DDP vs. OOP??? Which was the better deal? RESULTS ARE IN!!

[HeidiGW]

Thanks! LOVED your reviews!

 

[tinka-belle]

I have read that with the DDP you can get the individual pizzas only. You can't put in 2 credits and get the large. So you would each need to get the individual pizza if you use the DDP. Although I also read that they will allow you to get the individual pizza with 1 credit and then share that.

Maggie

We ate at Via Napoli a few weeks ago.

Individual pizza = 1 TS credit, one drink, one dessert
Large pizza = 2 TS credits, 2 drinks, 2 desserts
1/2 meter pizza = 4 TS credits, 4 drinks, 4 desserts (adult credits only?)

There were 3 of us, shared the large pizza for 2 TS credits, 3rd person ordered a salad and a drink separately.

 

[hmillerbarilla]

Maggiew!!!

Hi!!!!

This was so fun to read. Sounds like you two had a special anniversary and a great trip! DH & I went down over labor day alone (smiller babysat) and it was such fun to go to WDW without kids!

Your reviews were great. We also went to Via Napoli and loved it. I think we'll try the salad next visit!

Funny how the DDP and OOP is almost a wash. Now imagine the savings if you could use your extra care card...

Nice report!

I am not sure if this review and calculation was helpful for anyone. Maybe I just muddied the waters??????? I guess I need to go back next year for more research since this year's experiment was inconclusive.

Maggie

anything to do more research! Maybe I should try that line...

 

[maggiew]

Maggiew!!!

Hi!!!!

This was so fun to read. Sounds like you two had a special anniversary and a great trip! DH & I went down over labor day alone (smiller babysat) and it was such fun to go to WDW without kids!

Your reviews were great. We also went to Via Napoli and loved it. I think we'll try the salad next visit!

Funny how the DDP and OOP is almost a wash. Now imagine the savings if you could use your extra care card...

Nice report!




anything to do more research! Maybe I should try that line...

Hi! Good to see you. We miss you on the CVS threads! I tried to use my ECB to pay and they wouldn't take them!

I see you have another trip coming up! You can do more research for us.

Maggie

 

[hmillerbarilla]

Hi! Good to see you. We miss you on the CVS threads! I tried to use my ECB to pay and they wouldn't take them!

I see you have another trip coming up! You can do more research for us.

Maggie

I know... I'm ashamed! I never CVS anymore. But honestly, even though I stopped, I still haven't bought any toiletries. I'm still stocked.

When there is something good for free, I'll go and roll bucks the next week but for now I'm too busy taking attendance to make sure I have all my kiddies. I'm still in that, "it's out of control around here" phase.

Now back to the regular scheduled program of your yummy food report. I love it!

I will do more research in December. DH & I can't stay away. It will be our fourth trip this year! I better do some serious saving at CVS to pay for these research adventures!

 

[LORI522]

I found your reviews very helpful. Thanks!!

 

[At World's End]

I thought your reviews and comparison were great, too. We've never stayed on property and I was tempted to try it for the free dining. But when I crunched the numbers it didn't work out for us either.

 

[PFlamingo]

Interesting reviews and analysis!

I find that we save more using the room only discounts and paying for dining, either using a plan or OOP. We used the DxDP 2 years ago, which worked great as we were at the F&W Fest and were able to maximize the use of the snack credits, and we were eating at Signature places every night. We came out 'way ahead of the game.

Last year we got the regular DDP and pretty much broke even using it. This year, we did a quick trip this month w/ a room only discount and the military salute tickets. DDP wasn't an option b/c we weren't on a package. But I probably wouldn't have purchased it anyway. We weren't eating at Sig places, and we like to each order appetizers and share a dessert. So we'd've ended up paying OOP for the apps, or not ordering them at all.

For the way we eat, I'd rather have a room discount, especially since we love to stay at the deluxes, than free dining.

 

[micheleq]

Great reviews! Thanks!

 

[Branan5]

I showed this post to my husband it was so nice! Thank You for sharing! We have a few new ideas for dining Via Napoli and Dessert Party! Yumm-O!

 

[Disneyland_Mama]

Loved your reviews! We've done the comparison several years now and we are usually pretty close either way. Maybe give or take $100-$200.

This year my DD will be considered an "adult" by Disney standards, so I think we'll pay OOP. She simply does not/cannot eat "adult" sized portions.


Thank for all the great photos, but now I'm hungry.

 

[goofy2008]

All that food make be hungry...

 

[LisaTC]

What a great source of information. I've used restaurant.com many times when we go to Myrtle Beach. My DD7 hates kids menus. Many times she orders from the reg menu. A kid can only eat so many chicken fingers, hot dogs, hamburgers and pasta w/marinara. She is a VERY healthy, diverse eater willing to try new things. We don't do dessert much when eating out, so that's the problem I have with the DP. You kind of eat like we do. We tend to do 2 meals/day on vacation w/light snacking for the missing meal. Thanks for posting this. Great info.

 

[forever a child]

I really enjoyed reading your post. I loved seeing all of your meals. We took photos of many of our meals...but we would be so hungry we would forget to take a picture and start eating.

I have done the same comparison (In reverse while we were on the DDP) and it ended up being a wash. We would have preferred a few things that were not covered on the meals and not near as many deserts...especially for the Quick service meals.

Thanks again!

 

[maggiew]

The way I look at it is, if it is going to be a wash, then I would rather pay OOP and have the flexibility. I also worry that someone will get sick and not want to eat... then the DDP becomes a waste.

I've not totally given up on the DDP, though. I might try to do a trip and then MAXIMIZE the value of the plan. Then see if that made for a better trip?

Maggie

 

[Tinker12]

Great info and thanks for sharing!!!

 

[Tinker12]

Great info and thanks for sharing!!!

 

[vwlizard]

Wow that was really interesting.

I have struggled with this over our December trip and finally decided to pay OOP. I did FD twice back when it included tip and appetizer and paid OOP the 1st time for a couple of extra meals at places not included and the 2nd time when it was only myself and DH we had 7 CS meals left.

This time I already have tickets from previous trips and the 2 FD trips that are only going to cost a bit over $300 to upgrade for our entire trip for 2 adults and 2 kids, including 2 AP's. I got 40% off room only at Poly so I figured that was the better discount. With the AP's I will have TIW card also.

I studied menus and even have an excel spread sheet but realized even if it is a wash we will have the meals we want, where we want and I won't be worried about using credits, etc.

My 2 grandchildren are 7 and 9 and would be limited to a children's menu and that wouldn't always work for them. Often when we dine out at home the 4 of us will order 2 appetizers, 2 meals and a dessert or 2 to split. I want this to be a vacation and not to worry about what is covered, making sure the credits get used, paying OOP for the things the kids want to eat and wasting what we don't. I imagine we will also eat at a couple of places not covered on the dining plan.

I think I will save all the receipts just to see where we stand when we get back.

Now tell me how to get these $2 dining certificates, please!

We are in the same boat. It is ME, DH, DD7 and DD6. I ran spreadsheets every time I changed our ADR's and no matter what I did, the DDP saved up less than $70 each time. Since without it, we'd order differently, we'll actually be saving by not doing it. Plus, I thought me kids would get really tired of what was on the kid's menu. Since we are staying at the Poly, a 35%room discount, puts us ahead of getting FD. I have booked 5 TS meals for our 7 day stay and am pretty excited about the flexibility of not being on DDP.

 

[mom2grace]

We are in the same boat. It is ME, DH, DD7 and DD6. I ran spreadsheets every time I changed our ADR's and no matter what I did, the DDP saved up less than $70 each time. Since without it, we'd order differently, we'll actually be saving by not doing it. Plus, I thought me kids would get really tired of what was on the kid's menu. Since we are staying at the Poly, a 35%room discount, puts us ahead of getting FD. I have booked 5 TS meals for our 7 day stay and am pretty excited about the flexibility of not being on DDP.

Our kids are 8 & 6, the 8 year old will usually happily eat from the kids menu, the 6 year old is a boy who eats & I worry for when he is 16! I usually ordered an app & entree that I shared with DS, or sometimes the kids would share an adult entree. We eat really healthy at home, and I want the flexibility of choice so my kids aren't eating chicken fingers all week, although they would if I would allow it!

 

[honeybunches]

Thanks for your reviews & pictures! I really enjoyed reading your thread.
My daughter (7 y.o.) and I are going on a long weekend trip soon and we got the DxDP. I didn't do the calculations ahead of time so I wasn't sure if it would be worth the cost. Looks like we wasted some money by doing the Dx, but I will enjoy knowing that everything's paid for. next time I'll remember your thread & reconsider!!

For the restaurant.com gift certificates, you can also get cash back on these at ebates. Makes them even cheaper than $2 each!