Do you feel like you are too "scheduled" when using the DDP?

[DizneeCM]

A question for those of you who have enjoyed the DDP already: do you feel like you are rushing around to get from one TS restaurant to another? I ask because we are staying on points at OKW, so we would have to purchase the dining plan. My family generally likes to hit a park in the a.m., go back to the villa to swim or relax, and then either eat an easily-prepared dinner in the villa or go out to a TS restaurant. We then head back to a park or DQ for the evening. They enjoy the TS restaurants, but they really like to just hang out and not be too scheduled (the last time we were in WDW, we ended up cancelling several TS reservations at the last minute because they didn't want to interrupt their touring or their relaxing!)

Anyway, do you think the DP would work for us? Thanks for your comments!

 

[formernyer]

I didn't mind planning my meals ahead of time. It gave us something to look forward to.

My family doesn't generally eat at expensive restaurants, nor do we ever buy meals of any kind or snacks in the parks we visit. The dining plan was like living a dream for us and we loved every minute of it.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Not really. I've found we have to have a good game plan anyway. I actually found I overplanned a bit. I had planned our counter service but we ended up pretty much just eating where it was convenient when it became time at the counters. No sense going across the entire park just to eat and then back again.

 

[DizneeCM]

Thanks for your replies. I guess I'll just have to figure out if it will work for us. I'm glad it worked out so nicely for your families!

 

[ngtotd_dtrt]

but they really like to just hang out and not be too scheduled (the last time we were in WDW, we ended up cancelling several TS reservations at the last minute because they didn't want to interrupt their touring or their relaxing!)

Anyway, do you think the DP would work for us? Thanks for your comments!

Probably not if you're going to approach the trip the same way. We had the DP last Fall, and loved it...gave us a chance to try new places and live it up (a dream, as the other poster said). We're doing it again, and very excited about it.

BUT, we were somewhat slaves to the DP. With reservations so hard to get, we felt like we needed to be there, even if it interrupted our fun. We'd planned it well, and meant to be near the restaurant at the ressie time, but a few times we were caught at Epcot for a Ohana, for example, and we stopped and spent the 40 minutes or so getting there.

It simply puts the focus on the TS meals with the parks, instead of mainly the parks, and thus changes the trip. If you're willing to do that and look forward to trying all the meals, then it's worth it. If not, it's too much of an intrusion.

Saying that, now my kids are about as excited about the place they'll eat as they are the park, and are loving the planning process about choosing the restaurant. At some point, when we go back sans dinning-plan, we'll have to adjust back to the original theme-park first approach.

Have a great time either way!

 

[wasabi girl]

I went in December with the Premium Plan. We had table service meals scheduled for nearly every meal (not to mention tours etc) ...I didn't feel like a slave to the plan so much a goose being fattened for Christmas! To me it seems nice to have just one table service meal each day... I am relaxing on this trip!

 

[jonimce]

This will be our third trip on various dining plans, and we never feel that way. To us part of the vacation is eating out in great restraunts. The only time we felt rushed was on our last trip we had a few family meals and dinner shows planned and were 12 people meeting up. The DP gives you a chance to relax for meals and not get so wore out. Don't feel you have to run to be there exactly at the time of your ADR. They move your name to the list when you check in. We have been 30 minutes late and 30 minutes early with no problem.

 

[ngtotd_dtrt]

jonimce,

Good to know! I just figured they would assume you were a no-show after 15-20 minutes and give the table to someone else.

btw, every place we tried was really good with seating us at the time of reservation or within 10 minutes, except for 2. The most notable was Le Cellier...we had mid-evening ressies (6:40pm) and had to wait 40 minutes. Very frustrating with the kids tired and antsy, even moreso since we stared at empty tables most of that time. Not very efficient that night. The other was a late-night ressie (9pm..our last night at Disney, and yes the kids had a nap that afternoon ) at 'Ohana, but we anticipated that places get a little further behind as the night goes, so that 25 minute wait wasn't unexpected.

By the end of the week, we felt like the 'wafer-thin-mint' guy from Python.

 

[Nancyg56]

We were not inconvenienced by the DP. We planned our meals based on our park schedule, and found that the only time we needed to break up the day was a fairly early ADR at CP. The wait was quite long, but we really noticed it because we were cold.

My family wants the DP this time around because they enjoyed having their meals planned ahead of time....with our group it's the "Where do you want to eat?" I don't care, where do you want to eat?" And then finally arrive at a destination, and be turned away. Enjoy your trip!

 

[minniemousefan]

Hi There!

I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in too Our family, 2a 2c, really enjoyed the ddp. Great food, great restaurants and places that we could never afford to go to usually. However, it does put a kink in things if you just want a laid back, relaxed, go-with-the-flow kinda day.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the food and the excitement of trying new food, etc. But it wore thin on our children by the end of our stay. It was hard for them to be in the parks, swim and be kids and then be expected to get to our restaurant and wait, and wait and wait and then sit and wait to be served (unless it was a buffet!). We didn't have the same experience as some others that posted with not having to wait for our tables. Our wait was usually 15 - 45 minutes (total estimate - didn't wear watches ).

Hope that helps and enjoy your trip

 

[jonimce]

Most places we waited for was dinner, and that was never more than 15 minutes except for the two places ngtotd_dtrt stated. Both times at LeCellier were long waits and the night we went to Ohana, was about 45 minutes. We were a party of 12 with reseverations through group dinning for 7:00. That night it rained harder than I have ever seen. (this was a week before hurricane Charlie) They closed the Laua, so everyone from there was trying to get into Ohana. Once we were seated, we had a great time. We were supposed to be 14, but 2 got so wet from the down pours, they decided to go back to their resort.

 

[traviesojmt]

We plan our Disney trip the same way regardless of having the Dining plan or not. We have children who are fairly use to eating at about the same time every day. We have been without the Dining plan and still have a TS ADR for every night of our trip. For us, it also keeps the group from the "where are we going to eat" game that can last way too long. If it were just my DH and I, I might not mind not have ADRs and winging it. With kids though, it is just easier to have everything planned. We are super excited to being going during the free dining in Aug and have happily made all of our ADRs.

 

[vellamint]

I have never been able to "do" the dining plan....this is our first time but....

our last trip I always had PS for our dinners....I learned from previous years that it is NOT fun to have 4 whining children (and 1 hungry husband) while trying to find a place to eat. Having 1 sit-down schedule made our trip that more magical! And this year I wont even have to do the:

no we are not getting that as an appetizer we are sharing these two

no we are not getting dessert...you hardly touched your dinner

etc

etc

I cant wait!!

 

[jonimce]

I know the where are we going game. I sweare my DH is a pack mule. I will say I am getting hungry, he says he doesn't care where we eat or he can wait. Next thing you know, three or four hrs. have gone by and now I am starving. If I wait too long to eat I get a quezie stomach and really cranky. So now even when we go hiking in the national parks, I make dinner reservations.