Help me decide DxDP or DDP

VioletSparkles · May 28, 2015

so I've run the numbers myself 100x and I think the best option for our trip is the deluxe dining plan but I'd love some input from veteran Disney visitors to let me know if I'm totally missing something! The deluxe dining plan gets SO much hate on these boards- it's making me fell like I'm missing the big picture here or something:

We have a 4 night stay and plan to eat at the following places (yes we have made our ADR's!)
Table service:
Le cellier
BOG (dinner)
crystal palace
CRT

Quick service: (plans to stop at each of these places at some point):
Flame tree bbq
Yak & yetti
Columbia harbor house
The lunching pad
Pizza planet

Snack opportunities:
Kusafari bakery
Kringla bakeri
Sleepy hollow
Sunshine tree terrace
Plaza ice cream parlor

So being that le cellier and CRT are each 2 credits each I'm immediately paying out of pocket for BOG and Crystal Palace....
Our resort was offering the free Disney dining plan for our trip and upgrading to the deluxe dining plan was only $300 more... Granted I've never been to Disney but I feel like there's no way I wouldn't spend $300 for the extra table service meals and snacks? Do you agree or disagree...

scrappinginontario · May 29, 2015

Is there a reason why you can't pay for one of the 2 credit meals out of pocket (OOP)? You could choose to pay for either Le Cellier or Cinderella's Royal Table (depending on which would be most cost effective for you). How many people are in your party? I would compare the cost of paying for either of those meals OOP compared to the $300 and see where your numbers are.

GillianP1301 · May 29, 2015

I agree, I think your plan would work with DxDP, you are probably very close to the break even point. If you go regular DDP, you will need to pay for 2 of those TS, one of the QS and 2 of those snacks OOP.

I know what you mean about DxDP getting a bad rap on these boards and I don't get it at all. I enjoy using DxDP, personally.

senadler · May 29, 2015

I think you also need to consider that you will also be getting an appetizer at all of those TS places on the Deluxe plan. Based on your plans, I think upgrading makes sense. You may also want to take advantage of Yak and Yeti TS instead of CS, it is very good.

DISNEY1975 · May 29, 2015

How many people are you traveling with? $300 for 2 people for the extra 2 TS, I would say no. $300 for 4 people, you would come close. Also keep in mind, the Deluxe comes with appetizers. Do you normally order apps?

If you have (a lot) of time, check out the menus and prices on all ears dot net. At $109 pp/per day, it averages $36 per meal $72 pp at the 2 credit places, youll probably break even. CS is about $15pp, but with deluxe using a credit, you are paying $36-ish. If there is only 2 of you, Maybe you should look into the room discount and not get the dining plan.

I get deluxe, but use my credits on dinner shows and high end signature restaurants. Do I "win" probably not, but its all paid for before I get there! And with 3 - 6 people in my party, the dining discount works better than the room discount.

sharonabe · May 29, 2015

I can't figure out your math. If you have 4 nights, the upgrade cost is just shy of $50/night, so that's $200 for just one adult. It's $10 per child, so that would be $40 per child. I can't see a scenario of people where those add up to $300 for a 4 night stay.

VioletSparkles · May 31, 2015

I didn't figure out a cost "per day" or "per person" per say.
If I go the disney website and add my room and dining plan to my cart with just the included free dining it's $1961
If i upgrade to Deluxe Dining it's $2326 so a difference of $365
My kiddo will be just shy of 3 so she isn't on the dining plan... just my husband and I

cjsquared · May 31, 2015

I'm a fan of the DxDP and I think it's worth it since your child is not on it. As much as I love the DxDP, I don't think it's worth it with small children. At least not for us, our kids usually share a meal.

lmtravis · May 31, 2015

i know you are staying 4 night but how many breakfasts, lunches and dinners are you accounting for? I think we could give you better feedback if you outlined your days and ADR times.

borgthe · May 31, 2015

My question is this. Are you going to Disney to enjoy the parks or to enjoy the restaurants? With only 4 nights, which in my opinions is WAY too short a trip, you will be spending most of your time eating.

tyandskyesmom · Jun 2, 2015

We love, love, love the deluxe dining plan!

We have free regular dining booked but I am booking ADRs in 19 days as if I have the deluxe dining plan because I will move mountains to be able to afford that upgrade.

But, are you more worried about the rides and attractions or are you interested in the whole vacation? For us, the restaurants and being able to allow everyone to order what they want instead of monitoring cash in order to order food is worth tons! Even my kids are having a difficult time thinking about not having the deluxe dining plan. At home we would never eat that way...I'd make us decide on one, maybe two if I was in a very generaous mood, appetizers and we probably would not order dessert but it would not be because we wouldn't want to but rather because it cost too much... on the deluxe dining plan I don't have to worry about that!

Alicatt · Jun 2, 2015

With the new proposed plan changes, would there be any distinction between child and adult credits on DxDP? It sounds like a family of 4 would get 12 TS (or QS) and 8 snacks a day to use as they wish.

nat8199 · Jun 3, 2015

cjsquared said:
I'm a fan of the DxDP and I think it's worth it since your child is not on it. As much as I love the DxDP, I don't think it's worth it with small children. At least not for us, our kids usually share a meal.

The Deluxe plan is only worth it for us because we have small children on it. My kids eat a ton! Feeding my twins when they weren't on it because they were 2.5 cost us a fortune. Despite being tiny, my kids have never been the split-a-meal types.

OP, I love the DxDDP and definitely think it is worth it.

cjsquared · Jun 4, 2015

nat8199 said:
The Deluxe plan is only worth it for us because we have small children on it. My kids eat a ton! Feeding my twins when they weren't on it because they were 2.5 cost us a fortune. Despite being tiny, my kids have never been the split-a-meal types.

OP, I love the DxDDP and definitely think it is worth it.

I'm sure that it does benefit some. I had one on and one off and they shared a kid's meal and that worked. At 7 and 4 they still share a kid's meal. My kids are not big eaters so I couldn't economically justify the DxDP this trip.

DeniseR · Jun 8, 2015

So, this might have been answered here but I'm not sure after reading all of this. If we are going during "free dining" and staying at a deluxe resort, we get the 1QS, 1TS, and one snack plan (DDP) for each adult (we are only taking two kids that are two and won't be on any plan). Since this is their first trip and we will do several character buffets (easier to feed two children off your plate on a buffet!), it might make sense for me to upgrade rather than pay OOP for another table service meal each day. I won't do three each day but I might still come out "ahead" OOP wise.

If I decide that we will have at least two TS each day (depending on how many ADRs I get), and want to "upgrade" to the DDxP, do I just call to do this and they charge me ????? more per person? Does anyone know how much more per day it would be?

And the big question is, since I have the free dining already, I am pretty much just paying this upgrade cost OOP right?

shortnsassy730 · Jun 8, 2015

If you are planning to eat lots of quick service meals, the deluxe plan is not economical for you.

shortnsassy730 · Jun 8, 2015

Yes all you need to do is call no later than 3 days before your trip and they will charge you the difference. I don't have the prices available but its around 40 more per day per adult.

DeniseR · Jun 8, 2015

shortnsassy730 said:
If you are planning to eat lots of quick service meals, the deluxe plan is not economical for you.

shortnsassy730 said:
Yes all you need to do is call no later than 3 days before your trip and they will charge you the difference. I don't have the prices available but its around 40 more per day per adult.

Okay thanks! That is helpful!

Help me decide DxDP or DDP

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