Need dining advice

[3 DD love princesses]

I'm sure there are lots of other posts and I've looked at so many. None seem to help answer what I'm trying to decide.

So we are a family of 2 adults and 3 kids (although one doesn't count since she's under 3). Trying to decide if the dining plan, TIW, DVC, and/or AP discount would be best.

Here are the meals we plan to do in early to mid December 2016
Akershaus dinner
Chef Mickey dinner
1900 park fare dinner
Tucker house lunch
Hollywood and vine lunch
Crystal palace dinner
Garden grill breakfast
Ohana breakfast
Rainforest cafe dinner

Any suggestions would be great. We have done the dining plan the last two trips and I always felt we over paid. We did like knowing food was paid for already but if the other discounts will save us then rather go that route. Just trying to see if it would save us to do the dining plan. Also would TIW actually save us after spending the $150 on it. Or use the DVC and/or AP discounts.

We are also going Christmas week this year
Liberty tree tavern lunch
Ohana breakfast
Kona cafe dinner
San Angel Inn lunch
Rainforest cafe breakfast
Hollywood and vine dinner
Nine dragons dinner xmas eve

Thanks for you help

 

[supersnoop]

Are the other two kids under 10?

Plug your details into www.distripplanner.com and see what it says.

 

[Serena {LivingByDisney}]

It depends. Are you all ready DVC members? Are you all ready AP holders? Or would you be buying them for dining discounts? AP dining discount isn't worth that much but being able to get TIW can be an advantage. But I'd say AP or not (if that is in question) wouldn't be something that would weigh strong when considering dining. That's more of a theme park ticket debate. Since you are booking quite a lot and doing a lot of sit down meals I would suggest you consider a travel agent. I'm sure there's a lot that recommend good ones on these boards. And they can help you with getting the best deals.

 

[moericus]

Restaurants:
If you have any breakfast lover's then you will want to go to the crystal palace character breakfast. They have omelet stations, drinks served at the table, and a TON of buffet items. I wonder if it's the highlight of my brother in law's whole trip. AND, there's something just neat about getting into the Magic Kingdom before it opens.

For kids of all ages I recommend doing the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at least once. Corny jokes but with such enthusiasm it doesn't matter. Kids will be cheering and scratching washboards along with the group.

Same thing goes for the Whispering Canyon Café at the Wilderness Lodge. They keep the kids entertained. It's a little noisy but well worth it.

Plans:
Not sure but I think TIW is a good idea for two separate trips in one year if you're definitely not buying the dining plan. I think the Dining Plan is always worth it though. You can pay in advance and not worry about menu prices at all while you're there. I don't go that often so it's a lot easier to budget ahead of time.

 

[disneynutz]

We list our restaurants, the meals that we want to eat and we compare the different costs. Usually if you visit twice in a 13 month period, TIW can save you some money. The DDP makes Disney more money.

Bill

 

[Minniesgal]

We hate the DDP as once it is paid for you are tied into the TS meals or you lose money but sometimes we get sick eating out and just want a quiet night and to eat toast. tIW offers us the flexibility to skip a night if we are not feeling it.

However with you going Christmas week you'd have to watch out for black out days because they skew the numbers. We are going Easter and I'm shocked by how little we save with TIW due to black outs

 

[3 DD love princesses]

Thanks. Kids are 5,3,2 this dec. yes we are dvc members and will be buying the AP after the last day this dec to hopefully get the gold. disttriplanner.com showed it to be cheaper to pay out of pocket for next year. Crystal palace we could change it up to breakfast. Do do you like the hoop de do over mickeys backyard bbq? Thinking of trying that next trip. Is there a calculator to compare ddp to tiw? I just want to make sure if we buy it that we make out vs losing money from it.

 

[moericus]

Do do you like the hoop de do over mickeys backyard bbq?

Yes, a thousand times over. Especially when you have that Disney vibe going on. It's an "interactive" show. It's all clean humor. The actors will come and talk to your table during their breaks. The kids will all get involved playing music, swinging napkins, and cheering. The fried chicken is some of the best you'll ever have. The ribs are better than any BBQ in Mickey's backyard. And, the beer and wine are flowing.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

Yes, a thousand times over. Especially when you have that Disney vibe going on. It's an "interactive" show. It's all clean humor. The actors will come and talk to your table during their breaks. The kids will all get involved playing music, swinging napkins, and cheering. The fried chicken is some of the best you'll ever have. The ribs are better than any BBQ in Mickey's backyard. And, the beer and wine are flowing.

Thanks it looks like fun and figure dec 2016 we are celebrating youngest 3rd birthday so this is her big trip. We had planned the 2016. This dec was last min since we became dvc members and had points to use. Although I have a feeling Disney will be getting a lot more money from us now. But it will be worth it and the memories preserved by pictures.

Any other ts you recommend? We are open to non character meals and have started a list for future trips.

 

[circhead]

I have lots of suggestions.

Do lunch at Askerhaus in Norway - it's a princess luncheon. It starts with an appetizer buffet followed by to order entree and dessert. The food is delicious, the servers extremely helpful and friendly and all the princesses come to every table for a photo op and then do a parade around the restaurant with the kids.

Mama Melrose's in MGM - great food
Via Napoli in Epcot great food
Garden Grill - character meal served family style
Fulton's in downtown Disney
Rainforest cafe in my opinion is better over at Animal Kingdom Park

I personally didn't care for Raglan Road but many people like it

Trying not to list any of the ones you already have on your list - above are all kid friendly

For the adults only

Monsieur Paul's
Flying Fish
Artist's Point
California Grill
Steakhouse at the Yacht Club

Can't think of too many others now - I listed the "adults only" restaurants as such not because kids aren't welcome but my husband and I got into the habit of putting the kids in childcare or having an in-room sitter during our trips and taking an
evening for ourselves just to let us unwind from too much happy, family time.

 

[Halle]

Our grandchildren are 1/2/3/4 X3 and 5. They love Play and Dine at Hollywood and Vine, and Cape May Buffet. They just love the character breakfasts and they are at their best first thing in the morning.

Yachtsman Steakhouse was wonderful. The waiter, Daryl was extremely attentive, referred to the children by name. I would definitely take your children there.

 

[dspud]

What is TIW? And AP? I am drawing a blank on what those can mean...Been up to many hours today.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

Thanks there are so many options outside the characters that eventually we will get to try most of them

Kids love deserts so I'm sure they will try different foods to get desert!

 

[moericus]

Make your Dining Reservations as soon as the window comes up. They're difficult to get sometimes. Looks like you have your hands full with table service.

Also agree with Via Napoli and Mama Melrose. Mama Melrose is also good for the Fantasmic advanced seating package.

For quick service (when you're tired of burgers and pizza) here are the good places to go for a little more variety:
Cosmic Ray's
Columbia Harbour House
Flame Tree Barbecue

Restaurant desserts are good but I'm saving my calories for MICKEY BARS!!!

 

[kniquy]

We loved eating at Be our guest for lunch - it is considered QS for lunch. We made our fast pass lunch reservations -- it was in the trial stage so i don't know how it is handled now, but we just walked in. Also loved the crystal palace - we did lunch and loved what the buffet had to offer. The coral reef is just a very neat environment but i feel that with little kids it might be too quiet of a restaurant . Definite big vote for Mama Melrose - fantasmic package -- we ate there for lunch and the meal and service we great and it gives you plenty of time to enjoy the park and then not feel rushed getting to the show. Kona was nice and it was nice to walk around a different resort after dinner. Now that the DVC construction is done on the bungalows it might be easier getting around.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

AP annual pass
TIW tables in wonderland

Thanks. We also do at least one ts a day to make sure we have some time built in that we sit I tend to keep us going but at the same time my kids love opening and closing the parks.

 

[chris springer]

this may be helpful

DDP/DDxP vs. TIW Updated Workbook

 

[senadler]

Thank you for posting this. I keep thinking that the deluxe plan doesn't make sense for a trip for my DS5 and myself next spring, but whenever I do the analysis it ends up saving us money. I put in what I know we are doing, and even with 4 credits left over, which we will probably use for a few counter service meals to split as snacks, we still save over $100.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

this may be helpful

DDP/DDxP vs. TIW Updated Workbook

thank you for this! nice to be able to compare the costs. Looks like our best option is TIW this trip and if we are willing to do multiple split stays do the deluxe ddp next trip with TIW otherwise just TIW. I just need to play with the meals to make sure we make out and Disney doesn't get the extra

 

[chris springer]

you're welcome, this "tool" was the deciding factor to purchase TIW. We used DDP for years and after I played with this it was a no brainer to ditch DDP and go with TIW