DDP or not ?

[wide awake]

So many threads on this board ask the question, and the people check the Allears site for menu prices, and discuss eating styles, etc. These are all good strategies for decision making, but I know for me it comes down to the fact that I will ALWAYS check the price of an item before I buy, so even though I can afford to order whatever I want, I very seldom will. With DDP I don't have to worry about it, I can order what I want. Do we save anything ? Who knows ? But I don't think we spend anymore, and I order what I want...so I'll always do DDP.
I know other people out there, that can't afford to ignore prices, and they order what they want anyway...for them the DDP doesn't serve the same purpose. When DH and I were going out and first married, no money...he would always order juice and milk when we went for breakfast...because that is what his family did...and no, they didn't have any money either, but it just never occurred to them to watch their money when they were at a restaurant. I know my MIL would NEVER use the DDP...she is one of those types..."we just don't eat that much", wouldn't think to consider that with the way they order they would save money. And yes, I know two drinks aren't included on the DDP, that was used as an example...but breakfast I think does allow juice and milk, depending on how you use the credits.

 

[Aliceacc]

Also, if you have kids who are 7, 8, 9-- the savings are huge! A kid's lunch alone runs about $7 in the parks from what I understand. Yet those same under-10-year- olds cost $10 on the DDP.

As always, you need to do your homework. There is no one right way for everyone.

 

[Tam1067]

Kids are are a savings if you do even one character meal or buffet. For instance, Chef Mickey's for dinner is $14.99 for a child. The DDP is $9.99, so you've just saved $5.00 already. Then lunches are usually $4.49 for a child, and the snack value varies between about $2-$4, so if you have kids under 10, you're getting about $10-$12 per day if you eat at a character meal--before taxes (which are covered under the DDP). Even days when you just do a regular TS restaurant, the kids come out ahead because kids' TS meals are usually $7.49.

 

[Tricia1972]

Kids are definitely where you save with the DDP! Which is part of the reason that it doesn't work too well for us right now. We're 5 Adults and 1 Child (with one infant - 2 Year Old)

Even with 3/5 of us ordering the most expensive items when we go to TS locations, we'll save a few hundred paying OOP.

When we go in 2010 we'll take another look at it and see what works for us with 6 Adults, 2 Children and 1 Infant.