How do you know Quick Service FD is a good deal?

[100AcreWood]

This may seem like an odd question but I'm trying to figure out how much we would normally spend on food per day. And determine whether we are still better staying offsite for a cheaper rate and buying our meals as needed.

Two adults, 2 kids, and an 2 year old who would share our food. I'm guessing Quick Service FD would save us $80 a day? The regular FD doesn't make sense for us since we don't want to spend a lot of time eating at table service meals.

Am I calculating that correctly? I'm guessing $30 per lunch, $30 per dinner, and $20 in snacks.

 

[lilclerk]

The best thing you can do when it comes to any dining plan is look through the menus on allears.net, price out what you would want to eat, and see if that's cheaper than the flat rate of the dining plan (or the price of upgrading from off-site to on-site.)
If you'd be staying off site, you may not eat every meal at Disney, so that would save you some... but you would have to pay for parking every day, plus the rental car. All that needs to be factored in as well.

 

[DJFan88]

Are we talking a value room with free dining, or do you have to pay for the dining? These factor in. Also, quick service comes with the refillable mugs too, I believe.

Is the convenience of not driving in traffic worth it to you for the difference in price. I remember sitting in a huge traffic line after wishes fireworks got out one year, and we also had to get to the TTC by either boat or monorail with the crowds first. If you're at a disney resort you bypass that step and just wait for a bus (which I won't kid you can be a big line at that time.).
However, we drive down to FL so we like not driving when we get there. Orlando is pretty trafficy and there always seems to be some sort of construction going on.

For variety if your on QS you can go visit other resorts and try their food courts.

 

[summerlady]

Where you plan to eat makes a difference, too. If you're going to use your CS credits for full breakfasts at the food court at your resort vs using credits at places like Wolfgang Puck Express or Sunshine Seasons will effect your savings. We've used the QSDP twice, the DDP once, and much prefer the QSDP (although this trip we'll have free DDP 'cause you can't downgrade at a mod). We used a snack credit each morning to get breakfast items at the food court, that works out well if you're not big breakfast eaters. What it averaged out to was our two snacks each per day were basically free even figuring in the inclusion of the refillable mugs with the plan, at an average of about $4 per snack, 2 per day, 3 people, we saved approx. $160 over a 7 night trip. Plus, you don't have to shell out all that $ for tips either!

 

[Sandisw]

This may seem like an odd question but I'm trying to figure out how much we would normally spend on food per day. And determine whether we are still better staying offsite for a cheaper rate and buying our meals as needed.

Two adults, 2 kids, and an 2 year old who would share our food. I'm guessing Quick Service FD would save us $80 a day? The regular FD doesn't make sense for us since we don't want to spend a lot of time eating at table service meals.

Am I calculating that correctly? I'm guessing $30 per lunch, $30 per dinner, and $20 in snacks.

What we like best about the dining plans is that I know ahead of time the costs and can plan. We also found we didn't worry about what we ordered since it was "prepaid".

In your case, with free dining, you know going it what the trip will cost (as we found the QSDP is plenty of food--we also used the snack credits as our light breakfast).

You mention staying off site and then paying OOP. What you have to decide is what is that difference and how much food can you buy for that difference. Fro example, say the room at Disney is going to run you $120/night, with the dining plans, but off site will run you $60/night, then you have to see if you can eat for $60 a day, by looking at the menus.


Personally, I would go with Disney and the plan as it makes it so much easier and relaxing not having to worry about what you are paying when you are there.

 

[100AcreWood]

Thank you all. I'm looking at Pop with free dining although I wouldn't mind spending the extra money and going with CSR. My husband is super tall and I don't think he would be comfortable in a full bed.

You've given me some stuff to think about. One question, a PP said you didn't have to worry about tips. Is that true? If you have table service with free dining you don't have to leave a tip? I had factored that into my expenses if we did CSR.

 

[DJFan88]

You don't have to leave a tip if you are on the Quick Service Dining Plan, which would be what you would get if you go to POP. Plus, you get the refillable mugs.

However, if you do decide to upgrade to CSR, you now have to get the regular dining plan (if it's free dining, not oop). Then, you have 1 table service meal a day, 1 quick service meal and 1 snack. So, the poster was saying if you had the quick service plan you would not have to tip. If you upgrade to FD at CSR you Would have to tip at the 1 table service meal a day. The menu's can be pricier than you would normally eat at, so you would need to figure about 15 bucks each table meal. Also, you would no longer get the free refillable mugs, either!!! Those are about $13 a whack. You would also need to be making advance ADR's to make sure you get places you want to eat at.

I definetly agree with the poster who would prefer the QSDP. However, we also are staying at a mod (CSR) and wouldn't be able to downgrade our plan. If I was not getting Free Dining and I had to buy a plan, I would either not buy a plan, or I would buy QSDP.

 

[su_A_ve]

Only place you would leave a tip on QSDP is at Pepper Market. Servers bring you the drinks and pick up your plates, however, you pick up your own food.

Note that the benefit of DP is that you can use two entitlements for some signature dining or dinner shows, which you might not do otherwise.

 

[brighteyes]

There are plenty of places to eat at with the QSDP. And my and DS liked the food options at POP food court. There are many places that will give you a tasty and filling meal rather than just a burger and fries. POP has alot of options to get as a snack for breakfast food like other PP have stated.

 

[TaraBara]

This may seem like an odd question but I'm trying to figure out how much we would normally spend on food per day. And determine whether we are still better staying offsite for a cheaper rate and buying our meals as needed.

Two adults, 2 kids, and an 2 year old who would share our food. I'm guessing Quick Service FD would save us $80 a day? The regular FD doesn't make sense for us since we don't want to spend a lot of time eating at table service meals.

Am I calculating that correctly? I'm guessing $30 per lunch, $30 per dinner, and $20 in snacks.

I think it depends on how much you like to eat. Typically, when we are in the hot, hot sun and in a park, we don't tend to eat as much. Plus, we don't usually order drinks/desserts with every meal. When I was deciding which option was best for us, I priced out EXACTLY what we would want to eat and found that the dining plan wasn't a good fit. We want to do a mix of CS and TS, and there isn't any plan that incorporates these. So for us it didn't work out.

Look at the menus, plan out what you would eat, look at the prices, and decide which option is best for you!

 

[nooneshome]

We did QS FD last year for Thanksgiving and for us it was the same as getting a room discount. We aren't big eaters and like the freedom of QS. There are enough non-burger and non-chicken strip options to make it enjoyable for everyone. We had 2 adults and 3 teens eating off a four person plan and it was still too much food. Too many snacks and desserts!!! And we got lots of water for our desserts and didn't share meals and much as we could have. We are considering doing he QS FD again for this Thanksgiving but this time we will only have 4 eating off a plan for 4. Yikes!!

 

[rjmum]

Hello to you.
We went in June w/ other family members and had the FD with a sit down meal per day. It was a LOT of food. We also had to get a little creative because my daughter and I are more 4-5 small meals a day people, then the average 3 meal a day people. We ended up spliting a QS twice a day, some of them are huge!, rather than each getting 1 each, once a day.
I am in the process of planning our second trip and have checked the menus and priced out if the dining plan would be cost effective for us. It comes out about the same.
That being said, as long as it isn't going to cost you more, I HIGHLY recommend the dining plan, quick service or sit down. It REALLY adds to the magical experience of the vacation. It was so fun for both of to order what ever we wanted (within dining plan limits)! We don't normally order dessert and getting one at every meal made it very special. With the dining plan you don't have to look at the prices and say, I'll have the chicken because it is cheaper when you know the steak is what you really want. Normally when we travel I take fruit or granolla for snacks during the day. My DD had a choc covered mickey ice cream bar almost every day we were there. It was part of the "magical experience" for her. For me, knowing most of the food was prepaid and not having to worry if we were eating more than I had budgeted was GREAT.
My advice is go with which ever dining plan fits your family just for the perks of pre-paid dining.
Hope this helps.

 

[serene56]

We are staying at pop and were able to upgrade to the regular dining for 10.00 pp per night. (when you factored in all out charactor table services-- it was well worth it.

Table service is where you need to tip- we budgeted 50.00 pp for the entire stay

 

[victory-rc]

I just did 7 days at coronado with 3 other people and did not have the meal plan. paying out the money for 4 people was no vacation and I would say the dinner plan is the way were going next time.

We have the mugs so we will most likely try the dinner plan ,It doesnt include mugs like the quick serve does,If i understand it correctly,Im new LOL.