I'm still trying to book places to eat at while we are there. I am having a hard time getting a TS place for dinner mainly lunch times. I'd like dinner to get my money worth out of the meal plan lol.
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First trip to Disney, dining plan worth it?
- Thread starter Brandon barr
- Start date
jensenmom72
Member
DisneyJunkie
Well-Known Member
My wife and I have done the DDP practically every time we've gone. We either get it free when it's offered with a booked vacation or we add it on when some other aspect of the trip is discounted or given free. In any case, we definitely think it's worth it. Without it, we'd probably have never tried some of the restaurants around the World that have become some of our favorites.....simply because they're too expensive otherwise. Sure, it would be nice if the basic plan allowed for 3 meals a day, but since we're not big breakfast eaters anyway, what they have works fine for us. And as others have said, you still get plenty of food from the QS and TS places, so they don't really skimp on you there (though getting an appetizer might be something they should add on). But all in all, the DDP is worth the money.......unless you're the sort who is just fine eating burgers/pizza/chicken for every meal of the trip.
Just wanted to do update. I have been super busy at work and home and have not had much time..we are having our new baby next monday so getting ready for him as well. Me and d my wife have been talking and may have decided to leave the new baby with my mother. We just think the trip may be hard on a 3 month old. It will be hard for us to leave him as well. But he will be in good hands.
Okay so I'm still trying to book ts resteraunt and can't seem to get in at good times. So far this is our plan and what I got so far.
Wednesday October 7th fly in at 5.25 pm.
have dining at 8.30 pm at t rex
Thursday October 8th magic kingdom all day. We have the not so scary party that night to. We wanted in chef mickeys but not happening. We did however get into crystal palace but at 2:35 pm so not sure how that day will go may have to eat a lil breakfast and save QS for dinner?
Friday October 9th our plan is to spend the day at epcot. ( my buddy tells me I won't want to be here all day that he didn't care for epcot? Hmmm) . I was able to get in at the garden grill at 5:35pm that day and I rhina there was a even later a pot I may change it.
Sat October 10th we plan to go to animal kingdom in the morning and disney hollywood studios after. (Reason being it's my uncles last day there and they want to go to all 4 parks, we are bouncing idea around of just going to Hollywood and doing AK another day) they got reservations at tusker house at 1.45 pm . Plan is to do what we plan before and go to Hollywood after eating. That night hollywood is having extra magic hours so we get to stay a lil later. Of course that night my son wants pizza planet..I think that's what he's looking forward to the most he don't know what to expect really but just tells every one he is eating at pizza planet.
Sunday October 11th we plan to spend the day att magic kingdom since there not having a not so scary party that night.also I was able to get a reservation at chef mickey but at 1:25 pm
Monday October 12th our last day. No plans yet. But our flight is not until the 13th at 2pm so this is the part I don't like about the dining plan. I'd kinda like this day to go back to whichever park I liked the best but kind of need to do some planning. I tried to get into the disney hollywood dine and vine and it's hard to get in as well.
I still have not called ro add dining plan just because I'm not 100 percent sure yet. I may cancel a reservation or 2 and I may only eat mainly QS meals and 1 or 2 set down places to really get to be in the parks more. One problem is my son is super picky. He loves chicken nugets an snd french fries and did piza. He will eat pics of meat or mash potatoes from time to time. My wife don't eat much. I don't but I would get a expensive steak everywhere o go if we get the plan.
So far all I have is the room and not so scary and memory maker tickets paid for. You guys have any more advice for me to help with my planning or what to do.
Okay so I'm still trying to book ts resteraunt and can't seem to get in at good times. So far this is our plan and what I got so far.
Wednesday October 7th fly in at 5.25 pm.
have dining at 8.30 pm at t rex
Thursday October 8th magic kingdom all day. We have the not so scary party that night to. We wanted in chef mickeys but not happening. We did however get into crystal palace but at 2:35 pm so not sure how that day will go may have to eat a lil breakfast and save QS for dinner?
Friday October 9th our plan is to spend the day at epcot. ( my buddy tells me I won't want to be here all day that he didn't care for epcot? Hmmm) . I was able to get in at the garden grill at 5:35pm that day and I rhina there was a even later a pot I may change it.
Sat October 10th we plan to go to animal kingdom in the morning and disney hollywood studios after. (Reason being it's my uncles last day there and they want to go to all 4 parks, we are bouncing idea around of just going to Hollywood and doing AK another day) they got reservations at tusker house at 1.45 pm . Plan is to do what we plan before and go to Hollywood after eating. That night hollywood is having extra magic hours so we get to stay a lil later. Of course that night my son wants pizza planet..I think that's what he's looking forward to the most he don't know what to expect really but just tells every one he is eating at pizza planet.
Sunday October 11th we plan to spend the day att magic kingdom since there not having a not so scary party that night.also I was able to get a reservation at chef mickey but at 1:25 pm
Monday October 12th our last day. No plans yet. But our flight is not until the 13th at 2pm so this is the part I don't like about the dining plan. I'd kinda like this day to go back to whichever park I liked the best but kind of need to do some planning. I tried to get into the disney hollywood dine and vine and it's hard to get in as well.
I still have not called ro add dining plan just because I'm not 100 percent sure yet. I may cancel a reservation or 2 and I may only eat mainly QS meals and 1 or 2 set down places to really get to be in the parks more. One problem is my son is super picky. He loves chicken nugets an snd french fries and did piza. He will eat pics of meat or mash potatoes from time to time. My wife don't eat much. I don't but I would get a expensive steak everywhere o go if we get the plan.
So far all I have is the room and not so scary and memory maker tickets paid for. You guys have any more advice for me to help with my planning or what to do.
Englanddg I am almost thinkING about that just for the freedom. And just doing one or 2 set down and pay cash and I can use my left over qs ones for breakfast a few days.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
If that works for you, it will work fine!
What park is close to disney polenisian resort. Looking ay the ohana resteraunt breakfast but wondering how to get there and what day.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
Magic Kingdom is the closest. Take a bus from your resort to Magic Kingdom, then hop on either the resort boat launches or the Monorail Resort Line and take that to Polynesian. If the Monorail is shut down due to weather, they will also run busses to Poly as well.
Okay thanks what if my reservation is early before magic kingdom is open how do you go about it then?
englanddg
One Little Spark...
Same way. Busses start running at something like 6:30 am just for this sort of thing. They run on a slower schedule, so you may have to wait a bit for an MK bus, but they do run.
Awsome man thanks again.
Finally think I have it figured out. Thanks again everyone for the help. Here is my new schedule. I did add the dining plan and I did take my park hopper off.
Wed 7th downtown disney
Trex 8:30 pm
Thursday 8th magic kingdom (mnsshp at night)
Crystal palace 2:35pm
Friday 9th epcot
garden grill 5.35pm
Sat 10th hollwood studios ( emh 8am-9pm)
Hollwood and vine 12:00pm
Sunday 11th magic kingdom
chef mickeys 1:25 pm
tony town square 8:30pm
Monday 12th animal kingdom
qs at flame tree
park closes at 6pm either eat dinner at resort on another qs I have left or we are thinning about leaving animal kingdom at 5 and heading to magic kingdom and get another mnsshp tickets. I hear that is a blast and think my son would love it twice.
Have any of you guys stayed at port orleans riverside. I looked more into the resort I didn't know it had so much to do as well. But I don't want to take a day away from parks. How late are the pools generally open. Does anyone know. Thanks.
Wed 7th downtown disney
Trex 8:30 pm
Thursday 8th magic kingdom (mnsshp at night)
Crystal palace 2:35pm
Friday 9th epcot
garden grill 5.35pm
Sat 10th hollwood studios ( emh 8am-9pm)
Hollwood and vine 12:00pm
Sunday 11th magic kingdom
chef mickeys 1:25 pm
tony town square 8:30pm
Monday 12th animal kingdom
qs at flame tree
park closes at 6pm either eat dinner at resort on another qs I have left or we are thinning about leaving animal kingdom at 5 and heading to magic kingdom and get another mnsshp tickets. I hear that is a blast and think my son would love it twice.
Have any of you guys stayed at port orleans riverside. I looked more into the resort I didn't know it had so much to do as well. But I don't want to take a day away from parks. How late are the pools generally open. Does anyone know. Thanks.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
Pools are open until 10 or 11, seasonally.
Mouse_Trap
Well-Known Member
Taking off the hopper is wise for your itinerary. Basically you would be spending $200 to hop between parks on 1 occasion, when you can easily just spend a full day at both.
Based on what you describe, the DDP makes no financial sense for you, even if you get all the reservations you want. DDP isn't there to save people money, it's to lock them into only eating at Disney and a high level of expenditure at each meal.
Don't kid yourself into thinking it's easier either, what could be easier than just paying the check on your card or room account?
Unless you are going to eat desserts with everything and always take dessert over an appetizer and pick the more expensive option its going to end up costing you extra.
OOP is your better option this time I feel. That's my opinion, I just hate wasting money.
Based on what you describe, the DDP makes no financial sense for you, even if you get all the reservations you want. DDP isn't there to save people money, it's to lock them into only eating at Disney and a high level of expenditure at each meal.
Don't kid yourself into thinking it's easier either, what could be easier than just paying the check on your card or room account?
Unless you are going to eat desserts with everything and always take dessert over an appetizer and pick the more expensive option its going to end up costing you extra.
OOP is your better option this time I feel. That's my opinion, I just hate wasting money.
Thanks for the reply. My wife and son both love desert I'm not a big desert person but will eat it I'f it's paid for. The more I looked at it to it did not seem like a money savings but I went ahead and got it and it's all paid and done with know I figured hopefully with all of the character meals we are going to it will at least pay for itself or if not I don't loose ro terrible much..although I do plan on eating the best thing I can get I love a good steak. I am going to save all my recipes and will report at end of my trip how I came out.
For that last day on Monday when the animal kingdom closes at 6pm we have not decided yet if we are just going back to resort or we may go to another mickeys Halloween party I hear there lots of fun. I just don't know how wore out we will be by then.
Hey guys I never updated my experience. I just want to say thanks to everyone that helped me plan my vacation it was great. I can not compare it to anything. Dining plan was super worth it and the park hopper I am glad I removed like most of your suggested. Thanks everyone.I am in process of planning this year's vaca