Deciding between DDP or Dxdp

[mb_uh]

I am so torn. We did dxdp last year and LOVED it. We are planning a 7 day stay in July and the difference in cost is $560 not counting tips which is not exactly right because we would still end up buying mugs, and we would make up some of the extra tip money paying oop for things like BC "kitchen sink" we will do if not on dxdp (I know it is not included on any dp).

We like nice restaurants and IRL we are in a small town with limited options. If we go ddp we will hit more character meals for dinner and if on dxdp we will do them for breakfast instead so we can do signature restaurants. Our kids like normal kid food but also enjoy adventous food from nice places.

I know it is a lot of money and I am just not sure whether it is worth it or not. DH wants to do it but that is a lot of meals.

It just seems like for the extra $31 dollars (seasonal pricing) for adults and $9 for kids that dxdp is such a better value I mean lunch is upgraded, add breakfast, apps at 2 meals, an extra snack and a mug. But then I think 80 dollars extra for food is a lot considering we probably spend about $200 all week for groceries, take out and eating out IRL.

It helps that I have the free dining pin but that is only qs so even for regular we have to pay.

I am just wondering how everyone decides? We have done dxdp and did not think it was too much time eating but not sure if that would change if we try regular.

 

[gracy_hm]

If you love appetizers DXDP all the way! If not I would go with DDP its tough call. If you are accustomed to DXDP and have the money to do so without any worry of fear of b eing short on money for anything else then and only then would I say GO FOR IT!


Kyle

 

[catne]

We really enjoy doing the deluxe, but we mostly stick with just two meals a day when we do deluxe (get too full otherwise.) So we go with either breakfast buffet, a snack lunch & a signature dinner...or we do a snack breakfast, TS lunch and a later signature dinner.

But before switching, the first thing I would do is see if I could even get the additional reservations...you're talking about character breakfasts in just 2 months? What you want may not be available at decent times...the signature dinners probably will be available (they don't book up a much) but the breakfasts, maybe not.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

If you enjoy character meals and Signature meals, then I would definitely vote for DxDDP.
We love being able to choose a character bkfst for the kids - while still being able to enjoy a Signature dinner.
Our grandchildren have become used to eating in finer dining establishments thanks to Disney's Sig. restaurants. They never would have been exposed to these venues at home.
When we were at WDW last year we made arrangements for the grandkids to go to the Neverland Club while we went to F! (Kids were afraid of loud noises/fireworks.) Kids were playing with their toys on the patio outside our room at the Poly when we realized it was time for them to go to the kid's club. As I was hurrying them along to get ready to go, my granddaughter said: "Gigi, can you please be sure to serve my dolls an appetizer, entree, and dessert while we're gone? I have them all set up at the table". Indeed, she had them all sitting around the "table" ready for their gourmet dinner! That memory still brings a smile to my heart to this day... (My daughter - the kid's mother - doesn't exactly think of it that fondly tho! They expected the same level of dining after we returned them to thier original owners! Not to mention glow-cubes, coloring books at the table, etc!)

 

[mb_uh]

This is so funny. I really expected to hear how it dxdp was a waste of food, of money and especially time, which seems to be what I hear on the boards all the time about TS meals.

I think I kind of wanted to hear that we would not miss dxdp and would enjoy all the extra time, money and that CS was wonderful

Problem is in 2 trips to disney I think we have only done 1-2 CS meals so I honestly can not remember them

I really wish that you could split it up and do 2-3 days of dxdp 1-2 of ddp or qs instead of being forced to commit to one for the whole trip.

It is just overwhelming to realize that on dxdp for 7 nights we COULD do 21 TS meals while on the regular we only get 7 TS meals and another 7 CS meals.

Thanks

 

[goofy4tink]

Having the exact same issue. I have the TiW card...or will when I renew it in August. Two trips planned so that's not an issue.
We are going down from Oct 16-23 with another couple...both guys aren't all that crazy about 'attractions' but they do like their meal times!! So, eating is a big deal for them. I've been running figures every which way for a month now. I don't usually do a dining plan..just isn't cost effective for us. But..this time it may well be the way to go. There is only about a $100 difference between the most expensive and the least expensive ways to go.
Since I already have ADRs made for the trip, I pretty much know what the costs will be for each meal. Makes it a bit easier to figure out final costs that way.
I 'think' we may go with the dxddp this time.

 

[Faldred]

How does one decide? There are too many factors involved for any one set of criteria to be universally useful.

From your initial post, for you it seems to come down to, yes, the DxDP reflects that way you would prefer to dine, but also that you are concerned over the budget. So it seems to me that your decision needs to reflect whether or not the difference in vacation experience to you is worth the extra cost.

 

[sjs314]

DH and I decided to try the DxDP this October for a few reasons

1 We almost always order Appitizers
2 We enjoy starting our day off with a TS Breakfast (We both love Breakfast Buffets)
3 We prefer TS lunch/dinners over CS (waiting in line then searching for a table is not our style, A/C indoors is a big plus
4 Refillable Mug comes in handy during down time at the resort (pool, am coffee)
5 2 snack credits as opposed to 1 a day (will be using at F&W Festival)

I did go thru and guesstimated what we might order and after adding in tips , taking into account what we would spend at F&W kiosks and min 2 refills with the mug a day the DxDP should save us roughly $500.

Granted when we pay OOP we normally will skip dessert not because we are full or do not want it but to save a few $$ so the DxDP will allow us to have everything prepaid and we can order and not worry about the cost .......

 

[goofy4tink]

DH and I decided to try the DxDP this October for a few reasons

1 We almost always order Appitizers
2 We enjoy starting our day off with a TS Breakfast (We both love Breakfast Buffets)
3 We prefer TS lunch/dinners over CS (waiting in line then searching for a table is not our style, A/C indoors is a big plus
4 Refillable Mug comes in handy during down time at the resort (pool, am coffee)
5 2 snack credits as opposed to 1 a day (will be using at F&W Festival)

I did go thru and guesstimated what we might order and after adding in tips , taking into account what we would spend at F&W kiosks and min 2 refills with the mug a day the DxDP should save us roughly $500.

Granted when we pay OOP we normally will skip dessert not because we are full or do not want it but to save a few $$ so the DxDP will allow us to have everything prepaid and we can order and not worry about the cost .......

We sound very similar. You just listed all my 'pros' for the deluxe plan!!!

 

[catra121]

In your case it really seems like Deluxe is how you want to go. And remember that when you have free dining you only pay the difference between the free plan and the deluxe plan. That's what we did last trip because we stayed at Pop and the QSDP was free and we upgraded to Deluxe Dining plan. I don't think I will ever travel without it again. The flexibility, the extravegance (hey...on vacation so it's allowed, right), and just not coming home to a large credit card bill at the end of the trip makes it so worth it to me. I love being able to have TS meals and not have to do CS meals. If I absolutely could not afford TS meals...then I would deal with CS just to be in Disney...but I'd rather cut my costs as home for a few weeks and slurge on vacation.

 

[sjs314]

We sound very similar. You just listed all my 'pros' for the deluxe plan!!!

Great Minds !

In your case it really seems like Deluxe is how you want to go. And remember that when you have free dining you only pay the difference between the free plan and the deluxe plan. That's what we did last trip because we stayed at Pop and the QSDP was free and we upgraded to Deluxe Dining plan. I don't think I will ever travel without it again. The flexibility, the extravegance (hey...on vacation so it's allowed, right), and just not coming home to a large credit card bill at the end of the trip makes it so worth it to me. I love being able to have TS meals and not have to do CS meals. If I absolutely could not afford TS meals...then I would deal with CS just to be in Disney...but I'd rather cut my costs as home for a few weeks and slurge on vacation.

I could not have said it better.

 

[mb_uh]

Thanks.

Okay, people you seem to have picked up on the fact that I want to do dxdp. However, I really wanted you tell me ddp is great- SAVE MONEY

Hopefully, we can afford to get the dxdp without hurting our budget- it is just so hard when you are thrify but also like nice things. My sister, how has tons of money would be perfectly happy to bring a loaf of bread and look for packets of "free" PB and Jelly and drink water

I have a great job but with 3 kids I have a hard time letting go of my money, especially since I am still paying of my student loans.

I guess I just need to let go and have want I really want and stop obessing

 

[tzeitel]

We did DDP and thought it was more than enough food - but we are not breakfast people. We got the mugs and if we wanted something for breakfast we used a snack credit. It also worked out for us because we used to live in Orlando and we wanted to go back to the Ale House - so we had that extra meal to play with. Which in turn worked out since we did the luau

I guess we had so many things to do we forgot to get hungry!
Of course next trip we are doing DxDP and I am sure we will be hungry for that

Are you planning on going to many signature restaurant or shows? We are doing DxDP because it will be a family reunion and will be doing every show and signature under the sun!

If you can't afford it or will be freaking out during your vacation over the cost then just do the DDP - it will be ok

 

[sukhakuli]

I'm struggling with this decision as well. If I'm honest with myself, I want the DxDP. I am worried that with the regular plan we will still have to buy food, and then I'm going to be kicking myself for buying this dining plan and still paying for food OOP. I can see us easily doing 2 sit down meals, one counter service, per day, and several signature dining. Dh says if I want to do more than 3 signature restaurants, then we should get the DxDP.

The cost is a stumbling point, though. I don't see myself trying to maximize every single dollar, but I am worried that the tips will add up enough that I am going to feel like I am paying more for the meal than I would have OOP. Silly, I know, but I can see that getting annoying. And we definitely would be eating at sit down meals more than we would without the plan. Overall, I think we would pay more for the deluxe plan that we would for our food if we paid out of pocket, but we would also do a lot more counter service, sharing entrees, and skipping meals.

I really wish Disney had a plan with 2 table service meals, one counter service meals, and snacks in between the basic plan and the deluxe. I fear the basic plan is not enough, and the deluxe is too much. It kind of shoots Disney in the foot because it makes it more tempting to not get a plan at all.

I'm not any help, sorry. Trying to decide about dining is really holding up making our reservation because I don't know if I want a package or not.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Thanks.

Okay, people you seem to have picked up on the fact that I want to do dxdp. However, I really wanted you tell me ddp is great- SAVE MONEY

Hopefully, we can afford to get the dxdp without hurting our budget- it is just so hard when you are thrify but also like nice things. My sister, how has tons of money would be perfectly happy to bring a loaf of bread and look for packets of "free" PB and Jelly and drink water

I have a great job but with 3 kids I have a hard time letting go of my money, especially since I am still paying of my student loans.

I guess I just need to let go and have want I really want and stop obessing

All right, I'll list some of the reasons why we don't do DXDP and are better with DDP:
1) None of us are big breakfast eaters. A bowl of cereal is all we need during the rest of the year, so why load up in the morning and give ourselves a stomach ache? We will occasionally do a breakfast but usually only 1 a trip.

2) We often travel in the summer when, IMO, you are much better off spending morning hours touring and not sitting in a restaurant. And, I know we could go before the park opens, but we would so much rather sleep to the last possible minute than we would dragging ourselves out of bed early just to get the aforementioned tummy ache.

3) While we love to eat, there are so many other things that you could use that time for at Disney: rides, characters, pools, arcades, shows... the list goes on and on. My kids like to try it all (including the dining) so one TS place a day is enough of our time.

-There are plenty of perfectly good CS places to eat. But, just like you would research where you want to dine for TS, I would also research where you want to dine for CS. You won't catch me having a pizza at Pinocchio's when I could be having a nice sandwich at Columbia Harbor House or getting a burger at Electric Umbrella when I could have a yummy bratwurst in Germany. (or whatever your tastes are)

All right. This probably hasn't helped you change your mind. But, have a great trip no matter what you decide.

 

[Tiffany507s]

Here! I'll help!

Just do the DDP! DH loves food and can eat eat eat(and is freakin' skinny!). We do the DDP and he has more than enough food. The last trip, we rarely payed for anything OOP...except sodas. (gross orlando water) I like counter service meals. You can get some really good options..not just burgers and fries. An example is the chicken at cosmic rays! So why don't you give the DDP a try this time, and next time you'll know for sure which one you like best.

Plus if you order an app a couple times, or some extra food, it really won't break the bank.

Hope I helped!

 

[mb_uh]

Thanks, that sounds like a good idea. I have ddp booked and if I have the extra money then we will upgrade and if not we will still have a great time. Only adr I will really miss is CRT seems like a waste of 2 full meals (we have done it before) we will do PF1900 which would be new to us.