Need Dining Suggestions please! DDP or no?

[Bebella]

Hi all! Here is our tentative dining plan for our trip in Feb ...2 adults, and 2 kids, ages 5 & 4. Would love suggestions, thank you! We tend to find buffets with young kids to be stressful, and we're making the exception for Tusker House for the characters, so would like non-buffet suggestions. Also, trying to decide between having the DDP or not. I'm leaning toward not, so that we can have more freedom in where we order drinks and desserts (not being tied to the meals that we're having, especially QS meals). We're staying at POFQ. Thank you! (I've bolded where I need help most!)

Arrival Day/Saturday - QS Dinner - Disney Springs (D-Luxe vs. Polite Pig vs. Wolfgangs)

Sunday/MK - Early Lunch - BOG, Dinner - Ohana (or move Ohana dinner to Friday), would need suggestion for dinner (in park or monorail resort)

Monday/AK - Tusker House Breakfast, Sanaa for dinner? (debating on staying for RoL or leaving)

Tuesday/EP - Breakfast/Lunch - ? Dinner - Via Napoli

Wednesday/No Park - Late Breakfast - Trattoria al Forno Bon Voyage Breakfast, Dinner - Homecomin'/Raglan Rd/or maybe Sanaa here instead?

Thursday/HS - Lunch - Sci-Fi Drive In, Dinner - QS (where? Leave park or stay?)

Friday/MK - Lunch & Dinner ? - Captain Cooks/Tambu Lounge or Kona Cafe or Contempo Cafe? Maybe move Ohana to dinner for our last night instead of first (currently have reservation for both)

 

[sapphirerose915]

it seems like you are there for 7 nights? if you did the DDP, that is7 TS meals and 7 QS meals-
Go over the menus and see what you would eat at each place. do an estimated tally and see what makes sense!
do you and the other adult drink? because alcoholic beverages are included. also, the character meals are $$$, but youy are planning a breakfast which is less. You do not have any sigs or 2 credit meal shows. So if it makes sense with the cost of the kids and your meals on the DDp, then I say go for it.
It would cost you $202.48 per day
If you think you will spend WAY less than that, then skip it. But dont forget the DDP also includes 2 snacks per day per person.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I agree with you about buffets being stressful with young kids. For that reason I would highly recommend Garden Grill for breakfast or lunch on your Epcot day. It's a great character meal and the food is served to your table family style.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I agree with you about buffets being stressful with young kids. For that reason I would highly recommend Garden Grill for breakfast or lunch on your Epcot day. It's a great character meal and the food is served to your table family style.

I was thinking Garden Grill as well for Epcot.

Are the kids into princesses? There's also Askershus in Epcot, which is partly a buffet but then also includes a plated entree.

Do the math out, but with Ohana, Tusker, Bon Voyage, and possibly GG or Askershus on your itinerary, plus BOG lunch (expensive for QS), my guess is that the cost of the DDP for two adults, two disney kids is going to be less than paying OOP for you guys. Heck, Askershus alone would pay for a day of the plan before you even use the 4QS, 8 snacks.

 

[gharter]

We did the DDp once. We didn't care for it as much as we expected. Some of the restaurants we wanted to eat at, were not included. We also found there was too much food and not always what we wanted. I don't want a dessert with lunch, its included (now you can opt for fruit instead). At dinner, we enjoy splitting an appetizer, not part of the DDP.
Its not bad, just look at what you would normally purchase and compare costs. You may come out ahead or not.

Another vote for Garden Grill at EPCOT.
Really like Sanaa, if you like Indian inspired food, you will like it.
have you read the recent reviews for Ohanas? Haven't been there in years, but current reports have stated they seemed very rushed through the meal. Would not be relaxing with kids. At MK, for TS consider LTT.
Via Napoli is a good choice withe kids. It tends to be loud with lots going on around to keep the kids attention. Good food as well.
Haven't tried Homecomin yet. Raglan Road is really fun if you are there when the band and dancers are there.

 

[Magical2017]

I would use the calculator to help you decide if it is worth it for your family. https://www.distripplanner.com/

 

[Bebella]

I would use the calculator to help you decide if it is worth it for your family. https://www.distripplanner.com/

Thanks, I've been playing around with the calculator but it isn't taking alcoholic drinks into account yet, which is honestly, a huge benefit to the DDP. I wish they would update it to include drinks, like it does for appetizers, desserts, etc.

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Thanks, I've been playing around with the calculator but it isn't taking alcoholic drinks into account yet, which is honestly, a huge benefit to the DDP. I wish they would update it to include drinks, like it does for appetizers, desserts, etc.

I was going to individual menus for this myself. If you want a nice, round number, I'd add $10 per person per meal where you'll get a drink, or $40 a day if both of you will drink at both meals. Some drinks are above, some are below, but, with tax, I'd say that would run about average for alcoholic drink costs.

 

[Bebella]

I was thinking Garden Grill as well for Epcot.

Are the kids into princesses? There's also Askershus in Epcot, which is partly a buffet but then also includes a plated entree.

Do the math out, but with Ohana, Tusker, Bon Voyage, and possibly GG or Askershus on your itinerary, plus BOG lunch (expensive for QS), my guess is that the cost of the DDP for two adults, two disney kids is going to be less than paying OOP for you guys. Heck, Askershus alone would pay for a day of the plan before you even use the 4QS, 8 snacks.

Thanks! I actually didn't realize that Askershus was plated for the entree! Kids would definitely love meeting the princesses, and if we're on the DDP, it's a great value! I was able to get a lunch reservation for our planned Epcot day, so I'll keep that one if we're on the DDP (but probably too expensive if we're not).