Disney Deluxe Dining Advice Needed

[bean bunny]

My husband and I are considering the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan but I'm looking for a little feedback first. I've tried running the numbers and I think we are close to at least breaking even but I'm not sure if there are things I might not have thought about yet...

We are staying at the YC for three nights and our dining reservations right now are:

Fulton's
Yachtsman Steakhouse
Crystal Palace
San Angel Inn
Cape May Cafe
One more lunch TBD

We don't alway get appetizers and desserts typically so it's been harder to calculate if this will be something that will be a benefit for us. Any advice/suggestions would be so helpful!

 

[aaarcher86]

I typically just run the numbers with what we would order if paying out of pocket vs what the DXDP costs. If you're calculating apps and desserts into your OOP costs but wouldn't normally order them, you're not getting a fair idea of which will cost less.

Even if you're breaking even you're getting more on the DXDP than you would, so it wouldn't be a bad deal. You could try some new things/apps/desserts/etc.

ETA: Just for an idea... the DXDP out of pocket would be about $3186 (3 ad/ 2 chil) for 9 nights at full price. We used the Stay/Play/Dine discount which brings it down almost exactly $1,000 to $2160. Going through our reservations I just guesstimated that ad adult meal that wasn't a buffet would be about $40 for an app/entree/drink and I didn't take any deserts into account. The cost of all our reservations ended up being around $2669. Not even taking into account a QS meal that we'd get throughout the day or any snacks, the DXDP was already better for us on the S/P/D than OOP. It really just depends on where/how/and what discounts you're getting to see if it is a better deal.

I also took into account getting the DDP and paying OOP for what we can't use credits for. With the S/P/D deal it costs about 810 for the DDP. That, plus the cost of meals I would pay for it came out to about $2120. I'm sure I could fiddle around and figure out how to make it a few dollars cheaper by using credits for diff meals, but I just went with 1 credit meals that were the most expensive. I'd rather go with the DXDP if it is only $100 - 200 difference for the extra meals and app/desert combo.

Good luck figuring it out

 

[homerjay316]

I typically just run the numbers with what we would order if paying out of pocket vs what the DXDP costs.

Agreed. I usually do the DDP. Last January we just did all meals OOP. I saved all our receipts and brought them home. When I added up our table services, counter services, and a few snacks we had I found out that the two of us (me and the wife) had saved $5 by skipping the meal plan. Or another way of looking at it is for the price of one snack ($5) we could have had a lot more snacks and a dessert we don't normally order at every meal.

 

[sharonabe]

Do you not normally order apps and desserts because of the cost or because you just don't want them? If you would like to have them, but don't because of cost, then the DxDDP would be a benefit. If it's too much food, and you just don't want them, then OOP would be better.

One more question: are you looking at a 2012 trip or 2013 trip. The plan cost for 2013 is right at $100 per person per night.

 

[Irishgrl]

It's a LOT of food I will say that no matter how you look at it. I loved it since we got to try a lot of things but, even using a few TS that cost 2 dinners we still couldn't eat all our TS and that was with feeding a 2 year old on our plan. We did get our money's worth but, we were ordering a lot of thing we normally wouldn't. This year we are doing the basic and decide to just pay extra for the App and additional meals if needed. I looked at the menu at each place to see what we would normally order to try and figure it out. Also, it's a lot of time spend at table that take you away from the park just so you know.

 

[aaarcher86]

It's a LOT of food I will say that no matter how you look at it. I loved it since we got to try a lot of things but, even using a few TS that cost 2 dinners we still couldn't eat all our TS and that was with feeding a 2 year old on our plan. We did get our money's worth but, we were ordering a lot of thing we normally wouldn't. This year we are doing the basic and decide to just pay extra for the App and additional meals if needed. I looked at the menu at each place to see what we would normally order to try and figure it out. Also, it's a lot of time spend at table that take you away from the park just so you know.

I think it depends.

We do a character breakfast and a character dinner each night and just eat a QS lunch. But we have the whole day open without being in a restaurant AND meet a ton of characters which saves time on waiting in line in the parks.

Just depends on planning.

It's definitely a lot of food though. We get a few snacks for some of the meals for the drive home (although I don't know if they'll let that practice continue). With our upcoming trip we'll have 7 meals each to use throughout the park after taking off TS meals for all of our breakfasts and dinners (some are 2 TS creds). I think we'll use them at least throughout the 8 days so it worked out pretty evenly this trip

 

[livsmom04]

I agree it's a lot of food but for the past 3 trips to Disney World we have gone with the Deluxe dining because in the end we always have extra snacks that we stock up on and take for our trip home. I think I would just run the numbers and see what would work best for you.

 

[bdklein]

we always have extra snacks that we stock up on and take for our trip home..

Those are some pricey snacks!!

 

[bean bunny]

Thanks everyone for the feedback - I think we are going to opt out of the deluxe dining though there are elements I really like. As I look at where we are eating and what we'd select from the menu I think we would be ordering appetizers and desserts just because they were included not because they want them. Ultimately I think we'll come out slightly ahead by paying cash.