So the "official" news posted by
@wdwmagic includes (amongst others -- I'm only copying the ones I had comments on) the following "changes"
Snacks
The snack entitlement has been updated to now include:
- All quick service menu side dishes.
- At breakfast, the following are considered snacks:
Cereal with milk (including Create Your Own)
French toast sticks
Oatmeal or quinoa (including Create Your Own)
Grits
Side of bacon
Side of sausage
Side of eggs
Side of potatoes
Biscuits and gravy
Hard-boiled eggs
Table Service Restaurants
- There is no longer a restriction on the number of entitlements that can be used at a meal. Eg. A group of 2 guests on the Disney Dining Plan could use 1 additional entitlement for a guest in that party - making a total of 3 entitlements used for the group of 3 diners.
- At some locations, a dessert may be substituted for a side salad, soup or fruit plate if available.
Quick Service Restaurants
- A dessert or beverage from the Quick Service Meal entitlement can be substituted for any snack item on the menu within the same order.
- A Quick Service Meal can be substituted for 3 snack eligible items within the same order.
- At Quick Service locations, child meal entitlements can be used for an adult meal.
Allowing all side dishes to be snacks at QS locations is great. I was always baffled by the selections that were and weren't available. Sometimes, one side dish wasn't available as a snack even though another priced exactly the same was.
The addition to the breakfast items available as snacks would mean, for me, that my family of four could easily eat breakfast with 1 snack each or maybe 1 QS meal and 3 snacks.
The TS change to no longer restrict the number of entitlements that can be used effectively removes any limitation of using credits to only the people on the plan. There was previously no way to really enforce, but this change makes "official" policy that you can use the meal credits for guests, friends, etc. I find that somewhat surprising.
And for TS you can get a salad or soup instead of a dessert. Not quite "bringing back the appetizer", but it's a start. My wife and I would almost choose one salad and one dessert to share, instead of two desserts, if given this choice.
Allowing you to pick a side item instead of a beverage at QS is also something I'd love. Half the time, I prefer to drink tap water with my QS meal, so the drink is a waste. Let me grab a side item instead, and I can now use that item to feed my five year old, instead of wasting another meal credit.
Substituting 3 snacks for a QS meal might be useful at times, particularly if I have credits left at the end, but also when my kid doesn't want a burger and a cupcake, but would like chili fries and corn on the cob.
I'm confused by the note about QS child now being able to be used for adult meals. That's been the case forever, since the system doesn't differentiate. And cast members haven't been shy about telling people that.
