SWEET SIXTEEN :Have they been kissed? PTR: Updated 8/15

[englishrose47]

Let's Try again !!!!!!!

In 2006 Judy mentioned a Family vacation to Disney the next year !! My reply was "Have Fun"Judy told me I was coming too like it or not !!!Sooo what's a good Mom to do but start looking into this Disney Thing !!!
I checked out the parks and the resorts and went to AAA , brought home a brochure and the Kids picked Pop !!! So I started checking into POP

During this time I stumbled on the Dis and the rest is history by the time April 26th 2007 came I was a fountain of knowledge with the help of my Dis Friends !! I was active on the Pop Thread and still am and then I found my way to The Original Fockers , which was banned due to some tongue in cheek list of Fockerisms we came up with

I don't have to much from the 2007 trip as I had not mastered uploading and can't find either the memory card or the cd from it but have a WONDERFUL scrapbook !!

The girls were 11 and Kyle 5 on the first trip !!

I spent many an hour reading menus that I felt would suit my plain and simple as in Steak and potatoes gals and Mac & Cheese for Kyle !! Not an easy feat!!Back then there was only 1 DDP and it included appies as well as entre and dessert . Plus the Tip was included !!Aaah those were the days !!

I picked this one for all of us and it is definately a favorite

Here I am getting Chummy with my PIGLET

Our TA got us a really good price on SWA and we have stuck with SWA ever since !!We love the Non Stop flights , especially for Judy with her "ear" troubles !!

So this is to Whet your appetite and I will follow up with how Trip numero uno went and where it led !!!

 

[Flossbolna]

I remember the Focker craze here on the DIS! Now I know why it disappeared.

And I remember the 2007 dining plan! What a fantastic deal that was! February 2007 was my only trip with the DDP, after they eliminated the appetizer and the tip, I felt like it wasn't my kind of plan anymore...

 

[englishrose47]

I remember the Focker craze here on the DIS! Now I know why it disappeared.

And I remember the 2007 dining plan! What a fantastic deal that was! February 2007 was my only trip with the DDP, after they eliminated the appetizer and the tip, I felt like it wasn't my kind of plan anymore...

The Fockers are still going strong, we just BEHAVE now

I agree that plan in 2007 was awesome !!! We waddled out of the restaurants !!!

For us it is still good with 3 kids it is such a treat to say ORDER what ever you want!!!I well remember in 2007 how many times they said we can have steak again!!!! Kyle of course only wanted Mac and Cheese Basicly still does !!!!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Yes, the old DDP was great! We wish we could have appies instead of dessert, or at least be given a choice. We used it last time, and it was good to have, but they keep taking 1TS meals and making them 2TS, so I think when we bring the kids we'll do the QS plan and not spend our time working around ADRs with such a big group. If we buy and load gift cards for meals, we could probably use them the same way and save!

 

[Flossbolna]

Yes, the old DDP was great! We wish we could have appies instead of dessert, or at least be given a choice. We used it last time, and it was good to have, but they keep taking 1TS meals and making them 2TS, so I think when we bring the kids we'll do the QS plan and not spend our time working around ADRs with such a big group. If we buy and load gift cards for meals, we could probably use them the same way and save!

I have been meaning to do a real comparison with all my dining receipts from my trips in 2008, 2009 and 2010, but never got around to do it... Just like you, I often prefer the appetizer and my sister and I shared quite a lot of entrees this last trip. I am sure this would not really fit with any dining plan. And just as you say: for the prepayment benefit a gift card could do the same. But I also understand Rosie's point: it is great to be able to tell the kids: don't look at the price, just order what you want to eat!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

I miss the old dining plan, I just don't see the new one as being worth the money. If I get it for free, great, but I will not pay for it.

Rosie is right, the Fockers are still around we are just much quieter than we used to be. Most of them just hang out on the Community Board now rather than over here with the TR's.

 

[All7OfUs]

I can say that on my last trip, I had both. Some ddp, some not. I loved going the appie for dinner route, I added a drink and soemtimes dessert, and that was it. It was ENOUGH food. The plan gave us WAY too much food, I almost always sent more than half back, and was uncomfortable with having felt somewhat "obligated" to eat dessert. I just thought the freedom to order what I was in the mood for (ie. appie) was a better deal. For me. I know some folks love to have it all pre-paid, but isn't food budgeted in anyway into any trip?

 

[jenbear123]

Gosh it's hard to believe there used to be only one dining plan and GRATUITY WAS INCLUDED!!! Crazy. Out of all the resorts, your kids picked Pop? Can't complain there!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

I can say that on my last trip, I had both. Some ddp, some not. I loved going the appie for dinner route, I added a drink and soemtimes dessert, and that was it. It was ENOUGH food. The plan gave us WAY too much food, I almost always sent more than half back, and was uncomfortable with having felt somewhat "obligated" to eat dessert. I just thought the freedom to order what I was in the mood for (ie. appie) was a better deal. For me. I know some folks love to have it all pre-paid, but isn't food budgeted in anyway into any trip?

I think for us, we enjoyed being able to choose the most expensive steak on the menu without looking at the prices or feeling nervous at the bill, but I agree, it was alot of food, and I think DH and I could get an appy and an entree and share and be just fine - that could save alot of money over a vacation.

 

[Poolrat]

I have been meaning to do a real comparison with all my dining receipts from my trips in 2008, 2009 and 2010, but never got around to do it... Just like you, I often prefer the appetizer and my sister and I shared quite a lot of entrees this last trip. I am sure this would not really fit with any dining plan. And just as you say: for the prepayment benefit a gift card could do the same. But I also understand Rosie's point: it is great to be able to tell the kids: don't look at the price, just order what you want to eat!

When I used the DDP I kept all my receipts and always added them to compare to the cost of the plan or what it should be if it was free.
I always came out ahead, way ahead.

However I will be the first to say I eat differently when on the DDP vs. when I pay oop. But on DDP we eat at places we might not otherwise.

When we did DDP with the family(4 Adults by Disney standards), we would usually have at least 3 steaks.

Not having to look at the bill except to tip- makes the DH not crazy BTW I always paid the tip so he NEVER saw the bill. Unless I showed it to him to rub it in his face that we didn't have to pay that amount.

Downside/ Upside? - I swear I don't eat for a week once I get home.

 

[Poolrat]

How on earth can I
push the submit reply button,
Have the post not post,
Go back to see if it lied to me, (it does that, you know)
not see it
go back and submit reply again
only to have it tell me it is a duplicate?????






PS This was not a duplicate post. I posted a new post to share how insane that was.

 

[englishrose47]

For us the DDP is the way to go!!! I do wish the ddp had kept the Tip included and offered a choice of appie or dessert as we would definately share both!!We got Free QSP for August and for $340 were able to upgrade to DDP !! $340 is pretty cheap for 5 people to eat for 8 days !!The girls always want steak when we go out and seldom get it so for them it is a dream !!!


Now here is the first Disser help mission !!! So get out your Kimmunicators and help find Rosie's answer !!!

I believe you have to pay extra for the Slipper Dessrt at CRT !!! Anyone know how much and how you order them!!! Kyle should be able to get the Crown Dessrt so he will be Happy!!

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

For us the DDP is the way to go!!! I do wish the ddp had kept the Tip included and offered a choice of appie or dessert as we would definately share both!!We got Free QSP for August and for $340 were able to upgrade to DDP !! $340 is pretty cheap for 5 people to eat for 8 days !!The girls always want steak when we go out and seldom get it so for them it is a dream !!!


Now here is the first Disser help mission !!! So get out your Kimmunicators and help find Rosie's answer !!!

I believe you have to pay extra for the Slipper Dessrt at CRT !!! Anyone know how much and how you order them!!! Kyle should be able to get the Crown Dessrt so he will be Happy!!

I believe you have to order the slipper dessert ahead of time by calling the Cake Hotline. You should be able to find the number on the Restaurant board.

 

[englishrose47]

I believe you have to order the slipper dessert ahead of time by calling the Cake Hotline. You should be able to find the number on the Restaurant board.

Thanks Lessa I will call this week!!

 

[Flossbolna]

I think the price seems to vary between the restaurants at the GF (they have the slipper desert as well) and CRT, at one it is 14 and at the other it is 20. Of course it may have gone up...

As far as I know it can be arranged rather late, it should be ok if you call about two weeks before the meal you want it served at. And be precise with your order, e.g. what you want to have written on the plate.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Yes, the old DDP was great! We wish we could have appies instead of dessert, or at least be given a choice...

When I first did the DDP back in 2007 I think it was or it may have been the trip before that in 2005, but whenever we got both an app and a dessert included... and boy was it ALOT of food!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Gosh it's hard to believe there used to be only one dining plan and GRATUITY WAS INCLUDED!!! Crazy. Out of all the resorts, your kids picked Pop? Can't complain there!

OH yeah and the tip was included! Those were the good ol' days...

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Hi there Sam (aka Rosie) I'm signing in... A birthday trip to WDW how magical! If your looking for extra magical ideas I may be able to think of a few... one that comes to mind if they still do it is they will do a personalized birthday menu at the Coral Reef with photographs and a personalized message... now this is if the still offer it. They also used to let you schedule a diver in the tank swim by with a birthday message on a board. Ill find the details...

 

[Minnie&Nana]

Hi, Rosie!! I finally made it! (I had a TERRIBLE flu which on New Year's Day morning and just now feeling human again).

Going back to catch up, but you already had me laughing at how many times Judy is floating around the internet (or soemthing to that effect).

Must have missed your dates -so when will you be there in August?

 

[englishrose47]

Hi there Sam (aka Rosie) I'm signing in... A birthday trip to WDW how magical! If your looking for extra magical ideas I may be able to think of a few... one that comes to mind if they still do it is they will do a personalized birthday menu at the Coral Reef with photographs and a personalized message... now this is if the still offer it. They also used to let you schedule a diver in the tank swim by with a birthday message on a board. Ill find the details...

Well Dan I wonder how many will notice my alias!!I had heard of the Menu and the Diver at CR but I don't believe they do the diver anymore But it is a thought!! I definately want to do the Slipper dessert at CRT as that was their choice of places to celebrate their birthday!!Kyle is NOT thrilled as when we went to 1900 ... Cinderella asked him to dance hyuuuuujjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj = Kitten typing !!!