RonAnnArbor said:
I wasn't chastising them for eating on property. I was telling them that I asked about what to do with the un-needed credits, not where to use them in the park. I got my question answered. We've eaten everywhere in the park. I wasn't slamming any of the restaurants on property. I was saying we like those off property better, and between us have 10 dinner credits to get rid of. The post was about what to do with those credits, not where to eat.
THe problem with the free dining promotion is that it really is not free... if you get a room only reservation--you can usually get a FAR BETTER room rate...when they package it all up with "Free" dining...your overall package rate is more expensive... If you are not interested in free dining, you are better off getting an AP if you are going to be there more than 7 days, and use the AP rate for your room if you can get an AP rate... I think there were some other discounted room rates available to non-AP holders as well...for the upcoming months...
We priced out doing the AP room rate vs. the face value of the dining plan...and we come out slightly ahead with the meal plan (and even further ahead depending on our dining selections).
It's fine that you like off property dining... there are certrainly some good places to eat outside the world...but I hate wasting time off property...I'm a Disney only kind of girl when I got to Orlando... And we don't rent a car anymore now that they have the DME... (They are doing a creditable job keeping Disney guests at Disney instead of loosing them to other area attractions, hotels and eateries...I give them kudos for their marketing strategy!
Maybe if it were just DH and I we'd feel more foot loose and fancy free to escape the parks...but with three small kidlets (2, 4, 6) it's too much of a hassle to exit the parks for our grub.
And if you're eating off property you won't be subjected to their noise.
LOL.
I must say that California Grill is really very good, imo. But if you'd rather the counter serive meals...that sounds like it will work for you... I'm not a big fan of the c/s at any of the parks save for Flametree...
IN fact, we find the counter service at MK so bad...and SO OVERCROWDED and OVERPRICED that we've been known to hope on the monorail for a nice quiet, serviced lunch at Kona Cafe at the Poly... It's air conditioned... peaceful... and they have really great coffee if nothing else... we just get burgers there...but they are several steps above the counter service at MK... and for the time it takes to stand on line and order at MK c/s... (and not be able to find a seat!) we can be resting our tired tootsies at Kona... We're in and out like a flash...and if we have a sleeping kid in a stroller... the monorails are stroller friendly in a pinch.
It's usually dead over there at lunch time!