Our experience with the DDP

[SavvyMom]

We are a family of four: DD10, DD14, DH, and I. We all love to eat! We were on the DDP 6/9 – 6/14. I made ADRs well in advance at the following restaurants:
Crystal Palace
Hollywood and Vine (Fantasmic package)
Rose and Crown
Whispering Canyon
Cap’n Jack’s
We used one TS for Planet Hollywood where you can’t make ADRs, but we walked right in on Monday night.

On the day we were to eat at Whispering Canyon, the girls wanted to try SciFi Dine-In Theater instead. At 10am we tried to make reservations for that night (Tuesday night). They were booked solid until after 10pm (same for 50s Prime Time). My point? ADRs are absolutely necessary. I heard a lot, I mean A LOT of people complaining about this at all of the restaurants we went to. I never saw anyone walk up and get a table or even the promise of a table for that day. If I had not been on these boards, it would not have occurred to me that it would be impossible to get a TS meal without a reservation well in advance . Our waits overall for our reservations were as long as the waits were for walk-ups when we went 3 years ago .

There is plenty of food so you will NOT go hungry . It was too much for us. We almost never ate the dessert that was included – too full! The restaurants will let you take leftovers and the desserts with you, but nobody wanted to carry them around. We seemed to spend a lot of time getting to our restaurant and waiting for our reserved table.

Here’s a tip. DD10 did not like the entrée offerings at the restaurants . We eventually figured out that she could order off of the kids’ menu with an extra. For example, at Cap’n Jacks she ordered the mac and cheese with a hot dog. They counted this as an adult entrée. Ask the server about substitutions if your child (or adult!) doesn’t like the adult menu.

We had a lot of great food that we would not have had if we had not been on the dining plan. However, we won’t do it again with the kids because it was just too structured. They – and we - complained about having to be somewhere all the time. They – and we – would have been happier eating chicken fingers and hamburgers wherever we happened to be at the time. We felt like we had to eat big meals for lunch and dinner so we wouldn’t waste the money we had spent or the food.

I’m not trying to talk anybody into or out of it. Just make sure it fits your Disney style. It didn’t fit ours, but I can see how it would be great for others. I hope this helps someone making the decision to DDP or not. Now if we could get the DDP for free – we would in a heartbeat!!

 

[DisneyBB]

We are doing the DDP for this first time this Dec, but like you we don't want to be structured or eat to much. So we are splitting our holiday 4 nights at the AKV and the rest at OKW. This means that for the first 4 days we will have the dinning plan. Just enough time to try the resturants we have always wanted to try and not get to full or bored.

 

[kandmwedding]

We're doing the DDP for the first time this December. We'll be there for 10 days, so that's lots of credits and lots of eating. I was fearful that we'd feel the same way as you, so we've planned to do 2 ADRs that require 2 TS credits. At least that cuts down on the some of the eating!!

 

[SavvyMom]

Those are great ideas DisneyBB and kandmwedding. Maybe when the kids get older or DH and I go alone we'll give it another try. When we go, we usually only have 2 or maybe 3 TS meals. In the past, you could walk by a restuarant and say, "Hey, let's try that one." Unfortunately, I think those days are gone. We'll still have to plan way ahead, but I think we can narrow down our "dream choices" to 2 TS restaurants per trip. We heard a several complaints that people had bought the DDP and couldn't find anywhere to eat TS. "Advanced Dining Reservations strongly suggested" is a lot different from no ADR no TS! I really think Disney should do something to fix that. Perhaps they could tell people when they book that they should make ADRs or they most likely will not find somewhere to eat TS. I admit I would've been really angry if I had paid all that money and it was impossible to get a table anywhere.

 

[Suzette]

Savvy Mom,
We have the DDP set up to where we are using them for Dinners, and lunches. Is this the best way to do this? We have 3 kids ages 6-8, and 3 adults going.
This is also my sons' first time, and I haven't been since I was 13. Very excited!!

 

[SavvyMom]

Savvy Mom,
We have the DDP set up to where we are using them for Dinners, and lunches. Is this the best way to do this? We have 3 kids ages 6-8, and 3 adults going.
This is also my sons' first time, and I haven't been since I was 13. Very excited!!

It's hard to say Suzette. That's how we had it planned, but there were days when the girls didn't want a big old hamburger and fries for lunch. At the end of our stay, we had 2 CS meals and 13 snack credits left. Also, our 10 and 14yo were considered 'adults' so they ordered off of that menu. You're going to have to pay for one 'meal' out of pocket. That meal may just be a muffin for breakfast, but it may be pancakes and sausages! It just depends on the eating habits of your crew.

 

[marcyinPA]

Savvy Mom,
We have the DDP set up to where we are using them for Dinners, and lunches. Is this the best way to do this? We have 3 kids ages 6-8, and 3 adults going.
This is also my sons' first time, and I haven't been since I was 13. Very excited!!

When we do the DP, and even when we don't, we usually eat a substantial breakfast, and then a decent dinner, with a snack in between if necessary. The one exception to this is when we are in a park where we HAVE to have lunch (like at the AK....we LOVE Tusker House!!! Although we won't be doing this anymore since they are going TS on us!).

With the amount of food on the Dining Plan, it seems to make sense to do breakfast and dinner. I have a hard time eating lunch and then dinner right on top of it....

Marcy

 

[Magical Hoosier]

We are going in October and try the DDP for the first time. I am really looking forward to it. We are going to have an ADR everynight, but I cant wait.