After seeing 2012 DDP prices, is anyone rethinking it for their trip?

[summermac]

In 2009, we opted for the dining plan. Then I think it ws $39.99 per adult and $10.99 per child. I am not 100% sure on those prices but I am almost sure that was the price. It was a great deal, especially b/c my youngest was 2 and we were able to let her eat off her brother's plate or ours. We used all of our TS credits and left behind 2-3 QS and some snacks. However we still got our money's worth, in particular b/c we had some character meals and they were often the entire day's cost of the DDP.

However for 2012, I'm having a really hard time with the cost of the plan. I understand they added the refillable mug but IMO it's not that a great of an addition, given you can only fill it at your resort. *shrug* I am not sure it is worth it for our family this trip.

Also by nature of the plan, you of course want to at least use all your TS allotments to get your money out of it. We've discussed that too, in terms of time lost on TS meals. We very much enjoyed our meals but at the same time, losing a couple of hours each day in the parks kind of stinks too.

Hmmm....a lot to think about. What are your thoughts?

(And if we get free dining by chance, sign me up! LOL!)

 

[havoc315]

In 2009, we opted for the dining plan. Then I think it ws $39.99 per adult and $10.99 per child. I am not 100% sure on those prices but I am almost sure that was the price. It was a great deal, especially b/c my youngest was 2 and we were able to let her eat off her brother's plate or ours. We used all of our TS credits and left behind 2-3 QS and some snacks. However we still got our money's worth, in particular b/c we had some character meals and they were often the entire day's cost of the DDP.

However for 2012, I'm having a really hard time with the cost of the plan. I understand they added the refillable mug but IMO it's not that a great of an addition, given you can only fill it at your resort. *shrug* I am not sure it is worth it for our family this trip.

Also by nature of the plan, you of course want to at least use all your TS allotments to get your money out of it. We've discussed that too, in terms of time lost on TS meals. We very much enjoyed our meals but at the same time, losing a couple of hours each day in the parks kind of stinks too.

Hmmm....a lot to think about. What are your thoughts?

(And if we get free dining by chance, sign me up! LOL!)

We don't even use the mugs at all, our selves. Not worth trudging from the room to the food court just to get a "free refill" of soda. The only time we might really be thirsty for a soda, would be when we are in the parks, and can't use the mug.

So looking at the value of the plan without the mugs -- The plan only translates into savings at the 2012 pricing, if you are really going to use all your entitlements. While you don't need to get maximum value out of every entitlement, you need to consistent get above-average-value out of every entitlement. Skip a couple desserts? You have lost money. Skip a TS meal? Lost money. Order the cheapest entree on the menu? Do it a couple times, and you will probably lose money. Use credits for non-character breakfasts? You will probably lose money.

*IF* you plan on using all your credits for lunches and dinners, if you plan on dessert at every single meal for every person, if you plan on mostly ordering the more expensive entrees (entrees that run $23+) and/or character meals --- Then you are likely to get enough of a savings, to make the plan economically worthwhile.

 

[summermac]

We didn't "skip" desserts last time persay but many times barely ate half just because we were SO full. We left about 5 snacks and 2-3 CS meals unredeemed as well.

That said though, we definitely got our money's worth on our last trip because of having 3 character meals + LeCellier. But at the same time, with 5 adults and 2 kids on this trip I think we could end up ahead without the dining plan and sharing meals between us.

I guess we can always add it if we change our mind.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

You should never leave without using up your CS and snack credits. You can buy boxes of Goofy Candy Company candy from your resort gift shop or Mickey Mouse shaped rice crispy treats, etc with your snack credits and take them home. ALSO if you have CS meal credits left you can use one CS credit for 3 snack credits (not in the parks) at your resort food court or gift shop.

One of the best uses for a snack credit I found (from reading the DIS) is the Main Street Bakery at MK, Cinnamon roll. It is HUGE and can easily be shared. Or not! -)

 

[aubriee]

I guess we can always add it if we change our mind.

Just FYI: The DDPs must be added at least three days (72 hours) before check in. You can not add it after that time.

 

[summermac]

Thank you re: adding plan. I didn't know the 72 hour thing.

I am hoping for a code for it to be free, which is what I meant by adding. I don't plan on adding it otherwise. I figure I'll know if we'll get a code by about Feb at the latest.

 

[Bete]

that when the DP prices go up usually restaurant prices go up, too. Those increases can make up for the additional cost of the plan. This may not be evident right now, but keep your eyes alert for upward price hikes. Also, bring the refillable mugs to the park and fill them up before you leave your resort. You can find a way to hold onto them probably without using your hands. If you are using a stroller than attach the mugs to it. We have used dog collars to do it. You can get dog collars for $1 at the dollar store. Don't fill the mugs all the way up to avoid spillage when attached to the strollers. Then when you eat meals if you have drinks left over fill your mugs.

Everyone has to decide how they want to enjoy Disney. Many bring breakfast items in their luggage and share meals and do more QS and they can save over using a plan. Even others go to the grocery store and do their own microwave meals; food courts have them to use.

Personally, I like the rest and the enjoyment of going to TS restaurants; so, we get the plan. We particularly watch for free dining and we stay value resort and this can be a good deal especially if you have 4 guests to a room.

I've done over 30 trips over the last 25 years. I really do like the dining plans. I've paid out of pocket for them, as well. I've stayed at all levels of resorts, too. Whatever you can afford at the time will dictate to an extent what you can do.

If you want more hours at the parks then get park hoppers. Go to the early park and then transfer over to the late park. This would make up for the two hours lost on meals.

You just have to decide what you want to do.

 

[havoc315]

that when the DP prices go up usually restaurant prices go up, too. Those increases can make up for the additional cost of the plan. This may not be evident right now, but keep your eyes alert for upward price hikes. Also, bring the refillable mugs to the park and fill them up before you leave your resort. You can find a way to hold onto them probably without using your hands. If you are using a stroller than attach the mugs to it. We have used dog collars to do it. You can get dog collars for $1 at the dollar store. Don't fill the mugs all the way up to avoid spillage when attached to the strollers. Then when you eat meals if you have drinks left over fill your mugs.

Over the last few years, the price of the dining plan has risen must more rapidly than the (non-buffet) menu prices. They seem to tie the dining plan prices to the buffet prices, which have indeed gone up rapidly and dramatically. But regular menu prices... have been going up an average of 2-5% per year, while the dining plan prices have increased by 10-15% per year.

I can see bringing the mugs to the parks as working for some people, but a ridiculous waste for other people (including myself). The mugs aren't very big (on the inside). So especially if filled with ice to keep cold, it's only going to hold about 6-8 ounces of a beverage. It can be bulky to carry around, if you don't have a simple way to carry it in the park. And might not be planning on starting the morning at the resort food court, meaning an extra trip to get it filled up.
So, a morning trip to the food court, to get a small cup of soda, so that you have a small cup of soda to carry around for a couple of hours, and then an empty mug to carry around for the rest of the day.
This could be worth it to some people, but certainly it's not worth it for everyone.
If you don't mind carrying around a thermos, you can stock the room with a couple bottles of soda... Bring a large thermos of beverage into the park every day, have plenty to drink, at a tiny tiny fraction of the price of the mugs.

 

[Bete]

If you don't mind carrying around a thermos, you can stock the room with a couple bottles of soda... Bring a large thermos of beverage into the park every day, have plenty to drink, at a tiny tiny fraction of the price of the mugs.

You have to have a way to get the bigger bottled sodas like a car. It takes time to go to a store outside of Disney, too. The soda goes stale; unless, you can refrigerate it or drink it fast. Then, I much rather do mugs then carry a thermos with me. Mugs give everyone their own container. You can get free ice at the parks; so, I don't think that's a good arguement.

Bottomline, you have to decide what's best for your circumstance. We are all different. I'm trying to work with the dining plan as it stands. I'm trying to get better value from it, as well. The DP does not fit all. I like it; so, I will continue using it.

 

[mommyrosa2]

We are already planning a trip for next August and we will go with the DP. We priced what the DP would cost our family of 4 (all considered adults) and totalled our food receipts from our most recent trip 2 weeks ago and we still can't beat the DP price, so for us, it is still worth it. Like another OP mentioned, I'm sure prices at the restuarants will be going up too so that would be another thing to look at. As for the mugs, we normally buy two mugs and share so having a mug for each one of us will be a plus and even factoring the cost of that was still worth it as we do use our mugs. I firmly believe to go with the DP or not really stands with each family's dining habits. For us, we never leave without using all our credits but that's because we use our snacks for breakfast, QS for lunch and we enjoy eating a sit-down meal for dinner. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I've shared a QS with one of my DD's but one of them, will turn around & use that QS for a better breakfast option on an other day so we really know how to swap things around.

 

[TDC Nala]

Prices for buffet, all you can eat and character meals have gone waaaay up, and fast. The other menus haven't increased so much. if you're interested in lots of character meals and/or have a bunch of kids, take a good hard look at DDP. Otherwise it may not really be worth it as a moneysaver. There's also the added attraction that many guests like the prepayment aspect, so they aren't so heavily concerned with the moneysaving aspect. Disney likes this.

I go to TS restaurants but I want to order the courses I want to order, not the courses I've paid in advance for. I also like the option of going to the Swan/Dolphin restaurants. Couldn't even get a bar seat at Flying Fish last week without waiting 45 minutes, but Il Mulino had plenty of room. The other TS I went to was Kimonos (also at the Swan/Dolphin). just walked right in, no ADRs six months ahead needed, no credit card guarantees.

 

[MSLRAC]

We didn't even think twice about the price of the DxDP when we started planning our next trip. It saved us well over $1000 last trip and I project that it will do the same for our next trip. But what did stop us in our tracks and really got us rethinking our entire WDW vacation was the new policy about requiring a cc to book character and signature meals.

 

[havoc315]

You have to have a way to get the bigger bottled sodas like a car. It takes time to go to a store outside of Disney, too. The soda goes stale; unless, you can refrigerate it or drink it fast. Then, I much rather do mugs then carry a thermos with me. Mugs give everyone their own container. You can get free ice at the parks; so, I don't think that's a good arguement.

Bottomline, you have to decide what's best for your circumstance.

Correct, it's totally dependent on the guest's circumstances and preferences. For myself and my family, we don't go to Disney in 95 degree weather, we don't really have any interest/need for beverages between meals. So carrying along pre-filled mugs would just be a nuisance.
If we did skip the dining plan, we'd likely place an order through Garden Grocer -- so very easily and cheaply, get a couple large bottles of soda and keep them in the room fridge.
Quite easy then to bring a large thermos to the park with disposable paper cups.. or bring individual sizes thermoses, or pack cans of soda into a cooler bag. Any of those options would be a tiny fraction of the price of the refillable mugs.

 

[sharonabe]

We didn't even think twice about the price of the DxDP when we started planning our next trip. It saved us well over $1000 last trip and I project that it will do the same for our next trip. But what did stop us in our tracks and really got us rethinking our entire WDW vacation was the new policy about requiring a cc to book character and signature meals.

WOW! I would love to see that break down of costs.

My family of 4 (all Disney adults) can't even come close to SPENDING $1000 on food for a 6-day stay....how do you SAVE $1000???

 

[havoc315]

WOW! I would love to see that break down of costs.

My family of 4 (all Disney adults) can't even come close to SPENDING $1000 on food for a 6-day stay....how do you SAVE $1000???

I think many posters significantly exaggerate their savings, but this could be legit --- under the deluxe 2011 plan, it was quite possible to save $20-30 per day, per adult. The poster didn't give a number of days, or number of adults. But realistically, under the deluxe, 4 "adults" could save over $1000 over an extended 9-10 day trip. Of course, that would mean still spending over 3,000 on dinng. (a signature meal for 4 every night for 10 nights, adds up)

 

[dsnyrn]

We used Deluxe dining last year for the first time. We loved going to all new restaurants, the great meals and awesome desserts. That said, we had credits left over because after 3 days, we were not able to eat more than 1 sit down restaurant a day. We were too full! Now with the new rules, and looking at the way the credits can be used at character meals and some of the "higher" end restaurants, if you have to have the deluxe plan, or pay OOP.

This year we are taking our 2 GD 6-9 for first time, and if offered, will probably get the regular dining plan and pay OOP for a couple character meals for them. I like the convenience of having it all pre-paid!

 

[MAGGIED]

I agree with the convenience of having it pre-paid... I am feeding all adults and while my DD (22) doesn't eat much my DH and DS (18) an put the food away... it works out well for us....

 

[MSLRAC]

WOW! I would love to see that break down of costs.

My family of 4 (all Disney adults) can't even come close to SPENDING $1000 on food for a 6-day stay....how do you SAVE $1000???

I think many posters significantly exaggerate their savings, but this could be legit --- under the deluxe 2011 plan, it was quite possible to save $20-30 per day, per adult. The poster didn't give a number of days, or number of adults. But realistically, under the deluxe, 4 "adults" could save over $1000 over an extended 9-10 day trip. Of course, that would mean still spending over 3,000 on dinng. (a signature meal for 4 every night for 10 nights, adds up)

I no longer have my spreadsheet with the exact figures because my laptop crashed a few months back but we easily saved over $1000.

We (2 adults and 2 kids) did 3TS meals per day for 7 days/8 nights (23 meals total). We had very few meals under $100 with many closer to $150 and a few around $200 (we had two meals at just over $250). When we broke down the price of the plan per person per day ($71.99 per adult, $20.99 per child), we reached the 'break even' point at lunch, so dinner, 2 snacks a day per person (which we used on bigger bang for your buck items on our last day) and the mugs were pure savings.

Trust me, DH and I were shocked when we started seeing the receipts and calculating how much we were saving each day. At one point, DH even asked at the concierge desk what the catch was because he didn't think that it could possibly be true. The CM told us that most people don't utilize their credits to their fullest value but that if you do, especially on the DxDP, that it can be quite a savings.

 

[TDC Nala]

I would never want to eat three TS restaurant meals per day for a week. So the savings realized by the above poster would never be realized by me. This is what Disney guests have to remember when deciding whether or not to do the dining plan, if they're basing their decision on the possiblity of savings alone.

Some guests, I've come to realize, don't care if they save money on the plan or not, they just want everything prepaid.

 

[summermac]

I would never want to eat three TS restaurant meals per day for a week. So the savings realized by the above poster would never be realized by me. This is what Disney guests have to remember when deciding whether or not to do the dining plan, if they're basing their decision on the possiblity of savings alone.

Some guests, I've come to realize, don't care if they save money on the plan or not, they just want everything prepaid.

I can't imagine eating three TS a day. We never vacation like that, no matter the trip. But I know some ppl do so it's nice to have the DxDP for them.

Heck we had a hard time eating enough for the regular DDP!