Disney Dining Experience

[JTDisney]

I am an annual passholder and I was wondering if anyone had feedback on the Disney Dining Experience. I want to purchase it for my upcoming trip and wanted to know if there are any drawbacks. It sounds like a great program.

 

[TDC Nala]

Here is what some consider to be the drawbacks:

Automatic 18% tip added to all bills at TS restaurants and bars/lounges.

Good at only 8 counter service restaurants in all of WDW.

Blacks out on major holidays (there are 8 blackout days).

Some restaurants (all at Swan/Dolphin, all at Downtown Disney [except Raglan Road, Planet Hollywood and Cap'n Jack's], Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining, Yak & Yeti) don't accept it.

Snack and drink kiosks don't accept it. You can't use it for package deals like Fantasmic Dining or Candlelight Processional. You can't use it for Food & Wine Festival events, or at Pleasure Island clubs for drinks.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have found that if you plan on spending around $300-$400 (depending on the price you paid for the card) on meals at Disney Sit-Down restaurants that it is worth getting. We get one each year and use it quite a bit.

 

[Jaylie]

What is the Disney Dining Experience? Is it the same as the Disney Dining Plan?

 

[SarahInMN]

Automatic 18% tip added to all bills at TS restaurants and bars/lounges.

Good at only 8 counter service restaurants in all of WDW.

Some restaurants (all at Swan/Dolphin, all at Downtown Disney [except Raglan Road, Planet Hollywood and Cap'n Jack's], Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining, Yak & Yeti) don't accept it.

We purchased our DDE for our trip last month and loved it. The drawbacks are relative, I think.

We always tip 20% so the added gratuity is not a big deal: we still see it as a huge savings.

We almost always eat at a sitdown place for lunch and dinner.

Some restaurants - like Tokyo dining - don't take the DDE but they accept the annual pass for a 10% discount.

Also, alcoholic beverages are included for the 20% discount which is fantastic.

For us, we eat where we want to (and don't plan meals around where the DDE is accepted), and the DDE is great for us.

I highly recommend the DDE!

 

[MickeyNicki]

DH and I purchased our first DDE card in March (we are FL resident AP holders) and it paid for itself by the end of the second day. A great value and we save even more since we usually tip 20-25%.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's a no-brainer for me. I have had one for three years now. It usually pays for itself in one trip.
I don't mind that it isn't good for counter service meals or snacks. I just figure that into my budget.

 

[hardingk]

We have the DDE card and love it. We saved so much $$ on our recent trips to WDW with the card. It is great that you get 20% off on alchol also. If you eat a lot of table meals (which we prefer) the card is definitely worth it!

 

[eliza61]

What is the Disney Dining Experience? Is it the same as the Disney Dining Plan?

No the DDE is a discount card while the DDP is more of a prepaid dining. The DDE gives you 20% off of your table service meals (most) including alcohol.

You must be an AP holder or a Florida resident to get one.

We prefer it instead of the dining plan.

 

[jarrdisney]

I will reiterate and add a couple things.

We almost always tip 20% (or more) on the full amount of the bill including the tax. 18% is in NO way a deal breaker for us. If we ever experienced awful service, I would immediatley speak to a manager to rectify the situation.

20% off alcohol. I think this offsets the ridiculous markup on most of WDW's wine offerings. I love that this is also included, but would still consider buying the DDE without the savings on alcohol.

Most people refer to the savings on food alone when they compute their DDE paying for itself. How about the FREE valet parking? In one week alone it pays for itself.

Don't forget about the discounts at PI and other random places. I love the DDE and would never think of getting rid of it.

 

[ransom]

We're doing the APs and the DDE card both for the first time (not to mention it's our first trip staying at a DVC resort as members).

I'm very interested to see how it's going to work out for us! Hopefully we'll save at least as much as we would have under the current DDP.

 

[carrinas1018]

My husband & I have found it to be more than worth the price! We also usually tip 20% so the added 18% doesn't bother us & we include more for great service. The discount on alcohol alone is a great deal just for the times we spend at the Biergarten We hesitated at first at the additional cost after purchasing our Annual Passes but it paid for itself after the first day! We love good food & ambience & couldn't think of only eating at the counter service (although we still use them occasionally!) so this was a no brainer for us We have found that alot (but not all) of the restaurants that don't accept it honored a 10% passholder discount.

 

[JTDisney]

WOW, Thanks for all of the great feedback folks. I am definitely going to get it. The 18% add on is not a deal breaker by any stretch. It avoids breaking out the brain after a few drinks

 

[Peepster]

We figured it out and the DDE is a much better deal for us than the DDP, especially with the changes to the dining plan. Eating at Vic & Al's we saved over $100 with the first use. And, yes, libations included adds to the benefit in our opinion. We, too, always tip at least 20% and will continue to do so for good service.

We're also very aware that what works for one family may not for another.

 

[aribelle]

I think it's a great deal.....but I look at it slightly differently than most. I do NOT look at it as a discount....because frankly giving me 20% off then adding in 18%...well, 2% is not much of a discount, lol. BUT>.....I look at it as a huge savings on tips......I paid $60 and now alllllll my tips are paid. No discount, but no tips either. If you usually tip 18% than after you spend $330, everything thing else for the entire year is free tips.

It's all in the way you look at it!

At places that don't accept the DDE, if you have an AP ask them about a discount with that, some do, some don't.......or if you have a AAA card, offer that up....it got me more discounts than my AP did

 

[Momelie]

It avoids breaking out the brain after a few drinks

That's EXACTLY what I said! Even before the 18% tip, I was able to just copy the discount $ into the tip line, LOL!

We're in year 4 with the DDE and we love it! We are FL residents, and I happily admit to being a Disney nut, so we pay for ours within a couple of days (4 of us).

 

[Jaylie]

We are both Annual Passholders, so would we buy only one DDE card, or do we both need one. Also, what is the cost and where do you get it? Thanks. I think it might look better than the DDP.

 

[Mickey_Man]

We are both Annual Passholders, so would we buy only one DDE card, or do we both need one. Also, what is the cost and where do you get it? Thanks. I think it might look better than the DDP.

You will only need one as long as you are eating together and don't have a party larger than 10. I think it is up to 10 at least -someone else can confirm. I believe the cost for an AP holder is $60-$65 - we got ours last year and it is good for essentially 13 months which is kind of a nice little bonus over just a year. We absolutely love having the DDE - almost every meal we ate in January and plan on eating at this summer is at a place that takes it (bluezoo is the one exception) and it is probably the best discount still available at WDW.

We got ours at the "customer service" (forgot the real name) window at the back entrance to EPCOT. You can get it at any of the parks and I think at the TTC. Not sure about getting it at the hotels.

 

[aribelle]

The current price is $60 (down from $65 in 2007). You can buy it by telephoning Disney, and that used to be the only way to get it, hence the 13 month thing because they had to mail it out....but now you can purchase it at any Guest Services and not have to worry about whether it will arrive before you leave (unlike AP's a DDE card costs $25 to replace!!!).

You can get a second card for $25 (hence the reason it costs to replace otherwise everyone would "lose" their card). BUT...if you and your spouse always dine together, there is no real reason to get a second card. If you typically each go off on your own, then it might make sense.

If you always get an AP, then obviously the timing of the DDE doesn't really matter.....but if you renew it every other year, you may want to consider waiting to get the DDE so that it matches up with your AP, since you must show both the DDE card and the AP to use it. In other words, if you get your AP in January and then wait until June to get the DDE, your AP will expire in January and unless you renew you won't be able to use the last 6 months of your DDE card. Hope that makes sense.