Top 3 TS for DDP

[Turk82]

I just decided to go with the DDP for our upcoming November mini-trip. I haven't really ever "dined" Disney (just live to eat at the park in the past) :-) So, which table service restaurants do you all consider to be the best? The best value for DDP, etc?? I look forward to hearing from you!

[KatMark]

I've never gone by which restaurant gives you the "most bang for your buck" on the dining Plan. Our top three which we must do every year or at least every other year are: LeCellier, Crystal Palace (breakfast), Biergarten (we also like Rose & Crown and Plaza)

[disneyfan328]

Here is a 2nd for Le Cellier. The meal there was very good.

Coral Reef also a good choice.

We really wanted to eat at Teppanyaki, however the refurb wasn't done in time so we had to change stuff at the last minute. We did a few of the Character Meals as well but Le Cellier definetly gets my vote.

[SBETigg]

We find the dining plan to be a great convenience and money-saver for us. If you want to get the most out of it, you would have to look at menus, prices, decide which places are most expensive-- it's a lot of work.

We just choose places we like and it usually works out. A general rule of thumb: table service dinners are the best value over lunches and breakfasts. Also, buffet places and price fixe meals are usually not the best bargain on the DDP over places that allow you to order from a menu.

However, some of the most "Disney" feeling places are in the buffet or fixed price range, may still be a savings, and are well worth the consideration. We love dinners at Boma and 'Ohana. A lot of people love Chef Mickey's or feel that a trip isn't complete without a character meal. We also like trying Signature Dining, even though they take two dining plan credits per diner vs one. So there are a lot of things to consider in tailoring a plan that suits your group's taste and makes the most of the plan.

[gmgdisneymom]

Our top three are

1, Le Cellier
2. O'Hana
3. Coral Reef

have fun

[bkfree]

We also do not judge by price alone.
The Food, atmosphere and total Disney experience all figure in equally.

We love La Cellier
We could not go without a meal a Crystal Palace.
Chef Mickeys is a place my kids would not skip.
Spoodles is a hidden gem.

This trip we are trying Boma, Tutto and Chefs De France and Kona for the first time, so I hope they will be additions to our favorites.

[mook3y]

Here is our top 3.

1) Le Cellier
2) Ohana's
3) Narcoossee's ( 2 credits but worth it!)

[joonyer]

Our top three table service restaurants, based on our overall family experience (food, service, fun, atmosphere) and not necessarily the best value for your DDP buck (as others have pointed out)

1. 'Ohana: Dinner here is our overall favorite, no trip to WDW is complete without it. Lots of fun and atmosphere and all the good food you want.

2. Teppan Edo (Japan): This place is a lot of fun, and very entertaining on top of good food. And we love shopping at the Mitsukoshi Department Store while waiting for our table.

3. Rose & Crown (UK): Eating dinner and watching Illuminations, if you're lucky enough to get a patio table (we have been, twice) is great! I love the Bangers and Mash, and my kids love the fish & chips.

We also love going to character breakfasts, but they are a very poor value for a TS use, so we paid OOP when using the dining plan.

[jonahbear2006]

We book all the buffets, for several reasons;
1. I think we get the most food for our money and the best variety.
2. The kids are so excited about the characters AND we don't have to wait for our food to be cooked while we starve, so they are happy.
3. We have found all of the buffets to be so much fun to try the new foods; we are very much like barbara streisand, if we could order 1 oz of everything on the menu, we would.
4. We don't like waitresses bothering us during our meal. It inevitably interrupts our conversations and our experiences.
5. It is so much easier to please your whole party.

Our favorites are;
1. Boma
2. 1900 Park Fare
3. Chef Mickey's

[Mickey91]

To get the most for your money:

#1 Le Cellier
#2 Coral Reef
#3 50's Prime Time Cafe

My favorite meals:
#1 LTT (until Jan. '09)
#2 Coral Reef
#3 50's Prime Time Cafe

[RockinRollerMom]

We book all the buffets, for several reasons;
1. I think we get the most food for our money and the best variety.
2. The kids are so excited about the characters AND we don't have to wait for our food to be cooked while we starve, so they are happy.
3. We have found all of the buffets to be so much fun to try the new foods; we are very much like barbara streisand, if we could order 1 oz of everything on the menu, we would.
4. We don't like waitresses bothering us during our meal. It inevitably interrupts our conversations and our experiences.
5. It is so much easier to please your whole party.

I couldn't agree more. My family enjoys buffets and we feel that we get the most bang for our buck that way. DD8 likes more of the adult fare and she can get whatever she likes at the buffets.

Our favorites:
1. Cape May clambake buffet. (BC) If you are a seafood lover this is a great choice. The steamed mussels, steamed clams, and clam chowder are great. There is also an american fare side to the buffet with ribs, prime rib etc.

2. 1900 park fare. (GF) We normally do this one for breakfast and the character interaction is our favorite out of all the character meals we have tried. Plus Mary Poppins is DH's favorite character.

3. Chef Mickey's. (CR) The overall atmosphere is the best. We always have a great time and it is really easy to get to since it is off of the monorail. A must do since DD has been 4.

If you are looking for non buffets my favs are Kona Cafe at the Poly and the Coral Reef at Epcot. Just beware that you are beyond the 180 day ADR booking times and that some of the more popular TS may be booked.

Good luck and have a great trip!

[JavaDuck]

I just returned from a trip and though I only ate at 6 TS restaurants, are top 3 would be

1) Le Cellier -one word AMAZING
2) California Grill- 2 TS credits but definitely worth it
3) I would give it to Mama Melrose's by a hair. Boma is right behind it.

Now if House of Blues was on the DDP, it would be in the #2 spot. Had some amazing ribs.

[GrmGrninGost]

It all depends on what you are looking for! For me, my favorites are Coral Reef, Liberty Tree Tavern and 50's Prime Time Diner. Liberty Tree will no longer be on this last as of next year. After 2008, it will no longer be a character dinner. For myself and family, this was the best part of this particular meal. I am saddened that WDW has decided to change what has been an annual tradition for my family. :(

[Natazu]

The Best:
California Grill, Flying Fish Cafe, Citricos

The Best Value on the Dining Plan:
California Grill, Coral Reef, 'Ohana

[conwayjohn71]

Who cares about the best bang for your buck

Try something new, eat your favorite food or just sit down and enjoy the characters

As a family we always do everyones favorite once, then we try a resturant we have not done yet and the rest our eatting with the characters

1. Teppan Edo
2. Whispering Canyon - a blast
3. Pepper Grill - it is a great CS
4. Ohana's

as for the resturants we have not tried, everyone gets to pick one, we throw them in a hat and then we draw it and there it is

[DisneyBabies]

Since I have a picky DS, we have to be careful where we make ADR's for, but so many people seem to love Ohana's so I am going to rework my plans for our ADR's and try to work it in. Our trip isn't until Feb 2009 and this is a big example of why I like ADR's 180 days out; if I decide to try something new, I don't have to go through the trouble of of calling disney to switch things, I just change them on my dining chart at home before I make any ADR's at all :D! Of course that means once I do make my ADR's, I refuse to change anything :blush:! Thanks for all the recomendations everyone!

[chefmickey3]

1. Ohana's
2. Whispering Canyon
3. Chef Mickey's

[maxrebo77]

:mickey: Judging only by last year's trip, where I had 4 TS meals, I say Le Cell and Turf Club. My old favorite is Cal Grill, but they have changed a lot.
30 days to House of the Mouse

[MushuGrl]

Ours is
1) Ohana
2) Liberty Tree Tavern
3) Whispering Canyon

Ironically, our favorite parts of LTT and WC are...the appetizers. :(

I coulda made a meal just off the cheese and sausage appetizers at WC and cheese sticks at LTT. (As a matter of fact, we're NOT doing the dining plan this time, but we're still hitting LTT for cheese sticks!)

[maxrebo77]

I know. I SO wish that you had a choice between app and dessert with your entree, but it is not to be.
29 days to go
May the Mouse be with you