dining plan questions

[ilovmy3kidz]

we're old pro's at disney, but since we never stay on site, we never have dining (when you have ap the room rates by themselves don't generally work out very cheaply). anyway...

i get the snacks (sounds like popcorn, pretzle or mickey ice cream?), and i get the sit down dinner, but i don't quite get counter service. for example: at cosmic rays the rib and chicken combo is $13.99 - can you use the counter service for that?

is it worth it to use 2 meals for cinderella's castle. we'd love to take the girls, but choke on the $60 pp (especially for my 12 year old who is an "adult" by disney standards, but would be happiest with a kids cheese pizza)

it looks like if you want to get your money's worth, you'd better do a character meal. i guess that explains why the cost of character meals has gone nuts (looks like $36 for crystal palace now! I was surprised to see that last thursday, i thought it was more like $27).

thoughts - ideas - help?

 

[Praying Colonel]

we're old pro's at disney, but since we never stay on site, we never have dining (when you have ap the room rates by themselves don't generally work out very cheaply). anyway...

i get the snacks (sounds like popcorn, pretzle or mickey ice cream?), and i get the sit down dinner, but i don't quite get counter service. for example: at cosmic rays the rib and chicken combo is $13.99 - can you use the counter service for that?

is it worth it to use 2 meals for cinderella's castle. we'd love to take the girls, but choke on the $60 pp (especially for my 12 year old who is an "adult" by disney standards, but would be happiest with a kids cheese pizza)

it looks like if you want to get your money's worth, you'd better do a character meal. i guess that explains why the cost of character meals has gone nuts (looks like $36 for crystal palace now! I was surprised to see that last thursday, i thought it was more like $27).

thoughts - ideas - help?

There's a whole forum on the dining plan with great info:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=30&f=116

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I've used several dining plans in the past. We have always had great experiences using them and made out even or ahead in terms of money spent. However, please do not go into using the dining plan focusing on getting the most bang for your buck. Use all of your credits doing the things that you want to do and order what you want to eat.

In terms of how the counter service credits work, you are allotted one combo meal per CS credit. An example of this would be a cheeseburger, soda, and side (fries, pasta salad, etc.). You also get a dessert from the menu with this. So, yes, you could wind up using a CS credit for something like you mentioned above.

Although I have not personally eaten at Cindy's (yet), I have heard that breakfast is the best meal there. I plan on using my TS credits for this meal when we go. You might consider doing the same unless you are dead set on a lunch or dinner there.

We tend to use our credits to focus on regular TS and signature TS meals. I think scheduling character meals depends on the experience you want and age levels of your children.

I hope this all helps!

 

[Andyjo0930]

We have used the dining plan several times and will not go without it. The counter service is good for any combo meal at hotels and/or parks. You will get a meal, drink and desert. Also, you can use your table services in exchange for counter services. I believe you get an extra desert if you choose to do that. I know one year, we got little mesh bags in addition to an extra dessert for every table service we used as a counter service.

We have found out that using them for breakfast (other than character dining) is a waste. My kids order a mickey waffle and the cost of that compared to lunch is a big difference. We always pay for breakfast, use the counter services for lunch, table services for dinner. If you want to try to "get the most" out of the disney dinning, then yes, character dining is the way to do. Unfortuantely, a lot of the character dinings have the same type of food for every buffet. You can get sick of eating the same stuff day after day. Choose the restaurants you want... don't feel like you have to use the table service...if you want to have a relaxing day and not worry about dinner, trade it for a counter service... and enjoy your vacation.

 

[Guest-expert]

My June trip was the last Dining plan we'll ever do. I'm not knocking the program, or the food, but this last trip was mired by scheduling. It seemed like we were always cutting something short because we had reservations somewhere. I don't like the feeling of being locked into something. I'll book my one reservation early, and wing it from now on.
The price is right, but it was a buzzkill as far as timing.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We almost always get ice cream sundaes or smoothies for our snacks, but that's because we go in August when it is HOT. I love to get a dole whip as a snack during MK EMH. I don't know why, it's just better at 1am, lol.

Any combo meal at a CS is okay. Yes, that does include the chicken and ribs at Cosmic Rays that you mentioned. There are some great combo meals at Sunshine Seasons in Epcot. I think it's fun to try different CS meals around Epcot - fish and chips, middle eastern food, etc..

I've done the CRT dinner for the two credits and for us it was worth it. Not everyone agrees, but we had a good time and enjoyed the castle experience.

Have a great time!!!!!!!!!

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

CRT AND Cosmic Rays are traditions with my family....

IMHO - they are SUPER for the Dining PLan...... at Cosmic Ray's last visit....DH and I BOTH got the chicken/ribs, green beans, mashed potatoes combo with Chocolate or Carrot Cake for CS credit...Kids got Burgers, Veggie wrap....Everyone was FULL - that was a SUPER deal.....and I had researched it a lot before our visit....because I was SO tired of Kids getting a pizza slice or standard pecos burger with no other options available....Cosmic Rays has the BEST options at MK

CRT - well what can I say...it's a family tradition....and we go there for the EXPERIENCE.....less for the Value....the Food is GOOD.....it's a nice break from the hot park...and ....for heavens sake...You Are Eating In the Castle! That is ultra cool if you are 3 or 93 !!!! Plus - meet and greet with Cinderella ...picture....choice of magic wand or sword....neat show during....we go most recently for Early Dinner....Loved the appetizers that we shared....Loved the Prime Rib....DD who is usually picky LOVED the lavender chicken...loved the desserts...just a great experience overall....

Have a magical visit!

Mary

 

[yooperfan]

WE will be staying at POR. If we have dining plan with CS and it includes dessert, can we get carrot cake from the bakery there or is that not permitted?

 

[TillyMarigold]

i get the snacks (sounds like popcorn, pretzle or mickey ice cream?),

There's a snacks sticky on the Dining Plan forum, you should read it. Essentially you can get just about anything that's approximately $4 or less ... bottled drinks; ice cream including sundaes and special things like Itzakadoozie or ice-cream cookie sandwich; pretzels including stuffed/flavored; single-serving popcorn; a large proportion of the bakery items at anywhere that sells them; fruit; funnel cake (but only at the Magic Kingdom); cookies; chips; nachos; milkshakes, smoothies, and slushes; cappuccino ...

 

[P.I. Squirrel]

WE will be staying at POR. If we have dining plan with CS and it includes dessert, can we get carrot cake from the bakery there or is that not permitted?

While I am not exactly sure about POR, here is how POP works:

We get our CS meal with the exception of dessert, check out, finish our meal, and then take our receipt to the dessert bar. Any dessert on their menu is fair game, including cheesecake, carrot cake, or 3 scoops of ice cream.

If we were to get from the freezer case, I don't know if that would be a dessert, or if we would be forced to use a snack credit.

 

[RMulieri]

We always do the dining plan.Yes, at Cosmic Rays you can do the rib/chicken combo.In fact we only order 1 and split it and save the other CS credit for another day.To me CRT is not worth the credits, but to others it is.We don't do all Character meals to get the biggest bang..we do mostly dinners since dinners are more expensive

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this over to our restaurant board for you.

 

[jrsmom]

If it is dining with a princess or two, how about 1900 Park Fare or the Norway breakfast? Unless it is the castle experience that you are looking for. I am hoping to do 1900 Park Fare soon, if We can talk 14 year old son to go there! I think if we promise that he won't have to have pictures with the princesses he might just go for it.

 

[ilovmy3kidz]

we've done akershus 2 or three times now. i think dh was looking for the castle moment. i do find when we are there in summer, no one is very hungry. we have breakfast at the hotel, then tote some snacks (uncrustable sandwiches are a treat for the kids, some trail mix, a few other things) then we tend to get one meal at mk that would be rays, the plaza and used to be the harbor house (but now the tasty sandwich we loved is gone!) so i guess we'l have to think about it.

i know folks say cost shouldn't be the issue, but hey, who are they kidding! cost needs to balance out for us. i think you probably even out with adult food, but get a deal on the kids food.

i agree with the one poster about the schedules too. we once went with friends who were on the dp and it felt like we spent most of the day either waiting for our reservation or sitting in restraunts. i always run into the problem of we are on one side of the park, the res is in 45 or 30 min. there's not enough time to ride or see something (esp in summer or peak times) but it's too much time to sit and wait for the res.

thanks for everyone's input!