Dining Plan confusion

[Tiger926]

I am noticing a few things now that we have signed up for Dining Plan as DVC members. Here is what I've noticed so far:

1) I thought I read somewhere that we couldn't get breakfast with Dining Plan, yet they have Donald's Character breakfast @ AK and Cape May Cafe @ Beach Club, so obviously these are accepted. Why no other breakfast buffets? Why do you think they chose these two?

2) Snack locations - we can get drinks (water, juice, pop), popcorn, fruit, ice cream/popsicles or chips, yet they have tons of snack locations listed that don't even offer these things - ok, they offer the water and pop, but that's about it. For example, most of the Epcot snack places also serve pastries, etc., but these aren't allowed. Why not offer a pastry as well for those of us who can't eat ice cream or popcorn? Almost seems like a tease, don't you think?

What do you all think? Just trying to learn all I can about the Dining Plan!

Tiger

 

[Straitlover]

Regarding the snacks, that not just for the DVC'ers. Snacks are limited to soft drinks, prepackaged ice creams, water, popcorn, coffee/hot choc and chips for everyone. I would ahve loved to use a snack credit on the ice cream sadwich at the Main Street Bakery but couldn't (you can get the Toll House Cookie icecream sandwich like they ahve at the carts). I got a Mickey Bar instead - yum!

 

[Lewisc]

Almost all the TS restaurants take MYW Dining for breakfast. The issue is there really isn't any CS restaurant to get breakfast in the Boardwalk area.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks - I know snacks are that way for everyone and not just DVC, that's why I think there really wouldn't be any harm in allowing muffins or other pastries as long as they are comparable in price to an ice cream or water. Like I said, it seems like a tease to go into the bakery and all you can get with your dining credit is a water or pop!

Lewisc - I'm still confused. You're saying that we can use our credits for breakfast or brunch at regular table service restaurants, but not for character breakfasts such as O'Hana's? I thought I read in a post somewhere that you couldn't use credits for breakfast, but I was confused because I took that to mean that the restaurants would turn you away if you wanted to order breakfast. So, you are saying that there are no stipulations as to what time of day you eat, the only stipulations are that you go to one of the restaurants listed, correct?

Just want to check. Thanks, Tiger

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

The change for breakfast on the dining plan from last year is that you no longer get a "dessert" for either counter or table service. Last year we used the "dessert" at breakfast to get a large fruit bowl (and my husband actually got cheesecake one time at 7:30 a.m. - yuck!). You can eat breakfast on the dining plan (either counter or table service), you just don't get as much, theoretically. It doesn't matter much for us, because we're not breakfast eaters (small muffin or bowl of cereal/oatmeal for the kids, as long as coffee is involved for the adults we're cool), but we are planning one character breakfast (near lunch) for our next trip. You definitely CAN use the dining plan for breakfast at lots of places (anyone listed in the brochure who serves breakfast, including character meals.) I assume you have looked at the Disney Dining Brochure, but if not, it can be found HERE (and it's not nearly as pretty as last year's brochure, unless this is only temporary.)

Oh, and regarding snacks, it depends largely on where you are. At the POFQ we got Mickey rice krispy bars as a snack. I have heard reports of people being able to get some pastries in some places, you just have to walk in and ask what would qualify as a snack. Seems very hit and miss to me, but might be worth a try. Some things that definitely DON'T qualify are the pretzels in Germany and Dole Whips. The reports are universal on those!

 

[Lewisc]

With dessert being deleted from breakfast you can usually do better paying for breakfast out of pocket and using your credits for other meals.


You can use it at O'hana as well. You can't use MYW Dining at the Swan Dolphin which means you can't use it at Fresh.

The issue is the Boardwalk area doesn't have any participating CS restaurants that are open for breakfast. It's not an issue of a restaurant turning you away but rather the CS restuarants aren't open. Most other resorts have a food court or snack bar that serves a CS breakfast. Unless it changed the grab and go section of the Beach Club Marketplace doesn't participate. The CS restaurants are basically the pool restaurants which aren't open for breakfast. I think you can use the plan at the Boardwalk Bakery but they don't serve eggs. It would be a waste to burn a credit for a muffin and coffee.

I think CRT may be changing to 2 credits for breakfast. Not worth it IMHO.

Thanks - I know snacks are that way for everyone and not just DVC, that's why I think there really wouldn't be any harm in allowing muffins or other pastries as long as they are comparable in price to an ice cream or water. Like I said, it seems like a tease to go into the bakery and all you can get with your dining credit is a water or pop!

Lewisc - I'm still confused. You're saying that we can use our credits for breakfast or brunch at regular table service restaurants, but not for character breakfasts such as O'Hana's? I thought I read in a post somewhere that you couldn't use credits for breakfast, but I was confused because I took that to mean that the restaurants would turn you away if you wanted to order breakfast. So, you are saying that there are no stipulations as to what time of day you eat, the only stipulations are that you go to one of the restaurants listed, correct?

Just want to check. Thanks, Tiger

 

[Tiger926]

Lewisc - Thanks very much. We don't eat breakfast, but we do eat brunch, so I wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be turned away based on time of day. Thanks!

GeorgiaAristrocat - Regarding your breakfast comment, what do you mean? According to the new brochure, you get dessert at both counter service and table service restaurants - are you saying that this has changed? I just spoke to disney dining and she didn't say anything about that at all. Plus, I already have a copy of the new 2006 brochure and it doesn't say it in here either. Please explain!

Tiger

 

[Lewisc]

Lewisc - Thanks very much. We don't eat breakfast, but we do eat brunch, so I wanted to make sure that we wouldn't be turned away based on time of day. Thanks!

GeorgiaAristrocat - Regarding your breakfast comment, what do you mean? According to the new brochure, you get dessert at both counter service and table service restaurants - are you saying that this has changed? I just spoke to disney dining and she didn't say anything about that at all. Plus, I already have a copy of the new 2006 brochure and it doesn't say it in here either. Please explain!

Tiger

The brochure that's presently being given out when you checkin says dessert is not included with breakfast. Look at the date in the last page of the brochure. My guess is you're looking at an old brochure.


http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/tickets/packageDetail?id=PackageDetailMYWDiningPkg06Page&bhcp=1

 

[patsal]

The dining plan is not really complicated at all. basically look at it as one TS, 1CS and 1 snack per person per day. You choose when and where you want to use it, from the particpating list.
Examples: Family of four ( for three nights) all considered adults to make this easier!(total 12 TS, 12CS, 12 snack)
Day 1 TS breakfast at 'Ohana for all 4
3 CS shared for dinner (this one stays on the card--I can use it later or another day)
1 popcorn and two bottles of soda and one bottle of water=4 snack credits

Day 2 I opt for 2 CS breakfasts and we share them
We have a TS dinner at Cali Grille and use 8TS credits
Later inteh evening we all get ice cream bars using 4 snack credits

Day 3 I have no TS left as I used signature dining the previous night
I have 7 CS left and 4 snacks left to use as I see fit

There are really no resrtictions on using the credits for breakfast except that it is now spelled out that you do not get dessert with breakfast. From a pure value stand point the credits are a better value when used at Character breakfasts and lunches/dinners rather than a traditional breakfast. The CS credits for breakfast are lower on the value as well. But if you want to use it for that than you can.

In December I tried it out with a short package for 5 days to see what would be best for my family. As DVC members going with extended family in December and not having enough points to put everyone up it was better to do the package. We used some of our credits for breakfasts and some of the snack credits for fruit. Staying DVC we will do all breakfasts except one in the villa and use the rest the way we normally would eat on vacation. We will most likely use three CS per day between the four of us for lunch and do a sit down dinner. The kids will find the snacks a better treat since I used to only spring for them about every other day!

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks - see it now in regards to breakfast - I thought she meant lunch & dinner. I have the new brochure, but only printed off the pages I needed, so I missed it, but just read it on the site. Thanks for clarification - shouldn't be an issue as we won't be eating breakfast, but I was confused at say O'Hana's as on the brochure it didn't have the character logo (Mickey Ears) next to it, so I assumed you could only eat there for lunch & dinner, but I'm guessing that they only put the Mickey Ears next to restaurants that are totally character meals - would this be correct?

Thanks for all help. I just successfully booked all of my ADRs for July - even got CRT for dinner, yeah!!

Tiger

 

[Lewisc]

Thanks - see it now in regards to breakfast - I thought she meant lunch & dinner. I have the new brochure, but only printed off the pages I needed, so I missed it, but just read it on the site. Thanks for clarification - shouldn't be an issue as we won't be eating breakfast.

Thanks for all help. I just successfully booked all of my ADRs for July - even got CRT for dinner, yeah!!

Tiger

CRT is not a good buy at 2 credits. Do the math, you may come out better paying out of pocket.

 

[Tiger926]

My hubby the banker did do the math and at $40.00 x 2 adults, plus 1 child's dinner (can't remember the price off hand), plus tax and tip, it worked out to be break even, so we are using our 2 TS credits. We go to Sea World for the day, so we are using that 1 TS for our CRT dinner.

Thanks, Tiger