How many DVC'ers use DDP??

[tgropp]

We always use it. I wish that you could just buy as many days as you wants as opposed to everyone in the room for the entire length of the stay. As a pp had stated, doing the DP at Christmas time saves the holiday dining charge

 

[edk35]

We always use it. I wish that you could just buy as many days as you wants as opposed to everyone in the room for the entire length of the stay. As a pp had stated, doing the DP at Christmas time saves the holiday dining charge

Yes I agree. I mentioned this a couple of times on other threads. It could be titled "Disney Dining Done Your Way" You could pick how many days you want the basic, or the deluxe or maybe the QSP then maybe a day or two with no plan. I would be all over that. I bet a lot of people would use the plan then.

 

[jodifla]

NEVER use it. HATE IT! Holding a severe grudge against it, in fact. It's really caused the formerly great WDW dining of the late 80s and through the late 90s to tank.

DDP actually used to be a pretty good financial deal, but it's not anymore that they dropped the appetizer and the tip.

We use the DDE/TIW when we use anything. It's a much better fit for us.

 

[dgaston]

We have used both DDP and TiW. For the Family Gathering Trip in September I'm recommending everyone get the DDP. We'll do a few Signature Meals, the young adults will be free of us for their CS meals, and I'll have the TiW for adult beverages.

 

[edk35]

NEVER use it. HATE IT! Holding a severe grudge against it, in fact. It's really caused the formerly great WDW dining of the late 80s and through the late 90s to tank.

DDP actually used to be a pretty good financial deal, but it's not anymore that they dropped the appetizer and the tip.

We use the DDE/TIW when we use anything. It's a much better fit for us.

Did they used to have a plan in the 80's and 90's? I don't remember even though we were at WDW in the 90's.

 

[Chuck S]

Did they used to have a plan in the 80's and 90's? I don't remember even though we were at WDW in the 90's.

I'm pretty sure Disney had a plan for cash guests as part of an upgrade package. There was like a Magic plan, Gold Plan and Platinum Plan, but they were quite pricey. There was also a Food'n'Fun Card available to DVC, the first year they offered it, it was OK. Then they gutted it and essentially you pre-paid $50 for $55 worth of food.

That seems to be the history of Disney plans. Introduce them, then when they become popular, gut them so they aren't such a great deal.

Remember that pre-paid or all-inclusive plans, no matter where the location, are rarely designed to save $$, they are designed for convenience, and you usually pay a premium for that.

 

[Lynn5700]

Yeah we do. We love the DDP.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

How can you go wrong? It costs under $40 for the day. If you order a steak at a Disney restraunt its about $38. This makes the rest of your food for the day fre.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

We used DDP for our Christmas stay and we loved not having to worry about prices. Made the vacation a lot less stressful on Christmas week especially since mist places charge a holiday surcharge. We are using QSP again this summer for a week followed by regular DDP for another week since DH is sold on the convenience part. We'll probably still get a TIW card for TS meals the first week though as we plan on returning before it expires next year to maximize APs. BTW, we have 3 kids, 2 that are "disney adults", and one child. We used all our credits last time and plan to do it again this time.

What is a TIW card?

 

[Dean]

What is a TIW card?

Tables in Wonderland and former Disney Dining Experience. It's a card FL residents and pass holders can buy that give you a discount at most (but not all) Disney table service restaurants. The discount is 20% and includes alcohol, valet parking is also included where applicable. There are a few blackout dates, but those are days I wouldn't want to go anyway.


We look at each trip independently. We have used it for some, not for others. We have bought the DDE (TIW) some years and just look at the individual discounts available to use as DVC members and often pass holders for other trips. We rarely eat a full meal in when it's just the two of us but eat in more for a larger group. Generally we'll have a danish, oatmeal of similar int eh AM with a larger lunch some days and a smaller dinner, other days we'll reverse the process with only a snack or light meal at lunch and a larger dinner. IMO, the DDP only makes sense for groups that have some combination of the shorter stays, more expensive single ticket restaurants, teens that eat a lot and kids that fall into the 3-9 category. Sometimes multiple units can also impact the decision of you can arrange the occupancy of the various units to your advantage as can arrival and departure time. I'd look at the menu's and keep your usual eating style and the above situations in mind then do a few calculations.

 

[alldiz]

I have used the DDP...I actually combined that with the DDE card for maximum savings

I probably won't be buying an AP anymore....so I will stick with the DDP. DH likes to know the costs upfront....works for me.

I do stay in 1BR's but we don't cook. Snacks and bkfst. I use the microwave and toaster. Haven't used the pans yet.
Kerri

 

[edk35]

I'd look at the menu's and keep your usual eating style and the above situations in mind then do a few calculations.

See that is just it. I think a lot of people eat more than they normally would or choose different places to eat on the plan vs. not on the plan. Probably to get the best bang for their buck.

I could so see my dh and me trying it on a couples only trip but when you add in kids that don't fall into the 3-9 category....it doesn't always seem to be a value. I think we are going to try it for our 2 days at the Poly before moving over to the BCV but afte that we won't.

One day I am sure my dh and I will eat at more TS restaurants..... that right now don't interest the kids. I have a 15 year old that is perfectly fine eating chicken strips, burgers/fries and pizza for his entire stay at WDW. Even when we go to the buffets....we pay an adult's price and he eats very little.

While at Poly we are planning on eating at Whispering Canyon for dinner the day we arrive (Tuesday), then saving the other TS to use for dinner at Cape May's the day we check out of Poly and check into BCV. We will probably use the two CS meals at MK on Wed. at Cosmic Rays and maybe Pecos or Harbor House.
We are also eating at Ohana for Breakfast on check out day so that we will pay OOP and not use a TS credit for.

However once we are at BCV no DDP for us.....we are planning a lunch at Le Cellier (if we can get it) and maybe a breakfast at Tusker House, the Big River Grill on the Boardwalk, spoodles window for pizza and beyond that we are not sure. When we move over to AKV after BCV we have plans to dine at the T-Rex at DTD and Boma's for breakfast. I think other than those TS places we are going to wing most meals. Sometimes my dd and I will eat a TS lunch somewhere in EC and the guys will eat CS. This is why I don't think the DDP will work for the rest of the trip.

 

[edk35]

I'm pretty sure Disney had a plan for cash guests as part of an upgrade package. There was like a Magic plan, Gold Plan and Platinum Plan, but they were quite pricey. There was also a Food'n'Fun Card available to DVC, the first year they offered it, it was OK. Then they gutted it and essentially you pre-paid $50 for $55 worth of food.

That seems to be the history of Disney plans. Introduce them, then when they become popular, gut them so they aren't such a great deal.

Remember that pre-paid or all-inclusive plans, no matter where the location, are rarely designed to save $$, they are designed for convenience, and you usually pay a premium for that.

Yep I now remember that plan. When we first wen to WDW in the early 90's I remember booking packages for the first 3 trips and I remember those plans now. We never got the food plans though.

 

[JLitfin]

When I travel with my sister and her daughters, usually in January we always get the DDP, we love trying the different restaurants. But on the other hand when I travel with my DH and DSs we never get the DDP. My DH feels it's to expense and we can do better by cooking in.

 

[Jeremy&Susan]

We used to use it when it was just the two of us and it included appetizer and tip. We thought it was a marginal bargain then and way too much food. We never used all the credits.

Now with a child and the price going up, we will not use it. Again still too much food, no tip is included and no appetizer (not that we need it but occasionally we would like to try one on the menu).

We would like to see a plan that had just diners included, including at least one or two special character / theme diners for a weeks stay. Or a plan where you could just buy what meals you want ahead of time (counter, table, snack) and then let the computer tell you what the cost of that package would be. The last option may cause way too much confusion though for many, I have been in many restaurants at Disney where patrons were arguing about the bill after the normal DDP was used.

 

[Dean]

See that is just it. I think a lot of people eat more than they normally would or choose different places to eat on the plan vs. not on the plan. Probably to get the best bang for their buck.

I could so see my dh and me trying it on a couples only trip but when you add in kids that don't fall into the 3-9 category....it doesn't always seem to be a value. I think we are going to try it for our 2 days at the Poly before moving over to the BCV but afte that we won't.

One day I am sure my dh and I will eat at more TS restaurants..... that right now don't interest the kids. I have a 15 year old that is perfectly fine eating chicken strips, burgers/fries and pizza for his entire stay at WDW. Even when we go to the buffets....we pay an adult's price and he eats very little.

While at Poly we are planning on eating at Whispering Canyon for dinner the day we arrive (Tuesday), then saving the other TS to use for dinner at Cape May's the day we check out of Poly and check into BCV. We will probably use the two CS meals at MK on Wed. at Cosmic Rays and maybe Pecos or Harbor House.
We are also eating at Ohana for Breakfast on check out day so that we will pay OOP and not use a TS credit for.

However once we are at BCV no DDP for us.....we are planning a lunch at Le Cellier (if we can get it) and maybe a breakfast at Tusker House, the Big River Grill on the Boardwalk, spoodles window for pizza and beyond that we are not sure. When we move over to AKV after BCV we have plans to dine at the T-Rex at DTD and Boma's for breakfast. I think other than those TS places we are going to wing most meals. Sometimes my dd and I will eat a TS lunch somewhere in EC and the guys will eat CS. This is why I don't think the DDP will work for the rest of the trip.

That's the benefit of having the menus. You can decide what you'd normally get AND/OR what you want to try. Having a 15 y/o can be a great way to do it. One option is to send them off to use the CS options while you use the TS options yourself for around 2 meals a day. Or hit a few Signatures and just pay OOP for the kids meals for the light eater. Regardless, you have the info to decide whether you can/will get a value from this options. IMO, unless it saves you around 20% if you order what you normally would OR it is a break even but allows you to splurge on choices that would cost at least 20% more, one should skip it. What if someone gets sick during the trip for example.

For your short stay that involves the DDP, I'd suggest you consider a different approach. Pay OOP for the 15 y/o on the TS meals and eat 3 TS meals instead of 2, one possibly Wed night. Even if you do Ohana or a Buffet for that extra usage, you'd still only have to pay OOP for one adult meal. The same idea could be used for the CS options, possibly use them for breakfast and lunch with OOP for the kids meals CS. Cosmic Rays is likely your best value for the CS at MK as it has the half chicken and the rib chicken combo plus the burger bar. Lots of options if you put your mind to it.

Take our trip coming up in a few weeks. I am till trying to decide what to do but we arrive early on the first day and can stay until dinner on the day we leave. We have reservations at places like Morocco, Le Cellier, Shutters, Coral Reef, Wolfgang Puck, and the Wave so we can certainly show a value. We likely will use on TS per day for dinner and a few for lunch as well but only 1 credit for most of those options. Then use the CS for breakfast and/or lunch then also often using one credit part of the time depending on timing and the rest of the plans. So I can easily show a value used this way and it is close to how we normally eat anyway other than we usually do a light breakfast in the room.

 

[pyrxtc]

Unless I am staying concierge, we do it. I like knowing it's all paid for and not worrying when I make my ressies since we like to enjoy a full dinner and not just CS while there. We usually stay in a 2 bedroom and never use the kitchen! I am not on vacation to cook!

That being said, we will be going next January and if we switch resorts, we will then ahve a kitchen and don't plan on spending much time in the parks so we will shop (driving down and will have car) and cook simple meals in the room, mostly breakfast and sandwhiches, so still not really using the kitchen.

 

[december14disney]

Its just SO darn convenient! Its just the 2 of us and we do a sit down meal everyday--something we look forward to as a major part of our trip. I love not worrying about prices, etc. Its hard for me to compare DDP versus not using it because if we werent using it we'd be saying ....well thats expensive...lets split that...etc etc. We would probably come out spending less because of that. But whats vacation when you are worrying about prices and splitting meals to save cash?! Love the DDP. I think of it like an all inclusive resort or cruise...its probably overpriced but worry-free.

 

[Dean]

Its just SO darn convenient! Its just the 2 of us and we do a sit down meal everyday--something we look forward to as a major part of our trip. I love not worrying about prices, etc. Its hard for me to compare DDP versus not using it because if we werent using it we'd be saying ....well thats expensive...lets split that...etc etc. We would probably come out spending less because of that. But whats vacation when you are worrying about prices and splitting meals to save cash?! Love the DDP. I think of it like an all inclusive resort or cruise...its probably overpriced but worry-free.

We often split meals even with the DDP if we get it since we often don't order drinks other than water and rarely get dessert otherwise and we tend to like the same things.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We often split meals even with the DDP if we get it since we often don't order drinks other than water and rarely get dessert otherwise and we tend to like the same things.

Same here Dean! We do the exact same thing!