DDP vs OOP numbers crunch?

[k_hase]

I've been trying to determine if the DDP is worth it for us. I've used in the past, when it included an app and gratutity, but now I'm thinking it may not be the best deal.

My plan is to eat breakfast in the room each day and counter service for lunch. We'll use a snack each day as well, most likely popcorn or ice cream. The DDP will cost $40 per person per day (rounding to make math easier). The cost of the snack and CS OOP would be about $15 (could be less, depending). This means my dinner (entree and dessert) must total $25+ to make it worth my money. That's great at a regular TS, but I know I want to eat at least one signature TS, meaning my entree and dessert total must now be $50+ to get full value.

In looking over the signature menus, there are many items I'd like to order in the $30 per plate range, plus the $8-10 dessert. It seems that I would actually be losing about $10 to eat at signature restaurant. It also doesn't seem that I would make up that $10 over the course of other meals.

For 5 nights we would have 10TS meanign we could eat 5TS meals, or 1 sig TS + 3Ts meals, or 2 sig TS + 1 TS meal. As Jiko, Cali Grill and Flying Fish are our three favorites, I'm struggling....

What if we share? Or pay OOP for an entree, its still seems that we lose. And we like appetizers. And typically don't eat two desserts.

Any thoughts or advice or examples of how to make this work? I'd hate to be at Jiko thinking I have to order the most expensive meal just to get my money's worth, I mean, I kind of like the chicken and its only $26!!

Help me decide!

 

[BBGirl]

I would say given how you eat that the dining plan may not be for you. Could you do DDE or maybe look at the Deluxe and do a few TS breakfasts with signature dining for dinner? Maybe just paying OOP would be cheapest for you. The dining plan just doesn't fit for everybody. Even as Disney tries to find a fit for everyone with all the different levels of dining plans.

 

[Mom of 2 Wife of 1]

It looks like you've done your homework and you came to the appropriate conclusion for your situation. Although with a light in-room breakfast, CS lunch and TS dinner the DDP seems tailor-made for you, your desire to do signature restaurants will ruin your savings margin. The DDP was not made to accommodate your itinerary. The DxDP was.

When planning our upcoming trip (we've never done any Dining Plan before) I carefully researched how we would eat and which plan would suit us best. For us, the regular DDP was not enough. We prefer to sit down at least twice a day and CS is something that seemed better handled OOP. However, with that same research it occurred to me the regular DDP was no longer of any great value to anyone -- unless -- you do exactly as it says, and would never ordinarily budge from 1 snack, 1 CS and 1 TS. For many, this works out perfectly. Even so, it seemed to be a much better deal when apps and tips were included. Most people go to WDW for the parks, not the food; I suspect for anyone who spends even five minutes on the DISboards (like you and I), food is a slightly more important subject.

We will do the DxDP this time and try it out. We know we will save almost $300, so why not? If, however, we don't like the restrictions, or suspect lesser treatment, or seem to be delayed due to multiple trips to the Micros machine by the server to charge our cards, etc. then we will not do it again.
As for you, I would suggest going OOP. No doubt you'll only buy the food you plan to eat, and not be forced to eat the food that's on the plan.

 

[snykymom]

I did the same numbers, and discovered:
1) DDP doesn't work. I often like appetizers instead of dessert, or instead of an entree and that's not allowed.
2) DxDP doesn't work. It's way too much food, and unless you really do eat an appetizer, entree and dessert at lunch and dinner, you're not getting your money's worth.

So we're doing OOP, and we'll see if we save or lose money on the deal!

 

[Golf4food]

I did the same numbers, and discovered:
1) DDP doesn't work. I often like appetizers instead of dessert, or instead of an entree and that's not allowed.
2) DxDP doesn't work. It's way too much food, and unless you really do eat an appetizer, entree and dessert at lunch and dinner, you're not getting your money's worth.

So we're doing OOP, and we'll see if we save or lose money on the deal!

Doesn't work for you on that trip. It can work for other people.

I do agree with others - the DDP does not represent a good value for Signature dining. You can get away with doing one signature for a longish trip and still come out a little ahead, but otherwise you are probably better off paying OOP for signature meals vs. using the DDP based on the value of credits vs. cost of the meal (which isn't 2 times higher than the cost of a regular TS meal).

 

[Tricia1972]

Sometimes the DDP or the DxDDP just do not work for the way that a particular family wants to tour. Be that for one trip, or it may just not fit your style. Just because it doesn't work for one family, doesn't mean that it won't work for others.

OP - I agree that OOP would probably be more of a savings for you for the way you describe the way you want to tour this trip.

Yes, you certainly could make a plan work out for you, but to me it doesn't sound like any plan is a natural fit.

I am unsure that you'll find more savings spending $30 more per night to get the DxDDP so you can have your appetizers and get your $26 chicken at Jiko. You may want to take a peek at the DxDDP as a PP suggests and see if it works for you.

However, from what I've read it sounds like you could go and pay OOP and eat everything that you want to get without worries about what the menu item costs, and you'll still save.

 

[snykymom]

Doesn't work for you on that trip. It can work for other people

Yes, of course. I'm sorry I wasn't clear on that in my post - I thought it was understood that I was only crunching the numbers for us. I don't count anyone else's money!

 

[Picabo]

If your signature meal is going to be on the less expensive side (under $50 as you calculated...) then you COULD pay for the signature meal OOP and then you have an extra TS meal to use for maybe a bkfst one day, or something along those lines? Just another suggestion....

 

[Sandy321]

If your signature meal is going to be on the less expensive side (under $50 as you calculated...) then you COULD pay for the signature meal OOP and then you have an extra TS meal to use for maybe a bkfst one day, or something along those lines? Just another suggestion....

That's what we're doing. DD 12 wants to eat at Cali Grill, but to get her DDP we have to order her an entree, even if she doesnt eat it (we found this out last year, it was our last meal, and due to some health issues, we had extra TS!) we have to order a full meal - so we did take it to go (and it was fabulous the next day!)

SHe so enjoyed the whole Cali Grill experience, that we decided we would just do this Signature TS OOP - she'd get her flat bread she wants, dh would get his sushi he loves, and we may come out ahead NOT using the DDP!