Do you find DDP worth it

[dsneygirl]

For us it's not worth it. We don't even do a TS meal every day any more. We have done all the restaurants multiple times and we no longer want to deal with the ADR madness and the long waits for average food.

We have used TiW multiple times and it works really well for us (multiple trips, trips with a larger group, alcohol etc).

We just did 5 days at Disneyland (where there is no DDP) and we ate what we want when we wanted and spent $80/day on food for all of us (plus another $30 or so for breakfast stuff for the room). Gave us a good prespective on what we really need and what we really WANT to eat not just eating something because it's already paid for or because it's a "good" deal. One night DH had a huge ice cream cone for dinner

 

[kirstenb1]

Just doesn't fit our style. We eat breakfast in the room, grab c/s for lunch so we can jump back on the rides, and eat dinner in the room, or offsite. But, we don't go out that much back home here either.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

DDP works for us, we like getting experience/eat things we typically would not do and I prefer paying beforehand and not having to whip out $ or my card. We have done QSP and DDP and have been satisfied with both.

 

[DizzyStitch]

For our next time I will consider the QSP. I don't like how long it takes to eat a sit down meal. I don't like the weight I gain. I like the freedom of QSP and I ran the numbers and it comes fairly close to OOP. This will allow me to give the kids a card and they can go and get what they want. They will be 15 and 13 on our next trip, hopefully as new DVC owners

 

[Dean]

For our next time I will consider the QSP. I don't like how long it takes to eat a sit down meal. I don't like the weight I gain. I like the freedom of QSP and I ran the numbers and it comes fairly close to OOP. This will allow me to give the kids a card and they can go and get what they want. They will be 15 and 13 on our next trip, hopefully as new DVC owners

Of the 3 plans, the QS is the most difficult to get a value from. As a rule, the DDP are specialty items working well only for those that plan well AND for the higher cost, short trips and those with kids that fit into the cheaper option. From a $$ standpoint, the Deluxe plan is the easiest to get value from if you use it with that intent and the QS the most difficult. To the point where other than very short trips, about the ONLY way to get a real value is if you include the added value with WPE and Pepper Market or the combo plate for Cosmic Ray's (dinner only). Even then you have to place a value on the refillable mug. One of the major problems with the DDP is that it's use or lose. If someone gets ill or you have to leave early, you're out far more than you could have saved. IMO, anything less than a 20% savings is not enough to justify the risk. I know some like it because it's prepaid but from a $$ perspective, this is a poor reason, esp since there are other ways to prepay.

 

[disneynutz]

The benefits of the DDP are now minimal at best. Great savings when first introduced but not now. IMO it has also caused a decline in quality. When someone knows that they have your business, there is little motivation to provide excellent service or a superior product.

Bill

 

[GrumpyBelle]

For us it isn't worth it. We did it on one trip and DH kept track of what was ordered and how much we would have spent if we paid OOP. At the time DD was 10 and had to pay for the adult DP. Her tastes and portions just weren't up to the cost of an adult meal plan. We found we were way over-eating and ordering the most expensive things on each menu just to make the numbers work. We also prefer to do breakfast in our villa while everyone is getting ready as well as have snacks/meals later in the villa. We do generally eat in the parks once each day but don't really enjoy planning our vacations around the meals that we felt forced to eat.

 

[mikeandkarla]

It only works for us because we have 3 kids 3-9. Once our oldest hits 10, it will no longer be of value for us. If you are DVC, One other circumstance that may make it worthwile is during holidays, when Disney charges more for meals, DVC members do not get upcharged for the DP.

 

[triciari]

It only works for us because we have 3 kids 3-9. Once our oldest hits 10, it will no longer be of value for us. If you are DVC, One other circumstance that may make it worthwile is during holidays, when Disney charges more for meals, DVC members do not get upcharged for the DP.

This is our exact situation, and I completely agree. Once the oldest turns 10 - sept '13 - I'm hoping to move to club level with one sit down OOP per day - no buffets, either! (except maybe the less expensive breakfast ones with a lot of bang for the buck, Like CP's early entry.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

DDP does not work for my family; we always get TIW and get a minimum of two trips out of it. This is what works best for my family. I just made my ADR’s for our upcoming trip this January and was told that Canada is now going to be charging 2 TS and Cape May Clam Bake is 2TS meals, if you had DDP for 7 nights and went to those two locations you would only have 3 TS meals left for the remaining 5 days of your trip, that just doesn’t work for me.

 

[tamclan]

The savings are only if you want beverage/soda and dessert with every meal. Even without TIW card I find it better to go out of pocket. If you can get TIW is a no brainer versus DDP.

Many times my wife was not too hungry and could order an appetizer as her meal.

 

[Dean]

The savings are only if you want beverage/soda and dessert with every meal. Even without TIW card I find it better to go out of pocket. If you can get TIW is a no brainer versus DDP.

Many times my wife was not too hungry and could order an appetizer as her meal.

Obviously it depends on specifics. Another approach, esp now that many members get an AP, is to use the AP and DVC dining discounts and save the money from the TIW as well. Many who do split stays also utilize different options in many cases. Another approach that works for some is to stay off property the first and sometimes the last night and get the DDP for the body of the trip. That way you can arrive early and check in and the DDP is active from that point and good until midnight the last day. You've also paid for two less days of the DDP. If that isn't quite enough meals, there are ways to stretch it. We often do this and share TS meals so one desert and one drink per meal.

 

[Disjunky]

i posted this last year prior to my triop in decemner with family. and sorry if someone already posted this same reply.

w always do the ddp, last year we planend out meals prior to trip. we went through every menu and did a high low chart for each place and totalled up each bill and dfor entire trip.
if we bought the cheapest app, dinner, and desert, for the week we saved about 126 bucks.
if we bought the most expensive of those categories, we saved about 300 for the week using ddp. so yeah it def saves money. we eat all signature 2 point resis though so that may change things a bit. but its so worth it. and the snaks, man i love it

 

[Dean]

i posted this last year prior to my triop in decemner with family. and sorry if someone already posted this same reply.

w always do the ddp, last year we planend out meals prior to trip. we went through every menu and did a high low chart for each place and totalled up each bill and dfor entire trip.
if we bought the cheapest app, dinner, and desert, for the week we saved about 126 bucks.
if we bought the most expensive of those categories, we saved about 300 for the week using ddp. so yeah it def saves money. we eat all signature 2 point resis though so that may change things a bit. but its so worth it. and the snaks, man i love it

Depending on your choices, by the time you add in any added tips, it's likely most or all of your savings would be eroded. Also, I am assuming that you are comparing to base rate without other discounts, if so, that would also shift the curve. As I've said many times, there is savings and there is value. Savings is what you would have done and spent without the DDP, value is what you get extra by paying above what you'd spend otherwise. I am also assuming you are looking at the deluxe plan and it's definitely the one possible to get the most value/savings if you use it to do so. As you move to the other choices, it becomes far more difficult to get value unless you fit into a niche such as having young kids or short stays.

 

[Disjunky]

I agree on value and deals. I just think it is worth it as we use a point for bfast, skip lunch, and double up for dinners. But its different for everyone.
It comes to exactly what u want as u said.

 

[lovin'fl]

We used to, when it was actually a good deal. We do not get it anymore and do the TIW card. Our fam of 5 is all adult pricing and DH and I like to get bar drinks...TIW card discounts total bill 20%. So, TIW is how we roll!

 

[Worldtraveler26]

I never understand when I read that people don't see the value in the DDP. We have done Disney every way.No dining plan, regular, & deluxe. We save our receipts. Then we do the math. We spend $1000 for the DDP, we ate $4000. That is quite a difference. I don't understand how people don't see this.Disney s a vacation. We dine accordingly.

 

[disneydreaming92701]

With our ten year old now being and "adult" it isnt worth the price. If at ten she could still get a childs plan we would go with it.

 

[Disjunky]

i agree world. esp when we go at food n wine and all is a snack, at least i think most of it is. its so worth the money.

 

[vicki_c]

I never understand when I read that people don't see the value in the DDP. We have done Disney every way.No dining plan, regular, & deluxe. We save our receipts. Then we do the math. We spend $1000 for the DDP, we ate $4000. That is quite a difference. I don't understand how people don't see this.Disney s a vacation. We dine accordingly.

I don't understand how you can't understand that it doesn't work for everyone. I can tell you that we eat well and my family of 4 has never spent $4000 in dining in a week. Closer to $1500, maybe $2000. And we don't eat in our room at all. Lots of DVC members really like to eat in their room so their costs would be even lower. It doesn't work for us, but I would never begrudge your choice to buy it if it works for you.

You might try to have a more open minded first post.