Where Do You Eat If you are NOT on the DDP?

[pixiedust1]

Last time we went to the World my husband and I use the DDP, and while it worked out really well for us we are thinking about not using it this time. We want to save some money, and not eat quite as much...we were stuffed out entire trip las time!

So my question is...for those who do not do the dining plan...where do u like to eat?

What are some less expensive TS options?

What is your favorite CS options?

TIA!

 

[alyssa810]

We have the DDE card, but we really like the backlot express at the studios- they have a really good turkey sandwich- and we like everything at the sunshine seasons at the Land. We also tried Yak & Yeti at AK, and they had some less expensive entrees at the TS part. We used to LOVE tusker house before they switched...Wolfgang puck express & earl of sandwich are also favorites at DTD for less expensive CS meals.

 

[mom2my3kids]

This is what we have planned..

Sci-Fi for lunch
Tusker House Buffer for breakfast
Ohanas for dinner

Counter Service meals
Caseys Hot Dogs
Pizza Planet
Wolfgang Pucks
Earl of Sandwich
Peco Bills
Flame Tree
Yorkshire Fish
San Del Catina

 

[baileybelle]

We do our TS meals at lunch. This trip we are doing:

TS lunches: Tony's, Primetime Cafe, Tusker House, Planet Hollywood(2 $15. vouchers), LTT.

CS dinners: Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bill's, Cosmic Ray's, Sunshine Seasons, Eating around World Showcase, Pizza Planet and Flame Tree BBQ.

 

[kathie859]

We usually have our "big" meal of the day as a late lunch. That works great for us--it's a little cheaper (we have a DDE card) and the only evening TS "must do's" are Boma and Ohana. Chefs de France has a great lunch special which has lots of food for the money

 

[teachingmykids]

We always do Crystal Palace ($18.99) and Garden Grill. It's kind-a tradition now. Last year DD & I tried BOMA and loved it, so we may add it to the family trip in June. That's our splurge, everything else is CS.

 

[tinkandpan]

We never go on the DDP as we don't like to eat such big meals as such and be tied in. We also have the DDE which helps when we want those splurges like California Grill:
Places we like:
the plaza in the MK
Crystal Palace Breakfast
Tusker House
Tokyo Dining
Sunshine Seasons at the Land
Morocco CS
DTD we love Earl of Sandwich or WPE
Raglan Road

 

[mickeywho?]

The simplest answer - "Anywhere you want!"

We went without the dining plan on our last trip and instead decided to eat as we were hungry. We booked a TS meal everyday but actually were no-shows for two of them. (We tried calling Disney Dining from our room the mornings of and gave up after 15 minutes on hold!)

Here's a list of the TS meals from our last trip. Two adults + 10 year old + 6 year old. Sometimes we had appetizers, sometimes not, sometimes dessert, sometimes not. We really ate only what we were hungry for and did not focus on the prices either.
Kona Cafe - dinner - $94.76 (2 app to share, smoothies, no dessert, 1 alc drink)
Liberty Tree - dinner - $104.20 (no alc drink)
Rose & Crown - dinner - $63.72 (no apps, no dessert, 2 alc drink)
Boma - dinner - $92.84 (no alc drink)
We also had breakfast at Crystal Palace but I can't find receipt. Around $75.
We have a DDE card so that savings pays for the tip. We skipped our reservations at 50s PT & Coral Reef.
CS meals average $25 - $45. The most expensive was at the fish & chip shop in DTD.

We saved money by having breakfast in the room. And for the most part DS10 & I shared our CS lunches.

Our favourite meal? Snacking our way around Epcot! Ham & cheese croissants and cafe au lait in France. Schoolbread, danishes and Viking coffee in Norway. Nachos and Margaritas in Mexico. Add churros for the kids and a funnel cake for mum & dad and you have a yummy day! (We also went over to Sunshine Seasons for shared sandwiches at some point.)

Overall - DDP would have cost us $1200 for this trip - instead we spent $800 and felt really treated! We could have saved even more but it was our 1st trip without the DDP and we didn't want to be watching our pennies and feeling that we were trying to save at every meal. It worked well for us.

 

[KristinAnne]

With one exception when we do Sci-Fi and Kona in the same day, DH and I are also only planning on one large meal a day. We have CRT for our anniversary, Raglan Road one night, Chef Mickey's for breakfast one morning, and hopefully ESPN one night. The rest of the breakfasts are going to be in the room, and lunches will be CS. Frankly, DH is more excited to go to Pecos Bill than anywhere else!

 

[princessmorgan]

I don't mean to ask a dumb question, but what does DDE stand for and what is it? Thanks!

 

[mickeywho?]

I don't mean to ask a dumb question, but what does DDE stand for and what is it? Thanks!

It's the Disney Dining Experience - a discount card you can purchase for $65 if you have an annual pass. It saves you 20% on most TS restaurants.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We eat where ever we want too, TS or CS! I use the DDE card for most all of our meals. You can't beat that 20% discount. The DDP really doesn't fit our plans/needs.

 

[pumba]

any question is a good question........I have the DDE card too and you can use it also in resorts that do not have a sit down restaurant attached to it......we like All Star Movies and French Quarter too.....the meals are good at both of those resorts too....twenty percent off everything there at the food courts .....we save alot

we are going to Chef Mickeys for breakfast (9) of us
then Hollywood and Vine for 9 also
and Le Cellier and Crystal Palace for six of us
these are our favorites
Also Biergarten too...

 

[BabyPiglet]

Pecos Bills! There chicken wraps are very tasty.

 

[MamaCoog]

Pecos Bills! There chicken wraps are very tasty.

OMG... they are SOOO good. I have been trying to find something comparable since I've been home but no luck so far.

 

[MamaCoog]

We decided against the DDP on our recent trip. We went with my parents and brother so it was too difficult to get everyone to agree to every ADR. We ate CS at the parks and I made a couple of ADRs for dinner. The other nights we ate at the Pop food court... the parm chicken w/penne alfredo and the cheese steak wrap are to die for!! We ate at Pecos Bills while at MK, Electric Umbrella at Epcot and Restaurantosaurus at AK. Our TS meals were at Whispering Canyon and Ohanas, both were great! Any other meals (breakfast, dinner) were eaten at Pop food court. I havent added up exactly what we spent on just food yet.

 

[beroh2253]

The simplest answer - "Anywhere you want!"

Very true and WE will even head over to Kissimmee route 192 that area is just loaded with places to eat. When DD and DS were younger we used to go to TGIF probably twice per trip.

 

[Tricia1972]

We are not doing the DDP this trip and looking at the menus we don't need to skimp on where we eat in order to save money (or skip the best things on the menu when we go there) We're just not ordering many desserts at the restaurants. They're fine, but most were nothing special as far as we were concerned. We're sharing an appetizer and each getting the entree that we want.

That being said, we've got the following planned for our 7 night stay (5 Adults 1 Child):

LeCellier
Beaches & Cream
Tony's
Jiko
Crystal Palace Lunch

Wolfgang Puck Express (sharing a salad and two flatbreads)
Earl of Sandwich - Everyone gets their own meal
Pinocchio's Village Haus (Sharing three sandwiches and two Figaro fries)
Artist's Palate - Everyone gets their own meal
Backlot Express - Everyone gets their own meal
Casey's - Sharing two fries, and everyone gets a dog

The other day we're going off site, so those restaurant names won't help you a whole lot :lol:

 

[AnninIowa]

We did the DDP our first trip, but didn't like it and skipped it the last trip and it worked out great! We ate what we want, when we wanted, and came out money wise UNDER the plan. We'll be doing the same this upcoming trip, and while we have some TS's planned, we'll mostely do counter service:

TS we will do the next trip: breakfast at Boma, the tea at the Grand Floridian, lunch at Big River Grille, lunch at The Plaza, and maybe dinner at ESPN Club

CS we will do include either Pizzafari or Flame Tree at AK; bakery in France at Epcot; Earl of Sandwich; Wolfgang Puck Express; and Mara at AKL.

This leaves us plenty of room in our stomachs for treats, such at candy from Goofy's Candy Co., gelato at the Beach Club, pasteries from the Boardwalk Bakery, and whatever catches our eyeys in the park!

 

[snomofinn]

Anywhere!

We have ADRs at:

Tonys
LeCellier
Chef Mickeys
50's Prime Time
Sci Fi

The rest will be CS.