[JoeyS]

going to disney world this december. me, my wife, and daughter (2 1/2 yrs old). we are on the dining plan and i have set up a pretty good lineup of places to eat, but i'm not really sure how best to use the dining plan. if some of you are great at doing this, please give me a little help.
we arrive sunday early dec 16th.
dec. 16th is whispering canyon.
dec. 17th is CRT am and hooptie doo in the pm.
dec. 18th is playhouse in am and le cellier in the pm
dec. 19th is chef micky in am and boma in the pm
dec. 20th nothing. going home.
give me some hint's how you would use the dining plan if this were your schedule. what i started thinking about is that i don't have any lunch time activities schedule and i'm wondering what to do with the counter service?????

[Dana]

What you have set up is just fine. For the counters, you can just go anywhere. the CM are really helpful with all that. You should definately take a peek on allears.nety and check out their menus to give yourself a better idea of what is offered and their prices to get the most for your money.

here's the link
Restaurant Dining Menus from Walt Disney World

[nbodyhome]

I would use the dining credits towards the higher value restaurants to begin with. You look to be doing some out-of-pocket meals? Since Hoop De Doo and CRT are 2 credits each, and it's just the one TS credit per day.

I'm not sure in there where I'd eat counter service! Generally, when I did the free dine, I used the credits for dinner and tried to use my counter service at other times. It was really too much food for me though.

[Soundgod]

For me, especially as we like to sit down for breakfast, I pay breakfast out of pocket, as that meal is always cheaper than dinner. I use the counters for lunch, and the tables for dinner. What I did this past trip at signatures was pay DW out of pocket and use two credits for my meal as she usually wasn't that hungry.
For counter service, I strongly recommend Sunshine Seasons in The Land in Epcot. In the MK, I recommend the chicken and rib combo at Cosmic Ray's for your biggest bang for your buck. I'm not really thrilled with anything in The Studios and Flame Tree and Tusker House in AK are good suggestions even if Flame Tree doesn't have an air conditioned dining area. You should check the menus at AllEarsNet for the various food courts in the hotels as some of them are good. In Downtown Disney, Wolfgang Puck Express offers good value for your credit.

[JoeyS]

thanks everyone. i really knew what to do here, but for some reason i started reading another thread and started thinking i was missing something. soundgod, that's about how i thought to work it out. as far as CRT, i think i've already paid for that. i could be wrong, but when i did the reservations i remember having to do a seperate credit card transaction for that. yes, i did because i remember the cm charging me for my 2 yr old and then having to credit the card and then recharging the card.. hmmm. one of these days i should check my cc bill but i don't... i know it's stupid not to, but as long as it looks right i just pay the thing off. i'm just thinking each day i'll have the two table service's in the dining plan which will be easy because we will be really doing four table service sit downs a day. i'll probably end up with left over counter service because that will end up being a lot of eating every day.

[Soundgod]

Your credit card is filed as a deposit against your not showing at CRT. You have not paid for it yet, but if you don't show and/or cancel with less than 24(or 48) hours notice, you will pay.
It is not uncommon for us to have left over counter credits. I balance this with maxing out our dinner bills.
Sadly, the 2008 version of the plan no longer includes appetizer and tip. The tip alone would add 18% to any sit down meal on the plan. You now are responsible for your own tip. Still, I've done the math and the worst you can do is break even if you use all your table and counter credits, provided you follow my tips that this sub-forum is littered with. Just search for threads about the dining plan for the last 6 months.

[Val32]

Originally Posted by Soundgod

For me, especially as we like to sit down for breakfast, I pay breakfast out of pocket, as that meal is always cheaper than dinner. I use the counters for lunch, and the tables for dinner.

For counter service, I strongly recommend Sunshine Seasons in The Land in Epcot. .

I agree!!!! I do exactly the same thing!!!!!!!!

I also love sunshine seasons in Epcot.

Tusker House in AK is closed now and turning over to TS I believe. I actually preferred that place to Flame Tree.

[Soundgod]

Tusker House will be reopened in the very very near future and from reports, it is now a combination buffet/counter and now hosts Donald's Safari Breakfast, which replaces Breakfastosaurus.
Sorry, I had heard Tusker had already reopened.
Second edit: I am mistaken that it will be combined counter/buffet. It will be buffet only, however the coffee/bakery window will remain open, but will be accessable only from the outside.
Also, opening is scheduled for November 17, next Saturday.

[JoeyS]

Originally Posted by Soundgod

Your credit card is filed as a deposit against your not showing at CRT. You have not paid for it yet, but if you don't show and/or cancel with less than 24(or 48) hours notice, you will pay.
It is not uncommon for us to have left over counter credits. I balance this with maxing out our dinner bills.
Sadly, the 2008 version of the plan no longer includes appetizer and tip. The tip alone would add 18% to any sit down meal on the plan. You now are responsible for your own tip. Still, I've done the math and the worst you can do is break even if you use all your table and counter credits, provided you follow my tips that this sub-forum is littered with. Just search for threads about the dining plan for the last 6 months.

that sounds right about the deposit. i always say i'm going to make sure everything is right on my cc statement but i always find a reason not to look at it.. maybe because i'd have a fit if i knew what was happening. that sucks about the new version of the dining plan.. it really seems like it would make it "not worth it". i'm going to check out some of the old threads. thanx.