DVC and DDP, our recent experince.

[NMW]

That's great that your family can make it work to your advantage. Am I understanding correctly that the way you maximize your credits in order to eat TS breakfast & TS dinner everyday is that you share?

I think DVCers in general tend to be a bit more savvy in most aspects of WDW since we visit more often. We do the math (mostly).

I still think that the program would not continue unless it was profitable for WDW and I still think that the plan changes how people spend the rest of their vacation dollars over all.

For our family specifically, we tend to have TS breakfast & TS dinner daily, rarely if ever eat CS, so we would end up paying more OOP. DS12 counts as an adult & DS9 orders from the adult menu at least half of the time so that becomes an issue as well. We hardly ever have appy's & dessert - the occasional soup (Kona chowder) & maybe a dessert or two to share if something really looks good (creme brulee). We'd be paying for 3A/1C & still have to put alot OOP.

I guess I just want to encourage people to really take the time evaluate what is best for them. It's just not a "perfect paln" for everybody. One size does not fit all in this case.

And also, I guess I am disappointed that that WDW Dining overall has left those of who choose to go OOP high & dry with all the menu "streamlining". Not to mention how rude some dining CM's can be when you tell them you are not on the DDP. I have had more than one pushy sales pitch.

Let me ask you, do you think it will still be as beneficial to you when you have to start paying adult rates for your kids? Maybe once our kids start eating like teenage boys it will make sense.

No we do not share. We just are not into that. We plan on using the dining plan for CS lunches and TS dinners and paying OOP for breakfast. There are 3 days we will use CS credits for breakfast since we are paying OOP for 3 TS lunches. We have the DDE card for the OOP TS breakfasts and 3 OOP lunches.

I really wish Disney offered a dining plan that gave you 2 TS meals a day and a snack instead of 1 CS/1 TS plus a snack. I like TS a lot more! It would be a much better plan for our family, we could just pay OOP for any CS lunches we do.

My oldest son just turned 10, so I am paying an adult price for him in Oct. I still think it's a good deal. He would/does order adult CS anyway. Have you seen the lame kids menus at CS places? You can't get a kid a cheeseburger at Pecos Bill or a kid pizza at Pizzafari! For dinner at restaurants around home it's about 50-50 that he'll order from the adult menu. At Disney he will be every time since I payed an adult price for him. He eats many foods though, so it won't be a problem. The problem will be that my 8 year old son will want to know why HE can't get the steak or the Mahi-Mahi!

I am dissapointed with the newer menu changes. We would have payed to eat in these restaurants with or with out the dining plan. It's sad to hear about the items being dropped. The changes at Chefs de France are really big. The new menu is posted on allears...it's pretty bad. It actually has a hamburger on the dinner menu (for $23), flank steak instead of the 2 other steaks they used to have, and no more duck. I wonder if this is all because of the dining plan or something else.

 

[Sammie]

We loved the dining plan and will definitely do it again. Used our snack credits and some of our CS dessert credits to get muffins, danish, fruit, juice, for breakfast and with one CS and one TS each day and even doing one signature, we were never hungry. On the day we only had CS we ate at the Sunshine food court at the Land and were stuffed.

 

[kidsister]

I've been on the DDP twice now, and I don't think Disney can possibly make any money from us (2 adults). I did find out some interesting facts: not all restaurants are 'Disney', even those at Disney resorts. I believe it might be they who are taking the loss, tho again, I've heard two conflicting reports.
One TS dinner we had was about $140 for two without the 18% tip added. It seemed that Disney was reimbursing that restaurant for the amount of money spent, which would certainly be a loss for Disney being that we paid $38 each for the plan which also included a CS and snack!

However, at WPC this trip, although our bill totaled $119 before tip, it seemed that the restaurant was only getting paid $35 per head by Disney no matter what we ordered or what the bill entailed. Again, Disney was losing as we paid $38 for our meal plan and our lunch and snack that day was about $20 each. But the restaurant that was getting reibursed $70 for a $119 plus tip bill was also losing.

I take advantage of the plan when I am on it and when I'm not, I eat rather modestly as I prefer salads and appetizers out. But I don't find it limiting in the restaurants I choose...I'm looking for good food whether I'm on the plan or not. First time on the plan was when staying DVC. THis time was free dining at Pop. (When I subtracted the cost of a basic park ticket to be applied to my annual pass renewal) I found I was paying@ $42 per day for my room AND board. If I costed out the DDP at $38, it meant I was paying $4 a night to stay at the Pop. Pop cost about $71 a night AP rate for the same time period without free dining, so that meant that sharing the room at the lowest rate meant the 'free dining' actually cost us each $6.50 a day. In either case...too good a deal to pass up!

Next trip in 2.5 weeks and that one is a mix of 4 nights 'free dining' and 3 nights no DDP. Since the free dining comes during party for the senses on one night, we will carry the TS over to our first night without dining.

While I could and would certainly eat much less if I wasn't on the plan, it's been fun trying out some new restaurants . My only regret is wasting food; still have that old slogan locked in my head about starving kids in China/Africa. I loved being able to share some food with a couple dining with us who weren't on the plan....need to arrange more of that next trip!

 

[Dean]

I've been on the DDP twice now, and I don't think Disney can possibly make any money from us (2 adults). I did find out some interesting facts: not all restaurants are 'Disney', even those at Disney resorts. I believe it might be they who are taking the loss, tho again, I've heard two conflicting reports.
One TS dinner we had was about $140 for two without the 18% tip added. It seemed that Disney was reimbursing that restaurant for the amount of money spent, which would certainly be a loss for Disney being that we paid $38 each for the plan which also included a CS and snack!

However, at WPC this trip, although our bill totaled $119 before tip, it seemed that the restaurant was only getting paid $35 per head by Disney no matter what we ordered or what the bill entailed. Again, Disney was losing as we paid $38 for our meal plan and our lunch and snack that day was about $20 each. But the restaurant that was getting reibursed $70 for a $119 plus tip bill was also losing.

I take advantage of the plan when I am on it and when I'm not, I eat rather modestly as I prefer salads and appetizers out. But I don't find it limiting in the restaurants I choose...I'm looking for good food whether I'm on the plan or not. First time on the plan was when staying DVC. THis time was free dining at Pop. (When I subtracted the cost of a basic park ticket to be applied to my annual pass renewal) I found I was paying@ $42 per day for my room AND board. If I costed out the DDP at $38, it meant I was paying $4 a night to stay at the Pop. Pop cost about $71 a night AP rate for the same time period without free dining, so that meant that sharing the room at the lowest rate meant the 'free dining' actually cost us each $6.50 a day. In either case...too good a deal to pass up!

Next trip in 2.5 weeks and that one is a mix of 4 nights 'free dining' and 3 nights no DDP. Since the free dining comes during party for the senses on one night, we will carry the TS over to our first night without dining.

While I could and would certainly eat much less if I wasn't on the plan, it's been fun trying out some new restaurants . My only regret is wasting food; still have that old slogan locked in my head about starving kids in China/Africa. I loved being able to share some food with a couple dining with us who weren't on the plan....need to arrange more of that next trip!

I would be Disney is getting a "discount" on each and every item other than the tax and tip. My guess is they're paying about 50-60% of the retail price consistently. But even if it's a loss leader, they make more in other ways including hotel usage, sales, park admission, a higher percentage of restaurant usage, etc. And those gains are likely to continue for years to come for all aspects, long after this program has come and gone.

 

[SnowWitch]

We used the DDP this past July. Our party was myself, DH, DS (16), DS (14),and DD (10). The plan cost us $1063.00 (?). What we ordered would have cost $1726. However, had we not been on the plan and dining at the same places we would not have ordered all the appetizers and desserts. We tend to share 2 appetizers and 2-3 desserts. We would have dined at the same places. The cost had we been paying out of pocket would have roughly been $1300.00, so we still saved money. I think what helps our crew is the teenagers. These boys can eat. Many times my DH and I could not even think about CS but that was okay the two bottomless pits with turbo metabolism were ready to eat.

If it were just myself and DH, NO WAY, the DDP would be a waste.

If we had kids who were bird like eaters who were at that magical Disney age of 10 nor 11, NO WAY!!

But for now with teen boys and babies, YES WAY!!!

 

[starbox]

Thanks Dean! We're going in June and keep toying with the idea of DDP; however, I have two concerns. I have kids that eat little to nothing and one who will be 10 will have to pay for adult meals and will likely never eat that much. My other is, I struggle with my weight and I think if it's included - I'll eat it and if I'm paying out the pocket, I'll skip appetizers and dessert and just stick with an entree.

With just an entree, you'll come out ahead w/out the DDP.

Our DS is now 10 and he can eat my husband and I under the table - BUT - he's still a 10 year old and adult appetizers/fancy desserts are not his cup of tea yet. It's going to take a really special 10 year old with very adult appetite and eating habits to make the DDP break even. I'm going to "test" the DDP with a 10 year old in Jan (we've used it 5 times previously when both kids were 3-9).

 

[Tamar]

DDP would be a waste for us. We like to eat breakfast in the room, and then our next meal is at about 4-5:30 (TS). We don't eat meat, so never get the most expensive items like steaks. We rarely get an appetizer (if we do we split it), and we split a dessert when we're in the mood. I also like a glass of wine with dinner.

Last year, we went to V&A, and the DDE discount off our check was over $40, so that one meal almost paid for the DDE. And, last year we took 5 trips, so without even doing the math I know that DDE was our best option.

We take every-other-year off (Nov-Nov so we can always hit F&W), and this was our year off, so we'll do it all again starting in November....already have 4 trips planned.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

The plan cost us $1063.00 (?). What we ordered would have cost $1726. However, had we not been on the plan and dining at the same places we would not have ordered all the appetizers and desserts. We tend to share 2 appetizers and 2-3 desserts. We would have dined at the same places. The cost had we been paying out of pocket would have roughly been $1300.00, so we still saved money. I think what helps our crew is the teenagers. These boys can eat. Many times my DH and I could not even think about CS but that was okay the two bottomless pits with turbo metabolism were ready to eat.

If it were just myself and DH, NO WAY, the DDP would be a waste.

If we had kids who were bird like eaters who were at that magical Disney age of 10 nor 11, NO WAY!!

But for now with teen boys and babies, YES WAY!!!

That's what I'm talking about. I keep thinking we'd be ordering stuff "just because".

You didn't mention if you had DDE or not & I'm curious, if you did, do you feel the $250 difference betweeen what you paid & what you would have ordered was worth thinking about & planning around credits? Or if you did not have the DDE then subtract 20% from the $1300 & you are at approx $1040 which is actually less than what you paid.

Our boys are 12 & 9 (on Sunday) & both are good eaters. Not volume of food but adventurous. We let DS9 order from adult menus when he is asking for something we know he will eat. Put shrimp anywhere near this boy & step back! So having him on the kids plan doesn't work. He does like appys & he could always have mine but what if he sees something he likes on the entree side? Then I am either paying more OOP or telling him no which really isn't fair to him.

So, for us, if we are at a break even point (or even close) between the DDP & DDE then the flexibility definately tips the scales. I'm sure in the next few years as they become bigger than me it will be different.

The best think is to keep collecting those receipts & really do a thorough evaluation upon returning home!

 

[Muushka]

We decided to bite the bullet and do the DDP this Dec. Just to try it and do something different. (Although I am doing the plan next week w/o husband).
We figured (about 4 years ago, so probably a little more $ now) that we spend $50 a day for the both of us for all meals. This is low because I do cook while at DVC, and the $50 includes everything from groceries to meals out.
I like the way we do that because we don't spend a huge amount of time eating or waitng to eat out. And I feel better when I eat in the room (physically).

So, when we do the DDP, we will be spending more $$ (probably about $20 a day more). But we will get to try new places, get whatever we want.

It will be interesting. And different! I think when we go to WDW so often, we need to shake things up a bit. But either with the DDP or without, we will have a good time.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Thanks, everyone, for posting your opinions.

We have done the DDP twice and will do it again next month when it is just an adults-only trip. With the kids, it is definitely a money-saver as the cost for them is well worth it. Even most little kids will will $10 -$ 15 worth of (Disney) food a day.

As others have said, were it not for the DDP, we definitely would not have ordered that much food. For the "average" eater (subjective, I know...) I think it is much too much food. Two desserts a day each? I don't know many people who would do that on their own. Going by the numbers, the DDP saved us almost 60%!!! But again, we never would have ordered that much food if we were paying OOP. So, it is not really comparing apples to apples.

However, the main reason that we love the DDP is because we try places that we would not likely try otherwise....the cost would scare the bejeebers out of us! lol Sometimes I start to hyperventhilate when I am looking at the menus on Deb's site.....they want HOW MUCH for that?!?!

So, it allows us to try to places "guilt free" so to speak (even though we are already paying for it). I think, perhaps, if you have really already tried *everywhere* and you no longer have "must tries" on your list, then the DDP may not work out well for you.

Also, I think that the DDP pairs nicely with DVC. Since there is so much food, you can have leftovers and bring them back home (assuming you are on the way home...who wants to carry leftovers all through the parks?!? ugh!) And as others have said, we will often use our desserts or snack credits to get things like muffins or bagels that we can have for breakfast the next morning. This way, the DDP is really paying for all 3 of our meals each day.


Happy eating...regardless of how you pay for it!

 

[SnowWitch]

That's what I'm talking about. I keep thinking we'd be ordering stuff "just because".

You didn't mention if you had DDE or not & I'm curious, if you did, do you feel the $250 difference betweeen what you paid & what you would have ordered was worth thinking about & planning around credits? Or if you did not have the DDE then subtract 20% from the $1300 & you are at approx $1040 which is actually less than what you paid.

Our boys are 12 & 9 (on Sunday) & both are good eaters. Not volume of food but adventurous. We let DS9 order from adult menus when he is asking for something we know he will eat. Put shrimp anywhere near this boy & step back! So having him on the kids plan doesn't work. He does like appys & he could always have mine but what if he sees something he likes on the entree side? Then I am either paying more OOP or telling him no which really isn't fair to him.

So, for us, if we are at a break even point (or even close) between the DDP & DDE then the flexibility definately tips the scales. I'm sure in the next few years as they become bigger than me it will be different.

The best think is to keep collecting those receipts & really do a thorough evaluation upon returning home!

No we didn't get the dining card. We may consider it for next summer. Another factor I didn't mention was the heat affecting appetites. Honestly a bagel in the am and the TS at night would be more than enough for myself and DH in the summer. So the card may be something for us to consider next June instead of the dining plan. Although we have pretty much decided to go with the DDP for our Feb trip. Our teens love the convience of the plan for them!

With the ages of your boys I would most definitely stick with the card. With them willing to try different items on the adult menu (I mean who can eat chicken tenders and pizza for an entire vacation) I would not restrict 9 yr old to the less than appealing kids menus and again the volume of food is unreal. Our saving grace was the fact our teens could finish what the DH and I didn't. I make them sound like pigs but they are both pushing 6 ft, one is 170lbs and the other is at 125lbs (not an eating disorder.....he runs high school cross country and basketball). Sorry for the tmi but I felt I was painting an unflattering pic of them.