Dining for Dollars

[Mousemom234]

I'm in the 'final' planning stages for our August trip, 8-14th, and I need some advice, please.

2 adults, no kids -- ASMu 7 nights, Room only Summer discount.
We already have 10 day parkhoppers-no exp, and are planning on using 5 days for this trip, with an out-of-parks day. About $500 in DisVisa Rewards we were planning to use towards dining expenses.

Would it make sense for us to add on the regular dining package ? It looks like I can add it on with only a 1 day pass (which IMO is a gawrsh-awful price).
I've tried to do the math, but I'm a bit confuzled as to whether or not it's actually worth the additional cost, which is ± $900 more than the room alone. However, that does leave us with an unused day on our PHs, and gives us mini-golf and a discount on the marina.

Current ADRs are: Jiko, Crystal Palace dinner, Le Cellier lunch, 50's PTC, and Tusker House breakfast.

Other meals not yet scheduled may include: ASMu food court, Starring Rolls, Citrico's, Bongo's (L or D), Flame Tree BBq, Cosmic Ray's, Trail's End (L), Kona Cafe (L), GF Cafe (B) and Captains Grill (B or D)
We will have a car, and were planing to go offsite to McDonalds or Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast (and decent coffee) at least 3 mornings.

Thankies, peoples

 

[Cafeen]

First, start by doing the "simple" math. Figure out approx how much you would likely be spending with your current plans. This gives you a baseline to compare. (Baseline Price)

Next, figure out what you would add if you decided to pick up the DDP, and add that to the baseline. Include upping the baseline for stuff you'd get on DDP and not on OOP (e.g. Sodas, Desserts, or even higher end CS places as well as the 2 additional TS locations.) (New Price)

Last, compare that price to the increase in cost from adding the tickets and the DDP (DDP Price). If New Price is less than DDP Price, it's not worth it for sure. If New Price is only slightly more than DDP Price, it's still probably not worth it. If New Price is far greater than DDP Price, it's probably worth it.

However, it's still a bit subjective (and this is where it gets real tricky.) You have to then decide if paying DDP Price is worth getting the stuff included in New Price. So, for example, on my upcoming trip, if I stuck with normal DDP, I'd be paying ~$785 (and saving ~$40...which would be a "not worth it" in my book"). Upping it to DxDDP will cost me ~$980, and getting ~$1175 worth of food. To me, this increase in cost (~$200) was worth the increase in food experience (~$350 increase).

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

More food for thought - would switching to a plan eliminate your "room only" discount or would they still give you the discount if you were on a package (hopefully that makes sense). I'm not sure how that works.

I think the PP covered the best way to calculate it all out.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Cafeen]

More food for thought - would switching to a plan eliminate your "room only" discount or would they still give you the discount if you were on a package (hopefully that makes sense). I'm not sure how that works.

I think the PP covered the best way to calculate it all out.

Good luck with your decision.

99% of the time, you can still purchase a package including tickets and dining plan (or just tickets, but not just dining plan unless you're a special case (AP/Military)) even with a room rate discount applied. It simply converts it into a package and follows the package rules (45 day due date, late cancellation "fees" etc). I did this both last year and the year before while staying at a preferred/water view room at CSR where the 30% (at the time) discount saved slightly more than the free dining plan promotion at the time (this year, in a standard room at POR, the reverse is true, hence I'm going free dining).

There may be a wonky case here and there of people not being able to do that, but I haven't personally heard of any