Booked on the buy four, get three free deal at the Beach Club in early May! I haven't booked the dining package yet (hoping for some additional enticement from the Disney folks) but planning on the deluxe. (We are two adults who don't do counter service and I'm a little bit of a foodie so I plan to get my money's worth at some of the signature restaurants.)

I would have liked to spend some time at the Poly but couldn't reconcile my eating habits and a Poly theme park view into the budget for this trip.

Great! I hope you have a wonderful time.

I'm going March 28-April 3--two nights at POFQ then moving to BWV. Not planning on the dining plan this time -- not sure what eating I will be doing this time.

I'm sorry we won't see you there. We were hoping for April but couldn't find dates that worked.

As for eating, I am recovering from the foster parent diet so I have a lot of calories to make up. :)

Enjoy your trip!

... but planning on the deluxe. (We are two adults who don't do counter service and I'm a little bit of a foodie so I plan to get my money's worth at some of the signature restaurants.)

I don't know of anyone who has booked the deluxe dining plan that has been happy with it. There's just so freakin' much food on that plan - 3 table service meals a day! I found the one time that I used the regular plan that there was more than enough food for me. In fact I usually find myself trying to eat a bit lighter at my fast food lunch so that I'll have room to eat big at dinner. Eating big at lunch and then again at dinner is simply too much for me (& I'm a big guy!). Add in a sitdown breakfast every day and you have a stuffed, waddling, unhappy Dan!

I know the statistics are against me but I've thought about it long and hard! Here's my plan:

Table service breakfast every day (we are not counter service people, so we would definitely lose money on any plan that includes a counter meal). One of us gets a heavier meal and one gets a fruit and bagel deal; we share so as to have a balanced meal.

No lunch, just a snack and a water.

Mostly dinners at Hoop de Doo, Ohana, or signature dining restaurants that require two table service credits.

If you watched my eating habits at Disneyland, you'd find them very similar. It's just that the only food choice for dinner here is Napa Rose.

I will be saving up for a prepaid cash card to cover taxes and tips, as well as the occasional adult beverage.

It's just my husband and I; we aren't doing any commando style touring; and we're looking forward to spending time touring and eating at the resorts. Nor are we the types to eat anything just because it's there. We eat until we're satisfied and then we stop. (Although I'm much likelier to eat a bit more of something REALLY good.)

And (ta da!) I have a secret thing I'm going to try out. If it works out, I'll post it in my trip report.

At any rate, we'll have an opportunity to see if ANYONE can make this plan work. If I can't do it, then I'll eat my words as well. :)

I thought the deluxe plan didn't distinguish between signature (2 credit) and not meals? Hmmm... going to go check out the pdfs (if the links still work :rolleyes:)

ETA: Never mind - the current deluxe plan (http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw/images2003/languagespecific/eng/nontheme/tickets/2009deluxeDining.pdf) DOES differentiate between signature and not...

I know what you mean about the Disney site. I finally used allears.net for their 2009 participating restaurant link and the Unofficial touring guide site to get a sense for park hours.

I'll check back and confirm everything on the Disney site when I get closer to our 90 day window--before I buy the plan or make the final ADR's. (Bistro de Paris still doesn't seem to be there, darn it, and I know my husband would enjoy it.)

(P.S. CM did not know what ADR stood for when I called! Talk about not getting a warm feeling. Thank goodness I have this site!)

Table service breakfast every day....No lunch, just a snack and a water....Mostly dinners at Hoop de Doo, Ohana, or signature dining restaurants that require two table service credits.

Y'know, that's actually not a bad plan at all. I also like the 2 credit restaurants, which is another reason why the basic dining plan didn't work well for me. After eating at the California Grill and the Brown Derby, I still had to pay out of pocket for meals, which sorta blew the whole idea of prepaid dining. But your way just might work out to your advantage. Be sure to post again when you come back and let us know how it worked for you. I just might have to try your way in the near future!

At the very least, I'll die trying. :)

Flights booked today and "paid" for with American Express points. Waiting for that itinerary to post to United so I can see if I can't upgrade our seats a bit with those points.

After weeks of saying he did not want to hear anything from me about planning other than what dates to put on his calendar, my husband popped up this morning to make sure I had put the train tour on the schedule. "Um, I thought you didn't want to know?" Response: "You know I HAVE to be on that tour!"

Hmm. "How do you feel about the Hoop de Doo Review? It's a fun dinner show with kind of a Billy..." "ABSOLUTELY!!! DO THEY HAVE RIBS? ARE YOU TAKING ME TO NASA? WHAT HOTEL DID YOU PICK? MY SISTER SAID SHE WOULD HOUSE SIT."

Hmm. "I think the budget might cover a boat tour of the fireworks." "SURE, WHATEVER YOU WANT."

I'm not sure what strange creature has taken over my husband but it seems like we'll get along.

Hmmm - your husband sound kinda loud ? ? ?

For him, maybe. He's normally incredibly low key. It was more that he was excited (he never likes vacations until they are over, at which point he becomes very nostalgic). Thus my suspicion he's been replaced by a pod person.

Just booked all my ADR's!

On the 12th, dinner at Rose and Crown at 7:40 to take advantage of Illuminations

On the 13th, dinner at California Grill, coordinated to end at fireworks time

On the 14th, and still on the fence about this, Brown Derby at 7:30. Not taking advantage of the Fantasmic dinner package (included with Deluxe Dining) due to recent reports of mass chaos and no reduction in line time. Will reconsider closer to trip.

On the 15th, an early lunch at the 50's Prime Time Cafe and some dinner and entertainment at Raglan Road

On the 16th, dinner at Jiko

On the 17th, an early dinner at Le Cellier

On the 18th, just got the last slot for the first seating of the Whoop de Doo Review!

I need to add a tour but for some reason they won't let me do it until tomorrow.

How exciting, bennette! Your planning is moving right along. :)

Yup. Booked an extra day at the Beach Club because our flight is coming in late and I didn't want to switch hotels on a "relaxing" trip. All we have to do is pay. :)

Hurry up with those taxes, already, honey!

See, if I could ever afford it, that is exactly how I'd use the deluxe dining plan Bennette. Only 2 TS's a day-plus you get the mug and two snacks a day. Snacks don't have to be for junk-but milk, fruit, water. And even if you don't use the mug at the resort, it's a nice Disney touch to have at home. It'll be interesting to hear your dining TR.

Oh gosh--our ADRs are almost identical! And I will say my only "must do" was the Brown Derby--it was absolutely wonderful. (And yes, the grapefruit cake is fab!)

Drats. I have already canceled the Brown Derby in favor of Flying Fish Cafe because it didn't really work with our touring plans when I went to flesh them out. I'll have to see what I can do.

I've heard great things about Flying Fish, though, too. So if it works better and if you haven't tried it before, I'd stick with it.

It's just that I want them all!

Sigh. I know I'll be happier if I don't try to hit everything on one visit but it's hard.

I just have to keep repeating my travel mantra: Disneyworld (Paris, New York, Provence, etc.) will still be there for the next visit.

Flying Fish is EXCELLENT!!!!!

That's the problem; so many good choices.

It's not like home where it's just hubby and I battling between Napa Rose and Blue Bayou.

I can't complain. There are worse things in life than narrowing down your restaurant list. :rolleyes:

Well, I somehow managed to overlook my associate's retirement party on my calendar so we have just pushed the trip back a week. Yippie, it's one week to wait! Boo hoo, I lost my Le Cellier reservation and I could only get a 9:30 seating for Hoop De Doo. Something to do with Mother's Day. :(

I have soothed my pain with a Brown Derby reservation but I think my husband would prefer Le Cellier. I'll have to keep calling and hoping for a cancellation.

If anyone is looking for a Hoop de Doo for 2 people on May 19, it was recently made available, along with a May 18 4:00 Le Cellier for 2.