Dining Plan: Most Bang for Your Buck

[HLAuburn]

Can anyone suggest some places, mainly for counter service and snacks, where you get the most for your money? I think we've decided on most of our table service places, but any suggestions for that would be great, too. (So far we have CM dinner, CP lunch, and Artist Point).

If we eat at Kona (or any other TS) for breakfast, is it best just to pay out of pocket? And what are your snack choices mainly just popcorn, chips, coke, or ice cream? No dole whips or anything like that?

Thanks

 

[JodyLynC]

The best bang for our buck was at the Tangerine Cafe in Morroco and Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland at MK. At TC, we got the saffron roasted chicken ($11.95) plus a drink and baklava on the DDP. Cosmic Ray's, I got the chicken/rib combo ($13.89) plus a drink and a mini chocolate cake.

We paid for breakfast Out of Pocket for all breakfasts. When you are at a place that serves snack items such as the popcorn cart, ice cream cart, etc. The menu will have a DDP next to all items that are included on the dining plan. You are right that the snacks are just popcorn, chips, sodas, and ice cream bars.

 

[marcyinPA]

One of our best "bang for your buck" CS meals was Tusker House in AK. We ate A LOT of food and it was all really good!

We also did really well in the AsMo food court for breakfast. We were able to get fruit, and entree, a pastry, and a drink....it was A LOT of food and I think roughly $50 for breakfast (for 4) is alot of money!

 

[tndisneyfan]

Flame Tree BBQ at AK. You get a lot of food for a reasonable price. You can get a half rack of ribs or half a smoked chicken w/ baked beans and corn for about $9. Just my opinion but I think this is one of the best values at WDW. I forgot to add it is also very good. Good food, good value, you can't beat that.

 

[speakupjc]

La Cellier and the Yachtsman Steakhouse for ts. The yachtsman costs 2 ts points per person but is totally worth it whereas La Cellier is only 1 and is unbelievable.

 

[kutchyone]

Flame Tree BBQ at AK. You get a lot of food for a reasonable price. You can get a half rack of ribs or half a smoked chicken w/ baked beans and corn for about $9. Just my opinion but I think this is one of the best values at WDW. I forgot to add it is also very good. Good food, good value, you can't beat that.

Do you also get a dessert with that meal under the meal plan for your CS credit?

 

[kutchyone]

The best bang for our buck was at the Tangerine Cafe in Morroco and Cosmic Ray's in Tomorrowland at MK. At TC, we got the saffron roasted chicken ($11.95) plus a drink and baklava on the DDP. Cosmic Ray's, I got the chicken/rib combo ($13.89) plus a drink and a mini chocolate cake.

We paid for breakfast Out of Pocket for all breakfasts. When you are at a place that serves snack items such as the popcorn cart, ice cream cart, etc. The menu will have a DDP next to all items that are included on the dining plan. You are right that the snacks are just popcorn, chips, sodas, and ice cream bars.

Both on our list for February.

 

[Hopefully]

Wwe really liked the Columbia Harbour House at the Magic Kingdom for a CS lunch. The sandwiches were fresh, good and a change from the Burger, Chicken Fingers we had been eating.

 

[robinb]

If you have a car you can drive to the Pepper Market at CSR. The steak dinner (usually around $19) and the tuna steak dinner ($16) are both included in a counter service meal. The downside of the Pepper Market is that they restrict your dessert to a cookie or a muffin. We were usually too stuffed for dessert anyway, so we would pick up muffins to have for breakfast the next day.

 

[westcliffemom]

Do you also get a dessert with that meal under the meal plan for your CS credit?

Yes, you get dessert too! We got a frozen lemonade and a key lime pie.

 

[tndisneyfan]

Do you also get a dessert with that meal under the meal plan for your CS credit?

When we went in May we did. They had a chocolate cake that was good, it was rich, almost too rich. If you are not big on chocalte it may be too much for you. They had one or two more desserts to choose from but I can't remember now what they were.

I would also like to add that me and DH are both big eaters but I think we could have got one meal and split it.

 

[swankybeth]

robinb-Great idea about Pepper Market, I think DH will be in heaven! On a sentimental note, we stayed at CS on our first trip together, so it will be really nice to go back there.

 

[LeesyUD]

I would highly recommend Mara's at AKL, the fired shrimp are awesome and it was a huge serving that came with fries too. Also it is a great place to take a mid-day break for lunch so you can relax and check out the animals. Also Carribean Beach has a great food court as well. I think the World Showcase at Epcot is a great spot for counter service as well. Japan or Mexico would be my top picks. As far as snacks go, we were too full alot of the time to eat our desserts with the CS meals bc we had so much food. Since they include a dessert, we would get something like chips or rice crispie treat and save for later. Then for our snacks we saved mostly for drinks. We happened to be there during the food and wine festival, and were shocked that we could actually use credits for the food at the stations...now that was a great deal!
As far as TS, we used 2 credits each for California Grill which I highly recommend, and Le Cellier was only 1 each and would have cost us $120.00 just for two people. What we opted to do since there were 3 table service meals we wanted to do but did not have enough credits, is pay OOP for the buffets. We paid for Breakfastasauras(would not got back ugh...Crystal Palace is way better) and Boma for breakfast one night and dinner another. That way it is a set price and will usually be cheaper than if you were to order a full dinner at any other restaurant. But usually the best deal is to use TS credits for lunch/dinner and pay OOP for breakfast. That was my experience anyway. Hope all that helps.