Free DDP pains...

[Zazu]

I am afarid that we will overeat, so we are hoping that there are some good salads available too!

There are, but more importantly, if you don't see what you like on the menu, just ask!

Remember, these are generally first-class chefs, and they make the same six entrées every day of the year. You give them a chance to be creative and they'll thank you for it!

Depending on prices you may be able to use the DDP to order two appetizers instead of an entree. Worth asking.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

There are, but more importantly, if you don't see what you like on the menu, just ask!

Remember, these are generally first-class chefs, and they make the same six entrées every day of the year. You give them a chance to be creative and they'll thank you for it!

Depending on prices you may be able to use the DDP to order two appetizers instead of an entree. Worth asking.

Thanks for the tip. DW frequently orders two different appetizers rather than eating a big meal, and I feel bad that I can't finish the big portions they serve. (raised that people were starving in....(fill in a country) and had to finish)

She likes different kinds of fare, and really enjoyed the food at Epcot, and was highly put off that her favorite was taken over by a certain "princess" dining experience.

Plus we don't mind paying extra for a special meal or service.

[gurgi]

yeah, i have to say, im on vacation, im there to relax. i dont like having everything planned out and scheduled to a "t". i like to be chilled out, and figure things out on the fly. i might get up and decide im too tired to go to whatever park that restaurant is in, epcot for example. maybe i want to go to MGM becuase it's smaller and my feet are killing me from the day before. i really think i hate the dining plan. a lot. i will never use it. my daily life is routine/scheduled enough. when im going for a break, i mean a break from the normal. i want to get the heck away from as much of my normal life as possible. its horrible too, because i love sit down placess, i dont ever eat at the carts or anything, i want to relax, as i said. besides the chefs are so great. they have done special menu fixes or just special orders for my family a few times.
anyway, that's my two cents.

[kurtisnelson]

As a local, I hate, loathe, bane and despise free dining. It makes it impossible to get into many of my favorites

Join the club. Locals are spontaneous, and spontaneous does not get along with DDP well.

[drcorey]

nothing like watching the people across from you masticate thier food.
I have seen some moves most large cats don't know...

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

nothing like watching the people across from you masticate thier food.
I have seen some moves most large cats don't know...

Got news for you, unless you have a baleen plates, or no teeth, you do too!!

[Cheshire Figment]

As a local, I hate, loathe, bane and despise free dining. It makes it impossible to get into many of my favorites, like Ohana, it causes Disney to dumb down the menus at all but the signatures

Actually that is my opinion of the entire DDP!

Someone just did an analysis of DDP on the AllEars newsletter and figured out that the value of a Table Service meal, including tax, is about $25.50. So this is the approximate amount that a restaurant gets as credit for each meal served. And this includes entree, dessert an non-alcoholic beverage and tax. And because Joe Schmoe is going to seek out the highest priced items (to get their money's worth) the restaurants, other than the signatures, are going to drop their highest value items from the menu. So for the discerning diner you can't get really good food at the regular restaurants.

And then of course reservations. I really think they should go back to one of the older plans of allowing people staying at a Disney owned and operated Resort to make reservations 60 days out and everyone else 30 days out.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Actually that is my opinion of the entire DDP!

Someone just did an analysis of DDP on the AllEars newsletter and figured out that the value of a Table Service meal, including tax, is about $25.50. So this is the approximate amount that a restaurant gets as credit for each meal served. And this includes entree, dessert an non-alcoholic beverage and tax. And because Joe Schmoe is going to seek out the highest priced items (to get their money's worth) the restaurants, other than the signatures, are going to drop their highest value items from the menu. So for the discerning diner you can't get really good food at the regular restaurants.

And then of course reservations. I really think they should go back to one of the older plans of allowing people staying at a Disney owned and operated Resort to make reservations 60 days out and everyone else 30 days out.

Now that is a good idea!!

That was the only irksum thing to me is tht I would have to plan (six months) for our special dinners, and heck, we dont know what we want eat that far in advance.

[Rob562]

Well, my friends and I will be down there starting on Saturday. We're on the Free Dining promotion for the first time. (First time on Dining Plan period, actually)

I hope we won't be able to be picked out by Syndrome as "Free Diners" :p:
In fact, I've been considering greeting our Table Service servers with "Hi there. We're on the Dining Plan, but please don't hold it against us!" ;)

-Rob

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Join the club. Locals are spontaneous, and spontaneous does not get along with DDP well.

A LOT of spontinaeity goes on?

wouldn't that make it normal?

hehehehe