DDP fans no more.....

[wdw4rfam]

We are a family of 5 that sang the praises of DDP for years. We would not even consider booking without it. We have added it every trip since it first came about. We are number crunchers, and it was always a good deal- even more so when we got it free. It always outdid any room discount. BUT.....now all but 1 of us are "adults". DDP is $240 per day for us this coming trip in April. Considering we do mostly breakfasts and lower priced TS, it is more than we would spend. We were actually thinking we dont want a TS every day anyways- figured out that we could do a TS every other day, still each get one snack, and a CS, and the refillable mugs just for the 3 of us that actually USE them (DD didnt use hers even once last time, DS only once or twice), and SAVE $500. Plus, Disney states that you can save UP TO 15% by buying the DDP- so I figure that would be bascially the desset that nobody ever wanted anyways. Unless its free....no more.

 

[disneyfan123]

We're not fans of the dining plan either; we did it 2 years ago when we took our kids for the first time, and while I'm glad we tried it, there are more economical ways to eat at WDW. Some people like the convenience of it, but I think it's a steep price to pay for convenience.

 

[TDC Nala]

I quit the dining plan in 2008, which is when it stopped being of any significant savings to me. I also don't find it convenient, so there was no "convenience value."

 

[wdw4rfam]

I think it was a deal at first, then the price just went too high. Plus we were eating waaaay too much food. When you gain 10 lbs in a week, you know you are eating way too much. Who eats dessert with lunch??

 

[brymolmom]

Prices are getting so high that I'm even shying away from FREE DINING - and we've gotten that about 10 time since they started offering it. Next year during our usual 'free dining' August trip - I think I'm going to use a room only discount on Beach Club (we NEVER stay deluxe - often Value but sometimes upgrade to MOD for DDP upgrade), and use our non-expiring tickets that we have (wish I had an extra $1500 back then would have bought 2 sets of them at that price - works out to about $28 per day with those tickets since we get 20 total park visits). For food and to try to keep with the 'free' feeling - I'm going to rack up as many Rewards Dollars that I can. I have about $250 now...pricing everything out I am hoping for $800 on the card to cover all the TS AND CS that we will want - without feeling like we're doling out cash right there on the spot.

We're going to be able to stay at a DELUXE and have all our meals covered (although we won't get nearly as many desserts, but that's OK - probably will add in a couple of appetizers), even calculating the cost of the tickets that we're using - we're coming in below what it would have cost to buy our tickets, stay at a value and upgrade to basic DP.

I'm a bit bummed because a lot of the fun for me was making all the puzzle pieces fit and using all our credits while not spending anything OOP. But I think this is the better deal. We're also goign to throw in 2 nights at US to do the Harry Potter thing since the kids are into it now. For 2 nights there with tickets and 6 nights at BEACH CLUB with tickets and a rental car that we never get - I'm figuring maybe $500 more than we would have spent (granted, this is because we already ahve the tickets purchased) on staying at a MOD and buying the tickets for the free dining.

I think dining prices, ticket prices AND hotel prices have gotten a bit out of hand. I used to tell everyone that as long as you went for a week and not just one or two days - that WDW was a very affordable vacation. I don't think I can argue that anymore.

 

[kddisney502]

We don't do the dinning plan unless it's free. Even then, it has to be a big savings over the room only discount. We've found that we don't spend much on dinning.

 

[QueenElinor]

The savings on our room-only discount at a deluxe resort plus discounted tickets is probably equal to what we would save with free DDP. I've never sat down to calculate it, though. Honestly, the DDP seems like a pain to keep track of and would alter our eating habits too much. I want to eat where, when and how much I want when I'm on vacation, I don't need stress from a dining plan!

 

[lightmoonstone]

I have never tried it before and i am a little nervous-I've heard a lot of people state that it is a hassle and expensive...

 

[danceintherain]

We are a family of 5 that sang the praises of DDP for years. We would not even consider booking without it. We have added it every trip since it first came about. We are number crunchers, and it was always a good deal- even more so when we got it free. It always outdid any room discount. BUT.....now all but 1 of us are "adults". DDP is $240 per day for us this coming trip in April. Considering we do mostly breakfasts and lower priced TS, it is more than we would spend. We were actually thinking we dont want a TS every day anyways- figured out that we could do a TS every other day, still each get one snack, and a CS, and the refillable mugs just for the 3 of us that actually USE them (DD didnt use hers even once last time, DS only once or twice), and SAVE $500. Plus, Disney states that you can save UP TO 15% by buying the DDP- so I figure that would be bascially the desset that nobody ever wanted anyways. Unless its free....no more.

I agree about the desserts. I figured out that exactly the one time we did the dining plan, and it wasn't made any easier by the fact we were on our honeymoon, so we might have gotten some for free anyways.

Now, we sit somewhere between the basic dining plan, and the deluxe dining plan. I just made a whole bunch of ADRs for a tentative trip in January, and we have several meals we'd have to pay OOP for or nix in order to make the basic dining plan "work." We'd have to add several meals in order to make the deluxe dining plan "work."

DH likes the convenience of the dining plan, but I can't justify it.

Another factor is the timing of everything. If we're on the dining plan, then I try to hold DH off until we get to our next ADR, or until he'll be paying lunch prices instead of breakfast. If we pay OOP, then he can grab food when he's hungry, and it's not a big deal if he's not all that hungry when we get to our sit down meal (except with buffets) or he buys breakfast CS instead of lunch or dinner. Some of it is about learning how to schedule our meals, but it's more about eating when we're hungry.

The mugs are a big joke, IMO. Every counter service meal comes with a drink on the dining plan, so you have to try fairly hard in order to find "extra" drinks, unless you're a huge coffee or soda drinker. We got them on our last trip, because we weren't on the dining plan, and it still wasn't that great of a deal. I'm not particularly fond of taking the mugs full to the parks (they spill easily) and you can't use them once you get there. I much prefer taking a water bottle around with me and drinking water everywhere with the occasional flavored beverage.

 

[~Kristina~]

It's not worth it for us free or otherwise, typically. We're a family of 7 and don't eat 200+ dollars each in food a day. Free dining isn't usually worth it either because we'd have to book two rooms and it defeats the purpose. We'll save the money and camp at Ft. Wilderness. But my mom is coming with us next year, so we'll be getting two rooms, so we're shooting for FD.

 

[hsmamato2]

Oh it's worth it just for the mugs. haha joke
all kidding aside, I wouldn't do it,unless it was a 'free' package- that's the only way we could work it..... as all the peeps in our family are 'adults'
so it works well....but otherwise,oop is the best way to go!

 

[hsmamato2]

plus I get to bring those cute travel mugs home to use...

 

[tarak]

The only plan that works for us is the quick service plan. But starting next year, when my oldest turns 10, I'll probably stop doing that.

I honestly wonder if Disney keeps raising the prices so free dining looks like a better savings.

 

[goofy78]

I've been going back and forth as to if FD were offered at the same time a RO discount was offered which would I choose. Well we are a family of 5 Disney adults. Two will be 11 at the time we travel but do not eat like adults yet. The DDP OOP would cost us close to 2000.00. A RO 30% discount would be close to 1000.00 (BC). So obviously FD would be a bigger savings for my family right? But now comes the indecisiveness. Dessert with CS and TS every time? I don't think we can do that. I've looked over the menus and haven't found anything my two 11 yr olds would eat. I know not every restaurant will let them eat off the kids menu but some might. Can this be done on the DDP? There seems to be so many reasons I keep going back and forth and I'm not sure what to do.

 

[tinkerpea]

I've been going back and forth as to if FD were offered at the same time a RO discount was offered which would I choose. Well we are a family of 5 Disney adults. Two will be 11 at the time we travel but do not eat like adults yet. The DDP OOP would cost us close to 2000.00. A RO 30% discount would be close to 1000.00 (BC). So obviously FD would be a bigger savings for my family right? But now comes the indecisiveness. Dessert with CS and TS every time? I don't think we can do that. I've looked over the menus and haven't found anything my two 11 yr olds would eat. I know not every restaurant will let them eat off the kids menu but some might. Can this be done on the DDP? There seems to be so many reasons I keep going back and forth and I'm not sure what to do.

With the DDP your children will still be allowed to order off of the kids meals,They will make a bigger portion of what ever they choose so it makes it more worth the adult credit

We have actually upgraded our 7yr old twins this trip as i know they will love the desserts but they will still be allowed to order off the kids menu if they want to or even share,
Full grown adults ca also order from the kids menu......

 

[goofy78]

With the DDP your children will still be allowed to order off of the kids meals,They will make a bigger portion of what ever they choose so it makes it more worth the adult credit

We have actually upgraded our 7yr old twins this trip as i know they will love the desserts but they will still be allowed to order off the kids menu if they want to or even share,
Full grown adults ca also order from the kids menu......

That's good to know. So with that being said in your opinion would you go with FD or RO? FD would be the bigger saver so if my decision was based only on money I believe that is what I should choose. Do you think so? We've never done the DDP so I can't say if it's for us or not. It can't be THAT bad can it?

 

[PrincessTrisha]

That's good to know. So with that being said in your opinion would you go with FD or RO? FD would be the bigger saver so if my decision was based only on money I believe that is what I should choose. Do you think so? We've never done the DDP so I can't say if it's for us or not. It can't be THAT bad can it?

Remeber - for any buffet, dinner show or all-you-care-to-eat meals, your age 10+ kids will be charged the adult price.

Plus, your kids might prefer the adult desserts (otherwise most kids desserts are fruit or the make your own sundae).

Don't be afraid to ask for plain whatever for your kids or to ask to modify the meal to make it friendly to them - if there's steak or chicken on the menu, usually you can get mashed potatoes or fries with it and leave off the sauce so it's a more basic meal that they might enjoy.

 

[goofy78]

Remeber - for any buffet, dinner show or all-you-care-to-eat meals, your age 10+ kids will be charged the adult price.

Plus, your kids might prefer the adult desserts (otherwise most kids desserts are fruit or the make your own sundae).

Don't be afraid to ask for plain whatever for your kids or to ask to modify the meal to make it friendly to them - if there's steak or chicken on the menu, usually you can get mashed potatoes or fries with it and leave off the sauce so it's a more basic meal that they might enjoy.

The ONLY way we would do the DDP would be if it was free so technically my 2 DD11 wouldn't be charged anything. I will though take your advice and ask for meals modified to their liking. They aren't chicken fingers and french fry eaters all the time but they are also not Grilled chicken breast served over poblano rice, with a classic “mole”, made with nuts, spices, chiles and a hint of cocoa. I wish there was more "in between" food for pre-teen kids.

 

[michelleiada]

We love the dining plan! I do agree that the price going up every year has made it less of a value and it is a lot of food. We still love

 

[TheRatPack]

With the DDP your children will still be allowed to order off of the kids meals,They will make a bigger portion of what ever they choose so it makes it more worth the adult credit

This may be true if you're paying OOP for your meals but don't assume they'll allow you to do that if you're on the dining plan. We were denied that option at Whispering Canyon. I really don't know why they wouldn't allow it....like you said, many adults probably would like a smaller meal, or a choice from the child's menu as well. Maybe it's a server issue, who knows.

We love the dining plan! I do agree that the price going up every year has made it less of a value and it is a lot of food. We still love

We are not big eaters, but the dining plan has always came out cheaper for us as well. We like TS meals and they are OUTRAGEOUS at Disney. Last year we paid OOP for our TS meals and spent over 900.00 for 6 or 7 meals. This year we upgraded to the regular dining plan and factored in tips and we're still getting a deal for our family size. We never felt bloated or gained weight during vacation either. We didn't feel like we had to finish each and every bite, but most of the time my kids cleaned their plates. I guess it works better for some families