Cook or DDP

[JudyTL]

I got a one bedroom at SSR. (We are going to WDW in Sept and Dec, too) I am wondering if I should save the 468 dollars and just cook... What do people do? Maybe I should just get a couple of the days of the DDP? Do I need to use all the meals within a 24 hour timeline. Can I have a dinner one day and the self service for another day? Any thoughts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We have PAPs, so we got the Disney Dining Experience card. That will give us 20% off on most table service and allow us to still eat some good meals without feeling stuffed all the time.

If you decide to get the DDP, you'll have to purchase it for all the nights you stay, plus for all the guests in the villa. You can't pick and choose. The credits are good from the time you check in, until midnight of the day you check out.

The only way to do part of the trip on DDP and part off is to make two reservations that are not linked. But you may have to move to a different villa for the second reservation. You will have to check out and check in again.

 

[bub]

Your answer will depend on how much you like to cook while on vacation. Many here on these boards would never do it - on the other hand, our family enjoys making most of our own meals. We usually hit the Publix and get food for the week. We get stuff that is easy to make, and lots of fun snacks. We usually visit in August, so being able to go back to the room and relax in the a/c while preparing and eating our meals is a great thing. We do eat some meals in the parks, depending on our schedule for the day, and we like to do one character breakfast and usually the buffet at Boma. The kitchen was a big selling point for us in buying DVC. We definitely save money on this, and never feel deprived - in fact, we usually feel better than we would if we ate all that Disney food!

But, if you hate to cook or think vacation means not cooking, the meal plan might be a fun treat.

 

[Dina]

I don't like to cook, so it's not something I would do. We don't do the DDP though, we get the DDE card. We use the kitchen for breakfasts (cereal, toast, frozen waffles, bagels) and lunch (grilled cheese for the kids, frozen pizza, sandwiches). We also keep lots of snacks in the kitchen .

 

[geffric]

Funny that you asked..
For the past 10+ years, we have driven.. and I take my crock pot and we take groceries and stop at wal mart for the rest. We do breakfast and some sandwiches in the room. I make a turkey breats for a nice dinner and then sandwiches and i make a beef roast for another. Salad in the bag, potatoes and frozen veggies.

However this year we have a shorter vacation and are flying to WDW, so we are doing the DDP. I have teen age boys and they are very excited to be going to the nicer restuarant at WDW.

 

[JodyTG]

I AM ON VACATION! hehehe

Anyway, since I cook almost every meal at home during real life, I don't want to cook on vacation. Could it save us some money if I did? Yeah, but I don't want to cook on vacation.

 

[CarolAnnC]

My husband and I purchase the DDE card each year and put it to good use. It covers a discount not only on food but on beverages too.

I will use the kitchen in our resort room for quick meals like an easy breakfast, which we enjoy while getting ready for the parks, or quick lunches for those days when we spend hours poolside.

Then when we feel like eating out, we use the DDE card for a discount. I love the Disney restaurants, but just do not like being tied down to meal ressies every day.

Plus it is nice to sample some off site restaurants once in a while too.

 

[JodyTG]

I also like the DDE better than the DDP. (It saves a lot of money on the...shall we say...adult beverages.) We're just not getting another AP until we can get two trips on one pass like we did our previous two trips.

So, I agree with Carol that if you have an AP get the DDE card and enjoy the 20% discount!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Another vote for DDE (now that they've ironed out the kinks in that program) along with cooking yourself.

I can put on some seriously tasty meals (that are better for me) for the amount of money the DDP costs. I can have the spontenaity that a WDW vacation should have, and I'm not forced to decide months ahead of time where I want to eat EVERY day.

Be assured. With DDP if you do not make an ADR for your TS use, you WILL not get a TS meal.

I love to cook so it's no problem for me. However, even I don't want to get into every day elaborate cooking on vacation, so I make excellent use of Publix, ready to go/eat meals. They have a beautiful rotisserie chicken in several flavors. The fish counter will steam your purchase, regardless of what it is. There is a huge selection in their deli cases of salads and side dishes, including mashed potatoes.

The meat section has seasoned selections, ready to cook.

Takes much of the hassle out of cooking.

Usually, breakfast is in the villa. Not huge breakfast people, but if we want a hot breakfast, we have one.

Lunch is usually back at the villa. Dinner is ofen carried into the park. We like to have our "picnics" in various places throughout any of the WDW parks.

When we do what to dine at TS, we make an ADR, and use our DDE.

 

[wildernessDad]

I would advise against it.

For example, you decide to cook and do not use the DDP. You go to the World and then think, "Why am I cooking when we could be out and about?" But now, it's too late to add the DDP.

 

[lippylulu]

Cook? On vacation? I can barely comprehend the concept even at home. Doesn't it have someting to do with ordering takeout or going out for meals?

I never can get that cooking thing down.

PS. We plan to eat breakfast in our 1 bedroom at SSR, but it will NOT entail actual cooking as that is a foreign word to me.

 

[jcpuppy.com]

Obviously, you never got the memo "This is a VACATION"

 

[Slakk]

I got so stressed out trying to decide where I wanted to eat that I dumped DDP. Instead we are going to do breakfast and some lunches in the room and getting the DDE. We are doing 4 nights at TS then hitting outside of the park for the rest.

 

[chainkid]

you got so stressed out you had to dump the DDP? You are kidding right?
Making ADR's for 30+ people at different palces for 10 days might make you stressed out but its a piece of cake if you do alittle planning. Vacation planning is kid's stuff compared to the real problems that can truly stress you out like loss of job, a friend. Life is to short to be stressed out over this type of stuff. Relax you are going on vacation and a missed ADR is a minor inconvenience.