Thinking of upgrading to DxDDP - ADR opinions please?

[Jen12573]

I know this really depends on everyone's individual situation, but I'm thinking of upgrading our DxDDP for our January 2011 trip (we're doing free dining). In doing the planning, we will enjoy more signature dining restaurants, use snacks around lunchtime and some breakfast buffets (DH and I love going to the character meals for the last seating).

We still have 2 credits left too... might just add Flame Tree on Jan. 24.

Jan. 23 - MK (arrival day)
Lunch - Crystal Palace (I'm up in the air about this one for lunch)
Dinner - Chef Mickey's

Jan. 24 - AK
Breakfast - Tusker House (never been)
Lunch - TBD
Dinner - Yachtsman Steakhouse (never been)

Jan. 25 - EPCOT
Breakfast - Sunshine Seasons
Lunch - Rose & Crown (never been)
Dinner - Narcoossee's (anniversary dinner)

Jan. 26 - DHS
Breakfast - Cape May Cafe (late - never been)
Lunch - snacks - smoothies
Dinner - 50s Prime Time

Jan. 27 - MK
Breakfast - 1900 Park Fare (late)
Lunch - snacks - smoothies
Dinner - Kona Café (late)

Jan. 28 - EPCOT
Breakfast - Chef Mickey's
Lunch - snacks
Dinner - Flying Fish Café (never been)

Jan. 29 - DHS
Breakfast - in room because of 8AM DHS opening, and not enough time for a sit-down breakfast.
Lunch - take out from Gasparilla Grill (tradition)

If this belongs over in the "DDP" section, please fee free to move it...
Thanks!

 

[mickeysgirl17]

With the amount of TS places you plan to dine at, I would really consider doing the deluxe DP! It looks like it could be worth it for your family, but if this is your first time to disney or if you have small kids who go to bed early, you might want to consider staying with the DP. The deluxe plan means you get 3 meals a day and in order to actually eat all your food, you must space them out so your not too full from the last meal which means some late dinners....or you could do 1 TS breakfast and a 2TS signature dinner and use up your snacks for a light lunch.
It also helps to have a car if you do deluxe because if you do some resort restaurants you'll be traveling quite a bit as well.
I'm doing the deluxe DP next trip! Can't wait.

As far as your choices....

Crystal Palace...I didn't like it. Food just ok, service just ok. Characters good though.
Chef Mickeys dinner....Same as Crystal Palace. Food and service just so so, but the characters were awesome!
Tusker house Bfst...Fantastic!!! Everything great. Fresh hot food, lots of variety, great characters and service. Yummy juice!

Sunshine seasons...pretty good.

Never been to the others, but I'm gonna try Narcoossee's at PTC next trip and those get pretty good reviews.

 

[mickeysgirl17]

double post....

 

[catne]

looks like a good DxDP candidate, especially with all the signature meals. One thing, though, with Dx you're getting the appetizers, too so it IS a lot more food than the regular dining plan (that's an appetizer for each of you at every table-service lunch & dinner) So make sure if your schedule 3 restaurant meals any day that you allow at least 5 hours, preferably 6 hours, between meals...you'll need the time to get hungry again, lol.

 

[AirGoofy]

I know this really depends on everyone's individual situation, but I'm thinking of upgrading our DxDDP for our January 2011 trip (we're doing free dining).

Jan. 23 - MK (arrival day)
Lunch - Crystal Palace (I'm up in the air about this one for lunch)
Dinner - Chef Mickey's

Jan. 24 - AK
Breakfast - Tusker House (never been)
Lunch - TBD
Dinner - Yachtsman Steakhouse (never been)

Jan. 25 - EPCOT
Breakfast - Sunshine Seasons
Lunch - Rose & Crown (never been)
Dinner - Narcoossee's (anniversary dinner)

Jan. 26 - DHS
Breakfast - Cape May Cafe (late - never been)
Lunch - snacks - smoothies
Dinner - 50s Prime Time

Jan. 27 - MK
Breakfast - 1900 Park Fare (late)
Lunch - snacks - smoothies
Dinner - Kona Café (late)

Jan. 28 - EPCOT
Breakfast - Chef Mickey's
Lunch - snacks
Dinner - Flying Fish Café (never been)

Jan. 29 - DHS
Breakfast - in room because of 8AM DHS opening, and not enough time for a sit-down breakfast.
Lunch - take out from Gasparilla Grill (tradition)

If this belongs over in the "DDP" section, please fee free to move it...
Thanks!

You have way too many credits for regular DP. So, upgrade or do some cancellations. We did the DxDP last year, and it was a LOT of food. As Previous Post said, you get 3 meals a day, and those meals include an appetizer, main course, and desert per person at TS restaurants. Plus, you get 2 snacks and a drink mug per person. We did a late breakfast and earlier signature each day, and still left with 20 Mickey rice krispie treat heads.

But, we got to try a lot of fun places and different food items. Enjoy!

 

[Jen12573]

Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I should have mentioned that this is our "dream plan" if we do upgrade to DxDDP. This is our last trip for a couple years, so we want to go out with a bang. If we stick to the Basic DDP, we'll be going to Narcoossee's, Chef Mickey's (breakfast), 1900 Park Fare, Kona Cafe and 50s Prime Time Cafe - plus a bunch of CS restaurants.

I think we're going to do it. Our first trip, we had the Basic DDP for the first half of our trip, and DxDDP for the second half. We didn't do nearly as many signatures as we should have on that trip, and we also 'wasted' many of our TS credits on CS restaurants, or on breakfast at Grand Floridian Cafe (good, but not three times good!).

I figure this time, we know what we're doing and we'll do it right because THE DIS ROCKS!!! We'll mostly use our credits for buffet breakfasts and signature dinners, and a few other dinners we like, plus I think for one lunch (Rose & Crown). DH and I are definitely getting excited now. Thanks again!

 

[dlove28]

Does anyone know what the cost is per person per day to upgrade to the deluxe DP from the regular DP during FD?

 

[hill6]

DxDP is the way to go with all the 2 credit meals.

 

[hill6]

Does anyone know what the cost is per person per day to upgrade to the deluxe DP from the regular DP during FD?

It is about $30 per day.

 

[JenSop]

We've done the DxDDP twice (as part of split stays.)

Be ready for the sheer amount of food you will be getting! (app., entree, dessert EVERY time!)

What we've done when on Deluxe is to use a 1 TS for lunch and a 2 TS for dinner. (We're not big breakfast eaters.)

Even doing it that way, we were SO FULL! I can't imagine doing 3 TS meals in a day - especially with app's included. (But hey, everyone's different!)

We're thinking that next year's trip, we'll do regular DDP and double up the TS credits to do some signatures - even if it means not doing a TS everyday. Maybe do 2 signatures and 1 regular TS? (Not sure yet. Sorry for drifting off-topic there....)

It just ended up being too much food. Good food, but still too much.

 

[jen2207]

We did DxDDP for our last trip and it was great!! I decided to do deluxe last time because we went for 11 days and I could not let my kids eat burgers, nuggets and pizza for that many days in a row! lol!

For our next trip I will be 7+ months pregnant - so we are DEFINATELY doing deluxe dining! For meeeee!!

 

[Colleen27]

Couple of things I see.

First of all, what time do you arrive and how are you getting there? I think two character meals on an arrival day is a little ambitious, and if you're flying/taking ME, bordering on masochistic. I'd skip lunch and take it a little easier that day, just plan on a little MK fix, some snacks, and Chef Mickey for dinner.

I'd probably go with a lighter breakfast on your first Epcot day, either sharing a credit at Seasons or grabbing something from the bakery using snack credits because three full meals is a lot for one day and it would be a real shame not to be hungry enough to do Narcoosees justice.

I'd leave the last couple credits unplanned. We've done the deluxe plan twice and always end up using a credit here and there on a shared meal when someone gets hungry between planned meals or for a late night pizza in the room.

 

[Jen12573]

Thanks again everyone.

Colleen, it's so funny you gave me those recommendations because today I cancelled our CP lunch for our arrival day (I knew it was too much food). We have taken the same flight for the past two years and have been at the resort by 11AM. So when we arrive we'll hit MK first, ride a couple rides, grab a couple fast passes, and then probably head over to Gasparilla Grille to share a Southwest Chicken Sandwich - DH's favorite! Same goes for Sunshine Seasons on our first Epcot day. DH will probably eat breakfast, but I'm probably going to use a snack or two for a fruit bowl and yogurt. And that will leave us with 2-4 freebie TS for lunches to share if/when we get hungry. And if we have 2 TS left on our last day, we're going over to Gasparilla Grille to get take out lunch, we can always share a breakfast while we wait for it to be made (usually a biscuit is all I need). Thanks so much!

Happy planning - and hooray for DxDDP!