Disney Dinning Plan Your Thoughts?

[secondstar]

You're Welcome!

One plus to the Dining Plan: We always go to WDW in the fall during the Food & Wine Festival. You can use your snack credits at the temporary food pavillions around the World Showcase. We used up almost half of our credits in one night. But it was worth it.

[cy1229]

You're Welcome!

One plus to the Dining Plan: We always go to WDW in the fall during the Food & Wine Festival. You can use your snack credits at the temporary food pavillions around the World Showcase. We used up almost half of our credits in one night. But it was worth it.

I did not know this! We're going to be at WDW in Oct 2012, and I wonder if my parents will want to do this. Sounds like a GREAT idea.

Hmmm.... think think think!

[secondstar]

You're Welcome!

One plus to the Dining Plan: We always go to WDW in the fall during the Food & Wine Festival. You can use your snack credits at the temporary food pavillions around the World Showcase. We used up almost half of our credits in one night. But it was worth it.

I did not know this! We're going to be at WDW in Oct 2012, and I wonder if my parents will want to do this. Sounds like a GREAT idea.

Hmmm.... think think think!

Not even all the Cast Members knew about this. I don't know if it was new for this year or not, but we used five snack credits walking around the World Showcase. We sampled everything from Korean Lettuce Wrapped Shrimp Rolls to Caribbean Jerk Beef. It was all delicious!

[Amy]

You're Welcome!
One plus to the Dining Plan: We always go to WDW in the fall during the Food & Wine Festival. You can use your snack credits at the temporary food pavillions around the World Showcase. We used up almost half of our credits in one night. But it was worth it.

I did not know this! We're going to be at WDW in Oct 2012, and I wonder if my parents will want to do this. Sounds like a GREAT idea.
Hmmm.... think think think!

Not even all the Cast Members knew about this. I don't know if it was new for this year or not, but we used five snack credits walking around the World Showcase. We sampled everything from Korean Lettuce Wrapped Shrimp Rolls to Caribbean Jerk Beef. It was all delicious!

I would love to go during the Food & Wine festival with the dining plan for this very reason. I would love to try some of the dishes and using snack credits for them would be awesome

[secondstar]

Amy, one piece of advice regarding the Food & Wine Festival. If you have young children, don't go on a weekend night. Epcot was packed -- shoulder to shoulder -- like I have never seen and most of the crowd was heavily intoxicated. There wasn't anything overly out of line. Just an extemely high number of very "happy" people, who were free with their tongues and poor with their balance. It was similar to what you'd find in a college town. Very few families. We left early because we were beginning to feel uncomfortable with the crowd. When we got on our resort bus, others had expressed the same sentiments.

[Amy]

Amy, one piece of advice regarding the Food & Wine Festival. If you have young children, don't go on a weekend night. Epcot was packed -- shoulder to shoulder -- like I have never seen and most of the crowd was heavily intoxicated. There wasn't anything overly out of line. Just an extemely high number of very "happy" people, who were free with their tongues and poor with their balance. It was similar to what you'd find in a college town. Very few families. We left early because we were beginning to feel uncomfortable with the crowd. When we got on our resort bus, others had expressed the same sentiments.

Thanks for the tip. I don't have children, but I have no desire to be around those who have had too much to drink and are stumbling around and/or using foul language There have been a few times I haven't been very happy with EPCOT and the World Showcase crowds for that very reason I have some "friends" on facebook who go to the Food and Wine festival every year and the pictures they post are pretty obnoxious so I can only imagine how bad it gets in person

[secondstar]

It is very un-Disneylike when I have to hold my hands over my daughter's ears so she doesn't hear something inappropriate.

[Amy]

It is very un-Disneylike when I have to hold my hands over my daughter's ears so she doesn't hear something inappropriate.

Exactly!

[Soarin08]

You're Welcome!

One plus to the Dining Plan: We always go to WDW in the fall during the Food & Wine Festival. You can use your snack credits at the temporary food pavillions around the World Showcase. We used up almost half of our credits in one night. But it was worth it.

Definitely will remember this if my parents come for the F&W festival. They've always wanted to. My mom and I have turned into big wine connoisseurs so we're both interested to see all of it (this fall will be my first time).

[pixiesparkles]

LOVE the dining plan...regardless of which one I choose. I really have no desire to walk up to a counter or sit at a table and have to mentally calculate the cost of the meal...then explain to my kids that they have to choose something less expensive. The meal plan takes all the guesswork out of the picture. You order what you want...it's paid for...viola!! Besides, I actually calculated what I would have spent out of pocket versus the meal plan, the the meal plan savings was HUGE!!

[Belle1082]

We had the free dining in January and boy did we eat a lot. It was nice to not have to worry about food or money or anything like that. But at the same time - we all ate way more than we normally would have. We split a lot of meals, but when these meals come with desserts too - and you feel like you should at least try one since it is free - it tends to be a lot of food. Sometimes I wish that they would allow for an appetizer instead of a dessert. That way you could have a little try but still wait to have the entree and be full on that.
In any case, it was interesting to have more sit down meals than we might normally have had. It was great to get to have lunch at Le Cellier as well (only 1 TS credit if you go for lunch! It is 2 TS at dinner!)
I would never pass up a time when there was free dining, but I would have to think very carefully about purchasing it on my own.

Always fun to try new things though and have new experiences every trip!

[secondstar]

We had the free dining in January and boy did we eat a lot. It was nice to not have to worry about food or money or anything like that. But at the same time - we all ate way more than we normally would have...

Belle1082, I had the same observations. I liked the idea of having most of our food paid in advance. But I didn't like having to always have a dessert with my meals. I like bottles of Coke and not fountain Coke. So, I'd always buy a bottle before going to counter-service restaurants. Then, I'd HAVE to get a fountain drink, which I'd give to someone else. Also, I'd normally never order a dessert because I like the Mickey Bars at the vendor carts. But I'd HAVE to order one. I didn't like that either.

On my next trip, I am going to try to figure out a way to have at least $1,000 pre-paid prior to our arrival. I haven't figured out how to do that yet. Maybe I will by Disney gift cards, to be used for food purchases. Or maybe I can have a credit, which goes on my room key, to be used for food purchases. I am going to find a way to have most of our meals paid prior to arrival. This would free me up to spend more of the money I brought with us on souvenirs. (Actually, my wife and DD8 would be doing the buying. They're shopaholics.)