QSDining a value?

[peyjax]

So we are in debate about the quick service dining plan. We have TIW card but that is only for table services and value food court. (I do think we are going value so that will help) I am getting burned out on the whole scheduled vacay. So is there any real value in the Quick service dining plan?

[Faldred]

Maybe.

QSDP can be either a good value or a bad value, depending on how you use it -- while this may be true for all of the plans, QSDP is probably the most likely to be a bad value if you choose poorly.

If you would normally get desserts with your CS meals, then it becomes a lot harder to be a bad value; if you normally wouldn't get dessert, you're going to have to be smart about how and where you use the QSDP to get your money's worth (and then some).

As with any cost analysis, the best place to start is by assigning a value to each credit you receive. It's simplest to start with snack credits... a conservative estimate is $3 (including tax) for an average snack. Times two, and that's $6 of the $30 nightly cost (for 2009). That leaves $24, which means you'd need to average $12 per CS to break even.

With desserts, that would be easy to do, without... not so much. As an example, at Columbia Harbor House the BLT salad ($7.19 plus tax) and a large soda (2.49 plus tax) comes to $10.31 including tax. But add in the apple crisp ($3.59 plus tax), and you're ahead of the $12 target at $14.13.

Now, that's a middle-of-the-road entree at a "non-optimized" CS choice. Ordering from the "top of the menu" across the way at Cosmic Ray's, the chicken & rib combo ($13.99 plus tax) and large soda ($2.49 plus tax) is already well ahead of the $12 target (at $17.55). The dessert (say, carrot cake) is just a bonus, bringing the meal value to $21.37.

(All prices courtesy of AllEars.net, and may not be the same during your trip.)

The frequently suggested "best CS" from a value standpoint are Cosmic Rays (MK), Sunshine Seasons (Ep), Tangerine Cafe (Ep), Flame Tree BBQ (AK), Wolfgang Puck Express (DTD), and Pepper Market (CSR). Note the distinct lack of a DHS option.

So, knowing how the "game" the system is all well and good. The question then becomes: is that what I want to do?

[Tricia1972]

To piggy back on what Faldred said a bit, the QSDP can also work for a non-dessert family if they grab a bottle of water ($2.50 +tax) at some of their CS meals.