I'm scared to pay OOP instead of having the dining plan

averysmom · Jul 5, 2015

We're in the exact same boat as you... And we have always saved money on the DDP, but with this deal we figured we'd go without. We're choosing to stay at the Poly instead of our usual mod with free dining. Hope we don't regret it-lol!

keaster · Jul 5, 2015

Here's an idea that I've seen other people suggest, maybe it would work? Buy a Disney gift card in the amount you would have paid for the DDP. Just use that gift card to pay for your meals/snacks. See if you have any left over at the end of the trip and if you do then going OOP is the better choice! If you don't then you know DDP is the better choice. It would be a cool thing to try!

librarymom2007 · Jul 5, 2015

We usually get the dining plan but also are using a TA where we couldn't add the plan this time. I actually think it is going to save us money. Even though I love the convenience of the dining plan it is way too much food. Paying OOP we can order an app or share meals. We still have a TS scheduled every day.

ForMyBoys · Jul 5, 2015

So being an accountant I crunched the DDP numbers for us, and like you felt like we'd save if we didn't buy the DDP. But also like you wanted some flexibility and didn't want to feel a huge hit to my credit card all at once. So what I did is I purchased disney gift cards at target (using the 5% red card discount of course) for the amount of the DDP. So in your case you'd buy $2500 worth. (Or if you want a closer comparison- buy $2600 worth, since at 5% off that is $2,470).

We then ate what we wanted, when we wanted, just like having the DDP. We are very similar to you, we like a TS meal every day. I normally like a late lunch though because its a nice break mid-day from the heat of the park. But anyway, the first time we did this we stayed Sat to Sun (8 nights). I can't remember the exact tally but I remember we had at least 3 $50 gift cards left (and a few with partial amounts). We always spend our last morning at downtown disney so we had plenty of spending money. In the end it was worth it for us (and I'm sure we used the GCs for a few non-food items over the week).

I say trust your mad math skills, get the room you want, and buy the GCs in advance for your meals. Guest services will even add them to your account so you can use your magic bands to purchase stuff and not carry around a million GCs.

Good Luck!

crostorfer · Jul 5, 2015

keaster said:
Here's an idea that I've seen other people suggest, maybe it would work? Buy a Disney gift card in the amount you would have paid for the DDP. Just use that gift card to pay for your meals/snacks. See if you have any left over at the end of the trip and if you do then going OOP is the better choice! If you don't then you know DDP is the better choice. It would be a cool thing to try!

We did this last fall and it worked brilliantly. It worked so well, we're doing it again this fall. We put about $500 on a gift card for F&W, and it covers everything, including alcohol, which the DDP does not.

cluvsdisney · Jul 5, 2015

disneyfantotheend said:
See I never felt I had to get the dessert just because it was paid for. Occasionally , we passed on the dessert and paid OOP for an appetizer. Other times, we didn't want either an appetizer or a dessert. But pretty sure I read Disney is now allowing substitutes for dessert like soup or salad, so that makes it even better. I know not everyone likes the dining plan, but it always turns out pretty well for us. I keep a general track, but this time I am going to be very careful to keep track while I am OOP.

I know the plan does work for a lot of people and some people just like the convenience of having meals prepaid. But we don't get much value and it's not in me to pay for something just for convenience knowing it will go to waste.

•Going in I know we won't eat 10 desserts during a 5 night trip. I wouldn't really care if we passed on one or two but not six or seven. Swapping out for a salad eases that a bit but if we're having dessert it's at a TS meal not a prepackaged dessert from a QS meal.

•DH would get zero value from the mug since he only drinks water or beverages with alcohol. And I'm not particularly interested in walking to & from refill stations for a soft drink or carrying a mug around the park when I don't want to walk back to my room.

•We wouldn't want to have five QS meals during a six day trip.

•we also don't have young kids and don't go to character meals --- I think I read that's the best value combination for the dining plan.

I used to track our expenses and we always paid less OOP then we would have paid for the plan, even with the extra TS meals (excluding liquor since that is always an OOP expense).

I'm glad it's there for people who can benefit from it but we just don't fit into that mold.

honeybunches · Jul 5, 2015

Thanks for the insight, everybody! My husband really wants to stay at CSR because of the buses being so great. I think we'll probably do that, and go OOP. I'd been considering the prepaid gift card thing, and that sounds like a great plan for us. If we go over it and pay more, it's really not a big deal. I just have a hangup about saving every penny! Now, I need to decide if we go with the 10-day tickets or AP.

bbak30 · Jul 5, 2015

This is exactly why we get the dining plan. I don't believe it actually saves us money, but it's more convenient. I know I would be stressing about the bill no matter how much money I put aside. Even if I put money on a gift card with the expectation that it would be used for dining, I would still find ways to cut corners and not really enjoy my vacation. And I also find myself trying new things when we are on the dining plan.
So it's worth it to us.

honeybunches · Jul 5, 2015

bbak30 said:
This is exactly why we get the dining plan. I don't believe it actually saves us money, but it's more convenient. I know I would be stressing about the bill no matter how much money I put aside. Even if I put money on a gift card with the expectation that it would be used for dining, I would still find ways to cut corners and not really enjoy my vacation. And I also find myself trying new things when we are on the dining plan. So it's worth it to us.

I know what you mean, bbak30 -- I'm already stressing about it. If we had the choice to get it with the cheaper TA package, we definitely would!

Nancyg56 · Jul 5, 2015

honeybunches said:
Thanks for the insight, everybody! My husband really wants to stay at CSR because of the buses being so great. I think we'll probably do that, and go OOP. I'd been considering the prepaid gift card thing, and that sounds like a great plan for us. If we go over it and pay more, it's really not a big deal. I just have a hangup about saving every penny! Now, I need to decide if we go with the 10-day tickets or AP.

I would figure out what the DDP costs and then buy that amount in gift cards. You will be fine. The DDP is not a slam dunk savings like it was years ago, so I think that in your case, it is no harm no foul. ENjoy your trip!

Simba's Girl · Jul 5, 2015

The one time we did get the dining plan, many years ago when it was the original plan, it was WAY too much food for us. Since then we ALWAYS pay OOP. There was a calculator that I used last week, an Xcel file where you input everywhere you're going to eat at, and I discovered that we would save around $800+ by paying OOP for the QSDDP. It is me, DH, 2 10+ y/os and an 8 yo. They are strange eaters too, sushi is on our "To do" list but DD2 won't eat anything other than chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac n cheese or pizza usually, but wants sushi-go figure. This way we can get away with ordering apps and dessert only at some TS and don't feel forced to "get our money's worth". I feel like the DDP forces us to fit into a mold that we just can't fit into.

Can you put what you would spend for the DDP on a gift card to use for meals/snacks and pay for it that way? I know what you mean about hubby not ordering what he wants because of the expense but in all honestly is a few $ going to make that much difference in the long run vs savings? If you go the GC route, technically it is "paid for" y/k?

honeybunches · Jul 5, 2015

Simba's Girl said:
The one time we did get the dining plan, many years ago when it was the original plan, it was WAY too much food for us. Since then we ALWAYS pay OOP. There was a calculator that I used last week, an Xcel file where you input everywhere you're going to eat at, and I discovered that we would save around $800+ by paying OOP for the QSDDP. It is me, DH, 2 10+ y/os and an 8 yo. They are strange eaters too, sushi is on our "To do" list but DD2 won't eat anything other than chicken nuggets, hot dogs, mac n cheese or pizza usually, but wants sushi-go figure. This way we can get away with ordering apps and dessert only at some TS and don't feel forced to "get our money's worth". I feel like the DDP forces us to fit into a mold that we just can't fit into.

Your daughter would get along with my daughter. She won't eat any "normal" kid foods (no pasta, mac & cheese, etc) but her favorite food is sushi and fave vegetable is steamed artichoke.

I did the Excel spreadsheet and figured that we'd spend about $2200, while the DDP is $1800. I'd probably have to pay more OOP for a few of the meals anyway, so it's not that far off from what we'd pay even with the dining plan. I am going to try the gift card thing. Worst case scenario, we pay a little more - but at least then I'll know that the DDP is the way to go next time!

loves to dive · Jul 5, 2015

A couple of suggestions. I know you are considering going the gift card route, keep in mind if you buy Disney gift cards you can only use them at Disney. I know the odds are slim to none that you would use them all since you could use them to buy other things and even pay your bill, but if you don't use them all, you can't use them anywhere else. Unless you are going the Target route and getting a discount, you are just as well off putting some of it into a prepaid visa card.

If you get the AP, you will get discounts at some of the gift shops and even on some meals so getting the TIW might not be to your advantage. You have to spend at least $500 to break even, not trying to discourage you from getting it, I actually have an AP and a TIW card but my last trip with with my adult son and DIL and we hit the $500 2 days into the trip, we enjoy an adult beverage at most meals and that can add up. You might want to look on the web site and see which places you get the AP discount for and which ones you get the TIW discount for.

honeybunches · Jul 5, 2015

loves to dive said:
Unless you are going the Target route and getting a discount, you are just as well off putting some of it into a prepaid visa card.

I'm doing the discounted Target gift cards. If we don't use them all, we'll save them for the next trip -- or my kids can use it for souvenirs. Not worried about that part.

You might want to look on the web site and see which places you get the AP discount for and which ones you get the TIW discount for.

Yes, I did this last night. We would save about $242 on the restaurants we currently have booked. We don't drink, so the savings is only on meals.

ReluctantDisaholic · Jul 5, 2015

This will be our first trip without the dining plan, and I'm mostly looking forward to trying it out that way - we had such a huge savings from that TA that it made sense. We figure the cost of us on the plan is $60 each per day x 4 people - and we aren't going to eat $240 every day, so we're coming out ahead even without the $2000+ savings from the TA.

Jennytoon · Jul 5, 2015

bbak30 said:
This is exactly why we get the dining plan. I don't believe it actually saves us money, but it's more convenient. I know I would be stressing about the bill no matter how much money I put aside. Even if I put money on a gift card with the expectation that it would be used for dining, I would still find ways to cut corners and not really enjoy my vacation. And I also find myself trying new things when we are on the dining plan.
So it's worth it to us.

I am totally the one in our family who pictures the ringing cash register as the vacation goes on and the food adds up, so I totally hear you -- I was willing to pay MORE to do the DDP on our first on-site trip this August, KNOWING that it was more, just for the pre-paid lack of stress. Then I crunched all the numbers and realized that since my DH likes an alcoholic drink with dinner and we tend to share 2-3 apps and 2 desserts between the five of us at most meals, we would still be plunking down over $50 / meal which to my mind is not "everything pre-paid no worry", and swimming in uneaten desserts besides. I gave up and went the gift card route.

However, by my calculation we are saving about $750 by paying OOP over the course of 16 days (we do have TIW), and I have purchased gift cards for the amount we actually would have paid for the Dining Plan. I know this wouldn't work for everyone, but I plan to simply tell myself firmly (as many times as necessary) that since I was willing to pay for the DDP, and I have a $750 cushion on the cards, there is really no need for me to feel like I can't eat what I want.

robinb · Jul 6, 2015

I too am booked into CSR next and can't get the DDP but we almost always pay OOP anyway. The APs and the TIW card seem to be no brainer's for me, especially if you know you'll come back within the year. You have to buy $500 worth of meals to break even on the TIW and you're sure to do that over 10 days given your dining preferences. Be aware that your 11-year old can still order off the kids menu in most places if she's not that hungry. Mine ordered kids meals everywhere except buffets until she was about 14. In any case, I don't think you would spend $186 per day in meals! I just don't. People who save on the DDP are those with one of more kids who are not yet Disney Adults and who go to a lot of character meals.

Since you're planning to return later in the year, I would go ahead a buy $1850 worth of Disney gift cards and grab 4-5 of them per day. Spending them is psychologically easier for some people than cash or room charge.

sersee05 · Jul 6, 2015

We are staying offsite. I got a great rate from a ta for the Poly . But staying in the condo we did last time saved us $1000 . I was in sticker shock with the oop prices. But Im figuring out how to save. We go to trex because my kids love it. So I do the landry select thing which saves me $25. I also do the target thing. I'm going next month so I don't have a lot of time . But I get it! I looked at boma...I couldn't pay those prices for 5!..

sharonabe · Jul 15, 2015

Do the math one more time, BUT use this list http://www.disboards.com/threads/buffet-character-shows-aycte-pricing-as-of-05-17-2015.3108466/ for your buffet prices. It gives you the exact price instead of a range. I have a feeling you'll see more savings if you used the upper end of the ranges at allears for your calculations.

MakiraMarlena · Jul 15, 2015

Scared, really? so you have gotten sort of dependent on the plan to the point where the idea of going without it scares you, even though it sounds like you are getting such a substantial discount on your room it will more than offset the dining costs. I'm sure Disney likes that. You can approximate the plan by using a pre loaded Disney gift card though. And then if you have anything left over, you can use it for other expenses (which can't be done with the dining plan).

You can always add the ddp as long as you are buying at least 2 days of tickets as part of your package.

Not so, there are a number of reservation types to which a dining plan cannot be added (mostly because they require the purchase of a room only reservation and not a package). These can include a travel agent deal, like the OP got, a conference booking, or a reservation purchased through a reseller like Orbitz.

If you do buy a package, you can buy any length ticket unless they've changed it, you only have to buy a 2 day ticket to get the free dining promotion.

I'm scared to pay OOP instead of having the dining plan

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