Trying to whittle down my DDP Table Credit choices(need to lose 5 credits).

[weaverlfc]

Im lucky enough to be on the Disney Dining Plan for 3 weeks. So 21 table service credits. My first list of restaurants i wanted to eat at was 32 credits, ive got that down to 26, but can't decide which other 5 to lose.

Any tips from you dining experts? which ones are must do's and which ones i could maybe give a miss this time.

Here is my current list:

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill(Got a reservation for 7.55, so should be able to see wishes at 9)
Hollywood brown derby

Table credit:

Boma
Donalds Buffet
Crystal Palace
Beeches & Cream
Sci Fi
1900 Park Fare
Ohana
Chef de France
Chip & dale garden
Princes Story book
Liberty Tree Tavern
Cap n Jacks
Coral Reef
Whispering canyon
Le Cellier
Biergarten

So that's 26 credits, which ones do i drop?

 

[tluvstink]

Wow 3 weeks...I'm Jealous!

Personally I don't think Beaches n' Cream is a good use of a TS credit so I would pay OOP if you decide to keep it. I would also get rid of Cap'n Jacks because it just isn't very good but that's just my opinion. You have several buffets booked so I would consider eliminating one of those.

Let us know what you decide!

Terri

 

[weaverlfc]

Yea i've realised it's not best use of a table credit to eat at beaches and cream. I think i will just go there for a ice cream rather than a meal. So thats 1 off the list.

I suppose it's just the location at cap n jacks that looked good, but i haven't read to much into it. I'll have to have a look at a few reviews but sounds like that could be taken off.

I probably do need to lose a few buffets, but i'll be keeping quite a few.....i do like a good old feast at a buffet now and again lol

 

[kecmouse]

3 weeks sounds like a blast!

places my family wouldn't probably dine at are:
Cap n Jacks
Sci Fi
Hoop de doo
Beaches and Cream

Cap n Jacks doesn't have the greatest of food, Beaches and Cream is not the best usage of credit, we don't really think the atmosphere at Hoop de doo looks appealing, and Sci Fi has not the greatest of food. Hmmm... I would also recommend that you take out a few of the future world restaurants for some of the world showcase dining. The world showcase has a lot of great options, Chefs De France, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia, and many others offer really spectacular foods! Hope that helps!

 

[weaverlfc]

3 weeks sounds like a blast!

places my family wouldn't probably dine at are:
Cap n Jacks
Sci Fi
Hoop de doo
Beaches and Cream

Cap n Jacks doesn't have the greatest of food, Beaches and Cream is not the best usage of credit, we don't really think the atmosphere at Hoop de doo looks appealing, and Sci Fi has not the greatest of food. Hmmm... I would also recommend that you take out a few of the future world restaurants for some of the world showcase dining. The world showcase has a lot of great options, Chefs De France, Teppan Edo, Tutto Italia, and many others offer really spectacular foods! Hope that helps!

I've got chef de france on my list, but as far as i can see Teppan Edo & Tutto Italia aren't on the dining plan. I've just looked at the sci-fi menu and can see it's not worth spending a table credit on, if i want to eat there for the experience i can just have a burger there 1 day. So yea, thats gone. I quite look the like of hoop de hoo to be honest so going to keep that 1 for now.

Right so thats:

Sci-Fi gone
Beaches & Cream gone
Cap n Jacks gone

and i think i've just decided im going to drop 1900 fare park. It looks nice with good reviews but probably alot more enjoyable if you have kids. For 3 adults mid 20's i don't thikn its the best choice.

So that brings it down to 22.

1 More to drop.

 

[purple figment]

Sometimes it's better to pay Out of Pocket for the 2 credit sig restaurants because you'll still be getting only an entree, dessert and non-alc beverage. For example, if you're planning on sushi at Cali Grill it's definitely more cost effective to pay OOP. Brown Derby is another place where the cost of your meal divided by 2 credits often isn't a good value. If you pay OOP for a sig or 2 you'll be able to add back in some of the original 32 restaurants you were interested in.

Regarding Tutto's and Teppan Edo, if you're looking at the list of restaurants announced for 2012, it is very incomplete. The only places currently listed are Disney owned venues. Third party places like Tutto's and Teppan Edo have until the end of the year to sign their contracts. I would use this year's list as a good indicator of which restaurants will be on the plan next year. So far, in all the years of the dining plan only one still existing restaurant, Fulton's, has opted out.

 

[weaverlfc]

I've just nticed there are 4 or 5 restaurants on the 2011 dining plan that look really nice that aren't yet on the 2012 plan. Are they likely to be added? or have they maybe been taken off for 2012?

edit - you answered my question before i asked it purple figment lol

 

[minnie mum]

I've got chef de france on my list, but as far as i can see Teppan Edo & Tutto Italia aren't on the dining plan. I've just looked at the sci-fi menu and can see it's not worth spending a table credit on, if i want to eat there for the experience i can just have a burger there 1 day. So yea, thats gone. I quite look the like of hoop de hoo to be honest so going to keep that 1 for now.

Right so thats:

Sci-Fi gone
Beaches & Cream gone
Cap n Jacks gone

and i think i've just decided im going to drop 1900 fare park. It looks nice with good reviews but probably alot more enjoyable if you have kids. For 3 adults mid 20's i don't thikn its the best choice.

So that brings it down to 22.

1 More to drop.

Great minds (and Disboard vets) think alike. I was going to recommend dropping Capn Jacks and Beaches and Cream as well. I was also going to suggest dropping Hollywood Brown Derby. That frees up 2 TS credits right there. You have 5 buffets booked. Maybe drop one of them? And you have a lot of Epcot meals booked. If I had to drop one, it would be Biergarten (a Buffet!)

But now you have no TS meal at DHS. I think you should have at least one there- so keep either Sci Fi or HBD.

I hope you keep the Hoop de Doo Revue. This is one of the most entertaining dining events at WDW, and one we try to get to at least every other trip.

 

[ilovepete]

Im lucky enough to be on the Disney Dining Plan for 3 weeks. So 21 table service credits. My first list of restaurants i wanted to eat at was 32 credits, ive got that down to 26, but can't decide which other 5 to lose.

Any tips from you dining experts? which ones are must do's and which ones i could maybe give a miss this time.

Here is my current list:

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill(Got a reservation for 7.55, so should be able to see wishes at 9)
Hollywood brown derby

Table credit:

Boma
Donalds Buffet
Crystal Palace
Beeches & Cream
Sci Fi
1900 Park Fare
Ohana
Chef de France
Chip & dale garden
Princes Story book
Liberty Tree Tavern
Cap n Jacks
Coral Reef
Whispering canyon
Le Cellier
Biergarten

So that's 26 credits, which ones do i drop?

The ones I bolded would be the ones I personally would drop.

 

[cvjw]

We have taken Chefs de France off of our must eat list. We normally eat there every year, but the last couple of times, we have left disappointed. When we ate there in May, it just wasn't good at all, and the waiter was practically worthless.

 

[iloveeeyore]

I'd drop either WCC or LTT of the ones you have left. Of course this is a matter of personal taste. We dined at WCC and did not care for it at all. Food not that good, and also not so fun. Even my margarita was icky. We have never dined at LTT, we're not personally into turkey served table-style. If we do ever go there, it will be for the a la carte lunch.

It goes to show how different opinions can be. We LOVE HDDR and would not miss it on any trip! I recommend definitely keeping that one.

Have fun for 3 weeks!!!!

 

[Quin]

Is "Donald's Buffet" the Tusker House breakfast?

Are any other meals breakfasts, or are they all lunch/dinner? TS credits are usually better value at dinner (but note you have Le Cellier listed as a 1 credit meal, which means lunch only).

If the LTT meal is lunch I'd pay oop. If it's dinner, I'd look at dropping either it or the Chip & Dale character meal at Garden Grill; the style of the food is somewhat similar.

I'd say to pay oop for any TS breakfasts or luches and mainly use the TS credits for dinners. You have 5 2-credit meals so you will probably want to use CS credits for dinners on 5 nights to 'make up' the difference.

 

[weaverlfc]

Right....after taking into consideration all the advice i've been given so far and doing a bit more research here is my revised list(based on the 2011 list)

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill
Hollywood brown derby

Table Credit:
Boma
Donalds Safari Brekfast
Crystal Palace Dinner
Ohana
Chef de France
Princes Story book or Marrakesh
Le Cellier
Biergarten
Tutto Italia Ristorante
Teppan Edo
Raglan Road

Total of 21 credits

They are all dinners apart from Le Cellier which is lunch & Donalds Safari Brekfast.

There are quite alot of buffets, but i do quite enjoy having 1 large meal a day at times, and really like the look of alot of the buffets.

Also there is 6 at epcot, but i really like epcot and will be spending quite alot of time there and like the fact i can walk to boardwalk after a meal at epcot.

So that's my current list for now. I'm sure it'll change before i go in January, but it gives me a good idea of which restaurants ill be doing........feel free to try and change my mind.

 

[Quin]

Right....after taking into consideration all the advice i've been given so far and doing a bit more research here is my revised list(based on the 2011 list)

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill
Hollywood brown derby

Table Credit:
Boma
Donalds Safari Brekfast
Crystal Palace Dinner
Ohana
Chef de France
Princes Story book or Marrakesh
Le Cellier
Biergarten
Tutto Italia Ristorante
Teppan Edo
Raglan Road

Total of 21 credits

Lookin' good! I am definitely a buffet fan too.

For both the quality of the food/choices and the more 'adult' experience I will give a big shout-out to Marrakesh rather than the Princesses at Norway. We ate at Marrakesh for the first time this year, with much trepidation on my part (and a private intention of making DH stop at the Boulangerie on the way out of the park so I could use a snack credit and get something decent to eat). Darned if it wasn't one of the best meals of the trip!

 

[weaverlfc]

For both the quality of the food/choices and the more 'adult' experience I will give a big shout-out to Marrakesh rather than the Princesses at Norway. We ate at Marrakesh for the first time this year, with much trepidation on my part (and a private intention of making DH stop at the Boulangerie on the way out of the park so I could use a snack credit and get something decent to eat). Darned if it wasn't one of the best meals of the trip!

Looks like Marrakesh is getting the nod at the moment then.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Let's see if I can explain this in a way that will make sense. You may find that paying OOP for certain meals so that you'll have a credit to use at another place is the way to go.

For example, let's say you want to go to Restaurant A, and a drink costs $3, your entree costs $32, and your dessert is $6. Without including tax and tip, your total would be $41. Now let's say you want to go to Buffet A, which includes your drink, entree and dessert for an all inclusive price of $36. In this case, the better use of your credit would be at Restaurant A, and by paying out of pocket for Buffet A, you'll have that credit available to use.

You could also consider using a counter service credit at one of the places that has really big servings, ie Sunshine Seasons or Wolfgang Puck Express, and conserve a TS credit for another time.

We used both these "tricks" on our last trip. We had 2 2TS credit places we wanted to go to, so in order to have enough credits for them we did this:
On our first night, we paid OOP for Cape May Cafe knowing that pretty much every other place we'd be going to would cost us more if we were to pay ourselves. That saved one credit to use at a 2TS place. We also went to Discovery Cove (ok this trick won't work for everyone), and since food was included there, I knew we wouldn't need a big table service meal that night, so we ate at the Pop Century food court (we were staying at OKW), thus saving another TS credit.

 

[jimmytammy]

Im lucky enough to be on the Disney Dining Plan for 3 weeks. So 21 table service credits. My first list of restaurants i wanted to eat at was 32 credits, ive got that down to 26, but can't decide which other 5 to lose.

Any tips from you dining experts? which ones are must do's and which ones i could maybe give a miss this time.

Here is my current list:

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill(Got a reservation for 7.55, so should be able to see wishes at 9)
Hollywood brown derby

Table credit:

Boma
Donalds Buffet
Crystal Palace
Beeches & Cream
Sci Fi
1900 Park Fare
Ohana
Chef de France
Chip & dale garden
Princes Story book
Liberty Tree Tavern
Cap n Jacks
Coral Reef
Whispering canyon
Le Cellier
Biergarten

So that's 26 credits, which ones do i drop?

1st congrats on your 3 weeks. We have been for 2 several trips and it is awesome! 1st week, wind down time, 2nd week, pure settle in and relax time.
IMO, Lose Sci Fi, Cap N Jacks, 1900 Park Faire and Artist Point

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Signatures:

Hoop De Hoo Are you going for the show and atmosphere or the food? Definatly not worth it for the food.
Jiko
Artist Point
California Grill(Got a reservation for 7.55, so should be able to see wishes at 9)
Hollywood brown derby I've always really liked it here, but not the best "value" on the plan.

Table credit:

Boma
Donalds Buffet
Crystal Palace
Beeches & Cream Could you save a credit and just pay OOP for ice cream?
Sci Fi Personally not one of my favorites. The atmosphere is fun, and definatly something that's only in Disney, but the darkness bothers me after awhile, and it's freezing cold inside. The food is fine, but nothing special.
1900 Park Fare I don't think the food is that good here, but the character interaction is wonderful.
Ohana
Chef de France
Chip & dale garden
Princes Story book
Liberty Tree Tavern I'd drop this. The food is similar to Garden Grille, and that's the better of the two, plus you get characters there. So I wouldn't bother with this one.
Cap n Jacks
Coral Reef
Whispering canyon
Le Cellier
Biergarten

Everything else on your list I've either never tried, or I've liked well enough to suggest you keep.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

I've got chef de france on my list, but as far as i can see Teppan Edo & Tutto Italia aren't on the dining plan. I've just looked at the sci-fi menu and can see it's not worth spending a table credit on, if i want to eat there for the experience i can just have a burger there 1 day. So yea, thats gone. I quite look the like of hoop de hoo to be honest so going to keep that 1 for now.

Right so thats:

Sci-Fi gone
Beaches & Cream gone
Cap n Jacks gone

and i think i've just decided im going to drop 1900 fare park. It looks nice with good reviews but probably alot more enjoyable if you have kids. For 3 adults mid 20's i don't thikn its the best choice.

So that brings it down to 22.

1 More to drop.

Actually, I think 1900 Park Fair dinner over Donalds Safari breakfast. The stepsisters are so funny. You's see reports all over the boards of how much people enjoyed them. For 3 mid20's no kids, Donalds breakfast would probably be much less entertaining. No motivating factor to go there, unless someone in your party insists on it.

I hear 1900 Park Fair breakfast is very loud though, and the stepsisters are not there. Recommending dinner.