Need Help - QS or Basic Dining

[imagine]

ok, I need some help... I'm surprising DH for a trip for the 2 of us in August and trying to decide between the QS or Basic Dining plan. Since it is a surprise, I can't ask him his opinion!

We'll get in late on Monday night (i.e. 9:30 - 10 pm) and leave very early Friday morning (flight out of Sanford at 8:10 am)

I'm planning for us to do the parks on Tuesday - only the 1 day and hop around. Wed & Thurs as fairly lazy days.

We have a tradition of going to CA Grill so I have a reservation for us there on Wed night.

My assumption is that by the time we to to DW & check in, probably no place is open to get a meal then so we'll pick up something at a drive through on our way from the airport. Also I'm assuming that nothing will be open when we have to head back to the airport on Friday am - so am assuming we would have to go through the drive thru on the way back then too....

So, would you do QS and pay OOP for CA Grill or would you do the basic and maybe have to pay OOP for some breakfasts (not sure our 1 snack each would cover breakfast each morning.)

If you recommend the basic, then what would you recommend for dinner on Thurs night - I'm thinking probably a 2TS if we do QS in the park on Tuesday.

And finally, are there enough good "non park" QS to make the QS plan worth it?

We'll be staying at SSR and would have quick access to DTD.

We have 2 girls at home, so extra snack credits could be treats for them to smooth them not getting to go!

Please help!

 

[Bete]

because you get both quick service and table service.

California Grill will be 2 TS credits; so, late arrival on your first night will help since you won't use a TS that night, anyway.

If you really want to eat late on your arrival day I think most food courts at Disney are open til midnight; so, you can probably do a QS if you want it. I don't believe check-in will be a long process for you at that hour. You may want to split some meals to save some credits, as well. At that hour I would think a snack would do for the kids.

There are a couple of good choices with DTD for QS and for TS.

I think you would get the best of both worlds with the basic dining plan.

Also, if you are going later in August please be aware there's a free basic dining offer going on and you could qualify.

 

[marcyinPA]

We just got back and used the QSDP. I also made ADR's and paid for 3 meals out of pocket (using Disney Visa rewards).

We loved the flexibility of the QSDP. We ate when we were hungry, and could choose wherever we wanted.

I personally did not eat a burger, a hot dog, or chicken fingers the entire trip. I ate pizza once.

We ate at the Roaring Fork a few times for breakfast and lunch. We also ate at Columbia Harbor House, Pecos Bills, Tangerine Cafe, Yorkshire Fish and Chips, Wolfgang Puck's Express twice (YUMMMMMY), Pizza Planet, Yak & Yeti CS, Pepper Market, Lottawatta Lodge. Our TS meals were at Tony's Town Square, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and T-Rex.

We've done the basic DDP twice, and thought it was alot of food. We thought we'd do better with the QSDP. It was still a ton of food. We ended up with 4 CS credits leftover, and 20 snacks. We brought home rice krispy treats, goodies from Goofy's, brownies, etc.

I don't know when we're going back to Disney again, but I will tell you that the next time we go, we aren't using a dining plan again. We just can't eat that much!!