Did I do this right? Plz help!

[krowe333]

My husband, myself, and our 12 and 8 yr old daughters are staying at Pop Century Resort in March 2013 for 5 days. I was first thinking oop, then the ddxp, then the ddp. So I started doing the math and ended up which I thought would be oop and ended up doing better at the ddxp!? Can yall help me and check my math for me?
Thanks, here it goes:

MK Cinderella's Royal Table Ax3=$171 & Cx1=$36 GT $207 w/tax & grat
EP Princess Akershus Ax3=117 & Cx1=$24 GT $141 w/tax
MK Crystal Palace Ax3=$87 & Cx1=$16 GT $103 w/tax
AK Rainforest Cafe for all 4=$145 w/tax
CR Chef Mickeys Ax3=$93 & Cx1=$18 GT $111 w/tax
HS Sci-Fi Inn for all 4=$118 w/tax
EP Coral Reef for all 4=$115 w/tax
PR Ohana Bfast Ax3=$80 & Cx1=$15 GT $255 w/tax
PR Spirit of Aloha Dinner Ax3=$201 & Cx1=$33 (2 drinks) $30 GT 264 w/tax gt
CS Estimate for CS's at our Resort & Parks (6) $360
Snacks Estimate $5 for 4 entire stay=$100
Refillable Mugs Estimate for 4=$56

Grand Total=$1945

So this shows I would be doing better if we did ddxp?
Thanks

 

[havoc315]

My husband, myself, and our 12 and 8 yr old daughters are staying at Pop Century Resort in March 2013 for 5 days. I was first thinking oop, then the ddxp, then the ddp. So I started doing the math and ended up which I thought would be oop and ended up doing better at the ddxp!? Can yall help me and check my math for me?
Thanks, here it goes:

MK Cinderella's Royal Table Ax3=$171 & Cx1=$36 GT $207 w/tax & grat
EP Princess Akershus Ax3=117 & Cx1=$24 GT $141 w/tax
MK Crystal Palace Ax3=$87 & Cx1=$16 GT $103 w/tax
AK Rainforest Cafe for all 4=$145 w/tax
CR Chef Mickeys Ax3=$93 & Cx1=$18 GT $111 w/tax
HS Sci-Fi Inn for all 4=$118 w/tax
EP Coral Reef for all 4=$115 w/tax
PR Ohana Bfast Ax3=$80 & Cx1=$15 GT $255 w/tax
PR Spirit of Aloha Dinner Ax3=$201 & Cx1=$33 (2 drinks) $30 GT 264 w/tax gt
CS Estimate for CS's at our Resort & Parks (6) $360
Snacks Estimate $5 for 4 entire stay=$100
Refillable Mugs Estimate for 4=$56

Grand Total=$1945

So this shows I would be doing better if we did ddxp?
Thanks

You're now at 11 TS credits, so it makes sense that the DxDP could save you money.
But some notes-- You're now over on your credits. I'm counting use of 17 credits, DxDP would only give you 15 credits. (so the total will be less when you deduct 2 meals)
-That's an awful lot of character meals and events. Have you done an itinerary like that before? Between too much food and too much time, you may find yourself burnt out on the experience half way through your trip.
-If you are eating 3 full meals per day, with appetizers and desserts at every meal, you are likely to spend very little on snacks. We used DxDP last trip -- family had 72 snack credits, we only used 11 out of the $72. (about $8 per day on snacks)
-Do you want/need 4 mugs? Do you want/need any? With all that running to different restaurants, doesn't sound like you're going to be spending tons of time sipping small cups of pop at POP.
-$60 could be high for CS meals. A CS breakfast for 3 adults and 1 child is about $40. $60 could be right for lunch/dinner IF you are including 4 desserts. But would you be ordering desserts at CS?
-Your drinks would not be covered at Spirit of Aloha. Category 1 seating is not covered.

Sometimes DxDP is a good value, even at 2013 pricing. And with 11 TS credits, a ton of character meals, using all your credits, it very easily could be a good value for you.
BUT -- a lot of people obsess over the amount covered by the DxDP (mugs, 2 snacks per day, apps, all those credits), instead of calculating what they would actually use.

Some people who come back from a DxDP trip are totally satisfied. Others regret the excess of food and spending five to six hours per day at restaurants.

I do also suggest -- write out your meal schedule. Estimate 90 minutes-2 hours per TS meal. 20-40 minutes per CS meal. Don't forget commuting time. Make sure it all works. (I saw someone schedule a 1:00 lunch and 4:00 dinner -- their lunch went to about 3:00, so they had to leave and start commuting to dinner reservation, immediately after finishing lunch).

 

[sharonabe]

Just one math error that I saw, but it's a big one:

Your Ohana breakfast is only $95 total, not $255.

Also the $30 for drinks at Spirit would not be included with DDP, so that's another $30 along with the extra meals Havoc pointed out that needs to be added on to the DDP cost.

 

[Nomad70]

As a whole family (5 of us, 1 being a child) we pay out of pocket and allot ourselves $1500 for a 6 to 8 day stay. BUT, we do one TS a day, eat breakfast in our room, one CS, usually for lunch, and don't really spend much on snacks. We also only make a couple of ADR's. We aren't there to eat, but to play in the parks! We have found if we budget X amount for food, X amount for misc., X amount for each kid to spend a day we never go over. In fact we typically come home with quite a bit left over. Oh, and we don't purchase the reusable mugs. We bring our own water. Wanted to add, we are not buffet people, but we do go to Chrystal Palace at least once for breakfast, it's tradition. And we don't do signature restaurants.

 

[havoc315]

Just one math error that I saw, but it's a big one:

Your Ohana breakfast is only $95 total, not $255.

Also the $30 for drinks at Spirit would not be included with DDP, so that's another $30 along with the extra meals Havoc pointed out that needs to be added on to the DDP cost.

Big difference. The DxDP would cost op about $1650.
They calculated $1945 in covered expenses. Take out the $160 from the Ohana error, take out $120 for the 2 extra CS meals, and take out $30 for the drinks..
And it is $1635 oop. Choose to skip the mugs or any desserts, and obviously much cheaper.
But add in 1 more TS meal, and you would create perceived value. (not real value, as you would be adding a meal you don't want).

 

[POOHsie]

First question I have is for OP: are you staying 5 nights, or 4 nights? Your post said "5 days," but dining credits are calculated on how many nights you are staying at Disney.

Second question I have is, when OP says 5 days at WDW, does that include arrival and departure days? If so, that shortens available park time even more.

All of OP's choices are wonderful places. But there are too many 2-hour meals (+travel) for a 5-day trip. I would remove 4-5 meals, leaving 4-5 table service meals for the trip. The kids' focus will be on fun at the parks. One special meal, like CRT, is enough awesomeness for kids. After that, the kids will be bored with dining and want to be back in the parks.

 

[BuzzandWoodyMom]

My husband, myself, and our 12 and 8 yr old daughters are staying at Pop Century Resort in March 2013 for 5 days. I was first thinking oop, then the ddxp, then the ddp. So I started doing the math and ended up which I thought would be oop and ended up doing better at the ddxp!? Can yall help me and check my math for me?
Thanks, here it goes:

MK Cinderella's Royal Table Ax3=$171 & Cx1=$36 GT $207 w/tax & grat
EP Princess Akershus Ax3=117 & Cx1=$24 GT $141 w/tax
MK Crystal Palace Ax3=$87 & Cx1=$16 GT $103 w/tax
AK Rainforest Cafe for all 4=$145 w/tax
CR Chef Mickeys Ax3=$93 & Cx1=$18 GT $111 w/tax
HS Sci-Fi Inn for all 4=$118 w/tax
EP Coral Reef for all 4=$115 w/tax
PR Ohana Bfast Ax3=$80 & Cx1=$15 GT $255 w/tax
PR Spirit of Aloha Dinner Ax3=$201 & Cx1=$33 (2 drinks) $30 GT 264 w/tax gt
CS Estimate for CS's at our Resort & Parks (6) $360
Snacks Estimate $5 for 4 entire stay=$100
Refillable Mugs Estimate for 4=$56

Grand Total=$1945

So this shows I would be doing better if we did ddxp?
Thanks

From personal experience of traveling to WDW with children for the last 10 years or so, get the Basic/Plus Dining, and not the Deluxe Dining. You will thank me later when you don't have to hear all of the whining and complaining from your children and husband about how much park time you are wasting "eating all our park time way."

Trust me, one table service/character meal per day is plenty, especially with children this age