New to DDP... help!!!!

[PudseyChancer]

Finally booked flights today, so the trip is 'real' at last! Flying from Manchester to Sanford and staying at OKW for two weeks in September, with DDP included, sorting the flights has really brought home how quickly the trip will be upon us.

Just wondered how you all went about it, I realise that the success of free dining means that a lot of the restaurants will need to be booked prior to travelling. The free dining is a real bonus, but I'm not going to be rigid with it, ie, if we want to go offsite to eat somewhere, we will.

So I guess I'm just wondering where to start, any ideas...???

 

[starrysky]

My best advice would be have a look at the menus for the different places and decide among your group where you all really want to eat.

Allears.net has got all the menus for all the restaurants.

Thats what we did and it meant that we knew we would both get something we would eat and enjoy. I am not for example into very fussy food and so Victoria and alberts was out however we both love mexican so san angel was in and so on.

We only booked a few sit down meals as we had the quick service plan but you have many many options open so take your time.

 

[jtlover]

We plan what parks we are going to be in as to what restaurants we want to go to, usually in the evening.

We look on this website for the menu ideas for each restaurant and then make decisions from that. There are signature restaurants too which take up 2 table service meal credits per person and we have been to several of them which are quite nice.

The DDP does save you lots of money especially getting the counter service meals during the day in the parks.

To give you an idea this is what we are planning for next September

Le Cellier (Epcot)
Tep Enedo (Epot) cant spell it
1900 Park Fare (breakfast) (Grand Floridian Cafe)
California Grille (Contemporary hotel) (Signature restaurant)
Ohanas - dinner (Polynesian hotel)
Jiko (Animal Kingdom Lodge) (Signature restaurant)
Crystal Place - dinner (Magic Kingdom)

and we are still deciding on a few others.

You do need to plan but we dont find this a problem for us as we use the table service for either breakfast for dinner usually so that it doesnt interrupt our time in the parks

Have fun planning.

 

[torsie24]

My top tip is to head on over to this board:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=127

And just start reading reports!! If you head for the longer ones, (preferbly ones where nice people have put links to each of ther reviews in the first post so you can find each meal easily) you will get a great overview of lots of different restaurants and what the offer with a few hours research.

I'll find you links to some of the reviews that really helped me.

 

[torsie24]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2073692

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2178729

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2192280

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2275706


Should get you started, all have photos too.

 

[scojos]

i am an addict on the restaurant boards, well im a food addict really
ok, my advice would be-
check out where the EMH are on which days (to go or avoid, your choice)
decide which restaurants you want to do (some meals will have to be taken in parks, others you can eat at resort hotels)
fit them together like a big jigsaw! i would pm you my plans but my laptop died with the plan on it
we are planning-
Boma (bfast)
crystal palace (late lunch)
jiko (sig = 2 TS)
kona cafe (bfast)
ohanas (bfast and dinner)
50s PTC
le cellier
whispering canyon cafe
chef mickeys
the wave
tusker house bfast
chef de france

may negotiate and change 1 for akerhaus...

if you are travellng with children i recommend you get the character meals out of the way asap - we are planning chef mickeys on our first night (we will fly into miami, spend the night in miami and then travel up for lunch time so should be "sort of" over the jet lag! it means we wont use a day of our passes, but DTD then CM s means the kids will be in the mood by the time we do do our first park, lol!!

some restaurants are good, some bad, some you can get smoothies or shakes, some its pop only, some are quiet some v loud. it depends what you want- the same can be said of the CS (counter service) meals, again there are lots of ways to use these, do you want to share so you can have a cs bfast and a cs lunch (which is what we intend to do) or do you just want the best quality? i recommend sunshine seasons in epcot FW, or the boulangerie d france in WS, in AK probably the falme tree BBQ (love those ribs!) in MK there are a few good choices, peco bills is good, or you can use a CS at the bakery...
....many choices, add snacks into the equasion and it could blow your mind
a few good snacks? dole whips and make your own at goofys candy sho in DTD, bagels and jacket potatoes....
did i help or hinder?? lol
Tracy

 

[PudseyChancer]

Thanks for the pointers!

I do have a few 'must do' places to eat at, I definitely want to return to the Yachtsman Steakhouse, I'd like to try Le Cellier and the Prime Time Cafe. Other than that, not too fussed though I'm sure the kids would want to do at least one character meal!

Ah well, must start researching...!

 

[scojos]

good luck mate, the more you research the more addictive it becomes!!
tracy

 

[debbiebee]

I am in a similar position - staying at POR at the end of August with free DDP - been reading the advice above which suggests finding out about when the EMHs will be - can anyone point me in the right direction of where I can find out when the EMHs will be this far ahead please? also - is there a way to work out exactly when I can start to book (when the 180 days kicks in?) thanks

 

[scojos]

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/parkhours.php

this will tak you to last years EMHs - should be able to guide/guess for next year!

we did PORS last year and it was amazing, the TS there was excellent and the CS was good too, however i really suggest that you avoid peak periods, bfast especially was a nightmare as people were fighting for tables
hope that helps
tracy

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Definitely look at the dining reviews - they are very helpful - I live on those boards!!! I have written a couple (links below!) but they may be a tiny bit out of date now - May 2008 and 2009. You wil definitely need to make some sort of plan and book, as the table service restaurants get out of control busy with free dining!

 

[disneyholic family]

i recommend crystal palace and chef mickey's for the dinner buffet when on the dining plan....you get a lot of bang for your buck ....very good value..
i don't waste my dining plan credits on breakfast at the buffets...

both of those are very difficult to get for dinner, so you have to reserve them early....

 

[Elise79]

I would look at the menus and reviews as others have said. Decide what meals you like best. If you want to eat offsite as well use more 2 credit restaurants (Signatures & dinner shows).

Make sure you book all your ADRs in advance and try to get one for each of your TS credits.

Restuarants on our return list:
Yachtsman steakhouse
California Grill
Turf Club
Mama Melrose (normally get Fantasmic package here)
Grand Floridan Cafe

Having done 3 trips on the DDP next time we are going without it but we are still trying some new restaurants (Kona & Teppan Edo). Each trip now we have a couple of new and a couple that we are returning to.