DDP, it is just not the WAY we eat

[mom22boys]

Am I missing something?

I keep looking at menus and calculating prices and I still can't justify the DDP, because it is just not the WAY we eat. I know that for our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids ages 4 and 7) it will probably cost us around $100/day to eat. The DDP would be $96/day, but I just can't imagine eating like that. Dessert twice a day is way too much for us, and the kids meals are just not how my guys eat. I would rather have them share an adult meal than feed them chicken nuggets and mac and cheese for 6 days. Also, at TS locations a lot of time I enjoy an appetizer with a salad or just soup and salad rather than an entree.

So what am I missing? So many people seem to enjoy the DDP, so I feel that there must be something that I am missing. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Much thanks!

 

[cdrn1]

We used DDP for the first time in Sept because we got it free. While we had some wonderful meals, we were uncomfortably full the WHOLE time we were there. I know, you don't have to eat it all, but we did.
We also didn't like having to be at a certain place at a certain time and didn't like having to pass up snacks we would have enjoyed in order to try to be hungry for our next TS.
Does that make sense?
I can't imagine doing the Deluxe DP.
Of course if they offer free dining in Sept again, we will do it again!

 

[Tricia1972]

The DDP isn't for everyone, and from the description of your family and how they eat, I really think it isn't for you.

$4 per day is not a whole lot of savings, and vacationing and eating the way you want is certainly worth an extra $4 per day to me.

 

[jensen]

OP, I am in exactly the same situation as you. I've used the DDP for our past three trips, but this new incarnation of the plan just isn't for us anymore. We aren't dessert people and we always had credits left over. For 1) we'd just get adult CS and share because the kids CS meals are awful!!! and 2) we'd always have at least one night when we didn't feel like doing a sit-down dinner and would end up at the resort food court - not using our TS credits. I've crunched some numbers and if we eat at Disney the way we would normally eat - i.e. skip the desserts and ordering 3 adult meals to share. We'll be better off skipping the plan.

 

[chanty]

I've done some calculations also and I think it's worth it when you get the more expensive plates (20-30$). Then it's totally worth it.

I'm thinking that without the Appetizers, we might not be as stuffed as before so it might be a good change in a way. We shall see.

 

[caroline1851]

Granted, for our family of 4, we could eat cheaper if we stuck to jsut counter servcie places, but i like the ddp because we can eat at some nice ts meals and i don't have to stress over the cost because i pre-paid it. I tend to be cheap when eating out and if i saw the bill at Le Cellier, for example, i'd be upset, so this way it allows me to eat where i want without the stress i put on myself to save money on food. does that make sense? I figured our family will be saving about $100 by doing the ddp instead of eating at the same restaurants i have on our plan and paying oop.

 

[chanty]

Hmmm see I recalculated again, and with the changes in my reservations, we don't have that many expensive restaurants... We would be saving approx. $40 per person off the plan.
And we'll have more flexibility too...and gain less weight! LOL

 

[chanty]

Our reservations/picks are:

Whispering Canyon Cafe (Dinner)
Chef Mickey (Breakfast)
Tutto Italia (Dinner) ($$ our expensive one)
Marrakesh Restaurant (Dinner)
Beaches (Lunch)
ESPN (Dinner)
Sci-Fi (Dinner)

And then I calculated about $9 per lunch or CS, plus some snacks at $4 for breakfast. Granted, we won't be having a little brownie here & there with our CS but who cares...they aren't that great anyways! I'd rather pay for a Mickey Ice Cream Bar or a Dole Whip (Which I'll try this year) or whatever treat on property!!

With my picks (and yes, I'm having dessert with most of these sit down meals (TS)), it came out to $236 (including taxes). It would cost me $273 for the DPP. Not a huge savings, but still... and we can eat what we want, when we want. If I only want an appetizer & a dessert at ESPN, well it's OK!

Yeah...I think we'll pay out of our pocket this year. I think once you see which restaurants you'll go too...then you know how much it will cost and compare!

 

[mousescrapper]

were going in June and using the DDP for the first time. This is our 2nd trip with kids in tow (one extra this time). This trip my kids are ages 9, 9, 5, and 18 mo. I weighed the DDP debate heavily trying to decide was it worth it or not. But once I did some of that fuzzy Diz math My DH and I determined it would be a savings when you figure in the kids.

W/out the DDP we'd probably have to squezze sharing meals more to cover the 4 kids and we'd skip TS altogether because of cost (something we missed on our last kid trip) and we'd choose only 1 to 2 character meals (which we all love)

But on the DDP we are going to 4 characters meals (1 alone is more than a single night's cost for a child on a plan PLUS they have 1 more meal coming to them) 3 other TS meals and the flexibilty of eating more of a nicer range of meals than the $10 and Under choice. I've also determind how to utilize the use of our snack credits to cover some brfasts on days we'll be eating at TS's

I feel it's worth it to try and see how it goes.

It would be nice if it was a choice btwn the dessert or app. instead of just dessert. But many of the dessert choices we can take to go and have later as a treat.

Here are our dinning choices:
Mama Melroses (TS)
Flame Tree BBQ
Planet Hollywood for 3 of our party using the 2 vouchers from our and my Mom's ressies
Crystal Palace (character TS)
Tangierine Cafe
Starring rolls (Snack credit)
H&V (character TS)
Pizza Planet
O'Hana (character TS)
Cantina de San Angel
Kona Cafe (TS)
1900 Park Fare (character TS)
Main Street Bakery (snack credit)
Tony's Town Sq. Rest. (TS)
a MK CS
Electric Umbrella Rest.

I looked through the menus from the unofficial site to help choose based on not only the adult choices but the kids menu. Many have kid pic's where they can choose an assortment.

We plan to have the 18 mo. eat off our choices and possibly share meals where no kid menu is offered and use leftover credit toward a "snack" in btwn others.

That's my 2 cents

 

[kamgen]

We have gotten the DDP on our last three trips and we LOVE it! That being said, we are still getting it on our upcoming trip but we are NOT happy about the changes.....We loved being able to get an appetizer that in the past we wouldnt have tried, and now that gratuity is gone, it takes away that ALL-Inclusive feeling that we liked. No money to worry about....oh well.
We are still going to give it a go in a few weeks and see.
As for the meals, maybe we are the minority, but we ALWAYS want a little something sweet after a meal, so getting a dessert with CS is great! If we dont eat it then, we take it to the room for later since most of them are packaged to carry out. And we dont normally go out to eat much at home, so sitting down to a nice meal is a HUGE part of our vacations. We usually eat something small in the room for breakfast and maybe do one or two character breakfasts during a week. If we eat light at brakfast, we do an early lunch around 11 or 11:30, then do dinner after 6 or so. By then we are hungry again! Most of our snack credits end up being rice krispie treats that we bring home or snacks for the plane. The DDP is great for us, or at least it was. We will see in a few weeks with the changes. We want to try the deluxe, but the rest of our group didn't. So we will see how we feel about the new basic plan soon!

 

[Elmo888]

I did a spreadsheet with our ADRs, 2 adults 2 kids between 3 - 9, and I found that we saved money mainly because of the prices of the kids' buffets. We are doing 1 breakfast and 5 dinners (1 2 TS credit dinner). Four out of those 6 are buffets. The buffet prices for kids are at least $10 as far as I can tell. On my list of our ADRs, the least expensive buffet that we are doing is Biergarten, and that is $12. Since the price for the dining plan is $10 for kids per day, we are saving even before the CS meal and snack.

I found that you can ask for fruit instead of a dessert at many of the CS places. I really only wanted to eat dessert once a day at the TS restaurants on our last trip (assuming that the desserts are better at the TS places vs. the packaged desserts at the CS places), and, at the end of our trip, I found that many places had a fruit option when asked. For the kid's meals, the dessert option is often fruit.

But, to answer your question, yes, the DDP is not the way that every family eats. It isn't for everyone.

 

[mickeystoontown]

For the past two years, we purchased the Disney Dining Plan. When the new 2008 Dining Plan came out, I began to wonder if it would still be cost efficient for our family. I, literally, made a spreadsheet and broke down each day, where we would eat, what we would order and our daily snacks. I kept in mind that our food choices might change and that I would have to add in for the tip. Once all was said and done, I found that we would still save money with the Dining Plan.

Before we started purchasing the Dining Plan, we would eat mostly counter service meals and just two, maybe three, table service meals over a ten day time period. We were okay with that until.......we had the Dining Plan. With the Dining Plan, we were able to try new restaurants and order new food items. We were also able to go to not two but three, four or five character meals which can add up pretty quickly.

We didn't really realize just how tired we got eating just counter service meals. After having the dining plan, we swore we would never eat so many counter service meals again.

To get more bang for our buck, we use our counter service credits for lunch and our table service credits for dinner. Since we arrive later in the evening, we save that night's meal credits and go to a signature meal.

And, for me, I just personally like knowing that all of my meals are paid for in advance with the Dining Plan. I like ordering whatever I want from the menu and not worry about the cost. I know, I know, I am still paying for the expensive meal but it doesn't feel like it.

 

[MJRmom]

The reason this works for us and we haven't even arrived at Disney is I am married to one of the cheapest men alive, love, love him dearly but man! is he squeeky with his money... so getting the dining plan has already saved me headaches and grief about where we're going to eat, how much to spend etc. I enjoy my food and eating out is one of my favorite things to, for DH, food fills a hole. On past vactions, dining (where, what, how much) has been an issue. This plan not only allows us to enjoy sit down meals with real wait staff, we don't have to eat hot dogs and water all week and best of all we are able to do character meals that I know my dh would not go for if it weren't for the ddp.
So I'm loving the plan already....

I post once we arrive home and update you

 

[sjaakie]

Am I missing something?

I keep looking at menus and calculating prices and I still can't justify the DDP, because it is just not the WAY we eat. I know that for our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids ages 4 and 7) it will probably cost us around $100/day to eat. The DDP would be $96/day, but I just can't imagine eating like that. Dessert twice a day is way too much for us, and the kids meals are just not how my guys eat. I would rather have them share an adult meal than feed them chicken nuggets and mac and cheese for 6 days. Also, at TS locations a lot of time I enjoy an appetizer with a salad or just soup and salad rather than an entree.

So what am I missing? So many people seem to enjoy the DDP, so I feel that there must be something that I am missing. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?Much thanks!

We are on the DDplan just because wo like to order just anything from the menu.
Nobody forces you the eat everything ore are they standing behind you with a baseball batt if you don't eat everything?

 

[VacationDad]

So what am I missing? So many people seem to enjoy the DDP, so I feel that there must be something that I am missing. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Much thanks!

It is vacation. It is not the way we eat either. It is not pasta and Ragu sauce or Hamburger Helper.

I am fine splurging a little, or eating a little too much on vacation.

 

[mom22boys]

OP here and ohhh, I am so confused. I liked the suggestion of buffets being a good deal with the kids so I have looked into more buffets. I also think the point of dining being prepaid and not having to worry about it once we are there (of course besides trying to keep track of all of our credits ) is HUGE. We have been to WDW several times and to be honest food is what challenges me the most. I know that sounds crazy but it is the truth.

Thanks everyone!

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

We have gotten the DDP on our last three trips and we LOVE it! That being said, we are still getting it on our upcoming trip but we are NOT happy about the changes.....We loved being able to get an appetizer that in the past we wouldnt have tried, and now that gratuity is gone, it takes away that ALL-Inclusive feeling that we liked. No money to worry about....oh well.
We are still going to give it a go in a few weeks and see.
As for the meals, maybe we are the minority, but we ALWAYS want a little something sweet after a meal, so getting a dessert with CS is great! If we dont eat it then, we take it to the room for later since most of them are packaged to carry out. And we dont normally go out to eat much at home, so sitting down to a nice meal is a HUGE part of our vacations. We usually eat something small in the room for breakfast and maybe do one or two character breakfasts during a week. If we eat light at brakfast, we do an early lunch around 11 or 11:30, then do dinner after 6 or so. By then we are hungry again! Most of our snack credits end up being rice krispie treats that we bring home or snacks for the plane. The DDP is great for us, or at least it was. We will see in a few weeks with the changes. We want to try the deluxe, but the rest of our group didn't. So we will see how we feel about the new basic plan soon!

You sound a lot like us! We don't go out to eat a lot at home, and I think I am just excited about trying some of the restaurants as going on the rides!

I would say, if you're not big eaters and not eating at many TS places, then no: The DDP isn't for you. For us, it works....wether I am saving money or not, I enjoy the fact that it is all ready paid for. (I wish the tip was still on there! though) And, as for the big dessert vs. appetizer: I have to have my dessert! Yummy.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

We used DDP in September, and it really did save us money. We don't usually splurge on restaurants and with DDP we could eat anything we wanted.
That said, I would not do it again because we felt too tied down to our reservations! No Dole Whip in the afternoon because it was too close to dinner time. And we missed a few things in the parks that we wanted to do because dinners took so darn long with the huge crowds in the table service places.
I'd rather just do a couple of TS and have CS or even just snacks the rest of the time, and be FREE!

 

[libinatorsmom]

Everyone needs to make the best decsion for them... We have decided to get the dulx dining plan as we want to go there to EAT!!!!!! plus we are now able to eat at all the resturants we can.... we get to try apps, des, and eat anything we want... our daughter prefers the "kid type meals and we can always share with her on our plate anyway...

The Signature dining rests really give you an opportunity to try new things and eat 1st class... we are basically eating 2 meals per day... a 1ts and a 2ts signature meal

 

[Tricia1972]

I really appreciate the PP who said that everyone needs to do what is right for them.

As wonderful as the Dining Plan is for some - it really just does not work for others. It's wonderful that it works for so many, but just because it works for you personally, doesn't mean that it has to work for everyone.

For us, we graze. Smaller meals for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and then we add a few healthy snacks. It sounds - on paper - like the DxDDP would be the way to go for us. Three meals and two snacks. However we'd spend a lot more on the DxDDP than we will paying OOP with the DDE card. We may order a small entree for ourselves or may share. We always split appetizers and desserts - if we order them at all. That does not mean it won't work for others. I am sure that others will experience a great savings and derive great enjoyment from the plan.

To the OP - when you read about the DDP and it doesn't sound right for you, it probably isn't. However, only you know your family and their eating habits.