Cancel DDP????

[ascardino]

Fellow DISers please help. We leave in 5 days and I still do not feel good about having signed up for the DDP again and am thinking of canceling.

We are a family of 5. My youngest daughter doesn't pay (she is 1 1/2) and my other daughter eats like a bird. My son eats well but usually doesn't want an appetizer, dinner and dessert in one sitting. My husband and I love good food and will usually order an app, dinner, and maybe share a dessert. We did the DDP when we went in Dec and found ourselves ordering things "just because" they were paid for. We brought desserts home to our room. At the end the credits did work out perfectly as far as meals but we had a ton of snack credits left.

We will be there for 8 days this trip. This time our plans include several 2 credit table service restaurants including: CA Grill, Narcooses, Yachtclub Steakhouse and Brown Derby. Along with two character breakfasts: Cape May Cafe and Chef Mickeys.

Should I cancel the DDP and just use the DDE because it is not a good value for us this time or because we do love to eat and enjoy table service and counter service meals it is a good fit????

I also have the DDE card. So, I would get a discount anyway.

It might be pretty obvious, but I think that I have been thinking too much about it and everything else trying to get ready to go that it is just not clear to me what to do.

Thanks for your comments!

 

[mcco5543]

I understand how you might see the DDP as a better value this time around since you have so many 2 credit resturaunts, however your daughter is still going to eat like a bird at these places, your son is still not going to want an appetizer, entree and dessert in one sitting. AND you already have the DDE card. I say DEFINITELY canel.

 

[Scornelius]

I'm a huge supporter of the DDP, and usually tell people to go for it. But in your case I think the DDE is the way to go! That way everyone can get what they want with no (or at least little) waste, and you will still save a bunch of money that can be funneled towards overpriced t-shirts and trinkets!

 

[dawnball]

Add up what you would order if you were using DDE - then compare it to the cost of DDP. That's the only way to be sure. In our case, with essentially all signature dining, DDE was a much better choice.

 

[bicker]

Regardless of what you decide, I would make your decision today, and then pledge to yourself to stand behind your decision 150%. Don't continue to second-guess yourself and surely don't bother having any concerns about your decision after-the-fact -- while you're at WDW. The reality is that Disney is VERY good about pricing their offerings at JUST ABOUT what they are worth, and the vast majority of guests are with 5% one way or another of "worth it" whichever way they decide. Even if you guess "wrong", you almost surely won't be "wrong" enough to worry about.

 

[ascardino]

Thanks for the feedback. I am going to try to do a little math later tonight when the kiddies are sleeping and come to a decision one way or the other.

Am I right in thinking that it would probably be better for me to pay with the DDE on the signature dining to free up the credits to use for the character dining and other TS meals or pay for the character meals and use up the TS credits for the signature dining? Figuring 3 adult diners, with at least two appetizers and 2 desserts for the signature dining. We do not really consume much if any alcohol.

 

[dawnball]

Signature dining tends to be a "Bad deal" on the dining plan, you're almost always better off paying out of pocket for it vs saving credits unless you're intentionally ordering the most expensive things. Surf and Turf at Narcoossee's may be a better deal on the dining plan for example. For 2 adults with 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, 2 glasses of wine w/ DDE and someone else picking up the check (so we ordered on the expensive side) we came out to $109 after DDE and tip. I'd estimate that about $15 of that was alcohol. 4 credits worth of character meals at Chef Mickey's comes out to $112 pretax/pre-tip. You can easily spend around $50 per adult at many 1 TS restaurants.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Gina,
Welcome to my world! I go through this every time. Should we do the DDP or just stick with the DDE. But the DDP is such a good deal. But DDE lets us dine according to a less 'rigid' schedule.

But the DDP lets you get...but the DDE....



So even though the budget side of me wants to get the DDP plan, (we don't qualify for free DDP as we stay DVC), we are not. It was too much food, required too rigid a schedule, and forced eating at times due to my mind set of have to get my money's worth. So we are sticking with DDE and a more casual dining schedule.

I feel your confusion and good luck!

 

[ascardino]

Thanks Jody.

I know I drive myself crazy analyzing. I think Bicker definitely is correct.

My husband and I talked about it a little bit more. I think we are going to keep the DDP. It is good for the Fantasmic pkg at BD where DDE is not. DDE is also not good at the counter service places that we will eat quick meals throughout the trip as well. We will probably pay for at least one of the other signature dining out of pocket with DDE to stretch the sit down meals since there might be a bit of alcohol with that meal as well. I know character dining doesn't give the best value on the DDP, but I will not have to think about paying for most of the meals with tips and wonder how much we are spending. They'll be enough food and my parents are coming up for a few nights so we can share with them.

I think that is the best way to go. I do not have the patience to sit down and do the math.

Thanks for all of the input.

 

[bicker]

I think that is the best way to go.

Sounds good!

 

[goofy & sleepy]

Remember tips are included on DDP...I think that is worth a lot esp when you are eating at 2 TS restaurants....it should make it worth it.