Use of credits; good vs bad?

[rentayenta]

I keep reading about different items/places being either a good or bad use of credits. We will have Free DDP so I don't see how there could be a bad use but I am curious if there are places where you get more bang for your credit. I don't necessarily mean $$ though. Please include atmosphere, taste, and quality of food.


Please share your good/bad use for TS, CS, and snacks!

 

[laceemouse]

Well, it depends on what you like to eat! We like buffets because we are a diverse group of eaters and everyone gets plenty of what they want. Also, they are pretty pricey, so if you were paying $40/day for your plan spending $30 at one meal obviously give you good bang for your buck. We have never bought the DDP, three of our kids are "adults" so we feel like it would cost us more than we got out of it. However, since we are getting it for free on our next trip it is obviously a bonus!!! But, look at it this way. We were thinking about trying Beaches and Cream for a good burger and shake. It uses a TS credit. That kinda sounds like a waste when I figured we could get Le Cellier, or Boma, or a nice buffet with that same 1 credit. However, if we really want to TRY B&C what does it matter when the are getting free food anyway ! Just read the reviews, look at the menus, and decide what you want! Now when you start talking about 2 TS credit places, that is another thing to consider. It just depends on how badly you want to eat there.

 

[pooch]

if you enjoyed your meal, it was a good use of DDP, if you picked it just because of the "bang" factor and didn't like it, it was a bad use. We're getting it free for the second time but I wouldn't go without it even if I had to pay. We loved our TS choices and also got plenty of bang for it. Four adults (DD 21 - DS 16) usually came to $200-225 range for dinner. Counter service was a little more hit or miss. Sometimes we did well such as Wolfgang Puck Express at DTD and sometimes we didn't, like the turkey wraps at Tusker House (AK) which tasted like Play-Do!! But we would have tried the turkey wraps anyway because we normally like them so that had nothing to do w/DDP. Look at the menus, decide based on your likes and dislikes. We had a ball and not having to look at prices was, well, PRICELESS!!!

 

[rentayenta]

pooch, exactly! As long as a good time was had by all, it's not a waste or poor value.



laceemouse, that's what I was thinking. We want to try a less expensive place and choosing restaurants based solely on price seems a little much. Our DDP will be free so I can't imagine not feeling terrific about our choices with regard to menu prices.

 

[kaytieeldr]

IMO, getting the best use of the Dining Plan means trying foods I wouldn't ordinarily eat. For example, last year I had mahi mahi (eh) and buffalo sirloin (delicious!). This year, maybe lobster. Yes, I'm from New England and never tried lobster before.

 

[patsal]

I'm in the "if that is what and where you want to use it and it made you happy then it was a good use" group. Many find pleasure in "maxing out the plan" I guess it is a kind of "ha, look what I got" feeling like the DDP gives them the power to "get even" for high prices or something like that. My thought when I am paying for--which I always have to do because the free dining has never been when I travel--I hope to be close to a break even point so while a hotdog, soda and brownie at Casey's isn't a good use of credit (you can pay out of pocket for it very inexpensively) and Chicken and Rib Combo plates at Cosmic Rays are an exceptional value and very good use of a credit--neither are good if that isn't what I want to eat. I 'd rather eat what and where I want and the DDP allows for that flexibility for me. Besides if you don't want to feel like you wasted a credit consider dollar cost averaging--so maybe you did the Casey's thing one day for lunch, grabbed a bottled water for a snack and then hit the buffet at Trail's End for dinner so you only used baout $33.00 with taxes and tips 9 a bit less than you paid for the plan), but the next day you head to Cosmic Rays, have a Dole Whip Float for a snack and have a dinner at Spoodles your looking at maybe a total of $75. with taxes and tips-- by $ cost averaging I can say that I saved money with the DDP, sure I lost a few $'s the day I did the Casey's thing, but I more than made it up the day I did the Spoodles thing. By the same token, if I ate at Spoodles because it cost more not because I enjoyed the offerings, then it wouldn't be a good value for me. My favorite part of the plan, it lets my children (all adult price now) order what they want and I can still order what I want with no worries about what the total will be. The pre-paid aspect fits the way I like to vacation and I enjoy not negotiating or becoming vexed with the kids!

 

[rentayenta]

patsal, the pre-paid aspect is huge! Not having to fret at the time about the money and allowing the kids to order what they want will be heavenly!



kaytieeldr, I am looking forward to trying some new dishes too. No lobster yet and your from NE? That's cute!

 

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

We used the ddp for our Easter trip - we ate where we wanted and didn't worry about getting our money's worth even though we paid for it. For our CS we always got the largest drink possible, but that's because my dh is a diet coke fiend and it was good for him. We used a TS at the Plaza restaurant (a big no no in some Disers eyes) and LOVED it! Granted it wasn't best bang for the buck, but we never ate there before. We did it for Lunch on Easter b/c we slept through our alarm, missed breakfast at CP and Plaza was the only ressie we could get. It ended up being one of our best lunches that week. We did use TS for more expensive places sometimes, but if I worried about getting my $$ worth we would have never tried some new places. My dd and I are going down in Sept and will use it for free this time. We are trying a couple of new places, but will still use a TS for the Plaza the night of MNSSHP. We will continue to purchase the plan when it is not free - loved not worrying about $$ for meals and ordering whatever we wanted whether it was a $50 steak or a $10 salad.