Top 10 Disney Dining Plan Table Service Credit Values
This list ranks the best table service restaurants at Walt Disney World for maximizing the value of your credits on the 2026 Disney Dining Plans. Even if you’re visiting during Free Dining, you want to get as much bang for your buck as possible and this covers the top uses of the most valuable credits.
In a nutshell, the Walt Disney World table service restaurants that offer the best ‘value maximization’ of Disney Dining Plan credits are the ones serving the most expensive meals. The pricier the menus, the greater savings on the DDP. That also means that this list is a terrible resource if you’re paying out of pocket. It’s basically the exact opposite of our regular list of the Top 10 Best Value Table Service Restaurants at Walt Disney World.
Essentially, this list is an objective resource ranking the best 1-credit table service restaurants at Walt Disney World. If a restaurant ranked better thanks to its pricier options, it’s on the list, regardless of whether we think its food stinks. When actually planning where YOU want to dine on your trip, it’s very important to consider quality of food, not just prices, when determining where you want to eat. We thus recommend weighing these “value maximization” lists we have along with our subjective Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews when making your Advance Dining Reservations.
The entries on this list are calculated by taking the highest entree, dessert, and beverage and adding them together (tax and tip are not included). We did this as opposed to taking the median or mean since, if you’re truly concerned with saving as much money as possible, you’re going to be ordering more expensive menu items.
Alcoholic beverages are included on the 2026 Disney Dining Plans, which was a change made several years ago. This has had a minor impact on the rankings, albeit to a lesser degree than our Best Counter Service Values on the Disney Dining Plan. One thing to keep in mind is that there are a handful of Magic Kingdom restaurants that do not serve alcohol, so if you’re chasing the best value, those few restaurants should be avoided.
As a general principle, there are a few guidelines about what you should and should not eat to maximize your table service credits on the Disney Dining Plan. Three easy rules of thumb are that character dining experiences, steaks, and seafood are the best uses of the 2026 Disney Dining Plan. At the other end of the spectrum, vegetarian or plant-based dishes are a poor use of credits.
You should also avoid Signature Restaurants if you want the best value. This means you’ll want to skip Citricos, Narcoossee’s, Tiffins, Brown Derby, Be Our Guest Restaurant, and every other 2-credit Signature Restaurant. This includes Cinderella’s Royal Table, the flagship princess meal at Magic Kingdom.
Sadly, it also means skipping Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at EPCOT (at lunch and dinner) and Story Book Dining at Artist Point with Snow White. Previously, both of these restaurants were in our top 5 on this list–and you still might find them on other, outdated resources. Unfortunately, these have been elevated to 2-credit status and are no longer a great–or even good–values on the 2026 Disney Dining Plan as a result.
If you must do one of these character meals, pick Akershus for breakfast. It’s still one credit then, and is only $7 less expensive for breakfast. On a per credit basis, this makes Akershus at breakfast the much better option. (Because $62/1 > $69/2.) In fact, consider breakfast at Akershus as a bonus entry to this list, as it’s very close to making the cut for 2026!
Despite their higher menu prices, two-credit Signature Dining are not as good of a value due to its cost of 2 credits, so you will not find any two-credit restaurants on this list. With the sunsetting of the Deluxe Disney Dining Plan, it no longer makes sense to do Signature Restaurants, period, if on the DDP. Pay out of pocket instead. (Fingers crossed the rumored “Ultimate” Disney Dining Plan comes to fruition in 2026!)
Let me reiterate this, as some readers have asked about them: the total cost of meal at a Signature Restaurant is $100 per person, it is still not a better value than a 1-credit restaurant with a total cost of $60 per person. (It’s simple math: $60 x 2 = $120 > $100.)
10. Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood – Is there any surprise that a restaurant with both steak and seafood–the two most expensive types of entrees on any Walt Disney World restaurant menus–makes this list? If anything, the big surprise should be that Toledo doesn’t rank higher.
For those unfamiliar with it, Toledo is the rooftop restaurant at Gran Destino Tower. Not only is it a great use of Disney Dining Plan credits in terms of bang for buck, it’s a great restaurant, period. Toledo is one of the few places at Walt Disney World that received Michelin Guide recognition, which not even Victoria & Albert’s, Monsieur Paul, or Takumi-Tei were able to accomplish. We love this restaurant, and highly recommend one of Toledo’s several spectacular steaks.
9. Via Napoli – This is a tricky one. Via Napoli has built a sterling reputation on its glorious pizza pies, but if you order one of these, the value is below-average on the Disney Dining Plan. Instead, you have to look to the traditional Italian menu choices, and choose one of the $40+ options.
Then, you need to pair that with a nice glass of wine and one of the more expensive desserts. Then–and only then–is Via Napoli a great value on the Dining Plan. The good news, though, is that Via Napoli is a great restaurant choice no matter what you order!
8. Chefs De France – Chefs de France has several expensive entrees, but the most expensive is the Filet de boeuf grille, sauce au poivre vert Gratin Dauphinois et haricots verts. The slightly cheaper Duck is also a great entree choice for maximizing value (and it tastes great).
We think Chefs de France is good, but doesn’t quite live up to the hype. It’s a very popular restaurant among Walt Disney World guests, which can be a double-edged sword. The restaurant tries to turn tables over as quickly as possible to seat everyone, making efficiency the name of the game here, which can lead to inconsistent meals and streamlined food prep. Chefs de France is still worth giving a try, just don’t go in expecting fine French dining.
7. Tutto Italia – Another World Showcase option in the Italy pavilion, Tutto Italia may or may not make the list for the Disney Dining Plan depending upon when you dine here. The menu here changes a lot, and we strongly suspect that has been dictated by the DDP in the past (especially Free Dining). It seems like when that is being offered, a few of the $40+ items are not on the menu.
If the Manzo Brasato, Bistecca, or swordfish are on the menu, this is a very high ranking restaurant thanks to those and excellent Italian decadent desserts and overpriced alcohol. If those items are not on the menu, Tutto Italia might fall right off the list, depending upon what is on the menu.
6. Garden Grill (Lunch or Dinner) – Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast hasn’t changed much in the last few years, but despite that, it has inched its way up this list thanks to price increases.
The food here doesn’t quite compete with newer character meals at Walt Disney World, but the all-you-can-eat fare is both approachable and crowd-pleasing, and we prefer Garden Grill to Chef Mickey’s, both of which rank higher here.
5. ‘Ohana (Dinner) – We think ‘Ohana is one of the most overrated restaurants at Walt Disney World. We also think it’s a must-do for first-timers. That might seem difficult to reconcile, but ‘Ohana is a Walt Disney World institution for good reason. That reason is not the food. It’s also not the prices. (Although the food does taste a lot better if you’re not directly paying for it out of pocket!)
Rather, because dinner at ‘Ohana is the foundation for a “core memory,” to borrow a line from Inside Out. Longtime fans keep coming back to ‘Ohana because it’s an emotional experience evoking all sorts of nostalgia and fond memories. There’s also something to be said for the actual atmosphere, with the fireworks, views of Cinderella Castle, and Electrical Water Pageant. Then there’s the communal energy and vibe that yes, in fact, ‘Ohana does mean family, in the immortal wisdom of Lilo & Stitch. For all of these reasons, we recommend ‘Ohana to those on the Disney Dining Plan.
T4. Chef Mickey’s (Dinner) – One of our absolute least favorite meals at Walt Disney World, Chef Mickey’s makes the list because it’s an objective one, not because we want to see it here. The food is awful, but hey, at least you can “enjoy” a lot of it? Beyond that, the ambiance is loud and the decor is dated.
However, wonderful character interactions here will likely redeem Chef Mickey’s in the eyes of many families, and if your kids are picky eaters, they might just like the food. Honestly, even though it’s not as good of a use of DDP credits (objectively speaking), we’re more inclined to recommend breakfast at Chef Mickey’s because it’s subjectively superior.
T4. 1900 Park Fare (Dinner) – The Grand Floridian Resort is Walt Disney World’s flagship hotel, and it finally has a befitting character dining experience with the reimagined 1900 Park Fare. That’s a controversial statement among Disney fans, many of whom are nostalgic for the previous cast of characters. While we agree with them on that, everything else–food, atmosphere, and overall experience–is better at the Wish Makers Enchanted Dinner at 1900 Park Fare.
Objectively speaking, dinner costs more than breakfast, hence only dinner making the cut here. Dinner is also subjectively superior–and significantly so. Our review of breakfast concluded with such a tepid endorsement. The cuisine caliber is the difference maker–everything else is the same between the two meals.
Carried by cuisine quality, the Wish Makers Enchanted Dinner at 1900 Park Fare reaches the same high bar as character dining experiences at Topolino’s Terrace and Artist Point, managing to achieve both high quality and high quantity (of food). As far as the food goes, dinner at 1900 Park Fare is the #1 character buffet at Walt Disney World. Even if paying out of pocket (as we have when dining here), we’re rather spend the extra money for the better dinner. That’s doubly true if you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, as both meals are 1-credit, making dinner the obvious and easy pick–and one that offers exceptional value for money.
3. San Angel Inn Restaurante – This is one of two table service restaurants at the Mexico pavilion in World Showcase at EPCOT. San Angel Inn Restaurante is the one inside the pavilion, overlooking the Gran Fiesta Tour boat ride. Basically, it’s the Walt Disney World equivalent of the iconic Blue Bayou Restaurant Blue Bayou (for those unfamiliar, Blue Bayou overlooks Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean).
Despite this, San Angel Inn has a poor reputation among many Walt Disney World fans, criticized for its bland and basic cuisine. We think that’s excessively harsh–but have to admit that the ambiance has always been exceptional and the food has been far less than exceptional. In any case, you really can’t go wrong with the Carne Asada at San Angel, which is a Mexican twist on the New York Strip. So long as you order that–and only that–it’s a great use of Disney Dining Plan credits. (It’s also a surprisingly delicious steak!)
2. Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine (Fantasmic Dinner Package) – This is one I’m hesitant to include because the Fantasmic dining package isn’t something some people want (without the package, this wouldn’t be on the top half of the list), but it does provide value–and we highly recommend the reimagined Fantasmic.
Not only that, but Minnie’s Seasonal Dine is a great use of a Disney Dining Plan credit, regardless, it’s just the Fantasmic package that puts it over the top (without that add-on, it still makes the list–but not this high). It seems like only a matter of time before this changes and Fantasmic dining packages also require two credits. But for now, these sill offer great bang-for-buck.
Then there’s the big one: Minnie’s Seasonal Dine at Hollywood & Vine is actually quite underrated. Despite being a “basic” buffet with underwhelming theming, the food is quite good and the character interactions are top-tier. We are huge fans of the seasonal buffets here, particularly Minnie’s Holiday Dine and Minnie’s Halloween Dine. You also can’t go wrong with Minnie’s Springtime Dine.
1. Teppan Edo – This is the teppanyaki-style steakhouse in the Japan pavilion of World Showcase at EPCOT. Teppan Edo is located on the second floor of the the Mitsukoshi Department Store adjacent to Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya (formerly Tokyo Dining).
Teppan Edo has been one of the best objective values on the Disney Dining Plan for years, and it claims the #1 spot due to massive menu price increases, and a variety of steak and seafood entrees that are pricey. Another change that has helped push Teppan Edo over the top is the addition of the pricey Yuzu Mousse Cake; previously, the dessert menu only had inexpensive options.
Of course, entrees are the star of the show at Teppan Edo. The various steaks, combos, and the Hotate have all been menu staples for at least the last decade. Accordingly, we doubt those will be removed, but the portion sizes could decrease or certain items could be excluded from the 2026 Disney Dining Plan. Regardless, Teppan Edo is a strong pick that lands a spot in the top 10 even without the Hotate! And if you can ‘stack’ Teppan Edo with a dining pack (see below), it becomes an even better value…
BONUS: Candlelight Processional Dining Package – One surprising good change for the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages is that each restaurant is its normal amount of credits on the Disney Dining Plan. This is unlike in the past, when all restaurants required 2 table service credits on the DDP. Our confirmation email reflects this and several readers have reported seeing the same.
This means that every restaurant except Le Cellier only requires 1-credit, which is huge–it makes the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages a fantastic use of DDP table service credits. If you want the best bang for your buck from the Candlelight Processional Dining Package, Teppan Edo is your best bet.
It’s not the only great option, though. All of the following restaurants would independently make this list via the CPDP: Garden Grill (lunch and dinner), Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya, Tutto Italia Ristorante, La Hacienda de San Angel, and Coral Reef. And although we’re using Candlelight Processional Dining Packages as the example, this also applies to all concerts during EPCOT festivals. So you can take advantage of this for Disney on Broadway during Festival of the Arts, Garden Rocks, Eat to the Beat, etc.
The “only” downside is that Candlelight Processional Dining Package ADRs are now extremely limited. The others have gotten more competitive, but not nearly as bad as Candlelight. In the past, last-minute and same-day reservations have opened up, so we’d recommend trying techniques from our Top 10 Tips for Hard to Book Advance Dining Reservations at Walt Disney World.
So there you have it–the top Table Service restaurants on the Disney Dining Plan if you’re looking to maximize the value of your credits. As you can see from the many caveats on this list, we aren’t big fans of some spots on this list. Objective cost and subjective value definitely aren’t the same. We happen to care more about the latter, but if the former is more important, that’s your call!
Finally, it’s worth noting that the difference between a “great” value restaurant and an “only okay” one can come down to (literally) a couple of menu items. All it takes is one high-priced steak or seafood dish; if you won’t order those, a great restaurant can fall to the good or middle tier.
Moreover, restaurants that have expensive cocktails or glasses of wine also perform better than spots with basic beers or standard alcoholic drinks. After that, the price of desserts is the biggest factor here (ranging from high prices of $7 all the way to $14) and whether or not the restaurant serves smoothies, shakes, or some other sort of specialty non-alcoholic drink that is included on the Dining Plan.
Remember to always consider whether a particular restaurant or dish appeals to you before making your Advance Dining Reservations. While value maximization can be fun, it should not be the ‘end-all, be-all’ of your Disney vacation planning. Eating things you like is far more important!
Hopefully this list helps you get more bang for your buck on the Disney Dining Plan. Check out our Best Counter Service Credit Uses on the Disney Dining Plan and Most Cost-Effective Disney Snacks blog posts to get even more value out of the Disney Dining Plan! Planning a Disney trip? Read our other Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews and our 101 Delicious Walt Disney World Dining Tips. If you are planning a Walt Disney World trip, make sure to also read our comprehensive Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide to make the most of your experience!
Your Thoughts
What tips do you have for getting the most out of the Disney Dining Plan? Any favorite restaurants or menu recommendations for making the most of the Disney Dining Plan? Do you make a point of maximizing your value even when taking advantage of the Free Dining promotion? If you have any tips to maximize your value at other Table Service restaurants or any questions about the Disney Dining Plan, please share them in the comments!
How is Jiko not on this list? Aren’t almost all of their entrees in the $50 range?
It requires 2 credits, so divide all of those prices by 2 to determine value.
Thank you for your posts! SOOO helpful! I have been having fun checking out the costs of various meals and inserting them into an excel sheet I’ve made. For those that criticize ordering only the most expensive items in order to get the dining plan for a value? I must say, that I’ve entered in prices for the items I’ve wanted, not the most expensive, and have still found it to be a good value when you want to experience many different restaurants. Sure, you can eat cheaper. But for us, it’s the experience!
I will say I haven’t booked any table service options according to this list (though they sound amazing), but your snack option list and quick service list have opened my eyes to MANY possibilities! So, thank you!
Glad it’s helpful! As for the value of the Disney Dining Plan, a lot of that depends upon the restaurants where you eat and how you would eat if you weren’t on the plan. Whether it’s a good or poor value really depends upon your personal circumstances.
Good luck with your WDW trip planning!
I think the dining plan makes it easier on you to spend the extra money on nice meals than paying out of pocket when you are down there. It is hard for me, as someone with a modest budget, to spend over $100 on a meal. When we go out at home we usually spend between $25-$40 on a meal. But when I have the dining plan I eat whatever and wherever I like. I enjoy that freedom. We also end up doing a lot of character meals with the children that I probably wouldn’t want to pay $50-$60 for myself if I didn’t have the dining plan.
Plus we usually get the dining plan for free. I have travelled to Disney World in 2007,2008,2011,2013 and coming up again this Sept. all with the Free dining plan.
Hi Hilary:
Have you already booked for September of 2014 with the free dining plan? My husband and I have visited in September of 2010, 1011, 2012 and 2013 with the free dining plan and are hoping that it will again be offered for 2014.
and you know for certain there is free Dining this Fall? Are you in the ‘know’ some how that none of the rest of us are?
The free dining offer for Fall 2014 starts on May 7th!
A tip for some people. Most people aren’t walking around starving 24/7. If you time your ADR correctly, a quick service meal for either breakfast or lunch and then a well used snack can offer plenty of food for most people. This can save you a lot of money. Sometimes people use a snack credit for something basic like a banana when you can go to France and get a ham sandwich on a croissant for a snack credit. If you try and plan it out correctly, you can be full all day long using the credits on the DDP.
I enjoyed reading your article. I’ve been to WDW many many times, but this is the first time we’ve decided to try out the DDP. The promotions were so good this season that it made sense to give it a shot.
I’m sure the answer to my question that follows is available somewhere on the disney site, but I thought I might throw it out there.
One of the main reasons I wanted to get this is because I know we’re going to get breakfast every day at the resort, and we will want to eat at some great restaurant every night (Anything from Chef’s du France to California Grill and Raglan Road in Downtown). Lunch is a bit more on a whim, but occasionally we stop a bit longer at places like the SciFi cafe.
So I guess my question is. Does it make sense (and is it possible), to just pay out of pocket for all lunches, and save those credits for the pricier meals?
To someone else’s point, I don’t want to spend my trip obsessing about how to make my DDP work the best, but if there is a “best practice”, that will allow us to stretch our money further doing it one way or another, I appreciate that advice!
You can certainly pay out of pocket for any meal you so choose.
My recommendation would be to pay out of pocket for breakfast (or possibly a snack credit), use a quick service credit at lunch, and use a table service credit for dinner.
I would never use 2 credits for a signature restaurant unless the credits would otherwise go to waste, but would instead pay out of pocket for those meals.
I can understand not wanting to obsess over how to make the plan work best. The parameters I’ve described above are pretty much all we normally do when using the Disney Dining Plan, but we have knowledge of how to maximize the Plan, so I figured I’d put that info out there for others.
You have it spot one here Tom!!
I was lucky enough to book one of the free dining packages on offer last year for 2013. Due to choosing Port Orleans Riverside to stay we got the counter service plan free which I upgraded to full dining for 280 good ole English pounds. I love reading peoples trip reports and their restaurant/food reviews and over the years have chalked up a number of places I want to eat, have already eaten at some but due to past budget restrictions, not all. So this years trip will see us eating at many of those “to do” restaurants e.g. California Grill, only because we’re on the dining plan. I’ve gone through the menus at every restaurant/food court and I kinda know what I’m going to choose and I to be honest there is not once have I looked and thought “go for the most expensive dish” I’m going to go for the dishes that I think I’d like and that I’ve read good reviews about. Having said all that, it’s going to save me an absolute fortune!! Even if I didn’t get the free part of our package I think I would definitely consider the DP for future visits, my son and I love our food, we enjoy good food and on every trip most of my spends have gone on food, so for me the dining plan is a no brainer. Really looking forward to using it.
Have fun–we can’t wait to try California Grill after it reopens, too!
Can you eat at Rainforest Cafe on the dining plan?
Yes, both Rainforest and T-Rex are now on the plan.
Just a note about Akershus, we had lunch there in Oct. 2012. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the food and plan to go again. The food was not “too” Norweigan for our kids (ages 3,5, and 7). As usual, it was a lot of food. We could have made a meal out of the Taste of Norway bar. On our next trip we are planning to try Cinderella’s Royal Table, but we’re going to double up on princesses and dine here again, just because we enjoyed it so much. I have heard that breakfast is pretty basic, but we’ll definitely go for lunch or dinner again.
# 2 & 5 are booked for this coming April also booked at Mama Melrose…….Can’t wait!!
Awesome! Have a good trip!
I’m going to have to say i’m not much of a fan for this dinner plan, not to sound repetitive but ordering the most expensive meal on the menu is not always the mission. I usually base my order on what i feel like eating at the time, not order whatever’s expensive.
I was wondering if you go to a signature restaurant that requires 2 credits do they allow you to split a plate so you “pay” 2 credits instead of 4? Has anyone seen this work at the above places? Can a child get adult dish at the signature and above restaurants (this would be 2 credits as well)?
It would work in theory, and I don’t see why a restaurant would object, but technically everyone in your party on the Disney Dining Plan is supposed to eat together. I have never actually seen that rule enforced.
Children can no longer use their credits to order adult meals.
Is it strictly enforced that kids cannot order from the adult menu? 2 yrs ago they ( cs employees) allowed us to order a chkn finger basket for the kids to split instead of the kids nuggets. Our motive was based on taste, not value, as they didn’t like the nuggets nearly as much as the fingers.
Yes, my guy and I have done this many times. We are grazers, so we share meals nearly every time we eat at Disney – even breakfasts! That way we can visit more restaurants and try more, different things. It doesn’t matter if we’re not stuffed after the meal because we’re going to be eating again soon anyway!
Thanks for that post. We are going with summer with a 10yr old and have been wondering how they look upon sharing of entrees. We want to go to Citricos and maybe another Signature, but were concerned that we couldn’t do 2 meals (4 credits) to be shared by the 3 of us. Glad to hear that we can!
Although, this is not a most expensive restaurant, I think you might want to add this to your list due to the freebie of the appetizer.
Reserve the Mama Melrose with Fantasmic Dining Experience. Each adult gets a free appetizer. (Not sure if that is just people on the Dining Plan or not). So if you add in a free appetizer, you can really get the most out of the Dining plan!
That’s a great tip! Thanks!
One thing to consider as I have not yet done the math… have you explored using 2 sit downs for the more expensive places, ie: Fulton’s or Le Cellier, and eat ‘cheaper’ the other nights of your stay while on the deluxe dining plan?
There is no situation where using 2 credits for a Signature meal is a better option than the above. I’ve done the math! 🙂
many people including my hubby are steak lovers but steak is not something that i typically order and it almost seems like the restaurants were valued based on ordering expensive meat. maybe you should have a seafood lovers version. i did eat at coral reef but it def wasn’t my favorite. they did successfully prepare mahi mahi but it was either that or salmon or fried shrimp. not many “quality” seafood entre selections for a seafood restauant with a huge aquarium inside. it is more of a casual place. i would like to see Corall Reef become more upscale with food and decor even if they had to go to 2 meal points. we were on deluxe dining but for times when u just want a quick meal it really does seem wasteful. i went to mexico in epcot and they wanted to charge 1 full meal for just guacamole so i passed. also a pizza counts as 2 adult meals. that is crazy when a whole pizza prob cost them less than $1 to make. i thought the breakfast buffets at tusker house and 1900 park fare were well worth the points regardless of price point. food and character experiences were great at both. we also did narcoosees and california grill and cinderella castle which were 2 pts each
Hi. Have you tired Cape May Café at the Beach Club Resort. It all you can eat seafood and meats, very good.
Great info! I started researching restaurant costs to see if it was worth it for 2 adults and 2 grandkids. Some don’t post the costs, kids menu, etc so it was hard to see if it really was worth it. We typically would share a dessert and not eat steak every night. Plus the kids like to eat real people food sometimes not just pizza, nuggets and mac & cheese. You certainly helped me make a decision. Thanks!
Glad we could help. If you’re looking for really accurate and up-to-date menus, check out: http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/dining/menus
In all of this, what isn’t mentioned is the big problem with the DDP, the cost for my 11 and 13 year old children. We have to pay $52 becuase they are on the “adult” plan, but at the sit down meals they’re still only eating chicken nuggets and fries, or pasta, or a burger. This kills the plan for my family. Why Disney doesn’t let them get an extended kids menu or something is beyond me.
Yeah, this is definitely a problem for those with kids who Disney considers “adults.”
I am right there with you. We’d love to see more meal options with a real entree (fish/steak) for kids. The only one we’ve found is at Coral Reef in Epcot, Be Our Guest in MK, and 50’s Prime Time in HS.
If a person is paying adult prices, then it should be an adult meal.
I will be having a similar dilema with my 4 kids in October. But here is a question:
At table service restaurants where a 10 year old is going to just want chicken nuggets anyway, can I just pay for the nuggets out of pocket and save the T.S. credit for one of the adults to use later?
This certainly is a dilemma. On the one hand, what you want to do is technically prohibited by the rules. On the other hand, if you tell the server at the beginning of the meal that your 10 year old is on a separate check, the server should accommodate you. I can’t imagine that they wouldn’t…but you never know.
If it were me, I’d at least try it. YMMV, though.
We did exactly that the last time….I can’t recall the restaurant we were at but the waitress just considered it a ‘cash’ sale and we had one extra adult meal on our card to use later.
We had the same dilemma. We will be visiting Disney World in the end of September and our daughter is 10. We discussed our options and decided to use the disney dining plan but part of our decision making process included the fact that our daughter enjoys a healthy, diverse diet and is very excited to get to order off the adult menu.
I very much appreciate the objective point of view! Some of my clients love learning how they can maximize their dining credits and I plan on referring them to this (and related) posts. Thanks!
Julie
Tom: This is another great article. I did similar research for our trip and we decided to get Tables in Wonderland over participate in the dining plan for this very reason. My wife just isn’t going to eat steak every meal, so it doesn’t make sense for our family. Further, there is just no reason for everyone at the table to order a dessert. With four adults on our last trip, we normally ordered 3 appetizers and 2 desserts, while my wife and her mother split an entree. Thanks again for the hard work.
ajc
This post is helpful–but it also illustrates why we are not fans of the dining plan. Despite accusations from some members of my family that I only order the most expensive thing on the menu (to which I reply: it’s not my fault that I happen to like lobster and steak!), I’d rather not spend my vacation worrying about whether I am ordering expensive enough to save the highest possible amount of money.
I never understand this way of thinking. While it is great that you can order the highest priced menu item while using the dining plan, I alway just choose what I want to eat. I don’t understand why anyone would order anything other than what they would enjoy the most just because they have the option of ordering something more expensive.
I never understood it, either, Mark D. We are vegetarians and still find the Dining Plan (when free!!) to be an awesome discount for our traveling party of 6-7. Awesome food and you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll get enough or have to pay!
What we love about the dining plan is you don’t have to worry about the price it’s paid for and I never worry if we got the best deal! it’s paid for before we leave our house and we just go and enjoy! We went one time not doing the dining plan and the whole time I was watching every penny. If you worry the whole time about what you are spending then the dining plan is great as you go to whatever restaurant and order what you want!! have fun
Posts such as these, what I like to think of as the “gritty realism” posts (the ones that pose such questions as “when does this bus actually get here?” and “how much is this meat really costing me?”), are some of my favorite posts, peeling away, as they do, the misty-eyed wonder and giving us good, basic information to help us budget our time and money. Not that there is anything wrong with misty-eyed wonder. I always enjoy a Figment story, or a partner’s statue story, or a getting married to my sweetheart with fireworks story–at least as much as the next person. But still, it’s good to get some basic information from a seemingly credible source who has spent time making a study of the various issues. I also like the adventurous posts in which you race walk to Peter Pan’s Flight or venture into Columbia Harbour House, or dance joyously through the park at 2:00 AM, but that’s not really relevant to the present topic.
One of our favorites is O’Hana at the Polynesian Resort. It is a buffet style but you never need to leave the table 🙂 The meats are excellant. Heck of a value on the DDP.
Love O’Hana!!!! Worth every penny.
Great list – some of these restaurants I’ve yet to try so they will be going on my list 🙂 We have ADR’s for Tutto Italia this October so I was very excited to see it in the #1 spot.
I always thought Kouzzina was a signature restaurant and never gave it a thought when making our dining plans, I’ll be considering it now.
Thanks!
You better hurry:) Kouzzin closes for good on Sept 30th. I haven’t seen any information as to why; it seems to consistently get strong reviews.