2008 DDP and OOP appetizers

[smartestnumber5]

Just wondering: If you will use the 2008 DDP, will you buy any appetizers OOP at your TS meals?

If so, have you calculated whether the DDP would work for you after the changes, and what did you come up with?

I calculated things assuming we'd buy an OOP appetizer for each TS meal and the price of the DDP + the price of our OOP appetizer expenses comes out as more expensive than if we ate normally* and paid OOP.


* For us, normal means that at a TS we get 1 app, 1 dessert, 2 entrees, 2 drinks. At CS we get 2 entrees and 1 drink.

 

[thunderbird1]

Just wondering: If you will use the 2008 DDP, will you buy any appetizers OOP at your TS meals?

We won't pay for the 2008 DDP (but then we've never paid for the old DDP, just enjoyed it for free), but may use it if offered for free next August/September. And yes, we'd pay OOP for appetizers, because those are some of our favorite parts of the meals. Heck, on non-DDP trips, my meal sometimes consisted of 2 appetizers.

If so, have you calculated whether the DDP would work for you after the changes, and what did you come up with?

I haven't done the actual calculations yet, but I'm not sure it would even be worth it to do the free DDP. By the time we added in the tip, appetizers, and OOP snacks/breakfasts, it might be a better deal for us to go at a different time of year that's more convenient, get a 20-40% room discount through AAA/AP/other offer, use the DDE, and not have to do as much planning.

I calculated things assuming we'd buy an OOP appetizer for each TS meal and the price of the DDP + the price of our OOP appetizer expenses comes out as more expensive than if we ate normally* and paid OOP.

* For us, normal means that at a TS we get 1 app, 1 dessert, 2 entrees, 2 drinks. At CS we get 2 entrees and 1 drink.

What did you come up with? Is the new DDP worth it to your family after adding in all the extra costs?

 

[hollieplus2]

I really wish they would have done TS= 1 drink, 1 entree, 1 appet OR dessert but I guess they closed the potential loop hole (if you can really call it that) of 1 person ordering the appet and 1 person ordering the dessert and just sharing. It would have been nice to choose though. The appet are the best part sometimes.

 

[BeckWhy]

I know your question is more towards apps and what not, and I believe there is only one restaurant we will be ordering apps OOP, but here is a breakdown of my costs both DDP and non-DDP.
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=20142457&postcount=18

 

[bigbabyblues]

If I want an appetizer, I will buy it. The same as when we wanted extra on the old ddp, or if the kids wanted a dessert that wasn't on the ddp.

 

[mickey2000]

We will all have to buy an appetizer it if we want one?
Example: bread for your meal at MM !
PLUS the tip

 

[hansel1]

I actually ran the numbers from the current menus of each restaurant we have ADRs for.

Most of the time I will order an appetizer (caeser salad) that runs about $4.50 - $5.00.

After paying for the DDP and apps along with 18% tips, I will save roughly $20for the entire 10 day stay. Granted I will also get a counter service and snack that pushes me over the $20 savings mark.

I have added the new regular DDP to our DVC reservation.

 

[mickey2000]

.

 

[mom2fivecs]

As for the first question...we aren't that big on the appetizers anyway, so I am not planning on paying oop for them. As for how the calculations came out for us...after spending 2 hours last night on this we have decided to go with ddp, something I didn't think I would do. The difference was really nominal when I sat down on allears and pretty much went over all of the menus from the restuarants we plan to eat at and what it would cost oop or using the ddp it was really very close and I would rather have most of expenses for the trip paid in advance, even if I have to come up with the tip money separate.

 

[paulh]

.



, use the DDE, and not have to do as much planning.

Dont forget that an 18% gratuity will be added to all DDE purcheses in 2008
Paulh

 

[hansel1]

I haven't done the actual calculations yet, but I'm not sure it would even be worth it to do the free DDP. By the time we added in the tip, appetizers, and OOP snacks/breakfasts, it might be a better deal for us to go at a different time of year that's more convenient, get a 20-40% room discount through AAA/AP/other offer, use the DDE, and not have to do as much planning.
QUOTE]

I would suggest running the numbers. If you get the menus from allears you might be suprised on the savings you have.

Plus, Even with the DDE you will need to plan your ADRs.

 

[SnoWhiteLookAlike]

We are on DDP for January and will not pay OOP for apps

 

[septbaby]

I assumed we would not order appetizers, but would keep the same TS structure we have for out Aug/Sep 2007 trip.

For just one adult the cost for the 2008 plan is $189.95, we will have to pay OOP for one buffet, so let's call it $210 which includes taxes.
(5 CS, 5 Snacks, 5 TS with entree, dessert and beverage)

For the same meals if I assume no DDP we would spend $178 TS, $65 CS/Snack for a total of $243. I can lower this to $213 by not ordering the Lobster entree at our 2TS meal (a moot point if on DDP).

I did not add in gratuity as it would be the same regardless of the plan, $32.

Our restaurant selection includes 3 Buffets, Coral Reef lunch, Narcoossee's dinner. We'll pay OOP for breakfast at Chef Mickey's, even on DDP.

Given this data I would probably go with the DDP in 2008. I would arrive knowing we have great meals already paid for and that I won't have to consider prices unless we select extras. I won't be tempted to eat more poorly to save a couple of bucks.

I find it almost silly to do a calc on a child DDP. You can't even take them to a buffet OOP for their daily rate. So if you have a 3-9 child added to the mix it just gets better. Families with picky, light eating children in the 10-13 age range may not find the plan quite the same deal.

I think two meals a day given the long active days at Disney won't be too much. Our first park day starts with rope drop and ends with the Pirate and Princess party. We have a lunch ADR and we'll find dinner during the party.

 

[thunderbird1]

I would suggest running the numbers. If you get the menus from allears you might be suprised on the savings you have.

I actually did a quick calculation this afternoon, and found that we'd spend about $63 on a typical DDE TS meal (20% tip). If we were on the DDP at the same restaurant, we'd order more food/different items, pay for some of it OOP, and that same meal would cost us $43 (for OOP items and 20% tip). If I figure we could save $50 a night off the rack rate for a moderate resort if we aren't on free DDP, that brings the daily total up to $93, $30 over our DDE TS meal. That leaves $30 for food for the rest of the day.

Of course, I didn't figure in added expenses (namely, the DDE card itself) or added savings (I didn't include alcohol in the TS meal, but that would obviously be OOP on the DDP, and we could save another 20% there with DDE). And we'd do better with the DDE on an all-CS day, and better with the DDP on a TS buffet dinner day. But my point is, it's possible for us, without much work, to save more with the DDE than to use the new DDP, even during free dining. Not to mention the freedom of being able to be more spontaneous instead of having to plan and schedule every meal months in advance.

Plus, Even with the DDE you will need to plan your ADRs.

We actually don't. We always have a couple of ADR's that we don't want to miss, but more like 3 a week instead of 1 a day. When we don't have all those prepaid DDP credits to use up, we don't really sweat where we're going to eat. Most of our TS meals end up being at lunch, because we can often walk in without an ADR. If we can't get in anywhere we want to go, we're happy eating CS meals, but that's hardly ever the case.

Don't get me wrong--I have loved being on the DDP. And I'm going to enjoy it again in just a few weeks. And if they have a free dining offer for next August, we'd likely go again. I actually like doing all the planning for meals. But it's also nice to be able to relax and see where the day takes you. It just depends on what kind of vacation we're in the mood for--the cruise ship, highly scheduled pig-out or the laid back, go with the flow and not gain 5 pounds relaxa-thon.

Dont forget that an 18% gratuity will be added to all DDE purcheses in 2008
Paulh

I hadn't heard that (our DDE expired a few months ago and we haven't renewed yet, so I haven't been following it too closely). But that's even more savings, as my calculations include a 20% tip.

 

[thunderbird1]

For the OP, I realized I never directly answered your original question. There's no way we'd come out ahead purchasing the new DDP--not even close. A year ago, I might have considered purchasing the old DDP, but it would have been close since I'm a vegetarian. Now that my dd is 10 and has entered those difficult Disney 'tween years (adult on the DDP, but prefers children's menus), even the old plan wouldn't have made sense for us unless we did nearly all buffets. With the new changes for 2008, we'd end up spending a lot more by purchasing the DDP than if we just paid OOP for all our food.

Now if it were just dh and I, that deluxe DDP would be looking pretty good to me. I'd just have to invest in some larger pants to make it home in!

 

[kritter]

Does the new dining plan include tax???

 

[Donald is #1]

I'm sorry but I am being a bit dense today. What is the adult cost per day for the 2008 plan?

Updated: Nevermind, I found the price on another thread. $37.99 per day per adult for the regular plan.

 

[Pumbaa_]

There is now a sticky thread stuck to the top of the board for all DDP discussions, here is the link to the 2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents.
Thanks,