Looking for Magic Your Way Plus Dining help.

[GoofyDufy]

Most forums discuss how to save money dining. I am looking for the opposite! I have the magic your way plus dining and looking to get the best bang for the buck.
Are there table services you can rack up a big bill without having to spend 2 points?
Are there counters services you wouldn’t go to because they were normally overpriced, but if it was included in the package you would go to?
Are there any extravagant snacks which are include in the dining package which are must have (something more then just a popcorn or pop)?

 

[dandaman]

Are there table services you can rack up a big bill without having to spend 2 points?

At Concourse Steakhouse in the Contemporary, we racked up a bill of $202 for one meal... you tell me.

Are there counter services you wouldn't go to because they were normally overpriced, but if it was included in the package you would go to?

Yes. Names are escaping me now, but there are a lot of overpriced counter services, it seems. At either one, you'll definetely be getting a bang for your buck. Try Cosmic Ray's in the Magic Kingdom, for example. The main course was 1/2 lb. slab of chicken and ribs for $13. With the DDP, you get a dessert and drink, too. This seemed to be the best deal I could find counter-service wise.

Are there any extravagant snacks that are included in the Dining package that are must have?

One is definite and tops my list, but it comes with a table service meal: the Superbowl Sundae at ESPN Club, Boardwalk. Worth $17, the dessert cost twice as much as my main course ($9.50 for a 1 lb. hot dog and a heap of fries)!

The one place over all the others that I would recommend, is undoubtedly ESPN Club. :wave:

 

[dandaman]

Huge pic of Superbowl Sundae:

 

[tracyandalex]

in planning for our trip in april i noticed that the pastry shop in france accepts the dining plan, but i don't remember if it counts as counter services or a snack.tracy

 

[LESLIECOOL]

Without a doubt.... go to the steakhouse in Canada in Epcot. We got an outrageously expensive 3 course dinner for almost nothing. I found the dining plan to be extremely worth it ..... one downfall.... you overeat! I never would have gotten dessert with every meal but you figure you "paid" for it... so you get it! I really don't know how they make out from this deal.

 

[happytrees]

My family's tab at Le Cellier was $180 (3 adults, 2 kids). You can never go wrong with steak at any table service meal. :slurp:

If you can stomach the counter service Soylent Hambugers (c'mon, there not that bad), get a double cheeseburger instead of a single.

menus and pricing:
http://www.wdwmagic.com/menus.htm

a more comprehensive list:
http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm

 

[agillespey]

My wife and I did the Dining Plan this summer for the first time. It was an absolute blast. Restraunts we would do again are as follows.

1) Le Cellier- even if you have to get lunch reservations for it dont miss it. Racked up a $110.00 bill with just two adults.
2) Chefs de Paris - The Desert Sampler(must share) was to die for. Bill was around $85
3) Yakatori - Lobster, Steak, and Shrimp. Bill was around $90
4) Ohana's (uses you dinner, beverage, and desert for the meal but well worth it) Bill around $60.00

One thing to remember is that tip is included in the cost so the deals even better, IMO

And as the other posters have said, the down side is that you eat like a horse. Im still losing weight from that trip 6 months later.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

Buffets are nice, we went to Crystal Palace, Biergarten, and Liberty Tree Tavern. Biergarten was very good. There were only two of us dining, but the bill would have been over $63 without the DDP.

And I agree that you MUST go to Le Cellier. We went for lunch because we couldn't get in for dinner, and the lunch bill for two topped $80.

But the best bang for our DDP buck was Cinderella's Royal Table for dinner. Our bill for two people was over $100.
BUT as of February 1st 2006 CRT will count as two table service meals. So only do Cindy's if you will be there before the end of January.

As far as counter service went, DH and I stayed at Pop Century and split a counter service meal every morning by getting waffles with meat, a cinnamon roll, and a juice (DH drank coffee out of his refillable mug) and that counted as a counter meal! DH had the waffle, I ate the cinnamon roll (I LOVE cinnamon anything) and we were full and ready to go until lunch, when we would get one counter service meal (burger, fries, drink) and order a seperate sandwich/hot dog and pay out of pocket for that. So brekkie and lunch for both of us 'cost' less than $7!!

 

[shoppingnut]

Le Cellier, Concourse Steakhouse, 50's Prime Time, Chef de France are the ones you will get the most bang for the buck and have the best food. Crystal Palace for dinner is very good, I like their selection. I went to Tony's this past October and was unhappy with the quality of food.

 

[dandaman]

The irony... this Canadian hasn't ever been to Le Cellier. :brick:

 

[saltmom1]

Buffets are nice, we went to Crystal Palace, Biergarten, and Liberty Tree Tavern. Biergarten was very good. There were only two of us dining, but the bill would have been over $63 without the DDP.

Isn't the DDP $35/person/day ? What did you save or am I wrong on the price ?

 

[shoppingnut]

Buffets are nice, we went to Crystal Palace, Biergarten, and Liberty Tree Tavern. Biergarten was very good. There were only two of us dining, but the bill would have been over $63 without the DDP.

Isn't the DDP $35/person/day ? What did you save or am I wrong on the price ?

The price is $35 per day ($37 in 2006). If you spent $63 for two people at the sit down meal, you are already at $32 on food for the day for one person, so when you add in eating the counter service meal and snack, you exceed the $35. However, buffets aren't the most expensive meals you can have on the DDP and they don't give you the most bang for your buck. Your sit down meals at restaurants where you order appetizer, entree, dessert and coffee are where you really get the most out the DDP.

When I have gone to Le Cellier, not on the DDP, I have had an entree which is usually the steak that is about $27, soda $2.50 and kids dessert (must have the chocolate moose), $4, plus tax and tip, you're looking at $40, but if you have having an appetizer, they range from $7-$10 and an adult dessert is about $6, coffee I think is about $3, so you can see how with the dining plan you can spend a great deal of money on the meal which is much more than a buffet.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

First off, we had the Stay, Play, and Dine package, so as far as I was concerned, food was free. And it's way easier to budget with the dining plan. And we would NEVER have even gone to the buffets (let alone Le Cellier) without the plan. Could we have gotten more for our money? Yes. But could I get pictures of my husband with Piglet, Eeyore, Pooh, and Tigger any other way besides making him sit on the outside of the table at CP for dinner? No. Worth the price lol.

 

[shoppingnut]

But could I get pictures of my husband with Piglet, Eeyore, Pooh, and Tigger any other way besides making him sit on the outside of the table at CP for dinner? No. Worth the price lol.

I totally agree, definitely "Priceless."

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

Yeah, but he caught on awefully quick and then refused to go to Toontown because he'd guessed (correctly) that I would try to get pics of him (preferably with a princess hehe)