Off to Disney

[Bliz]

I believe Easter falls late in the month this year, but I read that the 2 weeks after Easter are pretty slow. My fiance and I planned our honeymoon for that week this year, so hopefully that stays true to form.

 

Also it seems Disney has introduced a new system for those that book ahead of time (day trips likely don't have the seem feature). Some magic wristband (almost like a fit band) that you have all of your meals, hotel key and fast-pass rides on. You just swipe it and proceed.

 

It's the 20th. 

[Chew]

yeah man, its all about the off-season.  my dad was a teacher, so we'd always go during the summer or spring break when he was off. 

 

Florida in July....ugh.  I'd have swamp ass by 10:30 in the morning.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

It's the 20th. 

Yeah, so I think I read that the "slow season" is from April 21 to May 9 ... then it starts ramping back up as kids in the South start getting out of school.

[Larry]

We're going to Florida in April to visit some family in the Tampa area, and were thinking about stopping in Disney for a day or two.  We've taken the kids in January before, and it was awesome.  Very short lines. 

 

I know that Easter week is supposed to be absolute madness because of spring break or whatever.  But what about Easter Sunday itself?  I'm wondering if that particular day might be less crowded, with people returning home after their spring break (which are mostly the week before) or in church and doing family stuff.

 

Anyone ever been on Easter Sunday?

No information about that specific holiday, itself. But some general observations:

The mere fact that a date is a holiday does NOT cause the parks to be less crowded. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Now, I have heard that the parks tend to be less crowded on weekends. Supposedly, a lot of Disney vacations set aside a week. Supposedly, Monday is the busiest day. (And, supposedly, Monday is bust at Magic Kingdom, because most folks want to go see The Castle on their first day.) Supposedly, Saturdays and Sundays are more like "travel days", where lots of people are either leaving or arriving.

But those are just rumors I've heard.

I can tell you that the Disney hotels charge more in the weekends. (Which I think they define as Friday and Saturday nights). And I sure assume that they charge more, on those days, because they have more demand, on those days.

[Larry]

Also it seems Disney has introduced a new system for those that book ahead of time (day trips likely don't have the seem feature). Some magic wristband (almost like a fit band) that you have all of your meals, hotel key and fast-pass rides on. You just swipe it and proceed.

Yes, Disney has been moving towards full implementation of their "Magic Band" system. It's still officially in Beta testing. I've used it on our last two trips.

The most visible part of this system is the "Magic Band" It's a removable wrist band with an RFID chip in it. This wrist band basically gives you a serial number. A central database then links that person's serial number, with whatever he's purchased.

You use the wrist band by holding it against a sensor. It has a range of like a half inch, and typically takes like 2-4 seconds to read.

The wrist band is your park ticket. They also still use a fingerprint, to try to cut down on people loaning their tickets to other people.

If you're staying in a Disney hotel, then the wrist band is also your room key. If you authorize it, then your wrist band (and a PIN, to protect you if somebody steals your wrist band), can be used to charge things to your hotel room.

If you purchase a Disney dining plan, then your wrist band is your key to the dining plan.

The wrist band also replaces the old FastPass system with their new FastPass Plus, which is complicated and important enough that I'll put it in another post.

Like I said, the system is still officially in Beta testing, but it sure looks to me like they're "Beta testing" it with pretty much everybody.

For example, at the entrance to Magic Kingdom, now? I'd say that they now have like 60 entrances for people with Magic Bands, and like 8 entrances for people using the old paper cards.

[Larry]

As to the changes to FastPass.

First, I'll describe the old FastPass system, just for comparison.

Consider one of the rides that is more opoular. (And therefore, has more of a waiting line than others.) Say, Space Mountain. Say it's Noon, and you just walked up to the entrance for Space Mountain.

There will be signs out front, pointing you at three possible locations.

1) You can just get in line. A sign will tell you that, if you get in this line, that the line will take, say, 60 minutes. (Space Mountain is pretty popular. And Noon is starting to get into their peak waiting times. mid afternoon, the line might be 90 minutes. Closer to opening or closing time, might be less.)

2) You can go over here, and get a FastPass. If you go there, your pass may tell you to come back at 2:10. (The "FastPass return time always seems to be about double the "wait in line" time, from what I've seen.)
 
If you go over there, there will be a bunch of machines, handing out fast passes. But there are rules for the passes.
 

Every person in your group (well, every person who wants to ride the ride) must have a pass. If there are 5 people, you must have 5 passes.

One person can only get one pass. To get a pass, you have to put your park ticket into the machine, and it will give you your ticket back, and a pass. To get 5 passes, you don't actually need 5 people, but you do need five tickets.

The ticket will tell you when to come back. Actually, it will give you a one hour window to come back.

 

You do not get to pick when the ticket tells you to come back.  (Although the sign, at the entrance to Space Mountain, will tell you, in effect, that, "if you get a Fast Pass, right now, it will tell you to come back at 2:10).  You're not spinning a roulette wheel, and it might tell you to come back at 2:10, or it might say 8:30.  But, if it's handing out passes for 2:10, and you want one for 3:30, (maybe you have reservations to eat lunch, from 2:00-3:00), that's too bad.  You can't request a later time. 
 
(Used to be, Disney didn't actually enforce that window. The pass might say it was good from 9:10-10:10. But Disney would accept it from 9:10, for the rest of the day. But too many people figured out how to abuse that system, getting passes early in the morning, when the lines are short, and then using them in the afternoon, to skip long lines. Disney had to start actually enforcing the windows, a while back.)

And, each person can only have one fast pass at a time. If you go to Space Mountain at noon, and get a fast pass to come back at 2:10, then that park ticket can't get any other passes, (at Space Mountain, or anywhere else) till 2:10.

The idea behind the fast pass was that it allowed a "virtual you" to "stand in line" for you, at one ride.

3) The third entrance is for people who already have passes, and are now back, to use them. If you have a pass, (which you got, earlier), and you're in your window, you can use this entrance, which will pretty much skip the waiting line. You'll have to wait, but it will only be a few minutes.

 

----------

 

Now, the new system: 

 

The new system is more like making reservations for a restaurant. 

 

You can start planning things as soon as a Disney account is created for you.  (In my case, my first account was when I received an email, like 6 weeks before my trip, telling me that I'd been selected for beta testing.) 

 

If you have reservations at a Disney hotel, then I assume your account gets created when you make your reservations.  If you're just planning on showing up at the park and buying tickets, then I don't know if you can do these things, until you actually get the wrist bands. 

 

But, once you have an account, you can go to Disney's web site, and start planning what you want to do. 

 

You can pick a day, and tell it what park you're going to be visiting that day.  You can give it up to three rides that you really want to ride. 

 

And the computer will plan up to four itineraries for you, featuring those three rides, and several others that it picked, for you, and just threw into the mix.  You can pick one of the four, and you have a limited ability to customize them.  You don;t have full manual control, but you do have some. 

 

You have the options, for example, of telling the computer about any restaurant reservations you have.  (You don't actually have to link restaurant reservations to your wrist bands.  The restaurant reservation system goes by name, not wrist band.)  But, if you do tell the computer about your reservations, then it will schedule your rides around your reservations, and it will show your reservations on your itinerary, and will retain your reservation confirmation numbers. 

 

What you will wind up with, is a list of rides and activities that you've selected, in advance. 

 

Each pass or activity will have one hour budgeted for it.  (It won't let you schedule one ride for 12:10, and another one for 12:30.  Not even if they're next door to each other.)  You'll have lots of "hey, we've got 40 minutes before our next window opens, so what do we do?"  But, it gives you a LOT more control over your plans. 

 

This system can be accessed via Disney's web site.  And there are apps for a lot of smart phones that also give you access to it.  These apps also give you other capabilities, like telling you things that are going on, near you, in the next few minutes, or telling you how long the waiting line at the nearby rides are, right now. 

 

(There are also third party smart phone apps which will do the "wait time" thing.  But I hear varying claims about how well they work.) 

 

When your scheduled time for Space Mountain appears, you get in the "I have a fast pass" line.  When you get to the front of the line, then instead of handing the guy a paper pass that the machine gave you, an hour ago, you hold your wrist band against the reader.  Essentially, it's a Fast Pass, but you got it a month before you even arrived at Disney. 

[Kilmer17]

The new FPPlus system really effs Florida Residents who day trip.  And it hurts those who come to the parks in a cammando state just to ride rides.

 

Disney has figured out that the new system will force people into longer lines, less rides and therefor more time shopping and eating.

 

It's a disgusting turn of events.

It only allows 3 fast passes a day, and limits each person to ONE headliner.

 

So if you want to ride Space Mountain AND Splash Mountain on the same day, you have to wait in line for one of them

[just654]

From AllEars.net

 

http://allears.net/tp/fastpass.htm

 

"Walt Disney World is now rolling out a new "FastPass+" service. With FastPass+, you can select FastPass+ attractions and entertainment experiences through the My Disney Experience website before leaving home and make changes on the go. For the first time, you will be able to reserve firework and parade viewing areas, shows, Disney Character Greetings and more, in addition to favorite attractions. For guests who don't know where to start, Disney will recommend FastPicks -- a set of three FastPass+ selections that serve as a starting point -- and give guests the option to customize their selections. Disney FastPass+ service is included with theme park admission."

 

 

 

I feel really bad for a family that is not a planning family now. This pretty makes it so you have to plan your entire trip before you go.

[Bliz]

No information about that specific holiday, itself. But some general observations:

The mere fact that a date is a holiday does NOT cause the parks to be less crowded. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Now, I have heard that the parks tend to be less crowded on weekends. Supposedly, a lot of Disney vacations set aside a week. Supposedly, Monday is the busiest day. (And, supposedly, Monday is bust at Magic Kingdom, because most folks want to go see The Castle on their first day.) Supposedly, Saturdays and Sundays are more like "travel days", where lots of people are either leaving or arriving.

But those are just rumors I've heard.

I can tell you that the Disney hotels charge more in the weekends. (Which I think they define as Friday and Saturday nights). And I sure assume that they charge more, on those days, because they have more demand, on those days.

 

Thanks.

 

we were cautiously optimistic because we thought most schools had Spring Break the week before and would not be off for Easter Monday, which would mean a lot of people would be traveling back on Sunday (again, or with their families or in church.).  Also because there is a hotel sale for Art of Animation, where we're planning on staying, that has blackout dates April 14-19, but then picks back up again on Easter Sunday (4/20).  And there were reservations available for 6 at Cinderella's Castle in Magic Kingdom on Easter (which typically books up really early) made me thought we'd be ok.

 

But maybe we should just try to push back to the week of the 26th, which should be great for low crowds

[Kilmer17]

Make sure you reservations at Cinderellas is for breakfast and not lunch.  Characters only appear at that restaurant for breakfast.

[Bliz]

Make sure you reservations at Cinderellas is for breakfast and not lunch.  Characters only appear at that restaurant for breakfast.

 

Are you sure?

 

According to allears.net they have characters at breakfast and lunch  http://allears.net/din/cbchar.htm

[Larry]

The new FPPlus system really effs Florida Residents who day trip.  And it hurts those who come to the parks in a cammando state just to ride rides.

 

Disney has figured out that the new system will force people into longer lines, less rides and therefor more time shopping and eating.

The interview I've seen, with the person heading the project, said that their problem was that the old system gave too much reward to people who knew the system too well.

That the average person who came for a "once in a lifetime" trip, rode 6 rides a day.

But the average "person who comes once a month" was riding 18.

 

It only allows 3 fast passes a day, and limits each person to ONE headliner.

 

So if you want to ride Space Mountain AND Splash Mountain on the same day, you have to wait in line for one of them

Granted, Mom and I are FAR from typical Disney customers. (I didn't even bother to make any FPP selections, when we went in early December. Knew it would be too cold to get her to do anything, anyway.)

And mom isn't exactly into the big roller coasters.

But, when I took her in May, we made three selections a day. (And the computer then made 2-3 more, for us, without being asked.) I certainly didn't SEE any such restriction.

(I do agree with you. The "being able to make reservations months in advance" doesn't exactly help the customer who just shows up without advance planning.)

[rictus58]

Make sure you reservations at Cinderellas is for breakfast and not lunch.  Characters only appear at that restaurant for breakfast.

That's not true at all.

http://allears.net/din/cb.htm

Cinderella's Royal Table - Located on the second floor of Cinderella Castle this restaurant features characters at all three meals. Characters vary, but almost always include Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother and may include Belle, Jasmine and Snow White The official name for all three meals at the Castle is Fairytale Dining at Cinderella's Royal Table. When you arrive for your reservation, a photographer will be on hand to take pictures of your group in the lobby, before you are seated in the dining room. (Characters subject to change without notice.)

[Larry]

Make sure you reservations at Cinderellas is for breakfast and not lunch.  Characters only appear at that restaurant for breakfast.

That's contrary to everything I've read, and my personal experience.

Although, we haven't gone for a while. Nobody in my family has ever really liked the food, there.

It's got the most magical location in the world. Incredible decor. But the food was just "bleh".

I've always recommended Chef Mickey's or Crystal Palace, for really good food, and characters.

[rictus58]

If you're looking for a princess thing for younger girls, you'd also do well at the Princess breakfast in the Norway pavaillion in Epcot.

[Larry]

I feel really bad for a family that is not a planning family now. This pretty makes it so you have to plan your entire trip before you go.

Actually, I almost never make FastPass plans. (Although the new system is really convenient.)

In my experience, the "just get in line" times for the main rides are almost always an hour or less, whereas the FastPass was "well, you don;t have to wait in line, but your FastPass won't be good for two hours". (And wait times for the lesser rides are typically more like 10 minutes.)

But, again. I'm probably not typical, and I'm not really into the big, major, rides, myself.

If you're looking for a princess thing for younger girls, you'd also do well at the Princess breakfast in the Norway pavaillion in Epcot.

I SEE a lot of people doing Bibbedy Boppety Boutique. (spelling?). I hear you have to have reservations, and assume it's a bunch of money. But I sure do see a lot of happy princesses walking around the park.

[just654]

Actually, I almost never make FastPass plans. (Although the new system is really convenient.)

In my experience, the "just get in line" times for the main rides are almost always an hour or less, whereas the FastPass was "well, you don;t have to wait in line, but your FastPass won't be good for two hours". (And wait times for the lesser rides are typically more like 10 minutes.)

But, again. I'm probably not typical, and I'm not really into the big, major, rides, myself.

I SEE a lot of people doing Bibbedy Boppety Boutique. (spelling?). I hear you have to have reservations, and assume it's a bunch of money. But I sure do see a lot of happy princesses walking around the park.

 

I am not just talking about the Fast pass lines..but in the post from Allears you can now reserve spots in the parade routes, reserve times for character meetings, to me this pretty much plans your whole trip, for good meals you already have to plan 6 months in advance.

[Kilmer17]

Are you sure?

 

According to allears.net they have characters at breakfast and lunch  http://allears.net/din/cbchar.htm

No Im not sure anymore.  It used to be this way, but since they redid the castle, it may have changed.

The interview I've seen, with the person heading the project, said that their problem was that the old system gave too much reward to people who knew the system too well.

That the average person who came for a "once in a lifetime" trip, rode 6 rides a day.

But the average "person who comes once a month" was riding 18.

 

Yes.  It rewarded those who knew how to work the system.  I dont see that as a problem.

And I agree with Larry.  Crystal Palace or Chef Mickeys is better.  We like going to the park at rope drop, riding rides, then getting the last possible time to eat breakfast at Chef Mickeys.  Typically around 11 am.  That lets us eat a late breakfast and ride rides while others are eating lunches.

[rictus58]

Actually, I almost never make FastPass plans. (Although the new system is really convenient.)

In my experience, the "just get in line" times for the main rides are almost always an hour or less, whereas the FastPass was "well, you don;t have to wait in line, but your FastPass won't be good for two hours". (And wait times for the lesser rides are typically more like 10 minutes.)

But, again. I'm probably not typical, and I'm not really into the big, major, rides, myself.

I SEE a lot of people doing Bibbedy Boppety Boutique. (spelling?). I hear you have to have reservations, and assume it's a bunch of money. But I sure do see a lot of happy princesses walking around the park.

 

I'm a family of 4 when we go to disney. We have to plan (almost to an obnoxious point) when we go. But you're right, many of the lines are nothing. Especially depending on the time of day you're there. It's the major thrill rides which have ridiculous wait times. The last time I was there in August of 2012, the stand-by line for Soarin' was nearly 3 hours. No way. I love that ride, but it's not worth 3 hours of my time. If you go during illuminations, you can walk right on.

As for the boutiques, I have 2 girls (one of whom is bi-racial and has ungodly hair when we're in Florida). I refuse to pay the $100+ they charge to put hair in a tight bun and spray it with glitter. Bullocks to that. Though, my wife keeps pushing for it.

[Bliz]

That's contrary to everything I've read, and my personal experience.

Although, we haven't gone for a while. Nobody in my family has ever really liked the food, there.

It's got the most magical location in the world. Incredible decor. But the food was just "bleh".

I've always recommended Chef Mickey's or Crystal Palace, for really good food, and characters.

 

The food certainly is not the best.  BUt with two daughters, princesses drive the decision.  We've been to Chef Mickeys and had fun though.

 

If you're looking for a princess thing for younger girls, you'd also do well at the Princess breakfast in the Norway pavaillion in Epcot.

 

Did that one the last time we were there.  Really enjoyed it.  But since we're only going for one day this time, our intention is to stick to the Magic Kingdom.  I suspect we'll get there right when the park opens, head straight for Enchanted Tales with Belle (a must see, if you haven't done it.  So great) and do a character lunch.

[Larry]

To the two folks going, I know Kilmer knows about this, but are you folks Florida residents?  Y'all know about Tables in Wonderland?  Could save some Big Bucks, especially if you have a family that likes the expensive restaurants.  (And it only takes one person who's a Florida resident.) 

[Bliz]

To the two folks going, I know Kilmer knows about this, but are you folks Florida residents?  Y'all know about Tables in Wonderland?  Could save some Big Bucks, especially if you have a family that likes the expensive restaurants.  (And it only takes one person who's a Florida resident.) 

 

Nope, but will probably have a Florida resident with me.

 

Do tell...

[JamesMadisonSkins]

Nope. Going for the honeymoon and staying at one of the deluxe resorts with a 3-meal-a-day meal plan (so plan to do at least 1 high-end dining experience a day. Will have about 7 of those, so any suggestions are welcomed!)

 

I have been told the following are musts:

Le Celliere (Epcot), Luau (Polynesian), Hoop-dee-Doo (Wilderness Resort), Artist Point (at Wilderness Lodge where we'll be), San Angel Inn (Epcot), Jiko (Animal Kingdom), Fairytale Dining (Magic Kingdom), Wolfgang Puck (Downtown Disney)

 

Some of these are by default of where we will be on certain days (if we are in AK for the day and need to use a 2-meal nice dining experience, Jiko is the only option there). Others (Artist Point, Le Celliere) we will likely visit a couple times due to convenience.

 

Anyway, those are the "high end" 2-meal dining options, but we have a list of 1-meal spots we want to go to as well, so if you have any additional suggestions, please throw them my way. I haven't been to Disney since '99 when I was in 6th grade, so I'm kind of flying blind here!

[Larry]

For people who aren't familiar, a write-up on Crystal Palace and similar places: 

 

There are several character buffets around Disney.  The ones I'm familiar with are Crystal Palace, Chef Mickey's, Tusker House (but only some meals).  There's also one inside Grand Floridian, I think it's called 1900 Park Fair, that I've only been to once. 

 

They're all pretty similar.  Same "formula".  So I'll describe Crystal Palace, and then at the end, tell you about what's different about the others. 

 

Crystal Palace is located inside Magic Kingdom.  It's at the north end of Main Street, with a really good view of the castle.  (The front porch is a pretty good place to watch the fireworks, BTW.) 

 

Just going from memory, I think prices for an adult are like $40 for breakfast, $35 for lunch, and $55 for dinner.  Like everything I know of at Disney, ages 3-9 are "children", and are like 10% less, and age 0-2 is no change. 

 

It's a buffet, but I always hasten to tell people that "it's not school lunch cafeteria food.  They have chefs there". 

 

I usually eat lunch there.  The dinner menu is very similar. 

 

They'll have multiple breads.  A salad bar that isn;t just "iceberg lettuce and 20 toppings".  Rather, they'll have iceberg salad, and 6-8 of what I think of as more exotic salads.  A Mediterranean pasta salad.  Something featuring beets.  I think there's something Greek.  (Case you can't tell, I'm not really a fancy food person, or a salad person.) 

 

There's a "carving station", which will have two large cuts of meat.  (The meat changes daily.  Beef, turkey, ham, roast chicken.)  They'll have au Jus and gravy.  Some kind of seasoned, roasted, baked chicken.  At least one kind of seasoned, baked fish.  They'll have "Medeterranian baked chicken":  bite sized pieces of chicken and some veggies, in a sauce that I assume contains olives, and I don;t know what else.  A pasta and chicken dish in a chipotle sauce.  Steamed broccoli.  Mashed potatoes.  Corn bread.  There's a pasta dish with like fettuccine noodles, in a yellow seasoned sauce. 

 

Although the buffet does have fancy, grown up food, I think every restaurant at Disney also has a children's section that serves cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken nuggets.  (It's like they knew lots of people would bring kids, or something.) 

 

They have a desert table that has like 8 different deserts.  And a place where people can make soft serve ice cream with sprinkles on it.  Chocolate chip cookies. 

 

And, the big attraction of the place is, it has the Pooh characters.  So, as you eat, Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Piglett will come around to your table, and pose for pictures and autographs. 

 

Every so often, they have a "Pooh-rade", where the characters will march around the dining room, and they want all the kids to follow them. 

 

Plan on spending an hour there.  And plan on being seriously stuffed, when you leave. 

 

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Chef Mickey's is over at the Contemporary hotel.  (The one that the monorail goes through.)  (Just a monorail ride from the park.)  It's not open for lunch.  (But they serve breakfast till like 11:30, and start dinner at like 5:00)  The characters are Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto.  Some of the tables, you get to watch the monorails go back and forth.  (Other tables are under the monorail tracks, so you can't see them.)  It's a lot harder to get reservations than Crystal Palace is. 

 

Tusker House is over at Animal Kingdom, in Africa, near the safari ride.  IMO, it's a bit louder than the other two.  (You put 100 kids, and the Disney characters, in a dining room with concrete floor, concrete walls, and a steel roof, and it gets loud.  Who knew?) The characters are Mickey, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy, but there's kinda a catch.  Donald is standing outside the restaurant.  Before they seat you, they will want you to stand in line, and a Disney photographer will take your picture with Donald.  Then, while you're eating, they will come to your table, and try to sell you the picture they took of you.  (They don't mention this when they take the picture.)  If you don't buy the picture from them, you don;t get your picture with Donald.  (Donald doesn't come into the restaurant, he just stays outside.) 

 

HOWEVER, when you get to your picture with Donald (before you go into the restaurant), if you hand your camera to the photographer, he will take your picture with your camera. 

 

Tusker House only has the characters for breakfast and lunch, not for dinner.  (They used to be breakfast only.  They only recently added lunch.) 

 

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One other hidden thing about Tusker House and Crystal Palace. 

 

They're located inside the parks.  (CP at Magic Kingdom, TH at Animal Kingdom).  BUT, they open an hour before the park opens. 

 

If you have reservations for those restaurants, before the park opens, then you can get into the park an hour early. 

 

You can't necessarily DO a whole lot, before the park opens.  Everything's closed.  You can't even buy souvenirs.  Although strolling through the parks with no crowd, just you and a few employees getting ready, is pleasant.  You can take your picture in front of the castle with nobody else in the picture. 

 

And you can eat, before the park opens, and then emerge just after the park opens, ready to go hit the rides. 

[Larry]

Nope, but will probably have a Florida resident with me.

 

Do tell...

 

Tables in Wonderland

 

Is a kind of a "frequent shopper card", for the Disney restaurants.  But with some differences. 

 

It's only sold to Florida residents.  It has to be bought at Guest Relations (kind of the "customer service desk", for Disney.  And you have to show proof of Florida residency to buy it. 

 

It costs money to buy.  I think it's $125, for Florida residents.  $75 for Florida residents who have an annual pass. 

 

It's only good for a year.  Then you have to buy it again. 

 

BUT, what it gives you is, 20% off at "participating Disney restaurants", for you and everybody at your table.  (I think there's a maximum of 10 people.)  (Discount for food and beverage only, no alcohol.) 

 

Remember, some of the places we're talking about eating can be $75 per person.  If you've got a group of 5-6 people, 20% can add up, quick. 

 

Near as I can tell, "participating Disney restaurant" means every single restaurant at the Disney hotels, and every sit down restaurant in the parks.  (There's a list which they'll give you, with the card, or they're listed on their web site.  But I haven't seen a single exception to the rule I gave you.) 

 

There's one other thing that you might consider a "gotcha":  They knock 20% off your bill, but then they add an 18% gratuity, back in.  But then, you were planning on leaving a tip, weren't you?