Help me check my math!

[JamesMom]

Hi!

Planning an 11 day trip Sept 2007 on rented DVC points. The "plan" was to eat in the parks about 1/2 the time and eat in the unit the other meals. Since our 180 day window is fast approaching I sat down with my Excel spreadsheet and estimated how much we would spend on dinning.

Well, that was an eye opener! Not counting alcohol and buying only 1 kids meal (except at buffets) for 5 and 2 yo to share - I came up with this:

Breakfast - 3 char, 3 TS $250 w/ tip

Lunch - 1 table service, 5 counter $250

Dinner - NO KIDS 4 TS (Cali Grill, Le Cellier, Raglan Road and TBD) $600!!
(yes that $150 each - factor in 1 app/entree/dessert/coffee & 2 drinks pp)

Now these figures are with alcohol so subtract $150 for booze and we are looking at $950 for only a few meals with gratiuty included.

I figured the Dinning plan would cost about $1,100 for almost twice as many meals AND we get snacks. Gratuity is included as well?!

Is this right?!?

 

[amytheobald]

Hi!

Planning an 11 day trip Sept 2007 on rented DVC points. The "plan" was to eat in the parks about 1/2 the time and eat in the unit the other meals. Since our 180 day window is fast approaching I sat down with my Excel spreadsheet and estimated how much we would spend on dinning.

Well, that was an eye opener! Not counting alcohol and buying only 1 kids meal (except at buffets) for 5 and 2 yo to share - I came up with this:

Breakfast - 3 char, 3 TS $250 w/ tip

Lunch - 1 table service, 5 counter $250

Dinner - NO KIDS 4 TS (Cali Grill, Le Cellier, Raglan Road and TBD) $600!!
(yes that $150 each - factor in 1 app/entree/dessert/coffee & 2 drinks pp)

Now these figures are with alcohol so subtract $150 for booze and we are looking at $950 for only a few meals with gratiuty included.

I figured the Dinning plan would cost about $1,100 for almost twice as many meals AND we get snacks. Gratuity is included as well?!

Is this right?!?

Looks like you have it right...the DDP was a no brainer for us. We will only take stuff for breakfast in the room.

 

[JimMIA]

I got a little lost in your math, but I usually figure out what we really would spend for TS meals alone (NOT appy, entree & dessert, but what we would really order in the real world if we were paying cash). Then I compare that with the cost of DDP.

In other words, I completely ignore the value of the CS and snack credits, because -- truth be told -- we wouldn't normally spend much on those at all.

Because we only live 4 hours away, we typically go for only 4-5 days at a time. We are two adults and DD4-going-on-24, so it costs us +/-$89 per day. For our trips, I usually figure we save $75-100 per trip.

Don't get me wrong -- we USE the CS and snack credits. If I factored those into the equation, I think we'd save +/-$200 per trip with DDP.

However...that depends on your normal dining habits at WDW. We really enjoy dining at WDW, and it's an integral part of our trips. If you just find food whereever you can whenever you're hungry, DDP may not be a wise choice for you.

 

[Katiebell]

I agree with JimMIA, I considered what we would actually order for our TS meals. We like one TS each day, sometimes a CS but sometimes just snacks -- especially if the TS is a buffet or has very generous portions.

BUT...DH and I usually share an appetizer, OR a dessert (almost never both, although sometimes we will get dessert a few hours later). And we have to negotiate over what we get, and we are looking at and weighing the prices of everything else on the menu ("Do I really want to pay $22 for the grilled salmon when I probably will like the $15 chicken ok? Uh oh, he ordered a $25 steak, so I'd better order that chicken") With the DDP, it will all be prepaid and will either save us money or we will definitely at least break even, and we will eat whatever we want -- and I won't have to share my chocolate with him! And we plan to make use of those CS credits -- there are some places that sound great in Epcot -- and the snack credits will definitely not go to waste.

Also, when you weren't counting any TS meals for your kids at all, what were you planning on them eating? They are fairly young, so were you just going to share your TS meals with them?

 

[JamesMom]

Thanks for replying.
Just for clarification, the numbers above represent what we would actually order (based on past experience). In a nice table service restuarant, my dh & I each would order 1 app, 1 entrees, glass or 2 of wine, coffee & dessert. $150 per meal at Cali Grill of Chefs du France is not unreasonable.
We like to eat! LOL!

As far as the kids, they would be back at OKW having already eaten dinner before the babysitter arrived on our 'adult' nights at Cali Grill, etc. We have kitchen facilities and planned to use them and eat dinner 'in' on the nights the adults were staying home. We don't plan to eat dinner in any restuarants with the kids even if we go with DDP. Probably just do take away at Goodings and eat in the room.

One thing swaying me with DDP is the snacks. My husband will have a box of popcorn EVERY day we are in WDW. so theres $40 right there! Plus I am known to indulge in a Mickey bar or two and the kids for sure. No prob using the snack credits. And I didn't even calcuate them in the figures above!

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

OT post...

I'm James' mom too! At least, that's what the kids at his school call me.

Back on topic, by the time you add on the cost of food so you can eat in your room, you really are saving money on the DDP. One of the big plusses to me is just knowing I'm going to spend X amount of dollars for food on the trip, and not have to worry about the uncertainty.

Hope you have a wonderful time!!!