Which would you pay for?

[shmoogrrrl]

I’m so confused! We are traveling to Disney April 28 through May 6th. We fell in love with the dining plan when it was free last August, so we booked it as part of our trip this time. With our stay, we will have 8 TS credits to use and when I made our ADR’s, we have two TS meals over the 8 that we get for the dining plan. Obviously we are planning to pay out of pocket for the extra two. The question is, which two are best to pay for? I would assume two of the buffets, since we’d likely want to try the appetizers and desserts at the other restaurants. Is that usually right? OR, would it be better to pay out of pocket for one of the two credit restaurants and use the extra two credits for the two buffets?

Did that make any sense? Here are our ADR’s and what I was figuring that we would pay OOP for. All are dinners except the Princess breakfast. Does it seem like the best use of our credits?

Crystal Palace – Pay out of pocket
50’s Prime Time Café – 1 credit
Artist Point – 2 credits
Princess Storybook Breakfast – 1 credit
Le Cellier – 1 credit
Whispering Canyon – 1 credit
California Grill – 2 credits
Chef Mickey’s – Pay out of Pocket

 

[hataylor]

This is our first trip to Disney and a very spur of the moment trip only found out 5 days ago for 3/2/07 to 3/9/07. Please let me know of any suggestions or if I am missing anything. Also I would love some suggestions for the other snacks and bar? meals. What should we be sure to experience. The times are not ideal due to late scheduling but I am trying.

March 2 - Coral Reef at 8:00P (Epcot)
March 3 - Crystal Palace at 4:50P (M. Kingdom)
March 4 - Captain Jack's at 7:20P (Downtown Disney)
March 5 - Play 'n Dine @Hollywood & Vine at 11:20P or 3:30P Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic Dinner Package
March 6 - LeCellier at 12:40P (Epcot)
March 7 - Donald's Breakfastosaurus at 10:30A
March 9 - 'Ohana at 8:25P (Polynesian)

Thanks for your suggestions!!
Heather

 

[dizneyrules]

I would pay OOP for the two that you are already thinking of. Since Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's are buffets and everything is already included, it would make the most sense. This way you will still get to experience all the courses at your other restaurant choices and won't have to sacrifice something due to costs.

Ann Marie
(what I should be doing but am now addicted to these boards!)

 

[Katiebell]

Here are our ADR’s and what I was figuring that we would pay OOP for. All are dinners except the Princess breakfast. Does it seem like the best use of our credits?

Crystal Palace – Pay out of pocket
50’s Prime Time Café – 1 credit
Artist Point – 2 credits
Princess Storybook Breakfast – 1 credit
Le Cellier – 1 credit
Whispering Canyon – 1 credit
California Grill – 2 credits
Chef Mickey’s – Pay out of Pocket

It's going to take a little algebra, and you will have to look at the menus. The buffets/character meals have a fixed price, but the other restaurants really depend on the cost of what you actually order. A lot of times the "signature" dining for 2 credits is actually not a good deal, when you figure out the cost per credit.

For example:
PSB -- $22.99
Chef Mickey's -- $27.99
CP -- $27.99

So, of those three, it makes more sense to pay OOP for the PSB because it's the cheapest meal.

50's Prime Time --
Appetizers are $5.49 (soup or salad) - $7.49 (shrimp cocktail)
Entrees are $12.49 (roasted pepper) - $19.99 (top sirloin)
Desserts are $4.79 (s'mores) - $7.49 (cobbler ala mode)
Non-alcoholic beverages are $2.00 (soda, milk or coffee) - $3.25 (cappucino)

Theoretically, your meal there could run anywhere from $24.77 to $38.22 (if you ordered the cheapest or the most expensive items on the menu), or anywhere in between. Before tax and tip. If your meal would be $24.77, it makes more sense to pay OOP for that than CM's or CP. Definitely better to pay OOP for the PSB.

Now, looking at the 2 TS restaurants, though...

Artist Point --
Pris Fixe dinner - $46
Appetizer: $8-$13
Entree: $21-$32
Dessert: $7-$9
Beverage: I assume in the $2-$3 range

A meal there would run between $38-$57. But it's 2 TS credits, so divide that by 2 and you get a value per credit of $19-$28.50. Not such a good deal.

California Grill --
(a little trickier...I will ignore the flatbreads and sushi because I don't know if they would count as appetizers or entrees or what )
Appetizer: $9-$16 (hmmm...I don't know if I'd like goat cheese ravioli, sauteed foie gras with plum tart, or curried cauliflower soup...maybe they taste better than they sound! Sorry...I digress )
Entree: $24-$35
Dessert: $9-$16 (if they allow the 5 cheese selection)

Add $2-$3 for a non-alcoholic beverage, and dinner here would run $44-$70, which works out to $22-$35 per TS credit.

So...per credit...the most expensive dinner at Prime Time 50's is a better deal per credit than the most expensive dinner at either of the signature restaurants ($38.22 PT50's vs $28.50 AP or $35 CG). And the Princess Storybook Breakfast is a better deal per credit than the cheapest meal at either of the two signature restaurants ($22.99 PSB vs $19 AP or $22 CG). Go figure!

I used the menus at allears for the most current prices, they may or may not be accurate, but should be in the ballpark. But if you really want to know the best use of your credits, then you need to sit down with the menus and decide what you find appealing and might order; the most expensive items are necessarily the best. At California Grill, I'd much rather have the chocolate and raspberry cake than cheese for dessert...even though it's $6 cheaper.

 

[srgibbs]

I have not done the math, but if I were going to pay out of pocket, I would choose to do that on the 2TS credit Restuarants. Chances are you could just share an appetizer and dessert and each have your own entree and still have more than enough food. This would also free you up to add 2 more TS meals to your schedule. Have fun whatever you decide.

 

[patsal]

I agree I would pay OOOP for one of the 2TS places freeing up the credits to pay for two other meals.
But for the sake of "math" before tax and tip my CG total for four all considered adults was $225.80 so easily "worth it" since I consider a TS of $25 before tax and tip my break even point--so at 2 credits, I have better than broken even.
I would suggest checking out the menus (sushi or flatbreads do count as an app. at CG--just not the most expensive one on the sushi menu.)
PSB would be anohter good bet for OOP.

For what it is worth--for every five days on the DDP we do one 2 credit and leave one day for just CS--it gives us a day without any responsibility as far as ADR's and it insures we don't run around trying to use up the CS credits on the last night.