meal sharing tips

[belsayre]

we are not going until next spring - but I am an over planner so bear with me
give me your best tips on splitting meals. There will be 2 adults and 2 kids ( 5 & 7). we are not HUGE eaters - esp the kids- they are more "grazers" then sit down at one time and eat a big meal.
I love the double cheese burger /extra bun tip. what others so you do and where is the best places to eat to split meals ( large portions etc..)
counter service is fine....... I dont know that I want to do this at TS because I dont want to look like a cheap skate ( although I am LOL)
thanks for your help and tips !

 

[formernyer]

First comment - you will NOT look like a cheapskate sharing meals at a TS restaurant. It is VERY common and not even slightly frowned upon.

Second comment - if you are planning on booking TS meals, you will most likely be better off buying the DDP. It would cost you $60/day for the entire family which is probably a bit more than you would have to spend if you manage your meals very well, but trust me you will eat like a pig and you won't regret it. The best opportunities are when you purchase the dining plan AND share meals. The dining credits that you conserve via meal-sharing can add up to enough to cover your breakfasts and meals on the last day of your trip that wouldn't otherwise be covered by the DDP. There's lots of info on this board about the DDP and how to maximize your credits.


There are a lot of great places to eat with huge portions. If you search this board you'll find threads specifically addressing this topic.

 

[belsayre]

We are staying at SOG so we cant get the DDP

 

[Straitlover]

Cosmic Ray's has a whole chicken dinner meal for I think $19.95. You get a whole roast chicken and some sides, and it would probably big big enough for you all. They also have a 1/2 chicken/ 1/2 rack of ribs combo that 2 can split easily.

Adults are welcome to order off the kids menus at counter service, so that's a way to save some $$.

I believe the nacho platter at Cantina de San Angel in Epcot is pretty big.

If you're going to eat at Downtown Disney, the pizzas at Wolfgang Puck Express could be split. Get the Side caesar salad for $1.95 (it's a decent size), and that is a good meal for 2 (leaves room for a snack later!).

 

[ciera321]

Totally agree with formernyer. You will not be frowned upon for sharing. We do it several times on our trips. We just aren't big eaters and I can't see wasting food. Sunshine Seasons at Epcot is a good place to share. The sandwiches are large and so are the portions of everything we've gotten there. Plus, if we share a meal, we will have room to share a dessert.

 

[La2kw]

Totally agree with formernyer. You will not be frowned upon for sharing. We do it several times on our trips. We just aren't big eaters and I can't see wasting food. Sunshine Seasons at Epcot is a good place to share. The sandwiches are large and so are the portions of everything we've gotten there. Plus, if we share a meal, we will have room to share a dessert.

Sharing at a CS is not the same as sharing at a TS. Tips are usually based on the total check and a server may not like the sharing since it can affect the tip. That said, you are the customer and if you find the portions are too large, then definitely share. Just be aware that you may get some attitude from the servers- we've experienced that at a few different Disney restaurants.

 

[jann1033]

Sharing at a CS is not the same as sharing at a TS. Tips are usually based on the total check and a server may not like the sharing since it can affect the tip. That said, you are the customer and if you find the portions are too large, then definitely share. Just be aware that you may get some attitude from the servers- we've experienced that at a few different Disney restaurants.

fortunately for us we never have had this experience and we always leave a tip that would compensate for 2 dinners since they sometimes will plate them in the kitchen for you in separate portions. just ask nicely, explain you can't eat it all and ask can you split... i find usually if you are nice so are they,

portions when we have done this at Disney have always been plenty except at le cellier...their sides were kind of smallish and even thought we had an appe and dessert we also split we should have gotten either another appe or a side to go with the meal. it was OK since we got a "little something "from the french bakery later and had plenty of room for it

 

[Amy&Dan]

We always share at cs and ts places at WDW (except buffets of course). At Sci Fi the burgers are so enormous my husband and I always share one. I have never one time gotten my own entree there. We have also shared at Coral Reef, Rainforest Cafe, Kona, and probably some other ts places I can't remember. For counter service, the double burger is good (we don't do the extra bun however) and at Columbia Harbor House we find two of the fish/chicken combo baskets feed our family of four just fine. The portions are so huge all over WDW we share as as a means of not wasting food and if it saves some money, so much the better. I do tip more like 25% when we meal share. I also find this leaves us more room for Mickey Bars and popcorn later on!

 

[Allison]

First comment - you will NOT look like a cheapskate sharing meals at a TS restaurant. It is VERY common and not even slightly frowned upon.

Second comment - if you are planning on booking TS meals, you will most likely be better off buying the DDP. It would cost you $60/day for the entire family which is probably a bit more than you would have to spend if you manage your meals very well, but trust me you will eat like a pig and you won't regret it. The best opportunities are when you purchase the dining plan AND share meals. The dining credits that you conserve via meal-sharing can add up to enough to cover your breakfasts and meals on the last day of your trip that wouldn't otherwise be covered by the DDP. There's lots of info on this board about the DDP and how to maximize your credits.


There are a lot of great places to eat with huge portions. If you search this board you'll find threads specifically addressing this topic.

It would be quite a bit more than $60 a day wouldn't it? Isn't the price $36 for adults and $11 (rounded) for kids? That's $94 a day.

 

[Amy&Dan]

It would be quite a bit more than $60 a day wouldn't it? Isn't the price $36 for adults and $11 (rounded) for kids? That's $94 a day.

Yeah, I come up with $94 a day too. But the OP is at SOG and can't do the DDP anyway. Even so, I know my family of four with meal sharing and eating breakfast in the room eats for more like around $75 a day for an average. And since our son is 11 and would pay the full $36 to eat very little it doesn't work for us.

 

[formernyer]

It would be quite a bit more than $60 a day wouldn't it? Isn't the price $36 for adults and $11 (rounded) for kids? That's $94 a day.

I was traveling with only myself and two children when I paid for the DDP, so it was $60. My daughter is now 10 and will be an adult for the Fall trip with the free dining.

When I made that comment earlier, I was probably thinking about my own cost during my last trip, rather than realizing that every family is a different size.

 

[Allison]

Yeah, I come up with $94 a day too. But the OP is at SOG and can't do the DDP anyway. Even so, I know my family of four with meal sharing and eating breakfast in the room eats for more like around $75 a day for an average. And since our son is 11 and would pay the full $36 to eat very little it doesn't work for us.

I know what you are saying. 2 of my kids are adult price so it would be $155 a day or so for us.

 

[belsayre]

Thank you all for the help
Glad to know it isnt frowned upon to share!

 

[liv4pixiedust]

Belsayre, you should check with SOG about dining plan info. A friend is staying there in 2 weeks, and she got a nice package. Her meals are at SOG and include the breakfast buffet every day and dinners at the buffet and the Italian restaurant at SOG. We ate at both places in Sept '04 and they were pretty good. My friend and her DH also got other perks in their package - credit at the SOG gift shop, etc. Keep checking back with SOG reservations, as they may offer packages between now and your vacation that you may be able to take advantage of. Isn't the dining plan part of the MYW tickets rather than your hotel stay anyway? See what SOG is offering with their discounted tickets, you may get lucky.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I know what you are saying. 2 of my kids are adult price so it would be $155 a day or so for us.

Yep, we paid $28 (or thereabouts) at Chef Mickey's last time. My son ate a bunch of orange slices and two chicken nuggets. Only at Liberty Tree Tavern do I ever feel like eats enough to get our money's worth. I know they have to start charging more at some point but I wish it was more like 13 instead of 10! We have only five months left until my daughter is 10 and paying full price as well. She eats next to nothing unless they have cherry tomatoes and bread and butter!