DDP and DVC help please!!!

[Nettaboo]

Ok.. my mom used her points to get us(my family of 2 adults 1 5 yr old, sister and her 2 sons and parents) rooms at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

I have not been to DW in 15 years and have never stayed on property.
I really would like to get in some Charachter meals for my daughter.
I have been reading the information on the DDP and I am not sure for a family of 3(2 adults and a child of 5) what I should do as far as the DDP is concernced. I really don't want to be bothered with cooking but could do breakfast in the room a couple of times.
I really need some advice..thanks!!!

 

[Chuck S]

Ok.. my mom used her points to get us(my family of 2 adults 1 5 yr old, sister and her 2 sons and parents) rooms at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

I have not been to DW in 15 years and have never stayed on property.
I really would like to get in some Charachter meals for my daughter.
I have been reading the information on the DDP and I am not sure for a family of 3(2 adults and a child of 5) what I should do as far as the DDP is concernced. I really don't want to be bothered with cooking but could do breakfast in the room a couple of times.
I really need some advice..thanks!!!

Character meals are expensive. If you think most of your table service will be set-price venues, like buffets and character meals, DDP is likely a good option.

If you're lighter eaters, or prefer appetizers/salads over desserts, the DDP may not be your best option.

 

[hakepb]

The DDP has evolved from a discounted dining plan into a prepaid dining plan.
the DDP has to be added to a reservation at leasst 48 hours before arrival.

If you buy the DDP, you still have to pay gratuity (tip 15-18%) at sit-down meals. The DDP also does not include an appetizer (for you, I think kids still get one) or alcolholic beverages.

Character breakfast buffet's (and buffetes in general) are generally the lowest value use of the DDP. If you are like me and think a Disney vacation means a breakfast at Chef Mickey's and O'Hana (Poly) those wants diminish the value of the DDP.. (I think if you have multiple children, DDP seems better because the kids DDP price is less than buffets)

The more expensive one credit dinner options like LeCellier are the best use of DDP from a value standpoint.

Personally, I no longer use the DDP and pay out-of-pocket because it is cheaper, and more flexible for the way we dine. At SSR or OKW you can get a Giordano's, Flippers, or if you really insist,a Papa John's pizza (all from outside WDW) delivered right to your room door.

Really, you have to figure what you would eat, if you paid cash, then compare the cash total to the DDP. At the top of this page, there are menu's (At the dining link) so you can get an idea of prices.

You can also make ADR's (Advanced Dining Reservations) 180 days from your trip. It is important to make your reservations as soon as you can, otherwise you may be very disapointed with either way.

 

[tjkraz]

I'll add that the Dining Plans are length-of-stay plans meaning that you need to purchase the DDP for every night of your stay AND for all occupants staying in a single room. You weren't specific about the sleeping arrangements for your group. If all of the people you listed (sounds like about 8 total) are staying in a single villa, they ALL need to buy the DDP or nobody can get it. And if you're staying 5 nights, every occupant has to pay for 5 nights' of the Dining Plan.

Also note that using the DDP does not get you any preferential treatment with regard to making dining reservations. If you are less than 180 days out from your trip, certain character meals may already be fully booked. Buying the DDP won't change that situation.

However you slice it, dining at Walt Disney World can be expensive and buying a dining plan isn't going to alter that situation a whole lot.

 

[TDC Nala]

It doesn't sound like the entire group is on one room reservation, because it looks like they're at different resorts (OKW and SSR).

I have already posted a response to this poster's identical post on the dining plan board, so I wouldn't have much to add to that, except that one should be certain how many meals one wants to plan before deciding on a TS dining plan. The one thing you do not want to do with a dining plan is leave your prepaid credits unused (if you selected the dining plan anticipating that it will save you money.)

 

[tjkraz]

It doesn't sound like the entire group is on one room reservation, because it looks like they're at different resorts (OKW and SSR).

Perhaps. Could also be a split stay. Or, if they are at two separate resorts I didn't want to make any assumptions about which indiviuals are in each location.

 

[wdrl]

Another factor to consider is whether you can make advanced dining reservations (ADRs) for your meals. Disney now permits guests, including DVC members and guests staying on points, to make ADRs up to 180 days before your trip. Many restaurants and character meals book up quickly, so I highly recommend that you make ADRs for those meals you really want as soon as your 180-day window opens. Keep in mind that you can make ADRs first and then decide whether you want to purchase the DDP. Good luck!!

 

[Nettaboo]

I am sorry..I should have been more clear..
We have the two rooms but will be all staying the same time.. we just don't know how the rooms will be split between us..it will either be 2 and 6 or 3 and 5.

 

[Sandisw]

I am sorry..I should have been more clear..
We have the two rooms but will be all staying the same time.. we just don't know how the rooms will be split between us..it will either be 2 and 6 or 3 and 5.

If there are two rooms, you can add the DDP to one room and not the other. However, everyone listed on the reservation must purchase the dining plan.

So, if you do 2 and 6 and put it on the room with 2, both those people would have the DDP. If you go 3 and 5, and put it on the room with 5, than all 5 of those people must get the DDP.

Once you know how you will be staying, then you can decide if the DDP is worth it. If you know that you want to do TS meals each day, it can be an easy way and save you some money. If not, then paying OOP usually works out best.

We do the QSDP because we don't want to do more than 1 TS meal (don't like being tied down to that many ADR's) during a trip. In this case, we just pay OOP for that if we choose to go to one.

 

[Nettaboo]

ok..question..if we do 2 and 6 can we put it on the 2 but 2 from the 6 actually use it???

 

[Chuck S]

ok..question..if we do 2 and 6 can we put it on the 2 but 2 from the 6 actually use it???

No, it is against the rules of the DDP to allow someone who is not officially on the DDP to use your credits.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, it is against the rules of the DDP to allow someone who is not officially on the DDP to use your credits.

You can't use your credits to buy meals for someone in another room. At TS restaurants, DDP will cover only the same amount of meals as you have persons listed on the DDP keycard. If you have two adults on DDP and you have a party of four at the restaurant, and order four adult meals, DDP will cover only two of those meals.

If you want DDP for your family, have all three of you registered in the same room. You will not be able to use your credits to buy meals for your sister's family or your parents though.

 

[Crystal_27]

Since our first trip to Disney in 2007, we have used the DDP. For us, it really works for the way that we vacation, in that we like to have one sit down meal per day (usually dinner). And, although I agree that the plans have become less savings-based and more convenience-based (particularly as the cost continues to go up while the offerings continue to dwindle), it still works well for our family. Your best bet would be to browse the menus on Allears and to find out what you would be eating, how much it would cost (versus the cost of the plan), and go from there. Make sure to include the cost of snacks and drinks and tips with your calculations. Good luck with your decision.

 

[DVCGeek]

Perhaps you should buy at least one annual pass (if you don't already have one) and get the tables in Wonderland card. that gives you a 20% discount on most table service restaurants, and the AP gives discounts at a number of other places. Then you pay out of pocket for everything but often at reduced rates and have maximum flexibility. That's what we did on our last trip, using room charges for everything until our checkout day, and it worked very nicely.

Depending on your length of stay and how many days you plan to be in the parks the AP may be cost effective for everyone, otherwise you could just get normal MYW tickets for the other 4 in your party...

 

[Anal Annie]

Ok.. my mom used her points to get us(my family of 2 adults 1 5 yr old, sister and her 2 sons and parents) rooms at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

I have not been to DW in 15 years and have never stayed on property.
I really would like to get in some Charachter meals for my daughter.
I have been reading the information on the DDP and I am not sure for a family of 3(2 adults and a child of 5) what I should do as far as the DDP is concernced. I really don't want to be bothered with cooking but could do breakfast in the room a couple of times.
I really need some advice..thanks!!!

We have never used the DDP as I don't consider it a good value for us since Disney considers kids to be adults at age 10. My DS is 12 and eats nowhere near $40 worth of food per day!

We do a quick no mess no fuss breakfast in our villa (usually toasted bagels & cream cheese or cereal / oatmeal) and then do CS for lunch & a handful of CS for dinner sprinkled with handful of TS dinners. We also don't like being tied to ADR's. We don't like HAVING to be in a certain park at a certain time more than about 3 times in a week. It just stresses us out to have to plan our days around meals.

I think out of pocket is a lot better deal for us & is more economical. I actually think the character breakfasts are a reasonable price for what you get and have no problem paying for them out of pocket. DS is sort of beyond caring about meeting the characters like that now so we haven't done one for awhile. I think the OPs situation sounds a little uncertain and I think out of pocket might be the best plan for this trip since she's so uncertain about their plans. Just call early (180 days) to book any ADR's or character meals.

 

[Greysword]

We prefer to fix meals in the room more times than eat in a restaurant, especially if we have guests staying with us. We can feed more people with excellent quality for a lot less, plus the pace is slower in the room than at a restaurant.

It is likely that the group will want to get together for dinner (supper?) to discuss the day's events and plan for the next. It would be easier and less expensive to do so in the room vice a restaurant. Since you have so many adults, you could rotate the cooking and clean-up duties each day, so no one has to cook or clean more than once in the stay (five adults=five rotations). You could then book reservations for the other days you are there (1-2?).

Also, you are likely going to want to go to a grocery store anyway, to pick up breakfast items, water, snacks, etc, as it is less expensive than park versions and you have the facilities to prepare/store these items.

Good luck!

- Chris

 

[Nettaboo]

Chris,
You read my mind!! I actually think we are just going to switch the dinner preperations between the adults, have quick breakfast items in the room..
and pay OOP for the 2 ADRs(Crystal Palace and a princess meal).. and eat lunch on the fly at the parks or even if we come back to our room for a break..
We will have our own water bottles so we can fill up at the fountains..
I do agree that 10 for the child is good but I think my plan saves us even more money.