2011 DDP Rates - Is It Still Worth It?

[sistert]

My family and I have used the DDP for several years now (before and after the tip was removed) and have always found it a great value. This year was no difference and this was actually the first time my husband was even sold on the idea. Now though, I've seen the new rates and am starting to doubt the value myself. Heck, the second drink has been removed from the breakfast option!

My mother and I calculated what we ate, how much it would have cost OOP versus the 2011 DDP rates and it's not looking good. Either we were breaking even or coming out spending less. In order to "make money" on the plan we'd have to stop looking at what sounds yummy and instead consider what costs the most.

Unless I'm missing something, we're both planning to probably just hold the money we'd normally put down for the plan and dine OOP. What doesn't get used can be put on something more important... like Disney Pins!

Can someone who really knows/enjoys the DDP help me see the worth in the 2011 DDPs?

 

[havoc315]

I feel like the ddp has evolved into a very different product then it was several years ago.
Initially, the ability to purchase the ddp was a benefit of staying at the resort. By staying in a Disney resort, you could buy all inclusive dining at a discount.

But then they started offering the ddp for free, for much of the year. As a freebie, they could start saving money by lessening the value. If you get it for "free," most people will still see it as valuable.. Even after they remove appetizers.. Tips.. Etc.
Meanwhile, you can still buy the ddp during more crowded times of year... But since those times of year are more crowded anyway, Disney does not really need to offer dining discounts. Restaurants will be full at Easter... With or without a discounted dining plan.

So I think your assessment is correct--- there is minimal value in paying full price for ddp

 

[jlk806]

I believe now the ONLY value is convenience. Everything is prepaid. You dont have to look at prices on the menu and try to order the least expensive item so it wont cost too much. With the DP you can order whatever you want. More times than not, you would probably pass on the dessert if paying OOP (if you're a family like us who rarely orders dessert from restaurants). On the DP, it is paid for so you take it and enjoy it (or are too full to enjoy it and may take it with you or just take a few bites and pass on it.).

You can have snacks to munch on as you go (and there are alot of fun snacks on the DP!). If paying OOP, you may be more likely to bring a boring old box of granola bars from home Heck, you're on vacation, enjoy the cool snacks available to you on the DP!

Yes, I too have crunched the numbers and know we could eat cheaper than paying for the DP. (We usually go during FD anyhow so that usually doesnt apply). But this year we did a split between POP(5 nights, free dining, upgraded to regular dining plan, and Kidani, 4 nights, room discount, added dining plan - I wasnt going to because we had to add a 1 day ticket that cost us more to add on to that package than to add it on to the original package at POP, but my husband wanted us on the dining plan so we wouldnt have to worry about paying for food. So I did it. I should have stuck to my first instinct, by that half of our trip we were full from eating so much, we could have just nibbled for the rest of the trip. And we ended up bringing home like 12 snack credits worth of rice krispy treats.

I guess it depends on your family and what is important to you. There is no real monetary value left there, but its the convenience and the splurging on being on vacation and able to eat what you want that is the value.

 

[Faldred]

Using the current restaurant prices, it looks like it's a lot harder to make the DDP a good deal.

However, those prices are likely to climb, the question is, by how much?

 

[havoc315]

I believe now the ONLY value is convenience. Everything is prepaid. You dont have to look at prices on the menu and try to order the least .

Problem is, that's not very true. Not everything is prepaid. And working within the plan can be more inconvenient than just going oop.

Tips aren't prepaid. But not just that
What if the only snack you really want is the ice cream sandwich. According to reports, it is no longer covered. So now you have the "convenience" of picking a less-desired prepaid snack, or paying OOP for the ice cream sandwich, while wasting your prepaid credits (and making it even less of a value).

And pre-paying gives you less flexibility later on. If come the last day of your trip, you decide you would rather do a cs instead of ts, or vice versa, you will find yourself going oop and/or wasting credits.

Or what if you decide you want cs breakfast and dinner, with a cheap ts meal. You will need to go OOP for one of the CS meals, while wasting a ts credit. (you would end up paying $45 for the meal plan plus 12 for the extra cs, or 57 combined. If you just paid oop the whole way, maybe it would be 12 + 18 + 12 = 42 for the exact same food.

The dining plan can still provide some value. But only if you sacrifice convenience, AND eat a certain way. (expensive ts meals, young children on the plan, maximize credits).

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I think people still like the ability to prepay for most of their food and not have to think about what they are ordeing when they are there. It's also still a good value if you have children under 10 in your party. You really just have to look at how you eat. We've gone with and without the DDP. When I added up what I though we would spend on this trip if we paid for dining OOP, I was surprised to find out that it was only $40 less than paying for the DDP. So when free didng was offered in January we took it.

 

[sandym718]

Definitely can still be a good value, if at least one of the following is true, for the most part: IF you have multiple young children on the plan, particularly if you want to do character meals (many cost as much as or more than the daily rate) And/Or IF the plan fits the way you like to eat!!! That should be a given, but I see many people on the boards trying to "fit" it to what they want - doesn't sound like fun to me!!

Now for us - BOTH of those things are true. I just calculated the other day our 2011 dining, based on current menu prices and what we'll likely want to eat (CS stuff I just chose, most costs are interchangeable). Our family can save $227 by using the plan, because this is how we'd want to eat anyways!! Not as much as 2009 (just under $300) and definitely not as much as 2007 (over $300 PLUS tips were included). But definitely still a decent savings. Another big plus for me - DH is not flipping out about menu prices every five seconds. It's all already paid for - order what you want!! That's a good "vacation" feeling!

 

[cjsm&d]

Now that my son is 10, I doubt I'll buy it this time. He is a very light eater, and we'll be overspending to feed him. He's more of a snacker. May go with the quick plan, though that is even less of a deal.

If we get free DDP I'd do it, but would rather get 4/3 or the 25/30/40% discount plan.

Probably go OOP.

 

[princesspeach]

The dxdp is a good value, but the ddp just doesn't make since unless you don't like apps and are big dessert eaters. If you skip dessert you don't get your value out of it. With the dxdp you can skip the dessert and still come out ahead.

 

[divawife]

I treat my family (I am the Aunt). It is not only a great convenience for me not to be worried about budget but allows us to try places we wouln't due to price or different foods for the kids. It takes the pressure off my guests to order a cheaper meal. I do wish the tips were included and I do wish you could choose between dessert or appetizer. This year we are doing the free dining. It really makes a difference in my planning budget. We can stay anextra day, I can pay the diff between QSD and DPP and I can put my 8 year old big eater adventurous niece on the adult plan for not so much more money. The plans are not perfect but I don't think I could pull off the trip without.

 

[havoc315]

I don't really understand the logic of pre-payment as giving you the advantage of not caring about the prices once you arrive. As others have suggested, you can just buy yourself a gift card beforehand. That would give you the advantage of true pre-payment -- You wouldn't have to worry about "exclusions" from the DDP, you could get appetizers, you could get snacks that aren't covered by the DDP, and it would even include tips. To me, it's illogical to overpay in advance. That's like saying if you pay me $1,000 now, I'll sell you a $900 Disney dining gift card.

If anything, if the DDP was not free -- If I actually paid $45-$48 for the DDP, then I'd be looking at the menu prices even moreso, worried about getting value. No--- Can't have just a salad for the meal at TS-- that would be a waste of credits! No... Can't use a TS credit for lunch at the Plaza Restaurant, that would be a waste!
Of course, if the DDP is "free," then I don't care about maximizing the value.

 

[sandym718]

I don't really understand the logic of pre-payment as giving you the advantage of not caring about the prices once you arrive. As others have suggested, you can just buy yourself a gift card beforehand. That would give you the advantage of true pre-payment -- You wouldn't have to worry about "exclusions" from the DDP, you could get appetizers, you could get snacks that aren't covered by the DDP, and it would even include tips. To me, it's illogical to overpay in advance. That's like saying if you pay me $1,000 now, I'll sell you a $900 Disney dining gift card.

If anything, if the DDP was not free -- If I actually paid $45-$48 for the DDP, then I'd be looking at the menu prices even moreso, worried about getting value. No--- Can't have just a salad for the meal at TS-- that would be a waste of credits! No... Can't use a TS credit for lunch at the Plaza Restaurant, that would be a waste!
Of course, if the DDP is "free," then I don't care about maximizing the value.

I agree with you regarding the prepayment. For us, it's still a savings, primarily because of the kids. If/when we return and it is NOT a savings (once they're Adults on the plan - especially b/c they don't eat much and would probably want either kids' meals or to share an adult meal), I think we'll probably do the "put it on a gift card" in an advance.

 

[havoc315]

Agreed. It can still be a value, especially if you have several children on the plan. And if it's "free dining," then paying for an upgrade can also be worthwhile.

 

[CMAlumni]

It works for our family of three (two adults and a Disney adult). We went for 14 days in August. We don't normally eat desserts, but we wait all year for our Disney trip and splurge!!!! So when we eat at Disney, we eat like the plan. We are actually not big appitizer people, but all have a sweet tooth! Last year, we saved over $400 versus what we would have paid our of pocket!!! Even with the current price increase, we would still be ahead. That being said, I still will keep track of our receipts and what we would have spent Oop and take it year by year....so far we have always come out ahead.

 

[havoc315]

It works for our family of three (two adults and a Disney adult). We went for 14 days in August. We don't normally eat desserts, but we wait all year for our Disney trip and splurge!!!! So when we eat at Disney, we eat like the plan. We are actually not big appitizer people, but all have a sweet tooth! Last year, we saved over $400 versus what we would have paid our of pocket!!! Even with the current price increase, we would still be ahead. That being said, I still will keep track of our receipts and what we would have spent Oop and take it year by year....so far we have always come out ahead.

So with 2010 pricing, you saved about $9 per person, per day. Assuming restaurant prices don't go up dramatically in 2011, the 2011 savings would be about $5 per person, per day, if you "eat like the plan.". If you end up skipping 1 or 2 of your ts meals, or decide to eat 1 less dessert per day, or share desserts, or use some of the ts credits for "cheap" entrees, then there goes that $5 in savings. But yes, if you can "eat like the plan" over an extended period of time, it is certainly still possible to save a few dollars per day.

 

[bytheblood]

Money-wise, I say no.

We are planning 9 nights next December. We would be paying less OOP for all of the table and counter meals than we would getting the DDP. On the DPP, for the meals we selected, we would have had to pay OOP for 2 meals and it would have cost is $200+ more with the DDP.

 

[kdluscher]

For a party of two, it is a savings to us. Last year when we went, we saved over $300. The dining plan gives us the option of eating at places we never would even think of eating at because we would not be able to affrord it, plus we get dessert, which we never ever eat! If we did not use the dining plan, we would eat at counter service every meal. Plus, I like the convenience factor. I do not have to look at a menu price at all!

 

[CMAlumni]

So with 2010 pricing, you saved about $9 per person, per day. Assuming restaurant prices don't go up dramatically in 2011, the 2011 savings would be about $5 per person, per day, if you "eat like the plan.". If you end up skipping 1 or 2 of your ts meals, or decide to eat 1 less dessert per day, or share desserts, or use some of the ts credits for "cheap" entrees, then there goes that $5 in savings. But yes, if you can "eat like the plan" over an extended period of time, it is certainly still possible to save a few dollars per day.

sandym718 - I am at work so I don't have the exact figure, but I was actually giving a low number of how much we actually saved. I will try to repost with more acurate numbers. For me, saving $400 + over our vacation is a big savings over eating the same oop! We can use that money toward our AP's!

 

[havoc315]

sandym718 - I am at work so I don't have the exact figure, but I was actually giving a low number of how much we actually saved. I will try to repost with more acurate numbers. For me, saving $400 + over our vacation is a big savings over eating the same oop! We can use that money toward our AP's!

Yes, but the issue is the 2011 pricing-- which would cut your "savings" in about half. And then it becomes a question of, did you "save" on items that you would have purchased OOP anyway (in which case the ddp would still be worthwhile), or was this "savings" just extra items that you wouldn't have otherwise purchased (in which case it could actually be more costly than OOP).

For example, I believe you said it was 9 nights --
If you had been doing it OOP, as opposed to the plan, and if you then would have only done 8 TS meals instead of 9.... And skipped dessert twice during the trip, then it would have been cheaper in 2011 to just pay OOP. And of course, if let's just say.... that you would otherwise have only gotten 7 TS meals instead of 9... and let's say you would have shared desserts during most meals, then it would be much cheaper to just pay OOP.

As you have demonstrated, using the DDP in 2011, can still save an "adult" $4-$8 per day, IF you planned on exactly that number of TS meals anyway, IF you planned on eating an average of 1 CS meal per day and 1 TS dinner per day, IF you planned on getting 1 dessert per person per meal, and IF you get the more expensive entrees with each meal, AND IF you were going to buy a $4 snack per person, per day.

If all those things are true, you may save $5 or more. (If you have dinner at Le Cellier every single night, maybe even up $10 or more per day) But if any of those "IFs" are false, then the "value" of the regular DDP begins to fade rather fast. If you weren't going to do TS every day... if you were going to share or skip some desserts... if you were going to eat some cheaper entrees.... the savings disappears very quickly, especially with 2011 pricing.

 

[sandym718]

sandym718 - I am at work so I don't have the exact figure, but I was actually giving a low number of how much we actually saved. I will try to repost with more acurate numbers. For me, saving $400 + over our vacation is a big savings over eating the same oop! We can use that money toward our AP's!

Hmm...I think you meant Havoc315 and not me? No worries, but just wanted to clear that up, I wasn't debating your post/savings.