DDP & TIW or just TIW?

[twinsouvenirs]

I know this has been done to death, but we're going with three under three for the last time. I'm thinking that the toddlers can eat our appetizers as meals (they are not picky eaters) and that since there are lots of little mouths and only two adults, we could easily churn through the CS credits too getting lunches we all split. That said, we do a lot of cooking normally and using the seeyarealsoon calculator it looks like our DDP, OOP or TIW expenditures will be at least $1000. We definitely drink so I'm thinking TIW is needed no matter what, but I'm actually wondering if we are going to eat out way more that we should and thus spend more if we get DDP, as opposed to eating more in our room or packing healthy snacks.

I guess what I am asking is less about money and more about your experience with DDP as it affects your actual consumption, assuming you split with infants, if anyone has done this. We're staying in a 1 Br and we have an owners locker where we store cooking stuff and booze

 

[disneynutz]

The only way to find out what to do is to put together a comparison chart with food and drinks to see where the cost savings is.

Bill

 

[Deb & Bill]

TIW costs $100 so you need to spend $500 on just that to get your money's worth. There are some locations (and some periods of time) when you cannot use TIW. So check first before you buy to make sure you can use it for OOP expenses. And it is basically only good for table service dining, very few counter service (usually where the TS dining is limited like AK). You could purchase appetizers and use the TIW on them for your kids.

The standard DP won't get you appetizers, but the Deluxe DP will - at least through the end of this year. I have heard that in 2016 it will not include appetizers.

I'd do what Bill suggests. Check the menus and see what you plan to order. See what the DP will cost (whichever you purchase) and what TIW might save you.

 

[Duchie]

No matter how hard I tried to justify the DDP in the past, it just never made sense for our family of 5. Like disneynutz said, I'd play around with sample meals and in the end, either paying OOP or doing TIW was always cheaper.

 

[supersnoop]

Do you really mean three children under three? The dining plan works out when you have children aged 3-9. If they're under three, I guess you might do well if you eat at buffets, but that's true even if you aren't on the dining plan. I'd just stick with TiW.

 

[Minniesgal]

Not so much about cost but for us the DDP influences what we eat in a bad way. We like breakfast in the room. I don't want to get showered and dressed and go out for breakfast I want it first in my PJs so that works for us. So with DDP we have a snack in the park and end up with a QS lunch. Often I find after all that i really don't want my TS dinner.

So we use TIW. We have breakfast in the room, snack if we fancy one often skip lunch and have an early TS dinner. We find on average my food budget is about half what the DDP would cost us simply because we don't eat that much food.

We find without the DDP some nights we just fancy toast, or a take away pizza or Chinese. We tend to stay a minimum of 8 nights often 15 and 1 TS a night gets old real quick for us. So now we make our TS more of a treat we dress up for and have more QS at night or just simple stuff in the room. DVC gives us this flexibility.

Good thing about TIW is my husband and I often nip up to the lounge for a couple of cocktails, gives us discount on these too.

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

With 3 under 3 I don't think the DDP will be a good choice, paying out of pocket if you have to and sharing your plates or 1 meal split between the three may be better. If you are going to do a lot of counter service than I would say no to TIW.

This is the first year we bought TIW and I must say I'm pretty happy with it so far. If you not aware, when using the TIW card there is an automatic 18% gratuity added to your bill, giving you a net -2% off the total. I don't mind this at all because we typically tip 20% anyway and we always have had great service at any Disney sit down.

 

[supersnoop]

If you not aware, when using the TIW card there is an automatic 18% gratuity added to your bill, giving you a net -2% off the total. I don't mind this at all because we typically tip 20% anyway and we always have had great service at any Disney sit down.

It's not "net" until you add the tip. It's a 20% discount, period.

 

[smcabee]

This is Cheshire Figments example that is always posted when questions about TIW comes up So all credit to Cheshire Figment.


100.00 - Original Menu Amount
*20.00 - Discount
*80.00 - Subtotal
*18.00 - Gratuity Added based on $100
**5.20 - Sales Tax on $80
103.20 - Final amount charged, takes into consideration discount, gratuity and tax.

Without TiW Discount (and still figuring 18% Gratuity)

100.00 - Original Menu Amount
*18.00 - Gratuity
**6.50 - Sales Tax on $100
124.50 - Total

$21.30 - Savings using TiW Card.

Seems more than 2% to me.

 

[Theaberdeenkid]

It's not "net" until you add the tip. It's a 20% discount, period.

This is Cheshire Figments example that is always posted when questions about TIW comes up So all credit to Cheshire Figment.


100.00 - Original Menu Amount
*20.00 - Discount
*80.00 - Subtotal
*18.00 - Gratuity Added based on $100
**5.20 - Sales Tax on $80
103.20 - Final amount charged, takes into consideration discount, gratuity and tax.

Without TiW Discount (and still figuring 18% Gratuity)

100.00 - Original Menu Amount
*18.00 - Gratuity
**6.50 - Sales Tax on $100
124.50 - Total

$21.30 - Savings using TiW Card.

Seems more than 2% to me.

Yup, you are both correct. My last post was quickly and poorly written, plus confusing.

 

[bigtony777]

If you normally eat in the room, then I don't think the DDP will work out well unless you want to break from the norm and eat out for each meal. Since we have purchased DVC, we have not gone with the dining plan. We have and will continue to get TIW. The one time that the dining plan may work out is if you have more than one room reservation. Then you could book one room with the dining plan and share the credits allowing you to eat in the room with a few meals out at a possible discount.

 

[hcipi]

this link can help hash it all out....compares DDP vs. OOP with TIW.

http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0

 

[butsy113]

I would also consider if you will be back within 13 months to use the TiW card again. With 2-3 trips on one TiW card, the initial cost of the card doesn't seem so bad.