out of pocket dining sticker shock

[nytimez]

We've never eaten at Garden Grill. There are so many better choices in Epcot IMO.

There are better choices at Epcot. But Garden Grill is actually not a bad meal, I think it's one of the better buffets and better character meals, food-wise (even though it's not a true buffet since they bring the food to you).

 

[aprilp]

When we ate at Garden Grill a couple years ago I remember thinking how great it would be for kids because the characters had so much time to hang out with you. In fact, Chip and Dale played around with us (all grownups) for so long that we almost ready for them to go away. lol! And the food was really good. They bring it out to you family style but you can ask for as much of it as you want. We are doing Garden Grill again this year and I'm excited about it as my parents have never been there before.

As for Crystal Palace, we are not huge Pooh fans (we like Pooh but we didnt go there to meet him) but we LOVE eating there. My mom always says she wishes she could eat lunch there every day we are at disney. I love it enough to have to go once every trip but I dont know that I could eat it every day! They do have lots of choices and some are quite different and fun. She liked that they had salads with couscous and quinoa (she likes to try stuff like that) and that their veggies and carved meat and baked fish were very good. We also like Tusker House at Animal Kingdom. We tried Boma and it was great but it is so hectic there and you wait so long and its kind of squishy the way the tables are set up so we actually prefer Tusker House as it seems to be quieter and more spread out (and we had a much shorter wait time too). Just comes down to personal preference I guess.

 

[LuLuO]

OP, have you added up the cost of the DDP vs what you'd pay OOP? For us, even with our 3 character meals, 2 TS meals, and various CS meals, the DDP will still be more expensive.

Last trip, we ate one big meal a day and snacked or shared meals the rest of the day. We also ate breakfast in our condo on most days which saved both time and money.

We did enjoy Crystal Palace for lunch, but if your kids aren't big Pooh and Friends fans then you can skip this one. We were able to see Pooh and Tigger elsewhere in the park

 

[LilGMom]

Of the restaurants that you have listed I'd say pick one and do the other two on a trip when you'll have the DDP. Personally I'd keep either Garden Grill or Crystal Palace with the deciding factor being in meeting Tigger, Pooh & friends was higher on the 'really want to do' list. We've had Boma for breakfast and dinner and I was pretty disappointed after hearing all of the hoopla on the DIS with the breakfast and just really underwhelmed in the dinner - imho, not worth the money for my family. Garden Grill is really good and if Mickey, Chip, Dale, Pluto are more important to meet than I'd stick with this one.

As far as the CS meals go it really depends on where you go and what you get. Some of the meals at Cosmic Rays are very good sizes and I could see easily having an adult share one with a small child.

Dining, when paying OOP, is the most flexible expense during a WDW trip. Like a PP said, if you have a car there are a lot of options off property. If you don't mind driving about 15-20 minutes away go north on 429 (you get on it from Western Way near CSR) and head to Stoneybrook (on the west side of 429). There are numerous dining, and shopping, choices.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

I would do the math and see if the discount you are getting is more than what you would save by paying for your lodging vs. the cost of the dining plan. If you are getting free park tickets from your friend then you are probably better off keeping things as they are. As far as CS meals...they are pretty big. If you have a child/adult that like burgers, you can get a double cheeseburger meal and buy an extra bun (less than $1 I think) and then split it up into two regular burgers. Columbia Harbor House has a great fish and chicken basket that could be split up easily, too. We only schedule one TS character meal per trip because we always do the QSDP. There is NO way I would pay OOP for more than one TS meal. That's a week's worth of groceries for us and the food isn't over-the-top good to justify the cost for us. Good luck and have a great trip!

This! We always do the QSDP as well and so many of the meals are enough for our kids - and sometimes even dh and I - to split. The ts meals are outrageously priced and we just can't justify that expense, so we rarely even do an oop one during our trips (on occasion, we do a character meal, but the food is just not worth that huge price.)

 

[waynesgirl]

Wow, that's a toughie!!! We always eat OOP, so here is my 2 cents.

As far as meals, it is up to you what you want to eat. The best overall character meal we have had was Garden Grill at EPCOT- more time with characters than any other. The food was very good and BIG portions.

When it is my DH and myself, we do a lot of sit-down meals because we tend to eat breakfast and then have some adult beverages and snacks. Then a nice dinner. Yeah, it is a bigger expense, but we enjoy our food.

With our children, they eat, don't get me wrong, but they can't appreciate the satisfaction of a good meal when they are distracted and the chaos in many character meals sometimes keeps them from eating enough food to make it worth the cost. We like the CS places, especally Pecos Bill's and such that have bigger portions- a bacon cheeseburger can feed me and my 14 year-old skinny minnie. (Not because we are cheap but a whole burger would have me feeling so full, it would make me sluggish.)

Consider bringing granola bars, Pop Tarts, and other things (THE BUDGET BOARDS can really help you in this department) and Crystal Light powders to refill water bottles. Fresh fruit doesn't cost as much in the parks and apples and granola bars are a very filling snack.

I hope that helped you a bit...

 

[CaptianAdam]

I would think that you can still add the dinning plan? Might need to get someone live on the phone, keep trying

 

[DisneyFive]

In my opinion, buffets (especially character buffets) are not the best value when paying out of pocket. If money is a concern and you are paying out of pocket, I would skip most of the buffets and sit down meals and would stick to counter service.

Totally agree. We would probably only do one character buffet if we had to pay out of pocket. If my kids were a little older, we probably wouldn't do ANY buffets if we had to pay OOP. The cost is extrememly high vs a regular table service meal, and in our experience the food is not as good as a dedicated table service entree.

OP, have you added up the cost of the DDP vs what you'd pay OOP? For us, even with our 3 character meals, 2 TS meals, and various CS meals, the DDP will still be more expensive.

Last trip, we ate one big meal a day and snacked or shared meals the rest of the day. We also ate breakfast in our condo on most days which saved both time and money.

We did enjoy Crystal Palace for lunch, but if your kids aren't big Pooh and Friends fans then you can skip this one. We were able to see Pooh and Tigger elsewhere in the park

Totally agree with this too. Just because you buy the DDP, it doesn't mean that you are going to save money. If you are eating at all character meals, then you probably would save some, but the cost of the DDP is so high now, and especially in 2012 that is becoming very difficult to justify.

Dan

 

[LilGMom]

Totally agree. We would probably only do one character buffet if we had to pay out of pocket. If my kids were a little older, we probably wouldn't do ANY buffets if we had to pay OOP. The cost is extrememly high vs a regular table service meal, and in our experience the food is not as good as a dedicated table service entree.



Totally agree with this too. Just because you buy the DDP, it doesn't mean that you are going to save money. If you are eating at all character meals, then you probably would save some, but the cost of the DDP is so high now, and especially in 2012 that is becoming very difficult to justify.

Dan

I agree with what you agreed with. I have always run a cost comparison spreadsheet (What can I say? I love spreadsheets - it is an illness) and with where we like to eat and what we like to eat for my family of four (prior to this next trip it was 2 DDP Adults and 2 DDP Children) we basically broke even between DDP and OOP or were within $50 dollars either way. Now that our oldest is an adult in WDW's eyes the DDP is not going to be saving us any money after this next trip. We have some $$ meals planned for our upcoming trip and the DDP and OOP cost is very close to being the same. But next year after the cost of the DDP goes up we will go back to our old routine of planning a few TS meals (maybe no longer do one TS a day), eat CS, off property and in our room and pay 100% OOP.

The DDP isn't always the way to go and if I pay OOP and can possibly save on my dining budget to get a better room for a good discount that is the way I'll go.

 

[LilGMom]

I would think that you can still add the dinning plan? Might need to get someone live on the phone, keep trying

I believe that in order to get the DDP you have to book a ticket & resort package which the OP isn't doing since they have access to a really good CM friend resort discount. Or you have to be an AP holder staying on property - not sure if the OP has looked at this option. Or be a DVC member staying on points which doesn't apply to the OP because of the aforementioned CM resort discount.

 

[snowy76]

Character meals are a killer! We always pay OOP and when we have ADRs they are almost always lunch, as it's less expensive than dinner. There are plenty of days when that lunch carries me to early evening and then I just want a snack or QS meal.

 

[Aunt Bee]

The buffets aren't always a bargain for families because you have to pay for each member.

A better bargain is to eat at a CS or TS and eat "family stlye".

That's what we do when we're being frugal. (At other times we pig out and enjoy it and don't count pennies, but at other times we've been on a big budget...)

We eat our "big meal" at lunch in the parks because it's cheaper. We can do very well for 5 people (2 adults, 3 kids) by ordering from the appetizer menu, splitting an entree and ordering from the kids menu at a TS.

We put all the food in the middle of the table and serve from them "family style". I have no qualms whatsoever about telling the CM what we are doing and asking for extra plates. Never have been turned down, either.

For instance, at Tony's in MK (just an example) we might order:

2 mixed green salads=$12.00
1 entree of spaghetti with meatballs=$17.00
2 kids meals of spaghetti with meatballs=$17.00 (includes 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 2 beverages)

The portions are generous, plus you can ask for more bread. We always drink water, although the kids meals come with milk or juice. You can always order an "extra" drink for the other child.

$46.00 for the "main" meal for a family of 5 isn't bad. Most portions are generous and when I see what some families leave behind on their plates I think, "EEEIIIII!"

Enjoy your trip!

 

[KimK2006]

When we have put the pencil to it, we have always found it was cheaper to pay OOP for food. We don't want to be tied down to TS restaurants once a day, if you go that route. We usually only do a couple a trip. We usually order 3 CS meals between the 4 of us. Plenty of food. Ice water is free. We usually perfer water to a Coke.

 

[ZoZo]

There are lots of ways to save money! One is to eat breakfast in the room every day. A box of cereal, some milk, and some fruit won't cost much, and will save you both tons of money and time in the mornings. You can buy half-gallons of milk in your resort gift shop and stash them in the fridge.

I don't eat many TS meals; for a one-week trip, I might do a TS meal every other day. There are lots of good CS options @ WDW; do some research and maximize them!

Also, if you are going to do a character buffet, time it so that it becomes "brunch" (the latest breakfast seating) or what we call "linner" (a late lunch seating that becomes lunch/dinner). You can fill in with healthy snacks in the meantime, in between those bigger meals.

Bring snacks from home: trail mix, granola bars, goldfish crackers, raisins, etc.

And you can split many CS meals to save money.

 

[rao363]

I booked a room only (got the 40% discount) and am going to buy tickets soon. The CM on the phone told me that CM's and friends of CM's (those who get that discount) cannot get a DP.

I had a pin attached to my name which was 40% off Deluxe Resorts, so I booked the Polynesian. I had no problem adding the dining to my Ressie.

 

[chartle]

I am getting a 'friend of cast member' room discount and I was told I cannot get the DP in any case.

I booked a room only (got the 40% discount) and am going to buy tickets soon. The CM on the phone told me that CM's and friends of CM's (those who get that discount) cannot get a DP.

Things may have changed but some of my family did a trip with my then CM niece and not only got the room at a discount but got the dining plan at a discount also.

The reason why they say no DP is may be not because of the CM discount but that you maybe using your CM friends comp tickets. As others have posted, without a package including tickets no one can get the DDP.

Many people here get a room discount and pay for the DDP OOP.

 

[thomas998]

First family trip coming in early October. I understand why Disney won’t give the free DP when you get a room discount but why don’t they allow even buying a DP?
I made ADR’s thinking we were going to have the DDP and, after I found out we cannot get a DP, I researched restaurant prices and am suffering from sticker shock. My family of four has ADR’s for Crystal Palace, Garden Grill and Boma (we are staying at AK).
My questions:
Are any of these not worth it? It will be about $150 for my family of 4 (Almost $500 just for those 3 meals!)
If we keep these ADR’s we would try to cut in other areas. We will be eating breakfast in the room each day and splitting counter service for other meals. Are most of the counter service meals big enough to feed 1 adult and 1 child?
Any other suggestions for out-of-pocket dining?

A lot depends on the age of the kids and whether they will get anything out of the character portion of the meal.

Crystal Palace is good if your kids are younger than 10... beyond that I doubt they would care one way or the other. Also it is best to go there for lunch and I would not go for breakfast because the breakfast food is really not that good... I would also avoid dinner because it isn't worth the additional 12 dollars over the lunch price... to make it more affordable I would try to book either the earliest possible lunch so that everyone could skip breakfast and it would cover both or book the latest possible lunch and try to skip dinner that way.

Garden Grill is probably the weakest food wise of the character meals (well next to the Cinderella Castle Breakfast which is the worst)... unlike the Crystal Palace where you get a buffet where everyone in your party can go get what you want, they bring the food to your table at the grill so you aren't getting the option of seeing the food and deciding what looks good or worth trying.

Boma is more atmosphere than anything else. Maybe its because I've had authentic African food but I wasn't impressed with the food, your kids depending on age may be even less thrilled by it.

Of the ones you've picked I would say Crystal Palace is the best.... There are probably other character meals I would sub for the Garden Grill...maybe 1900 Park Fare (especially good if your kids are girls for dinner as its Cinderella and family).

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

I wouldn't pay $500 for 3 meals. Not even at Disney. We are doing QSDP and having 3 TS meals OOP. T-Rex, Planet Hollywood and Rainforest Cafe. But you can eat at those places for $15 per person or less depending on what you order. So each of our 3 TS meals will cost less than $100 with tax and tip included. Those character buffets are $30-$40 per person. I have never eaten at ANY buffet that was worth $40. Especially since all 3 of our kids are considered Disney adults and we have to pay adult prices. Fortunately mine are too big to care about character dining so we don't have to mess with that. But to me, food is food. Everybody needs to eat but when you can grab a quick service meal for $10 per person I would do that and just spend more time in the parks rather than be tied down to $200 meals. You have to remember the 20% tip on that $150 meal. If you tip 20% that is. Just the tip is $30.

 

[Donut23]

Best idea of all you ask??????

Last trip we dined off property a great deal more than in the past. It was a total WIN WIN!!

First, the food is soooooooo much better than Disney food...no comparison at all. We had about half of our dinners off property and a few lunches and saved 40%, yes, 40% of our total food budget. There was very little affect on our timing in the parks...it is a quick scoot to great choices.....and I'm not talking quick counter service trash food.

It's a perfect solution to overpriced, lesser quality Disney food!

 

[nytimez]

Garden Grill is probably the weakest food wise of the character meals (well next to the Cinderella Castle Breakfast which is the worst)... unlike the Crystal Palace where you get a buffet where everyone in your party can go get what you want, they bring the food to your table at the grill so you aren't getting the option of seeing the food and deciding what looks good or worth trying.

I disagree with this. I think the Garden Grill food is far superior to the food at Crystal Palace or Akershus. I haven't eaten at CRT so I can't compare it to that, I haven't had the character meal at DAK since they changed it... but compared to what I have had, the quality of the food at Garden Grill is superior IMO.