Adventures Down Under take on the World!!!!!!!!! A Pre Trip Report Jan 2008 About This Page:

[Alice in wonderland]

Well i just though id drop in and post about the last few weeks. Since all the ADR's ae booked and i am patiently waitig for the 2008 rates to come out, planning has been going pretty slowly at the moment.

I am nervously waiting to find out about the changes to the DIsney DIning Plan and then i will be needing all of your help to make an informed decision. From the tone on the boards, people appear to think that without the appotozer or the gratitude (i think t hat is what it is called), it is just not worth it.

Coming from Australia, it is not compulsory etc to tip. I am not really sure how this will effect us! ill need everybodies advice.

I am changing a few of my plans around as i saw they have changed to MK hours till later form the 1st -6th of January. I guess i just have to wait until i get there and play it by ear as i dont know what to expect with the crowds due to the late holidays in the US.

ANyway, I am late for school and i dont think they wiull except me positing on the boards as a ligitimate reason fdor being late. ANd anyway it is friday which means my kiddies have a SPELLING TEST!!!!! i love seeing them go so well, they are only 6 but they jsut seem to get and enjoy spelling.

Talk soon
Love Jess

[bsblady01]

I hope that you and your family have a magical time at the world.

[DyanKJ130]

for the update, Jess! Don't despair about the DDP! There are plenty of us around here who will help you figure it out!!

[Alice in wonderland]

OK, so now i am officially freaking out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just read the new 2008 DDP.
1. Gratitude is not included
2. appitiser is not included with TS meal
3. SO many resturants are not on the plan at the moment including Chef de France where i have an ADR for our anniversary.


Now i dont know what to do. Everything i read says that people are not going to do the plan as it is not worth it anymore. I am really confused. COuld someone explain how the whole gratitude thing works. In AUstralia it is not seen as compulsory to tip after a meal. How much should you tip??????

Should we do the new DDP?

I better not get any big shocks when the prices finally come out for room rates!!!!

[Alice in wonderland]

I am after advice.

Should I do the DDP? Has anyone used it? Any advice would be great!

[Princess_Wantabe]

Hi Jess! Just caught up with your TR All your plans sound great so far
As for the DDP, we've done it before and loved that it included the tip. I can do without the appetizer, but it's nice not having to figure out a tip or carry cash around. Disney always tacked on 18% for a tip (I believe...someone correct me if I'm wrong!)
I don't see my family doing the DDP in the future because if I'm going to have to pay out of pocket for a tip, I might as well just toss the whole bill on my credit card and not worry about it The convienance (?sp) factor for us will be missing. If you decide to do the DDP just plan on having cash for the tip (around 18%) because
we Americans pay our waitstaff very little and therefore they really rely on the extra $ to make up the difference

[Colexis Mom]

I think you need to crunch the numbers (check out AllEars for menus and prices) to determine if the DDP is a good value for your family now Typically here in the US, you tip 15% of the bill, sometimes more for good service, usually less for poor service. At buffets, I think most people tip around 10% since there is less for the server to do.

As for there not being a lot of restaurants on the list at this point, the same thing happened last year when they first released the plan, and they all pretty much ended up joining again, so at this point, I wouldn't let that deter you from the plan.

If you go thru the menus and figure out what you'd order on the plan, and then typically order off the plan, you'll have a better idea whether the plan is a good value for you or not. We did the plan last year when it was free, and for us, it was just too much food. However we got to experience some restaurants that I probably wouldn't have chosen because I was trying to maximize the plan and get the most value for the plan.

[MyRapunzal]

Originally Posted by Alice in wonderland

OK, so now i am officially freaking out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just read the new 2008 DDP.
1. Gratitude is not included
2. appitiser is not included with TS meal
3. SO many resturants are not on the plan at the moment including Chef de France where i have an ADR for our anniversary.


Now i dont know what to do. Everything i read says that people are not going to do the plan as it is not worth it anymore. I am really confused. COuld someone explain how the whole gratitude thing works. In AUstralia it is not seen as compulsory to tip after a meal. How much should you tip??????

Should we do the new DDP?

I better not get any big shocks when the prices finally come out for room rates!!!!

Originally Posted by Alice in wonderland

I am after advice.

Should I do the DDP? Has anyone used it? Any advice would be great!

Originally Posted by Princess_Wantabe

Hi Jess! Just caught up with your TR All your plans sound great so far
As for the DDP, we've done it before and loved that it included the tip. I can do without the appetizer, but it's nice not having to figure out a tip or carry cash around. Disney always tacked on 18% for a tip (I believe...someone correct me if I'm wrong!)
I don't see my family doing the DDP in the future because if I'm going to have to pay out of pocket for a tip, I might as well just toss the whole bill on my credit card and not worry about it The convienance (?sp) factor for us will be missing. If you decide to do the DDP just plan on having cash for the tip (around 18%) because
we Americans pay our waitstaff very little and therefore they really rely on the extra $ to make up the difference

Originally Posted by Colexis Mom

I think you need to crunch the numbers (check out AllEars for menus and prices) to determine if the DDP is a good value for your family now Typically here in the US, you tip 15% of the bill, sometimes more for good service, usually less for poor service. At buffets, I think most people tip around 10% since there is less for the server to do.

As for there not being a lot of restaurants on the list at this point, the same thing happened last year when they first released the plan, and they all pretty much ended up joining again, so at this point, I wouldn't let that deter you from the plan.

If you go thru the menus and figure out what you'd order on the plan, and then typically order off the plan, you'll have a better idea whether the plan is a good value for you or not. We did the plan last year when it was free, and for us, it was just too much food. However we got to experience some restaurants that I probably wouldn't have chosen because I was trying to maximize the plan and get the most value for the plan.

Ok I read around a little and I PMed you earlier but I would say that the people who are going to end up getting screwed is the waiters and waitresses. It is not customary in many countries to tip at meals so I think that will screw the waitstaff a little. At dinner my boyfriend and I typically tip 20% for someone who does a great job and 15% for mediocre service. As far as appetizers, getting individual ones for everyone was quite nice but many were small. I could see me and Rob going back on DDP and splitting an appetizer or getting salads instead- or skipping it all together and then paying the tip but I haven't done the math. I would (if I was you) use the allears site and calculate a days worth of meals for you- then figure out if it saves you money or not. For example we paid out of pocket to eat at CRT during our last trip BUT we thought that was worth it because then on our departure day we were able to get a TS lunch. But if you figure out one days worth of Counter Service, Snack, and Table Services... does that equal less than a day on DDP? I will probably do this whenever we return to see if it works out. Hope that helps!

[Alice in wonderland]

I think i ahve come up with a solution.

Is it posible for me to stay at All star movies from the 2nd-7th Jan and then stay at POP from the 7th-13th of January and only do the DDP when staying at POP? Can i still get the 10 day hopper pass? Is this possible?

THanks
Jess

[Alice in wonderland]

Ok..... So i am so releaved!

I changed my reservation today. I was a bit concerned about doing the DDP for 11 nights. I just didnt think we could afford it and i was tossing up between getting rid of it all together. Anyway i finally had a brain wave.

I reserved Pop for 5 nights from the 2nd of Jan- 7th of Jan (5 nights) without dining and with a 9 day park hopper plus water parks.

I then reserved POP for 6 nights from 7th-13th of Jan (6 nights) with DDP and a 1 day base ticket.

This way i can still enjoy the DDP and not stress to much about the cost.

Now, i need to cancel my old reservations and make some new ones!

[Colexis Mom]

I'm glad you got it all worked out

[ArielsMomto2]

Sounds like you got it worked out. congrats.

[Alice in wonderland]

SO here are my final ADR's
01/03 Chef Mickey's @ 5pm
01/05 Sci Fi @ 6pm
01/07 Le Cellier 6:30pm
01/08 Crystal Palace 8:05 am
01/09 Boma 7:30pm
01/10 Whispering Canyon Café 7:30pm
01/11 Chef de France (4th Wedding Anniversary Dinner)
01/12 1900 Park Fare 7pm

[MyRapunzal]

Your ADRs sound perfect! You are going to have such a blast!
I am finishing up my next TR installment now but I have some great pics to post of Sci-Fi which we went to our last day so it will be posted soon enough... have you ever been? We went during both of our trips! Its so cool!

[DyanKJ130]

I think you came up with a great solution!! Your ADRs look YUMMO!!!