Help me with my DDP math!

[olliesmom]

We will be a Disney in April with three kids ages 1, 4 and 8 at the time of travel. We have not used the dining plan in years, but the free dining for kids promotion has us leaning toward adding it.

We will be at Disney for 5 nights and have a DVC reservation that is currently split into 4 night + 1 additional night, so we would be paying for a 4 night dining plan (we would not add the extra night as we are flying out early on our day of departure).

I have done the math estimating the OOP cost for the following restaurants:

CS:

Captain Cook's
Columbia Harbour House
Connections Eatery
Gasparilla Island Grill

TS:

Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
1900 Park Fare
Akershus (breakfast)

Snacks: mostly estimating things like dole whips and Mickey bars, we aren't likely to have time to scope out the highest value snacks daily and the kids really just love ice cream.

We do not drink alcohol, but even accounting for sodas instead of expensive drinks, I am coming up with an estimated cost of approx. 1100.00 OOP vs. the 788.00 of the dining plan for four nights.

Even if we ate counter service the entire trip (our usual eating pattern without the DDP, sharing things and occasionally ordering kids meals for adults) we spend roughly 50.00 per CS meal plus approx. 20/day in snacks which would be an OOP cost of 480.00. Adding in a single character meal would put us over the dining plan cost and then it seems we might as well go for it.

Before I go ahead and add it to our reservation, I wanted to make sure there isn't anything I'm missing! I keep reading about how difficult it is to beat the DDP, especially without ordering alcoholic drinks. But maybe the free kids dining really does change the math?

Thanks!!

 

[Kerr84]

You know your 1 year old won’t get a dining plan, right?

I’m sure your math is right. If you have kids under 9 and do character dining, you can usually break even. With kids getting free dining, you’ll come out way ahead since you are eating at expensive character meals.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

Be sure you add the cost of the tips for your table service meals onto your costs with the DDP

 

[Kerr84]

Be sure you add the cost of the tips for your table service meals onto your costs with the DDP

True, but you would be paying those if you were eating OOP too.

 

[eticketplease]

True, but you would be paying those if you were eating OOP too.

The DP is made out to be a solution where you don’t have to think about forking any more money for snacks or meals and most people are not aware that the DP doesn’t cover tips on those TS restaurants.

It is true that you would be paying it if dining OOP but from the first post the OP wouldn’t as they plan and eat at QS establishments.

 

[bakerr6]

We are making the same decision. Only suggestion I would make is to save the snack credits for epcot. You can get some great food from various booths, such as the filet mignon from canada.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

True, but you would be paying those if you were eating OOP too.

If paying OOP, you might have AP, DVC, VISA discount. So the total might be lower.

 

[olliesmom]

You know your 1 year old won’t get a dining plan, right?

I’m sure your math is right. If you have kids under 9 and do character dining, you can usually break even. With kids getting free dining, you’ll come out way ahead since you are eating at expensive character meals.

Yes, she will turn 1 the week before we travel and will happily gum some things off our plates as she doesn’t yet have a single tooth.

 

[eticketplease]

If paying OOP, you might have AP, DVC, VISA discount. So the total might be lower.

I don’t think so being that they are getting 2 kids meals and a snack for each of their two children ESP if doing the QS DP as those aren’t discounted except for a couple in Disney Springs like Polite Pig.

 

[olliesmom]

Thank you all! Unfortunately we do not have any other discounts, I'm going to add the dining plan on now as it looks like we will be able to make good use of it this round.

 

[eticketplease]

Thank you all! Unfortunately we do not have any other discounts, I'm going to add the dining plan on now as it looks like we will be able to make good use of it this round.

I think even as non drinkers this is the right call for you with no discounts and you are getting the 2 kiddo's for free.

Please use your snack credits and don't be like many of us who forget about them and end up buying goofy candy or Mickey Rice Krispy treats to bring back with us

Hope you have a great trip!!

 

[Mle8308]

In your case, it probably does make sense with all the character dining. You will also get the refillable resort mugs for each person on the plan. That allows you unlimited refills at any resort location - soda, coffee, and tea are included. Not juice or milk. And you will be able to use them when you stay the additional night, as the mugs are good for 14 days from activation.

 

[BlueGreen5]

We will be a Disney in April with three kids ages 1, 4 and 8 at the time of travel. We have not used the dining plan in years, but the free dining for kids promotion has us leaning toward adding it.

We will be at Disney for 5 nights and have a DVC reservation that is currently split into 4 night + 1 additional night, so we would be paying for a 4 night dining plan (we would not add the extra night as we are flying out early on our day of departure).

I have done the math estimating the OOP cost for the following restaurants:

CS:

Captain Cook's
Columbia Harbour House
Connections Eatery
Gasparilla Island Grill

TS:

Chef Mickey's
Crystal Palace
1900 Park Fare
Akershus (breakfast)

Snacks: mostly estimating things like dole whips and Mickey bars, we aren't likely to have time to scope out the highest value snacks daily and the kids really just love ice cream.

We do not drink alcohol, but even accounting for sodas instead of expensive drinks, I am coming up with an estimated cost of approx. 1100.00 OOP vs. the 788.00 of the dining plan for four nights.

Even if we ate counter service the entire trip (our usual eating pattern without the DDP, sharing things and occasionally ordering kids meals for adults) we spend roughly 50.00 per CS meal plus approx. 20/day in snacks which would be an OOP cost of 480.00. Adding in a single character meal would put us over the dining plan cost and then it seems we might as well go for it.

Before I go ahead and add it to our reservation, I wanted to make sure there isn't anything I'm missing! I keep reading about how difficult it is to beat the DDP, especially without ordering alcoholic drinks. But maybe the free kids dining really does change the math?

Thanks!!

Your intuition is right: it's not difficult to "beat" the standard DDP for a family of 4 or 5 with the current promotion. Sure, it's possible that someone breaks even or ends up in a slight loss, but I generally would not expect that to be the case if you are even being halfway smart about how you are using it (it sounds like you are doing just fine). As you mentioned, one one-credit character meal is usually all it takes to come away very close. You have 4; you're good as far as bang for your buck. Unless you are character meal people, my only suggestion would be to maybe consider other choices because there are some fantastic non-character meals in Disney that still generate good value under the DDP (Steakhouse 71, Teppan Edo, Biergarten, Ohana, San Angel Inn Restaurante). However, your 4 are all different characters, so don't feel like you NEED to give one of them up if character meals is what you want. But, with your itinerary, you shouldn't need to put much thought into the value of your snacks or frankly even your quick service choices -- you'll be much happier if you don't put too much pressure on yourself to maximize those.

OP touched on this: the only thing someone looking at DDP has to keep in mind is that Disney is still potentially altering your behavior -- just because there is a "savings" does not necessarily mean DDP is a financially sound decision for you. A frozen uncrustable PB&J sandwhich that you got from your Amazon delivery is going to be much cheaper than a heavily discounted table service lunch. If someone would never eat at Chef Mickey's (totally get that...sorry OP...), and is only doing so to maximize DDP value, I would question whether DDP is truly a "value" for that person. OP, it sounds like you are thrilled with your restuarant choices, so it sounds like DDP will be a good value for you and I don't think you are missing anything with your rationale.

* * * * *

Purely looking at this as a Disney shareholder, I love the current promotion and hope they consider keeping it indefinitely. OP is my proof. They are getting families away from the grocery delivery services and cheaper on-property options and into the pricier restaurants, which can be a difficult trick for a traditional family of 4 of 5. They are keeping their hosts, servers, cooks, and bussers reliably busy and ensuring them tips. They are increasing ADRs (because, if you have a standard DDP, you are not likely "winging it" and hoping for the best) which helps with resource planning. And in exchange for what: a discount off what is otherwise a very high-margin meal. A sustainable win-win, IMO.