DDP or DDE

[jcf]

I am AP holder. I have 9 night stay planned for 12/26-1/4. I have made reservation for 15 Table service/character meals for myself and son.

The DDP would only give me 9 TS's.

DDE better? Or would doing DDP and pay cash for some of cheaper Table service meals such as Kona cafe?

BTW, we are staying at Poly concierge so have the lounge for added snacks.

 

[JimMIA]

You know you can use both...right?

You can use DDP for nine TS meals and use DDE for any cash meals, as well as for non-DDP items like appetizers or alcohol. The only downside of DDE is you can't use it at the CS places, but you should have those covered by DDP.

Just be aware that you will be charged an automatic 18% gratuity for any meal where you use the DDE. For strictly DDP meals, you leave whatever tip you decide.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Jim is right, you can use both (we have). There are some CS that you can use DDE (Artist Palette, Flame Tree BBQ and a few others)

If you've got 15 TS over 9 nights, you probably won't be eating that many CS. IMO, I think the DDE might be the better option for you (especially since you'll have the concierge lounge).

 

[Amy&Dan]

I would go with the DDE. We just got back from a fifteen night trip and franky the DDP isn't as good of a deal as it used to be. Given your Poly concierge thing, and the amount of full sevice meals you have planned, I can't imagine you will need those cs and snack credits.

I doubt we'll do the DDP anymore, its too restrictive and too much food for our family.

But for sure, use both if you end up doing the DDP.

 

[disneynutz]

The only way to know for sure is for you to take some time and compare numbers. Everyone is different. We only eat at the more expensive restaurants and when on the DDP and we only use the plan for a few days. For our November trip the DDP saves us $230, the DDE $70 over cash price.

 

[Corinne]

BTW, we are staying at Poly concierge so have the lounge for added snacks.

We have never been on the DDP, and I highly doubt we ever will.....I just don't think it would work for us. We have used the DDE since it became available to AP holders, and that is our personal preference. The fact that you are staying at the Poly in Concierge makes me think you will have no need for the DDP!
Have a blast!

 

[We3LoveDisney]

Just be careful because I think I read somewhere that the DDE can not be used during some holiday seasons.

 

[ChelleinNC]

Just be careful because I think I read somewhere that the DDE can not be used during some holiday seasons.

Only certain holidays, on the holiday.
From allears:

Certain restrictions apply during holidays and special events, please check with the restaurant when you make your reservation. Blackout dates include major holidays: Mother's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day.

 

[MEK]

I think the DDE would be a good investment for you whether you use the DDP or not. You can use it on some of your TS ressies that aren't covered by the DDP. It will also save you 20% on alcohol at those locations. Plus it is good for about 13 months. I bought mine in the beginning of June and it is good through July 2009. On 3 TS service meals, with a party size of 5 - 7, it saved me about $120. I also had some minor savings at the food court in the resort and at Pizzafari at AK.

It also helped me to avoid dessert. Normally I would always eat dessert with the DDP because it was included, but I learned to say "No" when I was full. That is probably a good thing!

I guess I should preface this by saying that I would have purchased the DDP except that my party had different lengths of stay, so it wouldn't work.

 

[Peggy Jean]

Here's how it was for our recent trip. It was 6 adults, me, DH, DS21, DS's fiance also 21, DD20 and DD's friend, 23. Our trip was at SSR for 10 days and 9 nights. Had we bought the DDP, at $38 per day, per person that would have been $2052.

DH and I have an annual pass, we bought the DDE for $60. Our meals were, Turf Bar and Grill at SSR, Teppan Edo, Boatwright's for breakfast, Aloha Luau, 50's Prime Time, Whispering Canyon Cafe, San Angel Inn, Liberty Tree Tavern and The Plaza Restaurant. Plus there were numerous visits to the Artist Palette, SSR's food court. Our total charges was less than $2000 and that included 2 tickets to Typhoon Lagoon, gifts and souvenirs. Plus, Teppan Edo was not a participating restaurant with the DDE. We all ate to our hearts delight, we didn't split meals and none of our ADR's were lunches, all were dinners.

So you can see, we saved alot more with the DDE. And there were many meals where DH and I had beer, wine or cocktails with our meal, don't know if I would have indulged if it were not included in the discount.

 

[mikeandkarla]

If your son is under the age of 10, I would do both. At 9.99 a day for the DDP, it is well worth it for 1 ts, 1 cs, and 1 snack.

 

[jcf]

If your son is under the age of 10, I would do both. At 9.99 a day for the DDP, it is well worth it for 1 ts, 1 cs, and 1 snack.

He is 7. On our last trip we probably would have snacked at Concierge lounge for lunch but I used CS for lunch and maybe a couple of hot dog dinners. The snackes were basically water and ice cream in the park.


So, you think I should buy DDP for both of us and just use TS meals on the most expensive places like Cindrella's Castle? I don't drink though taking my son during NYE who has less patience than his father lawyer I may start

Thanks

 

[mikeandkarla]

He is 7. On our last trip we probably would have snacked at Concierge lounge for lunch but I used CS for lunch and maybe a couple of hot dog dinners. The snackes were basically water and ice cream in the park.


So, you think I should buy DDP for both of us and just use TS meals on the most expensive places like Cindrella's Castle? I don't drink though taking my son during NYE who has less patience than his father lawyer I may start

Thanks

I would not use DDP TS on signature ( 2 TS credit) meals. The value just isn't there. I would use the DDE for those. 1 TS meals from the DDP allotment.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

We tried the DDP last year and had DDE as well for other meals etc.. This year it is DDE only. We really dont want four desserts for every dinner(their are four of us) and we dont like CS very much. So it is DDP only. We are using the DDE for two meals a day for four of us for 6 days. We figure that this will conservately save us around $400. New Years and New Years Eve are excluded so we will be eating at the cheaper restaurants and Tangerine Cafe for one lunch.

 

[MinnieLee]

We are also AP holder and found that the DDE was better for us. DDP was too much food for the two of us and the DDE also covered alcohol. We recouped our fee in no time. We make 2 trips a year and the second trip we always have friends or family with us so the card definely works better for us.

 

[disneyrunningnut]

My wife and I are going by ourselves 1/1-1/10.

We never eat desserts, sometimes eat appetizers, and always have a couple of drinks.

Half of the restaurants we are planning to go to are Signature restaurants.

The DDE card will work much better for us.

 

[davinakb]

IME the DDE card is better for us: we like wine with dinner, like the resort restaurants (free parking) and the flexibility to order what we want; and we rarely do counter service or snacks.

Looks like you'll have to decide, based on how much you and your son eat; how much time you will spend back at the hotel (to avail yourself of concierge snacks) and such. From the looks of it you have a lot of TS dining planned, almost 2 per day, so the DDE may work out better. Having both is worth considering, depending on where else you plan to eat. FWIW.