DDP - Do you love it or hate it?

[squirrel]

Do you feel like you have to have the DDP now that you got it for Free or tried it and now can't live without it?

On my previous trips-I just did one or two TS meals for the whole trip. With the free Dining we did one just about every day. Now I don't know if I could go again without it. I know I just can't eat all that food on the DP, but the TS meal are so nice!

There are so many restaurants. Even with another trip for 14 nights, it seems we will have just started trying out all the restaurants.

 

[mmmbop]

It's nice, yes. It's convenient as well... but would I die if I didn't have it? no... I really don't eat that much (or eat cheaper), but if it's free, why not?

 

[food4me]

I haven't decided either way. I've done both, and DDP was certainly convenient, but I don't know that I would necessarily recommend it. We tend to eat lots of cereal breakfasts, and other meals outside of the park. The DDP is nice because you can eat whatever you want, but you do feel like you have to eat at DDP restaurants, since you have it. We found that we skipped desserts and generally ate healthier without the DDP, too.

 

[loralie]

We did the basic dining plan in 2005 and it was not free but we LOVED it. Of course the appetizer and tips were included back then so it was better than it is now but I loved the convenience of being able to order whatever we wanted and not think about the price. It makes it more of a vacation for us. I know for me, if I had to pay for each meal separately, I would be ordering the least expensive thing and telling my kids to get the chicken instead of a steak and I would be worrying about the bill. It's just who I am. Now we can go and we can just have fun and not worry about it because it is all paid for already. We are doing the basic dining plan for our trip in 16 days. We were thinking of trying the deluxe dining plan but I really think it would be too much food for us.

Loralie

 

[caroline1851]

It saved us $200, so I loved it.

 

[thepwa]

After having it free the last couple of years, it is going to be tough not to have it this year.

I am still considering adding it on to my trip this year, but have not decided yet.. although I am leaning toward getting it.

If I do add it, I am still getting a better deal with the 4/3 offer plus paying for the DDP than going during the Free Dininig offer.

 

[WAHMto5]

We will not go without it!!

 

[dml]

It saved us $200, so I loved it.

It usually saves my husband & I over $200 when we use it, so ya, I LOVE IT!!

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't hate it, but it makes almost no sense for me to use it so I don't.

 

[WillowBelle]

We love it. We've gotten it on our past 3 trips and will be getting it again this summer. We weren't too concerned when the appy. fell off from the original DDP. You still get PLENTY of food.

I have a DD8 who counts as a child. We eat at mostly buffets or family style restaurants so that she can get her fill of regular food. 4 chicken nuggets and some grapes at a CS restaurant will not fill her up.

 

[cbeehler3]

My husband is a big eater. We LOVE it. It is convenient and we like eating at the TS places with out feeling we have broken the bank.

I have to read the fine print for this time around, though. Last time we got it, the apps and tips were included. Now THAT was a deal.

 

[My2Angels]

We LOVE it! And it definitely saves us a ton of money! Of course, we still have 3 kids under 9years of age! I only wish DDP were offered if staying off-site. We will miss it this time around.

 

[PhilMo78]

We would NEVER do WDW w/out the DDP!!! We love food, we love to eat @ restaurants, so it works for us. We would love to experiment w/ new places, but love our favs sooooo much, we generally stick to them.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

We would NEVER do WDW w/out the DDP!!! We love food, we love to eat @ restaurants, so it works for us.

I will second those exact thoughts!

 

[madcat]

we love the DP and have used it our last three visits. That being said without the plan we prob. would not eat at some of the TS places that we eat at, we would really have to narrow it down to our faves When we went a few weeks ago, we looked at what we would be paying had we paid oop for the meals, some time it seemed really steep for what we "got" now I know that at a lot of places you also pay for the experience. The only other issue I had with the DP this time was the fact that tipping was included for parties of 6 or more, I guess I should say that it wasnt the fact that it was included but the fact that they charged not only my husband and myself but also my parents who were with us as well 18%. My parents were on their own DP and we were on ours, but they still charged us 18% each. I dont mind paying for great service and most of the time we got it, but I still felt the tips were a little excessive (most of the servers did too, we had more than one apologize and we were NOT making a big deal about it to them). Other than that, we Do love the DP

 

[TDC Nala]

The only other issue I had with the DP this time was the fact that tipping was included for parties of 6 or more, I guess I should say that it wasnt the fact that it was included but the fact that they charged not only my husband and myself but also my parents who were with us as well 18%. My parents were on their own DP and we were on ours, but they still charged us 18% each. I dont mind paying for great service and most of the time we got it, but I still felt the tips were a little excessive (most of the servers did too, we had more than one apologize and we were NOT making a big deal about it to them). Other than that, we Do love the DP

Tipping discussion is not permitted on the main restaurant boards and subboards - the restaurant boards have a dedicated sticky thread for tipping - but in the interest of clearing this one up, tips are not "included" in the dining plan anymore for anyone. There is an automatic tip charged to any parties of six or more dining on the same restaurant reservation. If there are six or more of you at the table, no matter how many different room reservations and dining plans you are on, or how many ways you split the check, the entire party will be charged the automatic 18 percent. And children, even infants, count toward party size for a restaurant reservation.

If there are 5 or fewer in your party you shouldn't be charged an automatic tip on the dining plan. The receipts will have suggested tip amounts calculated at 18% of your total and 20% of your total printed on them. If there are less than six in your party these are suggested amounts only.

Any further tipping discussion, especially regarding opinions of the WDW tipping rules and customs, should be posted on the tipping information thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2056032

Please see the first post of that thread for the policies of the restaurant boards regarding tipping discussion.

If this thread becomes a discussion about tipping we will have to close it and refer it to tipping info.

 

[madcat]

oops sorry about that feel free to delete the post

 

[madcat]

dbl post

 

[aubriee]

We love the DDP and can't imagine ever going without it again. We have always done at least one TS meal a day and love having everything paid for in advance. For us it's a convenience issue. I know we can't discuss tipping on here, but the only thing I don't like about it, is the fact that the tip is no longer included. I love not having to carry any money into the parks with me. That's not a big enough drawback for us not to get the DDP though. I'll be using it May 9th-16th with the buy four/get three nights free deal, Sept 26th-Oct 4th for free dining, and then Dec 12th-20th with the 40% off PIN code deal. So yes, I guess I love the DDP.

 

[arielmomma]

We enjoy it during free dining, but we do not get the DP every time that we go. We just went in January for 8 days and did not get it. We didn't want to be committed to ADR's or anything else. We have never paid for it. My husband and I are considering go to WDW for our 10th wedding anniversary in 2010 and we may pay for the DP then b/c we do intend to eat at many TS restaurants, but that will be the first time. Its nice, but not a necessity.