Dining Plan Calculator Question

[heywagners]

I want to be sure I'm reading this correctly.

I was using the Dining Plan Calculator (http://www.distripplanner.com) and it said the following:

$1564.45 (Savings $287.05)

Does that mean that using the dining plan would save us $287.05?

The details section says:
This dining plan would cost $1184.00 and covers the following amounts:

• Entrees & Drinks: $1348.15
• Appetizers: $0.00
• Desserts: $0.00
• Snacks: $98.25
• Refillable Mugs: $0.00
• Taxes: $24.65

You would need to pay for these amounts out of pocket:

• Entrees & Drinks: $174.61
• Appetizers: $0.00
• Desserts: $0.00
• Snacks: $0.00
• Refillable Mugs: $0.00
• Tips: $205.84
• Taxes: $0.00

 

[supersnoop]

First two lines:
The dining plan would cost you $1184.00
and would cover $1348.15

Yes, it would save you money if you eat like the plan dictates.

 

[speeb]

Yes, the $287 (displayed in green) is what you save over paying for the same choices out of pocket. There should also be one that says "Using No Plan" - that's what the OOP cost would be.

Looks like you might have extra table service meal in there too.

 

[cheerupem0kidx0x]

That calculator is awesome, I didn't know about that! According to it we will save $200+ too. And didn't technically pay for dining plan since it's free dining promo.

 

[heywagners]

Yes, the $287 (displayed in green) is what you save over paying for the same choices out of pocket. There should also be one that says "Using No Plan" - that's what the OOP cost would be.

Looks like you might have extra table service meal in there too.

Thank you. And, yes, there is one extra out of pocket meal that we had planned on. Thanks so much for the quick reply!

 

[heywagners]

That calculator is awesome, I didn't know about that! According to it we will save $200+ too. And didn't technically pay for dining plan since it's free dining promo.

It's pretty awesome, isn't it? Whoever created it rocks!

 

[21stamps]

I have a question that I hope someone can answer-

I used the calculator to compare the DXDDP and OOP. It says that I would break even, so no brainer right?

But what's confusing me is that it doesn't know what I will order, so is it accurate?
My meals are mostly breakfasts and lunch- 1 TS per day (and checkout day) and one day we do have 2 TS meals.

I don't want to be left over with a ton of credits if i do the DXDDP.

 

[speeb]

I have a question that I hope someone can answer-

I used the calculator to compare the DXDDP and OOP. It says that I would break even, so no brainer right?

But what's confusing me is that it doesn't know what I will order, so is it accurate?
My meals are mostly breakfasts and lunch- 1 TS per day (and checkout day) and one day we do have 2 TS meals.

I don't want to be left over with a ton of credits if i do the DXDDP.

I'm pretty sure it uses an average menu price. But since the deluxe plan is 3 TS per day, why would you be looking at it if that isn't your plan? Unless you're doing signature restaurants?

 

[21stamps]

I'm pretty sure it uses an average menu price. But since the deluxe plan is 3 TS per day, why would you be looking at it if that isn't your plan? Unless you're doing signature restaurants?

I have 6 TS over 4 nights. I purchased the DDP and will cancel that regardless of if OOP or DXDDP.
There will also be a room service breakfast and room service dinner.

We purchased the DDP last time and also did room service twice- both times I paid out of pocket- and for 2 other table service meal as well. I liked the "all inclusive" feel of the dining plan, but didn't compare to see if I actually came out ahead.

The average price is what I was wondering about- so it doesn't figure the most expensive? Example- I will be ordering the quinoa cakes at WC instead of the skillet- which is a bit lower price point.

We will be coming off a 7 night cruise and I don't know if the DXDDP will force me to purchase more snacks/use more credits than what we will actually use. I still need to fit in my clothes while there

 

[21stamps]

OP- I don't know if you are better informed than I was, but I'll share with you a few of my mistakes on the DDP-

1. I didn't realize that qs child credits could be used as adult meals.
So, I paid out of pocket for my son to have shawarma at Tangierine Cafe. I also wasted qs credits on meals for him when really he just needed a snack.

2. I didn't realize that I could use 1 credit for H&V F! Package, so paid OOP again for that.

3. Used a qs credit on very inexpensive breakfast items at the resort.

4. Ran out of credits on last day.

I don't regret doing the plan, but now I've learned that I could have utilized it a lot better!

( I'm sure I made plenty more mistakes, but those are 4 off the top of my head )

 

[AngiTN]

I have 6 TS over 4 nights. I purchased the DDP and will cancel that regardless of if OOP or DXDDP.
There will also be a room service breakfast and room service dinner.

We purchased the DDP last time and also did room service twice- both times I paid out of pocket- and for 2 other table service meal as well. I liked the "all inclusive" feel of the dining plan, but didn't compare to see if I actually came out ahead.

The average price is what I was wondering about- so it doesn't figure the most expensive? Example- I will be ordering the quinoa cakes at WC instead of the skillet- which is a bit lower price point.

We will be coming off a 7 night cruise and I don't know if the DXDDP will force me to purchase more snacks/use more credits than what we will actually use. I still need to fit in my clothes while there

You tell it if you want low, avg or high prices. ETA - nevermind, the calculator linked above isn't the one that lets you pick cost range. There is another one out there that does

And just to let folks know, I don't think the prices on this have been updated. Not unless they've been done in the last couple of weeks. So check the last update date. I love the calculator and have found, after using it for several years, if it shows even to within about $200 you will spent less OOP. That's because 99% of us wouldn't order exactly like the dining plan requires if we had a choice. For instance, have you ever gone to a restaurant and wanted an appetizer or two as your meal? OOP gives you that choice, DP doesn't. To use the DP you have to pick an entree

 

[heywagners]

I understand what the PP is saying, but our family orders pretty traditionally (an entree for everyone, a dessert or two for the table) and we find that the dining plan does save us money and that it is helpful and convenient.

 

[supersnoop]

It says that I would break even, so no brainer right?

Why does breaking even make it a no-brainer? That seems like it would be a more difficult decision. Then you need to know if you'll actually use all your snack credits or always order dessert.

 

[21stamps]

Why does breaking even make it a no-brainer? That seems like it would be a more difficult decision. Then you need to know if you'll actually use all your snack credits or always order dessert.

Which is exactly why my next word was "But". Lol

 

[tobikaye]

I have been anti-DP in the past as it just did not work with the way I eat. Then they changed the rules to allow you to swap a drink or dessert at QS. That made me reconsider a bit, but I still do not really eat the way the plan is set up at TS locations. So, I am about 50/50 on whether I will try a plan or not on my next trip. The calculator sometimes shows me saving and other times paying more based on where I eat. Since I do not like to plan every single meal before I live I am afraid it would end up costing me more in the long run.

 

[CraigInPA]

When I used the calculator 2 years ago, it said that I'd break even on DxDDP versus paying OOP. I then looked closely, and played around a bit with it. It's using an "average price" for various eating styles at any given restaurant. The problem I found with it was that my eating style at a signature is app, entree, dessert, drink. But for lunch, I'd often skip the app, or eat a token amount of it, in order to save room for dessert (and later, dinner at the signature). I almost never used the plan for breakfast.

When I compared what we actually ordered the previous year, using current pricing, against the calculator, I came out with a $100-200 advantage paying OOP. So, 2 years ago, we went OOP. The result was a $500 savings over DxDDP. We still ate at the same signature restaurants, the same table service, and had the same things to eat. The extra savings was because we didn't "use up" the 36 snack credits at the end of the trip, just because we had them.

Since then, we've been eating OOP.

 

[Huff]

Really depends on what everyone in a party orders. The calculator is an average. If most order items like steak or seafood at TS then their costs rises and the DDP savings goes up. If you tend to order low priced menu items then the calculator may incorrectly show a savings thats not real.

 

[AngiTN]

When I used the calculator 2 years ago, it said that I'd break even on DxDDP versus paying OOP. I then looked closely, and played around a bit with it. It's using an "average price" for various eating styles at any given restaurant. The problem I found with it was that my eating style at a signature is app, entree, dessert, drink. But for lunch, I'd often skip the app, or eat a token amount of it, in order to save room for dessert (and later, dinner at the signature). I almost never used the plan for breakfast.

When I compared what we actually ordered the previous year, using current pricing, against the calculator, I came out with a $100-200 advantage paying OOP. So, 2 years ago, we went OOP. The result was a $500 savings over DxDDP. We still ate at the same signature restaurants, the same table service, and had the same things to eat. The extra savings was because we didn't "use up" the 36 snack credits at the end of the trip, just because we had them.

Since then, we've been eating OOP.

This is what caused us to abandon the DP (even free dining plan)
At just about every meal we had to alter what we wanted to eat in order to make the meal fit the parameters of the dining plan. Had we truly been able to order our #1 choice we would have saved money.
I can't tell you how often I'd like a salad and an appetizer as my meal.

 

[Huff]

First time we used the DDP years ago it saves considerable. Back then it included Appetizer, Entree, Dessert, Drink and Tip for about $35/per person/per day.

 

[speeb]

For me it works because I've got 3 kids and 3 adults with a character meal planned each day. Oy.