How do you use your Disney Dining Plan?

[keneka]

Coming from the United Kingdom , our Disney vacations are usually 2 weeks long (as the plane fare is so expensive it is worth our while to visit less times but for a longer duration during our trip). With 3 adults in or party, our food bill at the end of our vacation could almost be the price of an additional member of our family.

On our last trip in 2013 we were lucky enough to receive the Disney Dining Plan (counter service) free when we purchased our vacation & I tried to plan our meals to get the most out of the deal. As two meals & one snack were included per day - members of our family shared some meals (in places we knew the portions were enormous) to make the credits stretch to as many meals as possible - as well as booking a handful of our favorite table service meals for a couple of evening meals during our stay & using snack credits on ice cream sundae's rather than bottled or soda drinks.

Breakfasts seemed to be the exception to our vacation, with some CM unclear what was included as well as some breakfasts that weren't worth using our credits for (as they are more valuable at dinner & lunch mealtimes).

I was just wondering how other people use their credits, what restaurants use your credits better & how would you recommend using them to people who haven't used the Disney Dining Plan.

 

[GatorMama]

There are great tools out there to help you make the most of your dining plan. One is a calculator that you input your parties' information in and where you plan to eat and it tells you if it is worth the cost of the plan. I also found a blogpost on Pinterest with lists of the most expensive table service and quick service establishments on property. I printed those out for quick reference when we are in the park and hungry for a QS meal. I even highlighted some of those places and printed menus for places we'd like most so I have an idea of what to get before trekking across a park.

 

[NYEmomma]

For us, the buffets are the best value because our toddlers can eat for free off of our plate. We would have to pay out of pocket for them otherwise since they're under 3 and not included in the meal plans, but they have the appetites of preschoolers and don't like the same thing so they won't share meals.

I know that's the exact opposite of what works best value-wise for most people, but for us it's good.