DxDDP: Am I Doing It Wrong?

flamark

Mouseketeer
Joined
Feb 26, 2010
Messages
169
Last month we did the DDP for the first time and did DxDDP. We found that Having 3 TS meals per day really was too much food. Is it possible using signature experiences and dinner shows, etc to still get value from the plan but not feel like we've each gained 20 lbs over a 4-5 day stretch while spending half our day eating or getting to and from the restaurant? Please help because I am really confused right now. Thanks!
 
I find that I get the best value from the DxDP when I do 1 TS character breakfast and a signature restaurant for dinner. Instead of doing the breakfast, you could do lunch. With the price increase, it essentially costs out to about $30 per TS meal and $8 for two snacks. As long as you are spending at least that at each meal, you will come out ahead. I remember that most of my dinners at the signature restaurants were around $80. You just have to look at the menus and see what your order would cost if you were paying OOP.
 
From a savings "High Score" perspective, 3 meals per day will net you that "High Score," however, it doesn't work out too well for reality.

Over the past 3 trips, I typically did either a 1 TS breakfast or lunch coupled with a signature dinner. Due to the way the plan works, the per credit cost is far lower than the TS credit cost on normal DDP, plus you get more for that credit than you would on the DDP. This shift downward in cost but upward in value pushes the signatures into cost effective range when working with credits.

So, for example, using the 2013 prices, we've figured out that a DDP TS credit "costs" roughly $36.60, while a DxDDP credit costs roughly $31.32 (credit for the formula to figure this out goes to Faldred in this post). So, 2 DDP TS credits costs you about $72, while 2 DxDDP credits costs you roughly $63. Spending $72 on entree, dessert, and drink can be tricky, if not impossible. This is what drives the value of 2 TS meals down on DDP. Conversely, spending $63 on an appetizer, entree, dessert, and drink at a signature is entirely possible. While you'd still likely get better savings from 2 separate non-character breakfast meals, you'll still be fine at the signatures. (It is a lot tougher for 2013, for 2012 the per credit cost on DxDDP was ~$27, making $54 the mark to hit at 2TS. This was quite easy to do. Now, it'll take a little work.)
 
Usually the DDP is a better deal than the DxDDP even when taking into account signature restaurants. Then again, OOP is usually a better deal than the DDP, so you really should try using the excel template in my signature.
 

We found we got the best bang for our DxDDP was using the credits at the "all-inclusive" meals that have gratuity built in (HDDR, CRT, etc) as well as some that offer photo too (since we always buy it).
 
We leave in the morning for our second 5n/6d WDW trip with the DxDDP. Last year, we only did three TS meals on one of the days and the rest of the days we did two. I kept track of our meal cost last year to see if the plan was worth it, and we saved a significant chunk of change, at least on paper. It is deceptive because we did things that we would not have done had we been paying OOP, such as the refillable drink mugs, appetizers, and snacks. The majority of our savings was because one of our family members was 6yo. If you have children ages 3-9 and plan to do character buffets, it saves a lot. In the end, we basically got the snacks and drink mugs for free. We used about half of our snack credits to purchase candy at Goofy's for our family and animal sitters.
We chose to do the DxDDP this year because we love the freedom of it. We only have one day of 3TS meals. I will be happy to post a detailed report of how it works out for us this year if anyone is interested.
 
We love the deluxe plan because we do alot of signature dining. We tend to do a character breakfast or a early lunch and then a late signature each day. We also go during food and wine. On DHS day we do Brown derby for an early lunch and Flying Fish for a late dinner. Then we use at least one credit from another day on departure day (usually two credits bfast and lunch). Since that shorts us on credits on another day, we take that day to do an early bfast and then we use the majority of our snack credits to eat around the world for lunch and dinner on Food and Wine day. Definitely come out ahead because of the higher cost snack credits.

We love the signatures because we are from a small town in Alabama so not alot of fine dining options locally. We consider it our time to splurge! :goodvibes
 















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