Free dining experts!

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

Ugh, help...or it looks good?.... with ADRs and use of Table Service Credits....any suggestions or is this the best plan for the trip?

an outline of our trip in March/April for free dining:

Saturday: arrival day, we usually just hang out DTD and pay OOP for food
Sunday: Magic Kingdom-Crystal Palace = 4 table service credits
Monday:Cali Grill, there are 4 of us in the party, but my 2 kids will share a meal, so we will use 6 TS credits
Tuesday: Narcoossees, just 2 adults, date night ) Will be 4 TS credits
Wednesday: Chef Mickeys for breakfast, 4 TS credits, Sci Fi dinner, 4 TS credits
Thursday: San Angel Inn, will use 3 TS credits, as the kids always share here, too. and Le Cellier? <maybe>, again 3 TS credits, the kiddos will share.
That leaves our TS balance at zero, and we have all of friday left, which may be ok, we will be heading to the water park that day and either hang out at hotel, head to MK for EMHs or go to the boardwalk for the evening. It looks like we do have 8 Counter Service credits to use on Friday....


Melissa

 

[shoney]

Unfortunately, I am no help with your questions since we are planning our first onsite trip, but I have a question for you....

I see your kids will be sharing meals to free up some credits. Have you done this in the past? Are restaurants ok with it on the dining plan? (ofcourse not at a buffet!)

My boys eat like little birdies and we often have them share a meal. I'd love to know your experience with this.

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

Yes, they are totally cool with it...this will be our 4th trip experience with free dining. In fact, I had weight loss surgery several years ago and they even let adults share! Sometimes the portions are so big!

 

[havoc315]

As the dining plan is "free," you aren't necessarily concerned with maximizing value... But in general terms, the signature restaurants are not usually worth 2 credits on the regular DDP. For the simple reason, that a 1-credit dinner at The Wave will run $30-45, while a 2 credit dinner at California Grill will run $50-60. In other words, at a 2-credit restaurant, you are getting far less "value" per credit. (Narcoose's is the exception, if you get the lobster or the surf and turf, then you get good value per credit).

Some suggestions -- If you want to do Les Cellier, do it for lunch instead of dinner. Then it's only 1 credit, and you still have many of their signature items. You seem to currently have it down for dinner, where it is actually 2-credits per person.

You might also want to conserve credits at California Grill and Narcoose's by doing a bit more sharing.
In other words... instead of 6 credits at CG, only expend 4 credits. Use those credit to buy the 2 most expensive meals, and 2 desserts for 4 people to share. Then pay for the extra entree OOP.
Same with Narcoose's... Unless you both want the lobster. 1 person get the expensive entree and a dessert with a credit. The person with the cheaper meal pays OOP. So 2 credits instead of 4.
This will give you a few more TS credits to use on your last day.

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

Thanks so much for the info! I had just read that Le Cellier can be done at lunch and save the TS credits! So i will be switching the lunch and dinner around for that day~

 

[shoney]

Fantastic! I think I'll be adding a few ADR's!!! DS10 is on meds that take away what little appetite he has, so I know for a fact he wouldn't be eating more than a few bites at lunch. To waste a credit at Le Cellier would be a shame!

 

[sharonabe]

Are your kids still Disney kids or are they Disney adults???

Your TS credits are broken down to adult and kids credits, so if you save kids credits, you will only have kids TS credits left over. You can't get adult meals with kids credits.