Mostly counter service?

[Family Fun Mom]

Does anyone NOT make a million ADRs before their trip? We had the DDP during free dining last year. It was great for many reasons, but we weren't crazy about having to plan our entire trip around restaurants. It was almost stressful because we had to clock watch so closely and carve out at least two hours for our table service meals (three if we had to travel from one park to another, or to another resort). We also had to plan our other meals carefully so we could be sure we were hungry at the time of our ADR.

Disney restaurants are attractions within themselves, and we loved most of the ones we tried, but I really don't like being on such a strict schedule while on vacation. We're thinking this time we'll forgo the dining plan (we may stay at SOG and won't be eligible for it anyway) and do mostly counter service meals. We were really happy with most of the CS restaurants, they're pretty good.

I would rather spend my Disney time riding rides, watching shows, and soaking up the parks. Am I alone here? Does anyone else do mostly counter service meals?

 

[mom2my3kids]

You know even though I think the dining plan is a great deal and I have it booked on our DVC stay with rented points. I am almost sure we are going to drop it because of the reason's you gave. I think we are only going to do one TS meal and its close to the end of our 6 night stay at O'hanas. I think we can eat pretty healthy with lots of choices with the counter services and eat when we get hungry and when we can. I may change my mind, but I am almost positive we will do it this way..

 

[liznboys]

Yup, we do mostly CS. We do a few TS meals each trip, and that's enough for us. So therefore, we aren't doing the Dining Plan.

 

[bluejasmine]

We love the DDP and I dont mind having a schedule we still get to do a whole lot. When we arent on the plan we do mostly CS..

 

[sammielynn]

In all my trips(7) to Disney I have never had a TS meal. I don't like to have plan my eating 180 days out. We enjoy the freedom of CS. When we go to Disney it is all about the rides. But we eat to live not live to eat. So to each his own.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

In a week's trip, I'll only do one, maybe two TS meals - and those are for lunch. I'm not a big eater anyway. Frankly, I simply prefer to grab snacks here-and-there.

 

[hercamore]

we usually do two TS meals per week.

DD and I share a lot of meals, not big eaters here. Our trip this year is in two weeks, and it's gonna be hot, hot, hot. Kills your appetite anyway.

herc.

 

[ReneeA]

Until last year on the free DDP, we ate mostly at the snack places and CS meals. We ate probably 2 TS per week.

Now, I'm going back with free dining again, and I like having my meals planned out. I probably wouldn't pay for the DDP, but I like having it. It helps that my kids need some down time during the day, so we go back for a break in the afternoon then head to an early dinner before going back to the parks for the evening.

 

[chrisn]

Especially on our first couple trips but each trip it seems we do a little less. I enjoy them but do feel that they eat a lot of park time up and we like park time. I also like them more for the atmosphere than for the food and honestly, my kids (18 & 9) prefer the Counter Service food better anyway and that saves me (really DH) money! DD and I were discussing this yesterday and she's like "you know what Mom? I'd rather have Pecos Bill than Primetime or Whispering Canyon." I do however like to do both and will be doing mostly CS with a couple TS's thrown in for good measure on our upcoming trip in December. Can't wait!

 

[Laurajean1014]

Lots of people feel the way you do. Many don't do Table Service for the sheer fact that they don't want to miss the good stuff.

Doing lots of counter service isn't a bad thing - infact, do what is best for you. Enjoy.

 

[Harvest02]

When our family went in June for 6 days, we only had 3 ADR's. We were not on the dining plan only because I thought it would be way too much food! We enjoyed the counter service and does allow more free time. Besides, the CS are MUCH cheaper and you can save big bucks going this route!

 

[Disneydenise]

We just got back on Tuesday evening and I don't get how folks can eat at a 2 hour dinner every night at DW. By the 5th night we were all sick of planning dinner. Thank God we didn't get the dinning plan it would be a waste for us. We did 3 nice meals in 6 nights and the rest we got counter service. One night DD and I split and appy & salad, and the boys got of course a full steak dinner. When it is hot I just can't seem to eat much more than salad. I really should be much thinner. Maybe its the desserts that I got 3 out of 6 nights. Well it was vacation.

 

[AnninIowa]

While the dining plan was fun on our first WDW trip last year, I don't think I would do it again. It was way too much food, I did feel like every day revolved around where we were eating, and I missed out on some snack items I would have rather had than an entire meal. I'm a pretty plain eater, so I don't feel the need to try all the restaurants - I'll just stick with the ones I found that I liked and get snacks at CS for the rest. At the end of the day, it will probably equal what we spent on the dining plan...although it sure is nice to order whatever you want and not have to physically hand over the cash!

 

[klj27]

Our last two trips were 9 and then 12 nights. We like to spread out our park days and do a nice TS on our non park days. It is a great Disney fix after a day of swimming, boating, biking, etc.

 

[adrock1976]

Then there are those of us for whom TS meals ARE part of the whole experience. We do CS on the dining plan because it is included, and can be convenient, but when I am on vacation I would much rather have a TS meal; it is not time wasted for us. As stated before, many people don't want to spend the money or the time...or plan their schedule months in advance; we don't mind having a TS meal everyday.

 

[baileybelle]

We were going to get the dining plan for our upcoming trip in April 2007, but after seeing half of Epcot and just about all of DTD deleted from the plan, we decided not to get it. We will be doing mostly CS, but I still plan on booking a couple of ADR's for lunch: Tony's, LTT, Sci Fi and maybe Chef's de France.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

We've gotten to where the only TS ressies we get are at the resorts for a dinner or two, late in the day, with plenty of time to leave any given park, head back to our timeshare, clean up and go back out. The CS at the parks has really gotten good over the years at most places. I'm personally extremely pleased with the CS at AK. I mean, salmon, roasted veggies & rice? Boy, WDW's come a long way since the hockey-puck burgers and cold pizza from the '70s. WTG!

For our Epcot day(s), we actually prefer the CS places over TS. We absolutely love sampling small things all over the WS instead of getting stuffed at one place.

Like the OP and others have said, we don't care for the stress of having too many ADRs, especially at the parks during the day.

 

[finz2left]

With 3 kids, the dining plan is a good deal for us, even if we don't use TS alot. The Hoop De Doo and a two buffetts -- even if the rest is CS -- pay for themselves since kids are less than 12.00 a day! And, I don't worry about nickle and diming drinks at each meal and the kids get a snack without me thinking "great, another 20.00 down". If you have more kids than adults, it really pays off!

 

[lovehoney]

We paid for the dining plan last December and are getting free dining this year. I am on the fence whether I would pay for it again. I really hate having to plan my trip around where we are going to eat. Counter Service is so much more convenient. However I think I hate having to budget and count my money more. If I run out of souvenir money it is no big deal. If I run out of food money it is a real bummer.

 

[goofyinohio]

We have always done mostly CS meals. My parents didn't have the money for the more expensive meals all the time so we did the CS thing. Now that I have my own family we have stuck to that same plan. It takes less time and you can just pop in and eat wherever. This trip will be different thanks to the free dining. We know where we will be and when we will be there so that will be different, but it does beat eating at 11 or 12 at night everynight.