and lost money when the dining plan first came out. They got it pretty down pat now though.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I am a frist timer on the DDP and I think this is a very GOOD question and Im interested in everyone's input.
One thing I can say I "heard" was an issue was make sure if you have a child onthe DDP you look at all the kids menus, seems to be either chicken nuggets or mac n cheese, and thats ok for one meal but Im worried my nine year old will get sick of that so I tried to include some buffets and a variety of snack options to break up the macnchicnuggetfest..this may work for some kids but my child likes to try new things too like his mama lol
anyways, im anxious to see others input on this one. thanks

You can upgrade her to adult status on the dining plan. They will charge you the difference for her park ticket. I did this for my DS9 in August, and it was very nice for him to be able to order off the adult menu. And nice for us, too, as we don't eat entire meals like that, so we shared our non buffeet TS meals and ended up with enough for an extra breakfast buffet on our last day.

This upgrading is perfectly legit with Disney. Just tell the CM you want to upgrade and they will tell you what you owe for the adult park tickets.


ETA: I just realized this quoted post was written in March! But the advice is still good-upgrade your kids and they can have adult meals instead of chicken nuggets all week. AND they can still order off the kids meal if they want.