DDE or DDP--making myself crazy!

[mialeighs]

We're new DVC'ers and I'm trying to figure this out. We're going twice this year so I've ordered APs for me and my husband. Now I'm trying to decide whether to do DDE or DDP. I like that the DDP can be used for both CS and TS meals, but I like that the DDE discounts alcohol at TS meals. We're not big drinkers, but we're going without the kids for a few days, so I know we'll partake a bit. I can't find much about where you can use the DDE. Am I correct that, for the most part, it can't be used for CS meals?

Help!
Mia

 

[Scraper]

DDE can be used on CS several places like the bar b que place in AK and most all the food courts. There is a list on the Disney web site. Under the DDE which I get to on the FL resident page but maybe found somw where else on the site. However if you go to Disney.com and click on Fl. residents benefits the DDE will come up and you can see a list of all the resturants.

 

[MulanMom]

We wrestled with the same question last year. For us, DDE worked out very well. Although we like TS as well as CS, there's no way we could have eaten as much as what the DDP allows. Our accommodations are usually a 1Bdr, so we have food in the room as well. When we have dessert, we often just get one to share among the four of us.

What's even better is that our DDE card does not expire until after our next trip in July. The card more than paid for itself our last trip. The discounts on the glasses of wine with dinner or a cocktail or two adds up!

HTH!

 

[Amy&Dan]

A good rule of thumb for where the DDE can be used is that its for full service restaurants only. UNLESS, there is no full service restaurant available. Case in point, Animal Kingdom cs places take it since they don't at present have any full service eateries in that park. Also the food courts at the values and the food court at POFQ because again, no full service available. One good thing about the DDE is that its good for a full year. In 2005 my dh and I got four trips out of our AP's and our DDE card. What a savings. So if you are planning on more than one trip, that DDE savings can really add up. The DDP is great but it is so much food.

 

[Starr W.]

We're going to get the AP and DDE. I just took our bill from our Thanksgiving trips and took the discount on the TS meals we had. It was well over $100. DH & I like to have a drink with dinner(or maybe 2 if the kids were acting up), so I think it would work better for us.

 

[Granny]

I can't find much about where you can use the DDE. Am I correct that, for the most part, it can't be used for CS meals?

Help!
Mia

Mia...here's a link to a list of places where the DDE can be used. http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm


To me, DDP vs DDE comes down to how much you want to eat. We would never want to eat as much food as the DDP calls for, so it doesn't save us anything. Plus, we eat off-site at least once or twice a trip so that cuts into the savings as well. But for many, many people, DDP is a great plan that saves money.

 

[bcvillastwo]

We considered DDP but after discussing our eating habits we concluded that DDE was the better choice for us. We tend to eat one sit down meal a day with no appetizers and no desert, one counter meal which usually is just a sandwich, and breakfast bars in the morning. So, it was clear to us the DDP was too much food for us.

We broke even somewhere between the 5th and 6th meals and after that we really saved 20%. Since we go two to three times a year the savings added up nicely. We just got our new cards and we are heading to WDE the 5th of Feb for 4 weeks then we are back again in late April for 2 weeks, and probably again sometime in the fall or just before Christmas for two weeks.

 

[Judy WI]

We have used the DDP and find it great and cost saving. We do like the TS meals. For everyone that says it is to much food, it is, but you don't have to order or eat everything just because it is inclued. The four of us order maybe 2 app and 2 deserts and share. Still saving money. But to be fair we have never used the DDE to compare. It was just easier to know that what we ordered was already paid for upfront. The plan is easier to use now then the first few years. The servers know it better and things are now almost all marked that can be used for a snack.

 

[EpiscoDisFan]

we uded both on our last trip. even at all the TS, they will seperate out your alcohol, or anything else you order not on the DDP, and give you the DDE discount for that amount. pretty cool.

our last trip was definately a "splurge" kind of trip for us, not a "trim costs and save some money" trip we often take.

DDP was a lot of food. we concluded we saved a bunch of money using both, but had we NOT used DDP, we would have eaten considerably less. we found the more planning out we did, the bigger bang we got for our buck with DDP.

DDP is easy, and fun, to use. we ended up eating at more places, and at places we had always wanted to try, but not gotten around to visiting.

however, while we were happy with the DDP value, we concluded we would probably not use it again and save some money by eating less, or in our room more often. (like we used to do)

 

[mialeighs]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. I think we're going to try DDP this trip b/c it's also a splurge trip, without the kids! We'll get a feel for it. Then, when we have the kids on the next trip and will need some more flexibility, we'll look to see if the DDE makes sense for us. But even as I'm writing this, I'm thinking, but, but, but. I think I just need to turn my brain off on this one!

thanks,
mia

 

[Slakk]

We're new DVC'ers and I'm trying to figure this out. We're going twice this year so I've ordered APs for me and my husband. Now I'm trying to decide whether to do DDE or DDP. I like that the DDP can be used for both CS and TS meals, but I like that the DDE discounts alcohol at TS meals. We're not big drinkers, but we're going without the kids for a few days, so I know we'll partake a bit. I can't find much about where you can use the DDE. Am I correct that, for the most part, it can't be used for CS meals?

Help!
Mia

We just used the DDP and honestly I doubt we will again. You feel compelled to eat way too much and so we have decided that we prefer DDE so we can also eat offsite.

 

[Lucky82061]

We are doing both on our upcoming trip.. DDP for most meals and DDE for the few meals we are planning to pay cash for as well as any alcohol and such that we purchase that won't be covered by the DDP. Also since we are doing V&A's, it is well worth it.

 

[rwcmath]

Mia...here's a link to a list of places where the DDE can be used. http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm...

Thanks for this link. I never knew the Dis had the information,and I always have a problem dealing with the official WDW site.
rwc

PS. We're using DDP for a 1 night stay in June, no chance to overeat in one day! We will also use DDP during December if we will still be allowed tp use it for the Candlelight Processional. That dinner alone is more than the daily DDP rate.

 

[StacyPop]

I have the DDE and for the past like 10 trips I have compared what I paid using DDE to what I would have spent on the DDP-and every time I come out way better with DDE.
We go to a lot of the 2 TS credit restaurants, so that is a big part of it, and I figure in some wine with dinner as well. WAY cheaper with DDE!

 

[RunningthruDisney]

I agree with everyone else, it depends how much you will eat. I have DDE, mainly because it was what was going to save us the most money. We has a 2 bedroom and my sister and her family came the day after we arrived and left a day early. If we were on the DDP we would had to pay for them for the 2 or really 3 days they were not with us. The card paid for it self the first 2 uses. So depending on whats going on next trip we just might have both and it will cover our drinks or an extra meal if we use one the is 2 table services. But with all the food we had in the room, we really did not need it.

 

[Amy&Dan]

The four of us order maybe 2 app and 2 deserts and share. Still saving money. But to be fair we have never used the DDE to compare. It was just easier to know that what we ordered was already paid for upfront. The plan is easier to use now then the first few years. The servers know it better and things are now almost all marked that can be used for a snack.

I agree you don't have to order everything. But then again, if you have four people with four different tastes that don't necessarily like to share the same things you end up ordering more than you need. I also think the DDP can be food overkill when you are travelling with kids young enough to not eat that much but too old for the kids' price. My kids are 10 and 12 and we paid the same $38 a day for them that dh and I paid. So that can affect your decison to as far as the plan not being a great savings. Don't get me wrong, I love the DDP and we often did not order everything we could have. But even with ordering less on the appetizers and desserts (did that all but one time in 9 days) the four entrees were still too much. Normally dd10 and I share but couldn't do that. We are just in that gray area of dining at Disney and the DDP kind of made us even feel more that way. But if you eat at least one ts a day, its worth it and then some.