Which TS to pay OOP (or drop)?

[Ava]

I keep tinkering with my ADRs for our August trip - I want to replace Chef Mickey's with HDDR, but since HDDR is 2 credits I'll need to pay OOP for one of our TS meals, or drop one of them. Here are my plans as they stand now - which of these would be the best to pay OOP? We're staying 9 nights and have 4 adults and 1 child on DDP, plus a 2-year-old.

8/20 - arrival day, no ADRs
8/21 - Crystal Palace lunch 11:30
8/22 - Tusker House lunch 11:30, Via Napoli dinner 6:00
8/23 - HDDR 4:00 (currently have Chef Mickey's booked)
8/24 - Akershus breakfast 8:00
8/25 - Sci-Fi dinner 5:45
8/26 - water park day, no ADRs
8/27 - Boma dinner 5:00
8/28 - Hollywood & Vine lunch 11:15, Be Our Guest dinner 6:10
8/29 - departure day

 

[sharonabe]

Via Napoli would be an easy one to do OOP if you can share a Mezzo pizza, an app or salad, and a couple desserts. You can divide the Mezzo into different toppings if you can't all agree. I think you could easily eat for under $100 here including tip.

Otherwise, Sci-Fi or BoG would probably be your cheaper meals. With four adults, you could split it and do two DDP, two OOP at these two. That would give you two desserts to share at Sci-Fi and BoG. If you all wanted your own cupcake at BoG, you can use a snack credit for them or pay OOP.

I would not advise splitting DDP/OOP at Via Napoli as they do not allow you to share between the two.

 

[GeraldineW]

One option to consider is paying OOP for HDDR so that you can get Tier 1 seating. While there isn’t necessarily a “bad” seat in the house you are closer to the action in Tier 1. You may want to look at a seating chart and the prices to help you decide.

 

[hsmamato2]

Sci-Fi is less expensive for OOP

 

[Ava]

Via Napoli would be an easy one to do OOP if you can share a Mezzo pizza, an app or salad, and a couple desserts. You can divide the Mezzo into different toppings if you can't all agree. I think you could easily eat for under $100 here including tip.

Otherwise, Sci-Fi or BoG would probably be your cheaper meals. With four adults, you could split it and do two DDP, two OOP at these two. That would give you two desserts to share at Sci-Fi and BoG. If you all wanted your own cupcake at BoG, you can use a snack credit for them or pay OOP.

I was thinking Via Napoli but wasn't sure if they'd allow splitting the pizza into different toppings (the kids will only eat plain cheese). If that's allowed, that will probably work for us.

That's also a good idea to split between credits and OOP at Sci-Fi and BoG. My DW and I are vegetarian so we end up with cheaper entrees anyway.

One option to consider is paying OOP for HDDR so that you can get Tier 1 seating. While there isn’t necessarily a “bad” seat in the house you are closer to the action in Tier 1. You may want to look at a seating chart and the prices to help you decide.

I looked at it, and it would cost a little over $300 for our group for tier 1 seating. That's more than I want to pay, and would rather pay OOP for a cheaper meal. We're on a free dining bounce back so I'm not too concerned with getting the best value for the credits.

 

[gigi1313]

My best and standard advice is to pay oop for your last meal, or in your case, maybe your 2nd to last meal, simply because if plans go awry, a storm, illness, etc, at least you won't be going home lighter in the wallet and with credits left behind... IMO, it's worth it to maybe spend a few more bucks oop at the end than risk that scenario!

 

[dancin Disney style]

My best and standard advice is to pay oop for your last meal, or in your case, maybe your 2nd to last meal, simply because if plans go awry, a storm, illness, etc, at least you won't be going home lighter in the wallet and with credits left behind... IMO, it's worth it to maybe spend a few more bucks oop at the end than risk that scenario!

I think this is great advice.

My thought is to drop H&V....it has a really bad reputation for being dirty and terrible food.

 

[Misha72683]

I think this is great advice.

My thought is to drop H&V....it has a really bad reputation for being dirty and terrible food.

From their signature, it looks like the OP has small children, so it may be that the experience is 'worth' the possible bad food for them. We're going to H&V not because of the food, but because my kids love the Disney Jr. characters and it's going to be so amazing for them.

 

[Ava]

From their signature, it looks like the OP has small children, so it may be that the experience is 'worth' the possible bad food for them. We're going to H&V not because of the food, but because my kids love the Disney Jr. characters and it's going to be so amazing for them.

Yes, we're going to H&V for the characters more than the food. My DD5 loves Sofia and Doc, and by the time we make it back again she'll most likely have outgrown Disney Jr. So we're doing it now.

ETA: I booked HDDR. I'll probably just play it by ear as to what to pay for OOP. If everyone is good with sharing a big pizza at VN I'll pay for that; if not I'll pay for Sci-Fi since it looks to be the least expensive. Thanks all!