How do you determine "wasted money"?

[rt2dz]

I've been going over and over using just my DDE card, using DDP, or going DxDP. The DDE card on previous trips has already paid for itself, so not using it much on the next trip doesn't really equate to a loss of money for me, which is why I'm considering the dining plans.

I've gone through and am just comparing the cost of dining (not tickets or hotel price at this point, especially since I'm hoping they'll keep the AP holders getting to add the dining plan). The ONLY way I'm using the cost of the dining plans is what it actually costs me, not if I use it this way or that way. I'm then comparing it to how we would it. I'm taking where we'd have ADRs and then applying to the plan. Since we do generally one sit down meal at minimum a day, and frequently a signature meal or show, I'm finding the DxDP would probably fit our needs better than the DDP. I'm then strictly comparing it OOP cost on what we have spent on food on past trips to decide if it would be a good value. I would use what we plan on eating, but it's hard to compare to a la carte restaurants and CS places, since those things can't be really planned. I'm not worried about if we use every credit, provided we're not paying OOP costs too often elsewhere, or if we eat every item we could eat on the plan.

Is that how you do it? If not, how do you do it?

 

[Brian Noble]

I figure that as I already have a DDE card, I may as well just keep using it. It's simple, no complicated restrictions, and I can order anything I want. If at the last minute I decide to skip a meal, that's okay too--no loss.

I may be spending a few extra dollars this way, but it's just more pleasant than trying to squeeze every last dime out of one of the plans.