Thursday's Tip

Many of you are planning Walt Disney World vacations in time to take advantage of the free fall dining plan offer (by the way, today is the LAST DAY to book this for Fall 2012!). Although our family doesn't typically use the dining plan, I have done some of my own "what-if" planning...just to see where we would best be able to maximize our savings if we did. Today's Thursday's Tip is all about snack credits and where to get the biggest "bang for your buck." Here are a few rules that will help you do just that:

• Don't waste snack credits on a beverage. Instead, take along a refillable, filtered water bottle. It's hard to stomach the idea (no pun intended) of spending a precious snack credit on a bottle of water when you could use that same credit for one of the yummy treats listed below.


• As a general rule, snack credits are good for items priced up to around $4.50-$5. These tend to include side items, desserts, and beverages. What you may not know is that snack credits are often accepted for many items at the booths for Epcot's annual Food and Wine Festival too.


• Compare desserts. For example, why use a snack credit for an ice cream cone at Hollywood Scoops (Disney's Hollywood Studios) when you can get an ice cream sundae for the same credit? Instead of a blueberry muffin from the Main Street Bakery (Magic Kingdom), go for the enormous cinnamon roll that costs around $1.50 more.


• Not all snack items have to be desserts; there are some great savory options that are more filling. One of the best-kept snack secrets in the Magic Kingdom are the take-away baked potatoes (with fixings) at the Liberty Square Market. Using a snack credit for one of these is a great way to compensate for using 2 table service credits for a signature dining experience earlier in the day. With cheese, butter, and sour cream available, one of these potatoes is a perfect light meal.


• Try something you've never had before! Some of my favorite classics are the Mickey Ice Cream Bars (found in carts everywhere), the Carrot Cake Cookie (Writer's Stop, DHS), and the Dole Whip (Aloha Isle, MK). But on my next visit, I plan to try a few new "under the radar" snacks, such as beignets from Port Orleans or one (or more) of the many cupcake variations that are found around the World.


• Here's a fun idea: save up your snack credits for an "eat your way around the World Showcase" evening. Nibble on school bread from Norway. Grab an espresso in Italy. Gobble down a soft pretzel in Germany. Sample churros in Mexico. Have a side of Tabouleh in Morocco. Munch on egg rolls in China. The possibilities are endless--and yummilicious! (Yes, I just invented that word.)


• Always ask. Sometimes an individual restaurant will be more flexible with what counts as a snack credit than the brochure might imply. It never hurts to ask (politely) if an item can be purchased with a snack credit--you might get an especially generous Cast Member who will do it for you.


• NEVER leave WDW property with unused snack credits. As a last resort, visit your Resort's food court or even the gift shop for pre-packaged take-home items. You'll have a fun reminder of your trip, or you can even give them as gifts. (My girls were thrilled to get a gift bag full of Disney treats from cousins who took a Christmas trip last year!)