Selection on menus if using DDP

[cmom]

This will be our first trip to Disney using our DVC points. So that is enough excitement for me to plan. Now I have been on here reading about the DDP.AHHHHH.More for me to plan.lol Now I am a planner and this gives me something to do towards the trip which no matter how much I complain I love.

I have some I hope simple questions. One I have asked on another thread but just found this one just for the dinning. I would appreciate any help and please forgive my ignorance.

1. For someone that is not a big eater and picky by the time I would order something just off the menu and pay for it would it compare pretty close in price to just use the dinning plan? Or is their really a price savings.( this is very important due to VERY limited budget)

2. I have found a list of the restaurants that are part of this. CS and TS. Can you pick anything on the menu or are there select items to choose from? ( again possible a problem for me being limited) Im a burger and chicken girl.

3. Are the snacks something you pick from the carts they have around the parks? Some in resturants? I dont want to missanything extra special.

4. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs . Would we be able to eat anywhere there before we went to the parks in the morning?

OK I think that it FOR NOW.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

1. For someone that is not a big eater and picky by the time I would order something just off the menu and pay for it would it compare pretty close in price to just use the dinning plan? Or is their really a price savings.( this is very important due to VERY limited budget)

Well, that's going to depend on what you order. You pay $40 a day for the dining plan - if you order a chicken dinner at $20 plus a drink at $2 and a chocolate cake at $6 - your dinner would total $29.82 with tax. That means that as long as you spend about $10 on your counter service meal and snack you are breaking even.

2. I have found a list of the restaurants that are part of this. CS and TS. Can you pick anything on the menu or are there select items to choose from? ( again possible a problem for me being limited) Im a burger and chicken girl.

You are only limited as to what's on the menu at the restaurant you've chosen. There are very few exceptions (basically items meant to be shared by 2 people).

3. Are the snacks something you pick from the carts they have around the parks? Some in resturants? I dont want to missanything extra special.

Snacks are available at carts around the parks as well as at many counter service restaurants and some stores. A good rule of thumb is any single serving food item that costs less than $4 is eligible (with a few exceptions). Look for the DDP symbol or ask the cashier if you are unsure. There are lots of really great treats you can get for a snack credit - there are a couple of really good threads on this board that highlight them.

4. We will be staying at Saratoga Springs . Would we be able to eat anywhere there before we went to the parks in the morning?

Yes - there is a counter service restaurant in the main building of your hotel that has breakfast offerings - both hot and cold. I'm not usually a big egg person so when I stayed in a studio (with a microwave and fridge) my favourite "trick" was to pick up an extra dinner counter service meal the night before, store it in the fridge and then heat it up in the morning for breakfast - this also works when you only have a fridge because you can pick up a sandwich, dessert and drink and enjoy a quick "grab and go" breakfast. You can also use some of your snack credits for an easy breakfast if you like things like danish, fruit, or muffins.