Do most find DDE more affordable than other plans?

[donaldsgal]

We are DVC members and, for the first time, planning two trips in a 12-month period. We are purchasing annual passes, and in doing some reading on APs I discovered the DDE. Of course, with all the recent hullabaloo about the proposed changes to the DDP, I worked out a basic meal itinerary. I found that paying strictly OOP would be the most costly. In order to make an accurate comparison, I selected more TS than we have in the past (almost all TS for B, L, and D) so we could see what the cost would be OOP, on the DxDDP, and using the DDE. I found the DDE to be the least expensive - not by much, but that was also by keeping all those TS that we might otherwise not have.

Is this a typical result of you DDE users? I guess I'm surprised that 20% on most meals would be cheaper than the DxDDP, and I did include prices for snacks. I just never would have thought that a 20% discount could beat the other options, and it would be even MORE affordable if we dropped some of the TS options - although, to be truthful, once we put it down in writing that we could do it, it became quite tempting to try all those places and we've now pretty much set our minds on it.

Just wondering what experiences those of you using DDE have had in finding it to be more, equally, or less affordable than other plans. Has it encouraged you to do more TS meals? Does it feel as "freeing" as the DDP (old one) in feeling you can try whatever you want since it's a discounted price than what's on the menu?

Thanks.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I've never had any interest in the DDP, and would imagine I'd have even LESS now that gratuity has been taken away and the price virtually the same.
For us--we eat no snacks, don't eat lunch, have alcohol at every dinner meal, and almost always dine at 2TS signature restaurants. The DDE is the logical choice and we've had it the last 5 trips to WDW.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I've never had any interest in the DDP, and would imagine I'd have even LESS now that gratuity has been taken away and the price virtually the same.
For us--we eat no snacks, don't eat lunch, have alcohol at every dinner meal, and almost always dine at 2TS signature restaurants. The DDE is the logical choice and we've had it the last 5 trips to WDW.

 

[lonegungirl]

I have the DDE and although everyone raves about it, I would have to say that I'm ambivalent about it. You figure, at an initial investment of about $65, you'd have to spend $325 in a year to break even--this is probably not difficult if you have a large (or even medium) family, or if you drink alcohol, but neither applies to me. Plus, if you have an AP you would normally get a 10% discount at most places during weekday lunch anyway.

People talk about the increased freedom they have with it, but honestly, I've never seen it to be all that much more widely accepted than the DDP. For example, it doesn't include any CS meals (except AK and the resorts,) or any of the restaurants in Japan.

There are, of course, other discounts you get with the DDE, like the free parking/valet parking, but I get the parking already with my AP, and I rarely valet park, so again, it's not that pertinent for me.

Since I'm probably going to be using it for at least one TS/day for at least 2 trips of at least 7 days, it's still a savings, but I think if I were to use it any less, it wouldn't be worth it for me.

 

[BCV23]

I've never had any interest in the DDP, and would imagine I'd have even LESS now that gratuity has been taken away and the price virtually the same.
For us--we eat no snacks, don't eat lunch, have alcohol at every dinner meal, and almost always dine at 2TS signature restaurants. The DDE is the logical choice and we've had it the last 5 trips to WDW.

But the new Deluxe fits your pattern well, Uncleromulus. With it there are three credits per night all of which can be used at TS. Signature restaurants use 2 credits leaving one for breakfast. The snack credits could be bottles of water. And you can still use DDE for wine and beer.

We don't like QS meals. We've done the DDP 3 times and have used most of our QS for breakfast in the villas. I'm going to have to do some comparisons but think the deluxe will save a bit over the DDE for meals for our family. However, the regular DDP in 2008 without gratuity would not beat the DDE at least for us given our inexpensive choises for QS.

 

[eliza61]

We prefer the DDE over the DDP but for us there were other considerations besides bottom line cost. We do enjoy beer and wine with our meals so on the ddp we always had to pay oop for that. We don't eat many snacks so we had a lot of snack credits left over and we rarely eat 4 appetizers and 4 dessets (we may get 1 or 2 appetizers and split, most times we don't get apps at all)
So it was also more of a life style choice.

 

[pixie dust 112]

For us the DDE is wonderful. It does depend on how ofter you're going and the size of your family tho. This year my family of 5 went to HDDR and CRT so there was a significant savings there alone. These would have been 2 TS each on DDP. WE also went to lots of other TS meals ( but we would have sone that anyway) DDP isn't worth it for us, because all of my DDs are adult prices but none eat the adult meals. Even my 15 year old likes to order the kids meals or just an appetizer so the prices for the DDP just aren't a bargain for us. The only time we used DDP was last Sept. with free dining. We each got a one day park ticket, as we needed to purchase a package for the free dining, so we just saved those for some future trip, seeing as we already had the APs.

 

[Rudy6]

The DDE is worth the cost.

We are a family of four. With our upcoming trip (16 nights), I estimate that we are going to save about $330.00 on meals. Of course you have to subtract the $65 cost. We will be spending 13 of those nights at the All Star Movies, so we get the 20 percent off there, too. I included that in my savings estimate. Remember the DDE, however, does not include the cost of the mugs.

As another little tip, we eat our main meal of the day during late lunch hours. You still get the lunch prices, which are cheaper, for essentially the same meal.

We will also be going next Thanksgiving, for about 2 weeks, so we will save again.

We did the DDP when it was free last August. It was way too much food, so you will force yourself to eat way to much food. Not that I would ever complain about being forced to eat too much free food, but it something to remember.

Now, the DDP includes neither the tip nor an appetizer. This is something else to remember.

 

[donaldsgal]

I think I know this answer to this, but - - - can you combine discounts? For example, since I'm a DVC member, I get a 10% discount for dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse, and if I purchase the DDE, I'd get 20% savings. Can I combine those? Again, I think I know the answer, but I want it in writing from someone who knows more than me!

 

[Fire14]

For DH and I DDE is better as we do 2TS /day a lot of days and when we don't it tends to be dinners over lunches so AP discount is out. I feel it's a personal decision as to what works for you. I know I pd for my DDE fee in 1 trip.

 

[CarolA]

I think I know this answer to this, but - - - can you combine discounts? For example, since I'm a DVC member, I get a 10% discount for dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse, and if I purchase the DDE, I'd get 20% savings. Can I combine those? Again, I think I know the answer, but I want it in writing from someone who knows more than me!

No, you would only get one or the other. (DDE would be the better one LOL!)

I like DDE. I generally eat one TS meal every few days and on my 'short' visits I might only eat one. I generally get a glass of wine or beer with my meal so that's a 20% discount and I can't recall the last time I ordered (or wanted) appetizer and desert UNLESS I was on the dining plan (where I didn't want them but... LOL!) I also saved a bunch at Jiko and Cali Grill when I met friends on the dining plan. We had thier "extras" put on the tab with my bill.

Plus I get 20% off at the Rose and Crown pub....
At Disney beer prices that's a deal. (Basically it means the tip is "included" since I give them the same amount the beer would cost without the tip)


As a solo dinner it's probably hard to break even, but I generally meet up with friends etc so there's the benefit of getting us all the discount. I know last year when we went for a week with my best friends family it saved us a lot and that was even with the Dining Plan. (One OOP meal at Raglan Road, several glasses of nice wine and beer etc...)

 

[CarolMN]

If you would spend more than $325 on TS meals within a year, the DDE will save you money.

DH & I usually break even on the 4th or 5th TS meal. (We usually order an entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage). Since we tip 20-25% for good service, anything after the break even point means the discount provides the tip.

I would think that families and those who order the more expensive items or alcohol would break even very quickly. We haven't been to V&A yet (I think one meal there for us would equal break even), but we have been to the CG and would only have to go there twice to break even, LOL.