has anyone done a study?

[tammyandtommy]

on the price differences between the DDE and the DDP?
I am currently weighing my options. I loved the DDP last fall (FREE), but willing to do it again. BUt I am buying AP's this year and wasnt sure what people knew about the DDE?

 

[wandap1016]

I'm in the same boat tammyandtommy. Can't wait to see the responses!

 

[arizonacolbys]

I've calculated it out for our trip & have decided to stick with the DDE. For just the 2 of us, we can't eat enough to really get our money's worth with the DDP & like the flexibility of the DDE (especially with being able to use it at POP's food court & margaritas in Mexico!)

On average, we eat one large sit-down meal per day, one counter-service/food court meal per day, and always a snack here & there.

With DDE - 15 park days = estimating $1,031.53 will be spent on food - this is a savings of $146.76 w/DDE

DDP would cost the 2 of us = $1,063.72

The other big factor for us is that we will be returning within a year with our DDE, so we'll get 2 trips worth of savings out of it.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Well, for our family here is what I have figured out. It is me, DH and DS. DS will be 9 for the August trip but will be 10 for anything beyond that. The Dining Plan ceases to save us money once DS is an "adult" because he eats NOTHING. In October we saved about $250 with the DDP, and I expect to save a bit more in August due to dining at different restaurants and not doing any Signature meals.

Now, with an AP we save $64 on my park pass for the next trip (the AP is $64 less than buying an 8 day hopper pass on 2 trips). That savings offsets the $60 DDE card. The AP room discounts are WAY better than the AAA discount, but in the event we can't get an AP rate we can go AAA room-only. As long as we save at least $250 COMBINED on our room and our dining with DDE we will come out ahead of where we were on the DDP. We love TS and usually end up with far more TS meals than we have credits for, so our out of pocket cost on TS is already significant. With DS counting as an adult there is NO WAY he could ever eat an adult appetizer, entree, and dessert. On DDP we would be paying for food we wouldn't use. With DDE we can each just order what we can finish and save 20%.

Our out of pocket cost on food with the DDE discount shouldn't be more than the DDP cost per day ($38 per day for each adult) plus the full price meals we would pay for out of pocket. Add the potential deeper discount on the room and we SHOULD come out better.

By the end of 2007 I will know for sure if this is actually the case!

 

[Alice Sr.]

I am leaning toward the DDE again. We are staying in a 2 bedroom and will probably only go to the parks at night, during the day we plan on basically laying around the pool so eating breakfast and lunch at the villa will be easier than going out for lunch; even though I counted 13 CS restaurants they could walk to if they wanted to. Plus, there's no way any of us could eat a whole appetizer, entree and dessert. I don't know, I'll probably change my mind 10 more times.