WWYD about DDP?

[Arctic Stamp Queen]

Hubby and I are traveling to WDW in March. We are staying at POFQ and were so blessed to receive the free dining. Here is the dilema:

I am a Disney nutso, like a 12 on a scale of 1-10. Hubby is an 8. I am super excited about the food experience along with the park experience...hubby not so much. So I am trying to think aout the best compromise. Like he wants to just eat CS meals and not worry about the TS meals that way we can be footloose and fancy free and not tied into any one park or reservation time. In a way, the Disney freak in me totally gets that. BUT, we are going to be there for 9 days days. I think we can be a little less commando about this.

And while I don't mind eating CS for part of our meals, since we are traveling without kids it would be nice to do some adult meals. To me that is part of the DEAL that we are getting with Free Dining. How does he not see this?

What would you do to compromise on this? The only reservations I have made are at:

Raglan Road the night we fly in
Crystal Palace late morning for breakfast
Ohana on a Sunday evening for Dinner/Fireworks on Poly Beach
LeCelier for lunch

Would it be better to book lunch reservations for our TS meals so that we are missing less of the night activities? Or is lunch time a better time to commando the park when everyone else is heading back to resorts for naps/pool time, etc?

He SAYS he doesn't care, it's my dream trip, do whatever I want, he's just along to see me be happy. BUT, he's already complained about 2 of the reservations I have made because he has no desire to EAT that kind of food.

Seriously? I may have said something to the effect of, those who have been asked and don't want to help plan do not get to complain. But, I also do not want to put up with a tantrum in the park and missed reservations because he doesn't understand how serious the ADR's are...so, what would YOU do?

 

[havoc315]

Would it be better to book lunch reservations for our TS meals so that we are missing less of the night activities? Or is lunch time a better time to commando the park when everyone else is heading back to resorts for naps/pool time, etc?

Only the "educated" guests go back to their resorts for naps/pool time. The vast majority of guests are just arriving around lunch time, making the parks the absolute most crowded from 1-4ish. The educated guest takes a break, while the massive hordes arrive.

So you talk about not wanting to miss the night activities. What night activities were you thinking of doing? And to what extent, can it be integrated into dining?
If you are willing to expend 2 credits for 1 meal (which your husband might like, since it would mean less TS meals), then you can get a great view of Wishes fireworks, while enjoying a meal at California Grill. (The view is also pretty good from Narcoose's).
Or a dinner at Epcot, shortly before Illuminations.

Or, if you want to see Fantasmic at DHS -- 1 of the best ways to see it, is to book the dining package. That way, you get reserved seating for DHS, and don't need to show up an hour early for your seats.

But it really depends on your touring style. You will be there for 9 days. It's not as if you are going to have desire to ride every little kiddy ride 10 times. So you'll be skipping lots of attractions. So over 9 days, there is really absolutely no need to spend 10+ hours per day running around the parks. There will be PLENTY of time to relax at a nice meal.

Personally, as noted... the parks get the most crowded from 1-4. So as adults, it can be really nice to tour in the morning, then take a nice relaxing lunch around 1.... Assuming lunch runs to about 2:30. Then leave the park, go back to the hotel and relax, or head to Downtown Disney, or go swimming. And then partake in your nighttime activities.
3-4 hours of morning touring, will give adults plenty of time to do all of the park attractions that actually interest you. (For example, if you get to Magic Kingdom for 9 am rope drop, over the next 4 hours you can easily accomplish all 3 mountains, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and another 2-3 attractions of interest).

 

[catra121]

I definitely think that with 9 days you do not need to go commando every day. I think maybe a couple of lunch reservations during the busy stretch would be a good idea and maybe a couple of 2 credit meals at a signature so that you don't have to do a TS every day. If you space them out so it's not every day maybe that will be more appealing to your husband because he won't feel like you are constantly rushing around for ADRs instead of taking your time.

I think it will also be key to schedule your ADRs based on where you will be anyway if at all possible. This makes the idea of going to a TS for a reservation less hectic and frustrating for someone who is afraid of losing time in the parks. Eating lunch at a TS rather than a CS doesn't necessarily take that much more time...especially in the parks. All of the meals I ate at TS places in the parks were very quick and efficient and were usually less than an hour from start to finish.

 

[Arctic Stamp Queen]

Thank you for taking the time to answer...I am definately thinking the same thing as the previous 2 posters and plan to leave the parks to go swim and relax at the resort in the afternoon.

Just for reference for you guys...this is our first WDW trip, we are used to having 3 days in Disneyland with a group of 18 people who "cannot split up" because mom and dad paid for it and want to experience it as a group and will not allow us to use fast passes because they don't walk around, they want to stand in line and visit . That's why I want to leisurely enjoy what WDW has to offer, esp. since it is our first ever vacation without kids.

I do like the idea of doing a couple of 2 credit TS meals (i.e. Fantasmic) since we will have a couple of unused ones left over from the day we fly in the evening and fly out in the evening but need to leave in the afternoon...that my friends is a GREAT idea.

As far as evening activites, I like the fireworks and there is something so different about the rides at night vs day, it's a little different kind of magic, so I LOVE to experience that. I don't mind missing parades and such to get my night ride on.

Okay...off to make some plans. Any and all further suggestions are welcomed.