Beyond the Burger: Best Meal Options Using Disney's Quick Service Dining Plan

Dining at Disney is one of my favorite topics. Partially because there are so many great restaurants to choose from, but also because I love that Disney offers 3 great dining plans. For me, adding one of the dining plans is a great way to take care of a big part of your vacation expenses ahead of time. There are not many all-inclusive vacation destinations in America, but a Disney vacation package comes very close.

There are 3 dining plans to choose from and I am a big fan of 2, the Plus and Deluxe Plans. The 3rd plan, the Quick Service Plan has always left me a little lukewarm. Not because it isn't enough food, but because of the type of food that is usually available on the Quick Service Plan. The Quick Service generally equals counter service meals. Counter service meals usually equal hamburgers and hot dogs. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good burger or dog now and then, but not every day. So I always tended to shy away from the Quick Service Plan. But I have been really thinking about it and I think the Quick Service Plan is catching a bad rap. So I have decided to prove myself wrong and create a list of restaurants and dishes that will break you away from the typical counter service meals.

Park-by-park, here are some of my suggestions for restaurants and dishes:

Magic Kingdom

Friar's Nook-While not exactly healthy, Friar's Nook recently added 3 different types of gourmet mac & cheese menu. Granted one is a cheeseburger mac, it's still better than an actual cheeseburger.

Tomorrowland Terrace-You can get 2 different salads at the Tomorrowland Terrace that will take you away from the standard Caesar or House salad. The Citrus Shrimp Salad and the Beef & Blue salads offer some unique flavors to choose from.

Be Our Guest Braised Pork

Diamond Horseshoe-The Diamond Horseshoe offers 3 really yummy sandwiches, the Hand-carved Turkey, and Hand-carved Pork Brisket, and the Portobello Sandwich. Bonus, you can get apple slices or chips as a side.

Columbia Harbour House-This restaurant has some really great options for the vegetarians with the Lighthouse Sandwich and Vegetarian Chili. Besides their famous Battered Fish Platter and New England Clam Chowder, they also have a nice Grilled Salmon plate as well.

Be Our Guest-The newest edition to the Magic Kingdom quick service restaurant collection is really breaking the mold and redefining "fast food". Not only because it's the only quick service restaurant that you can make a Fastpass plus reservation for, but the menu really stand out. The Braised Pork and Tuna Nicoise are two examples of this. Not to mention the Croque Monsieur Sandwich and Quinoa Salad.


Animal Kingdom

Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes- This one is a favorite of mine. Asian inspired dishes served in easy take and go Chinese food containers like the Honey Chicken and the Teriyaki Beef Bowl are fun, fast and delicious as well. The Ginger Chicken Salad is another winner, and for vegetarians, the Roasted Vegetable Couscous Wrap is a great option.

Flame Tree BBQ Pork Sandwich

Flame Tree BBQ- I would like to begin and end with the best thing to eat it the entire park-the Pork Sandwich. BUT-the whole concept of a pork sandwich isn't groundbreaking or new. But it is GOOD! There are also some other great dishes, like Smoked Chicken Salad and the Baked Ribs & Chicken Combo plate are both great.




Hollywood Studios

Min & Bill's Dockside Diner- Here we get to revisit Macaroni & Cheese with 2 fun combos, the Barbecued Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese and the Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese.

Starring Rolls Cafe-While you can get a few varieties of sushi rolls here, if you want to go the route of Marie Antoinette and "let them eat cake", then a stop in here is in order. I may or may not have been guilty of foregoing a traditional meal for one of their famous cupcakes. The Butterfinger, the Chocolate Peanut Butter and the Red Velvet Cheesecake cupcakes are decadent and HUGE!

Studio Catering Company- Sandwiches are the word here. Fresh flavors like Toasted Tuscan Deli, Spicy Buffalo Chicken, and Grilled Vegetable, are a nice change from the standard ham & cheese, and plain old turkey. And while they do have a Turkey Club-applewood smoked bacon, roasted red peppers and arugula give it personality.

Fairfax Fare-Now I said I was staying away from burgers and dogs, I think their take on hot dogs needs to be mentioned. Macaroni and Cheese & Truffle Oil Hot Dog, and Barbecued Pork and Cole Slaw Hot Dog, are more than your typical dog on a bun. Of course you can also grab a nice Chicken & Spareribs plate as well.


Epcot

Because there are so many great options, I am going to move a little quicker and break the park up into 2 sections-Future World and World Showcase.

World Showcase

La Cantina de San Angel Tacos de Barbacoa

Lotus Blossom Cafe-Much like the Yak & Yeti, great Asian dishes.

Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles-Great soups. Great sandwiches. And a great place to have dessert first. What? It's vacation!

Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar-Antipasti, Paninis and Small Plates and wine! Nosh to your hearts delight.

Katsura Cafe-Sushi, Udon, & Teriyaki Plates. And if you're a sake or plum wine fan-this is your place.

La Cantina de San Angel-Tacos, FANTASTIC nachos, Margaritas and Paletas (Fresh fruit pops).

Tangerine Cafe-One word: Shawarma!

Yorkshire County Fish Shop- Fish+Chips+Cold Beer=Awesome. Enough said.

Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar Antipasti, Paninis & Desserts

Future World

Sunshine Seasons Mongolian Beef

Sunshine Seasons- This is easily the best quick service option in the park-maybe even all the parks, simply for how many choices there are at this restaurant. This is my go-to when I just can't look at another burger or even Caesar salad. Oak Grilled Salmon, Mongolian Beef, and Spicy Thai Green Curry Shrimp are just some of the delicious choices available in this restaurant. Selections change daily, but there is always so much to choose from that you are guaranteed to find something to satisfy everyone in the family.






Downtown Disney (Soon to be Disney Springs)

I couldn't compose a list like this and leave out THE BEST value in all of the quick service restaurants, Wolfgang Puck Express and it's close runner competitor, Earl of Sandwich.

Earl of Sandwich-Simple idea, done oh so right. Soup, salads and sandwiches. My personal favorite sandwich is The Original 1762, should be on every menu in the whole Kingdom. They also do some really fantastic wraps as well.

Wolfgang Puck Express-I truly saved the best for last with Puck's Express. At Puck's you can turn a quick service credit into Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf, Oven Roasted Salmon, Spaghetti & Meatballs, or a variety of delicious, huge pizzas. If you are a fan of Macaroni & Cheese-Puck's is NOT to be missed. Seriously-do not put off trying it. But no matter which great dish you have-make sure to save room for my absolute favorite quick service dessert-Creme Brûlée with Berries. I did mention this is all for 1 quick service meal credit, right?

Wolfgang Puck Express Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

Wolfgang Puck Express Macaroni & Cheese

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**Besides being the owner and travel professional of Snapshot Getaways, Lisa is an avid traveler, food nerd, blogger & podcaster. Her answer to pretty much everything is food or travel, and is happiest when the solution includes both. You can contact her at Lisa@ SnapshotGetaways.com, to talk food, travel, Disney-whatever.

Top 10 Dining Tips at Walt Disney World

We get Dining questions all the time.  When is the best time to eat?  Quick Service or Table Service?  Dining Plan or No?  Ask ten people how they eat when they are at Walt Disney World and you will get twelve different answers!  It all depends on how you like to do things at the parks.   I’m going to give you a rundown of how we plan our meals at Walt Disney World with two kids.

1. Disney Dining Plan:  We like to do the Disney Dining Plan (especially when it’s free).  There are debates on whether you are saving money, but we like the convenience.  I like being able to budget most of my expenses ahead of time.  Children under 3 are not required to purchase a Dining Plan, so they can eat off of your plate.  There is so much food, this is never an issue.

2. Plan your Advance Dining Reservations:  Yup, we love to eat at Disney and have our favorite places to go.  So after consulting a crowd calendar, we decide which days we will be at which park.  Then we map out our Advance Dinning Reservations (ADR’s).  With the dining plan you get one Table Service, one Quick Service and one Snack per person, per night of stay.  You can use in any order or combination and we do!

3. Bang for Your Buck: If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, get the most out of your money. Plan character meals, which are often very expensive. Check out the menu’s ahead of time and make sure you go somewhere special, that you might not go to otherwise. If you are looking to do Artists Point for a romantic evening, or Cinderella’s Royal Table for your Princess, plan on 2 Table Service Credits.  If you find you are looking to dine at more than one signature restaurant, look into upgrading to the Deluxe Dining Plan.

4.  Space out Meals:  When planning our meals we try to stick to one Table Service per day.  It is a lot of food and two Table Service meals is also more time away from the parks.  We do a combination of dinners and Character buffets.  We rarely do a Table Service Lunch unless there is somewhere we really want to go and the reservation time works out that way.  Too much food + too many rides=disaster.

5.  Timing is Everything:  This is where you need to do a little thinking.  Depending on what you are doing at the parks and your family needs, reservations times can vary.  Ours vary from day to day during our trips.  If we are having a resort day/afternoon, we plan our dinner later so there is plenty of time for clean up or napping.  If we are having a Table Service breakfast we go as early as possible.  If you get a reservation before the park opens you have the place to yourself! If we know we are going to push through the day with minimal naps, then an early dinner is on the menu.

6. Grocery Shop: Don’t waste your cash or snack credits on bottled water. If you have a car, head to a local grocery store for Breakfast items, Snacks, Bottled Beverages, Milk, etc. If you are not renting a car, then use a grocery delivery service like Garden Grocer. For us, snack credits are for Mickey Ice Cream Bars!

7.  Be Nice and Share: This applies to snacks and Quick Service meals. For breakfasts we often have items on hand from Garden Grocer for quick eats before we head out. But if we decide we want a hot breakfast, we use one or two of our Quick Service credits and share among the four of us. If you are staying at the resorts you have your refillable mug for coffee, so get a drink for later. Children’s Quick Service credits do not need to be used on kid meals, so we plan on sharing with them an adult portion. Then we share a lunch later on in the day. This way we all have more room for Table Service Meals!

8. Save for Later: Save your Quick Service dessert or sides for a snack later. Obviously this doesn’t work for ice cream, but there are plenty of other things to throw in the backpack for later. For our Table Service meals we are often full by dessert. Ask your server to pack your dessert for later. After you’ve walked around a bit, or returned to your room you have a treat.

9. Park Hop: We utilize the Park Hopper option for the sole reason of being able to have flexibility. If we want a relaxing night at Epcot’s Le Cellier after a day at the Magic Kingdom, no problem. Remember, even if you have a reservation for dining, you need a ticket to get in the park.

10. Airplane food: Is horrible and expensive. Save a quick service credit or two for your last day. Purchase a sandwich or salad and ask for ice if necessary. Maybe even have a small collapsible cooler bag. With the exception of liquids, you can take your meal on the plane. A last  bit of Disney for your way home.

By no means is my way the only way to dine at Disney. You need to think about what works for your family. I like to plan ahead, so this works for me. We like to have nice sit-down dinners as a family, but you may want to have more park time with each other. Key is to have a great time and enjoy all that Disney has to offer!

Share your dining tips in the comment section below, we love reader tips!

Maria aka Mickey Mom is a Travel Planner for Snapshot Getaways part of her job is making dining reservations first thing in the morning for clients!  Follow her on her Facebook Page or email maria@snapshotgetaways.com for travel planning.

The "Cost" of Going to Disney

 

Disney can be a costly venture for a family these days.  Is it even possible to still go?

There are a few financial tips to know when planning your Disney trip.

• Yes, there is a peak and non-peak season at Disney.  Your travel agent can give you the best time to travel and save on your resort rooms.
• The more you stay, the less you pay for your tickets.  Purchasing a package over 4 days results in increased value.  
• Disney offers promotions throughout the year.  You should book in advance to guarantee your room and dining reservations, but if a promotion becomes available your travel agent can apply the discount.
• Disney's resort categories are Value, Moderate and Deluxe.  Room discounts increase as the category rises, so sometimes the best value is a Moderate.
• Keep an eye on Disney Devoted for tips from on bloggers on saving money at Disney.

Here are a few of the many benefits to staying at a Disney resort that will save you money overall:

• If you are flying into Orlando, Disney provides complimentary transportation to and from the airport at no charge.  Your luggage is even delivered to your room!
• Disney also offers free transportation throughout the parks and resorts which means renting a car is not a necessity.
• If you are driving, Disney offers free parking for resort guests at the resort and the parks.  
• You may purchase into the Disney Dining Plan.  If you love to experience Disney's wonderful dining options you can pre-pay for your dining.  There are several packages available which can save you 10-20% off purchasing meals on your own.
• Children under the age of 3 enter the parks for free. 

So what will it cost my family to go to Disney?  We will look at it from a family of 4.  A small child, teenager and two adults.   Airfare or driving expenses are not included in the quotes. Here are are two scenarios during peak season, without promotional pricing:

Quick Weekend Trip-Value Resort Package includes 2 nights, 3 days at Pop Century Resort.  Family has a 3 Day Parkhopper Pass and a Dining Plan.  The Dining Plan includes one snack, one counter service and one table service meal per person.  Taxes included.
Total $2048

7 Night Stay-Value Resort Package includes 7 nights, 8 days at Pop Century Resort.  Family has a 8 day Parkhopper Pass and a Dining Plan.  The Dining Plan includes one snack, one counter service and one table service meal per person.  Taxes Included.
Total $ 3919

So here you can see the value of a 2 night vacation vs. a 7 night vacation.  Don't be discouraged by the media telling you that the average family will no longer be able to go to Disney.  Again, these prices are non-promotional and are pretty all-inclusive.  Your travel agent can keep you updated on current promotions.

Maria is a Travel Planner for Snapshot Getaways, Blogger and loves to get the best deal value for her clients.  Would you like me to run a quote for YOUR needs?  Contact me at maria@snapshotgetaways.com.  Like my Facebook Page for news and updates.