Will our Vacation be Scheduled Around Food???

[SalandJeff]

We are going to WDW 10/28. There will be a group of about 15 of us. We will not be doing everything together all the time because there are just too many of us, but we want to schedule a few meals together.

Anyway, we have not done the DDP before, although 2 families in our group have. They think it is great and plan on using it again. We will have one family that is not staying on property.

My family is dh, dd (3) and myself. My dh can eat his share. DD eats NOTHING (I swear she survives on chocolate milk). We are DVC so have kitchen facilities,although only use for coffee/tea, bagels in the morning, snacks when we are in the room.

While the DDP sounds good to me, I have some reservations. First, dh will have a beer at dinner, so we'll be paying for those. I usually never would have appetizer/dinner/dessert at a meal - just too much food. I would probably bring the dessert back to the room. But I guess my biggest concern is having to schedule our entire trip around TS ADRs. We like to have some ADRs, but other nights, want to choose a TS restaurant based on our mood or where we happen to be.

Will we be able to get into TS restaurants without ADRs now that the DDP is so popular? Can we comfortably do the DDP without having plans for every single meal?

 

[bicker]

Word is beginning to spread this week of Disney taking several measures to underscore the importance of having dining reservations. They're putting stickers up on posters for restaurants saying "reservations recommended" and actively discouraging walk-ins at some restaurants.

Having dining reservations is absolutely essential for large groups. It works very well to satisfy a common need of large groups -- a way to be sure to find each other after having separated. Meeting up together once a day, towards the end, is something all large groups often have to deal with no matter what. Having a dining reservation for dinner facilitates that need very well.

Even for smaller groups there are advantages, especially for folks who have trouble figuring out how to plan their visit. Many guests come onto the DIS here and express how overwhelmed with choices they are, and you can see these people in the parks, looking shell-shocked -- spending more time looking at park maps and discussing what to do than they should. Having dining reservations helps cut that problem in half.

 

[mirthmaiden]

I completely agree with bicker on this one. I have done the "impromptu" thing with a small family of 4 and still ended up burning TONS of time trying to decide and backtracking. I can't imagine trying to wing it with a large group. It's hard enough to get two adults to agree on anything, much less a group of 15!

Of course everyone has a different style, but the dining experience is part of my vacation and I don't mind a bit having things preplanned. For me, the stress of worrying whether or not I'll get a table where I want to eat, not to mention the likely added time I'd spend waiting as a "walk up", would take away any feeling of freedom. I have almost 6 months to go and I'm already anticipating those restaurants I have ADR's for. The CS places will mostly be left for impromptu choices. I think that's a good compromise.

 

[JimMIA]

In your situation, you might want to consider the DDE card. You have to have an AP or be a Florida resident to get it, but it's good for 13 months after issuance and gives you 20% off everything (including alcoholic beverages) at most restaurants.

Another benefit of the DDE is you can use it for up to ten people at a meal, provided they're all in the same party and on the same check. You can sort out the money among yourselves later. So, if you had two AP holders in your group of 15, everybody could chip in and buy them DDE cards which everyone could benefit from.

 

[jamounger]

After our first trip using the DDP I learned many lessons. We were slaves to our meals the entire trip. We made our reservations early because we were travelling with a 2yo and that was what was recommended. Well, we were a fairly big family and we never can get moving really early so by the time we got to lunch it was only an hour or 2 till supper. We seemed to just get going around the parks and it was time to head of to meals. Now when we go we use a couple of 2TS meals so we aren't rushing to meals every day. if you plan wisely a lot of the CS meals are shareable. Several places offer 1/2 rotisserie chicken that will feed 2 people easy. Wolfgang Puck express is great use of CS credits. A whole pizza is 1CS and the 1/2 rosemary chicken is huge. If you want good meals then you absolutely need to plan because you generally won't get walk in res. easily. This means not only will you have to plan meals but you will also have to know what parks you will be going to those days so you are not running all over the place for your meals. DDP saved us lots and lots of money and we ate at places we would never have gone to before.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I won't address the issue of whether the Dining Plan will be a good value for you or not but I will say this. Definitely plan out where you'll be eating and on what days. The best way to accomplish this is to plan out your itinerary first. I can't stress this enough - get to the parks at opening, it'll greatly reduce the amount of time you wait in line. Once you know what parks you'll be in on a given day, you just plug in your dining choices from there and make ADRs.

For example, we're going the MK on 8/22. We'll be having dinner at Crystal Palace that evening.

I know it seems overwhelming at first, but planning is really the best way to ensure you reduce your time walking around aimlessly in the parks trying to figure out where to eat and then being turned away because you have no ADRs.

 

[jodifla]

We are going to WDW 10/28. There will be a group of about 15 of us. We will not be doing everything together all the time because there are just too many of us, but we want to schedule a few meals together.

Anyway, we have not done the DDP before, although 2 families in our group have. They think it is great and plan on using it again. We will have one family that is not staying on property.

My family is dh, dd (3) and myself. My dh can eat his share. DD eats NOTHING (I swear she survives on chocolate milk). We are DVC so have kitchen facilities,although only use for coffee/tea, bagels in the morning, snacks when we are in the room.

While the DDP sounds good to me, I have some reservations. First, dh will have a beer at dinner, so we'll be paying for those. I usually never would have appetizer/dinner/dessert at a meal - just too much food. I would probably bring the dessert back to the room. But I guess my biggest concern is having to schedule our entire trip around TS ADRs. We like to have some ADRs, but other nights, want to choose a TS restaurant based on our mood or where we happen to be.

Will we be able to get into TS restaurants without ADRs now that the DDP is so popular? Can we comfortably do the DDP without having plans for every single meal?

For the life of me, I can't figure out why DVC members get the DDP. Especially with small kids....The DDP is TONS of food. You will fill stuffed to the gills if you eat it, and gain a bunch of weight, as well, if you try to consume it all. And you will spend more money than if you just buy groceries, eat breaksfast and a couple of dinners in the room, and the rest out.


We do the DDE, and much prefer it. We drink, and we eat what we want. Not what the plan calls for. We're not slaves to a meal schedule, which is especially important with a smal child.

 

[Sammie]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why DVC members get the DDP. Especially with small kids....The DDP is TONS of food. You will fill stuffed to the gills if you eat it, and gain a bunch of weight, as well, if you try to consume it all. And you will spend more money than if you just buy groceries, eat breaksfast and a couple of dinners in the room, and the rest out.


We do the DDE, and much prefer it. We drink, and we eat what we want. Not what the plan calls for. We're not slaves to a meal schedule, which is especially important with a smal child.

We are DVC and used the DDP and will again next trip. We don't cook, just because we have a kitchen. We were not stuffed to the gills and did not gain any weight. Just because the food is there, no one forces you to eat it all. Very much like a buffet. Surely no one eats everything at a buffet. We had salads most for our appetizers and some dinners we bypassed the dessert, or got it to go.

It is obvious that some do not like the DDP, yourself included but we do. We always have one Table service meal per day while on vacation and one counter service, so with the DDP we did not have to buy any extra food. It was fun not having to go to the grocery and deal with that.

To the OP as to scheduling, yes it can be time consuming. If you normally would not eat a TS every day, then yes you will have to schedule time to stop and have this meal. We did to a Signature meal which by using 2 TS we did not have TS on one of our days and that allowed us more park time that day.

 

[rluey29]

We will always do the dining plan @ Disney. No other way for us.

 

[The Sweetness]

If you plan on using the DDp or not, for EVERY table service meal you want, make an ADR. If you leave a day with no ADR, count on eating counter service meals, or off-site for that day. Hardly a tragedy. But I wouldnt risk trying to walk-up, unless you want to try your luck with the last seating of the night

 

[The Sweetness]

We are going to WDW 10/28. There will be a group of about 15 of us. We will not be doing everything together all the time because there are just too many of us, but we want to schedule a few meals together.

Anyway, we have not done the DDP before, although 2 families in our group have. They think it is great and plan on using it again. We will have one family that is not staying on property.

My family is dh, dd (3) and myself. My dh can eat his share. DD eats NOTHING (I swear she survives on chocolate milk). We are DVC so have kitchen facilities,although only use for coffee/tea, bagels in the morning, snacks when we are in the room.

While the DDP sounds good to me, I have some reservations. First, dh will have a beer at dinner, so we'll be paying for those. I usually never would have appetizer/dinner/dessert at a meal - just too much food. I would probably bring the dessert back to the room. But I guess my biggest concern is having to schedule our entire trip around TS ADRs. We like to have some ADRs, but other nights, want to choose a TS restaurant based on our mood or where we happen to be.

Will we be able to get into TS restaurants without ADRs now that the DDP is so popular? Can we comfortably do the DDP without having plans for every single meal?

Reservations~~
As far as a beer goes, you will be paying for it, DDP or not

If your TS isnt a buffet or family style service, you can use 1 credit (ap, entree, dessert), and pay OOP for an extra entree for you, drinking DH soft drink (if hes happy with the cerveza) or order your own coke. This would leave you with extra credits to use towards a possible signature restaurant (2 credits instead of 1) or a show (like Hoop De Doo) or an extra special breakfast treat (TS) one day. This could help you spread out your food better, also at CS. If you share a plate for breakfast and lunch and are satisfied, than you essentially had B, L, and D on the plan wiht little or no saccrifice, or over eating

Now, the big one. Committing to a location/ time. The spontaneous TS dining oppritunities are becomming scarce. You really do need to make ADRs for the TS meals you want

I did this by choosing what park Id be at on what day first. Then I chose a TS that made sense from there. For instance, on my AK days, I chose Donalds breakfast, and a dinner at 'Ohana, since there is no TS in the park on the plan

If you dont want to have a TS meal daily (or at least every other day if you are choosing 2TS places like Cali Grill and Spirit of Aloha) than the DDP would be a waste for you. The value, I feel is in that TS credit (1pp/pd)

 

[SalandJeff]

OP here. Thanks to everyone for all the advice. We will probably only be eating with the entire group of 15 for 3 dinners and we will definitely do ADRs for these.

DH and I have been doing Disney every year for the past 17 years, so we are not strangers to planning. I think that is part of my concern....we are past having to plan every minute to make sure we see everything and be here or there at a particular time. Someone suggested get to the parks early. That's just not us. And I HATE TO COOK!!! So no way I am making more than frozen waffles on vacation.

I will definitely look into the DDE as an alternative. Does DDE include tax & tip? I guess I am going to have to just accept the fact that things have changed and you have got to make ADR's if you want TS meals.

Thanks again.

 

[bicker]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why DVC members get the DDP. .... And you will spend more money than if you just buy groceries, eat breaksfast and a couple of dinners in the room, and the rest out.

You mean cook? No thank you!

 

[bicker]

Does DDE include tax & tip?

DDE offers a straight percentage discount. It doesn't include any food or drink (or tax or tip).