How much money do you bring for OOP/tips when on the DDP?

[Minnesota!]

So we are trying to do a budget trip.

Thinking about the meal plan. I think it would save us money, truly. With that much food, we would be guaranteed we wouldn't have to order OOP for my almost 2 year old son on the trip.

Anyway, when you do the DDP, how much do YOU bring for OOP expenses? Tips, food not covered by the DDP?

We are planning (if we do the meal plan) to have gardengrocer bring us groceries on day 1 so that we can always do breakfast in the room. Donuts, bagles, juice, etc. So that would be taken care of. Then we will probably do a sit down lunch and counter dinner. Since snacks are also included, that would take care of my hubby's sweet tooth at night, right?

Just trying to figure this all out...if it would really be worth it for us. My boys can eat A LOT.

Thanks!!

 

[mkycrzy1971]

So we are trying to do a budget trip.

Thinking about the meal plan. I think it would save us money, truly. With that much food, we would be guaranteed we wouldn't have to order OOP for my almost 2 year old son on the trip.

Anyway, when you do the DDP, how much do YOU bring for OOP expenses? Tips, food not covered by the DDP?

We are planning (if we do the meal plan) to have gardengrocer bring us groceries on day 1 so that we can always do breakfast in the room. Donuts, bagles, juice, etc. So that would be taken care of. Then we will probably do a sit down lunch and counter dinner. Since snacks are also included, that would take care of my hubby's sweet tooth at night, right?

Just trying to figure this all out...if it would really be worth it for us. My boys can eat A LOT.

Thanks!!

You got it! If you eat in your room for breakfast, and use your dining credits for lunch and dinner you still have a snack for the evening. I would go onto the Dis menus &/or all ears menus and kind of get an idea of how much your meals will cost...then figure somewhere around 18% of that amount (for each meal of course) for your tips. Looking at your signature it looks like you have a 4 year old and two adults that you will be paying for...I usually figure $40-$50 per adult (by the time you add in the entree, drink, & dessert) and somewhere around $10-$12 for a child when thinking of TS meals....I hope this might give you an idea of what to figure. Have fun and EAT MUCH!


Edited to say: don't worry about not having enough food...my two girls (15 & 11) can out eat any teenage boy (and they are so darned skinny!) but we NEVER have had too little food...even when sharing some things. You'll be fine! Oh...I normally bring about $20-$25 extra a day for OOP expenses just to be on the safe side....it is on a very rare occasion that we use much if any of it though.

 

[lilmrsellis]

We had PLENTY of food. It just depends on how many of you hand how big you eat. I LOVED having tips on DDP.

 

[jellybeans0607]

we dont buy any food at restaurants OOP when on the DDP. there is more than enough food. last year my son was 2 and didnt have his own meals, there was more than enough food to go around. especially if you have any buffets planned, i just get my 2yo his own plate there. then the counter sefvices are very large portions, i really think youll be fine.
for tips, im planning for my family of 5 about $20 a table service. we are doing the hoop dee doo, which is covered so for my stay of 6 nights im expecting to pay out about $100 in tips. although i dont think it will be that high. im assuming each bill to be $100 and tipping 20%, but i dotn honestly think all the bills will be that high.
we usually had our snack between breakfast and lunch. we arent huge breakfast eaters, and we always seemed to be eating at 6am(we rent a car an eat at a buffet) so by 10, we were pretty hungry. but after lunch and dinner, we were never hungry.

 

[TikiGoddess]

I kind of went through and guesstimated how much we'd need for tips at our table services and I think I came out $115-$130 for seven meals with 2 adults and 2 kids...I'll probably bring about $200 just in case we have unbelievably great service at some of the restaurants. The first numbers were figured at 18% per meal.

 

[mkycrzy1971]

Last year we had a family of 5 but one person was only 2 years old...I checked our receipts and the tabs ranged (for what is considered 3 adults and 1 child) between $110-$150...HOWEVER, that included at least 2 appetizers...I am not sure we ever ordered appetizer for all 3 "adults"...this would make tip ranging from $19.80--$27.00 (at 18%) for a party that size...and remember, that is INCLUDING at least $15 in appetizer charges which will not be on your tab this year (unless you order them OOP, of course). Hope this helps

 

[DISNEY1975]

So we are trying to do a budget trip.

Thinking about the meal plan. I think it would save us money, truly. With that much food, we would be guaranteed we wouldn't have to order OOP for my almost 2 year old son on the trip.

Anyway, when you do the DDP, how much do YOU bring for OOP expenses? Tips, food not covered by the DDP?

We are planning (if we do the meal plan) to have gardengrocer bring us groceries on day 1 so that we can always do breakfast in the room. Donuts, bagles, juice, etc. So that would be taken care of. Then we will probably do a sit down lunch and counter dinner. Since snacks are also included, that would take care of my hubby's sweet tooth at night, right?

Just trying to figure this all out...if it would really be worth it for us. My boys can eat A LOT.

Thanks!!

We are doing the deluxe. For $30 extra a day you can have an extra snack credit and 3 table service meals if you choose. Breakfast alone in some of these places could run you $30 per person. (Its is less for children).

Although I am getting a fantastic deal on the food, the tipping is starting to add up. We have 21 credits per person and have chosen some top dining places. We are not paying out of pocket for the meal, but the bill will average $300+, which would be a $60 tip for each meal. $60 x 21 is a lot!!

If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with the basic. Keep in mind lunches at TS typically are $30 pp / dinners $50pp. Depending on how many are with you just the tips could be another meal at CS.

 

[jellybeans0607]

If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with the basic. Keep in mind lunches at TS typically are $30 pp / dinners $50pp. Depending on how many are with you just the tips could be another meal at CS.

that is very subjective to where you eat. we dont spend nearly that much. you can eat at crystal palace for $28 adults and $13 for kids. places like 50s diner, scifi, planet hollywood, tusker house, beirgarten, rose and crown...i could go on. none of these places are going to cost you $50 a person for dinner. in fact i think there are very few that are that high.

 

[jellybeans0607]

just wanted to add, that there are some dinner shows and cindys royal table that will run you $50 a person, but the tip is included in that price, so that not so bad.

 

[specialk2ca]

I think we spent (for two) about 200 in tips/ oop for 7 days

 

[MollyMoo]

Just back from six nights at SSR and we were on the DDP ... not deluxe. We had a fully equipped kitchen so shopped for breakfast in the room each morning. We were two adults, no kids and we left with four CS credits unspent. We had TS every day ... two lunches, four dinners, and only used the room charge for meal related expenses. We had wine and/or coctails with some meals, added an appetizer here or there, tipped extremely generously for some meals and standard for others. Additionally we had a couple of charges to the room for miscellaneous snacks that went above and beyond the plan and our check out total for the six days was $227.43.

In retrospect I would have skipped the breakfast in the room thing (left a fair amount of food uneaten there) and used the plan for breakfast at the food court, had a late lunch/early dinner each day (which would work well for us) and an afternoon or evening snack and we would probably have saved some money and used up all of our meals on the plan.

It is a learning process, isn't it?

 

[JLKennedy]

Your best bet is to review the menus on allears, as someone else posted. Add up the most expensive item on the menu's for all in your party. Add your "daily" totals and multiply by .20 and you will have MORE than enough TIP money. Chances are you won't "always" order the most expensive thing on the menu and by budgeting for 20%, you'll have adequate tip money and likely extra left over.

Example: Meals for 7 nights total $1,624 (just say), multiply by 20%. (20% would equal $324.80), so I would round up to $325 or cover myself at $350 just for some extra snacks if needed/wanted.

 

[teedisney]

We are doing with prev poster suggests. Assuming we'll order the most expensive thing and budgetting that. I don't think we will but my DH loves appetizers so that will balance it out.

We should have enough Disney Rewarsds dollars to cover that.