Disney Dining Plan Quick Service vs. Table Service

[TexasTSL]

We are planning a ten-day trip in July, and just booked the free dining plan with a stay at Pop Century. We did want to eat at a couple of table service restaurants, but I'm not sure about eating a table service meal every day of our trip. I am trying to decide whether to upgrade to the regular dining plan or just keep the quick service and add in a few table service meals. If we do add in a couple of table service meals, would we even be able to use all of those quick service credits? Any advice or strategy?

 

[Dulcee]

We are planning a ten-day trip in July, and just booked the free dining plan with a stay at Pop Century. We did want to eat at a couple of table service restaurants, but I'm not sure about eating a table service meal every day of our trip. I am trying to decide whether to upgrade to the regular dining plan or just keep the quick service and add in a few table service meals. If we do add in a couple of table service meals, would we even be able to use all of those quick service credits? Any advice or strategy?

We have the QS dining plan for our upcoming trip. We'll do 3 TS meals out of pocket over 7 days. I've planned out our QS credits and by incorporating the 3 TS meals (2 dinners, 1 breakfast) I can spread the QS credits to cover all of our other meals (breakfast, lunch and dinners) across the rest of the trip. This requires splitting breakfast between kids/adults but it works well us.

 

[samsteele]

I also have the QS dining plan for my Sept trip at AS Movies. I've always had the regular TS free dining plan in years past and always paid for the upgrade from QS to TS. In the past, I could use my unused QS credits at Food & Wine but don't think that's possible this year. Re the upgrade to TS, its a much bigger spread and expense this year than ever before. When you factor in tips, it's prohibitive and not worth it IMO. My focus would be on maximizing your QS credits and paying out of pocket for 2 or 3 special TS meals. Or sticking with a room discount only and budgeting to eat where and when you want. I don't eat breakfast as I prefer to rope drop and get in line early. I maximize the value of my QS credits at lunch and dinner by ordering the most $ entree on the menu. I use all my snack credits for Food & Wine or only use for items that are $7 and above. I do some homework before my trip to know some of the better value out of pocket TS restaurants and those include the Boathouse at Disney Springs and Steakhouse 71. I don't think the upgrade to TS is cost effective at all this year even if you splurge on steak and beef. Don't underestimate how the summer heat will dampen your appetite.

 

[FallsChurchDad]

My focus would be on maximizing your QS credits and paying out of pocket for 2 or 3 special TS meals.

This is exactly what we are planning.

We will still have lots of good variety with QS options, and we typically bring food to eat a light breakfast while waiting at rope drop.

If a lot of stuff at Food & Wine looks good, we may actually end up only doing one TS, and all the rest QS, plus paying out-of-pocket for some of the lower-cost Food & Wine items mixed with using snack credits. And I think our whole group will be very happy with that.

Even "free" TS is quite pricey with the tips. Four family of 5, a 20% tip on dinner at 1900 Park Fare would be $64.

 

[nursejackie]

We're about the book our 2025 trip which includes free QS dining plan and had the same questions as the OP. We've decided to stick with the QS and pay OOP for our TS must-do restaurants (five over a 13-night stay). I haven't used the dining plan before, so I'm soaking up all the information on Disboards on how best to utilise it. I read the unused credits roll over each day until expiration at midnight on discharge day, so we may to use the spare QS credits for breakfast at the resort, something we never have. Another option is to buy cold entrees e.g. tuna salad sandwich (or simlar) and store in room refrigerator for snacking on.

I have to say it feels slightly gluttonous, or possibly wasteful, as there's only so much food a person can eat in a day. Last trip we received a dining credit to the room and a $200 gift card, which gave us more freedom on when and where to spend it.

 

[way2tyred]

We have the QS dining plan for our upcoming trip. We'll do 3 TS meals out of pocket over 7 days. I've planned out our QS credits and by incorporating the 3 TS meals (2 dinners, 1 breakfast) I can spread the QS credits to cover all of our other meals (breakfast, lunch and dinners) across the rest of the trip. This requires splitting breakfast between kids/adults but it works well us.

This is exactly what we are doing. Adding 3 TS meals in means that the QS will be enough for us to cover breakfast as well. We will end up buying a few more snacks than are included.

A table service meal every day is too much for us.

 

[BuzzLightyr]

Table service meal plan could be useful for character dinning. And some of the use two credits for one meal eats into the allocation quickly, so you're not doing a table service meal a day. That said, with the increased prices it's really hard to come ahead cost wise.

 

[Bonnie1222]

Anybody know if they will allow you to use multiple counter service credits as 1 table service? I want to say way way back you used to be able to do that.

DH and I tried the higher plan with a 1 night stay a few weeks ago. Cost us $188 for 1 night for the 2 of us. Dinner at Boma came to $158, Mugs $44, Snacks $13 and CS lunch $55. Total savings was $82. It was worth it for us. I do wish they would bring back the 3 sit down meals again - or maybe one with 2 sit down meals a day. We are kind of local and do 1 night stays around a nice dinner so we don't have to worry about driving and an all sit down plan would be great for 2 credit restaurants.

 

[Dulcee]

Anybody know if they will allow you to use multiple counter service credits as 1 table service? I want to say way way back you used to be able to do that.

DH and I tried the higher plan with a 1 night stay a few weeks ago. Cost us $188 for 1 night for the 2 of us. Dinner at Boma came to $158, Mugs $44, Snacks $13 and CS lunch $55. Total savings was $82. It was worth it for us. I do wish they would bring back the 3 sit down meals again - or maybe one with 2 sit down meals a day. We are kind of local and do 1 night stays around a nice dinner so we don't have to worry about driving and an all sit down plan would be great for 2 credit restaurants.

You've never been allowed to trade up so to speak. You were sometimes allowed to trade down.

There is even less flexibility now however and this is not allowed.

 

[champagne&disney]

Anybody know if they will allow you to use multiple counter service credits as 1 table service? I want to say way way back you used to be able to do that.

DH and I tried the higher plan with a 1 night stay a few weeks ago. Cost us $188 for 1 night for the 2 of us. Dinner at Boma came to $158, Mugs $44, Snacks $13 and CS lunch $55. Total savings was $82. It was worth it for us. I do wish they would bring back the 3 sit down meals again - or maybe one with 2 sit down meals a day. We are kind of local and do 1 night stays around a nice dinner so we don't have to worry about driving and an all sit down plan would be great for 2 credit restaurants.

Did you really drink $44 worth of soda in the mug? If so, more power to ya!

 

[Bonnie1222]

Did you really drink $44 worth of soda in the mug? If so, more power to ya!

Oh heck no! We were at AKL and had to walk to the other side of the hotel to fill it. I just quoted the "value" they say it is worth.