Yes, it is a good deal, especially if you want to eat (try) some of the more expensive restaurants. My family has done it twice. First time paid for it, second time free. Also going in Sept. for free again. What I really like about it is these main things:
1. We have tried restaurants that we hadn't before. We know have new favs-Kona and Park Faire (both for dinner)
2. When not on the
DDP, we tend to eat more meals outside of the parks (inc. in our room). We go to the store (we have rental van) and economize by eating cereal and sandwiches, fruit, toast, etc. With DDP we only eat breakfast in the room (most days)
3. My DD can get whatever she wants! I'm not paying extra for it so if she wants dessert, she can have it. If she doesn't eat it all-I don't care!
.
4. Snacks-even before the new changes on the plan, I liked not thinking about every $ spent on snacks. Now with the changes, I don't think we'll have a problem using up all our snack credits. My DD6 especially likes getting an Itzakadoozie (popsicle) everyday. They are her favorite. When I have to pay for it, I let her get one every other day, or so. On DDP-everyday-who cares!
Basically, I like the freedom of knowing my meals are taken care of, I can order what I want, and I get to try new places. This trip we are trying for the first time, Rose and Crown, and Park Faire for
breakfast. Maybe Alfredos too, have to check our schedule.
The one negative about DDP (IMHO) is this: Trying to plan where you're going to be each day of the trip is next to impossible!
The best I can do is look at the parks calendars and figure which park I think I'll be in at dinner time (usually the EMH p.m. park). I also scheduled some at resorts so that if we don't go to one of the 4 parks that day, we'll still have ADR somewhere. We know we'll go to at least one water park this trip (probably both though) and my DM refuses to spend all 10 days of our trip at Disney. So, we will have to make at least one, or two, small side trips-to the beach, Kennedy, etc. to keep her happy. If those days fall on a day I scheduled a meal in a park, then we are out of luck! I know that all the ADR I have will not hold, I will have to cancel at least a few while we are there.
Here's where we're dining (at least I have these ADR)
Kona dinner
Prime Time Cafe dinner
Park Faire dinner
San Angel lunch and Le Cellier dinner (same day)
Cal. Grill dinner
LTT dinner and
MNSSHP
Rose and Crown dinner (1st time)
Brown Derby dinner (DM loves Cobb salad!)
Park Faire
breakfast (1st time)