We are planning on purchasing APs for our upcoming trip to WDW, and I recently read somewhere that AP holders (as well as Florida residents) are eligible for something called the "Disney Dining Experience." As far as I know, it is like a discount card, but my knowledge of the program is pretty much limited to that. Does anyone know anything more about this? Would you recommend it? How exactly does it work and what good does it do you?

Basically, any wisdom you can share about this "experience" would be great!

Annual Passholders can purchase the DDE card for $65. It gives you a 20% discount on all food and beverages at participating restaurants. We love the DDE!

If you like to go to the table service places you will make your money back fairly quickly. Also, it is a discount on the whole check including drinks. The AK was the only park with cs discount as there were no ts available, but I don't know if that has changed now that they have ts there.

As I recall, it's also good on fast food locations as well. And if you enjoy the adult beverage, the savings really add up martini by martini!!!

is it possible to buy and use this card at wdw? we won't buy the AP til we arrive (have to upgrade a 10 day parkhopper we bought before the prices went up, from undercover tourist) so we don't have the option of waiting for it to be sent to us. does anyone know if this is possible? thanks, emma

I would call them and ask. I think you can get the letter at Epcot the same day, or the next day, so if they do need you to wait, then you could at least call right away, and only miss out on being able to use it for a day.

does the letter you mention stand in for the actual card until it arrives? i guess it would make sense for them to have some sort of arrangement like that. also, can you buy it anywhere other than Epcot? I think our schedule does not have us there until day 3. thanks for the info!!

Yes, the letter and a small temp card stand in for the real thing. You have to call before hand, but the only place to pick it up is Guest Relations outside Epcot, as far as I've ever heard.

If you purchase an AP on site, and do not have the voucher in advance, it is possible to get a temporary DDE card. Also this works if there is very little lead time between your ordering the card and your arrival.

1. Call the DDE office at 407-566-5858 between 8:30am and 4:00pm Monday to Friday (except Holidays) and give them your name, the string of letters and numbers on the bottom of the pass (starting with a "W") and your credit card information. If you are a Florida Resident and not an AP holder they will ask for your Florida Driver's license (or State ID) number.

2. Starting at 5:30pm that day, and any time it is open, you can go to the Guest Relations Window outside Epcot's Main Entrance (On your right as you face Spaceship Earth) with a photo ID and you will be given an envelope.

3. The envelope will have in it a temporary card which expires 30 days from the date of the request and a sheet of paper listing all locations which currently accept the card.

4. The plastic embossed card should arrive at your home within a month. The expiration date on the embossed card will be either the last day of the current month in the next year, or if you ordered it late enough in the month it will be the last day of the following month the next year.

Also, if you purchase it between the first and about the 7th of a month it will expire the next year on the last day of the same month. If your purchase is after the 10th, the expiration will be the last day of the following month the next year. If you order it between the 7th and 10th is anybody's guess.

Thanks for that clarification - the above post fits right in with the info that I've received. I just purchased my DDE last week for a trip in December. There's a chance that the card won't make it to me by mail. The DDE folks did indeed tell me that if it doesn't make it to call them a couple days before I leave home, so that they can have the temp version ready.

OK, so on the day I arrive, as soon as I have bought my AP (which will be around midday), I call that number and pay by CC for the DDE, and then later that day, after 5.30, I will make the trip to epcot to pick up the card. thanks so much for the information. I guess I will amend our day plan a bit - we are going to MK as soon as we have checked in at the WL, but this just means I will get my first chance to use the monorail! and head to epcot to pick up the card. hurruh! thanks again, Emma

Thanks for all the replies, guys. A few more questions:

1. So, if we purchase our APs online then we can purchase our DDE card online as well, right? If we do it this way, will we recieve the actual card in the mail? About how far in advance should we make these purchases?

2. Is the card good for discounts at counter service places as well as table service places?

3. Can you receieve a discount on the Fantasmic Dinner package with the card?

Thanks again everyone!

One thing to remember with the DDE is that it's active when you receive it. So you don't really want to purchase it 6 months in advance, as you're just throwing away 1/2 a year's membership. The AP, on the other hand, doesn't activate until first use, so you can purchase the voucher farther in advance of your next trip.

And I'm pretty sure the DDE is also good at counter service restaurants. Can somebody confirm?

according to the disney website these are the participating places - they mainly look like table service places to me apart from the value resort food courts:


Participating Restaurants and Lounges in the DDE as of February 2007:

All-Star Music Resort
Intermission Food Court

All-Star Sports Resort
End Zone Food Court

All-Star Movies Resort
World Premiere Food Court

Animal Kingdom Lodge
Boma-Flavors of Africa
Jiko-The Cooking Place
Victoria Falls

Beach Club Resort
Beaches & Cream Soda Shop
(eat in only)
Cape May Cafe
Martha's Vineyard Lounge

BoardWalk
Bellevue Lounge
ESPN Club
Flying Fish Cafe
Spoodles

Eagle Pines and Osprey Ridge Golf Club
Sand Trap Bar & Grill

Caribbean Beach Resort
Shutters at Old Port Royale

Contemporary Resort
California Grill
Chef Mickey's
Concourse Steakhouse
Outer Rim Lounge

Coronado Springs Resort
Maya Grill

Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Crockett's Tavern
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (9:30 p.m. show only, offered seasonally)
Trail's End Restaurant

Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
1900 Park Fare
Cítricos
Garden View Lounge
Grand Floridian Cafe
Mizner's Lounge
Narcoossee's
Victoria & Albert's (excluding Chef's Table)

Old Key West Resort
Olivia's Cafe

Polynesian Resort
'Ohana
Kona Cafe
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (late show only)
Tambu Lounge

Pop Century Resort
Everything Pop Dining
Classic Concoctions

Port Orleans Resort
Riverside:
Boatwright's Dining Hall
River Roost
French Quarter:
Scat Cat's Club
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory

Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
The Turf Club Bar and Grill

Wilderness Lodge
Artist Point
Territory Lounge
Whispering Canyon Cafe

Yacht Club Resort
Ale and Compass Lounge
Crew's Cup Lounge
Yacht Club Galley
Yachtsman Steakhouse

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Marketplace
Cap'n Jack's Restaurant

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Pleasure Island
Raglan Road

DOWNTOWN DISNEY West Side
Planet Hollywood

Epcot
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Biergarten Restaurant
Bistro de Paris Restaurant
Chefs de France Restaurant
Coral Reef Restaurant
L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Nine Dragons Restaurant
Restaurant Marrakesh
Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
San Angel Inn Restaurante
The Garden Grill Restaurant

Disney-MGM Studios
50's Prime Time Cafe
Hollywood & Vine
Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
The Hollywood Brown Derby
Tune-In Lounge

Magic Kingdom
Cinderella's Royal Table
Liberty Tree Tavern
The Crystal Palace
The Plaza Restaurant
Tony's Town Square Restaurant

Animal Kingdom
Tusker House Restaurant
Pizzafari
Flame Tree Barbecue
Restaurantosaurus

Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Official All-Star Cafe

Disney's Vero Beach Resort
The Green Cabin Room
Shutters Restaurant
Sonya's Fine Steaks & Chops (Sunday Brunch not included)

Entertainment & Dancing:

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Pleasure Island:
Half price admission to Pleasure Island Clubs for members and guest;
except for specially priced events

Atlantic Dance Hall - Disney’s BoardWalk:
Admission is free for members and guest

The only time it's officially usable at a counter service location, is when there is no table service location available. This is why the Value Resort food courts and the POFQ food court are listed, as well as AK in general. I'm anticipating that 2008 will show a change in the AK locations, since Tusker House and Yak and Yeti will have TS locations.

There have been reports of people asking at other counter service locations (POR food court is where I remember hearing this), but that is not on the official list.

One thing that was irritating to me is that it wasn't usable for breakfast at Caribbean Beach food court. The TS restaurant (Shutters) isn't open for breakfast, so there IS no TS location there for breakfast. But those are the rules (and I did ask one day).

I would consider Pizzafari and the Flame Tree BBQ in DAK as counter service. I wonder if this will change when Yak & Yeti comes online???