Disney Dining Experience

[NoleFamily]

I'm new to this so please be patient/kind.

Can someone please explain to me what the Disney Dining Experience is and does it cost anything and is it worth it???

 

[plutolovr]

DDE (Disney Dining Experience) is a discount card available to annual passholders and Florida residents for a yearly fee ($60 for PH). The card is good for a year and is good for a 20% discount at most, not all, table service venues and some counter service (mostly resorts where there is no TS available). The discount is also good on alcoholic purchases at most bars and lounges. An 18% gratuity is also automatically added to the bill.

Hope this explains it.

 

[TDC Nala]

This being a DDE question, I'm going to move it to Restaurants from the DDP board.

 

[davinakb]

Disney Dining Experience ... is it worth it???

IME YES. Of course that will depend on you, what and how you eat at WDW ... If you plan on several TS meals during your trip, including character meals and signature dining; if you have a larger party for every meal (the card covers 10 people, one check); if you will enjoy a cocktail or bottle of wine at dinner, ...

We rarely do CS, so we eat at least one nice sit-down meal every day. As we enjoy the resort restaurants, good food and wine (plus the pass includes parking, saving more $) the DDE card is a no brainer for us, lets us enjoy even more dining while at WDW. To give you an example, on our last trip we ate at Jiko, party of 8 and easily saved more than the cost of the DDE card right there. FWIW.

 

[byoung]

We saved over $600 with family of 10 in May in 5 Days.

 

[Duchie]

How and where do you apply for the card? Does your AP have to be activated in order to get it?

I've got a trip planned this October (all girls trip with sisters) and we're now thinking we'll take another trip with friends in February. The AP for me will be a no-brainer, but it won't get activated until I arrive in October. Could I order the DDE card prior to my October trip if I haven't activated the AP yet?

 

[oybolshoi]

How and where do you apply for the card? Does your AP have to be activated in order to get it?

I've got a trip planned this October (all girls trip with sisters) and we're now thinking we'll take another trip with friends in February. The AP for me will be a no-brainer, but it won't get activated until I arrive in October. Could I order the DDE card prior to my October trip if I haven't activated the AP yet?

Yes - you just need a valid AP number in order to purchase one. That's how I did it last year. Call the DDE phone number about a month before your trip (I think they're only open M-F) and you can take care of it over the phone. That way you'll have the card before you arrive at WDW and it will be one less thing you have to worry about once you get there.

We love using the DDE - it's saved us a lot of $$$.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

Actually, you can now purchase DDE at any Guest Services location (in the parks or at Downtown Disney). But you can't purchase it at your resort. So you can buy it when you activiate your AP.

 

[tednvon]

Hi, another bonus is free valet parking at any hotel or Disney Boardwalk. We especially like the Boardwalk valet because it is good for all day, and we just wander over to Epcot or walk around to all the restaurants at Beach andYacht Club or Swan and Dolphin... If you valet at one of the monorail hotels you can get to MK and Epcot via the monorail also. We always tip the drivers but still a great benefit to the card...
enjoy...Ted

 

[cslittle999]

How and where do you apply for the card? Does your AP have to be activated in order to get it?

I've got a trip planned this October (all girls trip with sisters) and we're now thinking we'll take another trip with friends in February. The AP for me will be a no-brainer, but it won't get activated until I arrive in October. Could I order the DDE card prior to my October trip if I haven't activated the AP yet?

You can purchase the DDE card at guest relations when you go to exchange your voucher for the actual annual pass.