Honestly, there is not much value to QSDP..especially since they reduced it to one snack per day. I look at is more of a budgeting tool, and you do have to work at making sure you get your money out of it. You pretty much have to stick to the most, or second most, expensive item on the menu to get the value out of it at most places.
I like the idea of having everything paid for though. DH is VERY money conscious right now and he would ask how much EVERYTHING costs. It completely drives me crazy and it makes my trip NOT enjoyable. At. All. So if downgrading to QSDP helps us save some, then I like it. I really do like the convenience of having all of the credits and having it all paid for.
In general, you don't want to do is use any of your credits on b'fast (although that was probably pretty obvious). I think the exception would be if your are doing a lot of meal splitting. If DD wasn't so stinking picky, that is what we would do. We both like a good b'fast in the morning, but I can't justify using dining plan credits on b'fast since she won't share. (If we are at
POP, I'll use my TiW card though.)
I think we will use snack credits on breakfast or just bring bagels from home. We MAY hit WPE for breakfast one day since their options look so good. Will will probably go there on our rest day. I think doing a sit down breakfast on a park day just takes time away from maximizing your FP opportunities and lengthens your park day, so we don't usually do a big breakfast on park days. good info on using your TiW at Pop, though. Didn't know that .....
WPE is your best use of credits on property, bar none. Cosmic Rays you can get a good value w/ the Chicken and Ribs combo and the 1/2 rotissere chicken. That Tortuga something or other place in Adventureland appears to have pretty larger portions that could be split. Haven't eaten there as of yet, but took notice of the entrees when we were playing SotMK in there. Oh, and CHH has a combo meal of some sort that is a good value. Can't remember what it is at the moment, but it is one of the most expensive things on the menu.
WPE is definitely on our list, of course. We will prolly hit that 2-3 times. I dunno about Cosmic Rays. That place doesn't do it for me. I have always wanted to hit the Tortuga place or Pecos Bills. And we love CHH and I have been wanting to try the salmon there.
AK- Flame Tree BBQ has a half rack of ribs and I think they have the ribs and chicken combo there as well. (On a side note about Flame Tree- If you have picky eaters that are not interested in the menu, Pizzafari is not too far away. The last couple of times we've eaten in AK, I've gone to Flame Tree and DD has gone to Pizzafari. Another thing to consider about AK is that you can use your TiW at both the Flame Tree and Pizzafari thereby stretching your credits.)
We ate at Flame Tree last November and we just didn't like it much. We think we might hit the Yak and Yeti CS and see how we like that.
At EP- The QS place in Mexico is a good, and a pretty good value. The menu is rather limited, but the food has improved so much since they shut it down and refurbed a few years ago. Another good spot is Tangierine Cafe in Morocco. Both the Mexico and Morocco place have large portions that can easily be split. You could probably get good bang for the buck at that CS place in The Land, but frankly, I didn't care for the food. I'd just as soon as eat at the Electric Umbrella if I were eating in Future World.
I have very much been wanting to try the Mexico place and the Morocco place, so those are good ideas. The kids can get whatever somewhere else. That is the beauty of WS, you can eat anywhere. Since we will be there for 7 days, we will have 56 credits to burn, so I am not convinced that sharing will be necessary. It we add a couple of breakfasts, though, then we can share to spread things out.
I also feel like you get a lot of bang for your buck/credit at the Contempo Cafe at the CR. The food is very good and the desserts are amazing. It is a good lunch spot if you're taking a mid-day break from MK. If the CS place at CSR is on the dining plan, that is another place with really good food. Downside is that CSR is out of the way. Maybe for dinner after AK???
I will have to put Contempo Cafe on our list. We are at WLV, so we could hop in the boat and cruise on over. we could do ti on our MNSSHP day maybe. Eat a late lunch and head over the MK around 4 ish. I wonder if they will let scooters on the boat. I will have to check that out.
At DHS, one place is just as good as another. Honestly we've gotten to where we take the boat over to Beaches and Cream and use the TiW card, or leave the park after a half day and eat elsewhere.
We love Beaches and Cream. I know that is something DH would pay OOP for.
That's all the comes to mind at the moment. If you had the time and inclination, I'd say run some numbers to see if you could save more money using your TiW for a few strategically planned CS meals and then fill in the rest with QS. You probably can. Oh, and I just read a blog in the last week about where to eat to maximize your credits. I can't remember if it was on TP or Disney Tourist. I'll look for it and post a link for you.
We have never been but it's in the running for our next BIG vaca!
