So WHAT do you do???

[choirfarm]

First let me preface by saying that I am not talking about making 2 ADR's for the same meal, but in a way, it seems that you almost have to make extra ADR's so you will not waste any of your credits since you cannot walk into anything, especially in September. So you get there on arrival day, you are really tired and decide just to order pizza delivered to the hotel instead of going to the Coral Reef. If you have no other TS ADR, then you are out of luck... I really am tempted to make a couple of ADR's just in case because I will not really know what our stamina will be or what we will really "feel" like. In a way, I feel like I am planning this vacation around food. I'm not sure I like that. So how do you handle it? If you make no extra's then you have wasted your dining plan!!!

Christine

 

[Rylee]

Do you have the basic or deluxe plan?

Since the DP is based on the number of nights you are staying, most people will not have an ADR for either, their arrival or departure day... deciding factor is usually time of arrival or departure.

If you won't have time on either day... you can always schedule 2 TS restaurants on the same day... like an early breakfast and a dinner.

 

[Hmbldr]

I understand what you mean. Planning your whole trip around meals sounds a little off and scary. I did it and it worked fine for us. I actually booked our TS (we were on DDP) after I figured out our general park itinerary. Two of the days I booked 2 TS restaurants, while other days I planned 2 CS restaurants. The CS ideas left us completely flexible if our plans or parks changed - having a list of ideas at which CS restaurants we would prefer. Our TS days were obviously a bit more structured as we had definite dates and times to be there. For example, Our Epcot day gave us Biergarten for lunch and LeCellier for dinner. Worked great. I din't double book anything and don't regret that. If you do feel the need to double book, then please cancel when you know what direction you're heading. A lucky walk-up diner will be grateful.

 

[WantToGoNow]

We make no extra ADR's - never have. We go to the restaurant that we planned to eat at - even if we are at another park that day. The one morning that we were too tired to get up and go to our 7:30 ADR at Chef Mickey's, I called and cancelled it. Since we were paying for that meal out of pocket anyway, we didn't lose anything.

 

[maj42169]

OK,,,,,,,,,so if you are going during the "FREE DINING" and you "wasted" your TS.......you didn't pay for it anyway. IF you make a 'few extras' just in case then you are most likely keeping someone else...who probably didn't double book their ADR's from enjoying a meal that they wanted just because you don't want to plan ahead because you don't know what you will "Feel" like.

IF you don't like the idea that you are planning your trip around the food, then don't get the dining plan.

 

[familyS]

We made 11 ADRs for a 9 night stay because we planned on paying oop (with Visa dollars) for two breakfasts. I figured that if we did cancel an ADR, we would just use TS credits for one of the breakfasts.

We ended up making all our ADRs

 

[jcemom]

We made 11 ADRs for a 9 night stay because we planned on paying oop (with Visa dollars) for two breakfasts. I figured that if we did cancel an ADR, we would just use TS credits for one of the breakfasts.

This is what I do also. I usually book one extra meal towards the end of the trip and try to make it a breakfast. If we're on track when we get to that one then I'll pay OOP for it. If we've canceled something along the way then I'll use the extra credits to pay for it.

 

[Katiebell]

OK,,,,,,,,,so if you are going during the "FREE DINING" and you "wasted" your TS.......you didn't pay for it anyway. IF you make a 'few extras' just in case then you are most likely keeping someone else...who probably didn't double book their ADR's from enjoying a meal that they wanted just because you don't want to plan ahead because you don't know what you will "Feel" like.

IF you don't like the idea that you are planning your trip around the food, then don't get the dining plan.

That is an excellent point. If you are getting the DDP, then you are, to some extent, planning your trip around food.

I looked at the park hours, and the days special events/shows/EMH would be for each park, and made my touring plan accordingly, trying to avoid as much unnecessary travel as possible (we'll still park hop, but trying to stay mostly in one area each day). So, on our Epcot days, I made Epcot ADR's, on our AK day, I made an ADR for Tusker House, on the morning we are going to Blizzard Beach, we are having breakfast at Boma. If I was worried that we wouldn't "feel" like eating at a particular restaurant that day, then I wouldn't select it as one of our ADR's. If we really don't feel like going to an ADR that day, or can't make it, then we'll cancel it and do CS instead -- but I wouldn't take a chance away from another couple, and have one or two other reservations at other places "just in case". We only have one week to spend at WDW -- we know we can't possibly do everything we want to, or eat at every single restaurant we want to -- oh well, that gives us something new to look forward to next time!

You can go to WDW and choose to not plan at all. You can just wake up each day, and figure out how much energy you have and what you feel like doing that day, and call Guest Services and see what might be available that day for a meal at any time. Or eat CS. But that's not the wisest use of the Dining Plan, you are much more likely to lose money on unused TS credits, and you'd probably save money if you just skip it.

 

[septbaby]

Last summer during free dining we planned to attend all of our ADRs, which meant paying OOP for two meals. We were too stuffed to enjoy one of them and canceled. We did pay OOP for Chef Mickey's bfast.

This year I have one "extra" scheduled. We have the Plaza booked for our arrival dinner, just before Spectro, but CS at the resort may be a wiser choice. We have Boma breakfast booked for our departure day, but I made that ADR when we planned to stay at AKL(now we're at Music) so I'll likely cancel that one. We have two lunch ADRs with the assumption of CS or dinner, if we don't use the Plaza I'll book a TS dinner one of those nights or walk up at Beaches and Cream and play mini golf before or after dinner.

As far as losing a TS credit you can always hit up a no ADR place to use one. I'm not stressed or worried about not being able to eat at WDW!