No way! Did I figure this right - DDE vs. DDP savings

[Fionasmommy]

We've done DDP twice and it's great, but I'm not a huge fan of CS and with 2 trips planned this year, I'm thinking about getting an AP. So, I started crunching numbers, pulling the menus off allears and adding up everything we'd order, taking off the DDE discount and adding on tax and tip.

For example, we'd eat at the Plaza for lunch for around $40, and then dinner at Kona for approx. $70. I didn't add in breakfast because it wasn't covered by DDP. Instead of snacks, I figured in dessert at lunch, but we could opt for a mickey bar and save a bit there. Usually though, we stick to one dessert a day, or even share one, after dinner.

So, basically, it's $110 for the day OOP with the DDE card, or $90 per day on DDP with a CS lunch instead of a TS but the addition of a snack each (value of $9/day). I don't know if the purchase price of DDP is taxed, if so then it's probably closer to $100 per day.

I can't believe it's that close, and we could do two TS for that little bit more! Is there something I forgot? It just seems to good to be true. Really, as much as I love the convenience of DDP, I'd flip if I could get two TS meals each day instead!

 

[bicker]

Well, first, these things definitely should be close. If one or the other was a slam-dunk better than the other in every case, then there would be less reason to offer the alternative. However, my numbers aren't the same as yours. I've got our OOP daily total as $45 per person per day (1TS meal each day, not 2), but the Dining Plan is $38.99 per person per day, not $45, and the DDE total for us would be $36 per person per day, plus the extra cost of the AP. It is that extra cost that makes the Dining Plan better for us but if you already have an AP, I could imagine that the DDE would be the better choice for you.

 

[goofy4tink]

When I did the comparison, it came out to within $60 each way. I went with the DDP, and had some credits left behind but it make up for it in convenience.
When I used the DDP earlier this month, I used snack credits for pastries at BW Bakery for breakfast. I don't usually snack during the day, so that made it easy to use those credits.

 

[java]

Well for us- we drink on vacation- not big drinkers but I'll have a drink before dinner. The DDE gives the 20% on EVERYTHING_ liquor too!! That was the deciding factor for us- made it more worth while- and we also were able to order what we felt like eating, not what we thought we had to to get our money's worth of the DDP. And I do think that some of the waiters treat you a little differently- we were asked "are you on the dining plan" and when we said no the smile came out and the service picked up. Now I said SOME not all waiters are this way. But for us the DDE was more our style. Plus it is good for an entire year- so with your AP and the DDE another trip to WDW would be even cheaper!

 

[BCV23]

When I compared the costs of our first DDP to what it would have been if we just used our DDE, it was very close too. We essentially got our CS and snacks for free on the DDP.

I do think WDW did a great job of pricing the two discounts so closely.

But it is funny to me how currently the DDP is blamed for any problems with Disney Dining. Two years ago, the expansion of DDE to include AP holders was the scapegoat.

I'm just glad we have the choice.

 

[bicker]

And next year there'll be some other scapegoat.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I must have missed that.....saying the DDE was the reason for the dining being less than it should be.

I have to say to those who take the DDP, go for it, if it works for you then by all means.. I know I would be making myself crazy trying to keep track of all the credits and which restaurant is which....but if you have no issue with doing that and are happy with the choices, then it definitely is reaching a group of people who enjoy eating that way..

I have an AP and so I do the DDE...not all restaurants take the DDE...but it works for us.

 

[Pumbaa_]

When we did the DDP in Sepetember, we saved money over the cost of the food, but we also ordered much more than we would have. The hardest part for me was always thinking about credits, and can't skip that meal we would have extra credits.

I hated that part. So it is back to DDE for us, and we can add some spontaneity back to our touring. (We also tour in the off season and find it relatively easy to get our meal choices)

 

[The Sweetness]

For my fam, using a DDE card would basically cover the cost of the tip (20%)

 

[BCV23]

And next year there'll be some other scapegoat.

Mackey Mouse, some FL residents were quite upset that AP holders could buy DDE. It was just this time two years ago when that happened. They blamed it for a change in quality and pricing. Don't remember if there was also a perceived change in variety.

 

[NMW]

We've done DDP twice and it's great, but I'm not a huge fan of CS and with 2 trips planned this year, I'm thinking about getting an AP. So, I started crunching numbers, pulling the menus off allears and adding up everything we'd order, taking off the DDE discount and adding on tax and tip.

For example, we'd eat at the Plaza for lunch for around $40, and then dinner at Kona for approx. $70. I didn't add in breakfast because it wasn't covered by DDP. Instead of snacks, I figured in dessert at lunch, but we could opt for a mickey bar and save a bit there. Usually though, we stick to one dessert a day, or even share one, after dinner.

So, basically, it's $110 for the day OOP with the DDE card, or $90 per day on DDP with a CS lunch instead of a TS but the addition of a snack each (value of $9/day). I don't know if the purchase price of DDP is taxed, if so then it's probably closer to $100 per day.

I can't believe it's that close, and we could do two TS for that little bit more! Is there something I forgot? It just seems to good to be true. Really, as much as I love the convenience of DDP, I'd flip if I could get two TS meals each day instead!

Well, we use both together. However, the DDE card alone just really only covers your tip-20%. The DDP price includes tax and tip (18%). We use the DDP and then use the DDE card for our alcohol and any oop meals, like TS breakfasts. I LOVE using both together!

 

[BillSears]

Don't forget to add in the AP savings on your room. By having an AP you can often save $20.00(values) to $80.00(deluxes) or maybe more per night. That savings can push the DDE/AP into a better deal for some people.


E.T.A.

On our trip in December we spent about $60.00 per person on food per day, that included the tip tax etc. We had one sit down meal and one counter service meal a day and a few snacks here and there. Since there were 3 of us that makes is sound like we paid an extra $22.00 a piece over the DDP. But we had 2 rooms at CSR and saved $45.00 per night per room. So in the end we saved $24.00 a day total and we had the fexibility of not using the DDP.

On the other hand we also didn't eat the whole appitizer/entree/dessert with every meal. But when I did the DDP in September I was full 24 hours a day, it was really too much food for me.

For me free DDP works out great. Otherwise it usually works out about even between DDE and DDP. DDE gives me more flexibility and DDP gives me more food(which is not always a good thing).

 

[goofy4tink]

I did forget to say that we also use the DDE in addition to the times we had the DDP. I will say that for the most part, the DDE card works out best for us. But, if you are traveling with another family, it is just so darn convenient to have the credits there, rather than have to worry about who paid for what when!!!
When traveling solo, but joining friends who also had the DDP, it worked out for me as well. There were som addtl. meals that we used our DDE cards. When my family of three spends a day/night in WDW next month, we will again use the DDE card since we will have several character meals.

 

[Fionasmommy]

Thanks for the replies! I know that this type of question is posted all the time here, so thanks for taking the time to answer!

I saved most of our receipts from our previous trips, and CS meals for the three of us averaged around $30. Looking at All Ears menus, a TS lunch would be around $40 (assuming no appetizers, and 1 kids dessert). I'm not a fan of CS meals, so to me that would be $10 well spent! I would also really like the opportunity to try more of the TS restaurants, and lunch would be a great time to do that!

Finally, we'd like to go to Sea World and Kennedy Space Center again, and we might try Discovery Cove too. It would be really nice to be able to eat at those places, or on the way, instead of having to plan our days to be back in Disney for meals. We had to do that last time and it was a pain!

So, I'm happy enough with the DDE numbers before even adding up the room savings. We'll probably have enough "nicer" meals to eat up the extra room savings (we have AAA booked right now) but that's fine too. As long as it's not costing us tons more, I think it will make the trip more enjoyable for all of us!

Now, if I can just get an AP rate on a standard room at WL, we'll be in business!