Your tips for best use of dining plan

[ExpatDisneyLover]

You can share CS credits. Mom and I did this a lot on our free dining trip - we'd split a breakfast easily between us. Also Wolfgang Puck Quick Service at DTD is a great place to spilt CS meals - we'd order a pita pocket sandwich and each use a half - more than enough food for us - portion sizes can be huge!

 

[2Tiggies]

You can share CS credits. Mom and I did this a lot on our free dining trip - we'd split a breakfast easily between us. Also Wolfgang Puck Quick Service at DTD is a great place to spilt CS meals - we'd order a pita pocket sandwich and each use a half - more than enough food for us - portion sizes can be huge!

Yes, you can share credits with your own party. I was referring to people NOT on YOUR reservation. I was unclear as to whether the OP and extended family all booked as a group. You can't for example, share with anyone not on the dining plan or if you had DDP and your cousins had the QSDP, you could not split/share at a TS. Hope that makes sense. Sorry for any confusion.

 

[WiganTony]

Along the lines of using all your DDP credits, if you are planning on being away from Disney for a couple of days (e.g. Universal, Seaworld etc), either book a couple of 2TS meals so that you have a few days where you don't need to go to a Disney restaurant, or book a Character Breakfast Meal before travelling to the other park to use up that day's TS credit.

This year, we have 12 night on DDP and have booked a 2TS meal at Hoop de Doo, and a couple of breakfasts (Cape May cafe and Chef Mickeys) to free up some days.

 

[2Tiggies]

This year, we have 12 night on DDP and have booked a 2TS meal at Hoop de Doo, and a couple of breakfasts (Cape May cafe and Chef Mickeys) to free up some days.

That's actually a good way to help relieve the pressure of constantly having to schedule around ADRS. Good idea.

 

[zippy99]

My thoughts..

*** QSDP - Great for a first timer! ***
Despite a worry about choice throughout our 14 day trip, I only had a burger once. Another tip is Epcot world showcase - massive variety there, the sandwich place at HS (Starring Rolls) and of course Wolfgang Puck in DTD - this restaurant has a fantastic selection, a waiter service and best of all - you get to eat with metal cutlery!! (something you do miss on the QSDP!!)
Pros - No planning required, LOADS of food (we had 30 counter credits left!)
Cons - You do miss sit proper sit down meals - so you may end up getting a couple of OOP table service meals

*** DDP - Better when you know your way round ***
We are now coming to our third trip this October, I honestly do not believe I could have done the DDP on our first trip - the idea of planning where to eat, what parks to be in on what day completely overwhelmed me. However, after two trips we know the parks well enough to relax and have had great fun planning our meals at California Grill to tie in with Wishes, booking a Fantasmic package .
Pros - Better dining experiences, excellent value
Cons - Requires planning which is easier for Disney Vetrans as you know what to expect - much harder for first time visitors.


I discoverd this site before my first trip and was freaked out by how much people planned - I though my goodness - it's a holiday! why are people getting so uptight and frantic over their dining plans and reservations....3 years later - guess what I am now like!!

 

[WiganTony]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but on DDP you also have to factor in the 18%-20% tip per TS meal - the more expensive the dish, the higher the tip!!

 

[dixonsontour]

At some resort CS they do large pizza.

For 2 adult CS you can get a 16 inch pizza, 2 desserts and 2 drinks.

We did this on our first night at all star movies - plenty to share between 3 of us. We had a pepperoni pizza, 2 ice cream sundaes and got drinks to take with us as we had our refil mugs.

This wasn't advertised - knew about it from the DIS and asked. Got lots of envious looks from other diners!

The same deal delivered is 2 TS credits so get down to the foodcourt!

Same deal is at Port orleans aswell I believe.

 

[crabbie1]

Didnt know wolf gang pucks did CS:confuse. Did you mean the express? Also I presume CS on the DDP are lumped togeather still so 2xadults and 1 child for 14 days =42 CS credits.TS however are split adult and child. Didnt go last year has it changed so kiddies have their CS and adults have theirs?

When we had left over snack credits bought boxes of cookies.As long as its onder $4 most CM's will let you have them

I also like to book where I like the food but I also book a buffet breakfast (chef mickeys) around 11.30 and grab a muffin around 8am then that tends to cover us till dinner time where we use our cs credit.
Also buffet dinners are good value.

 

[2Tiggies]

When we had left over snack credits bought boxes of cookies.As long as its onder $4 most CM's will let you have them

No more, sadly. It now has to be a single service. So for example, chip n dale pretzels (love 'em) cost just over $1 for a small bag and $2.50 for a large bag. Both are under $4 but only the small bag counts as a snack. The thinking behind the new rules was supposedly along the lines of everyone gets a snack allowance per day so everyone can get their own portion - or something like that. To be honest, even with single servings it is pretty hard to get through your quota so you'll still do fine.


About the CS credits, the rules are that kids have to order off the kids menu, BUT as you say, they are still lumped in a big pool. What they have done however is to program the system so that you can only redeem the category of credits as per your KTTW card. So if you have 2 adults and one child, you can only order a max of 2 adult meals and one child meal in one transaction. Of course this is not applicable at locations with no kids menu

 

[fairytale]

You can share CS credits. Mom and I did this a lot on our free dining trip - we'd split a breakfast easily between us. Also Wolfgang Puck Quick Service at DTD is a great place to spilt CS meals - we'd order a pita pocket sandwich and each use a half - more than enough food for us - portion sizes can be huge!

IMO Wolfgang Pucks is the best value for your CS credits in the whole of Disney !!!

Pita Pockets

We are a family of 6, four children and would order just 4 adult meals and get say 2 boxes of cereal as our "desert" for our young children when getting breakfast at Wolfgangs. The tills can not detect what is a Childs CS and what is an Adults CS, so great Value alround

 

[dixonsontour]

Just been drooling over the Wolfgang puck express menu - yes the express at the DTD marketplace is CS. We ate there 4 times last trip.

Not like CS at all - highly recommend it, you get real plates, cutlery and food served to you.

They've got pasta and salmon dishes $16/$17 and $5 creme brulee for dessert so a good deal for 1 CS credit. They also do nice breakfast food which can be lacking at other CS.

Credit wise, credits were pooled for CS so yes 42 credits for 14 nights for 2 adults and a child. The rules are to use child CS credits for child meals but this is only enforced by limiting you to ordering meals as per what is on your card eg we can only order 2 adult and a child meal at once.

What worked for us with a young child was to share 2 adult CS between us and then use DD's credit to get her breakfast or her a meal if just she was hungry - she eats little and often whereas we would skip lunch after a big brekkie etc.

 

[2Tiggies]

What worked for us with a young child was to share 2 adult CS between us and then use DD's credit to get her breakfast or her a meal if just she was hungry - she eats little and often whereas we would skip lunch after a big brekkie etc.

That works really well. My DD is not so little anymore but with portion sizes as they are, often an adult CS and a snack between us made a substantial meal. I liked using her kids credits for a kids salad as an appetizer to share with the adult CS or even better, if you pick your locations right, a kids CS makes a good snack for 2 I could then take the sides (ask for 2x grapes or grapes and applesauce) for her for later to snack on.

 

[dixonsontour]

I actually even took paper plates to make sharing easier - a pack of disney princess ones from Asda. So DD was more than happy to share. Will do the same this trip.