******Official 2017 Free Dining Plan Watch, Wait, and Dream

[ThistleMae]

Okay, here's my dilemma today....mud season is in full bloom, my driveway is a mess! Going to buy some plywood to put down to stop my car from sinking out of sight...one of the drawbacks of country living!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Where is everyone? This definitely isn't the weekend its dropping...LOL!

Here.....

 

[mickeymomof3girls]

I'm book at CBR in December and have the gift card. We booked in January before knowing about the construction. We decided to stay in that resort for now...we will see what happens if/when FD drops.

We booked in October. So I think we should be good!

 

[Kindermouse]

This is just outrageous! Kicking the homeless from your dooryard? Is it because it's super expensive to live in California?

oh yes it is crazy expensive. When I compare it other states I just shake m head. If it was less important to me to be near my family I would move away fro California and never look back. As a single mom I need my family and if I moved my son away from his grandma...he would never forgive me. 14 years old and still thinks his grandma hung the moon, he texts her ever time that he is having a bad day for a little grandma pep talk .

For a idea of how expensive it is -the average 2 bedroom apartment around here is about 2000 a month. I am a teacher-not highly paid, but a highly educated professional and it can be hard to find anything around here where the rent is less than 50% of my income.

 

[Kindermouse]

Yeah, some days there's a lot to read. It's quiet in here today, seems busier during the week.

When I get home from work it can be 10-15 pages on the thread just from when I left for work and when I get home. This thread can move like crazy.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

We have crunched the dining numbers many times we still end up almost even. If there would be any savings oop my hubs has already said he'd rather the dining plan so we all know we will eat.

I do have a few questions.
We are thinking of trying the Brown Derby instead of Hollywood and vine for the Fantasmic meal package. Has anyone found a time it's not so loud? Less crowded? Also if someone goes in knowing they wouldn't like some parts can they take some things off?
I think my Hubs and I found some meals we would like but my son might not. He like's pork, was wondering about ordering the pork but asking them not to add the things he would not eat.
My Hubs is very into Historic things. He really wants to eat here now. (Thank you, Peat and Craig) lol.
Thinking of the crispy duck breast and the Lamb two ways. Anyone have opinions on them?.

I'm thinking of telling him ok to his request if he gives me the castle (even with some bad reviews the good ones are starting to make me lean that way. Come on Eating in the Castle would be so cool. (at possible firework time)
This would mean I would take the dinner show , down or we would pay oop for crystal palace and Rapunzel's new breakfast.

If I can not do the dinner show (Hawaiian or BBQ food ) I know I can find BBQ food with QS. Would anyone here know where to find a good qs with a few Hawaiian flavors? Or Would the 1 TS credit breakfast or Dinner be worth it?

We are a family of simple tastes. I am trying to find places where we can try new things but also have some comforts in case we just do not like the flavors.

 

[mickeymomof3girls]

yes, I

yes I believe so! When did you book? You should have received a email from Disney saying you got them! MAybe ask your TA? I booked myself and got the email a couple of days later!

We booked in October. I spoke to my travel agent and he said that disney still wasn't sure what they were doing about the gift cards?? So weird.i will be kinda upset if we don't get them just because we used a travel agent :-/

 

[mickeymomof3girls]

We are booked for December at CBR and we are getting the gift cards. When did you book?

October

 

[mickeymomof3girls]

October

We are booked for December at CBR and we are getting the gift cards. When did you book?

 

[KimBean]

We have crunched the dining numbers many times we still end up almost even. If there would be any savings oop my hubs has already said he'd rather the dining plan so we all know we will eat.

I do have a few questions.
We are thinking of trying the Brown Derby instead of Hollywood and vine for the Fantasmic meal package. Has anyone found a time it's not so loud? Less crowded? Also if someone goes in knowing they wouldn't like some parts can they take some things off?
I think my Hubs and I found some meals we would like but my son might not. He like's pork, was wondering about ordering the pork but asking them not to add the things he would not eat.
My Hubs is very into Historic things. He really wants to eat here now. (Thank you, Peat and Craig) lol.
Thinking of the crispy duck breast and the Lamb two ways. Anyone have opinions on them?.

I'm thinking of telling him ok to his request if he gives me the castle (even with some bad reviews the good ones are starting to make me lean that way. Come on Eating in the Castle would be so cool. (at possible firework time)
This would mean I would take the dinner show , down or we would pay oop for crystal palace and Rapunzel's new breakfast.

If I can not do the dinner show (Hawaiian or BBQ food ) I know I can find BBQ food with QS. Would anyone here know where to find a good qs with a few Hawaiian flavors? Or Would the 1 TS credit breakfast or Dinner be worth it?

We are a family of simple tastes. I am trying to find places where we can try new things but also have some comforts in case we just do not like the flavors.

I haven't read your whole post yet will dig into that in a minute. But are you saying that if you get free dining you will spend the same amount as if you don't. Just confused.

 

[squirrel]

We have crunched the dining numbers many times we still end up almost even. If there would be any savings oop my hubs has already said he'd rather the dining plan so we all know we will eat.

I do have a few questions.
We are thinking of trying the Brown Derby instead of Hollywood and vine for the Fantasmic meal package. Has anyone found a time it's not so loud? Less crowded? Also if someone goes in knowing they wouldn't like some parts can they take some things off?
I think my Hubs and I found some meals we would like but my son might not. He like's pork, was wondering about ordering the pork but asking them not to add the things he would not eat.
My Hubs is very into Historic things. He really wants to eat here now. (Thank you, Peat and Craig) lol.
Thinking of the crispy duck breast and the Lamb two ways. Anyone have opinions on them?.

I'm thinking of telling him ok to his request if he gives me the castle (even with some bad reviews the good ones are starting to make me lean that way. Come on Eating in the Castle would be so cool. (at possible firework time)
This would mean I would take the dinner show , down or we would pay oop for crystal palace and Rapunzel's new breakfast.

If I can not do the dinner show (Hawaiian or BBQ food ) I know I can find BBQ food with QS. Would anyone here know where to find a good qs with a few Hawaiian flavors? Or Would the 1 TS credit breakfast or Dinner be worth it?

We are a family of simple tastes. I am trying to find places where we can try new things but also have some comforts in case we just do not like the flavors.

You can easily get the sauce left off of meat at the TS restaurants. I like my food plain. You can also get different sides, so if you see something in another entree you like better ask for it to be swapped out with the one you don't care for.

HDDR is really good and worth going to see. I have seen it twice.

As for CRT I have also been twice. I wouldn't go again unless I was with someone that really wanted to go. I found the experience rushed.


I'm off for First Aid training so I won't be around all day.

 

[KimBean]

We have crunched the dining numbers many times we still end up almost even. If there would be any savings oop my hubs has already said he'd rather the dining plan so we all know we will eat.

I do have a few questions.
We are thinking of trying the Brown Derby instead of Hollywood and vine for the Fantasmic meal package. Has anyone found a time it's not so loud? Less crowded? Also if someone goes in knowing they wouldn't like some parts can they take some things off?
I think my Hubs and I found some meals we would like but my son might not. He like's pork, was wondering about ordering the pork but asking them not to add the things he would not eat.
My Hubs is very into Historic things. He really wants to eat here now. (Thank you, Peat and Craig) lol.
Thinking of the crispy duck breast and the Lamb two ways. Anyone have opinions on them?.

I'm thinking of telling him ok to his request if he gives me the castle (even with some bad reviews the good ones are starting to make me lean that way. Come on Eating in the Castle would be so cool. (at possible firework time)
This would mean I would take the dinner show , down or we would pay oop for crystal palace and Rapunzel's new breakfast.

If I can not do the dinner show (Hawaiian or BBQ food ) I know I can find BBQ food with QS. Would anyone here know where to find a good qs with a few Hawaiian flavors? Or Would the 1 TS credit breakfast or Dinner be worth it?

We are a family of simple tastes. I am trying to find places where we can try new things but also have some comforts in case we just do not like the flavors.

Brown derby significantly quieter than Hollywood and vine so just that simple move will be good. I've never found HBD very loud.

HBD will remove items.

Castle dining extremely overrated. Food very subpar. Inside not at all as I would think it should be. Feel like I'm eating at medieval times. That being said I've down it twice. Once for each daughter. You can't really see fireworks inside castle so no reason to eat such a late dinner just for that.

Best QS BBQ is flametree at Animal Kingdom. I have not eaten there yet but Homecomin BBQ looks pretty good for 1 TS.

Hawaiian food 'sort of' can be found at capt'n cooks at the poly. They have a Polynesian salad and an aloha sandwich. Bar Menu at Trader Sams has Kalua pork tacos and Hawaiian poke.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We have crunched the dining numbers many times we still end up almost even. If there would be any savings oop my hubs has already said he'd rather the dining plan so we all know we will eat.

I do have a few questions.
We are thinking of trying the Brown Derby instead of Hollywood and vine for the Fantasmic meal package. Has anyone found a time it's not so loud? Less crowded? Also if someone goes in knowing they wouldn't like some parts can they take some things off?
I think my Hubs and I found some meals we would like but my son might not. He like's pork, was wondering about ordering the pork but asking them not to add the things he would not eat.
My Hubs is very into Historic things. He really wants to eat here now. (Thank you, Peat and Craig) lol.
Thinking of the crispy duck breast and the Lamb two ways. Anyone have opinions on them?.

I'm thinking of telling him ok to his request if he gives me the castle (even with some bad reviews the good ones are starting to make me lean that way. Come on Eating in the Castle would be so cool. (at possible firework time)
This would mean I would take the dinner show , down or we would pay oop for crystal palace and Rapunzel's new breakfast.

If I can not do the dinner show (Hawaiian or BBQ food ) I know I can find BBQ food with QS. Would anyone here know where to find a good qs with a few Hawaiian flavors? Or Would the 1 TS credit breakfast or Dinner be worth it?

We are a family of simple tastes. I am trying to find places where we can try new things but also have some comforts in case we just do not like the flavors.

We really liked our meal at HBD but the service was slow. Make sure you leave enough time (at least 90 minutes if not more) to make it to Fantasmic. Lamb 2 ways was great. Think we also had Cobb salad appetizer, lobster entree, and the trio of desserts. All good.

Captain Cooks at the Poly is a QS with Hawaiian flavors. Lots of QS places have the BQ chicken and ribs - ABC Commisary, Flame Tree, etc.

Personally, I would either do CRT or the Rapunzel breakfast, not both. 2 face character meals would be a lot for my shy little guy, but you know your family and your budget.

Have fun!

 

[ThistleMae]

oh yes it is crazy expensive. When I compare it other states I just shake m head. If it was less important to me to be near my family I would move away fro California and never look back. As a single mom I need my family and if I moved my son away from his grandma...he would never forgive me. 14 years old and still thinks his grandma hung the moon, he texts her ever time that he is having a bad day for a little grandma pep talk .

For a idea of how expensive it is -the average 2 bedroom apartment around here is about 2000 a month. I am a teacher-not highly paid, but a highly educated professional and it can be hard to find anything around here where the rent is less than 50% of my income.

 

[ThistleMae]

Alright, enough is enough...it's snowing here again! Thank goodness we are cruising beg. of May...not Disney...Carnival, but loads of fun and plenty of sun! And in July....bring on the heat for our Disney Vacation! I'm sure I'll be dying with the humidity but will not complain at all!

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

The last week of October has a lot of availability so I have high hopes it will be included as 2016 was the first year it wasn't

Yeah, I'm seeing a lot of availability and hoping for at least a RO offer, then we wouldn't need to upgrade to hoppers at least and could just do the math on whether the DP is worth it after we lock down our ADRs.

 

[Mollymovacca]

We booked in October. I spoke to my travel agent and he said that disney still wasn't sure what they were doing about the gift cards?? So weird.i will be kinda upset if we don't get them just because we used a travel agent :-/

Maybe you should call Disney! I'm no expert, but I would assume You should be in the window to get them!

 

[ThistleMae]

As for free dining....I've accepted that we just have to try and eat frugally, if we want to afford to go without FD. Acceptance requires planning for less expensive eating. I'm okay with that. I can bring granola bars, eat oatmeal in the morning in my room and spend on dinners. Where there is a will, there is a way!

 

[KimBean]

We really liked our meal at HBD but the service was slow. Make sure you leave enough time (at least 90 minutes if not more) to make it to Fantasmic. Lamb 2 ways was great. Think we also had Cobb salad appetizer, lobster entree, and the trio of desserts. All good.

Captain Cooks at the Poly is a QS with Hawaiian flavors. Lots of QS places have the BQ chicken and ribs - ABC Commisary, Flame Tree, etc.

Personally, I would either do CRT or the Rapunzel breakfast, not both. 2 face character meals would be a lot for my shy little guy, but you know your family and your budget.

Have fun!

I agree about HBD but I also always factor in 90 minutes for TS and 120 minutes for signatures.

 

[ThistleMae]

I've never eaten at Brown Derby. It seems very overpriced. Is it worth it you think?