Walt Disney World Vacation with Dining Plan in YOUR Future--Plan ahead for Best Results

Okay...I have to admit, the first time we did the Disney Dining Plan, we flew by the seat of our pants. Yes, that means we didn't schedule any ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations). You read that right...zero, zip, nada. We didn't know any better. But fortunately for us, it was well in advance of the FREE dining plans that are now a regular perk with an onsite Disney vacation.

How did we manage? Did we have to resort to all quick dining meals? Not at all. We called the Disney Dining phone line a few minutes prior to when we wanted to eat and asked what restaurants in the park or at a nearby resort that had immediate availability. The upside of this lack of scheduling was that the dining reservation Cast Members were very knowledgeable of the restaurants and we were introduced to some now favorite restaurants like Ohana and Garden Grill. The downside was that we were disappointed that we couldn't get in to the Prime Time Cafe as it was completely booked. To avoid disappointment and frustration I was prepared called ahead before the next trip.

Yes, it does seem weird to be making dining plans 6 months ahead of time but that is what is necessary to get into some of the most popular restaurants in the world like Teppan Edo at the Japan pavilion. Be ready when you call too because you will get a confirmation number for every ADR you make. This number can save you if your reservation gets lost in the system. But keeping track of those ADRs can be confusing. If you make your reservations online, the system does keep a list of your ADRs but if you make them over the phone, they do not tie in with the ones online until after you check in. Your only record is what you write down so listen carefully and jot down those confirmation numbers.

So for our upcoming 8 day trip, we have about 14-17 confirmation numbers for everything from our Segway tour to the Candlelight Processional and Fantasmic as well as a dozen or so restaurants. In the past, I kept all my handwritten notes with all the numbers until I received a print out from the concierge at check-in. For this trip, I made a excel spread sheet to keep track of the reservations complete with the date, time, location and confirmation number. It took about 30 minutes to set the whole thing up but it is in one place and makes an easy reference if one of my sons asks when we will be eating at Chef Mickey's or seeing the Hoop de Doo Review!

Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales

Disney Dining Plan—Is it Worth It? You Bet YOUR Mouse-ears It Is!

Our first visit to WDW in the early 1990’s, we were on our honeymoon and we didn’t think ahead to what we might want to eat during our trip. We stayed offsite in a hotel with a fridge and a continental breakfast that consisted of a donut & glass of cheap (not fresh) OJ. Yeah, kind of disappointing since we were paying over $100/night and visiting Florida...the state full of sunshine and fresh oranges! To add insult to injury, we were bombarded with fabulous food choices all around the world from Magic Kingdom to Epcot; but oh, those prices. We just didn’t plan ahead.

When we took our boys for their first trip to see Mickey Mouse, we weren’t about to make the same mistake again. We stayed on site at the All Star Sports Resort and had a package that included 3 meals and 2 snacks for each of us in the family everyday. We economized on the hotel and splurged on the dining plan. It was fabulous! We were able to take our boys to several character breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners. We experienced FRESH squeezed orange juice on several occasions. There were even credits leftover at the end of the trip that we were able to use for souvenirs. Sadly, the souvenir option has been discontinued but after a decade of using the dining plan, our family remains sold!

In fact, we often upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan so we can use two table services for the fabulous dinner theater shows; Hoop de Doo Review and Spirit of Aloha Luau. Last year, our family experienced dining in Cinderella’s Castle at the Royal Table with all the princesses…and even though my kids are teenaged boys they enjoyed both the food and atmosphere (i.e. beautiful princesses).

It works for us because we don’t have to say “no” to a Mickey-shaped ice cream treat or chance to eat dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Yes, it is a bit of “food overload” at times. We always seem to have a few extra dining credits at the end of our vacation, which do expire at the end of the trip. Yet, we still come out several hundreds of dollars ahead on the food.

The key is planning ahead…6 months ahead to be exact. It is much easier now with the online reservation option…but I still call in as talking one-on-one with a cast member can give insight into the best dining options. Have your dining reservations in place well in advance is essential to get the most from the Disney Dining Plan as the best dining venues in WDW fill quickly!

Copyright 2011 MagicalMouseTales