2012 DDP vs OOP

[Cafeen]

If I nix all the sodas I am getting, and change CRT to breakfast instead of dinner. Total savings comes to around 17.37.

That's something that I just realized we can do! It is probably the way that we'll go if we choose to do OOP. I think I'd be a bit nervous to do this though, especially having a card or multiple cards with so much on them! This is one thing to the KTWC. If it is lost, it can be replaced and you don't have to worry about your meals.

Except, you could use the KTTW to pay, and then pay that balance off with GCs stored in your room. Probably a better way to do it, since you don't have to worry about multiple balances and cards and all that. Alternatively, instead of putting a CC down for charging, you can put the GCs down as well beforehand.

 

[Colleen27]

That's something that I just realized we can do! It is probably the way that we'll go if we choose to do OOP. I think I'd be a bit nervous to do this though, especially having a card or multiple cards with so much on them! This is one thing to the KTWC. If it is lost, it can be replaced and you don't have to worry about your meals.

You can use a gift card to pay off your KTTW charges rather than actually carrying it around. Just be sure to do so the evening before your check-out date, because in the wee hours of that last night of your stay any outstanding balance on your room account will charge to the credit card you have on file. (My son's school has a gift card fundraiser and Disney is one of the options, so I'm fast becoming an expert on how to pay for as much as possible on a WDW trip with Disney gift cards!)

 

[suemom2kay]

We're on the fence this year. DD hated being a kid on the DDP last year. She is a gymnast with lots of muscle and an very good appetite. She eats a LOT of protein and the kids offerings really turned her off.

This year she will be 10 but I still think she and I will still eat very well splitting some meals. We really don't eat much of the desserts (at least at QS locations). Definitely leaning toward no DDP and a TiW card this year.

Next year absolutely no doubt we will defect from the DDP. It is no longer economical. I suppose WDW has finally taken a page out of Universal's book and made the Dining Plan a total ripoff. Too bad. But no worries, we will just load gift cards and use the TiW discount. WDW will still have our money!

On a bright side, with a more economical DDP (from Disney's perspective) perhaps they will bring some of the quality back that was lost with the very economical DDP (from the Guest's perspective). That I would truly appreciate.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I really can't decide if I want to do the DDP next year or not. I would rather do two TS a day then CS, and with the deluxe costing $85 a night, it seems to be almost too much, and I would never buy that much food OOP.

I think I might do what a previous poster suggested, put what I would pay for the DDP on a gift card, and use that for food.

 

[havoc315]

I really can't decide if I want to do the DDP next year or not. I would rather do two TS a day then CS, and with the deluxe costing $85 a night, it seems to be almost too much, and I would never buy that much food OOP.

I think I might do what a previous poster suggested, put what I would pay for the DDP on a gift card, and use that for food.

I have the same thought. I don't like CS. I do prefer 2 TS per day, and some of those being 2-credit meals. Now, if I'm going to do lots of 2-credit meals, plus I want the appetizers, snacks and desserts.. the DxDP is still a pretty good value.
But if I'm going to pass on the appetizers and desserts.... I could easily do 2 high quality TS meals for less than $85. (Even a signature meal plus a regular TS)

 

[mousegear]

We are going this Sept with FD. However, since we are upgrading our tix to APs, we are also buying TiW. We have at least one vacation to WDW within a year and maybe a few spontaneous ones. Anyways, for a big group/family, FD definitely saves more than 30~40% discounts to mod/deluxes. So FD sounds seems a good deal for that case. But for our family, it's really small and DS is still under age of 9 so FD discount does not save a bundle. Well, it's better than nothing so we took it. But we did add a few more ADRs and going to utilize our TiW. We are also not going to buy DDP for future trips. We are just going to pay OOP and have more flexibility. Our family usually like to share an appetizer and dessert since we don't eat huge portions. We've been looking through some menus of WDW restaurants and we are actually very excited that we are going to be free of DDP in the future trips.

 

[bntrdntht]

to sharonabe.. I hope you have a GREAT vacation on whatever plan you go with.. and to the 2 others who can not agree on who has a better economic education.... go to Mcdonalds......

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

in same boat right now...pricing out with ddp, without ddp is a difference of $1358!
Reality: my partner will be more 'greedy'with food in the restaurants, ie wanting dessert or appetizer or whatever. if i am on dining plan i can curb that..you get what is incl, thats it. LOL but I also have a 10 year old, who eats very little due to a prescription that he is on. so the extra money for him to be on dining plan is probably not worth it. I am going to have to commit some time and price it out. of course if free dining is offered, then that solves that. lol. But otherwise I really need to sit down and see how much it will all cost to see if worth while