It’s too much food to be honest
Waiting for the flood of people to tell me how it‘s a waste and you should always take the room discount instead.
What were usually the requirements to get free dining? I remember I would have needed to upgrade to park hoppers last time (which made it basically a wash for my family) but don't remember if there was anything else. This time we are getting tickets through SOG or hopefully salute tickets. Would that mean we wouldn't be able to get a free DDP?
When we went as a family of five staying in a moderate resort, free dining always saved us more money!Right? I just don't get their math. I think it may be because they are blinded by their hatred for the DDP for ruining their tasty food or something. We stay at the Value/Moderate resorts. The best the room discount rates can save me would be between $200 - $500. If I got the DDP for free then I would save between $1500 to $1800. If I paid for the DDP it will usually be an even trade since we will spend the same amount on food anyway. This next trip our food bill will probably be around $2000 for the whole 8 days.
I think "free dining" exists to entice people......the DDP itself is a moneymaker for Disney more times than not.DDP exists to entice guests to visit during slow times. Not really a lot of enticing needed right now!
If we used the DDP we would still pay more since one TS and two QS would not be included in the reg DDP for us.
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From what you posted it looks like you’d only have to pay for one TS meal out of pocket even with all the meals you have planned which seems like it might save money depending on what you ordered
ETA - although it’s hard to tell how many nights you would be on site (if 6 then one TS meal oop)
This!In the end what people need to do is sit down as a group with everyone in your traveling party and decide where you might eat. Look at the menus with prices. Write down everything that the group would like to eat at each place and tally that up. If using the DDP gets you everything you wanted and is cheaper then go with the DDP. If not then go out of pocket. Those dining plans may change but it will at least give you a good ballpark on what you're going to spend on food.
You buy alcoholic beverages at WDW. You buy alcohol at a premium cost. This is the way. Save for a Resort CL (as I understand it because I've never stayed at CL) or at a ticketed Dessert Party where it is open bar (which I have done before and selections are limited).Can someone remind me how alcoholic drinks work on DDP? DH & I don't drink but the people we are traveling with this time do.
Also, we technically have two reservations because we have two rooms. Would we be able to do one room on the DDP and the other not?