2012 DDP vs OOP

[sharonabe]

Just wanted to point out that the current price of Mama Melrose Fantasmic is $35.99. So $3 more then what you figured=$12x1.065=$12.78 more...not a huge amount but thought I would let you know.

We are going in Jan and seriously reconsidering the dining plan.

1 big reason is I would love to snack my way around the world showcase in Epcot and that just wont happen if we are on dining...especially since all the TS that I want is at Epcot...

Thank you. I used allearsnet pricing since they give specific buffet pricing instead of the range. I know some of their prices are not current, but it was interesting that some prices there were more than supposedly more current pricing on the menus here on wdwinfo.

 

[Halloweenluv03]

Trust me, sharonabe. I know your feeling. I priced out for next year using this years prices and my fiance and I will save about a penny. No biggy. I'd rather just use it for convience right now. As long as I'm not loosing money (hey, a penny saved is a penny earned), I'm happy. But I can see where you are coming from. I have thought about doing what a few other suggest and just add money to a gift card and pay that way. We still have some time, so I'm just going to keep my fingers crossed for free dining.

 

[kdawg8762]

Double degree in marketing and economics and have run one restaurant and owned another

 

[havoc315]

Double degree in marketing and economics and have run one restaurant and owned another

Great... then please explain.... If food inflation is rising about 3-4% per year... and your restaurant has been raising prices by 3-4% per year... Why would you suddenly decide to raise prices by 10-20% just when inflation starts to ease?

 

[dandave]

You always *can* save money eating at WDW OOP over using a dining plan. It just depends on whether or not you want to!
In the past when we have done the CS plan, it was because we love WPE . We wanted to eat there, Flametree, Pepper Market, etc. The DP saved us money for what we wanted. Certainly we could have purchased a burger or a hotdog elsewhere, cheaper, but that wasn't what we wanted.
Figure up the prices of what you want to do, honestly, and compare that to what you will be fine doing.

 

[DisneyFive]

1 big reason is I would love to snack my way around the world showcase in Epcot and that just wont happen if we are on dining...especially since all the TS that I want is at Epcot...

Funny you brought that up. I thought about that before too. Yes, there are limitations/drawbacks due to the DDP like not being as free to snack at random. Last year, and this year we are on the "free dining plan" (Paid the extra to upgrade to the regular dining plan since we are in a value resort).

...but as I thought about it, there are things I won't do because we are on the dinging plan. I won't snack my way around the WS in Epcot, like you mention (which sounds really fun.) I also won't be trying a famous Disney Turkey leg, or other things. Mainly because you get so much food with the dining plan that you don't want to ruin your appetite for your nice TS meals by snacking.

Dan

 

[smiths02]

Funny you brought that up. I thought about that before too. Yes, there are limitations/drawbacks due to the DDP like not being as free to snack at random. Last year, and this year we are on the "free dining plan" (Paid the extra to upgrade to the regular dining plan since we are in a value resort).

...but as I thought about it, there are things I won't do because we are on the dinging plan. I won't snack my way around the WS in Epcot, like you mention (which sounds really fun.) I also won't be trying a famous Disney Turkey leg, or other things. Mainly because you get so much food with the dining plan that you don't want to ruin your appetite for your nice TS meals by snacking.

Dan

I am right there with you.

This time (in 4 days!) We got a pin code for free QSDP and we upgraded to DDP (staying at CBR). Although we liked (and paid for) DDP in 2009, I am not sure this is how I want to vacation when we return to the world (maybe three years from now )

For instance, I have been craving a Minnie Mouse caramel apple for a year...those things are NOT a snack credit and are $10, so I have to pay OOP and we are skipping T-Rex this year because we have too many "paid for" credits to use to pay for that meal OOP

 

[Diegosmom]

Thank you. I used allearsnet pricing since they give specific buffet pricing instead of the range. I know some of their prices are not current, but it was interesting that some prices there were more than supposedly more current pricing on the menus here on wdwinfo.

Ok never mind I take back what I said lol...I was just using pricing on disney site and it said $15-$35.99 so I assumed that the 15 was kids and 35.99 was adult...but I think perhaps the 35.99 is holiday pricing so it might be what you had figured after all...lol sorry to confuse you

 

[Diegosmom]

Funny you brought that up. I thought about that before too. Yes, there are limitations/drawbacks due to the DDP like not being as free to snack at random. Last year, and this year we are on the "free dining plan" (Paid the extra to upgrade to the regular dining plan since we are in a value resort).

...but as I thought about it, there are things I won't do because we are on the dinging plan. I won't snack my way around the WS in Epcot, like you mention (which sounds really fun.) I also won't be trying a famous Disney Turkey leg, or other things. Mainly because you get so much food with the dining plan that you don't want to ruin your appetite for your nice TS meals by snacking.

Dan

Everyone talks about all these great snacks that you HAVE to try...if I try everything that I want to try there is no way I will be hungry for my credits...and there are things that I want that are in the $2-$3 range and in order to get value out of the meal plan you have to spend between $3-$4 so I know I would be paying OP for stuff or not getting certain things cause it was $3...if they offer free dining in Jan I will probably do it but otherwise I am not sure. I find myself picking TS because they are a good value not cause I want to eat there...

 

[the_green_machine]

I think we'll go OOP next year.

We'll load the $1500 we would have spent for 7 nights onto a Disney Gift Card, and use that for meals-- so we'll still have it paid for up front. I'm thinking there will be money left at the end.

I am one or those "DP vs. OOP'ers" that are starting to try to figure out whats best for them on our upcoming trip...where would you get a Disney Gift Card that I could load up with my DP budget funds if I decide to go OOP?

 

[Aliceacc]

I am one or those "DP vs. OOP'ers" that are starting to try to figure out whats best for them on our upcoming trip...where would you get a Disney Gift Card that I could load up with my DP budget funds if I decide to go OOP?

The Disney Store.

Or you could just load up a debit card.

 

[DisneyFive]

I am right there with you.

This time (in 4 days!) We got a pin code for free QSDP and we upgraded to DDP (staying at CBR). Although we liked (and paid for) DDP in 2009, I am not sure this is how I want to vacation when we return to the world (maybe three years from now )

For instance, I have been craving a Minnie Mouse caramel apple for a year...those things are NOT a snack credit and are $10, so I have to pay OOP and we are skipping T-Rex this year because we have too many "paid for" credits to use to pay for that meal OOP

Everyone talks about all these great snacks that you HAVE to try...if I try everything that I want to try there is no way I will be hungry for my credits...and there are things that I want that are in the $2-$3 range and in order to get value out of the meal plan you have to spend between $3-$4 so I know I would be paying OP for stuff or not getting certain things cause it was $3...if they offer free dining in Jan I will probably do it but otherwise I am not sure. I find myself picking TS because they are a good value not cause I want to eat there...

Totally agree with you both!

It's funny how you don't think about stuff like that when you get "free dining". All you are thinking is woohoo! It is a great deal overall, but it imposes these unseen limitations. Like both of you mentioned, there are lots of things I would like to try, you know, just to try . But when you know there is an upcoming TS meal, or a QS meal you haven't experienced yet, you don't want to spoil your appetite. With how the prices are going up on the dining plan, the decision is getting very easy to go out of pocket. There is some nice freedom that comes with OOP.

Dan

 

[lesabrowning]

I read today on some internet news site that food prices are expected to go up in the next year, some dramatically, based on recent droughts and floods. (extremes) Apparently there are farmers in different parts of the country that have not been able to plant their crops or had crops destroyed. Now I know this happens probably most years, but according to what I read this year has been worse than usual.

 

[Cafeen]

Ok never mind I take back what I said lol...I was just using pricing on disney site and it said $15-$35.99 so I assumed that the 15 was kids and 35.99 was adult...but I think perhaps the 35.99 is holiday pricing so it might be what you had figured after all...lol sorry to confuse you

The ranges shown on the Disney site are a little misleading. They're not really the range of the individual restaurant, but a set of ranges where the average adult meal falls under.

So, if a restaurant's average adult meal is $16, it falls into this range and should display as such on the information page, if the restaurant's average adult meal is $34, it will show the same range.

You can see this by searching for Dinner reservations for some date in future (when you can get multiple listings), you'll notice that most are either $$ ($15-$35.99) or $$$ ($36-$59.99). This price range is not specific to the restaurant, but an overall general range where that restaurant's average meal fits. They certainly should NOT be taken as the actual prices!

 

[OhdahLolly]

Sharon, thanks so much for putting up your numbers! It's good to get a look at things from another perspective.

I am in the process of re-configuring our disney math just to make sure everything matches. I hadn't realized until this thread that we were limiting where we wanted to go and what resturants we were eating at. No holds bared, eating where we wanted to for 6 days

Came to..

878.73

That is however with more than a couple of "2" table service credits like CRT, Tusker house and Cali Grill.

The Deluxe dining plan would be...
1208.90

Now, that doesn't include dessert at all.. but it does include a few appetizers, as well as the most important snack.. which is 4 dole whips..


That was really shocking for me as whenever I did disney math we always came ahead with the dining plan. Now I am in the process of seeing what our savings might be if stay within the DDP restrictions and how that might work out.

 

[sharonabe]

Funny how a little research and pre-planning can change a perspective, isn't it?

What I find MOST people saying when they say they save money is they add up all the receipts of what they ATE and compare it to what they PAID. It's an after-the-fact savings. I can find those kind of savings too AFTER I have eaten the way the DDP is structured to eat. However, there are many times I'm in the restaurant and would really like to try one of the cheaper meals, but feel I need to order the more expensive to maximize the plan, AND I get something to drink and something for dessert even when nothing really appeals to me.

For some people the idea of being prepaid is freeing, but for me being able to order what I really want is vacation!

 

[JimmyV]

Funny how a little research and pre-planning can change a perspective, isn't it?

What I find MOST people saying when they say they save money is they add up all the receipts of what they ATE and compare it to what they PAID. It's an after-the-fact savings. I can find those kind of savings too AFTER I have eaten the way the DDP is structured to eat. However, there are many times I'm in the restaurant and would really like to try one of the cheaper meals, but feel I need to order the more expensive to maximize the plan, AND I get something to drink and something for dessert even when nothing really appeals to me.

For some people the idea of being prepaid is freeing, but for me being able to order what I really want is vacation!

Whenever I do the math, it always comes out to two things. With the plan, I cannot order appetizers, and if I do, it is an added OOP cost. And with the plan, I am paying for 2 desserts per day, per person plus a snack, which is far afield from how we normally eat.

A typical CS meal for the three of us is:
2 people get a burger, or sandwich, or wrap, or equivalent
1 person gets an "entree salad" of sorts
1 large drink split among 2 people
1 bottle of water
Typical cost of, say Columbia Harbor House or Flame Tree would be $35 after tax.

A very typical restaurant meal for the three of us is:
2 appetizers, split among 3 people.
1 entree each
1 dessert split among 3 people.
1 iced tea or equivalent
(Not adding in bottle of wine for adults, as that is not on the plan and would be OOP either way.)
Cost at a single credit restaurant, such as Kona, would be around $90 after tax. (Tip not figured in, because that is going to be added on to either OOP or DDP).

Cost for the day is $125. Add in 2 $5 snacks during the day, and you are at $135 and I have eaten exactly what I want. Meal plan for 3 people is over $150 per day. And then after adding in the appetizers that we want, the cost goes to over $170 per day. There is no way I can make a plan work for us.

 

[OhdahLolly]

Funny how a little research and pre-planning can change a perspective, isn't it?

What I find MOST people saying when they say they save money is they add up all the receipts of what they ATE and compare it to what they PAID. It's an after-the-fact savings. I can find those kind of savings too AFTER I have eaten the way the DDP is structured to eat. However, there are many times I'm in the restaurant and would really like to try one of the cheaper meals, but feel I need to order the more expensive to maximize the plan, AND I get something to drink and something for dessert even when nothing really appeals to me.

For some people the idea of being prepaid is freeing, but for me being able to order what I really want is vacation!

Ok. I just did the math again for the regular DDP and savings. Here is what I came up with. Dessert and drinks included with every meal, and remaining snack credits used at F&W.

Total amount: 750.71
Dining plan cost:
693.88
Savings: 56.11

In reality, we don't order dessert with every meal, and I hardly ever drink something other than water when we are out to eat. In this figuring I had to make a decision to nix the other character breakfasts that I had, and T-rex before we left. We ended up with two table service credit resturants for the DDP, which was CRT and Cali Grill.

I really wanted to do breakfast at CRT to get into the parks early, but after looking at the cost on the DDP.. feel compelled to switch to dinner to help get our moneys worth.

One thing I do love about DDP is that it is pre-paid, and I don't have to worry about going over my budget. If I want dessert, it's paid for. If I want the steak, I can get it. Otherwise I do tend to be kinda cheap, although I know it doesn't seem that way from the OOP estimation I gave..

That was based on a wish list, though. Like most families, when we tend to get in the parks we sometimes skip meals all together. So the only way to really know is to get down there, save our receipts and tally it up when we get home.

Which if we end up doing that, I will be sure to post.

 

[lesabrowning]

Funny how a little research and pre-planning can change a perspective, isn't it?

What I find MOST people saying when they say they save money is they add up all the receipts of what they ATE and compare it to what they PAID. It's an after-the-fact savings. I can find those kind of savings too AFTER I have eaten the way the DDP is structured to eat. However, there are many times I'm in the restaurant and would really like to try one of the cheaper meals, but feel I need to order the more expensive to maximize the plan, AND I get something to drink and something for dessert even when nothing really appeals to me.

For some people the idea of being prepaid is freeing, but for me being able to order what I really want is vacation!

I am a fan of the dining plans, because at this time in our life they work for us and save us money. But we never order something because it will maximize the plan or because it is on the plan. In my opinion, that defeats the purpose of having the plan. The plans work for my family I think because of the types of restaurants we prefer at this time. (character buffets, family style restaurants, signature meals and heavy on TS meals in general)

I usually tell people to add up the true cost of what their family will likely eat and compare to the plan. The plan either saves you money or not. If you have to try hard to make your eating style match the plan, then a plan is likely not the best idea. When I compare my receipts I am looking at what we truly wanted and ate. We never skip something we want just because it is not on the plan and we also never order something just because it is on the plan. (and this includes desserts and soda) It is possible to save money with the dining plans, sometimes a lot of money. But it is in no way right for everyone. I hate to hear that people feel pressured to buy the dining plan, that seems ridiculous. People ask us all the time and we give the same advice, explaining to many of our friends why the plans may not be best for them in their situation.

All good vacations require research, but a good WDW vacation requires a different kind of research that the average person may not be aware of. It is not just dining but crowd avoidance and many other things to maximize enjoyment.

 

[havoc315]

Ok. I just did the math again for the regular DDP and savings. Here is what I came up with. Dessert and drinks included with every meal, and remaining snack credits used at F&W.

Total amount: 750.71
Dining plan cost:
693.88
Savings: 56.11

In reality, we don't order dessert with every meal, and I hardly ever drink something other than water when we are out to eat. In this figuring I had to make a decision to nix the other character breakfasts that I had, and T-rex before we left. We ended up with two table service credit resturants for the DDP, which was CRT and Cali Grill.

I really wanted to do breakfast at CRT to get into the parks early, but after looking at the cost on the DDP.. feel compelled to switch to dinner to help get our moneys worth.

One thing I do love about DDP is that it is pre-paid, and I don't have to worry about going over my budget. If I want dessert, it's paid for. If I want the steak, I can get it. Otherwise I do tend to be kinda cheap, although I know it doesn't seem that way from the OOP estimation I gave..

That was based on a wish list, though. Like most families, when we tend to get in the parks we sometimes skip meals all together. So the only way to really know is to get down there, save our receipts and tally it up when we get home.

Which if we end up doing that, I will be sure to post.

Good analysis, and all very true.
So, you're looking at a possible savings of about 8%.
But, you had to make some changes from your preferred way of eating, to get that 8%. You had to nix a breakfast because it was a poor value under the plan, you had to add desserts and beverages which you don't ordinarily order. I'm guessing if you changed 1 of your dinners to that breakfast, and nixed some of your sodas/desserts, you would be looking at more like break-even.

I understand the psychological advantage of pre-paid... Have you considered just getting yourself a gift card of about $800-900? (That way, even the tips are "pre-paid.")