Bye Bye DDP

[mjr0483]

Did you include the gratuity that you would of had to add had you been on DDP? Were they included in your cash amount? If you didn't include the gratuity in your DEPARTMENT total then you did actually save....

I did not include gratuity in either calculation. The cost of the DDP is the actual cost. The cost for cash OOP is the total prior to adding the TIW 18% gratuity. This should be apples to apples. Granted, you are not stuck at 18% gratuity with the DDP but that is about what I would tip anyway.

 

[mjr0483]

Let me ask you all this...if you plan a lot of buffet meals that are one price no matter how much or little you eat, do you think DDP is a benefit? I think we ae going to decide on which restaurants we want to do first & then see what may work best.

We didn't do any character meals, but we did do two all you can eat family style meals. At 'Ohana we were able to do no charge for my picky 7 year old DS. At Liberty Tree Tavern we also had the option to do no charge, but half way through the meal he decided he was hungry so they made him some chicken nuggets and french fries (which are very good btw).

This would not be true at character meals as they charge you any way for the "entertainment".

Also like I said we did two signatures and still had a sit down every night.

 

[mjr0483]

What county is Westhampton?

Westampton is in Burlington County. South of Princeton and north of Cherry Hill. We are right next to Mount Holly. Exit 5 off the turnpike.

 

[momof2cutegirls]

We didn't do any character meals, but we did do two all you can eat family style meals. At 'Ohana we were able to do no charge for my picky 7 year old DS. At Liberty Tree Tavern we also had the option to do no charge, but half way through the meal he decided he was hungry so they made him some chicken nuggets and french fries (which are very good btw).

This would not be true at character meals as they charge you any way for the "entertainment".

Also like I said we did two signatures and still had a sit down every night.

Good to know! Don't know the cost is much different OOP v. DDP, but definitely more flexibility with OOP as far as appetizers & splitting meals. The more I read, the more I think I may just put my money on a gift card & use it for food only!

 

[suemom2kay]

We saved over $700 using TiW over DDP for family of 3 "adults" over 12 days.

If you like the convenience of pre-paying, buy Disney gift cards ahead. That is also how I do it. Last year, I bough $500 gift cards. This year I'm doing $250 gift cards just cause feel safer with smaller increments.

 

[mjr0483]

Also when you tallied up your spending, did that include your meals while out of the parks? Because if so, then you def. saved more than you said.

My counts for OOP included everything we spent including lunch and snacks at LegoLand and the all day dining at SeaWorld. At SeaWorld we at a nice breakfast and BBQ lunch plus snacks. It was great just taking your bracelet through the line to get a bottle of water and a cup of strawberries. It was already a great value but would have been amazing if we had stayed for dinner. But we ate at California grill that night.

 

[quandrea]

I have been a huge fan of the DDP for years, but I wanted to experiment a cash trip. I just got back on 2/19 and I wanted to share my Cash experience.

We were there for 8 nights between Coronado and All Star Movies. The first day we went to LegoLand and the second day we went to SeaWorld. The rest was at Disney.
Even the days we were off property we ate dinner at a Disney restaurant.
We did purchase TIW for $75 with the annual pass discount.

Here are the money results for 2 adults and 2 children.
Disney Dining Plan would have cost us $133.12/night for 8 nights for a total of $1,064.96
Cash for 8 nights was $1,123.27 plus the $75 for a grand total of $1,198.27.
So we went over $133.31 or an extra $16.66/night extra.

First off, our approach was not to save money, but rather eat where we wanted, what we wanted and see how if flushed out.

Snacks - the snack entitlement for us would have been 32 snacks and we wound up eating only 28. The big difference is we were able to get things not covered by the DDP.
For example, we got a $7 souvenir Slushie Cup at LegoLand and one day I did get a large Carmel Latte.

Also for lunches on the DDP we would have been able to get desserts, which on cash we skipped, but we didn’t need or miss.

I also do have to say that my son who is 7 is not a big eater and MOST lunches and dinners we did not order him a meal. He shared food with us and his sister. Even when on the DDP we order a meal for him because we are entitled, but it goes uneaten except for the fruit cup. So we did save a little money there. So our personal example may be a little skewed.

A few of the examples of why we are in love with cash will be outlined below.
1. We ate at California Grill which would be considered at Signature and we had a $22 Kazan roll for an appetizer and only 1 dessert.,
2. We ate at Hoop-Dee-Doo Category 1. Another signature on the DDP and you can only get Category 2 or 3.
3. The night we ate at Kouzzina, we got the calamari appetizer and skipped dessert there and walked over to Beaches and Cream and had 2 sundaes over there Try that on the DDP!
4. We ate lunch one day at Blizzard Beach and instead of a regular soda we got an all day refillable mug.
5. The day we went to SeaWorld we got the all day dining for 2 adults and 1 child.
6. Some lunches instead of sodas we got slushies.
7. Dinner at Rainforest Café we got the volcano for dessert.
8. Dinner at Kona Café both kids got the Kona Cone (Not on the DDP) and we got the pot stickers for an appetizer.

Rounding out the dinners is ‘Ohana, Liberty Tree Tavern and Nine Dragons.
We are planning on going back this summer for 2 weeks, so the TIW will already be paid and will only add to our savings. Granted, every time you take out the room charge, you feel it a little more because it is money you are spending $$$ instead of credits. We tried not to deprive ourselves and I think we did a pretty good job. I really loved the flexibility of ordering appetizers instead of dessert. We also didn’t feel like we were loosing money if we didn’t order the most expensive thing on the menu and eat two desserts. Plus it wasn’t a mad rush of tracking snacks and making sure we used all of them. Plus having to get desserts at lunch so you feel you are not loosing value.

We certainly didn’t skimp on our entrees either. At the California Grill, I got the $40 snapper and my DW got the $47 Bison.
And Rainforest Café both our entrees were $30.
Plus the $193 for Hoop-Dee-Doo.

For us, the DDP has lost if value and the menus have suffered for it.
Unless Disney fixes the DDP I don’t see us going back.
Very wordy I know, but if anyone has any questions, just ask.

This is exactly what I tell people who ask about the DDP when planning their trips. I hate how inflexible it is. I hate that I must eat when I may not want to etc. I've been to WDW 20 times and have never seen the benefit of the plan. As an added aside, I have 2 yo twins and they eat a lot. On the DDP we'd be paying out of pocket for them all the time. No value there.

 

[quandrea]

I would really like to try OOP on our next trip, but my husband much prefers the convenience of pre-paid meals. When we went last June, we actually had several QS credits and a ton of snack credits left over at the end of the trip (I made sure we used all of the TS credits!) - I think it was just too hot to eat so much food! Of course we bought meals from the resort before checking out and took them with us to my mother's house for the kids to eat (we visited her after our Disney vacation), but they wound up going to waste in her refridgerator!

I wish I could convince my husband that it would make more sense to pay OOP. He wants to get the DDxDP this year - which means even more food that will go to waste. Oy vey.

My brother in law talks about the convenience of prepaid meals, which I don't really get. With OOP, you are simply handing over your Key to the World to add the room charge. I don't see that as any more difficult. With DDP, I assume you have to give in your card to have your credits deducted. How is that more convenient?

 

[nkereina]

OP - I'm not questioning your experience, just trying to understand better... you would up spending more paying OOP than you would have if you paid for DDP. If you had DDP, it would have included meal credits for your son every day as well (which could be used for other people if you don't like to order him meals) and it would have included a drink and dessert at every meal for every person. It sounds like when paying OOP, you did not get a dessert and drink for every person at every meal and you didn't get as many snacks as would be included on DDP - yet you wound up spending more. I get that you were able to eat what you wanted and how you wanted, but for what the DDP includes - whether you use it all or not - it was still cheaper than paying OOP. Let me know if I'm missing something, honestly not trying to start a debate but if I can get it justified, maybe you'll sway me too!

 

[patsal]

We did a similiar experiment last summer and ended up saving money by not being on the DDP. We too found that we ate what we wanted when we wanted it, were not held captive by the snacks that were paid for or the desserts we didn't want. All went very well and in the end I saved more money because the Reg DDP would not have been enough but the DXDDP would have been too many entitlements. Since there is no real Dining Plan that works with the way we eat, no DP worked out well for us and saved us maney while giving us complete flexibility.

 

[mjr0483]

OP - I'm not questioning your experience, just trying to understand better... you would up spending more paying OOP than you would have if you paid for DDP. If you had DDP, it would have included meal credits for your son every day as well (which could be used for other people if you don't like to order him meals) and it would have included a drink and dessert at every meal for every person. It sounds like when paying OOP, you did not get a dessert and drink for every person at every meal and you didn't get as many snacks as would be included on DDP - yet you wound up spending more. I get that you were able to eat what you wanted and how you wanted, but for what the DDP includes - whether you use it all or not - it was still cheaper than paying OOP. Let me know if I'm missing something, honestly not trying to start a debate but if I can get it justified, maybe you'll sway me too!

My goal wasn't to save money, rather do what we wanted and eat where we wanted. Rather not be bound by using credits because you paid for them and didn't want to waste them. Granted we didn't purchase meals for my son at every dinner nor did we eat two desserts at every lunch. The last several times we went on the DDP we left several CS behind and I still have bags of lollipops and jellybeans in my pantry.

You have to remember that two of the meals that we did enjoy were signatures and we would have been short dinners two nights on the DDP.

Also granted we didn't get two adult desserts per meal, but we always got an appetizer and a dessert. If you remember from my post the app at the California Grill was a $20 Sushi app that was awesome btw.

The only night we ate two desserts was the night at Kouzzina where we had a $10 app and then two $8.00 sundaes at Beaches & Cream (which I didn't count toward against my paid snacks). I put up the sundaes at B&C against any other dessert.

And our snack count was only 4 short for 8 nights which isn't bad. I know people leave that many snacks on the table all the time. And we weren't bound by what Disney calls a snack. We had several items that were not approved DDP snacks.

So yes, we spent slightly more but I feel that we ate so much better. Plus my meals were portable (LegoLand & SeaWorld). And God forbid one night someone isn't feeling well and wants to skip a dinner, you are not out a credit. You can also share a meal. Eating 8 nights like that you tend to get stuffed.

Even if we weren't going back this summer and didn't get to use the TIW again, I would still do it again. Overall the extra $133 spent was well worth it. I don't know what I would do for a single shorter trip.

We did not deprive ourselves in any manner.
Using the DDP is an exercise in constantly trying to beat the system by eating the most expensive meal all the time and using all of your entitlements. On OOP I can still eat dinner at Le Cellier without using a signature

 

[momof2cutegirls]

Throwing this question to all who pay OOP...
Do you still do a table-service meal each day?

I think I would still want to. Only thing about DDP is that I just know that my DH would go back to the mindset of ordering something cheaper from than menu as opposed to if we were on DDP & he knew it was already paid for.

 

[drdisney]

This past January, my wife and I decided to try TIW for the first time since going to DW. WE have always been on the DP and loved the fact that everything was taken care of, but with the price increase this year I could not justify the cost. At home we mostly share an appetizer and will then get one meal and a side salad or soup to share. We felt with the the DP that there was too much food that we were wasting all the time. What we loved with TIW is getting 20% off everything on the bill including alcohol (My wife and I love to try the exotic drinks around the park). At first I thought the servers would look down at me since my wife and I were sharing meals, but it turned out to be the opposite. Some were go great in fact that I added more on top of the automatic 18% gratuity. I think TIW is Disney's 2nd best kept secret behind DVC !!!!

Dr D

 

[Physics Guy]

Well, here's another family's story on the DP:

Originally planned to do DP and made my reservations for the length of our stay in August with that in mind.

I've read this thread, and the MANY others, scoured other forums, websites and did my own spreadsheet estimate. Hours of research and calculation has convinced me to go OOP (3 nights CR, 4 nights BCV). We are staying at CR on a convention discount so we can't get the DP for those days anyway.

We are getting the TIW card and still plan TS meals each day, even while at CR. Some buffets and one character meal, but I'm pretty confident I'll still spend less OOP.

My daughter is turning 10, but is still a picky eater and doesn't eat much and will likely go off the kids menu so the adult price for the DP would be a waste. Additionally, I do not eat desserts (not a diet, I just eat healthy as a lifestyle), but very much enjoy appetizers. We also were tired of the last day snack-a-thon that just left us feeling gluttonous and wasteful.

What I plan to do to directly compare is to get a Disney Gift Card for $884 (the cost of the DP for our family of 5 for those 4 nights) and use it exclusively for the 4 days of meals we were planning to use on the DP and see what the bottom line is.

What will save us some money is since in BCV we have a kitchen and my kids are easy for breakfast we can do quick oatmeal or poptarts in the villa instead of feeling obligated to do a QS and get too much food. I will NOT, however, consider the cost of each item when I order. I am a foodie and I will order what looks good to me regardless of my plan. One of my favorite things about vacation is eating well so no penny-pinching for me!

Long story short (too late, I know) I'm going OOP to try and save some actual bottom-line money, even if I may lose some value. But my specific situation is suited for my family and our circumstances. To each their own.

Matt

one more thought, the tricky part is paying for the appetizers, alcohol (for the wife) and tips with the $884, which are things I would have had to pay above the DP cost anyway. If I still come out ahead, which may be tough, then it was clearly better for us to go OOP.

 

[yankeepenny]

Thanks for sharing your dining expenditures.

I went vegetarian. I am doing a two week trip in october and after running the numbers twice I called and cancelled all the dining plans. I cannot make it work for me. I save a ton of money, and I dont need or want the dessert.

If I want a salad, and maybe an app, I can do that. But I cannot justify the ddp, and it is just me, solo traveler.
I too, say, BYE BYE, DDP!
To each his own.

 

[mjr0483]

Throwing this question to all who pay OOP...
Do you still do a table-service meal each day?

I think I would still want to. Only thing about DDP is that I just know that my DH would go back to the mindset of ordering something cheaper from than menu as opposed to if we were on DDP & he knew it was already paid for.

In our case we did do a TS every night, but the best part is you don't have to. I agree the temptation is there to be the opposite of hunting out the steak and eat the chicken or pasta meal. But we are both foodies as well and dining out is a big part of our vacation.

I do have to say, while the DW did have three steaks in 8 nights, we did try some things we normally wouldn't in favor of chasing the most expensive thing on the menu and really enjoyed them.

I can't wait to try Shula's the next time.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

OP - I'm not questioning your experience, just trying to understand better... you would up spending more paying OOP than you would have if you paid for DDP. If you had DDP, it would have included meal credits for your son every day as well (which could be used for other people if you don't like to order him meals) and it would have included a drink and dessert at every meal for every person. It sounds like when paying OOP, you did not get a dessert and drink for every person at every meal and you didn't get as many snacks as would be included on DDP - yet you wound up spending more. I get that you were able to eat what you wanted and how you wanted, but for what the DDP includes - whether you use it all or not - it was still cheaper than paying OOP. Let me know if I'm missing something, honestly not trying to start a debate but if I can get it justified, maybe you'll sway me too!

If I read the OP correctly, they would have needed to pay for one of the signature meals (or 2 other meals), if they had DDP. Also, they would still have had to pay for the food at Legoland & Sea World. These meals seem to be added to the OOP cost, but not added onto the DDP estimate. If that is the case, they really saved quite a bit by paying OOP.

Throwing this question to all who pay OOP...
Do you still do a table-service meal each day?

I think I would still want to. Only thing about DDP is that I just know that my DH would go back to the mindset of ordering something cheaper from than menu as opposed to if we were on DDP & he knew it was already paid for.

We pay OOP & usually eat 2 TS a day. We also get TIW, but we wouldn't purchase DDP if we didn't. DDP wouldn't work for us at all. We don't care for CS restaurants, & rarely eat at one. If we did eat at them, we definitely wouldn't be getting dessert at 90% of them. The bakeries & maybe Sunshine Seasons would be the exception. DxDDP would allow us to have 2 TS a day, but appetizers, entrees, & desserts for each of us is more than we could eat. I don't consider it a deal, if I'm forced to order things I don't want to get value from the plan.

 

[Pat329]

I've read all these posts and must say I agree with both sides. My DH and I get it mainly for convenience not thinking about the idea of just adding it to our room charge...note to self. But we've also been lucky enough to get free dining even after we've ordered it with our package. At that point we just get a refund. But I'm really confused about one thing that seems like I"m the only person that doesn't know the answer...what is TIW??? Sorry to sound stupid but I've never heard of this unless I just can't understand the abbreviation. Thanks.

 

[hollypoast]

Let me ask you all this...if you plan a lot of buffet meals that are one price no matter how much or little you eat, do you think DDP is a benefit? I think we ae going to decide on which restaurants we want to do first & then see what may work best.

I did the math for an upcoming trip for my daughter (6) and I. We are eating 3 buffet meals over a 6 day trip and I come out $100 ahead on the ddp. If it weren't for all the buffets I don't think it would be worth it.

 

[Physics Guy]

Tables in Wonderland. A discount card available to DVC members, AP holders and FL residents.

http://tablesinwonderland.com/

Here's a chart comparing different discount options:
http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf