2008 DDP discussion, questions, rants and vents

[englishrose47]

Well the packages are out at AAA and the new ddp is stated inthem! I knew more about it than the TA who says I'm her goldmine of up to date info, which of course is due to the Dis! I booked it's official I go Feb 8th thr 15th and I opted for DDp just the regular the deluxe would be to much for me to eatand still walk !!

 

[marivaid]

so if cost of DDE card is $85 will take 42 meals to get back on your math.if average check is say $50 tip $9 you save $10 still have to have 8.5 meals to break even.was thinking of getting dde card to get stuff not on ddp alchohol ect,but the saveings are not worth it
I tip 15-20%
Paulh
Forgot to add you have the cost of an annual/residents pass to add in as well

Our DDE card paid for itself in about 8 meals and there's only 2 of us - if we'd been a family of 4 it'd have taken much less than that.

For example we like to do character breakfasts a lot (think 4 or 5 per trip..they add up fast).
With the DDE we get a discount of about $8 each time. That's $32-$40 right there, and we had a dozen of ADRs this trip.

We do tip 20% - mostly out of guilt. So many people from my country pretend not to know that they're supposed to tip, so we're trying to make up for them .
When they start adding the automatic 18% tip to the bill instead, we'll actually be saving another 2%.

I wouldn't get an AP *only* to get the DDE, but that's not what it was intended for either. Just like the DDP was never intended for AP holders.

 

[Tiger926]

Our DDE card paid for itself in about 8 meals and there's only 2 of us - if we'd been a family of 4 it'd have taken much less than that.

For example we like to do character breakfasts a lot (think 4 or 5 per trip..they add up fast).
With the DDE we get a discount of about $8 each time. That's $32-$40 right there, and we had a dozen of ADRs this trip.

We do tip 20% - mostly out of guilt. So many people from my country pretend not to know that they're supposed to tip, so we're trying to make up for them .
When they start adding the automatic 18% tip to the bill instead, we'll actually be saving another 2%.

I wouldn't get an AP *only* to get the DDE, but that's not what it was intended for either. Just like the DDP was never intended for AP holders.

Sorry to hijack, but I'm looking for more info on the automatic tip for DDE. I started a thread on restaurant board asking if this was mandatory for DDE now because I couldn't remember where I read this - a poster said it was only for large parties, is this correct? You have a small party of 2 people and mention this will affect you, so where is this info? I am a bit confused because I can't seem to find this info about auto tip anywhere except on the last few posts I just read on this thread - is it just rumour?

Tiger

 

[marivaid]

Sorry to hijack, but I'm looking for more info on the automatic tip for DDE. I started a thread on restaurant board asking if this was mandatory for DDE now because I couldn't remember where I read this - a poster said it was only for large parties, is this correct? You have a small party of 2 people and mention this will affect you, so where is this info? I am a bit confused because I can't seem to find this info about auto tip anywhere except on the last few posts I just read on this thread - is it just rumour?

Tiger

Right now it's just a rumor, but so was dropping the tip on the DDP... so I expect it to happen.

 

[Tiger926]

Thanks, Tiger

 

[bless7ings]

Right now it's just a rumor, but so was dropping the tip on the DDP... so I expect it to happen.[/QUOTE]

This is incorrect. It is not a rumor. On this thread, back at the beginning someone posted a link to download the 2008 Disney Dining Plan. It says on there that the gratuity is not included unless otherwise indicated. It will specifically say... like for dinner shows the gratuities are already included. Signature meals and character meals no tips included. Most are not, just the bigger gun things.(grand gathering specialties)

Also, there will be an automatic 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more.

It is posted on the 2nd page. Thank you Katiesmommy!

Here is the link for the new brochure, its a pdf file.

http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/me...s/08Dining.pdf

 

[Hootch]

through the mechanics of the gratuity. Does the server bring you an itemized check with tax included and then accept your DDP card to credit the associated items? That's the only way that the gratuity could be accurately calculated by a customer. (I don't add up the cost of my items in my head as I order them.)

 

[marivaid]

This is incorrect. It is not a rumor. On this thread, back at the beginning someone posted a link to download the 2008 Disney Dining Plan. It says on there that the gratuity is not included unless otherwise indicated. It will specifically say... like for dinner shows the gratuities are already included. Signature meals and character meals no tips included. Most are not, just the bigger gun things.(grand gathering specialties)

Also, there will be an automatic 18% gratuity on parties of 6 or more.

Someone who wants to scroll through the pages can repost it please.

We're not talking about the DDP we're talking about the DDE. The DDE change (adding automatic tip) at this point is still a rumor.

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

either way, as an AP holder I sat down and analyzed the difference between the DDP and the DDE, and the tip was a big part of what I was calculating. The fact that they have removed the tip from the DDP is very interesting to me. I have the DDE right now. We read our bill, which typically has itemized prices, my husband calculates the total without the the 20% discount and tips based on that.

I would probably tip more or less depending on service so having them remove this inclusion is important, especially to the waitstaff, automatic tipping would be a boon for waitstaff who work hard and get shafted with no tip, but no reason to give superior service if you know you are getting the same tip no matter what.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

thunderbird1 wrote:

"Oh, I understand needing the room to sleep off the food coma I'd be in for the 18 hours a day I wasn't eating. What I wonder is, why bother getting the park tickets?

That's right, the parks will be those long expanses of concrete we walk across to get to our next meal."
***********************************************
(newsflash:::a little sarcasm goes a long way, I know what a Disney Park is!!!)

So, here's the answer :

You get park tickets (we have season passes) so you can go to the parks and enjoy the Disney magic, of course...

. We will not have a food coma , because we walk so many miles in the parks. My children , , and , know the parks without a map - they are all WDW vets with over 20 trips under their little belts. .

We can do all the signature meals we want and visit all the character meals we want , , while we are in WDW, if we use the Deluxe DDP. If someone thinks it is too much food, I don't care . Nobody is being forced to buy it!! It fits us, and I am so excited that we will be able to use it next year.

 

[Lewisc]

We're not talking about the DDP we're talking about the DDE. The DDE change (adding automatic tip) at this point is still a rumor.

Not really, several servers confirmed the automatic tip on DDE checks is part of the new contract.

 

[unixadm]

We used the DDP on our last 3 trips and loved it. It was perfect for us.....

but now, we won't be using it again.

If you maximized the plan by really planning out the restaurants and meals, then you could get a good value for your money on the current plan. At the same time, you could be close to breaking even on the plan if you didn't maximize the plan.

Now, with the new plan, they took away 18% (tip), and another $7-$10 that was the appetizer.....so, unless you plan your restaurants and entrees carefully, you could actually pay MORE out of pocket in the end with the plan than without.

Example: You are in MGM for the day

You have the meal plan....

You go to lunch at a counter service (Toy Story Pizza Planet)
Cheese Pizza: ($5.59)
Soda: ($2.09)
Cookies: ($1.89)
That adds up to $9.57 Plus tax


You do dinner at Sci-Fi drive in (TS) and get

The Reuben ($10.99)....no appetizer since it is not included, and get the Hot Fudge Sundae for dessert ($4.99). A soda is included ($2.99)
That adds up to $18.97 plus tax.

You get your snack...an ice cream bar during the day ($2.50)

Your included food added up to $31.04 plus tax which equals $33.21

That doesn't even equal the $37.99 you paid for the day......plus you now have to add a tip for the TS out of your own pocket....you actually paid more on the dining plan than if you paid cash for the meals.

At least when it had the appetizer and tip, even at the lowest price places like my examples, you would end up adding up to about $40 for the day which is close to what you paid for the meal plan....it would be rare that you would "lose" money being on the plan. Now, with the new plan you could end up paying more for the plan on certain days and in the end break close to even, so it isn't a bargain.

Of course I used an extreme example, but the point is that the value of the meal plan is much less now, and it has very little attraction to us anymore. I would rather NOT have to plan every meal, make ADR's at all the TS we would want to eat at and would rather "wing it" sometimes, but on the meal plan, that is usually not possible (or at least not the smart way to do it). The advantage to the dining plan is that the payoff is a significant savings. Because of that, the planning is worth it.

Now, the planning, making ADR's, and hassle of using the plan isn't worth it...the savings just isn't there. We would rather spend a few nights back at the Villa and cook up dinner, or eat at some of the cheaper places.

 

[jerry557]

The very, very early calculations that I have done so far is that the basic DDP really is not the value it used to be. If you use it right, you might be able to manage a 10% savings or so.

The Deluxe DDP can be a savings depending on how you use it....but it is a lot of food that most people probably wont be able to eat it all.

You can adjust these estimates based on your own estimates...

Basic:
Quick Service - $14
Table Service - $36 (entree, drink, dessert)
Snack - $3
Total for a day: $53.00 - 18% tip for TS = $46.50.
So a savings of about $10 a day roughly.

Deluxe:
Breakfast - $22 (buffet and juice/coffee)
Lunch - $45 (entree, appitizer, dessert, drink)
Dinner - $45 (same)
2 Snacks - $6
Total for the day: $118 - 18% tip for 2 TS = $101.00
So a savings of about $30 a day roughly.

If you add a 2 TS restaurant, your savings go down some but of course the quality of the food and service goes up, so that may be a fair trade off... The savings with a breakfast buffet and a dinner show or a restaurant that requires 2 TS will be about $12 a day or so depending on the place and what you choose to eat. Entrees at 2 TS locations range from $28 to $45.

The only way you lose money with the deluxe plan is if you start trading TS for quickservice which is probably what Disney hopes that you do. However I think most of the people that choose the Deluxe are probably people who don't like to eat at quick service and are fans of fine dining.

If you plan it out right... a week trip on the basic plan can save you about $50-$70. On the Deluxe you can save anywhere between $80-$200. And of course this is all based on very rough estimates. There are a million different combinations to figure it.
If you dont plan it right or don't know what you are doing, you can easily spend more on the plan than what you would have paid out of pocket.

 

[thunderbird1]

thunderbird1 wrote:

"Oh, I understand needing the room to sleep off the food coma I'd be in for the 18 hours a day I wasn't eating. What I wonder is, why bother getting the park tickets?

That's right, the parks will be those long expanses of concrete we walk across to get to our next meal."
***********************************************
(newsflash:::a little sarcasm goes a long way, I know what a Disney Park is!!!)

So, here's the answer :

You get park tickets (we have season passes) so you can go to the parks and enjoy the Disney magic, of course...

. We will not have a food coma , because we walk so many miles in the parks. My children , , and , know the parks without a map - they are all WDW vets with over 20 trips under their little belts. .

We can do all the signature meals we want and visit all the character meals we want , , while we are in WDW, if we use the Deluxe DDP. If someone thinks it is too much food, I don't care . Nobody is being forced to buy it!! It fits us, and I am so excited that we will be able to use it next year.

Yikes! Feeling picked on much?

Seriously, I wasn't trying to criticize the DDDP itself. I've said a couple of times (either somewhere in the last 21 pages or one of the dozen or so other threads that have been closed) that it sounds really interesting, especially the way you've proposed to use it. If we ever really wanted to kick the trip up a notch, the DDDP and all those signature meals would definitely be a fun way to do that. It really isn't any more food than a cruise, and I love cruisin'!

My joke (however poorly it came off) was in response to marivaid's proposed "meal plan," (see below) which included a 3 course lunch, and two, count them, two 3 course dinners, in 3 different locations. With a plan like that (which, I believe, was also supposed to be a joke), how would you ever have time for anything during the day except for eating and walking to your next meal?

Mug $13

Kona Lunch
Crab Cakes 10.49
Polynesian Plate Lunch 12.19
Dessert $5.99
Drink $3
Total for lunch : $31.67

Dinner #1 Rose & Crown

Prawn Cocktail $8.99
Grilled Steak $21.99
Sticky Toffee Pudding $5.99
Drink $3
Total Dinner #1 : $39.97

Dinner #2 Spoodles

Mediterranean Dips $8.99
Steak Kababs $22.99
Creme Brulee $6.99
Drink $3
Total Dinner #2 : $41.97

Snacks
Pepto Bismol $3.99
Tylenol $2.99

Grand Total for this day : $133.59
Not including tax.

Sweet deal... but then you gotta wonder, why even bother getting a room at all.

So (all kidding aside), go, enjoy the DDDP, show your beautiful princesses a great time, and be sure to tell us all about it when you get back.

 

[marivaid]

My joke (however poorly it came off) was in response to marivaid's proposed "meal plan," (see below) which included a 3 course lunch, and two, count them, two 3 course dinners, in 3 different locations. With a plan like that (which, I believe, was also supposed to be a joke), how would you ever have time for anything during the day except for eating and walking to your next meal?

I initially did the meal plan because of one poster's claim that since his lunch would cost him $70, the 2 other TS would be free. But yeah it ended up as a joke (what gave it away ? the Pepto or the 3rd dessert ? ).

Like I said several times earlier in this thread I do think that the Deluxe plan sounds like a much better deal than the basic plan. Will it work for us,probably not. We can barely finish an entree at dinner if we've had a TS breakfast that day.

But if it will work for your family, by all means go for it and enjoy !!!

 

[unixadm]

Looking at totals, I added up my receipts last time we used the plan.

We ate $872 worth of food for 6 days. We paid close to $600 for the plan (2 adults, 2 children)

That is a 32% savings on the total.

Now, they take away the appetizers....they were $7-$10@ x 4 people x 6 days. That alone averged out at $8.50@ over the 6 days equals $204. If we paid for those OOP, then the "included" food would have been $672...only a small savings. Then you have to take out 18% tip on all the TS.

Even if the total table service meals added up to $400 (it was probably more than that), then the included tips were about $72.

That means that with what we ate last time, on the new plan we would get $600 worth of food for just around $600. No savings at all! And we even did some "maximizing" on many days making sure we ate at the nicer 1 credit TS places, etc.

I think this people will quickly realize that the meal plan will COST them money in many cases.

 

[mello]

Don't forget second breakfast, elevenses, and tea!

Breaking news! Disney announces 2009 addition to DDP: The Super Premium Hobbit Dining Plan! 7 TS credits, 4 snack credits, and a bonus mushroom credit per day. Price: $129.99/day for adults; $79.99/day for children. Disclaimer: desserts, napkins, silverware, and seats will no longer be covered (seats will be available for purchase for length of stay at additional cost).

I spit out my tea on that one... You guys are too funny!!!

 

[Colleen27]

I'm sure we'll change our minds on this when we have kids.. but I know that if we're lucky enough to be able to afford to go back to Disney again next year we'll be doing it on the Deluxe plan!

Or maybe you won't. I have two kids, ages almost-6 and 9, and they've grown up going to nice restaurants because DH & I don't like fast food/counter service any more at home than we do at Disney. We have always done at least one sit down meal per day when we travel, and Disney is no exception. Now that they're both past the more fidgety, impatient years, we're really looking forward to the deluxe plan and more of the Disney dining magic - more character meals, more signature dining, more throwing caution to the wind and booking CRT even if it is overpriced and overrated.

 

[thunderbird1]

I initially did the meal plan because of one poster's claim that since his lunch would cost him $70, the 2 other TS would be free. But yeah it ended up as a joke (what gave it away ? the Pepto or the 3rd dessert ? ).

Actually, I knew it was a joke when I noticed you had neglected to include breakfast. If this were a real meal plan, you would have used one of those snack credits for a box of donuts before the Kona lunch.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[mello]

going over our plan for our next trip. I didn't want to just guess and speculate what would work for us, I wanted some actualy numbers. So here's what I came up with:

We'll be there 14 nights, and I figured it for both our family of 5 (two real adults, two "child-adults", and one "real" child-under 9), and for my sister's family of 4 (2 adults and 2 real children).

I went through all the menus, estimated what we'll be likely to order each day, figured the cost of the DDP for our family, what's included, any extras we'd pay for OOP, tax, tip, DDE usage, including the cost of the DDE.

I then compared the results of this to my records from our last two trips, especially our other 14 night trip with the whole family, on which we "saved" around $900 (yes I know the room was rack rate, etc. etc.; this time with DVC the cost of the room is a moot point anyway so I'm simply going with comparing the actual list price of the food vs the actual price paid for the DDP).

Bottom line: On this trip, going with the plan would save us approximately $5.00 per person, per day, which is roughly equal to the tax, or a total of around $400 for the entire two week trip, IF we worked to maximize it, which we don't really tend to do. Add that to the fact that we're somewhat restriced by the plan (ie; I'd really rather order salads than desserts oftentimes), and the fact that for our party there will be a mandatory tip (oxymoron but that's another subject) of 18% at every TS, so the convenience of all-inclusiveness is gone and the control over tip is gone, I really see no benefit in using it. I've got the full number workup if anyone's actually interested in seeing it.

It's a shame because we really enjoyed the DDP very much. But the time has come to be more selective in our TS dining, and maybe even to have that bbq at the villa we've been talking about! The one possible benefit I see is that if most people feel the same way, the restaurants may indeed be less crowded, and perhaps the meus will become more varied and less standardized again??? One can hope anyway!