Professor Aronnax's Guide to the Dining Plan
We have had the dining plan probably 7 or 8 times in as many years. Having said that, we usually break down the different restaurants as follows:
1. Biggest bang for the buck: In other words, these are the highest priced, highest quality meals you can get on the plan without using 2 table service credits.
Le Cellier (Canada Pavillion)
Le Chef de France (France Pavillion)
Coral Reef (Future World)
Teppan Edo (Japan Pavillion)
The meals at these restaurants can easily approach $80 to $100 for a couple. (Remember tip is no longer included in the plan so you will be responsible for something extra even if you stick entirely to what you are allowed on the plan.)
This group is our favorite and we try to do some if not all of these everytime we go.
2. Character Dining: In particular we only do the chracter dining that uses 1 table service. I'm sure that the 2 table service versions are great, it just doesn't seem like a good deal to use 2 credits for 1 meal.
Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom - Winnie the Pooh Characters)
Akershus (Norway - Disney Princess)
Tusker House (Animal Kingdom - Traditional Characters in Safari Gear)
Crystal palace is a buffet and where the food is great, I would not call it top tier. Pretty standard Disney buffet fare. Akershus is typically a higher quality of food, though some of it is less familiar to the average American's palate (i.e. smoked fish, kjottkaker, etc.) Tusker House is an African themed buffet, much like Boma at AKL. It is better fare than the average buffett, but uses more of the aromatic spices found in African cuisine, think flavors like jasmine, not spicy hot.
3. Buffets: Think quantity and selection. These locations do not have the best food, though they are all pretty good. The more interesting side of these places is that you can try a vast number of items that you may otherwise shy away from (plate fright, etc.)
Biergarten (German Pavallion)
Cap May Buffet (Beach Club Resort - All you can eat clam bake!)
Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge - African Inspired)
Crystal Palace (MK)
Tusker House (AK)
The buffets usually run around $ 26.99 per adult (once again tip not included). Obviously, you can get more value for a table service credit, but unless you want to eat at Le Cellier 7 times in a week, sometimes variety wins out over value.
4. Convenience: Sometimes it is either not possible to get an ADR at one of the better, more popular restaurants, or you might find it inconvenient to travel park wide to get to a specific restaurant in time for an ADR. In those instances we opt for some of the places below. The food is good, though not as pricey as the better restaurants and not as wide a selection as the buffets.
San Angel Inn (Mexico - Currently being refurbed.)
Nine Dragons (China)
Tutto Italia (Italy)
5. Resorts: Now we haven't eaten at all of the resorts by no stretch of the imagination, but here are the ones we found to be the best.
Jiko (AKL - USES 2 CREDITS)
Boma (AKL)
Cape May Buffet (Beach Club)
Ohana (Polynesian)
Jiko is the only restaurant that I will use 2 credits for. I have heard wonderful things about Victoria and Alberts (GF), The Yachtsman Steakhouse (YC) and The Brown Derby (HS). But as of yet we have not tried them.
We rarely if ever eat a table service in HS. Mama Melrose's usually does not stand up to Tutto Italia. If I'm having Italian, I'm going to Epcot. 50's prime time and Sci-fi dine-in are cheaper options than other restaurants, and if the dining plan is already paid for and included, we tend to opt for the more expensive meals.
I am excited to try Yak and Yeti on our next trip, as we have never eaten there before. And the only restaurant that we disliked enough to never return to was Restaurant Marakesh. Just not my type of food, I tend to like my food under done in all cases, rare beef, raw fish, etc. I found Marakesh's food to have the bejeezes cooked out of it. (And yes, that is a technical term.)
I have heard very good things about Hoop De Doo Review (which I believe uses 2 credits) though it may be for the show more than the food. I have also heard good things about Whispering Canyon Cafe.
Finally, if I were to recommend one meal that everyone with the dining plan must do, it would be Le Cellier. It is the hardest of the ADR's to get, and probably hands down the best 1 credit meal in all of WDW. Some of the biggest disappointments I have had at WDW are the years when it was impossible to get an ADR for this place.
Good luck with your planning! Hope you have a great time and good eats!
