Anybody going to downgrade to QS for free dining?

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

We're currently booked at a moderate with the QS dining plan. We normally do regular dining, but we have 2 older kids, a preschooler, and a baby and thought QS would be easier. The new free dining offer would save us some money though. I'm sure they would let us downgrade to QS if we wanted to. I'm just trying to weigh my options.

I had thought about paying OOP for 1-2 TS meals while on QS plan. I like the mugs. I like the extra snacks. I'm just unsure about what to do now. I wish they would let us get regular dining and then trade TS for CS AND a snack, not just an even trade.

Thoughts?

 

[Faldred]

Believe it or not, you cannot downgrade free dining DDP to QSDP, at least according to last year's (the first year of the QSDP) reports, and there have been no reports I've seen to the contrary this year.

 

[crmom7054]

We did the quick service dining plan on our trip in January 2010 and I loved it. It was so much less stressful then the regular dining plan. On the regular dining plan my kids would get tired before a schedule meal and then it was miserable for everyone. If I scheduled it earlier, they weren't hungry, etc. The planning of the regular dining plan is just problematic with small kids or a baby in my opinion.

I would definitely ask to switch to the Quick Service. I'm sure they won't give you any else for your trade but an even trade, but I still think you will be much happier. The counter service meals and the two snacks were more than enough for us each day and we aren't light eaters. It was really great having all the snack credits.

We did pay out of pocket for two meals -- both character breakfasts since that is the cheapest out of pocket meal. So if you do this, just go at breakfast or lunch to save some money.

 

[dandave]

Are you all in a single moderate room? I would switch to 2 Value rooms and take the free QS plan. But that's just me.

 

[2Tiggies]

That's what they told me too when I called them.

 

[crmom7054]

Oops, nevermind I guess if they won't let you downgrade. That is so crazy!

 

[ocean134]

Ok Disney addicts, would anyone be able to give me a ballpark number on what the DDP QS only would cost for 6 days?

I have NEVER used the DDP on any of my past trips but the upcoming trip may be worth it.

Please let me know!

 

[Faldred]

Ok Disney addicts, would anyone be able to give me a ballpark number on what the DDP QS only would cost for 6 days?

I have NEVER used the DDP on any of my past trips but the upcoming trip may be worth it.

Please let me know!

QSDP is $31.99/adult/night and $9.99/child/night.

 

[chuckml]

They won't let you downgrade unfortunately. We tried to do it for our ressies 9/4-9/11 at CSR and they wouldn't let us.

I even called a few different times to see if I could get a different answer from a different CM, but no dice.

It would have been more money to get the QSDP than it was for the regular DDP.

We just ended up switching to Pop, and saving more money. You would think that Disney would let you downgrade. I wasn't asking for any money back, we just didn't want the full DDP. The QSDP works better for us.

Anyway, Pop here we come!

 

[ocean134]

qsdp is $31.99/adult/night and $9.99/child/night.

thank you!!!!!

 

[ocean134]

You will love Pop! I have stayed at different Disney resorts and I had no idea Pop would win me over. I adore it!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Well, that really stinks! Well, I guess my choices are to stay with my current reservation with the QS plan OR switch to free dining and save an additional $189 or so, but have the regular dining plan, which just isn't ideal for my family right now. Although, I have heard people say they've been able to make an even trade of a TS for a CS. In that case, I would just be losing the mugs and extra snacks.

 

[KELLY]

They won't let you downgrade unfortunately. We tried to do it for our ressies 9/4-9/11 at CSR and they wouldn't let us.

I even called a few different times to see if I could get a different answer from a different CM, but no dice.

It would have been more money to get the QSDP than it was for the regular DDP.

We just ended up switching to Pop, and saving more money. You would think that Disney would let you downgrade. I wasn't asking for any money back, we just didn't want the full DDP. The QSDP works better for us.

Anyway, Pop here we come!

We did the exact same thing. But dd really wanted to stay at pop again. She saved me 675.00 plus all the tips I would have had to leave. We are doing 3 ts meals but 2 aren't on the dining plan. T-rex and rainforest the other is garden grill. Dh is very gald we are doing the QSDP so am I. No more having to check our watch.

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

We've always stayed at values in the past, but our family has outgrown them. So, this trip we are not getting park hoppers to save money and we chose the QS plan to save extra money (not just on the price difference, but also on not having to pay tips).

My DH is totally into having the QS so we don't have to check our watches, we can eat when we're hungry, and we don't have to worry about the kids at a sit down.

Now that free dining is here, it would save us about $189, but if they don't let us downgrade, DH said he just wants to stick with our current reservation.

I've been thinking it over and pricing stuff out. Four mugs is about $52. If the average snack is about $3.50, that would be 3.50 x 4 = 14 x 7 nights = 98. $98 + 52 = 150. This is still less than the $189 we would save. So, in my thoughts, if we switch to free dining and have to take the regular dining plan, even if we only did 1 or 2 sitdown meals, it would be worth it, rather than doing QS and paying OOP for a meal or two. Of course, this would only work if they let you do an even trade of a TS for a CS.

 

[2Tiggies]

I don't think Disney introduced the QSDP for the sole purpose of giving guests more dining options. They want you to think that and it is probably part of the reason, but I really believe that they were primarily trying to address the problem of acquiring ADRs for TS. The tiered free dining strikes a certain amount of equilibrium between the CS and TS locations and eases the pressure on TS. If they allowed downgrades, now that QS is quite a popular choice for many, it could potentially cause an overload on the CS. When TS restaurants are full, they are full. With CS, there is nothing stopping more folk from just queueing up

Just my thoughts on the whole thing.

 

[dandave]

TBGOES2DISNEY, Are you totally against getting 2 connecting rooms at a Value? I have done this many, many times for the extra space and second bathroom. With the free QS dining at the Values, you'll get the plan you want and still save a few bucks over what you were willing to pay originally.

 

[ocean134]

I agree on the connecting rooms! I do this with my family and we love it...especially the ease of having two bathrooms available.

I believe that Pop also has rooms that can accomodate larger families. Am I correct on this? Rooms avail for parties of 5/6?

I may need to review my research but I am pretty certain they do.

 

[karrit2000]

I agree on the connecting rooms! I do this with my family and we love it...especially the ease of having two bathrooms available.

I believe that Pop also has rooms that can accomodate larger families. Am I correct on this? Rooms avail for parties of 5/6?

I may need to review my research but I am pretty certain they do.

They are in the process of converting the unfinished other half of POP over to Family Suites. I believe the Family Suites are only currently available at one of the All Stars - Music.

 

[free2div]

as of now Pop only has rooms for 4 people and an infant. We get adjoining rooms but you have to ask for them.

 

[MusiqChic99]

I had no idea they wouldn't let you downgrade. We even talked about it but since we were getting it for "free" we didn't bother and took the regular dining plan.

Interesting...