Which Table Service to pay out of pocket?

[scrapfrenzy]

Hello! Just one week before our 1st ever Disney World vacation! We have the standard dining plan that allows 1 TS per day. I'm having trouble limiting my TS selections, so I have to pay for 2 or 3 out of pocket. Which of these reservations would you suggest to pay out of pocket (i.e. which are cheapest)?

Breakfast:
Crystal Palace
Tusker House
Kona Cafe (PAY)
'Ohana
Boma

Lunch:
Mama Melrose

Dinner:
California Grill (2 TS)
'Ohana
Chef Mickey's
San Angel Inn

We have 7 TS credits. I'm pretty sure Kona Cafe Breakfast is a good one to pay for out of pocket, but not sure which of the others are lower priced. Should we pay for California Grill and use the 2 TS credits toward 2 other meals? Or should we use the 2 TS for California Grill and pay for 2 meals somewhere else?

Decisions, decisions...Your guidance is always greatly apprecaited!

 

[DisneyWisher]

Look at the menus at Allearsnet.com or at the top you will see WDWINFO. Usually buffets are the best OOP since beverages and desserts are included also breakfasts too.

 

[DisneyWisher]

26.99 & 14.99 CP
24.99 & 13.99 TH
24.49 & 13.84 Boma incl tax
20.99 &11.99 Ohana
Kona ideal for OOP

40.46 & 20.23 Chef Mickeys
32.99 & 15.99 Ohana*
CG$37-49, dessert $12adults*
$8-13, $5 desserts kids

We'll be at Ohana on Saturday I'll be the one drinking the piña coladas. It's be me, DGS6, DGD2, DD26 (not the mom, mom isn't going) and DDF24. We'll be there around 7.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I think that paying out of pocket for Cali Grill or paying for 2 other TS places will be about the same, depending on what places you are talking about.

That's an awful lot of reservations (or would be for us any way). Keep in mind you'll have to leave the park for a number of those restaurants, perhaps wait a while before you are actually seated, then the dinner may be an hour to an hour and a half.

 

[gabzee]

Hello! Just one week before our 1st ever Disney World vacation! We have the standard dining plan that allows 1 TS per day. I'm having trouble limiting my TS selections, so I have to pay for 2 or 3 out of pocket. Which of these reservations would you suggest to pay out of pocket (i.e. which are cheapest)?

Breakfast:
Crystal Palace
Tusker House
Kona Cafe (PAY)
'Ohana
Boma

Lunch:
Mama Melrose

Dinner:
California Grill (2 TS)
'Ohana
Chef Mickey's
San Angel Inn

We have 7 TS credits. I'm pretty sure Kona Cafe Breakfast is a good one to pay for out of pocket, but not sure which of the others are lower priced. Should we pay for California Grill and use the 2 TS credits toward 2 other meals? Or should we use the 2 TS for California Grill and pay for 2 meals somewhere else?

Decisions, decisions...Your guidance is always greatly apprecaited!

It would depend on what you ordered. As PP said I would look at allears.com to get an idea of prices for the buffet as well as the dishes you would order at TS. If you would order an appetizer, entree, and dessert at California Grill then I would most likely use the 2 credits but I would price it out.

 

[lovesdumbo]

If you would order an appetizer, entree, and dessert at California Grill then I would most likely use the 2 credits but I would price it out.

Appetizer wouldn't be covered for regular DDP.

 

[Ro Z]

When will you use your CS? We would not be able to eat TS breakfast and dinner and still have room for CS and snacks. Maybe you should cancel some so you won't have to pay OOP at all. Just a suggestion! Whatever you decide I hope you have a great trip

BTW we will be there at the same time!!!

 

[Cin]

I'd pay for California Grill and that frees up 2 credits for 2 meals. The plan is equivalent in dollar value to about $40 per credit. So you are looking at using up $80 for 2 dining credits plus paying the tip too making your total around $88 a person by using the credits. It's cheaper to pay this one out of pocket.
We dined there last month and for 2 adults our total bill was less than $100 and that included the tip.

 

[colinsdad]

Pay OOP for Kona BF and Mama Melrose's for lunch.

Since MM is lunch it should be light, and there are many cheap "outs" like flatbreads and salads.

Save the TS for dinners and character buffets.

 

[kjbean]

I'm facing the same dilemma with needing to decide to pay out of pocket for one of our TS meals, but need thoughts and advice on which we should choose.

We will have 2 adults and 2 kids on our trip and will have 6 nights, so 6 TS credits available.

We are planning on booking the following:
Cinderella's Royal Table (2 credits) - breakfast (if we can manage to get it booked)
Whispering Canyon Cafe (1 cr) - dinner
Rose & Crown (1 cr) - dinner
Mama Melrose's (1 cr) - Fantasmic! dining experience
Spirit of Aloha (2 credits) - dinner (will only be DH and I celebrating our 10th anniversary since we honeymooned in Tahiti, and the kids will be at The Neverland Club, so the kids will end up with 2 extra TS credits than us)

I'm debating now whether using up 2 TS credits for my husband and I to do SoA is worth it, adding that it throws off the number of TS credits left for the kids or if we should pay out of pocket. I wasn't originally worried about the kids having extra credits as I'm sure we'd have figured out a way to use them. Or, if we should pay for one of the other 1 TS credit meals out of pocket for the whole family. Would anyone be willing to calculate out which way could be better for us financially.

 

[scrappygirl77]

I had the same predicament - looked at menus, created a spreadsheet, and came to the conclusion that it was almost a complete wash. I compared Le Cellier (L), Tusker House, Garden Grill, O'Hana, Jiko, Mama Melrose, H&V, Hacienda De Angel, and Wolfgang Puck Cafe. We also had 7 credits - running various options - if the average cost for 2 was around $50 we were better off paying and using our credits for the others. So based on pricing we are better off paying for Tusker House, Hacienda, O'Hana, or Wolfgang Pucks - all around the same amount. I will also say that once we looked at Jiko's menu - considering it is 2 credits, it is actually better for us to pay OOP for this one vs the 2 credits.

 

[ls3015]

I'm going to tell you up front, this being your first trip to WDW, You are going to expericance some great eating, also some not so great eating, It's all in the taste of the beholder, But be advised there will be sticker price shock, It is not cheap to eat at WDW. Have a great time.

 

[scuttlesnest]

I'm having the same issue! We rarely get a long WDW trip, and I'm planning on writing some restaurant reviews for a website... need to pay OOP for myself & my husband at 2 TS meals, choosing between:
Yak & Yeti lunch
CRT breakfast(2 TS)
Chef Mickeys breakfast
Flying Fish Dinner (2 TS)
Kona Cafe breakfast
Crystal Palace breakfast
Boma dinner

Right now I'm planning on OOP for Y&Y and Kona-- but thinking it may be smarter to do it for Flying Fish... any advice?