Disney Dining Plan - How to get the most out of it?

[AbsolutDiznee]

Hi Everyone,
My sister and I have planned a short trip to WDW August 31 - September 5 (Labor Day weekend). We are staying at the Coronado. Our package includes the Disney Dining Plan for free! We are in the process of making our priority seating ressies and I was wondering what restaurants are the most expensive and also have the best food. We want to get the most bang for our buck! Thanks in advance for your suggestions! :slurp:

 

[New2WDW]

There are menus on this site as well as this link at All Ears http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm
It really comes down to what type of food you enjoy! Getting the most out of your appetizers and desserts in worth looking at as well!

But I am sorry that I can not help you out with the real pricey restaurants as we have not gone to any. We try new ones each year.

 

[shoppingnut]

The most expensive that require one sit down point are: Le Cellier, Chef de France, Concourse Steak House, Kona Cafe.

 

[JimboJones123]

Avoid using any points for breakfasts, and sit downs for lunch. Under the revised snacks, you can actually get a box of doughnuts for 1 snack. That's several days of breakfasts. Expect to pay five bucks more for lunch than breakfast at table meals, and another five bucks more for dinners. Besides, do you really want a Hot Fudge sunday after eggs benedict? You can always pick up breakfast out of pocket. Also some counter service places offer LOTS of food. Pizza places give you salads too. At Tomorrowland, the Sonny Eclipse place (ha, remembering only his name) has a Ribs and 1/2 Chicken basket that's usually $13.49. That can easily feed 2 for lunch w/dessert. Sharing is OKAY! We are going to share at Nine Dragons, and just order a few extra egg rolls on our next trip.

 

[Lyn410]

My boyfriend and I were just there in June and found that with the amount of food at the sit-down meals we could share a quick serve for breakfast and lunch and get 3 meals a day from the plan. Then use your snacks for in between meals when needed. The only food item we purchased in our 9 days was a French pastry.

Try Spoodles at Boardwalk. We got to add shrimp AND scallops to our entrees for no charge. And the food and service was fantastic!!!

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Rather than trying to maximise every single cent out of the plan, I adopted the lets choose somewhere we actually want to eat strategy, in the hope that we enjoy it rather than just achieving some barely perceptible fiscal benefit

 

[kennygman]

Rather than trying to maximise every single cent out of the plan, I adopted the lets choose somewhere we actually want to eat strategy, in the hope that we enjoy it rather than just achieving some barely perceptible fiscal benefit

here, here!:sohappy:

 

[gboiler1]

Under the revised snacks, you can actually get a box of doughnuts for 1 snack.

I know the snacks have been revised, but how is a box of donuts considered a snack?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Rather than trying to maximise every single cent out of the plan, I adopted the lets choose somewhere we actually want to eat strategy, in the hope that we enjoy it rather than just achieving some barely perceptible fiscal benefit

We did both on our last trip - got over $200 more in "value" than we paid. ;'tis nice to eat like a king, sometimes.

If you are looking to get maximum value, then pick dinners at places like Le Cellier, Chef Mickeys, 50's Prime Time Cafe, etc. Don't use credits for breakfast, unless it's a spendy breakfast.

 

[Ella's Mommy]

Definately pay out of pocket for breakfast. Then use ur counter service for lunch, then sitdown for dinner. Kona Cafe is not the most expensive at Poly that would be O'hana's and its awesome. We do the dining plan everytime and its just great to have that extra spending money while ur there instead of paying for 3 meals. Grand Floridian Cafe is greatly overlooked and is really good and on the pricey side. I wouldnt bother with the Concourse Steak House. When we went the food was horrible. Now if you want to go to the really expensive reataurants u have to use 2 table services. I just dont think that is practical. But if u want to do that u can use it at, Narcoose's, Citrico's, California Grill. I am pretty sure u can use 2 for the luau(sp?), Hoop Dee Doo Revue, and Mickey's Backyard BBQ if I'm not mistaken. I would check on that first though. U will totally be addicted after u do the dining plan, I LOVE IT!!! :0)

 

[ypcat]

Rather than trying to maximise every single cent out of the plan, I adopted the lets choose somewhere we actually want to eat strategy, in the hope that we enjoy it rather than just achieving some barely perceptible fiscal benefit

Our strategy is somewhere in the middle. We pick places or even dishes that we might not because of costs. Coral Reef is a pretty good example of a place where you can get great value on the plan. But is it a really good value if you doen't like seafood?

 

[kachow]

I don't know all the really pricey restaurants, but Le Cellier, Wolfgang Pucks, and Spoodles would all qualify as pricey restaurants with decent food that only use one meal credit. But the thing is, some of the restaurants that use two credits are still a good deal on the plan. You could easily spend $50-$60 at Flying Fish for an app, entree and dessert that you would love, and still be getting good value off the plan. I don't agree with discounting the two credit restaurants out of hand. Check out the menus online at allearsnet.com.

 

[Space1205Mount]

To get your money's worth make sure you eat at Le Cellier and The Coral Reef(it's only one now). If you want good food make sure you eat a Boma.
And for Breakfest don't buy anything at Disney. Before you leave buy doughnuts, muffins ect.. and bring them with you. You will definatley save alot of money!

 

[JimboJones123]

boxes of doughnuts are now snacks acording to some sites. So one snack credit can feed a family breakfast for 2 days.

 

[musketeer]

Hi Everyone,
My sister and I have planned a short trip to WDW August 31 - September 5 (Labor Day weekend). We are staying at the Coronado. Our package includes the Disney Dining Plan for free! We are in the process of making our priority seating ressies and I was wondering what restaurants are the most expensive and also have the best food. We want to get the most bang for our buck! Thanks in advance for your suggestions! :slurp:

What is a "ressie"?

 

[Space1205Mount]

A ressie is a reservation

 

[shoppingnut]

Definately pay out of pocket for breakfast. Then use ur counter service for lunch, then sitdown for dinner. Kona Cafe is not the most expensive at Poly that would be O'hana's and its awesome. We do the dining plan everytime and its just great to have that extra spending money while ur there instead of paying for 3 meals. Grand Floridian Cafe is greatly overlooked and is really good and on the pricey side. I wouldnt bother with the Concourse Steak House. When we went the food was horrible. Now if you want to go to the really expensive reataurants u have to use 2 table services. I just dont think that is practical. But if u want to do that u can use it at, Narcoose's, Citrico's, California Grill. I am pretty sure u can use 2 for the luau(sp?), Hoop Dee Doo Revue, and Mickey's Backyard BBQ if I'm not mistaken. I would check on that first though. U will totally be addicted after u do the dining plan, I LOVE IT!!! :0)

When I have gone on the dining plan, we used the counter service for breakfast and sit down for dinner. We didn't need to eat lunch because the breakfast was more than enough to get us by until dinner with just a snack. Not everybody can eat three full meals a day, I know I can't and if I did I'd explode, not a pretty site to be sure.

Grand Floridian Cafe is very good and tends to be overlooked, but Kona Cafe is also very good and overlooked.

 

[LaughingGravy]

Plan what park you're going to based on what dinner reservation you can get.
For example, LeCellier and Prime Time were toward the top of the list, so whatever day we had reservations for those, that determined the park.

The menus on this site as well as posted on the other site were determining factors in a big way.

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

boxes of doughnuts are now snacks acording to some sites. So one snack credit can feed a family breakfast for 2 days.

The rules for snacks are very confusing. I need help. I know their is a website that says everyting under $4, but the Disney site still has that small list. Does anyone have an unofficial list?

 

[skiddles]

epcot wine and food

YOU CAN USE YOUR SNACKS TO GET FOOD AT THE BOOTHS DURING THE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL. GREAT DEAL. SPLIT BREAKFAST WITH A cs, SPLIT A LUNCH, ODER DOUBLE CHEESBURGERS AND PAY .50 FOR AN EXTRA ANOTHER BUN. NEVER ORDER OFF THE KIDS MEAL MENU WITH CHILDREN. JUST ASK FOR AN EXTRA PLATE FOR YOUR MEALS AND ORDER HUGE APPETIZERS, SPLIT TWO ADULT MEALS WITH THE LITTLE ONES, ITS ITS WAY TOO MUCH FOOD ANYWAY. ALSO, THEY SAY NO TIPPING BUT YOU WILL GET EXTRA ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION WITH A PRETIP. MANY TIMES THEY BOUGHT OUT AN EXTRA APPETIZERS ECT....THINK AHEAD AND READ THE MENUS WELLBEFORE YOU START YOUR TRIP. FAMILY OF 4, TWO KIDS 3 AND 5 AND TWO ADULST RAN A TOTAL BILL OF $1453.35 IN FOOD FOR EIGHT DAYS. ALL ON THE MOUSE.