Upgrading FREE Counter Service Dining Plan to DDP, Or Pay OOP for Extras Meals?

[MickeyP]

I know we want to eat at 7 Table Service restaurants (actually 3 TS + 2 Signature) however, wouldn't it be better to keep the CS Dining Plan and pay OOP for the TS meals?
When you upgrade you're paying 25.00 to change 1 of the Free CS meals to a TS meal (so kinda like losing a free 17.00 meal or 3 snacks).

Am I looking at this wrong, or missing something? What is your opinion?

 

[Moliphino]

I think I'd die if I had to eat that many extra TS meals on top of 2 QS meals plus snacks every day.

 

[jhoannam]

How many nights?

 

[sharonabe]

I know we want to eat at 7 Table Service restaurants (actually 3 TS + 2 Signature) however, wouldn't it be better to keep the CS Dining Plan and pay OOP for the TS meals?
When you upgrade you're paying 25.00 to change 1 of the Free CS meals to a TS meal (so kinda like losing a free 17.00 meal or 3 snacks).

Am I looking at this wrong, or missing something? What is your opinion?

Add up what you will spend OOP for the TS meals you want to do. If that cost is more than it cost to upgrade, I'd pay to upgrade. But you also need to figure in what you may have to pay OOP on the days you don't have credits if you use 4 of them for signatures.

If you really want all the snacks you'll be taking home from leftover credits, then pay OOP.

As to your $25 + $17...it's a wash anyway. The "value" of a TS meal on the regular plan is right at $41-42, so you're still only paying $25, but getting a $42 value for that $25.

 

[MickeyP]

How many nights?

7 nights 8 full days

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think I'd die if I had to eat that many extra TS meals on top of 2 QS meals plus snacks every day.

You understand it's two meals a day, right? Fewer, really, since the OP is doing some signatures? You would die from eating twelve meals and 1r snacks over seven days? It sounds like the Dining Plans are not for you!

 

[Moliphino]

You understand it's two meals a day, right? Fewer, really, since the OP is doing some signatures? You would die from eating twelve meals and 1r snacks over seven days? It sounds like the Dining Plans are not for you!

I've done the dining plan and I always dread eating by the end of the trip and that's with no extra OOP food. That's why I'll only ever do it as a free dining promotion if it works out better than a room only discount.

 

[icesk8abc]

When are you going? Is there an Epcot Festival going on? We find that it works out better for us to upgrade and then fill in the gaps left by signatures by using snack credits at the festival for a lunch or dinner. We eat breakfast in the room with food we bring or grocery order. The time it would take to eat 3 restaurant meals a day (even quick service) is just too much for us. We also don't find breakfast to be a good value for our credits. We have small children so many of our meals are character meals which are generally a good value on the dining plan.

 

[Bjkandma]

We did the "free dining" August, 2018 and are doing it again, August, 2019. Our party 2 adults and 1 Disney adult. We upgraded to the regular dining plan it was roughly $23 per person, per night. Last year one adult kept total of their "adult\alcoholic" beverages, over a 14 night stay. The total was $371. We definitely saved money!! My estimation was $1,000 was saved.

this year with the price increases in food costs (check allears.net menus), including snacks. This year we paid roughly the $23 per person, per night. The price we used for "average" cost of a snack last year was $5. This year those snacks are now $6 plus. Using $6, we are going to save at least an additional $40.

You need to do the math. How many people in your party? Ages? Do you enjoy an adult beverage with your meal? Will you have kids (no matter what age) that just had to have "that snack? We have figured out that some of the signature restaurants are cheaper if you pay out of pocket.

We've also found that the snacks as well as the quick service meals and some table service (discretion of restaurant) were more than "sharable". Our snacks were sometimes shared by three!!! We tried everything we wanted and then some.

Looking forward to how much we will save.

 

[MickeyP]

Idk what the Cali Grill Brunch on Sunday is, but thought 2 credits weren't bad. I guess under 100.00 would be better oop.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Depends on cost. Last couple of trips we have done free qsdp and paid oop for 4 ts meals. Much less expensive for us than upgrading for the full 14 days. Especially when taking tips into account.And over two weeks we have no issues eating an extra 4cs meals each!