DDP or no DDP?

[torinsmom]

My DS12 and I are going to WDW October 13-19, 5 nights.
I had planned on just paying OOP for all our food, but I was looking at the menus and now I am not sure. This is what I am budgeting so far...

October 14-Breakfast at Pop- $15.00
Lunch at Epcot(CS)-$15.00
Dinner at Epcot(CS)-$20.00
Snacks $15.00
_________________________________________
$65.00

October 15-Snack at Pop- $8.00
Donald's Breakfastosaurus $50.00
Dinner at MGM(CS $20.00
Snacks $15.00
___________________________________________
$93.00

October 16-Breakfast at Crystal Palace $50.00
Lunch(CS) $15.00
Dinner(CS) $20.00
Snacks $15.00
____________________________________________
$100.00

October 17-Discovery COve-- $0

October 18-Sea World meals $40.00
Planet Hollywood $50.00
__________________________________________
$90.00
October 19 Breakfast at Pop $15.00

TOTAL-$363 estimated

So if I do DDP, I would pay $37.99x2= $75.98 x 5 days= 379.90 and get a few more TS Meals.

Question is am I overestimating for food? I really thought paying OOP would save money, but now I am wondering.

Marsha

 

[kandmwedding]

Did you include tax and tip when you did your estimates? If you didn't, I'd definitely opt for the DDP as you'd be saving money. If you're worried about having too many TS meals planned, considered using two for a signature dining meal. You'd be eating less, but still be getting your money's worth.

 

[dalt01]

you are most likely underestimating. dont forget tax and tips which are in the DDP. we have figured it six ways from tuesday and have always come up with the DDP as the most cost affective as well as more convienent and worry free

 

[kandmwedding]

Question is am I overestimating for food?

Sorry... totally skipped over that question. I think you're right on the money for most everything (assuming you didn't include tax and tip).

 

[Samandmom]

I say do the DDP it is worth it! I notice that you have a couple of character breakfast scheduled. When we do breakfast buffets we are usually not hungry for lunch (we will have a snack if need be) But we do end up eating dinner around 4ish. So if you did that could save you some money. Plus you even said it yourself that you would get more TS out of it.

 

[TheGoofster]

It definatley seems to come down to how much you plan to spend on each meal. In my case, nobody in my family eats much food (well, I do, but I'm supposed to be watching how much I eat), so for us paying oop for the nine days we will be at the parks (including tips and tax) will end up saving us about 400 dollars. Especially when you consider that my son will have just turned 10, so he would be charged the full adult price. Also, because we don't eat much, I know that we would be wasting a whole lot of food, and I would hate to do that.
I know that the DDP is a wonderful thing for many families, but for us, it is definately not the way to go.

 

[torinsmom]

Well, I included tax and tip for the TS meals The breakfasts will be $18.99x2 and I figured $3 tax plus a $10 tip for those. CS meals I remember as being $6-$8 per person and no tip of course. I don't mind having a TS meal per day. We already had 3 planned, and we could add in Le Cellier or Coral Reef and the Ohana breakfast. Problem is that we will still be paying OOP for our Sea World Day, but maybe we could eat breakfast before we leave Pop and bring some snacks. We are eating at Planet hollywood that evening.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Thats a hard call. For an adult and 1 child it may be cheaper to pay oop.

My DSs would order chicken strips and fries with drink. When they were done they would want another one! So wed get another and they split it.

The buffets are the way to go for us. So , the dining plan works in our favor.

 

[torinsmom]

My son does not eat kid's meals at all. He will be 13 at the time we go, so I know he will probably be eating even MORE than he is now, LOL. When we did the DDP before, he was all about the Filet Mignon. I know we could save some money if we only did CS, but I can't eat like that for 5 days or I will be SICK.

Marsha