Trip #8; But Was It Great? A WDW MAYcation with a side of LegoLand & Celebration, FL!

[lala3291]

Wow, what a difference in $$ with not being on the DDP! We tried the deluxe plan on a recent trip, and it just didn't seem worth it to us. Especially since DD11 is considered an adult and mostly eats kids meals anyways! She is a picky eater. It is much more worth it to us to pay out of pocket.

Thanks for that info, it was interesting seeing it all laid out from your perspective!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by T*Bird

That is unbelievable!! Oh, and way to go, Shelly! I love how you said your total includes every little thing. It's like you were anticipating us saying, "Well, what about all the ice cream cones and popcorns you had?" (You know us well) I trust you showed your DH how much you saved.

I didn't even realize how much they had cut back on the DDP until you mentioned a few things. Seems like when we used it, an appetizer, entree, dessert, and tip were all included. Plus, I know LeCellier was only one TS credit and not 2 like I believe it is now. I know others are also 2 credits, too.

The DDP started out as a great idea, but it sounds like it's not such a wonderful thing now. I guess you really have to do your homework to see if it's worth it for family.

I know. It is pretty unbelievable. I really had no idea what the cost of the DDP was these days, so I was quite shocked. Yes, we used to love it when we had 2 kids under 10 and the appetizer and tip were included. It was a decent deal back then. Now, not so much.

Yes, I wanted to make sure you all knew that the grand total included each and every food item all week!!

And I just looked and the DDP price for 2013 went up of course and I read that LC will now be 2 TS credits for lunch as well!

Originally Posted by JoBird

That is simply amazing math right there!!!!!

I don't see how the DDP would ever work for you again. It's just so much money for what you get now. Especially since Deluxe rooms are so expensive. (If you were to choose free dining over the room only codes). And throw in that your kids don't eat as much as what Disney deems an "adult" at 10 years old....
It's just an incredible savings that you've got!

Good job!!

I am still surprised by those numbers!! The DDP is almost double what we actually spent on food! Now I realize that had we done several character meals that the price difference would not have been so high. But it still would have been cheaper for us to pay OOP. It's not like we ate at all 'cheap' places either. The Garden Grove and the Yachtsman bills were both around $100. BRG, Tony's and T-Rex each had a hefty bill too!

Yes, it's definitely better to take the room discount when staying Deluxe! Maybe even Moderate too anymore...

Originally Posted by JoBird

And can I add that "Free" dining most definitely is NOT free.

You are right on that!!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by Mndisneygirl

I really appreciate your DDP breakdown comparison!
How many nights were you there? I'm just trying to see how your DDP costs will compare for us.

This will be our first trip without the DDP (other than our one day visit in 2008) so I will try to keep good track as well and compare our numbers. We have one kid and 3 adults according to Disney for dining purposes and I just know we'd spend more on DDP.

DH just totaled up our gift cards and Disney Visa Rewards $ and we have over $500 to spend on food/souvenirs. That will buy a lot of food and wine!!

Hope it was helpful to you!

We were there 8 nights.

I think you will enjoy it without the DDP. It is different, but different good I think. And it sounds like you are well on your way to having enough in gift cards and rewards cards for your meals!! We usually have about $150-$200 in rewards dollars, so that is technically FREE dining right there!

Originally Posted by lala3291

Wow, what a difference in $$ with not being on the DDP! We tried the deluxe plan on a recent trip, and it just didn't seem worth it to us. Especially since DD11 is considered an adult and mostly eats kids meals anyways! She is a picky eater. It is much more worth it to us to pay out of pocket.

Thanks for that info, it was interesting seeing it all laid out from your perspective!

It was quite a difference!

It is hard when you have kids that WDW considers adults too. Crazy. Especially if you have a picky eater! Definitely better to pay OOP.

[ddluvsdisney]

Originally Posted by Momof2Disneyboys

Hope it was helpful to you!

We were there 8 nights.

I think you will enjoy it without the DDP. It is different, but different good I think. And it sounds like you are well on your way to having enough in gift cards and rewards cards for your meals!! We usually have about $150-$200 in rewards dollars, so that is technically FREE dining right there!

It was quite a difference!

It is hard when you have kids that WDW considers adults too. Crazy. Especially if you have a picky eater! Definitely better to pay OOP.

That's the same reason we pay OOP too. My kids even the 15 yo doesn't eat like an adult.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

[JoBird]

HAPPY 80 DAYS SHELLY!!!!!

I'd give you 80 dancing bananas...
but what in the world would anyone do with 80 dancing bananas??

[Lovemy3babes]

Wow, that is a huge dining cost difference!!! We are on the dining plan this time around but I'll be so interested in comparing how much we actually save, if any.

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by ddluvsdisney

That's the same reason we pay OOP too. My kids even the 15 yo doesn't eat like an adult.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I know, it will be a long time before my kids eat $50+ worth of food a day - even at WDW prices!

Originally Posted by JoBird

HAPPY 80 DAYS SHELLY!!!!!

I'd give you 80 dancing bananas...
but what in the world would anyone do with 80 dancing bananas??

Woohoo 80 DAYS!! Then Happy 79 DAYS to you!!


Well IDK what one would do with 80 dancing bananas...

Originally Posted by Lovemy3babes

Wow, that is a huge dining cost difference!!! We are on the dining plan this time around but I'll be so interested in comparing how much we actually save, if any.

I know, it is crazy!!

It will be interesting to see how your numbers come out! Where will you be eating? Did you get your schedule all figured out??

[DisMomAmy]

Playing catch up again... Enjoyed your trip report, as always! Can't wait to hear all about the next trip. I hope you have a great time & are able to make up for some of the bumps in the road from this trip.

[Lovemy3babes]

Originally Posted by Momof2Disneyboys

It will be interesting to see how your numbers come out! Where will you be eating? Did you get your schedule all figured out??

I think we have it all figured out. This is what we have booked:

Plaza lunch
'Ohana dinner
1900 PF dinner
Cape May breakfast

Thoughts on these ones? I'm excited!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by DisMomAmy

Playing catch up again... Enjoyed your trip report, as always! Can't wait to hear all about the next trip. I hope you have a great time & are able to make up for some of the bumps in the road from this trip.

Hey Amy! Glad you enjoyed the TR. We are looking forward to the December trip, hoping it goes a bit smoother!!

Originally Posted by Lovemy3babes

I think we have it all figured out. This is what we have booked:

Plaza lunch
'Ohana dinner
1900 PF dinner
Cape May breakfast

Thoughts on these ones? I'm excited!

Been to all of them!! Shocking, right?

The Plaza is very good. Perfect for lunch. Nice and simple.
Ohana dinner is fabulous. Don't eat much all day and wear your fat pants!! I don't think I've ever seen so much food in my life! We are eating there in December. Make sure to save room for dessert.
1900 PF was not a favorite of ours. The food I mean. It was just okay compared to the other WDW buffets. But the characters were awesome and it was worth going just for that!
And Cape May has a very good breakfast and the characters are so cute in their beach attire!

[sjs314]

Hi Shelly

Very interesting seeing your final totals of paying OOP vs what the DP would cost. I don't know what to do right now we are booked with the room Discount since it was almost $300 saving more than FD but we kept the DDP only problem that plan will not cover all our meals and paying OOP for the TS places we would like to eat at not covered by our credits makes no sense of course the CP Pkg being 2 credits does not help. I just hate paying OOP it was so nice last trip not looking at prices whereas if I am paying OOP have to look and I do base my choice on the cost. Descisions , Descisions lol. after seeing your figures I think I am going to look through the menus and decide if we will keep the a DP or not this trip.

[Lovemy3babes]

Originally Posted by Momof2Disneyboys

Been to all of them!! Shocking, right?

The Plaza is very good. Perfect for lunch. Nice and simple.
Ohana dinner is fabulous. Don't eat much all day and wear your fat pants!! I don't think I've ever seen so much food in my life! We are eating there in December. Make sure to save room for dessert.
1900 PF was not a favorite of ours. The food I mean. It was just okay compared to the other WDW buffets. But the characters were awesome and it was worth going just for that!
And Cape May has a very good breakfast and the characters are so cute in their beach attire!

You are my go-to person! I'm so glad to read these things. Yummy food, here we come! We are totally doing 1900 PF just for the characters. Morghan will LOVE them! Thank you so much Shelly! We have the postcard you sent tacked up on her bulletin board, next to her trip countdown. You're awesome!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by sjs314

Hi Shelly

Very interesting seeing your final totals of paying OOP vs what the DP would cost. I don't know what to do right now we are booked with the room Discount since it was almost $300 saving more than FD but we kept the DDP only problem that plan will not cover all our meals and paying OOP for the TS places we would like to eat at not covered by our credits makes no sense of course the CP Pkg being 2 credits does not help. I just hate paying OOP it was so nice last trip not looking at prices whereas if I am paying OOP have to look and I do base my choice on the cost. Descisions , Descisions lol. after seeing your figures I think I am going to look through the menus and decide if we will keep the a DP or not this trip.

That's a tough one! The first time we went without the DDP I had gone through all the menus of where we were going to eat and took a guess as to what everyone would order and I totaled it all up and I figured it would come out close. And it did. And each year since then the price of the DDP has gone up and up and up, so it is now a WAY better deal for us to pay OOP. I tried to look at it this way too -- If we aren't on the DDP we will not order dessert with dinner. We all like desserts/snacks, but not right after we just ate. So by not getting expensive desserts at the restaurants we are potentially saving $6-$10+ per person and then getting a usually cheaper dessert/snack later somewhere else.

It's hard, but I'm sure you will figure out what is best for you guys!

Originally Posted by Lovemy3babes

You are my go-to person! I'm so glad to read these things. Yummy food, here we come! We are totally doing 1900 PF just for the characters. Morghan will LOVE them! Thank you so much Shelly! We have the postcard you sent tacked up on her bulletin board, next to her trip countdown. You're awesome!

Thanks Kelli!!

Look at your ticker -- 3 WEEKS!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!

[wakica]

Love the souvie pics!!! i wanted to post mine but for some reason I lost them off my camera Not sure how - they started showing up on the back of my camera as a little x. Didn't bother asking DH cuz I just didn't get around to it and now there is no way I could gather them all up again to get the shots. oh well.

I enjoyed following your ptr and tr You will have SO much fun in December - it's SO pretty with all the Christmas decorations!!! I wish I could visit Disney in all seasons but I'm happy that i've been around Halloween to see the Fall decor, I've been beginning of December to see the Chrristmas decor and I've been lots of times in the spring. If I lived closer I'd have been there more but at least i have hit all the highlights.

You'll have to be sure to have a peek at my Universal pics since your going there too eventually. If i ever get them up that is. LOL I'm just finally ready to put up my Busch Gardens day!!! Hey, I think you were there the same day as us if I recall.
Anyway, hoping to get Universal up within the next month at least. HAHA

OH - and NO - DD is not getting up for school very well at all. Today we slept in and it was picture day. That was bad. She comes across it honestly though - I have a hard time getting up in the mornings too and there is SO much more going on in highschool I find!!! Arrive early for choir, go on a retreat, arrive early for some special prayer meet at the pole thing (which is tomorrow and she has to leave at 7am which means get up at 6:30. UGH - when can she get up and get herself off to school I wonder? lol

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Originally Posted by wakica

Love the souvie pics!!! i wanted to post mine but for some reason I lost them off my camera Not sure how - they started showing up on the back of my camera as a little x. Didn't bother asking DH cuz I just didn't get around to it and now there is no way I could gather them all up again to get the shots. oh well.

I enjoyed following your ptr and tr You will have SO much fun in December - it's SO pretty with all the Christmas decorations!!! I wish I could visit Disney in all seasons but I'm happy that i've been around Halloween to see the Fall decor, I've been beginning of December to see the Chrristmas decor and I've been lots of times in the spring. If I lived closer I'd have been there more but at least i have hit all the highlights.

You'll have to be sure to have a peek at my Universal pics since your going there too eventually. If i ever get them up that is. LOL I'm just finally ready to put up my Busch Gardens day!!! Hey, I think you were there the same day as us if I recall.
Anyway, hoping to get Universal up within the next month at least. HAHA

OH - and NO - DD is not getting up for school very well at all. Today we slept in and it was picture day. That was bad. She comes across it honestly though - I have a hard time getting up in the mornings too and there is SO much more going on in highschool I find!!! Arrive early for choir, go on a retreat, arrive early for some special prayer meet at the pole thing (which is tomorrow and she has to leave at 7am which means get up at 6:30. UGH - when can she get up and get herself off to school I wonder? lol

Thanks! I'm sorry you lost your souvenir pics. I hate when things like that happen!!

So glad you have enjoyed the PTR and TR. Yes, we are VERY excited about the December trip and getting to see WDW all dressed up for the holidays!

I would love to see your Universal pics!

I hear ya, I am totally NOT a morning person and DS13 is just like me. Mornings are rough around here!