DDP for 6 days or TiW

[DoryDorito]

If we are talking about regular dining plan not the deluxe or quick service, which is a better deal? Does the number of people make a difference? There will be DH, myself and two kids (5&6).

 

[Kidanifan08]

If you are buying the DVC member TIW at $100, you need to spend $500 to break even. If you have 6 TS and at least one is a character meal, then TIW may pay off, particularly if either one of you enjoy an adult beverage and an appetizer with your meal. If your doing four character meals over the course of the week, DDP may be more cost effective, since two of the four of you are on the kids plan. Kids vs. no kids really make a big difference in the decision. The more kids, the better the DDP works.

The best thing to do is look at your current ADR's (or ADR plans) and see what you would spend based on that itinerary. For my family of 3, the DDP ends up being more food than we can handle, so TIW has worked well, and we eat and spend less. Fortunately, we have been able to get at least 2 trips out of our TIW, so about 16-24 days per year. We have AP's, so we get the card for $75. At our TS ADR's we usually get an appetizer to share, 2 adult beverages and one dessert per meal, so DDP does not make sense. We do not always eat one CS per person per day. We don't need the refillable mugs.

 

[DoryDorito]

At this point we have two character meals booked. We don't do signature restaurants anymore with the DDP, but I'd like to think we get our money's worth because we do a TS meal each day.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Harlemgirl720]

Kidanifan its sounds like it will be worth it to do TIW. There are 3 adults and 1 child. We have a TS booked everyday for 8 days and I plan to head back in October for Food and Wine. Oh and buying APs too. I am trying to tell my Mom it would be better for us to pay OOP and use the TIW card than the DDP. We always end up trying to use all the credits towards the end of the trip.

 

[CarolMN]

I'm not a fan of the Dining Plans. However, in your case, it may very well be a good value, since you have 2 children under 10 and have already scheduled 2 character meals. Just compare the daily price of a child's DP and the price of the character meals!

As noted above, the only way to see for sure, is to look at the menus and add up what you would REALLY ORDER for the trip without the plan. Don't fall into the trap of comparing the prices of the most expensive items on the meal to the DP price, unless you really do order those things. DP often encourages peple to order to "get their money's worth" rather than what they really want (and would be better for them. It's usually not a good idea to stuff yourself for a week, LOL).

Keep in mind that the DP gives you 1 TS and 1 QS, so you would need to use the snack for the 3rd meal of the day or pay out of pocket, etc. Also, no appetizers are included, and you get some kind of desert for each meal.

 

[fishermouse]

Really depends on how you plan on using it. TIW will not cover most of your cs or snacks, it does cover a few just check ahead, TIW covers your adult beverages which are bit pricey at all WDW locations.

 

[Kidanifan08]

At this point we have two character meals booked. We don't do signature restaurants anymore with the DDP, but I'd like to think we get our money's worth because we do a TS meal each day.

Thanks so much for your help.

With two character meals and a TS daily, DDP may work better for you and the kids plan may be a real win, particularly if any of your TS are buffets. You should look at the menus for the TS meals and see if between what you would eat there and at a CS ($15-19 per adult meal with entree, dessert, beverage) and see if it would exceed the current DDP price per day ($53-ish). Then you have to decide if you want all of that food.

If you are planning your next trip within 12 (or it may be 13) months of this trip, then TIW may be a better options, since it can be used for 12 (or perhaps 13) months past the day you purchase it. We only have 1 child, and we have definitely saved money by using TIW over DDP. But, it was nice to have DDP paid in advanced and not have to worry about paying for meals during the week.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Kidanifan its sounds like it will be worth it to do TIW. There are 3 adults and 1 child. We have a TS booked everyday for 8 days and I plan to head back in October for Food and Wine. Oh and buying APs too. I am trying to tell my Mom it would be better for us to pay OOP and use the TIW card than the DDP. We always end up trying to use all the credits towards the end of the trip.

TIW definitely sounds like the right choice for you. With that many days of Disney, you will easily be able to cover the purchase cost of $75 for AP holders. We really enjoy the flexibility of ordering what we really want to eat, rather than trying to order the most expensive entree (which is what we did when we bought DDP). Plus, we like to get an appetizer once in awhile and we don't always want dessert. An adult beverage is a given at our TS meals. Unfortunately, TIW does not work at any of the F&W kiosks, as the DDP snack credits do. F&W is one time when the DDP snack credits are a big win, as most of the kiosks take the DDP snack credit for the offerings they serve.

If your mom likes to have things pre-paid, she could start buying Disney gift cards over the next several weeks and spread out the cost. Then she can use those at the restaurants to pay for her meals. We just do room charge for everything which then ends up on our Disney Premiere Visa.

 

[Sunshine22]

It becomes a difficult decision with 2 kids under 9. The DDP might be a good option for you due to the lower prices for kids under 9. However, it depends on your dining needs. We've always chosen TIW once our kids were over 9 because of the flexibility and savings for our dining patterns. We don't really enjoy counter service meals and keep snacks, breakfast items, etc. in our room. We use TIW for 1 or 2 sit down meals or character meals per day and it more than pays out for a family of 4 with two teens.

 

[Harlemgirl720]

TIW definitely sounds like the right choice for you. With that many days of Disney, you will easily be able to cover the purchase cost of $75 for AP holders. We really enjoy the flexibility of ordering what we really want to eat, rather than trying to order the most expensive entree (which is what we did when we bought DDP). Plus, we like to get an appetizer once in awhile and we don't always want dessert. An adult beverage is a given at our TS meals. Unfortunately, TIW does not work at any of the F&W kiosks, as the DDP snack credits do. F&W is one time when the DDP snack credits are a big win, as most of the kiosks take the DDP snack credit for the offerings they serve.

If your mom likes to have things pre-paid, she could start buying Disney gift cards over the next several weeks and spread out the cost. Then she can use those at the restaurants to pay for her meals. We just do room charge for everything which then ends up on our Disney Premiere Visa.

Help me out on this one. Most of the TS are buffets.....Boma, Tusker House, T-Rex, Crystal Palace, Mama Melrose, Ohana, Cape May, Chef Mickeys. In October I have Cape May, Boma, Ohana and Teppan Edo. Thats 4 adults. I like to have an occasional cocktail or two, or three. LOL. But TIW would still be a better bet for me? Even though I'm the only one drinking this trip but in October is everyone is and we will be going out to eat breakfast.

Only asking because I saw that many feel DDP may work better with buffets.

 

[Sandisw]

Help me out on this one. Most of the TS are buffets.....Boma, Tusker House, T-Rex, Crystal Palace, Mama Melrose, Ohana, Cape May, Chef Mickeys. In October I have Cape May, Boma, Ohana and Teppan Edo. Thats 4 adults. I like to have an occasional cocktail or two, or three. LOL. But TIW would still be a better bet for me? Even though I'm the only one drinking this trip but in October is everyone is and we will be going out to eat breakfast.

Only asking because I saw that many feel DDP may work better with buffets.

If those are all 1 credit meals on the DDP, then I have to be honest, I think that is a better choice for that first trip. Maybe get TIW and use it for your drinks the first tim--and I think its good at a CS place at AK--and then use it for everything on the second trip as you will be doing breakfast which is less.

I still think that with 4 adults, you will cover the cost of the card and realize the savings...it's like the best of both worlds?

 

[Harlemgirl720]

Makes sense to me.

 

[Kidanifan08]

Help me out on this one. Most of the TS are buffets.....Boma, Tusker House, T-Rex, Crystal Palace, Mama Melrose, Ohana, Cape May, Chef Mickeys. In October I have Cape May, Boma, Ohana and Teppan Edo. Thats 4 adults. I like to have an occasional cocktail or two, or three. LOL. But TIW would still be a better bet for me? Even though I'm the only one drinking this trip but in October is everyone is and we will be going out to eat breakfast.

Only asking because I saw that many feel DDP may work better with buffets.

T-Rex and Teppan Edo do not participate in TIW, so it could not be used at those restaurants. T-rex has a DVC and AP discount, which may work for you. Teppan just does an AP discount.

With as many buffets that you have, the DDP may work, if you desire the snack and CS. O'Hana is the most expensive buffet of the bunch, and you may want an adult beverage there, which you will have to pay cash for on top of DDP. You also need to factor in the tip on top of DDP at each of those places, so TIW may be better. It's a tough call and it may be a push. I would get out a calculator and crunch the numbers. As Sandi said, it appear the the TIW will definitely pay for itself if you decide to go that route. Now, if you have another trip planned within the 12 months after the first, then I think I would definitely go with TIW. Especially after seeing the prices for the 2013 DDP

 

[Harlemgirl720]

What are the DDP prices for 2013?

 

[ct_chris]

Standard Dining Plan
(Value and Regular Season)
$55.59 per night ages 10 and up
$17.16 per night age 3 to 9

(Peak Season)
$56.94 per night ages 10 and up
$18.16 per night ages 3 to 9

 

[GAN]

We too have been considering TIW, as DVC members we can get it for $100. What I have not seen discussed is the fact that we can still get 10% off just for having DVC for dinner(and maybe a few lunches) so I'm thinking our net savings would actually only be 10% instead of the 20%. Or has this perk been eliminated? Since TIW includes adult beverages that complicates it some more -I could see us spending $30/day(7-days) on drinks, with a night out including at least one bottle of wine. Maybe I just convinced myself.

 

[DenLo]

We too have been considering TIW, as DVC members we can get it for $100. What I have not seen discussed is the fact that we can still get 10% off just for having DVC for dinner(and maybe a few lunches) so I'm thinking our net savings would actually only be 10% instead of the 20%. Or has this perk been eliminated? Since TIW includes adult beverages that complicates it some more -I could see us spending $30/day(7-days) on drinks, with a night out including at least one bottle of wine. Maybe I just convinced myself.

But how many restaurants accept the DVC card for a discount? Not very many in my experience. Do you have a list of the restaurants that accept the DVC card?

 

[Harlemgirl720]

Standard Dining Plan
(Value and Regular Season)
$55.59 per night ages 10 and up
$17.16 per night age 3 to 9

(Peak Season)
$56.94 per night ages 10 and up
$18.16 per night ages 3 to 9

I sure hope thats not DVC prices.

 

[GAN]

But how many restaurants accept the DVC card for a discount? Not very many in my experience. Do you have a list of the restaurants that accept the DVC card?

A link is below:

http://allears.net/pl/disc_dining.pdf

Pretty helpful