Free Table Meals on the Dining Plan usually run about $50

[Cupmom]

OP, DDp stands for Disney dining plan not the the Disney Drinking Plan. Hey but come to think of it not a bad idea

 

[DebIreland]

Sometimes less, sometimes more. If you and your wife have a couple glasses of wine with your nice meal at an average cost of $8 per glass, and also include the gratuity for what would have been the total cost of the meal conservatively speaking $150 @15%, your free meal just cost $54.5. Oh yea, that doesn't include taxes on your wine @ 7.5% for an additional $2.4. Making the free meal total $56.90.

You've just saved yourself 139 dollars (118 for dinner not incl. wine + 18% gratuity on food only). You're not seriously saying it's a bad deal are you? If you are then of course you're not obligated to take the deal at all. You could book Room Only and pay your way in restaurants as you go. However if your average evening meal costs you 139 just for food alone then you're not gonna beat that with any AP or AAA discount and that's not counting the savings on your CS meals and snacks so you'd have to be a TS credit short of a dining plan to pass it up.

 

[Scutapipig]

Can you really split a soft drink at a table service between two people? I'd imagine not.

Sorry...I should explain that I usually only need a few sips of my hubby's coke for the carbonation factor and then stick to water. It was early and now that I read it, I should have been more specific. When I do order a coke, it's pretty much for my kids to drink when their child's beverage has been drained.

I've got this silly notion that the carbonation is like scrubbing bubbles for my teeth! LOL Then again, I'd imagine not.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Sorry...I should explain that I usually only need a few sips of my hubby's coke for the carbonation factor and then stick to water.

I do this, too. I'm one of those weirdos that doesn't usually drink at all while eating; only if I'm dying of thirst when I am seated. Because of that, ordering a drink is a big waste of $ as I will take a sip or two out of it and be done. When I'm not thirsty and know I won't drink, I just order water and if I have a craving for the carbonation, I sip out of DHs (he always HAS to have a coke). It's literally a sip or two if that.

Therefore, I don't feel guilty. There are days, esp at a theme park, where I do order a drink because I will suck it down and then ask for a to-go cup =)

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

The way I figure it the DP is totally free unless they offer a room discount and even then I cannot imagine that it would be more than $20-30 a nite on the Values so that would be the REAL cost of the dining plan and it is worth it to us in that we will not have to drive off property to get good deals AND we will get to try out many restaurants that we would not otherwise be willing to pay for.

I doubt that we would be interested in buying the plan but who knows? After this we might change our minds and I bet that is what they are hoping for.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Where do we sign up for that! I'm willing to pay a few extra $ for it.

1 CS Meal
1 Snack
1 TS Meal
2 Beers
2 Mixed Drinks
1 Rail Shot

Me too!!!
But I'd make it buyer's choice. Beer's, wine, well drinks, high balls, mixed, what have you. Then I could make a thread called Booze Clues, Maximizing the Booze Plan.

 

[kcashner]

Slightlygoofy is right--there is a "hidden" charge to the DDP. On the plan, you must have a non-discounted room and at least one day of park ticket per person. You could have gotten a slight room discount. You could have had an annual pass, FL resident pass, or whatever you might qualify for.

However, I'm not aware of any room discount that equals the $ value of free dining for 2 adults. Even if it did--say you could have saved $75 on your room--you still have all the food free! It's a great deal no matter how you cut it. If you have APs, save your one day tickets! I wish we weren't in school and could do it!

 

[lsg1]

Slightlygoofy is right--there is a "hidden" charge to the DDP. On the plan, you must have a non-discounted room and at least one day of park ticket per person. You could have gotten a slight room discount. You could have had an annual pass, FL resident pass, or whatever you might qualify for.

However, I'm not aware of any room discount that equals the $ value of free dining for 2 adults. Even if it did--say you could have saved $75 on your room--you still have all the food free! It's a great deal no matter how you cut it. If you have APs, save your one day tickets! I wish we weren't in school and could do it!

I could actually get a 50% CM discount and have gotten one for the past couple of years of trips. I am an obsessive planner and have a great spreadsheat that I have created with each day of the trip and daily food and snack expenses. I calcuated how much this trip would cost us by getting the room for 50% off CM discount and buying tickets through ticketmania and paying for the food that we ordinarilly eat on our trip.
I then compared that to the cost of a package with free dining, and the package with free dining came out cheaper!! So, we are dining it up this year!!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

lsg1, if with all your great discounts you find the DP to be worth it I am sure I am on the right track as well.

kcashner, may I please copy off the part where you say I am right and send it to my children and other relatives who think I am dumber than a box of rocks? BTW, I am the only one of the bunch who is totally debt free and can afford to go to DW.

The only part of the DP that I did not like is the fact that I was forced to buy 4 one day tickets as we have AP's and we have booked 2 10 day packages. Sadly ( ) it means that we will be FORCED to buy AP's the next couple of years. (like we did not intend on it anyway)

Slightly Goofy