New to DDP.. Questions, please help!

[stretch828]

Hi everyone!
My husband and I have been to Disney a bunch of times, but have never used the DDP. I saw that they recently announced the free DP for the fall. I decided to look into it to decide if its something we should consider. We don't currently have a trip planned, I'm just itching to go back to Disney since we didn't go last year. I thought the free dining would be a good excuse to get something going

I have read other posts saying that it's not really "free" dining since you are paying the higher room rate. Right now, I'm looking at doing 4 nights at a moderate resort (thinking of trying the Carribean this time). I did the math both ways, and I would be paying $228 more to have the free dining. So that breaks down to $28.50/person per day for 4 days. I think that would be worth it, right? It would allow us to try some different places that we probably wouldn't typically pay to eat at.

Since we would stay at a moderate resort, we would be getting the regular DDP. I understand the snack and the QS, but I have a question on the TS. When we go on vacation, we hate being on a time schedule. So we rarely make reservations to eat. Basically, we eat when we are hungry and where/when we want at the time.
So my question is, are there any TS restaurants that DO NOT require reservations?

Also, how do you keep track of how many and what type meals you have left?

Thank you for your help!!
Ashley

 

[ses1230]

Your receipts say how many credits you have left.

For ADRs you would probably have success at the resort restaurants, the less popular places, or walking up at an off hour. However even those might be more difficult during free dining.

 

[aaarcher86]

If you use up your QS credits you can use your TS credits as a QS if you aren't having success with walk ups or just prefer it.

 

[Iloveyoumost]

Last time we went we did not have a DP and we didn't make any reservations. We waited almost 2 hours to get into Rainforest Cafe at 9:00. Not worth it!
We are really go with the flow people, but FP+ is changing that so I do have some days were we will probably cancel our reservations the night before and look for something else.

If you want to have the ability to do what you want you could use your TS for breakfast for pre park opening, get early FP+ for the park nearby and then have the rest of the day to go, eat, see, ride whatever you want without wasting them.