Never been so full eating for free - photos are back 6/22

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Free QSDP - June 2-7, 2011
Dining reviews and guide for getting most out of Quick Service credits and Snack credits in WDW
Plus dinner at California Grill

Table of Contents:
Caribbean Beach Resort food court (CBR)
Snack credits (MK)
Columbia Harbour House (MK)
CBR breakfast
Starring Rolls lunch (DHS)
Snack credits (DHS)
CBR dinner
CBR Breakfast
Yak & Yeti Local Foods
Flame Tree BBQ lunch (AK)
Snack credits (AK)
CBR dinner (what would have been Cooke's but we had no energy to head to DTD)
Main Street Bakery (MK)
Pecos Bill lunch (MK)
Snack Credits (MK)
California Grill (OODP - out of dad's pocket)
Typhoon Lagoon lunch
Snack Credits (Epcot)
La Hacienda (Epcot)

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

When we got the PIN for free QSDP I was concerned that QSDP would mean only burgers and fries every meal. But we were really surprised by the variety we could come up with during those five days. That said...

For lunch, as soon as we arrived at the World, we ate at the Old Port Royal food court and we both had the Caribbean burger from the hamburger station!

The Caribbean burger had a pineapple-bbq sauce which was sweet and not spicy - and fried plantains, fried string onions, tomato and lettuce as toppings – incredibly flavorful, filling and messy!

We had fries and got a bottle of water each. And used our free resort refillable mugs for sodas (so we could drink the water later in the park!).

For dessert, I got a chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing and DSis got the dirt cake (which she didn’t eat but took back to the room to put in the fridge for later).

Here are some pics:

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

At 4:30, already hot from the crowded Magic Kingdom and having drunk our bottles of water, we decided to get floats in the Main Street ice cream shop with snack credits – coke for me and root beer for DSis with Eddy’s vanilla ice cream. Lots of earning ears cast members – two of them were needed to take the two floats from one counter to another and they didn’t know to distinguish between the Coke and root beer, so we were left to figure it out by taste – of course we got each other’s!

it was gooooooooood

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

After a spin on Big Thunder Mountain, we then went for dinner at Columbia Harbor House, where we had read on DIS that it is a great place to relax and have a nice non burger and fries meal.

DSis had the fried shrimp and the chocolate cake with French fries and a bottle of water. The cake is rich and dark chocolate. Perhaps too dark and rich for some but not for DSis!

I had the fish and chicken nuggets with apple slices and apple crisp and a bottle of water and a cup of ice – this made the water go further. I liked the batter on the fish but I can't get over Disney chicken nuggets - they have such a distinctive flavor to me - brings back memories to bite into one. The apple crisp was sweet and I ended up just eating about 1/2 of it.

We enjoyed the a/c and the peoplewatcher (what I named that section of the dining room where you are sitting above the walkway between Fantasyland and Liberty Square). We sat there for about an hour – this quick service plan did bring us opportunities to sit and relax in air conditioning – maybe even more relaxing than a table service meal would have been.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Love seeing a QS review! Can't wait for the rest!

 

[jamiesmom07]

Can't wait to see what else was on the menu!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Love seeing a QS review! Can't wait for the rest!

Yeah - thanks! I had a hard time finding quick service reviews before I left for the World. This was my first time with a Disney Dining Plan and I wasn't sure what to expect. QSDP is great!

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Can't wait to see what else was on the menu!

Thanks! I have plenty of photos for you!

 

[PrincessTaylorsMom]

Loving your review so far. That burger from Old Port Royal looks amazing! Can't wait for the rest.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

We picked up our mugs at Caribbean Beach Resort as soon as we arrived. They had blue, pink or black handles and lids. I found the free mug super convenient for getting a soda with meals at the resort - but could have also used it for coffee, hot chocolate or tea. Was great using the refillable mug and then getting a bottle of water with a meal - to use for later in the park!

 

[Disneyaunt4]

Also enjoying this, DH and I are getting the QSDP for the first time when we go in December. Thank you for sharing with us

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Loving your review so far. That burger from Old Port Royal looks amazing! Can't wait for the rest.

Thanks!

And yes, the burger was amazing! I had heard that Disney burgers are bigger and better than typical fast food - and they are! The CMs are so helpful and even though they were busy they still explained to me what was on the isle burger - I told her she had me at Pineapple-BBQ sauce.

Later in the trip we also had the deluxe burger at Pecos Bills - which had two huge onion rings on it and while delicious - was second to the Caribbean Isle Burger.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

Also enjoying this, DH and I are getting the QSDP for the first time when we go in December. Thank you for sharing with us

I had my doubts, but enjoyed the QSDP and I bet you will too. You can imagine the coke floats are a warm coffee drink to get a better idea of your experience in December!

I'm so glad you are enjoying it! I wish I were still there!

 

[Sazzo'sMommy]

Love it! Great tip on the water as your drink with the refillable mug!

 

[skatingmom]

I agree with the other posters! I was so excited to find a review of the QSDP! We have always done the regular dining plan and are trying the QSDP in July. Can't wait to read more!

 

[Celidh]

Yes, the burger looks awesome. I'm hungry now!

I'd love to hear more about any quick service restaurants that had different things other than burgers or nuggets (although my ds 11 will love 10 days of nuggets) etc. We are there for 10 days at the end of August.

I can't wait for Cosmic Rays. It seems yummy.

 

[smiths02]

Thanks for the review of Old Port Royal...from reading all the food reviews, I was beginning to think that no one ever ate there (or even stayed at CBR for that matter )!

I was planning on eating there when we got in b/c after driving 7 hours with my 5 year old...I didn't want to go anywhere else. I think I may have to try that burger...pineapple BBQ sauce is my kind of thing too.

 

[jegsnakkernorsk]

I agree with the other posters! I was so excited to find a review of the QSDP! We have always done the regular dining plan and are trying the QSDP in July. Can't wait to read more!

Oh so happy for you that you get to go to the World next month! I have never had a dining plan before but I always had one ADR a day when I went to Disney. I actually liked the flexiblity of not having to eat at a certain time, though to be honest I did have a detailed itinerary that I ended up sticking closely to. But the point is I didn't have to!

Also I think the QSDP is a good value (free mug and two snack credits and no paying for gratutity).

One tip for you in the busy time of July might be to try to go to the more popular counter service places either earlier or later than the main meal time - maybe shoot for getting to lunch before noon or after 1:30 for instance. Since we were eating breakfast by 6:45 each day, we were ready for lunch at 11:30, but if you get started later, a later lunch might not be too bad either.

 

[vettegirl]

I have always wanted to try CHH. This time we are done with the DDP and I so want to eat there and try the shrimp. Great pictures and looking forward to the rest of the report

 

[phabric]

Enjoyed your reviews and your tips.