Dining Plan Question

[tiggerzgirl83]

For those that have used the dining plan, I'm a bit confused...This year will be my first time using the dining plan and I was curious how it actually works as far as reservations, how much you have to spend on each meal and if there is a limit per day per meal, is it a seperate card you get or is it on your room key? I was just wondering how it all works. Please help! Thanks for your time.

 

[Cinderella1976]

Hi neighbor from South Jersey :wave: The dining plan is really easy. Here how it works. You get (1) Table Service meal (sit down meal at a resturant)
(1) Counter Service meal and (1) Snack per person for each night you spend on your trip. So lets say you are staying for five nights and you have four people in your party. You would get (20) Table Service (20) Counter Service and (20) Snacks. You can use them in any order you want to. Your tax and tips are included so after you dine, you do not have to leave a tip unless you want to. When you use your TS credits everyone in your party can order an appitizer, meal, drink (non alcoholic) and dessert. When you use your CS you can order meal, dessert and drink. For your snack you can get anything under $4.00. Examples are Mickey's icecream, popcorn, cookies, chips, fruit, etc. I hope my explanation helps. Have fun :wave:

 

[Cinderella1976]

I forgot to add, you use your room key for dining. Your park tickets and dining plan are all on your "key to the World" so you use it for everything. Park admission, charging things to your room, and dining. They will give you a receipt to help you keep track of your dining credits. They will give your key when you check in.

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

Thanks a lot neighbor! That explains it I guess. Is the plan on the room key though and how do u check the balance? Thanks again!

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

I forgot to add, you use your room key for dining. Your park tickets and dining plan are all on your "key to the World" so you use it for everything. Park admission, charging things to your room, and dining. They will give you a receipt to help you keep track of your dining credits. They will give your key when you check in.

Oh okay! that sounds easy enough. Now I am going Nov.11-17th, when is a good time to make reservations?

 

[shari71]

The credits are stored on your room key that also serves as your ticket. You can use the credits up all in one day or spread them out. It is up to you. They do separate kids and adults credits, so if your kid wants an adult meal, you might have to pay out of pocket. This does take some planning especially for table service since it is really hard to just walk up and get in any more.

The cost of a meal is not factored into the credits. Like the poster before, you get 1 table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack, per person, per night you stay in the hotel (not # of days on the tickets). At table service restaurants, your server will usually ask if you are on the dining plan before you order and they can help out.

Table service you can order: 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert, and one non-alcholic beverage - if character meal it is usually pre-selected or a buffet.
Counter service you can order: 1 meal (sandwich/fries, pizza, etc.), dessert (usually chocolate cake, carrot cake, etc) and 1 non-alcholic beverage
Snack is anything under $4 - usually on the menu's it has a DP icon next to it to denote you can have it as a snack.

I usually plan out our TS right away and let the others fall into place when I get there. Every receipt you get has the number of credits left, so keep a tab on that. By half way through the trip you will know if you are running short or if you have enough to enjoy more.

Our last day of our last trip we had 2 Counter Service and 2 Snacks left. I hit Casey's Corner for the CS and my husband got the girls popcorn for the snacks. We ate them on the monorail heading back for DME.

DS is nice, but does take some planning to get all you can out of it.

 

[shari71]

Oh okay! that sounds easy enough. Now I am going Nov.11-17th, when is a good time to make reservations?

Call now if you are at the 180 mark. The hours should be posted for the parks on Disney's website. The farther you are out the better chances you have of getting what you want and when.

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

The credits are stored on your room key that also serves as your ticket. You can use the credits up all in one day or spread them out. It is up to you. They do separate kids and adults credits, so if your kid wants an adult meal, you might have to pay out of pocket. This does take some planning especially for table service since it is really hard to just walk up and get in any more.

The cost of a meal is not factored into the credits. Like the poster before, you get 1 table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack, per person, per night you stay in the hotel (not # of days on the tickets). At table service restaurants, your server will usually ask if you are on the dining plan before you order and they can help out.

Table service you can order: 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert, and one non-alcholic beverage - if character meal it is usually pre-selected or a buffet.
Counter service you can order: 1 meal (sandwich/fries, pizza, etc.), dessert (usually chocolate cake, carrot cake, etc) and 1 non-alcholic beverage
Snack is anything under $4 - usually on the menu's it has a DP icon next to it to denote you can have it as a snack.

I usually plan out our TS right away and let the others fall into place when I get there. Every receipt you get has the number of credits left, so keep a tab on that. By half way through the trip you will know if you are running short or if you have enough to enjoy more.

Our last day of our last trip we had 2 Counter Service and 2 Snacks left. I hit Casey's Corner for the CS and my husband got the girls popcorn for the snacks. We ate them on the monorail heading back for DME.

DS is nice, but does take some planning to get all you can out of it.

Good to know, thanks a lot for your help!:wave:

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

Call now if you are at the 180 mark. The hours should be posted for the parks on Disney's website. The farther you are out the better chances you have of getting what you want and when.

Oh okay, would you happen to know the reservation number?

 

[bhg469]

Oh okay! that sounds easy enough. Now I am going Nov.11-17th, when is a good time to make reservations?

'For places that you know you want to go to for shure call as soon as possible. Popular places like le cellier fill up quickly. You balance will be on your reciept, it hsould tell you the total of table service, snacks and counter service meals available to you. Enjoy!

 

[shari71]

Oh okay, would you happen to know the reservation number?

407-WDW-DINE

I think there is a toll free number (I think I found it on another site), but don't have it right here.

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

'For places that you know you want to go to for shure call as soon as possible. Popular places like le cellier fill up quickly. You balance will be on your reciept, it hsould tell you the total of table service, snacks and counter service meals available to you. Enjoy!

Thank u!:wave:

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

Thanks a lot for all your help!!!!

 

[shari71]

Oh okay, would you happen to know the reservation number?

"There are currently two toll-free numbers available via the Walt Disney Travel Company. They are 877-939-3732 (this only works in the United States) and 800-828-0228. On both numbers, press 3 after the message starts. Once you press 3, you'll then be sent to the WDW-DINE cue and have to answer even more questions. For our Spanish speaking friends, there is also a toll-free number at 800-459-5432." - quoted from AllEarsNet

 

[shanny]

heres a link that helped mt out a TON.

http://allearsnet.com/pl/packages07a.htm

it has a list of every resort and park, and places that participate in the dining plan. it tells you if they are counter service or table service, or a snack cart. it also even has a link to the menu for each place, so you can be sure theres something there youd like to eat! i would recommend le cellier in epcot, its incredibly hard to get a ressie, but we got one for our trip, and i am soooo excited! many people have told me its the best steak they have ever had. good luck! let us know where you decide to eat :slurp:

 

[kybred72]

I forgot to add, you use your room key for dining. Your park tickets and dining plan are all on your "key to the World" so you use it for everything. Park admission, charging things to your room, and dining. They will give you a receipt to help you keep track of your dining credits. They will give your key when you check in.

Wow How convenient!

So when we make our final trip payment, we shouldn't expect park tickets and such to me mailed to us. It'll be on our room key when we check in. Wonder if they add MNSSHP tickets to the room key as well?

 

[shari71]

Wow How convenient!

So when we make our final trip payment, we shouldn't expect park tickets and such to me mailed to us. It'll be on our room key when we check in. Wonder if they add MNSSHP tickets to the room key as well?

Nope, MNSSHP tickets are still separate. They actually mail those to you unless you tell them to hold for pick up. That would be great it if was all on one ticket, but the two are separate.

 

[shoppingnut]

Also, be aware that there are some restauarants that require you to use two TS credits to eat there and the list is on the website shanny posted. The ones I can recall offhand are: Cinderella's Royal Table, California Grill, Jiko, Narcoosee's, Citricos, Brown Derby, Yachtsman, Hoop de doo Review.

 

[shoppingnut]

Nope, MNSSHP tickets are still separate. They actually mail those to you unless you tell them to hold for pick up. That would be great it if was all on one ticket, but the two are separate.

Also this year, if you are buying tickets that you are getting the AP discount, you have to pick them up at will call. I was told they wouldn't mail them to you.

 

[tiggerzgirl83]

Bare with me here, im still a little stuck...Would I be able to do Chef Mickeys buffet for breakfast, and Coral Reef for dinner in one day, or is it 1 at a time table service per day?:shrug: