Which WDW restaurants are not on the plan.

[Rumpus]

With all of the negative hype about meals at DDP restaurants, I think I may want to avoid a few of them. Which restaurants are not on the plan?

 

[Colleen27]

In the parks, only Bistro de Paris in Epcot.

At the resorts, Victoria & Alberts at the Grand Floridian and all of the restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin.

At Downtown Disney, most of the restaurants. Only Planet Hollywood, Raglan Road/Cookes of Dublin, Captain Jacks, Wolfgang Puck's Cafe & Express (but not the Upstairs Dining Room), and Earl of Sandwich accept the plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

All restaurants at the Swan/Dolphin

All restaurants at Shades of Green

Animal Kingdom:
Rainforest Cafe

Epcot:
Bistro de Paris

Grand Floridian Resort:
Victoria & Albert's
Garden View Tea Room

Downtown Disney:
Rainforest Cafe
T-Rex Cafe
Paradiso 37
House of Blues
Fulton's Crab House
Bongos
Wolfgang Puck's Dining Room (the upstairs restaurant, not the downstairs one)
Ghiradelli's
Pollo Campero/Fresh Appeal/Babycakes

 

[Rumpus]

That is helpful. We never do the plan and when we have dined at WDW, we are always asked if we are on the plan. I still don't know if it makes a difference. I do know that the best place for steak is Shulas. I loved Spoodles. It was a great meal for a good price.

 

[TDC Nala]

It does not make a difference. They ask if you are on the dining plan so that they can explain to you how to use it if you are. Many seem to think that the restaurants ask if you are on the dining plan so they can give you a sub-par experience if you are, I see little if any reports of that. There are as many "bad service" reports from persons who are not on the plan as there are from persons who use the plan.

 

[MyTwoPrincesses]

Don't worry about it. Seriously. People here act like the food is rancid at WDW. It's not. It's better than the food at many places - better than Olive Garden, TGI Friday's, Applebees, Chili's... Give places a try and then decide for yourself. People's main complaint is that the food is fairly costly and not AMAZING.

There really are some great DDP restaurants as well. During our last trip, we really enjoyed the food at The Wave and Sanaa. They are affordable too and we would eat at both places all the time if they were locally available.

 

[Rumpus]

We have made quite a few trips to Disney over the years and I have seen a decline in the food. The Yachtsman Steak Club used to be quite good. In the last few years, not so much. I also liked California Grill a lot. Two years ago, our meal was less than stellar. I do think that a dining plan encourages mediocrity. I think that most of the buffets have gone down hill over the years, particularly Chef Mickey's. I won't bother going there again.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't attend the buffets at all anymore. But it is true about Sanaa and the Wave, they are good. I love California Grill but usually I just order sushi and drinks there.