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DDP is not a money-saver for all people. But yes, if you consciously try to get "bang for your buck," it can be a money saver.
1-- Consider carefully whether to use any credits for 2-credit meals, like Cinderella's Table. The "break-even" price for a TS credit is about $32 under 2012 pricing, $30 under 2011 pricing. Not sure what CRT pricing currently stands at, but you often do not get a great per-credit value, at 2-credit meals.
2-- If you skip desserts at any time, you lose a lot of the value of the plan. So think twice about skipping a dessert, you can always ask to get it to go.
3-- While I never suggest making dining reservations based on price, you should be conscious that some restaurants deliver better "value" than others. At some restaurants, Plaza Restaurant being a prime example, it is almost impossible to hit that $32 break-even mark.
4-- Breakfasts -- TS and CS breakfasts are poor values under the plan. While it's ok to use a couple credits for a couple of breakfasts, making a habit of it will destroy the value. (No CS breakfast will really run over $10). Eat breakfast OOP, in the room, or use snack credits for breakfast items.
5-- Make ADRs. The in-demand restaurants book up. You don't want to be wandering around Disney looking for someplace to spend your credits.
6-- Budget snacks wisely. You don't want to use your snack credits for cheap $1 snacks necessarily, but you also don't want a ton of left-over snack credits on your last day.
