Trade TS credit for CS?

[Mary Chase]

I know this has probably been discussed before, but I can't find it. It is likely that we will get "free" dining with our package this fall - we'll get the basic plan since we are staying at the Moderate resort level. While we do enjoy some TS restaurants, I find that after a while we just get tired of sit down restaurants (and planning our days around our ADRs) and want to just grab a QS. I believe I have been told that the dining plan would allow for you to "exchange" TS for QS. How is this done? Do you just go to a QS and say you want to use a TS credit? We have done this once and we were told that it's up to each individual restaurant if they will do it. It's been a while since we've been to WDW and I just wondered if it was more of a standard concept now. Thanks!

[Strmchsr]

I think I've heard they don't allow that any more. I know they used to, but I think rules have changed on that, though I'm not 100% certain.

Just an FYI - the "free" DDP isn't the end all of discounts. If you don't like doing a lot of TS restaurants you'd probably come off better getting a room only discount and paying for your food OOP. We've found out we come out WAY ahead without the DDP ("free" or otherwise).

[Zippy 1]

When we ere there in February of 2012 you could no longer exchange a TS for a CS. Couldn't even use our extra CS for snacks and we have always done that.

[Davy Crockett]

That makes no sense for Disney to do that as they would make more off their dinning plan by allowing higher value TS exchange for a CS or even more money on the CS exchange for a $4 maximum snack...

This is good to know though as two trips ago we were on the Deluxe Dining plan and it was WAY to much food with 3 TS a day, so toward the end of our trip started canceling reservations and ate CS meals at least once a day.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

This is good to know though as two trips ago we were on the Deluxe Dining plan and it was WAY to much food with 3 TS a day, so toward the end of our trip started canceling reservations and ate CS meals at least once a day.

The deluxe plan is a bit different ... you can use your credits for TS meals or CS meals. Of course, if you eat all TS meals it is a better "value", but you could choose to eat all CS on the deluxe plan.

On the basic DDP you have to use them the way Disney allocates it, 1 TS, 1 CS and 1 Snack.

[SBETigg]

That makes no sense for Disney to do that as they would make more off their dinning plan by allowing higher value TS exchange for a CS or even more money on the CS exchange for a $4 maximum snack...

Actually, it does make sense from a business perspective if the purpose of the dining plan is to fill seats in the TS venues and keep people spending money on property. People who dine at TS restaurants are more likely to spend above and beyond what the plan allows, adding on appetizers and alcoholic drinks (which is how most restaurants make their highest profits, through alcohol sales). There wouldn't be much reason for TS restaurants to keep participating in the Disney Dining Plan otherwise. It's a mutually beneficial system, and the dynamic is thrown off when Disney allows patrons to use credits other than how they were designed to be used. Plus, Disney probably loses more money than it makes when TS patrons turn to CS venues, due to the loss of pricey add-on sales (alcoholic beverages).