Annual Passes

**WDW1974** · 05-24-2005, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by Labuda

Well, keep in mind where I'm eating these days - Victoria & Albert's, Jiko, California Grill - sooooooo, good gravy!

Yep. Some great dining there. My take on food is if you're going to overeat or put weight on, it should be for that kind of food. Who wants to be fat from Taco Bell, Burger King and Olive Garden? (Oh yeah, most Americans!)

**aimster** · 05-25-2005, 05:40 PM

I had an AP 5 years ago and it totally paid for itself as I went almost every weekend the fall of 2000. I only used a couple of the shopping and dining discounts but they were nice perks.

I hope to be able to afford another AP sometime in the future.

**slowbee** · 05-26-2005, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by WDW1974

Yep. Some great dining there. My take on food is if you're going to overeat or put weight on, it should be for that kind of food. Who wants to be fat from Taco Bell, Burger King and Olive Garden? (Oh yeah, most Americans!)

ok.. there is nothing wrong with Olive Garden... I owe my last 5 lbs to them....

**Labuda** · 05-26-2005, 05:25 AM

Olive Garden is lame when compared to real Italian restaurants (like Gino's, a local place here in the town I work in), or even to somewhere like Romano's Macaroni Grill. Olive Garden is too Americanized.

Oh, yeah - Buca di Beppo rocks my world, too!

**WDW1974** · 05-26-2005, 10:24 AM

Olive Garden is horrible ... I remember when they opened the very first one in Dec. 1982 on International Drive in Orlando. The food was really great. But after that they grew by the hundreds and the quality went way down. OG to me represents typical American blah food.

If you want chain Italian Buca di Beppo and Macaroni Grill can be quite tasty ... and the food doesn't feel mass produced.

**aimster** · 05-26-2005, 01:21 PM

If I want Italian, I go to Carrabbas. YUM!

**danyoung** · 05-26-2005, 03:55 PM

Well, the Olive Gardens here in Dallas are still pretty good.

As to the AP, I've been an AP'er for the past 6 or 7 years. I make 2 trips each year, both around 5 to 7 days. I also stagger things to where, if I purchased a new AP for an April trip, I go around Christmas, and then again in March of the next year - 3 trips on one pass! If you do the math, just on tickets alone you're saving around $700! And then when you book a moderate hotel, which normally bills out at $125 - $149 / night, at just $89 / night, well you can see that there are incredible savings.

And probably most important for your situation, once you have the AP you can tell your wife that you're wasting your money if you don't visit more often, it's already paid for, c'mon honey LET'S GO!!!

**WDW1974** · 05-26-2005, 10:10 PM

Nice to see you over here Dan. Maybe you and I can disagree on something. Hey, I'll start. How can anyone with a modicum of good taste say the Olive Garden is good Italian? OG is to quality cuisine what WalMart is to quality shopping or Six Flags is to quality theme parks.

Your turn ...

**BigPigletFan** · 05-26-2005, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by slowbee

From what I read, the hotel discounts were worth the price alone. Personally, just knowing we can go back as many times (at least when the airfare is right) as we want.

))))))))

Yes! And working at The Disney Store, when the stores were sold I found this out from my fellow Cast Members. The hotel discount for WDW was better for AP holders than it was for Cast Members or DVC members! Crazy...

**slowbee** · 05-27-2005, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by danyoung

Well, the Olive Gardens here in Dallas are still pretty good.

As to the AP, I've been an AP'er for the past 6 or 7 years. I make 2 trips each year, both around 5 to 7 days. I also stagger things to where, if I purchased a new AP for an April trip, I go around Christmas, and then again in March of the next year - 3 trips on one pass! If you do the math, just on tickets alone you're saving around $700! And then when you book a moderate hotel, which normally bills out at $125 - $149 / night, at just $89 / night, well you can see that there are incredible savings.

And probably most important for your situation, once you have the AP you can tell your wife that you're wasting your money if you don't visit more often, it's already paid for, c'mon honey LET'S GO!!!

yeah. I've already told her we're planning on going every other month for a weekend jaunt. we have two big trips planned this aug and next june.. so every other month in between is well worth it when the air fare is right.

I need my mickey fix... 68 days and counting!!!! whoo hoo

**gwbeachjr** · 06-12-2005, 04:19 PM

so as a CM, i'll get 20% of my full service meals (no booze) and then a 15% tip is added on. So since I love to eat in the parks would it be in my best interest to get the DDE? does the DDE auto add the tip?

**RonNYC** · 06-12-2005, 04:54 PM

DDE does not automatically add the tip, but since a customary tip is 20% anyway for good service, it already sounds like you are saving a bit with your cast member discount. Also, I tip 20% of the cost BEFORE discount is added.

If you eat at Disney frequently and like to have a glass of wine, beer or a cocktail with your meal, then I'd recommend DDE for you.

**gwbeachjr** · 06-12-2005, 09:25 PM

customary yes. don't get me wrong, i tip too, very well, but when the service is good. servers who feel that a tip is a given and that they earn it no matter what, is #@*% .

but as a CM we are supposed to present our ID when we order, to get our discount, usually when that happens, the service drops. the fellow cm feels they do not have to treat us the same as a guest.

**RonNYC** · 06-13-2005, 07:39 AM

True. Last week I ate at Coral Reef for lunch and the service was not good, so the tip was given accordingly.

That bites about service dropping just because your server knows that you're also a CM.

So... go for the DDE. It can quickly pay for itself if you eat at WDW frequently and then you might get better service and tip what you wish!

**Bibliophile** · 06-15-2005, 11:10 PM

Originally Posted by gwbeachjr

customary yes. don't get me wrong, i tip too, very well, but when the service is good. servers who feel that a tip is a given and that they earn it no matter what, is #@*% .

but as a CM we are supposed to present our ID when we order, to get our discount, usually when that happens, the service drops. the fellow cm feels they do not have to treat us the same as a guest.

Hmm...I went to Boma's last November with my roommates for my birthday; we used the Christmas discount, present our IDs, and everything went splendidly. The CMs could not have been more courteous.

Of course, I have friends who have their own Disney Dining horror stories...