Originally Posted By tinkerbellfly My family is thinking of staying at the all-star music. I would like to stay at a moderate, but we may stay at A-S Music because of price. I noticed the Magic your way dining. Is it worth it? I am debating to get it or not. Also any feedback on the All stars would be great too! We would be staying 6 nights 7 days and there is only three of us.
Originally Posted By Labuda I'd recommend Pop Century if you're going to stay at a Value resort, unless you're really attached to the theme of ASM. WHy? Pop Century is newer (and it shows), and has its own buses while ASM shares with the other two All-Star hotels. That said, Magic Your Way Dining package is TOTALLY worth it! Cost is under $40 a day per adult, and you can easily get that amount out of your sit-down dinner each day, so you come out ahead when you add in the counter service meal and snack. If you go to <a href="http://www.mousesavers.com" target="_blank">http://www.mousesavers.com</a>, you can find a list of all the restaurants that participate, then head over to <a href="http://www.allearsnet.com" target="_blank">http://www.allearsnet.com</a> and find the menus to see what prices would be if you bought outside the dining plan.
Originally Posted By tinkerbellfly I have been thinking about the meal plan, but never really sure how it worked. It sounds like a good deal. My son wants to do a Character meal. Actually, 3!!!! We've been to Disney before and done the character meals and I know those can get pricey. The dining plan is good for those right? Just want to make sure I was reading the plan correctly. If thats the case, I should definitly do it. I never thought of POP Century. I guess because its newer and I forget its there.
Originally Posted By Labuda The dining plan is indeed good for the character meals @ Chef Mickey's, Cinderella's Gala Feast, Supercalifragilistic Breakfast @ 1900 Park Fare, 'Ohana Best Friends Breakfast, Breakfast Beach Club Buffet @ Cape May Cafe, the Pooh & Friends buffet @ Crystal Palace, Character dinner @ Liberty Tree Tavern (featuring the best green beans known to man!), Cinderella's castle (takes 2 sit-down meals for, but I don't think a little 3 year old boy would be too interested in this), Chip & Dale's Harvest Feast @ the Garden Grill, Princess Dining in Norway, and Donald's Breakfastosaurus. That said, if you're going to be doing a lot of character meals, it'll be harder to make your dining plan stretch, BUT the good news is that you'll likely still come out ahead each day.
Originally Posted By Labuda BTW, courtesy of mousesavers, here is the link to Disney's info on the Dining Plan: <a href="http://makeashorterlink.com/?K1F5229BC" target="_blank">http://makeashorterlink.com/?K 1F5229BC</a>
Originally Posted By DVC_dad I totally agree with Labuda (which is usually the case I am finding) and DO get the meal plan. It was worth it. Eventhough AS resrots are value priced, it's not like they are shanty shacks are anything. The bus system IMHO makes it worth staying on property, even if you could get something nicer for less outside.
Originally Posted By tinkerbellfly Okay, I hope I figured this out. The dining plan is good for one counter service, one table dining and one snack each day per person. We won't be doing Cinderella - have a boy. If I do one character meal a day, I would really make out? Not that I would do one everyday, but if I do three and spread them out during the week I am good?
Originally Posted By tinkerbellfly I think the All-Stars may work. I hear its loud there, but my family is loud, so we'll probably fit right in! lol I also heard the buses are slow and crowded. We would be driving to WDW, so if we had to, we could drive to the parks.I guess I'm afraid I would be disappointed with the room, but then again, I'm at DisneyWorld! How could I get disappointed! And besides, how much time are you really in the room? Just to sleep and shower.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Sounds like a plan. All of your "NORMAL" character breakfasts are the same price. By normal I mean like, Chef Mickey, Donald's Breakfastosaurus, 1900 Park Fair, Cape May Cafe, that sort of thing. They are $18.99 per anyone 10 to adult, and $10.99 for kids from 3-9, and 2 and under free. Also, if you really want to calculate the exact dollar for dollar and know where you will be eating, (I use an Xcel spreadsheet and book every single meal prior to leaving) you can call 407-WDW-DINE and simply ask what the price or price ranges are for said meal, and if that restaurant accepts the dining plan. IF it does, be careful and ask, becuase I recall something about some of them use TWO sit down meals to eat there. But the rep at 407-WDW-DINE can help you. If you don't want to call you can look online, at disneyworld.disney.go.com and it will say dining experience on the particular reestaurant if they take the dining plan. MOST in fact I think almost ALL of them take it. Anyway I have done the math the long way evey time we go since I pre-plan every single meal. I have compared the exact cost to the exact place I will be taking my family, and the meal plan has ALWAYS saved me significantly. I will admit I do seem to end up with unused snacks somehow, after all we still deviate from my master plan. I may be the master planner, but my wife is the outright master. Therefore we must untimately do her bidding. However it still saves me $ .
Originally Posted By LacyBelle We bought the dining plan for our upcoming trip in November. We're looking forward to using it for restaurants we wouldn't normally try. We tend to eat more 'on the run' at the counter service spots. This will force us to sit and enjoy our meals (that's what DH is looking forward to the most). I do see a lot of comments on this board and on allearsnet about people having left over snacks at the end of their trips. Somehow I'm not thinking that will be an issue, but I may be naive as I'll be a virgin dining plan user. Even if I have one soda or bottled water a day, I'll use my snack, right? It's just a matter of making sure I go to a vendor that has a card reader so I can use the plan?
Originally Posted By Labuda "I totally agree with Labuda (which is usually the case I am finding) " Proof you're a great addition to LP! Also, regarding the meal plan - even if you do three character meals, I think you'll do just fine on it. As f0or the resturants where you can REALLY make out - Les Chefs de France & L'Originale Alfredo's di Roma are the two that most stick in my brain as being "We made OUT" meals - each one would have cost us over $80 had we been paying for the meal - meaning snack & conter service that day was essentially free.
Originally Posted By johnno52 We did the DDP last Sept and we thought it was great! We really enjoyed the great meals and service. Some of the cost of the meals for the 2 of us were; $103, $95, $93. Which didn't cost us a penny however we did leave and extra tip for the excellant service(which 15% is included in the plan. So is it worth it? you bet! Reservations are needed for the good spots and book early before your trip starts. This is good for adults but not sure how it would work out for children (value wise). We will get it again for sure next time we go. We also enjoy using all resorts for many of our meals.
Originally Posted By Disneysk If you find you don't want to take the time to eat at table service restaurants, can you use some of your table service credits at counter service restaurants?
Originally Posted By Labuda I honestly have no idea if they'd let you do that or not - most of Disney's sit-down places can easily get you in & out in less than an hour, so not a big time difference there...
