DDP or not...

[CindeBella]

Here is a link to my comparison: https://spreadsheets2.google.com/ccc?key=t7FYO8VD2czi8xeFjh7VEmg&hl=enJen

**edited to say** This posted differently than I typed it... I hope you will be able to make out what I typed.

Great job on the spreadsheet, Jen. Here is how I estimated the OOP vs DXDDP for us ~

____________ OOP ____________________ DXDDP

Day 1) Big River Grill $85, ____________ Yachtsman Steakhouse 2 TS

Day 2) Cinderella's Royal tbl $80 __________ Cinderella RT 2 TS / breakfast
_____bkfst boys $30 ________________ bkfst for the boys OOP $30
Dinner at Brown Derby $120 ______________ Brown Derby 2 TS
misc. snacks $30 ______________________ snack credits 10

Day 3) Misc ~ breakfast & snacks $75 ___________ 1900 Park Fare 1 TS
Dinner at Fulton's $150________________________ Dinner at Citricos 2 TS
____________________________________________ snack credits 10

Day 4) Crystal Palace $80 _____________________ Crystal Palace 1 TS
Flying Fish $170 _____________________________ Flying Fish 2 TS
misc $30 ___________________________ snack credits 10

Day 5) Bkfst in room __________________________ Bkfst @ Kona 1 TS
lunch at T-Rex $80 _________________________________ lunch at San Angel Inn 1 TS
_____misc $30 __________________________________ snack credits 5
dinner at Calif Grill $150____________________________________ dinner at Calif Grill 2 TS

Day 6) lunch at Les Chefs des France $75 ____________________ bkfst @ Boma 1 TS
_________ Yachtsman $150 _____________________________ dinner @ Les Chefs France 1 TS
_________ misc $30 _______________________________________ snack credits 10

Day 7) bkfst @ Kona $50 _______________________________ lunch @ Tepan Edo 1 TS
misc $30 ________________________________ snack credits 10
dinner @ San Angel Angel $120 ________________________________ dinner @ Narcoosess's 2 TB

Day 8) Beaches and Cream $65 __________________________ Coral Reef 1 TS
misc $25 ___________________________________ snack credits 15

_______$160 groceries_______________________________________________ Groceries $75
_______dining $1655_________________________________________________ DXDDP $1806
_______OOP $1815___________________________________________________ TOTAL $1911

I did not add desserts in OOP and I also added some kids meals for my son since he was unsure which he wanted. I'm certain someone will want dessert, we always do. I didn't add in the cost of the refill. mug that comes with the DXDDP. I figure for the price, it would be beneficial to go with the DXDDP.
I also added DVC discounts, and a $25 GC to the T-Rex lunch. I figured the cost OOP on the low side.

 

[castlegazsher]

I LOVE the dining plan!! I find it to be a great value since I enjoy the Signature restaurants. It's especially great during F&W since you can use the snack credits for that.

This December we'll do the Deluxe plan again and I did consider downgrading to the Regular DP because I have no clue what we'll do with all those snack credits, lol! But. The Deluxe plan still makes sense for us, since we'll split a breakfast and a lunch (at TS restaurants) and have dinner each night at a Signature.

Have fun!!!!

 

[Tara]

The sky is falling - I think I just talked myself into the DxDP!

My son and I are going June 23-28 and staying at CBR. I ran the numbers and I think DxDP will actually work out better in this specific situation because:

• We won't have a kitchen, so no cooking in room (no big breakfast in room, no grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, etc)

• A breakfast buffet is a sure-fire way to get my son to eat a hearty meal in the morning. He eats like a bird in general, so I have to pick my spots and buffets are THE trick. So we have one planned for every morning. One is CRT, which he loves, even though he doesn't really care about characters at all - he just likes being in the castle, I think.

• He literally eats nothing from counter service restaurants for lunch or dinner except apples, grapes and fries. So the plan is always a big breakfast and a good dinner, usually at a signature restaurant (it's amazing how few 1TS restaurants offer grilled cheese). We have 5 signatures planned (3 of them specifically requested by DS).

• We're going in June, so we will most assuredly be getting a frozen lemonade every day for each of us - maybe more than 1 each. Those add up quickly!

I figured out food totals with TIW, DDP and DxDP and based on what I have booked/planned and figuring in 1 frozen lemonade per day for each of us, there's only $25 difference between TIW and DxDP. And that's with conservative estimates on dining - I didn't include appetizers or desserts at most meals because I think it might be too hot to eat too much. But I we do have more of those, the DxDP savings will just increase.

I think this might be one of those crazy outliers where the dining plan really does work out for us after all. Color me shocked!

 

[sleepydog25]

The sky is falling - I think I just talked myself into the DxDP!

My son and I are going June 23-28 and staying at CBR. I ran the numbers and I think DxDP will actually work out better in this specific situation because:

• We won't have a kitchen, so no cooking in room (no big breakfast in room, no grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch, etc)

• A breakfast buffet is a sure-fire way to get my son to eat a hearty meal in the morning. He eats like a bird in general, so I have to pick my spots and buffets are THE trick. So we have one planned for every morning. One is CRT, which he loves, even though he doesn't really care about characters at all - he just likes being in the castle, I think.

• He literally eats nothing from counter service restaurants for lunch or dinner except apples, grapes and fries. So the plan is always a big breakfast and a good dinner, usually at a signature restaurant (it's amazing how few 1TS restaurants offer grilled cheese). We have 5 signatures planned (3 of them specifically requested by DS).

• We're going in June, so we will most assuredly be getting a frozen lemonade every day for each of us - maybe more than 1 each. Those add up quickly!

I figured out food totals with TIW, DDP and DxDP and based on what I have booked/planned and figuring in 1 frozen lemonade per day for each of us, there's only $25 difference between TIW and DxDP. And that's with conservative estimates on dining - I didn't include appetizers or desserts at most meals because I think it might be too hot to eat too much. But I we do have more of those, the DxDP savings will just increase.

I think this might be one of those crazy outliers where the dining plan really does work out for us after all. Color me shocked!

The dark side of the force has touched you, Obi Wan. . .

 

[ValpoCory]

I think this might be one of those crazy outliers where the dining plan really does work out for us after all. Color me shocked!

I can't believe it either, especially using TS credits at breakfast buffets. But I looked at it closely and found it's easier to make up the Deluxe Dining Plan cost than it is to make up the regular Dining Plan cost.

Assuming an average cost of $7 for a QS and $3 for a snack, an adult needs to average:

$32 or $38 per TS credit to break even on the regular Dining Plan.
$22 per food credit to break even on the Deluxe Dining Plan.

As long as you use your food credits on TS and not QS, the Deluxe easily makes more financial sense than the regular one.

But ... only if you are going to eat the food you are paying for. If you get so full or tired on the last day or two and leave credits unused, then it could backfire.

 

[mb4cy]

We've used the basic plan twice - there's two in our party and one is a picky eater and budget-conscious, even at DW! When we paid OOP, we used to look at every menu to see how expensive it was. Usually we ate at counter services. With the DP, we felt we paid for our table service and got counter service and a snack "free" had we paid OOP. Since we don't have kids, we enjoy our table services. And we would never eat at places like Jiko, Narcosses, California Grill, Brown Derby had we not had DP.

 

[TinkGirl]

Do it now while 2 of your kids are still kids at Disney!

 

[RobPickles]

When it comes down to it, everyone's eating habits are different and you can only judge if it will be worth it or not depending upon your own habits or experiences.

Length of stay is also a contributing factor. My wife and I are going down for 22 days this summer.

Last year, we were down there for 18 days and we tried OOP with discounts and it turned out that it cost MORE for us than if we had done the DP. This included some groceries that we had purchased and trying to "be good" and eat healthier. When it came down to it, we are on vacation and you do not WANT to be good!

When it comes to eating, we can get crazy sometimes and other times eat very lightly - it all depends on the restaurant.

I do not think the DP is restrictive in any sense for us, because we like to make plans as to where we will dine. Hell, we start thinking about even before the 180 days rezzies mark, so that when that day comes we can book them.

This year we are going down with our (will be 9 month yr old) DD and have pretty much arranged our eating schedule around her with added character dining and kid friendly spots as well as our favorite places.

So this year we are going with the DP again. 22 Days + 2 adults = $41.99/day x 2 x 22 = ~$1848 JUST FOR FOOD! Now that sounds insane - but God only knows how much we would spend again OOP for this trip. This of course does not include baby food/formula which we are bringing/buying anyway.

So... in the end...again...I guess it all depends on who you are, how you eat and how long you are staying!

 

[ValpoCory]

I do not think the DP is restrictive in any sense for us, because we like to make plans as to where we will dine. Hell, we start thinking about even before the 180 days rezzies mark, so that when that day comes we can book them.

Of course, you can do all that regardless of whether you are on the DP or not. We love Dining Planning. It's a blast that really gets you pumped about the trip.

And by the way, 22 straight days. That is money. So jealous. Where are you staying?