DDP for first time family with 3 Juniors

[First Timer Jun12]

I have gone over the menus for our table service ADR's. Our family will spend an average of $100-$125 at dinner (not ordering appetizers or deserts, but each getting an entree and drink - which is how we usually eat) , including tax and tip. Most of our ADRs had to be in the late afternoon. We plan to eat on the run out of our hotel room in the mornings. Having been there and done that, do you still think that we will be able to spend the additional $100 - 75 per day on the plan or will we make out or break even? Not using the plans could also give us flexibility to cancel some TS meals if we are not yet hungry or are too wrapped up in what we are doing to make a reservation. The most I can see us spending on lunch would be $50 and snacks $20. Is this accurate to you? I think we will about break even either way, but not using the plan would give more flexibilty. However, using the plan would give us more food options and dessert!

I know that I am agonizing over small details, but I could really use some advice from someone familiar with WDW.

Boatwright's 6:640
Coral Reef 2:00
Alfredo's 6:45
Whispering Canyon 2:40
Princess Storybook Breakfast 10:15 (for 2); All Sports Café (for 3)
Crystal Palace 4:00
Spoodles 5:00
Sci-Fi 2:10
Boma's 10:15

I chose Alfredo's and Spoodles to maximize the value of the plan, so we could change those or use a counter service instead. I'm also not stuck on Crystal Palace, although it would be the only family character meal for us.

Not using the plan could also give us the flexibilty to share appetizers, meals, and desserts. (DH and I share meals when vacationing because we seem to always be eating, and all the kids still order from kid's menus at home, although they could eat a larger prtion.) Or to snack instead of using a counter service at lunch, split a large counter service, etc.

2 adults, 13yr boy, 11yr boy, 10yr girl. We will be there 8 nights at $200 per day, or $1600 total, plus will need to buy 2 meals out of pocket.

Please let me know if I am missing something in my thought process. I know it is up to me and our family's eating habits, but I can't figure out how I feel about it.


Thanks to All in Advance!

 

[LizinSTL]

I have gone over the menus for our table service ADR's. Our family will spend an average of $100-$125 at dinner (not ordering appetizers or deserts, but each getting an entree and drink - which is how we usually eat) , including tax and tip. Most of our ADRs had to be in the late afternoon. We plan to eat on the run out of our hotel room in the mornings. Having been there and done that, do you still think that we will be able to spend the additional $100 - 75 per day on the plan or will we make out or break even? Not using the plans could also give us flexibility to cancel some TS meals if we are not yet hungry or are too wrapped up in what we are doing to make a reservation. The most I can see us spending on lunch would be $50 and snacks $20. Is this accurate to you? I think we will about break even either way, but not using the plan would give more flexibilty. However, using the plan would give us more food options and dessert!

I know that I am agonizing over small details, but I could really use some advice from someone familiar with WDW.

Boatwright's 6:640
Coral Reef 2:00
Alfredo's 6:45
Whispering Canyon 2:40
Princess Storybook Breakfast 10:15 (for 2); All Sports Café (for 3)
Crystal Palace 4:00
Spoodles 5:00
Sci-Fi 2:10
Boma's 10:15

I chose Alfredo's and Spoodles to maximize the value of the plan, so we could change those or use a counter service instead. I'm also not stuck on Crystal Palace, although it would be the only family character meal for us.

Not using the plan could also give us the flexibilty to share appetizers, meals, and desserts. (DH and I share meals when vacationing because we seem to always be eating, and all the kids still order from kid's menus at home, although they could eat a larger prtion.) Or to snack instead of using a counter service at lunch, split a large counter service, etc.

2 adults, 13yr boy, 11yr boy, 10yr girl. We will be there 8 nights at $200 per day, or $1600 total, plus will need to buy 2 meals out of pocket.

Please let me know if I am missing something in my thought process. I know it is up to me and our family's eating habits, but I can't figure out how I feel about it.


Thanks to All in Advance!

It's entirely your decision. If you give up the DDP, then in your shoes, I'd also give up some of the ADRs that you aren't really that excited about. I wouldn't spend $100 or more on a meal that I wasn't that into. JMO.

If you decide to stick with it. Some things to consider::::

You said not ordering apps or dessert ever? But you can. It can be soup or salad. You can share a few appetizers. You can order them to taste (they aren't big like a bloomin onion or a lb of chicken wings at the Outback) . You can order a few desserts for the table to share. Usually there are fruit cups on the kid's menus and you can get those to-go to take w/ you to enjoy a little while later w/ your unused desserts.

You can think of the DDP as a budget tool rather than a budget saver. Your trip is paid in full in advance, including your dining budget...so if your 11yo wants the $27 steak, that's ok.... you don't have to discourage it. Let them try new things. Your daughter wants an ice cream that you know she wont' really finish? But she really really seems to think she can? That's ok- you can use a snack credit and you wont' feel like you threw away $4 when it's a sloppy mess.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

It is really hard to plan how much each person is going to be eating. For example, if your family plan on doing quick a lot of buffet-style dining, it would cost anywhere from $25.99 - $27.99 per person, with tax and tip, it will come down to $32.00+/- each. Lunch usually average about $8.50 (burger and a soft drink) My point is that unless you plan on eating only CS meals, you will still need to make ADR for TS restaurants. Having the pleasure of ordering what your heart desires is PRICELESS.

 

[patsal]

You may have underestimated the cost of CS for 5 people--for us with two kids 12 and 15 they do not want to share and they do not want the same thing as one another or DH or I, so that means I usually end up settling or just not eating to stay in budget--with the DDP I can do whatever I want because it is prepaid. My kids are good about letting me share with them just not necessarily what I want to eat. We were spending $45 tp 50 OOP for 4 of us when we didn't use the DDP. I feel better knowing I can have the salad I want and I do not have to eat french fries if I dont' want.

 

[illiniowl]

My quick appraisal of your situation is that you will spend more (probably a few hundred dollars more) to buy the DDP than you otherwise would spend on food. You would also get - or be able to get - more food and/or things you might not have tried because of the cost, maybe go to some places you wouldn't have otherwise gone. Will that add an element of fun to your family's vacation, and if so, is it worth the extra $$ to add that element? Or OTOH, is eating CS and the occasional TS - and the fact that you all are at WDW! - fun enough for your group, such that the added number of TS meals that you would get with the DDP wouldn't really add very much to your vacation and wouldn't be worth the extra $$? That's how I would approach it. I do think it's a very tough call with 3 children that unfortunately are just barely adults by Disney standards and you have to pay about $40/night for each: that is basically $960 ($120/night) you are paying for their DDP! You probably could feed them for 8 nights for quite a bit less and they would be just as happy. If the 10 and 11 y/o's are not going to be ordering off the adult menus at the TS places, or at least not ordering off the adult menus more often than not, I'd definitely scrap the DDP.

 

[auntie]

I agree that even if you were to break even..and the plan cost you as much if you were paying out of pocket..you still have more food with the plan. I know my son who is 15 loved the plan. It was our first time using it..and I was very reluctant. When I looked at the prices on the menus and figured what it would cost to feed a family of five..it made sense. Anything on the table service menus is going to cost around $20 to $30.00 ..not including an appetizer or desert. It easily cost $50.00 just for breakfast. The idea that we could eat whatever we wanted..and each have our own appetizer and desert was great. My son who would normally stick to chicken or burgers..ate things we might not otherwise have tried...where he wouldn't want to waste money on something he wouldn't wind up liking. He actually had Grouper in the Brown Derby...and LIKED it! My husband kept saying things like "this dining plan you got us is the best!"...as if I invented it. It was nice not having to worry about the cost of the meal or figuring out the gratuity. The fact that it included the gratuity was another reason we chose plan.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

A quick solution for your dilemma.

Change your travel dates to the end of August. The free DDP will save you tons of $$$. OR
Start packing your cooler.

 

[septbaby]

Qualifier: We will use DDP for the first time in Aug/Sept. However, I am very analyitical and have done the math for us even with "Free DDP". We are a family of vegetarians(2 adults/5yo) and even using buffets(to let us pick our own and get our fill) and one 2TS meal I think we'd come out $50-100 ahead and have more fun on the plan, it is vacation, right?

our ADRs for 5 night DDP stay:
Narcoossee's (we eat fish) on first night, we'll see Wishes there
Chef Mickey's, late character breakfast so it'll be lunch
Boma, this is our culinary treat for dinner, great reviews for vegetarians
Hollywood & Vine, Fantasmic seating, early dinner so we'll snack at late EMH

The plan will cost you $1,560, not $1600, that $40 is snack money for two days by your estimates, so let's not "round it away". If somehow you could get them to allow the 10yr old as a child then it would cost $1336, but that is probably a dream. Hey it is YOAMD, so ask you'll be no worse off.

DDP Gives you: 40 TS, 40 CS, 40 Snacks for your group

You mentioned "eating on the run from the room" where is that food coming from and what will it cost you? Did you know that milk, fruit bowls, yogurt, cereal, boxes of donuts can be bought with snack credits? You won't have to pack or buy those things beforehand and your kids can pick their treat (w/in your rules). How fun would it be to treat your husband and yourself to a night at Narcoosee's or California Grill and bring back the appetiizer or fancy dessert for the kids to share? By the way, bring home the salad appetizer from any TS meal and you have lunch for that afternoon break by the pool w/o using a CS meal, the DDP gives you that option. If your kids eat off the kids menu anyway, then they will share off the adult menu (split pizza or chicken fingers, etc.). Other posters have lauded the idea of its already paid for before you arrive. I plan to make final payment this weekend.

It feels easy for me to say go for it, because ours is "free", but we are selecting "cheap meals", except our 2TS (Narcoossee's). The only one I'd happily change is H&V, but Mom wants Fantasmic seating and you know the saying..."if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". Trust me, I wanna be Happy at Mickey's place!

Your note didn't indicate the timing for your trip, but let us know what you decide. Wishing you a great time either way.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, the DDP costs $38.99 per person per night.
Working backwards...
Average snack price is $3.
Average counter service meal is closer $12.82 with tax http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/DisneyDiningRanking.htm
$38.99 - $15.82 = $23.17.
$23.17 including tax and tip equals a base menu price of $18.61.
Drink costs $2, leaving $16.61.
If every entree each of you orders at each meal is menu-priced lower than $16.61, or if you're planning to eat all your TS meals at the Plaza, Beaches & Cream, and Trail's End Buffeteria - the Disney Dining Plan is not for you.
Otherwise, you will very likely be saving money with the DDP, and giving yourselves the opportunity to try foods, or even courses, that you generally don't.
While you normally don't order appetizers or dessert, that could be because you're like me - I hate to spend the money . A number of Disney desserts, and some appetizers, don't need to be refrigerated. You can get your desserts to go and have those for breakfast the next morning.

 

[JimMIA]

I know that I am agonizing over small details

Yep. Welcome to the DIS! Agonizing over small details is a) what we do here, and b) what makes your first trip more magical!

I chose Alfredo's and Spoodles to maximize the value of the plan, so we could change those or use a counter service instead.

IF there is one glaring error in your plans, this is it. I don't see how paying 1 TS to eat at a restaurant you wouldn't normally choose -- and then paying OOP for a meal -- is "maximizing the value." I'd do a "heavy" CS and not spend the money for OOP -- or, do two "heavy" CSs and try a 2 TS signature dining or dinner show.

My nomination to drop is Alfredo's. I've heard mostly good things about Spoodles (haven't eaten there yet), but we've always considered Alfredo's mediocre food poorly served.

I'm also not stuck on Crystal Palace, although it would be the only family character meal for us.

This is a matter of opinion, but this is Error #2 to me. Get stuck on CP! Your whole family will love CP!

As some others have said, I think you are underestimating the cost of CS meals OOP and also underestimating the value of those CS credits. When you can go to Cosmic Rays and get a full chicken & ribs platter for one CS, that's a darn good value...and one that can easily serve as your "big" meal of the day.

 

[zurgswife]

We used the DDP as a way to have our kids eat as they normally don't because of cost and they also have been more adventuresome...

While we spends hundreds more then we normal would if I paid out of pocket. We are DVC members and usually just eat most meals in our room. I have found there is a huge value in 1) not having to cook 2) letting my kids broaden there limited eating horizon 3) eating appetizers, desserts that we normally would get because of budget.