Planning your eating around DxDDP

[IndyDisney]

DH and I will be doing the DxDP for the first time on our October trip. Eating at WDW is one of our favorite things to do.

We will be doing 3 TS a day we love a big breakfast, lunch or dinner will be a lighter fair but still a TS if we do not clean our plates who cares. I think servers are accustumed to taking back plates with food on them.

I am glad DH and I no longer drink since I have estimated the cost of what we might order and allowing for a 20% tip I think our daily tipping should average around $40 but $85 would make me think twice about doing so many TS meals.

We're using the DxDP for the first time (actually, first time with any DDP) in July. We have 15 ADRs (17 credits) and are eating three times a day twice during out 7 night stay. I'm sure we'll use some of the credits for QS breakfast, though. I have $20/meal budgeted for tips, which I think its pretty reasonable for myself, DW, and DD4. I'm really looking forward to trying everything. As stated before, DW and I are app fans, which, between that and the 7 character dining experiences we're doing, were the reasoning for our DxDP choice. And just as a bonus, we've saved some cash using a Qs dining PIN and upgrading.

Cheers,
Indy

 

[neodymm]

We have been hooked on the DxDDP for many years. We've done variations from all TS 3xs per day to more signatures and a few CS. We always end up with snack credits and have been known to go back into Epcot just to go to Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe to use up the credits on desserts...then load them in a cooler over ice to bring home! It is unfortunate that the use of snack credits has become more restrictive over the years. We also love getting drinks and snacks at Starring Rolls to have while watching the parade or Fantasmic.

I will admit, on our last trip, we felt like we were going to bust if we ate another meal. But, with the great ADRs we had already secured, we were honest with the CMs. We would say that we were on Day X of the DxDDP and they would just laugh. I think they hear this a lot. So, we would choose lighter entrees and eat what we wanted without feeling obligated to eat everybite. If we eat dinner too early, we often find that by the time we get back to the room (usually pretty late), we are a little hungry. So, we have often asked for boxes or desserts to go...then eat them as a late night snack. The CMs are usually very flexible and understanding.

We usually review the menus online before we arrive and have an idea of what we want to order. So, we can order all 3 courses at the first greeting and not waste time reviewing the menu. Of course, buffets are the quickest if you expect to be pressed for time (and I enjoy being able to get a couple of bites of many different things...Boma is my favorite!).

We usually try to do several character meals, too. Akershus is our favorite character lunch/dinner...although a window seat at CRT is hard to beat. Overall, I think a balance of days with 3 meals and 2 meals is the best way to go...making the best use of the credits and include signature dining. I agree with a PP, the signature dining is in a different league than the regular TS meals. More attentive service, better atmosphere, and of course, delectable food choices. We used to take food with us, but we don't really do that anymore, and we are never hungry! Although, we do take a case of bottled water with us. I don't like to use snack credits on bottled water when there are so many other options that you can only get at Disney.

 

[nrpofp]

We just did 10 nights of dxdp and loved it. We ate lunch around 1130 and then a signature restaurant at around 8pm. The only non signature restaurant we did for dinner was Ohana. We also did the wine add on which is great if you like a bottle of wine with dinner. It will save you 10-15 dollars off your bottle of wine. We managed to use all our credits. If we had not eaten at signatures every night there is no way we could have used all of them. The snack credits are difficult to use up. I ended up with 30 snacks left on the last day. I bought a lot of snacks to bring home. The dxdp plan with wine add on cost my family of four about 245 a day. the amount we would have paid out pocket for the same meals would have run between 350-400. I thought it was a very good deal, and we really only had one bad meal at 50's prime time cafe. The rest were all good to excellent. If you like to spend a lot of time in the parks it may not be the best plan. My family prefers the resorts and restaurants with limited time at the park so it worked for us.

 

[MEK]

I think the DxDP is great because of all the flexibility it provides. To the OP, don't forget about all your snack credits. You get two a day. I think I would try to use them up before paying OOP for a bunch of stuff.

I have done the DxDP and I have a "healthy" appetite, shall we say. I love food. But the DxDP does border on gluttony. It's just a ton of food unless you do start skipping apps and desserts. The other thing is that if you are eating 3 TS meals a day you are easily spending 4 to 5 1/2 hrs a day in restaurants. Personally, I think that gets old.

I recommend doing signature meals for several dinners, a late breakfast buffet or lunch, and using your snack credits for breakfast items. I also spread the dining plan into my last day so I have one nice TS meal before I leave.

Enjoy.

 

[seadd67]

so for the exception of hoop de doo we are pretty quick eaters. I love TS meals but not makeing a day of a meal. We usually always do TS meals,but we always try to make it a point to our waiter that we are eatting and going. The other thing that occured to me with the ts meals its a great way to skip going back to the room for afternoon that afternoon breaks. Unless of course one of us wants to rest or swim. Thats not to say we will not,but the breaks for the ac is worth the extra meal all by it self

 

[nrpofp]

Curious what you ate I have been using menus at allears and for 6 adult people it comes to 50.00 in tips per meal so 85.00 seems high for 2 adults and a child?

2 adults and 2 kids are tips were from $60-75 a day. With 6 adults a signature dinner will be at least $300. If your drink it could be $400. Thats a $60-80 tip just for dinner. Every night our tip was $40-50, but we did have a bottle of wine.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

2 adults and 2 kids are tips were from $60-75 a day. With 6 adults a signature dinner will be at least $300. If your drink it could be $400. Thats a $60-80 tip just for dinner. Every night our tip was $40-50, but we did have a bottle of wine.

I think they were talking about per day. Maybe I misread it. But for us a signature meal 2 adults, 1 child, no alcohol ran us about $40-50 in tips. If you add in the character meal for brunch/lunch you are looking at another $20. So We could have gotten to $70 without alcohol for the day.

A part of 6 adults at a signature I would say would run close to $400 without alcohol. So it would be about $80 in tips there. Tips ARE A KILLER in dxdp.

 

[twooley2]

I think our plan is to stay away from signature meals unless its a dinner show where tips are included.

 

[twooley2]

I think they were talking about per day. Maybe I misread it. But for us a signature meal 2 adults, 1 child, no alcohol ran us about $40-50 in tips. If you add in the character meal for brunch/lunch you are looking at another $20. So We could have gotten to $70 without alcohol for the day.

A part of 6 adults at a signature I would say would run close to $400 without alcohol. So it would be about $80 in tips there. Tips ARE A KILLER in dxdp.

I could see that per day or for signature dining. I have figured it best to do 2 table service and no signature (except dinner show) considering the crazy tips for 6 people at a signature. Not to mention the signature meal I tried once at California Grill was horrid. or should I say not my kind of food. The waitress was pure snotty. The plate swallowed the size of the food making the portions look just pitiful.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I think $85 that the PP mentionned included drinks. Dh and I often got something at our signature meal. For a pina colada we paid around $9 each while a beer was about $5-7 depending where and which one. Alcohol and Tips are a killer but the food at signature is worth it IMO.

 

[seadd67]

I think our plan is to stay away from signature meals unless its a dinner show where tips are included.

So I am not a tip expert, and I usually stumble me way through tipping so what are the norms for tipping?. Now I know its on the typ of service and food you get but I would love to have like a guide. Like 2.00 for aver 15.00 like that

 

[seadd67]

Snack credits we do not have amy problem useing. We are (unfourntly)avid soda drinkers and have no proble useing up those. Actualy I will buy a couple more per day or more so to. We are also buying some soda for the room to through garden grocery,i know its a bad habit but its one i have

 

[Cafeen]

So I am not a tip expert, and I usually stumble me way through tipping so what are the norms for tipping?. Now I know its on the typ of service and food you get but I would love to have like a guide. Like 2.00 for aver 15.00 like that

Tipping is usually quite a personal decision, but on average...
~10-18% of total bill for poor to average service
~20% for very good service
~25% for great
anything more for exceptional.

 

[seadd67]

I think I have been tipping for avreage service

 

[meredith1]

Would anyone care to share an example of your ADR's on the DxDP for those of us who have never been to the world before?

 

[Cafeen]

Would anyone care to share an example of your ADR's on the DxDP for those of us who have never been to the world before?

I haven't been keeping up with the whole thread, but this I can do .

2010 - This plan is what I did, and it worked out pretty well

• Day 1 - Arrival (@~11am)/Epcot
  
  • Lunch (CS) - Cantina de San Angel @~1pm
  • Dinner - Maya Grill (CSR) @ 7pm (was scheduled for 7:45pm, but we went early)
• Day 2 - MK
  
  • Lunch - Liberty Tree Tavern @ 12:15pm
  • Dinner - Artist Point (WL) @ 7pm
• Day 3 - AK
  
  • Breakfast - Tusker House @ 8:30am
  • Dinner - Boma (AKL) @ 5:35pm
• Day 4 - Epcot
  
  • Lunch - Le Cellier @ 11:30am
  • Dinner - Via Napoli @ 7pm
• Day 5 - DHS
  
  • Lunch - Sci Fi Dine In @ 11:35am
  • Dinner - Yachtsman (YC) @ 6:35pm
• Day 6 - Rest/MNSSHP (Note starting this day I was solo)
  
  • Breakfast - Maya Grill (CSR) @ 8:45am
  • Dinner - Citrico's (GF) @ 5:35pm
• Day 7 - AK
  
  • Lunch - Restaurantasaurus (CS) @ ~11:30am
  • Dinner - Jiko (AKL) @ 5:35pm
• Day 8 - Epcot
  
  • Lunch - San Angel Inn @ 11:30am
  • Dinner - Had reservations @ Marrakesh for 6:30pm. Walked into Hacienda at 5:30pm. - In hindsight I should have stretched this out longer, as not really hungry at all.
• Day 9 - MK/Depart
  
  • Lunch - The Plaza @ 11:50am

This plan worked out pretty well. I did feel that that Maya Grill dinner was a bit late (7:45?), but we got right in at 7 anyway, and then the 5:30ish Hacienda walk-up was really too early. I could have probably waited until 7 for that meal, but since it was just opening, and there were no reservations, I didn't want to miss a shot at doing it.

For 2011, I think I planned out a bit better, although throwing 3 MNSSHPs into the mix makes it a bit more tricky.

2011: (Again, for Days 1 - 5, Mom will be here with car, 6-10 will be me solo)

• Day 1 - Arrive (@~11:30am)/Epcot
  
  • Lunch - Cantina de San Angel (CS) @ whenever
  • Dinner - Jiko (AKL) @ 7:15pm
• Day 2 - MK/MNSSHP
  
  • Breakfast - Kona (Poly) @ 8am
  • Lunch - Potential light CS meal or just snacks.
  • Dinner - The Plaza @ 5:10pm
• Day 3 - DHS
  
  • Lunch - Mama Melrose @ 12pm
  • Dinner - Kona (Poly) @ 7:30pm
• Day 4 - Epcot
  
  • Lunch - Coral Reef @ 11:35pm
  • Dinner - Hacienda de San Angel @ 7pm
• Day 5 - AK/Mom goes home
  
  • Breakfast - Tusker House @ 10am
  • Dinner - Boma @ 5:20pm
• Day 6 - Solo time starts, Epcot/MNSSHP
  
  • Lunch - San Angel Inn @ 11:30am
  • Dinner - California Grill @ 5:00pm
• Day 7 - AK/EP pmEMH (Note: will likely be at resort after lunch until dinner)
  
  • Lunch - "Untamed Lunch" at Sanaa @ 11:30am
  • Dinner - Flying Fish @ 5:30pm
• Day 8 - MK/Epcot
  
  • Lunch - Grand Floridian Cafe @ 12pm
  • Dinner - Le Cellier @ 7:05pm
• Day 9 - AK/MNSSHP (yep, 3 of them!)
  
  • Lunch - Tusker House @ 11:30am
  • Dinner - Citrico's @ 5:30pm
• Day 10 - MK/Depart
  
  • Breakfast - Crystal Palace @ 8:10am

The plan was designed with a few key things in mind.
- Keeping the two meals spread out enough, but not too much. Early lunch and 7pm(ish) dinner works best for me, or a breakfast and an earlier dinner.
- Keeping the first half of the plan a bit less costly than the 2nd. Since Mom's paying OOP while I'm on DxDDP, I pushed most of the cheaper restaurants to the start of the trip.
- I like signatures and I wanted to try Le Cellier v2.0 (or 3.0 if you count the buffeteria it used to be, but actually, it's closer to 2.5 counting that version... ahem).
- The ability to actually reserve Hacienda ahead of time helps, so I don't have to hope it's available and squeeze it in .

 

[dsnyrn]

We are also on Deluxe dining for first time, are adrs are -
arrival dinner Artist Point

day2 breakfast Kouzzina
dinner California Grill

day3 breakfast Grand Floridian Cafe
dinner Narcoossee

day4 lunch Via Napoli
dinner Brown Derby

day5 breakfast Rainforest Animal Kingdom
dinner Citricos

day6 breakfast Boma
dinner Flying Fish Cafe

day7 departure Wolfgang Puck Cafe late lunch

we have never been to any of there restaruants and are sooo looking forwards to trying them, Deluxe dining gave us a good excuse!!

 

[kchughes]

This will be our 3rd trip with DxDP. We have found that signature meals is the way to gofor us. We cannot physically eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per person per day, so this is what works for us. Here's our plan for Sept 2011:

Arrival day: CS lunch at Roaring Forks or DTD dinner Cali Grill
Day 2: Bkfst: Tusker House Lunch: Flame Tree or snacks Dinner Yak and Yeti
Day 3: Bkfst: AKershus Lunch: CS or snacks Dinner: Biergarten
Day 4: Bkfst: 900 PF Lunch ?? Dinner: Narcossee's
Day 5: Lunch 50's PT MNSSHP pm, so no real plans this day
Day 6: Bkst: RF Lunch: VN Dinner: Le Cellier
Day 7:Lunch: The Plaza Dinner Yachtsman
Day 8:bkfst: WCC Dinner:mama Melrose
Day 9: Bkfst; Kona Dinner: Artist Point
Day 10: leaving so no specific plans

We love having pretty much everything paid for up front. We then estimate what we would order and put cash aside for tips at 18-20% so we don't put a lot on the room charges.

It also gives us the freedom to order things we may not other wise other.

 

[SabresFan]

Regarding tipping, when the bill comes they show you what the 18% suggested tip comes out to be. If you have 5 or fewer in your party, you get to pay whatever tip you want, but I think for 6 or more the gratuity is added automatically, even if you are on the Dining Plan.

One other thing that DxDDP is nice for is that you can be more adventurous with your eating. After all, it's "free", so if you're not sure if you'll like something, you can try it and if you don't like it, no biggie. Our DD15 is a fairly picky eater, and also a miser, so she would never order anything expensive unless she was sure she liked it, and even then would still probably go cheap anyway. So last summer she tried Coconut Chicken at Kona - loved it. Tried Filet Mignon at Teppan Edo - loved it.

So you may find your back-home dining gets more expensive too.

 

[seadd67]

WDW trip Dinning plan
Tue the 20th: Breakfast @ Kona café@ 9:30am
Lunch/snack @ La France @ 1pm (oop)
Lunch @ Rose and crown @ 3:05pm
Dinner @ O’hannas @ 9:35pm
Wen the 21st Breakfast @ Chef Mickey’s @ 7:05am
Lunch @ Yak and Yeti @ 12:00pm
Dinner @ the Biergarten @ 7:30pm
Thursday the 22nd Lunch @ 9 dragons @ 3:30pm
Dinner @ Hollywood brown derby 7:05pm
Late night snack at ESPN 10:30pm(oop)
Friday the 23rd Breakfast@ Kat Kora @7:45am
Lunch @ San angel @ 1:10 pm
Dinner @ Cali Grill @ 9:15pm
Saturday the 24th Breakfast @ The wave 7:30 am
Lunch @ Hard rock TBA____ (oop)
Dinner @ Margaretville TBA____(oop)
Sunday the 25th Breakfast at Rainforest café AK @ 8:30am (oop)
Lunch at Typhoon lagoon TBA(oop)
Dinner at Hoop de doo 9:30pm
Monday the 26th Lunch at Wolfgang puck @ 2:30pm
Dinner at Yatchman steak house @ 7:30pm
Late night snack at big river grill and brewery(oop) or
Planet hollywood?(this day Is still awork in progress
Tuesday the 27th Breakfast at Crystal palace at 9:30am
Lunch at Sci fi at 2:30pm