Dining Plan suggestions?

[Chazon]

Hi all - we are going for a 4 night, 5 day trip , party of 5 (8, 10 & 15) early March staying at Port Orleans Riverside with the Disney Dining Plan. We're first timers, but after a good bit of research, this is our plan so far. I wanted to get feedback from the veterans on what will or won't work.

Day 1 - Arrival Mid-day(~11 am) - Check in, take boat to Disney Springs, then bus to dinner for Storybook Dining at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge - ADR for 4 pm. (would like to get a later time, but this was only time available)

Day 2 - MK day! Plan to do light breakfast in room, possible snack or QS mid-day, and ADR for 4:15 pm at Crystal Palace.

Day 3 - AK Day! Be there for Rope drop, catch a ride or two, then head to Tusker House for ADR at 10:45 am. Sounds like we'll catch the tail end of breakfast and the start of lunch? Plan to use a QS in the evening.

Day 4 - HS Day! Light breakfast in room, mid-day snack or QS, then ADR at Sci-Fi Diner at 4:10pm.

Day 5 - Epcot! Use any left over QS/Snacks around the world, then leave for home.

Would love to hear your input! Thanks!

 

[sharonabe]

I would change your arrival day transportation. Take the bus to MK and then take the ferry from MK over to Wilderness Lodge. Keep looking for something a little later. Five hours from arrival shouldn't be a problem, but a later ADR gives you more wiggle/relax room.

Not dining related, but how much time do you have on Day 5?

 

[Chazon]

Not dining related, but how much time do you have on Day 5?

We plan to leave between 4&5 pm.

 

[Hopefully]

How are you arriving? Scheduled arrival at 11AM if you are flying will get you to WDW Resort about 1. By the time you check in and hopefully get a room there is no time to go to DS before your Artist Point reservation. With a 4PM ADR you likely will not even have a room before your dinner.

 

[Chazon]

Arrive at airport at 9:00am - so puts us at the resort around 11.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Hi all - we are going for a 4 night, 5 day trip , party of 5 (8, 10 & 15) early March staying at Port Orleans Riverside with the Disney Dining Plan. We're first timers, but after a good bit of research, this is our plan so far. I wanted to get feedback from the veterans on what will or won't work.

Day 1 - Arrival Mid-day(~11 am) - Check in, take boat to Disney Springs, then bus to dinner for Storybook Dining at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge - ADR for 4 pm. (would like to get a later time, but this was only time available)

Day 2 - MK day! Plan to do light breakfast in room, possible snack or QS mid-day, and ADR for 4:15 pm at Crystal Palace.

Day 3 - AK Day! Be there for Rope drop, catch a ride or two, then head to Tusker House for ADR at 10:45 am. Sounds like we'll catch the tail end of breakfast and the start of lunch? Plan to use a QS in the evening.

Day 4 - HS Day! Light breakfast in room, mid-day snack or QS, then ADR at Sci-Fi Diner at 4:10pm.

Day 5 - Epcot! Use any left over QS/Snacks around the world, then leave for home.

Would love to hear your input! Thanks!

Some items to note/comments- You may just have to drop your bags at the front desk as your room may not be ready at 11am. It's not a big deal, we've done it before. Did you mean for all your dinner meals to be around 4pm? I'd use a reservation finder if you would prefer later meal times for dinner. We've used touring plans and mouse dining and both have found me hard to get ADRs. We love to eat but when our meals are close together in time, we never eat our money's worth so consider that on your buffet days. I think your plans sound good. Remember you can take your snack credits with you if you don't want to eat them there, just grab some packaged goodies.

 

[gharter]

The plan looks good.
Will you have DDP credits for day 5? If so, I would do a TS for noon so you don't lose that. Then use what/if any remaining on snacks or QS before you leave.
Another vote for Touring Plans reservation finder. We have had success with it finding hard to get ADRs. Can't hurt.
Good luck and enjoy!

 

[Chazon]

Did you mean for all your dinner meals to be around 4pm?

That's how it worked out with what was available. I do have alerts set in MseDining to find later times if available, but so far the only other times available are 8pm for Crystal Palace and Sci Fi, and we want to see the Fireworks at MK and the Star Wars show at HS.

 

[Chazon]

Will you have DDP credits for day 5?

I believe that it's based of the number of nights? If that is correct, then we'll only have 4 TS - and we have reserved 1 on arrival day, then MK, AK, and HS - leaving just QS credits and snacks for Epcot.

 

[garnwr32229]

The plan looks good.
Will you have DDP credits for day 5? If so, I would do a TS for noon so you don't lose that. Then use what/if any remaining on snacks or QS before you leave.
Another vote for Touring Plans reservation finder. We have had success with it finding hard to get ADRs. Can't hurt.
Good luck and enjoy!

Just curious why would a table service credit need to be used by noon? I’m only asking bc I have my last one scheduled for 4pm on our departure day. Was that a mistake?

 

[sharonabe]

Just curious why would a table service credit need to be used by noon? I’m only asking bc I have my last one scheduled for 4pm on our departure day. Was that a mistake?

I think they just meant to use it around lunch time since OP is leaving that day around 4 or 5 and wouldn't be able to do a dinner if they still had another TS credit to use. You'll be fine using your last TS around 4 pm.

 

[garnwr32229]

I think they just meant to use it around lunch time since OP is leaving that day around 4 or 5 and wouldn't be able to do a dinner if they still had another TS credit to use. You'll be fine using your last TS around 4 pm.

Oh ok, thank you! We are doing the dining plan for the first time and that comment made me nervous.

 

[need2travel]

Hi all - we are going for a 4 night, 5 day trip , party of 5 (8, 10 & 15) early March staying at Port Orleans Riverside with the Disney Dining Plan. We're first timers, but after a good bit of research, this is our plan so far. I wanted to get feedback from the veterans on what will or won't work.

Day 1 - Arrival Mid-day(~11 am) - Check in, take boat to Disney Springs, then bus to dinner for Storybook Dining at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge - ADR for 4 pm. (would like to get a later time, but this was only time available)

Day 2 - MK day! Plan to do light breakfast in room, possible snack or QS mid-day, and ADR for 4:15 pm at Crystal Palace.

Day 3 - AK Day! Be there for Rope drop, catch a ride or two, then head to Tusker House for ADR at 10:45 am. Sounds like we'll catch the tail end of breakfast and the start of lunch? Plan to use a QS in the evening.

Day 4 - HS Day! Light breakfast in room, mid-day snack or QS, then ADR at Sci-Fi Diner at 4:10pm.

Day 5 - Epcot! Use any left over QS/Snacks around the world, then leave for home.

Would love to hear your input! Thanks!

On Day One-your arrival day I would take the bus to MK then boat to Wilderness Lodge for Artist Point (as PP suggested) then since it's an early dinner either head into MK later for HEA fireworks or just boat over to the Contemporary to view the HEA fireworks from there (you can always cab or Uber back to the Riverside). It would give you an extra dose of Disney to start your vacation off right. Have a great time!!