Help explain this please....

[Wes1stTrip2016]

What is the "Additional Cost" of $282.65 for? I don't think I really understand what I'm seeing here....

Using Dining Plan
$1055.24 (Additional Cost: $282.65) Quick Service Entitlements Remaining: 18 Table Service Entitlements Remaining: 0
This dining plan would cost $983.57 and covers the following amounts:

• Entrees & Drinks: $572.47
• Appetizers: $0.00
• Desserts: $16.59
• Snacks: $82.53
• Refillable Mugs: $17.99
• Taxes: $11.34

You would need to pay for these amounts out of pocket:

• 
  
  
  • Entrees & Drinks: $0.00
  • Appetizers: $0.00
  • Desserts: $0.00
  • Snacks: $0.00
  • Refillable Mugs: $0.00
  • Tips: $71.67
  • Taxes: $0.00

Pay for these meals with the plan:
Date Meal Type Location Cost
2/27/2016 Lunch QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $36.14
2/27/2016 Dinner TS Whispering Canyon Café $98.28
2/28/2016 Breakfast TS Crystal Palace $86.69
3/1/2016 Breakfast TS Tusker House Restaurant $96.74
3/2/2016 Dinner TS Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Category 2 Includes Tip! $156.97
3/3/2016 Breakfast TS Chef Mickey's Fun Time Buffet $120.61
3/4/2016 Lunch TS Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano $76.64
Pay for these meals out of pocket:
None

 

[aaarcher86]

What is this from?

It'd be hard to tell since we can't see what information you've input. But your tips seem low for the amount of TS you have, so maybe that's tip total?

 

[Under the Library]

I'm not sure where the info came from so I can't say anything about the additional cost aspect. But like the PP stated; I think you might revisit the suggested tip amount. Maybe that would fix the numbers? I've not come across this chart during my web browsing so can't say for sure!

 

[supersnoop]

What is the "Additional Cost" of $282.65 for? I don't think I really understand what I'm seeing here....

That's how much more the dining plan will cost you as opposed to simply paying cash for your meals.

This looks like it's from www.distripplanner.com

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

What is this from?

It'd be hard to tell since we can't see what information you've input. But your tips seem low for the amount of TS you have, so maybe that's tip total?

It was a link someone posted, like disneytripplanner, where you plug in all your meals to see if the DP works best for you. I only put in (1) arrival QS and all the TS meals I had planned. So there are still like 18 qs credits unaccounted for. I didn't enter anything for tips, it just asks which restaurants for which meals and spit out these #'s. Maybe I need to pick random qs to use up all the credits to see what it ways.....I'm so new to all this its sorta confusing yet.

 

[sharonabe]

It was a link someone posted, like disneytripplanner, where you plug in all your meals to see if the DP works best for you. I only put in (1) arrival QS and all the TS meals I had planned. So there are still like 18 qs credits unaccounted for. I didn't enter anything for tips, it just asks which restaurants for which meals and spit out these #'s. Maybe I need to pick random qs to use up all the credits to see what it ways.....I'm so new to all this its sorta confusing yet.

You do need to tell it your QS choices. It thinks you're not going to use them, so the plan is costing you more than you're "spending." I think once you input those, you will see that "additional cost" either go away or be significantly lower.

 

[teller80]

I'm confused. Are you planning on being there 6 nights? (you post says you have 18 TS available). If so, you only get 6 TS credits per person and I think you're using 7 (isn't Hoop 2 credits?). For QS do a quick math calculation of 18 x $15 (is that an average QS meal?) = $270, plus snacks (18 x $4.00) = $72 .

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

I redid it and added a QS to each day and the #'s changed significantly. Still have a lot to learn before Feb! Thanks!!

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

I'm confused. Are you planning on being there 6 nights? (you post says you have 18 TS available). If so, you only get 6 TS credits per person and I think you're using 7 (isn't Hoop 2 credits?). For QS do a quick math calculation of 18 x $15 (is that an average QS meal?) = $270, plus snacks (18 x $4.00) = $72 .[/QUOT

7 nights....I've got my TS plan, I'm just trying to figure out if the DP is our best bet. I confused myself on that site not entering a QS for at least each day. It made more sense once I did that.

 

[supersnoop]

You need to enter what you would ACTUALLY do, not what would make the best use of the dining plan. I plugged in some numbers to get the same results, and you only selected one desert per table, even though the dining plan allows one per person. If that's what you'll really do, that's the best way to compare.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm confused. Are you planning on being there 6 nights? (you post says you have 18 TS available). If so, you only get 6 TS credits per person and I think you're using 7 (isn't Hoop 2 credits?). For QS do a quick math calculation of 18 x $15 (is that an average QS meal?) = $270, plus snacks (18 x $4.00) = $72 .

That's a grammar error in the post that was copied. It should read "Quick Service Entitlements Remaining: 18, Table Service Entitlements Remaining: 0." OP had 18 QS remaining. They used one in their original attempt, so my assumption is there are 3 people and 7 nights. The TS credits that are used add up to 7.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

You need to enter what you would ACTUALLY do, not what would make the best use of the dining plan. I plugged in some numbers to get the same results, and you only selected one desert per table, even though the dining plan allows one per person. If that's what you'll really do, that's the best way to compare.

Ok, I redid it and just filled Everything Pop in for at 1 meal per day and it looks like it makes good sense for us....would you agree?

Using Dining Plan
$1059.92 (Additional Cost: $3.48)
Quick Service Entitlements Remaining: 3
Table Service Entitlements Remaining: 0
This dining plan would cost $983.57 and covers the following amounts:

• Entrees & Drinks: $724.57
• Appetizers: $0.00
• Desserts: $92.85
• Snacks: $82.53
• Refillable Mugs: $53.97
• Taxes: $26.17

You would need to pay for these amounts out of pocket:

• Entrees & Drinks: $0.00
• Appetizers: $0.00
• Desserts: $0.00
• Snacks: $0.00
• Refillable Mugs: $0.00
• Tips: $76.35
• Taxes: $0.00

Pay for these meals with the plan:
Date Meal Type Location Cost
2/27/2016 Lunch QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $43.78
2/27/2016 Dinner TS Whispering Canyon Café $115.71
2/28/2016 Breakfast TS Crystal Palace $86.69
2/28/2016 Dinner QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $43.78
2/29/2016 Breakfast TS Tusker House Restaurant $96.74
2/29/2016 Dinner QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $43.78
3/1/2016 Breakfast QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $32.74
3/1/2016 Dinner QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $43.78
3/2/2016 Dinner TS Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue Category 2 Includes Tip! $156.97
3/3/2016 Breakfast TS Chef Mickey's Fun Time Buffet $120.61
3/3/2016 Dinner QS Everything Pop Shopping and Dining $43.78
3/4/2016 Lunch TS Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano $91.58
Pay for these meals out of pocket:
None

 

[supersnoop]

Ok, I redid it and just filled Everything Pop in for at 1 meal per day and it looks like it makes good sense for us....would you agree?

Nope. It still says the dining plan will cost you $3 more than just paying out of pocket. Plus, would you really buy three mugs if they weren't included?

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

Ugh! I was leaning towards the convenience of everything being prepaid but maybe i should just put aside $1000 for dining and see what's left in the end?!?! Hoping to book on Monday but still undecided.

 

[PoohsHunnyBee]

The $3 is negligible. The real question is does this scenario represent how you want to eat? Do you want the mugs? Will you each want a drink and dessert (or side, considering the potential changes to the dining plan) with every meal? Will you use all the snacks? If yes, go ahead and do the plan if you'd like the convenience. Otherwise, no matter what flexibility changes to the plan add, paying OOP is the most flexible way to go and most convenient as far as choosing exactly what and how much you want at any given time.

Also, while the planner is nice it uses average meal prices. You know your family and can look at menus. Will you tend to order the most important expensive items which may make the dining plan save those few dollars rather than cost them? Or will you go for the least expensive and pay even more for the "convenience"?

So you know, part of the reason the dining plan isn't as cost-effective for you is because the character meals you're doing are breakfasts and you've got a two-credit thrown in too. Nothing wrong with that, but they're not "good values" on the plan.

Finally, they may very well announce a dining plan price increase when packages are released...just be warned there's a chance that throws a big monkey wrench into your calculations. Or course that might make it easier as the dining plan would almost surely cost more than OOP then.

 

[isaboo]

Ugh! I was leaning towards the convenience of everything being prepaid but maybe i should just put aside $1000 for dining and see what's left in the end?!?! Hoping to book on Monday but still undecided.

You don't have to decide right now...you can add the DDP later. I think you have up until 72 hours before your arrival time. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. For what it's worth, we gave up on the dining plan years ago. We take gift cards.

 

[Wes1stTrip2016]

I went ahead and booked a package for 7 nights, 5 park tickets and the regular DDP and it was exactly the price I had hoped (and saved for)...maybe we will even get lucky a get a discount come October!!

I feel like I can relax more on the plan than wondering/worrying how high my credit card bill is getting every time we purchased meals or snacks....peace of mind on vacation is priceless! lol I am taking gift cards, 1 for each park day, so DS can get a souvenir.

My DS eats breakfast best, so even though I realize that they are not the best value for our credits, I know he will enjoy them the most and that is what was important to me when planning and making my final decision! We are big eaters and big snackers (love funnel cakes and pretzels and ice cream, lol) so I imagine we will get full use out of our credits - I surely won't leave any used behind! =)

Thank you all for your input, this forum is an excellent source of information.

 

[mlnbabies]

Thanks for the info on this thread. I also came up with additional costs on the plan. Able to plug in the numbers again and I don't know if the plan is good for us.

 

[Baklava]

The $3 is negligible. The real question is does this scenario represent how you want to eat? Do you want the mugs? Will you each want a drink and dessert (or side, considering the potential changes to the dining plan) with every meal? Will you use all the snacks? If yes, go ahead and do the plan if you'd like the convenience. Otherwise, no matter what flexibility changes to the plan add, paying OOP is the most flexible way to go and most convenient as far as choosing exactly what and how much you want at any given time.

Also, while the planner is nice it uses average meal prices. You know your family and can look at menus. Will you tend to order the most important expensive items which may make the dining plan save those few dollars rather than cost them? Or will you go for the least expensive and pay even more for the "convenience"?

So you know, part of the reason the dining plan isn't as cost-effective for you is because the character meals you're doing are breakfasts and you've got a two-credit thrown in too. Nothing wrong with that, but they're not "good values" on the plan.

Finally, they may very well announce a dining plan price increase when packages are released...just be warned there's a chance that throws a big monkey wrench into your calculations. Or course that might make it easier as the dining plan would almost surely cost more than OOP then.

This is a huge factor for me. Handed a menu with no prices, my husband and son will unerringly find their heart's desire in the most expensive thing available. Prime rib is practically a religion for them. With averages, the dining plan saves us a modest amount and gives us some things we wouldn't buy but that are nice as freebies. With reality? Well, I plan to save receipts and get those numbers.