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Dining Plan Tips?
- Thread starter spideymax
- Start date
blackthidot
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Stay away from resort meals that are not around Magic Kingdom. Getting there, eating, waiting, and getting back takes up to 3 hours at least sometimes.:brick:
We are by no means experts, and only went to Disney once on the Dining Plan, but here a few few things we did to really make it worth it.
We tried to plan as many dinners as possible for the sit down credits. Dinners typically cost more. When we did plan a breakfast sit down, we usually did it at the later end of breakfast, so we wouldn't need to have lunch later on.
They tell you kids have to order off of the kids menu, which is true at sit down places, and at the food courts at the resorts. While in the parks they do not, at least not when we were there in Dec. We learned that from a CM at cosmic Rays. While the adult portions were usually too big for my 4 year old, it gave him other choices besides chicken nuggets, cheese burgers, and PB&J. He doesn't even like the burgers or PB&J, so to be able to get real chicken tenders, or a hot dog or something else entirely was good for him.It was also nice because he was able to get a dessert of his own. My husband and I had no problem sharing, especially because we were usually too full for ours, but he liked to have his own. Most of the time he was too full for it too, so we would just bring it with us and he would have it later on. That worked especially well when he could get cookie or a mickey rice crispy treat as a dessert.
We tried to plan as many dinners as possible for the sit down credits. Dinners typically cost more. When we did plan a breakfast sit down, we usually did it at the later end of breakfast, so we wouldn't need to have lunch later on.
They tell you kids have to order off of the kids menu, which is true at sit down places, and at the food courts at the resorts. While in the parks they do not, at least not when we were there in Dec. We learned that from a CM at cosmic Rays. While the adult portions were usually too big for my 4 year old, it gave him other choices besides chicken nuggets, cheese burgers, and PB&J. He doesn't even like the burgers or PB&J, so to be able to get real chicken tenders, or a hot dog or something else entirely was good for him.It was also nice because he was able to get a dessert of his own. My husband and I had no problem sharing, especially because we were usually too full for ours, but he liked to have his own. Most of the time he was too full for it too, so we would just bring it with us and he would have it later on. That worked especially well when he could get cookie or a mickey rice crispy treat as a dessert.
sueuk
Member
Use your snack credits to buy bakery products to have for breakfast in your room, so the little ones are 'fed and watered' before going out. Use some of your table service credits some mornings to do a character breakfast in the parks, so that you are already there when you have eaten -and the buffet dinners tend to be good for families. Mainly though - plan, plan, plan and make ADRs as soon as you can.
disneygirl76
Carey Poppins - Nanny and Disney Enthusiest
I'm a huge fan of the Dining Plan!! With your age children - character meals are great way to get a buffet meal with loads of choices, plenty to eat, as well as getting to meet the characters. The one on one photo opp and ability to get autographs cuts down on the time to do so in the parks.
The following are all one table service meal credit.
Chef Mickey is a fun and interactive way to see Mickey and the gang. It's on the monorail so an easy way to get to Epcot and MK and back.
If you have girls and are looking for a Princess Experience - you can meet Cinderella, Prince Charming and gang at 1900 Park Fare for dinner. Or Akerhaus for bfast- even though the World Showcase at Epcot opens later, this is open before that part of the park. I suggest bfast b/c althought they have a dinner opition - the food is well, unusual.
Crystal Palace at MK is a great for bfast, lunch or dinner - Pooh and Friends - and usually Alice tags along as well. This is great for a day at MK!
Ohana at the Poly for bfast - and you are on the Monorail so you can get to MK and Epcot.
You can see Donald and friends at AK for bfast.
There are others but as the previous poster mentioned, you will spend a lot of time getting from resort to resort. Its possible, but not easy to go from one resort to another unless staying on at a monorail resort. If on a monorail resort, you can get to park, hop on the bus to the resort and then back to the park via bus.
Personally, i'm not a fan of any of the TS restaurants at DHS - however 50's Prime Time and Sci Fi are popular. But, it's a good way to link dinner with the Fantasmic show if you spend one of your TS at DHS - for example, Mama's Melrose. You can eat here and then go to the Fantasmic show. If you have never been - it can be dark and loud for little ones - but I don't think scary - Mickey saves the day! :sohappy:
Bfast is the easiest and most cost effective meal to be done at the resort in your room. If you are staying at a deluxe resort, a fridge comes in the room. If value or moderate - one can be added for an extra fee. Bring cereal and those disboable plastic bowls and milk - and bfast! Bagels, protein/granola bars, juice boxes, etc. - they are small, don't take up a lot of room and a great way to get your fill for bfast.
Bring snacks with you - small baggies or indiviually wrapped items and fit easily into a back pack but don't take up a lot of space are a great way to fight hunger at the parks. Also, that don't melt or stick together in the FL heat. :animwink:
Another tip - my DH and I noticed that even for two adults, some poritions for CS meals are huge! At Pinochio Haus, we can split the chicken fingers and fries! And some of the sandwiches at CS eateries are big too! On one day when we did a TS for bfast, we used one CS for lunch and the other for dinner. We had plenty!! :slurp:
A couple of questions - Are you children boys or girls and where are you staying?
Have a great trip!!! :wave:
All of our kids are boys and we are staying at Port Orleans-Riverside. I appreciate all of the replies so far - great information.
We do have reservations for Chef Mickey's (breakfast), Sci -Fi and in Epcot - Mexico, Coral Reef and France (although probably won't use all the Epcot ones).
Using 1 voucher for my husband and I to share meals for CS is a great idea - and "portable desserts" for kids is also something I wouldn't have thought of!
In other words, plan your resort meals close to the park you are planning to be in that day - MK resort meals for when you are at the MK, Epcot area resort meals for when you are at Epcot or Studios, Animal Kingdom Lodge or Coronado Springs when you are at Animal Kingdom.
If you MUST cross property for a meal, use a cab.
blackthidot
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Yeah Joe thats what I ment.
I planned things around the parks I would be at, but some of the resorts we ate at like Boma where just out of the way from where we were. It took so long getting there, and back. We could only get late ressies for the day we went to AK so being at AK that day really didnt matter.
I planned things around the parks I would be at, but some of the resorts we ate at like Boma where just out of the way from where we were. It took so long getting there, and back. We could only get late ressies for the day we went to AK so being at AK that day really didnt matter.
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Here's one tip about the DDP that doesn't get said much...
I'm all for doing some pre-planning before your trip, making sure the DDP is the right choice for you, but once you're on your trip, don't look at the prices on the menu! This is your vacation. It should be a relaxing experience. Worrying about "getting your money's worth" will lead to stress, and stress is not good on your vacation.
So, if you've made the decision to go with the DDP, you've looked at the menus and figured out where you want to go, think of that money as money simply spent for your trip, and just go and enjoy yourself! When you're sitting down to dinner, order what you want! What do you feel like? If you really want the salmon, get it. Who cares that it's $5 cheaper than the steak? You're in the mood for salmon, and you should get what will make you happy, not just what gives you the biggest bang for your buck. (And unless you're ordering the cheapest item at EVERY meal, you'll still come out ahead over paying for the meals out-of-pocket)
As a side note, this advice works well for your overall vacation, too. When I went with my friend Erik for the first time, I told him to just look at the price he paid for hotel and park tickets as the total cost of a week-long vacation, that he shouldn't be worried about "Getting his money's worth". (Our trip was pre-MYW tickets, so using a day on the ticket for only a partial day of a few attractions cost a bit more than an extra MYW day)
-Rob
I'm all for doing some pre-planning before your trip, making sure the DDP is the right choice for you, but once you're on your trip, don't look at the prices on the menu! This is your vacation. It should be a relaxing experience. Worrying about "getting your money's worth" will lead to stress, and stress is not good on your vacation.
So, if you've made the decision to go with the DDP, you've looked at the menus and figured out where you want to go, think of that money as money simply spent for your trip, and just go and enjoy yourself! When you're sitting down to dinner, order what you want! What do you feel like? If you really want the salmon, get it. Who cares that it's $5 cheaper than the steak? You're in the mood for salmon, and you should get what will make you happy, not just what gives you the biggest bang for your buck. (And unless you're ordering the cheapest item at EVERY meal, you'll still come out ahead over paying for the meals out-of-pocket)
As a side note, this advice works well for your overall vacation, too. When I went with my friend Erik for the first time, I told him to just look at the price he paid for hotel and park tickets as the total cost of a week-long vacation, that he shouldn't be worried about "Getting his money's worth". (Our trip was pre-MYW tickets, so using a day on the ticket for only a partial day of a few attractions cost a bit more than an extra MYW day)
-Rob
Ausdaddy
Active Member
This is absolute truth. I had lunch at Le Cellier and passed on a steak for the first time to try the Le Cellier Experience. As a result, I tried the Chicken Chipotle sausage for the first time. It is amazing! Sometimes going less, can get you more. I would add one thing. When ordering something less expensive (if getting the most out of your money is a concern), always order the milkshakes. They are included on the plan in many places!
Tiggerfanatic
Well-Known Member
On our last trip, I traveled with my niece6 and nephew9. I knew they would get tired of always ordering from the kids menus, so I tried to schedule as many buffets as I could. We did Chef Mickey's for dinner, the Princess dinner at Akershus, Liberty Tree Tavern (they serve all you can eat family style), Donald's Breakfast in AK, and finished up the week with the Hoop-De-Doo Revue. Believe me, no one went hungry that week!!