DH and I are seriously considering getting the Dining Plan (alas, not free) for our stay in October intead of paying OOP as originally planned. This is because we plan to eat our way around Epcot at least twice. We've never used the dining plan (in fact, first trip).
Can someone explain to me how snack/counter service credits work at the booths? If I exchange a CS credit for 3 snack credits (as mentioned above) must they all be used at the same booth? Will the food items offered at the booths during F&W count as snacks? All? Some? Which ones?
I really appreciate the help so we can decide if in this instance DP might actually save us money!
I wouldn't get it for F&W unless they bring back the premium package (or some other way of lumping kiosks together for purchasing from all at one register) AND you are going to be there for a time period that allows for use of that package (the aforementioned package was good for a Sunday-Thursday of one week - and not spanning a weekend - PERIOD).
DH and I did it for our honeymoon, and were only able to get the value out of the package by knowing exactly what we could do and using the premium areas, during the week that coincidentally was Sunday - Friday. It adds a whole new layer to your planning that can get overly complex and not really save you any money at all. It was a game for me, and hubby just played along since I was clearly enjoying it. Without those options, it's better to pay OOP, because that'll structure the spending the way you want and fits best to F&W instead of the way Disney thinks most people should want.
When you redeem a counter service credit for three "snacks" you must do it all in one transaction and pick out three items that count as snacks to purchase. If a CM says you can't do it, then suggest gently that they go find someone who does know how to do it, because it's doable. Keep the item count to exactly three, or someone's head will explode.
Some wiser person than I has estimated the value of a QS credit at something like $16.50, so if the items you are getting are not all worth $5.50 each, then it's not a good use of that snack credit. With two, you might be able to pull it off for some, but not all of your QS redemptions. Snack credits are deemed "worth it" at somewhere over $5 in redemption, I think.
If you get the full
DDP, then you have to contend with one TS credit per night of your stay, per person, which if you're trying to spend more time nomming at booths can put you in a bit of a pickle. We used all of ours on three signature meals, so we had surf and turf at Narcoossee, steaks at the Yachtsman, and more steak at Le Cellier while we were there, just so we could use them all and get the most we could out of them.
If it helps, get yourself a F&W gift card and load it with $200 or so at a time. See how that goes. We're going that route this year, except that I might get a lanyard for drinks if they make sense. Don't lose the gift card or the lanyard, though... You'll be sad.
I think we will find we are having a lot more fun not being tied to reservations and food.
