Quirks or pitfalls when using snack credits on the DDP?

[Mikie]

We're going to be on the regular dining plan on our upcoming trip. I know you are only supposed to purchase the number of QS meals as you have people on the plan at once, but can you buy as many snacks at one time as you'd like?

We plan to sometimes use snack credits as breakfast, for example, and use refillable mug for our drink at resort, or buy drink OOP at a park kiosk (since drinks aren't as good of a snack value). Is it hard to make sure the right number of snack credits are used vs OOP items? Will the CM/register automatically use a snack credit for my most expensive item and let me pay for the rest, or do I have to spell it out?

Generally speaking, a snack at an eligible cart/counter service place is an item priced at $5 or less, right?

Thanks!!

 

[PictureJumpr]

Snack credits may be used to purchase any item on any menu which has this symbol next to it:


Generally, yes, it is a single-serve item with a value of less than $5 or so, although some "more expensive" items are included while some "less expensive" items are not.

It is always clearly marked in any case.




You can use as many of your family's snack credits as you wish at one time.
We frequently go shopping with ours on our last day and spend a dozen or more at once buying fruit or trail mix or candy bars to take home.



Cashiers will never make an assumption of what you want to pay cash for, and what you want to use credits for. You will need to clearly indicate which is which. Ideally, you could check out with OOP items and have your spouse check out next in line with snack-credit items (or vice versa, or whoever else you have with you) to ensure that no mistakes are made in how you wish to pay for any of your items.

 

[MOpGrad2013]

In 2010, we went to Starring Rolls in DHS. People around me were grumbling about the QS meal items. I chose pastries, fruit and beverages...proceeded to the cashier and quickly said I wanted to use snack credits, not meal credits. Not a problem. And cashier gave me a virtual pat on the back by stating, "That's the smart way to use those credits."

Our family of 4 had 5 drinks (coffee and juice), tarts, muffins, bananas...I don't remember what else, but we were plenty full for the next 5 hours (we are big eaters usually). I had chosen all different items so we could taste and share. We were on the DxDP so we had more snack credits than the usual plan.

 

[sharonabe]

For future reference, there is a sticky at the top of this forum entitled "2014 Confirmed Snacks." I'm including a link below. This will give you a better idea of what is allowed as a snack.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3215018

 

[Mikie]

For future reference, there is a sticky at the top of this forum entitled "2014 Confirmed Snacks." I'm including a link below. This will give you a better idea of what is allowed as a snack.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3215018

Thanks - *i* am poring over the snack list and other dining plan threads and stickeys (as the "master planner" of the group, but was also looking for a few quick facts for the Disney novices who will be traveling with me (and who have NO desire to do all this planning)

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If they are all in the same room together, you may want to be sure the novices know how many meals and snacks are "theirs" to spend, because anyone registered in the room will have access to ALL credits assigned to that room. I remember a post here from someone who had a party member who didn't understand this and used up all of the group's snack credits. The poster wanted to know if Disney would refund them. The answer would likely have been no; they'd have to get repayment from the errant party member if from anyone.

 

[Figmentmommy]

We're going to be on the regular dining plan on our upcoming trip. I know you are only supposed to purchase the number of QS meals as you have people on the plan at once, but can you buy as many snacks at one time as you'd like?

We plan to sometimes use snack credits as breakfast, for example, and use refillable mug for our drink at resort, or buy drink OOP at a park kiosk (since drinks aren't as good of a snack value). Is it hard to make sure the right number of snack credits are used vs OOP items? Will the CM/register automatically use a snack credit for my most expensive item and let me pay for the rest, or do I have to spell it out?

Generally speaking, a snack at an eligible cart/counter service place is an item priced at $5 or less, right?


Thanks!!

Yes. You can use as many snack credits as you like at one time. We used 11 snack credits (out of our allotted 28) to purchase various items from the Boardwalk Bakery before driving home on our last day. We had a great big box of take home treats - fudge, Mickey ears brownies, etc- to continue the magic!

I have never heard that you are restricted to buying a certain number of QS meals at a time. It has always been my understanding that your QS credits are yours to use at your own pace. Although I can't say that we've ever bought more than one QS meal per person at a time.

 

[jon18uk]

I remember with the old Key to the World card if it said 4 adults on the card, then that is the maximum number of QS/TS that can be redeemed at a time. As PP poster said, you can use as many snacks as you like at once.

 

[POOHsie]

Thanks - *i* am poring over the snack list and other dining plan threads and stickeys (as the "master planner" of the group, but was also looking for a few quick facts for the Disney novices who will be traveling with me (and who have NO desire to do all this planning)

Also, if you are in WDW during Epcot Food & Wine, or Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, there are food kiosks set up around World Showcase. Most of the small plate food offerings will have the DDP snack credit symbol listed. It's a great use of snack credits.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

With the exception of water (maybe), I would suggest that you use them when you want to for whatever you want to use them for. So many people end up with left over ones at the end of their vacation.

But, if you have leftovers at the end of the trip use them for something to take home. Or shock the heck out of someone and give them a free treat.

 

[smokeyblue]

With the exception of water (maybe), I would suggest that you use them when you want to for whatever you want to use them for. So many people end up with left over ones at the end of their vacation.

But, if you have leftovers at the end of the trip use them for something to take home. Or shock the heck out of someone and give them a free treat.

I agree with this. Don't be "afraid" to use your snack credits whenever you can. There are definitely better values when it comes to using your credits, but the dining plan is a lot of food. It is sometimes hard to use up your credits. We are really big eaters and we ended up with over half of our credits left on the last day. I think we ended up with 4 or 5 each to burn. We had a super fun last day snacking around the world. Ended the day with large frappucino's at Starbucks on the way out of the park for our drive to my parents place.

 

[ibela]

With the desserts at each meal, and the sweltering heat last week, we did use some snack credits for drinks. I'd say probably 6 out of 24 credits were for drinks. Some were used for actual snacks but we weren't that hungry in between all our meals so although inside I cringed, outwards I told everyone they were free to use their credits as they wished. On our last night, we still had 8 snack credits left so I was glad I hadn't insisted on paying OOP for the drinks earlier in the week. Plus we had 5 QS meals left which we convered to snack credits so it was even more bags of cookies and candies, etc. There's only so much a family needs of that stuff. Having a cold Powerade on a 95 degree day was nice.

 

[Sydmacsmom]

Plus we had 5 QS meals left which we convered to snack credits so it was even more bags of cookies and candies, etc.

Can you tell me how converting QS meals to snack credits works? Is it a one for one swap?

Please and thank you!

 

[PictureJumpr]

Typically, it is three items (two food, one beverage) per QS credit.
They will ring one up as your "entrée," one as your "dessert," and then the beverage as, well, your "beverage" as covered under the QS credit.

This is much, much more successfully done in resort food courts/QS than in park QS locations where much of the time you will find them unwilling to do so or just plain confused by the request, depending on the CM working the register.

It is certainly not a published, hard-and-fast policy. It seems to be more of a customer-service related allowance, and again, more likely to be allowed in resort QS situations.

 

[TDC Nala]

And it's not a conversion. They may accept a QS credit but allow you to take a number of smaller items. Not everyplace can or will do this. If the restaurant/store/kiosk is not capable of accepting a QS credit then you can't do it there, since they do not actually change the QS credit into a corresponding number of snack credits.

For example, you cannot redeem one QS credit for 3 items from the Food and Wine Festival kiosks. They are able to accept only snack credits.