Pushback- cut right down on ADRs this year, Bang for buck philosophy.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by Mexy02

A trip report is a great idea. Some of our best for buck meals were grand flo cafe , liberty tree tavern , blaze, . I always find via Napoli good food as well. Mama Melrose was a quick grab adr but it was pleasantly ok and not overly over priced. Longhorns did tick every box though offsite.

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Via Napoli is good value in that it is meant to be good (thanks for feedback) and that huge pizza feeds a family of 4, even though its a very pricey pizza. Liberty Tree looks v good for lunch, but we don't eat big lunches and the family style evening meals are getting into pricey territory.
Longhorns I agree- they can be brilliant- they do vary in quality though. I was on one in Delaware or Virginia 2.5 years ago and it was poor, then last summer one in Pennsylvania and it was average. The two on 192, particularly the one next to Super Target were both brilliant though when was last there- I still say that one is one of the best ribeyes I have ever had, it was better than the Filet I had from Narcoosees.

[duchy]

If you are staying at AKL the driving distance/time to some decent off site eating places is actually less than some of the Magic Kingdom resort area restaurants anyway.
You just need to shake the bubble mentality

[BevS97]

We have cut back on ADRs year on year. Last year I think we only had 1 at Via Napoli. Previously we have had one at Yak and Yeti which we felt was value for money.


We do eat in the parks if we are there but we are equally happy to have an evening meal In our room. Especially if you have a full kitchen.

We bought some large family sized ready meals. Big bowl of salad. Garlic bread. Bottle of wine. We were all happy and fed for about $20.


Another recommendation. If you go to Olive Garden they had a deal on where you can buy a meal and you get a takeaway meal to bring away too. So we had Olive Garden in the room one night.

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by BevS97

We have cut back on ADRs year on year. Last year I think we only had 1 at Via Napoli. Previously we have had one at Yak and Yeti which we felt was value for money.


We do eat in the parks if we are there but we are equally happy to have an evening meal In our room. Especially if you have a full kitchen.

We bought some large family sized ready meals. Big bowl of salad. Garlic bread. Bottle of wine. We were all happy and fed for about $20.


Another recommendation. If you go to Olive Garden they had a deal on where you can buy a meal and you get a takeaway meal to bring away too. So we had Olive Garden in the room one night.

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Good to hear that Bev, seems you didn’t miss the over inflated dining as a regular visitor.
Great idea re the Olive Garden, buy one take one away promotion, I like Olive Garden and have seen that promotion before. I’ll certainly give that consideration. If we go in St Augustine we could bring one to Kidani for the first night.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

YT. What a thought provoking post and so well articulated.

We have dined onsite for 70 nights a year for at least 10 years - no more!

Firstly the DDP has dummed down meal quality year on year so now it's average at best and dire at its worst. The Signatures however are the exception and we are seeing a slow but steady rise in quality. This was so evident between our trip in the Summer and the Autumn for the non Signature meals.

However in that 6 weeks gap when the menus changed the quality plummeted and I have never sent back so much food.

For good value and good quality food in the hotels I am struggling to think of more than 3 places.

When a Manager who we know we'll states the entree is really an appetiser in disguise it's time to walk.

Disney is exploiting a captive audience and I don't blame them as I would as well! However my wallet determines where I dine and it's time to change. We are eating less over the years but demand quality. Sadly that can't be said of the average restaurant in Disney. I'm not saying they are bad but they aren't great either.

[Wigan Lass]

Just to pick up on your issue getting an adr at the Plaza...it’s a walk up restaurant only now, with the exception of 11am And 4pm. Don’t rule it out because you can’t get an adr...and nice work Disney, because people will book those unpopular slots simply because they’re the only ones.

I enjoyed it there...paid oop and found it good value

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Wigan Lass

Just to pick up on your issue getting an adr at the Plaza...it’s a walk up restaurant only now, with the exception of 11am And 4pm. Don’t rule it out because you can’t get an adr...and nice work Disney, because people will book those unpopular slots simply because they’re the only ones.

I enjoyed it there...paid oop and found it good value

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We used to rave about it here, especially with TIW which made it the same price (or less, even) than the equivalent CS/QS. However last Xmas (2016) the bill for four (entrees, two milkshakes, no dessert) was well over $80 and I did not think it was worth that.

I would agree Yorkshire T that we have started to eat less "automatically" onsite and consider alternatives instead. I have noticed a real difference over the last few years, both in cost (worse) and quality (worse). Combined with the recent exchange rate, it "forced" us to eat differently.

[YorkshireT]

Tom- I know you mentioned this previously, which also set me off thinking. When a 70 nighter a year person (can’t be many of them) finally says enough, I had to think long and hard myself, You helped set off this train of thought (OK, Mrs YT also had a big input as well lol).

Wigan Lass thanks for that I had no idea they’d done that. Like you say, try and get people in when no one else is going at 4pm. Not great. I may go and see if I can get a seat, but doubt Mrs YT will wish to have a long wait, and KarenG, your observations make me not so keen to go now, $80 seems very high for there, would maybe be $50 for that quality outside the park.

Oh well I’ll probably switch out to Peco Bills or Columbia Harbour, saving another $20- 30.

It’s still 6 months but I’ll definitely do a trip report on the eating, and comment as to whether this decision was right or wrong, and conclude- will I stick with it going back the time after, or revert to a ton of ADRs again.

I also got thinking, like many no doubt, my whole ADR regimented and expensive restaurant mindset started with a free dining plan. Did the DDP and the hype over having to make all these restaurant bookings 180 days out, scrambling for the most highly prized reservations, ‘condition’ me that this had to be done at Disney? I was reminded of a simpler time, when Mrs YT and I first went just after meeting 25 years ago. Wondering around with no plans, eating what was back then unusual Mexican food from the QS in Epcot and watching the fireworks. I still have great memories of those days (fireworks in Epcot were also much better, they sent tons up, and all the countries lit up with their own music and everyone from that country cheered).

[hornetgirl]

On your HS day, how about taking a stroll (or boat) to the Swan & Dolphin. Picabu is very good value and was also quiet when we went. If Trails End hasn’t been dismissed completely, the quick service counter does a massive pile of food called the Giddyup and Go for about $25.

[Shooby doo]

We always have a mix, generally on-site if we have a park day but walk to the Crossroads & eat there. We were averaging $80 minimum at Disney, just for 2 of us, no alcohol, no desserts, yet we ate at Ihop- soup salad & entrée each plus coffees for under $40 including tip. we reckoned offsite was easily $20-$30 cheaper & in most case of a higher standard. Johnnie Hideaway was easily as good, food wise, than any signature that we have been to & whilst a similar price the portion sizes are massive compared to Disney's.
We have a weeks cash booking with DDP, & then we are staying on our points, for those 11 nights I reckon apart from Hoop Dee Doo & Le Cellier (always wanted to try it) we'll be off-site every night.
SD