What Can Be Learned from Free Dining 2015

Yesterday, Free Dining was released to the public. We'd heard rumors about it over the last week or so, but nothing was confirmed until the early morning hours of April 27th. I'll spare you all the details, but essentially, there was far fewer availability of Free Dining rooms than there has been in the past and people were NOT happy.

Do I understand the frustration? Sure. But a lot of this could have been avoided. Most of it could have been, in fact. So what can we learn from the rollout of Free Dining 2015?

 - Nothing is guaranteed. NOTHING.

Has Disney World rolled out a Free Dining promotion in the last for years for the fall season? Yes, but never do they say or guarantee that it's going to continue every year, until the end of time, for all eternity. To be honest, I'm surprised they still offered it, for a myriad of reasons.

 - Fan sites need to be more careful about "scoops" or posting rumors.

I know that most fan sites come from a good place; they love Disney and when they hear rumors of something like Free Dining, they want to share it with their readers. But folks, you're doing more harm than good.

When you post about Free Dining coming, and it's going to be open to Disney Visa holders one day, and then the general public another, and here are all the details about dates and resorts......and it turns out not to be true? You have lots of upset Disney fans. And that's on YOU, not on Disney.

 - Disney fans should not count their Free Dining (or any discount) chickens before they're hatched.

Hearing a rumor about a discount, or Free Dining, or whatever is just that - a rumor, until Disney confirms the details. Don't let yourself get psyched up for something that very well might turn out to be false. It's perfectly OK to ask your travel agent, "Hey, I heard such and such might come up, can you let me know if it does?" so he/she can be ready to quote you a vacation package if/when a discount becomes available. Just don't set your hopes on every rumor and innuendo you've heard.

This is why I personally am always VERY cautious about talking Free Dining with clients when the details haven't been announced. The last thing I want is for someone to feel like they were promised a deal or discount that doesn't come to pass.

- Disney phone numbers being busy for hours and websites that are jammed is not something new. 

Fellow travel agents can attest - days like Free Dining rollouts are notorious for phone lines that ring busy for hours and websites that don't work or work part of the time. It's not unheard of for travel agents to wait for HOURS on hold during these promos. Disney recently rolled out a modification for our travel agent site that allows us to make some changes to a booking without calling in (and that's awesome) but it doesn't allow online modification in all instances and so many people still needed to call for quotes and to make changes. The site also experiences VERY high traffic on days like Monday, and so sometimes we're not even able to log into the website to change reservations or make new ones.

While I understand the public's frustration with the phone number and website, this was nothing new. Does Disney have some room for improvement here? I believe they do, but that's a separate issue.

 - Travel agents found out about the Free Dining promo exactly when everyone else did - Monday morning.

Part of our job as travel agents is to monitor new information and let you know if/when your vacation is available for any discounts or promos. We are looking out for you, and rest assured we're on the phone and on the Disney websites for hours, sometimes all day and all night, helping you book the best vacation for your family (whether that's Free Dining, or not).

I think one misconception about travel agents is that we get details from Disney days or even hours before the promos are launched. Nope! We hear the same time you do. So when you found out on Monday morning that there was very limited availability for Free Dining, we found out the same thing at the same time. We were working in the wee morning hours once the details were confirmed, but we found out when you did. We'll always keep you in the loop if/when promos or discounts are announced, but we don't have any special insight or confirmation as to when those are going to be released.

So, in short, folks - - let Monday, April 27th be a lesson to us all. If you get your hopes up for something that has not been verified, you very well might be disappointed. PLEASE do not count on or expect a promotion from Disney (or any other vacation vendor, for that matter), even though historically they might have released one. And finally, be very wary of what you read online before promos are released. Let your travel agent know you're interested IF something comes out, and rest assured they will stay in touch with you and let you know specifics when they become available.

Stay tuned later this week, I have an awesome book review coming up on Thursday! In the meantime, have a wonderful rest of your week!

Free Dining Details!!

Hi folks ~ today we got definite information about the Free Dining promotion at Walt Disney World for this fall, and I wanted to share that information with you!

(Edit as of 9:15AM central time - Availability is already VERY limited - not as many room choices as in the past. The websites are giving us issues, as are the phone lines. I will continue to try and reach Disney, and keep you posted.)

To get a no-obligation quote, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com, and let's start planning your Walt Disney World vacation!

This promo is available for booking starting today, April 27th.

The offer is valid for trips booked by July 10th, 2015. Availability is limited!

Free dining is available by booking a room and ticket package (minimum number of nights and number of ticket days required) that includes a room at select Walt Disney World resorts, and a ticket with Park Hopper or Water Park Fun and More option.

The travel dates are:

August 28 - October 2, 2015
October 25 - 31, 2015
November 8 - 19, 2015
December 15 - 21, 2015

When you stay at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe villa resort, you get the Disney Dining plan; for stays at Value resorts, the Quick Service Dining Plan is available!

Please note: Offer excludes The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard View Rooms, campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Resort and Disney's Port Orleans Riverside Resort (for select dates).

If you're a current client of mine, I'm already working to get Free Dining applied to your reservation!

For a no-obligation quote, please email me at katie@mouseworldtravel.com, and let's get started planning your Walt Disney World vacation!

Dining Review - 1900 Park Fare

Good morning and a Happy Sunday to you! You might be saying "Hey! Where's Sunday with Friends?!" I promise, that feature will be back soon. But in the meantime, I wanted to share my recent experience at 1900 Park Fare.

On my most recent jaunt to Walt Disney World, my friend Ellen and I headed over to the Grand Floridian for breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. Ellen had never been, and my last trip there was YEARS ago, so on Thursday morning we took the short walk from the Polynesian to the Grand Floridian.

(In a future post, I'll share with you about staying at the Polynesian. Thank you, Ellen, for letting me bunk with you!)

Our reservation was at 9:15AM and when we arrived, the restaurant was about 1/2 full. You check in, and then cast member photographers take your pictures against a pretty backdrop / feature wall at the entrance area. They scanned the picture onto Ellen's Magic Band and we were on our way.

They seated us and then our waitress took our drink orders, and said to go enjoy the buffet. There were quite a few choices, and varied! There was an omelet station, with omelets made to order. There was also lots of fruit and cereals, breads and rolls, and of course breakfast staples like eggs, bacon, sausage and the like. They also had a kid's buffet (at their height!) with Mickey waffles, eggs and bacon. A entree option I hadn't seen before was the Lobster Eggs Benedict, which I chose. It was quite good! Not as good as the Eggs Benedict on Disney Cruise Line, but it was still delicious.

1900 Park Fare is a character meal, and at this breakfast we had Tigger, Pooh, the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins and Alice. (At dinner, you have Cinderella, Lady Tremaine, the Prince and the Step Sisters.) I like character meals because if you like character pictures and autographs, it's a great way to get them without having to stand in lines. We still ended up waiting quite a bit for the characters (we must have caught them just before they went on a break) and so we were done with our meal by the time they were making their way around to us. This was a slight disappointment but ended up working out just fine. The characters came around in quick succession, and we took pictures and video. If you follow me on Periscope, you saw some of those videos a few weeks ago!

(In the picture below, the flower lei is from the Polynesian, not the breakfast at Park Fare. Just so you're not confused!)

The price was $26.99 each, but Ellen had the Tables in Wonderland dining card (more on that later!) so it saved us 20%.

I would give the breakfast food at 1900 Park Fare a grade of B to a B+. It was good, but nothing spectacular. However, I feel that at these character meals, you're paying more for the experience vs the food. That being said, the food was good, and the service from the cast members was good, as well. 

It was a very good breakfast, and a nice way to start our day. Other than the blip with the timing of the characters, we had a nice meal and a good time together.

I hope you all have a great Sunday! Have a magical day!

A Lunch at Beaches and Cream

Hello, all! I'm back from another fun trip to Orlando. As with the cruise I took in February, I'll be doing a different sort of "trip report". Instead of giving the information in date order, I'm just going to pull out some fun experiences and tell you about them over the next few months!

On Saturday the 18th, my cousins and I met for lunch at Beaches and Cream, the diner-esque restaurant at the Beach Club Resort. Sam and his girlfriend Skylar picked me up at the Wilderness Lodge, and we met Jacob there at the restaurant.

We've eaten here quite a few times; the food is consistently good, the service fun, and the prices are right. We had a reservation at 11:05AM so the restaurant wasn't busy; however, as we sat and had our meal, the tables filled up.

Beaches and Cream has a traditional diner menu, including burgers, onion rings, shakes and malts, and delicious ice cream treats. We all got different sandwiches and burgers; I added onion rings to my order. YUM! They are SO good and really hit the spot.

I am not a shake/malt fan BUT many people around us were ordering them and they looked delicious. Our waitress said her favorite is the Frozen Sunshine; it's rainbow sherbet, vanilla ice cream and seltzer blended together and topped with whipped cream and a candied orange slice. Someone at a table near us ordered one - and I have to admit, it did look tasty!

Of course, we couldn't go to Beaches and Cream and NOT get dessert! :) There's a smaller walk-up line in the restaurant where you can get sundaes and cones, but we ordered desserts off the menu.

We asked our server if Mickey Bars were available to order, as we didn't see them on the menu. She said yes (score!) so that's what Jacob ordered. Sam just wanted chocolate ice cream in a dish, and Skylar and I split the Banana Split.

Oh MERCY was this good!! So yummy and just what you want a banana split to be. Most of their ice cream treats are large enough to be shared by 3-4 people; this was a great size for the two of us to split.

I'll be returning to Beaches and Cream again; it's a great place to get a burger, onion rings and some killer ice cream.

Have you ever eaten at Beaches and Cream? What's your favorite thing to order?

Have a magical day!

Guest Author - Sarah Norris: Holidays at Disney with a Special Diet

When traveling to the Walt Disney World Resort with a special diet during the holidays, guests might wonder if they’ll be able to celebrate with special treats. The great news is that at Disney World, you can enjoy the jolliest of holidays with ease and delicious (and safe!) food. Here are some particularly magical holiday tips and ideas to help create that extra special holiday vacation.

Enjoy a holiday feast! Not matter what holiday you’re celebrating this fall and winter season, you can get a traditional turkey dinner any day of the week at Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom. Gluten free diners can happily enjoy honest to goodness gravy (which happens to be dairy free and allergy friendly too) with their turkey dinner. Dairy free? You’ll swoon over the delicious dairy free mashed potatoes. My family dines here every year during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for that holiday tradition. You’ll also love the holiday décor in the restaurant.

Did someone say cookies? Santa Claus isn’t the only one who loves holiday cookies! If you’re attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, head to one of the many cookies & cocoa stations located throughout the Magic Kingdom. Let a cast member know you have special dietary needs, and you’ll be treated to Enjoy Life cookies or OMG It’s Gluten Free cookies. Cocoa isn’t gluten free or dairy free, but you can always bring a safe mix from home and ask for hot water! 

Gingerbread displays & shops sometimes carry special diets treats! One of my favorite holiday traditions is to check out all the gingerbread and holiday displays at the various resorts. The biggest and most impressive are at Disney’s Grand Floridian and Disney’s Contemporary Resorts. There, take a look through all of the goodies for sale (yes, the gingerbread displays turn into honest to goodness shops!). For the past several years, Babycakes NYC treats have been available for purchase, including gingerbread people and cinnamon French toastie loaves. 

Enjoy a snack in the parks! Even though they aren’t holiday specific, I always look for gluten free and dairy free treats in the park. There’s something magical about watching the Holiday Wishes fireworks show while eating popcorn. For something sweet, you can score gluten free and dairy free caramel corn at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (the only known place to get it!). Of course, there’s always the classic turkey leg, which is both holiday inspired and gluten free and dairy free.

Make plans for a special meal. Disney excels at making amazing special diets options. Looking for sushi on Thanksgiving? A classic Feast of Seven Fishes Italian meal? Chances are, you’ll find it at one of Disney’s hundreds of restaurants. Planning ahead is key. Make your ADRs well in advance and be sure to note your special dietary needs on your reservation. 

It’s not just about the food! Of course, food is really important when you have a special diet, but Disney also offers so much amazing holiday entertainment that you’ll want to take advantage of it! From the Osborne Lights, Candelight Processional (pro tip: book a holiday dining package with this for an extra magical experience. My favorite is Biergarten), to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, there’s something for everyone!

I hope you enjoy your magical visit to Disney during the holidays. It’s one of my favorite times of year in the Disney Parks and Resorts!

Sarah Norris is the owner of Gluten Free & Dairy Free at WDW, where she chronicles her experiences visiting the Walt Disney World Resort gluten free, dairy free, and Crohn’s disease. You can frequently find her scouring the parks for the latest special diets Disney dining news and enjoying a safe and delicious meal.

The Pros and Cons of the Disney Dining Plan

From August 31 - September 4, I was able to "test drive" the Disney Dining Plan for myself. I've already done Live blog posts where I gave the actual dollars and cents (you can check those out in the archives!) but today I wanted to give my opinions on the Pros and Cons of the Dining Plan.

Pros:

* Your meals are pre-paid. There is definitely something to be said for convenience, and it was great not having to feel like I was getting my wallet out (or scanning my Magic Band) every time I ate. Having already taken care of that expense BEFORE the vacation is very nice; to me, this is the biggest perk of the Dining Plan.

* If you like to order higher-dollar entrees, you will save money.  If you're someone who typically orders the steaks, seafood or other higher-dollar meals, you'll hit the $60 per person, per day adult charge for the regular Dining Plan pretty quickly. If you know you'll be ordering that pricey Filet meal at Le Cellier, for example, the Dining Plan is probably a good bet for you.

* Dessert (and appetizers, if you're on the Deluxe plan) are included with your meal.
With the Dining Plan, you get a dessert included as part of both your Quick and Table Service credits (if you use a Quick Service for breakfast, however, dessert is NOT included). It's nice knowing that you'll always have a sweet treat with your meal, or something you can take back to your room and enjoy later.

* Since you get a Table Service credit, it encourages you to take time and have at least one sit-down meal per day.
For some this could be a Con, but I love getting some time off my feet while at Disney. This is especially true in the center-of-the-sun heat and humidity of Orlando in September. Having that credit available to use makes you take a break in your day and have a more leisurely meal.

Cons:

* It's a LOT of food. To me, this was the biggest Con of the Dining Plan.  Of course, to someone else, this might be a Pro.  I don't have dessert with every meal when I'm at home and after about 2 days of having dessert with every meal, I was starting to get TOO full. Like a revolving, still full from the last meal, can't imagine eating again.

*If you won't eat $60 worth of food per day, it's probably not a good deal for you. The current Dining Plan price for an adult is $60.44 per day, and so if you can't see yourself eating that amount of food in a day, the Dining Plan might not be for you. Example - let's say you like to grab a muffin for breakfast, split a lunch entree with your traveling partner and graze with snacks at dinner. From a money standpoint, the Dining Plan will not be worth it for you.

* You are staying in a suite or Disney Vacation Club room with a kitchen (or at least a kitchenette) and you plan to have some meals in your room.
One of the benefits of the suites on property is that you have a kitchenette or full kitchen at your disposal. I have been on my vacations where we buy breakfast foods, snacks, etc to eat in the room and it not only saves time but money. If you know you're going to eat at least a meal in your room each day, the Dining Plan might not be for you.

As always, these are just my opinions and I would love to hear yours! Do you like / not like the Dining Plan? Why?

Have a magical day!

Dining Review: Liberty Tree Tavern

On Monday, September 1st, I spent a lovely morning at Magic Kingdom.  After doing lots of attractions, it was time for lunch!  I made my way over to Liberty Tree Tavern.

I was excited, as I've not eaten here before but the reviews have always been pretty great.  It was quiet (a theme I would see all this week) and after checking in, I was able to be seated right away.

The menu has a variety of "traditional" fare - sandwiches, soups, salads, etc. I seriously considered ordering the BLT, as I LOVE a good BLT, but decided instead on the Colony Salad.  It's a salad with warm chicken, cranberries, cheese, green onions, apples and pecans with a very nice vinaigrette dressing. 

As I waited for my meal, I took a few pictures from my seat.  I was probably one of four groups dining at 11:30AM that day, so it was very quiet.

 

One nice thing about dining solo is that your food often comes pretty quick.  After only about 5-6 minutes of sitting at my table, my salad arrived.

 

YUM!! This was SO good and really hit the spot.  It was a super hot, sticky September day and having the cool salad was the perfect entree.

It was then time for dessert.  Remember, when you use a Table Service credit with the Dining Plan, you also get a dessert.  My lovely server told me all the choices, and then I asked his opinion on what I should order.  Without hesitation he said, "The Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake" and so that's what I chose!

 

Oh my goodness - this was SO GOOD.  Holy crap. The chocolate cookie / brownie, with the ice cream, AND chocolate sauce and caramel, AND toffee bits?! Be still be heart.  It was divine.  As you can see, it was HUGE and this could easily be split among 2 adults.

So, the verdict?  Would I eat here again?

Absolutely, 100%!  The food is good, the service is great and the atmosphere is wonderful.  There are so many more dishes here that I need to try, so you can believe I WILL be back!

Have a magical day!

 

 

Dining Review: Les Chefs de France

Today I am going to share my dining review of Les Chefs de France, located at the French pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase.

I was on a mission this trip to experience Table Service locations that I haven't visited in the past, and Les Chefs de France was on the list.

I toured Epcot on Tuesday, September 2nd and had a wonderful day (a full blow-by-blow of this day to come later!).  After a ride on Mission Space, I made my way back to the World Showcase and to Les Chefs for my 6:30PM reservation.  I was a few minutes early but I was able to be seated right away.

My waitress was great, very friendly.  I was seated at a 2-top table (I found this was the case for every Table Service meal I had) and was given a menu.  I ordered my normal Diet Coke, as sodas are included on the Dining Plan, and looked at what I would like to eat.

For each Table Service meal on the Dining Plan, you get your entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic beverage.  However, Les Chefs has a Prix Fixe option (as do many other locations) that is included on the Dining Plan and ends up giving you more food.   If I had paid out of pocket, it would have been $39.99 (plus tip).

I chose the french onion soup, the Gratin de macaroni for my entree and their strawberry and creme cake, which also came with a small scoop of sorbet.

The first course was the soup, and it was a large serving.  I was expecting more of a cup of soup, but this was a large bowl.  It also came with a good sized full baguette, which I didn't eat as I wanted to have room for the rest of my meal.

My main course was the Gratin de macaroni, and I had been anxious to try this.  Mac & cheese is one of my favorite meals to make at home, so I had high hopes for Les Chef's version.  As you can see in the picture, it was another HUGE serving and I only ended up eating about 1/3rd of it. It looked to be nearly a full box of pasta in just that one dish.  I have to say, honestly - I was a bit disappointed in it.  I didn't have much flavor and was very rich.  I think my macaroni I make at home is better, so that was a disappointment.

At this point, I was already pretty full but wanted to try a few more bites of the dessert.  I LOVE the dessert / pastry shop at the French pavilion so I was looking forward to dessert but again was underwhelmed.  It was fresh and the cake was a good consistency, but again not very flavorful.  The sorbet, however, was incredible - it tasted like it had been made fresh that day and it was probably my favorite part of the meal.

Here are some more pictures for you:

I didn't dislike the experience and I wasn't upset; my waitress was just lovely and the atmosphere of the restaurant was top-notch.  I will give them another try some time in the future - I like to give a restaurant at least a few tries before I decide not to go again, just in case they are having an "off" night. However, I'm sorry to say Les Chefs de France didn't make it onto my "must have" list for Disney Dining.

I was glad I was able to make it there this trip and try it out for myself.

Thank you for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE blog - Dining: The Final Numbers

Happy Thursday, everyone!  Today I board the Disney Dream, and will be only checking in sporadically here and on social media. I wanted to wrap up the Live blog about the dollars and cents of the Dining Plan so let's go!

As of this writing, I have not used my last Counter Service credit yet; however, I am using it for breakfast on this final morning and have already selected what I am ordering, so I can report back to you and then do the final tally.

I will also be doing a pros and cons post about the Dining Plan in the coming weeks!

So here is the Wednesday and Thursday AM information:

Wednesday: 

Breakfast - I used a Snack credit at Hollywood Studios to get a muffin.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $2.99
Dining Plan: 1 Snack credit

Lunch - Pepper Market.  I ordered the Empanadas, a soda and a piece of German Chocolate cake (which is in my fridge as we speak, and might be a snack later tonight).
Actual cost if paying OOP: $18.57
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit

Dinner - Maya Grill.  I had a soda, the Shrimp Tacos and a piece of the Coconut Flan for dessert.  That was my favorite dessert of the vacation so far!  So good.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $34.93
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit

Thursday:

Breakfast - Veggie omelet with an orange juice.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $10.98
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit

I also have 2 remaining Snack credits left; I am going to pick up two bags of Goofy's Candy Company candy at the gift shop and either take them home or share with friends on the cruise.
Actual cost if paying OOP: $7.00
Dining Plan: 2 Snack credits

So......drumroll please......

Cost of Dining Plan: $242.56

Actual cost of food ordered: $226.08

So, as you can see, had I paid for the Dining Plan I would not have saved any money (although the totals were very close).  However, as I said I also did not order typically higher-priced items or even look for the most pricey snacks to get the "best deal."  And of course, this was a Free Dining promotion so I came out money ahead, as I didn't pay for the Plan.

I do think the Dining Plan has merit for many reasons, and in the coming weeks we'll chat about it more in a Pros vs Cons post, so be on the lookout for that.

Today I depart on the Disney Dream!  I will be trying to post a picture or two, here or there but won't have as much internet access while on the ship. But I look forward to sharing LOTS of pictures and videos with you when I return to land on September 7th.

Thanks for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE Blog - Dining Plan: The Numbers - Tuesday

Hello from Orlando!  I wanted to report about Tuesday's Dining Plan, where I went and what credits I used.

Tuesday got off to a relaxing start.  I was originally going to head over to Epcot in the morning, but was pretty tired and decided I needed to just sleep until whenever I got up.  I ended up going to the pool for a while in the morning, which was great, and then was in Epcot from about 11:15 - 8:45PM.  I will do a full report on Tuesday at another time - - it was a great day!

I will also do more in-depth dining plan reviews of each of the Table Service locations at another time, and for now will just be giving you the dollars and cents information.

Today, I ended up using 2 of the Table Service credits.  I didn't use any Quick Service or snacks (but I did buy a Grand Marnier slushie, which is not on the Dining Plan.  Shhh!)

Breakfast - Carrot cake from a Counter Service meal.  I got the cake a few nights ago when I had dinner at Coronado, and wasn't hungry for it then but saved it in the fridge in my room.  I had that this morning, with a nice cup of coffee.
Cost: FREE

Lunch - Nine Dragons, China pavilion, Epcot.  They had an option where you could get a soup, entree and dessert for one price (prix fixe) and were able to use the Dining Plan on this option.  I got the Hot and Sour soup, the Sesame Chicken with Fried Rice (pictured above) and a ginger cake.  It was VERY good.
Actual cost if I would have paid OOP: $36.89
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Dinner - Les Chefs de France, French pavilion, Epcot. I also did the same option here as I did at Nine Dragons, the Prix Fixe menu.  I chose the French Onion soup, the Macaroni and Cheese and a strawberry cake with sorbet.
Actual cost if I would have paid OOP: $45.78
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Today is my final full day at WDW before the cruise, and I'll report back Thursday morning about Wednesday's dining.  I have 2 Counter Service, 1 Table Service and 3 Snacks remaining.  I have heard that people often have Snack credits at the end of their trip, and that has been the case with me as well.

Thanks again for following along - see you later!

Have a magical day!

LIVE Blog - Dining Plan: The Numbers - Sunday and Monday

As promised, I wanted to check in and let you know how I am doing so far on the Dining Plan.  Since it started Sunday, and Sunday evening was the only credit I used that day, I am going to combine Sunday and Monday into one post.

So, to recap: I have a total of 4 Table Service credits, 4 Quick Service credits, and 4 Snacks to use over the course of my stay.  I also got a refillable mug when I checked in, that I can use during the course of my stay.

With each Table Service meal, you get your entree, dessert and a nonalcoholic beverage.  You also get the same for each Quick Service meal - an entree, dessert and beverage.  If you're eating at a buffet, that counts as 1 Table Service.

I've also decided that in the coming weeks, I am going to do posts about how to use your credits "smarter", not harder.  I am quickly learning that this is quite a bit of food and you can really stretch what you order and for example, use your beverage choice and dessert choice from a Quick Service meal to get a muffin and orange juice, which you can then eat for breakfast the next day.  But more on that later.

So to recap where we are so far:

Sunday:

Dinner - I used a Quick Service credit that night, and went to the Pepper Market food court at Coronado Springs.  I ordered the nachos (HUGE - big enough to split), a soda and a piece of carrot cake (which is currently in my fridge and will be a good snack some evening).
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $16.97
Dining Plan: 1 Quick Service Credit

Monday: 

Breakfast - I ate at the Lounge I have access to at Coronado, which was FREE!  Sweet!

Snack - I got a Strawberry freeze/slushie at the Magic Kingdom.
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $3.99
Dining Plan: 1 Snack Credit

Lunch - Liberty Tree Tavern, where I ordered a Diet Coke, the Colony Salad, and the Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake for dessert (which was amazing).
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $27.00
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit

Dinner - Pepper Market at Coronado Springs.  I ordered a bottle of water, the Crab Cake sandwich and a brownie. I remembered to bring my refillable mug to dinner, so I put the water in my fridge in the room and am going to carry that to Epcot tomorrow morning.  This will save me using a Snack credit for bottled water.
Actual cost if I would have paid Out Of Pocket (OOP): $20.98
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service Credit

I will check in on Wednesday with today's dining information and then on Thursday, before I leave on the cruise I will add Wednesday's info and add up the grand total.

Thanks for reading - and have a magical day!

LIVE blog - The Dining Plan: How's It Going?

Good afternoon from sunny (and HOT!) Orlando!

If you remember, back when I was talking about this vacation and Free Dining, I said I would report back and let you know how the Dining plan worked out.  Meaning, in terms of dollars and cents, would you save money by choosing the Dining plan?

Of course, the Dining package was Free (I booked a Free Dining room and ticket package) but for the sake of reporting, let's assume I paid the $60.64 per adult, per day rate for the regular Dining plan. As a reminder, this gives you, for each night of your stay, one snack, one counter service meal and one table service meal.  You also get a refillable mug to use at your resort for coffee, soda and tea. So, in total, I would have paid $242.56 for the dining plan.

Also, I am ordering what I would have ordered regardless of whether I had the Dining plan or not. Meaning - if I want to order the pasta or the steak or the salad, etc, I will - vs looking at the menu and saying "This pasta costs $15 and this steak costs $30 so I am going to get the steak." This is not a wrong way to do the Dining Plan, by any means - in fact, it gets the most bang for your buck - but since I am comparing apples to apples, I wanted to order what I would have, had I paid out of pocket.

I am also committed to not spending any additional money on food, above and beyond the Dining plan. I will report on this as well, and let you know how it works out.  I know it can be done, with a little creativity, and so I'm anxious to try out my "strategy".

So that I don't have a monster-huge post when I get home, I am going to check in every day and give you the lowdown on Dining from the previous day.  I'll let you know what I ordered and how the total for the day compared to the $60.64 per day price of the Dining plan.  I'll also keep you posted on how many snack, counter and table service credits I've used, and how many I have remaining. At the conclusion of the trip, I'll give a grand total and we'll have a final discussion.

Since tips for your servers are not included in the Dining plan, I am not going to report what I spent on those, as I would be paying them regardless of having the Dining plan or not.

I will report on Tuesday what credits I have used so far, and what the dollar value of those items were compared to the Dining Plan.

In the meantime, have a wonderful afternoon and I'll see ya back here tomorrow!

Trip Report Day Five: Dinner at Lumiere's

As the boat sailed away from Miami, Wendy, Sadie and I were in the spa, getting some WONDERFUL pedicures.  I don't have pictures from that, because we were too busy relaxing.  :)  I usually get the Fire and Ice pedicure the first night on the ship, as it's a great way to get in "vacation mode"!

After pedicures, we went to our rooms to quickly change into dinner clothes, and then headed to our first sit-down meal on ship!

The Magic has three restaurants that are part of your nighttime dinner rotation: Lumiere's, Carioca's and Animator's Palette.  Your dining rotation is printed on your room card, and is also delivered to your room in the form of tickets.  Also on your room card (and the tickets) is your table number - that will be your same table number for your entire cruise.

On the first night, you also meet your servers!  Your waitstaff travels with you to the restaurants each night, so you have the same team of people with you the whole cruise.  We had GREAT servers; they were both fantastic!

The first night, we went to Lumiere's.  This is the "fanciest" of the rotation.  I saw some pictures of the dining room before we left, but they didn't do it justice - it was BEAUTIFUL.

I was able to come back the next day, and get pictures during the day with no one else in the room.

When I was taking pictures, a cast member came up to me and pointed out that the light fixture above this mural, with the rose in it, lights specifically so it illuminates Belle and the Beast.  Gotta love those Disney details!

I did a bad job this trip of taking pictures of the actual food I ordered.  I did remember to grab a few, however:

I LOVE a french onion soup, and this one did not disappoint.  I chose the soup for my appetizer, and it was delicious.

I don't have any more food pictures until dessert, but I do remember that for the main course I chose the lobster mac and cheese.  That was also very good.

I managed to remember to snap a few pictures of the dessert menu:

I chose the Souffle and let me tell you - YUMMO.  If you've been to Palo, this is not unlike the souffle they serve there, but in a vanilla form.  VERY good.

After dinner, everyone parted to do their own thing.  The boys (Noah, Sam and Jacob) left to play cards in one of the lounges, and then Noah and Jacob went to the 18-21 mixer and then to karaoke.  I can't recall what we did - Sadie and I might have wandered around taking pictures, as the movie didn't start until 10:00PM.  Wendy and Scott thought they'd go to see Saving Mr. Banks with us that night, but when we went to their room they were already getting ready for bed, so three of us went to see it.

Sam, Sadie and I went to Saving Mr. Banks and it was as wonderful as the reviews I'd read.  I will do a more detailed review later, but suffice it to say - this is one NOT to miss.

The movie was over after midnight, and after saying good night to the kids I got ready and went to bed.  I always get a good night's sleep on the cruise, as the gentle rocking of the boat puts me right to sleep.

Next: Our Day at Sea!

Trip Report Day Three: Animal Kingdom - Breakfast Time at Tusker House

After our amazing safari, it was time to head over to Tusker House for our New Year's Eve breakfast.

When you check in, you wait for a few minutes for your table.  You also take your picture with Donald Duck!  Tusker House is a character breakfast, and you'll see Mickey and Friends dressed in their safari finest.

Hello, Donald!

Here's our check in ticket, noting our time and the date.

A hostess comes out, calls your name, and then you're escorted into the dining area.  As you walk in you'll see a large open room with various breakfast food stations - if you leave hungry, it's your own fault!  Traditional breakfast fare is available, as well as more "exotic" offerings.  It's SO GOOD.

I also liked that the buffet stations are split up into smaller stations, so you don't have to stand in line for a long time to get to the items you want.  Also, it breaks up the crowds so even though there were a lot of people eating breakfast at Tusker House that morning, the buffet never felt crowded or overwhelming.

Of course, in true Disney fashion, the difference is in the details.

When you're seated, your server takes your drink order and then you're free to go to the buffet.  Coffee, tea, soft drinks, and milk are included with your meal.

The characters also come around to your table, and stop for a picture and/or autograph.  We saw Mickey, Daisy and Goofy!

Me and my boyfriend, Mickey.  (Shhhh, don't tell Minnie!)

Noah and Ms Daisy

Me and Daisy

Noah with Goofy

Me and Goofy

We then got our check taken care of, and headed on our way!  With the Magic Bands, you can also use them as your charging privileges so you don't have to carry around your wallet.  The server brought a barcode scanner to our table, scanned my band and that was it!  Very fast and easy.  He brought us the receipt to sign and then we were done.

We really enjoyed this meal.  It was pricey (about $30 per person before tip) but the food was very fresh, there was a lot of variety and the service was excellent.  They didn't rush you at all, but the cast members and servers kept things moving, so that all the characters had a chance to come to your table during your meal.

Character meals are a GREAT way to see your favorite Disney friends; no standing in line at a park, they come right to your table!

After our breakfast, we decided to walk around, burn some breakfast calories and explore the park.

See you next time!

Clementines + Cupcakes = Healthy AND Delicious!

The treats at Walt Disney World are by-in-large amazing and not to be missed.  One of my favorites is the plain vanilla cupcake with sprinkles; I got this particular treat while staying at Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa this past February.

In my quest to have balance in my life, I thought that having the cupcake AND a few Clementines would be a good idea.  Because, as you know, the healthy fruit cancels out the sugary calories of the frosted cupcake.

Wait....you meant that's NOT how it works?  Darn it.

Oh well - it's still one of my favorite treats on property!

What treat, sweet or otherwise, do you like to get on your Disney trip?