I have become obessed with maximizing the plan!

[mommyaof2]

I have all of our adrs made for April 14-21 2007, and all of the sudden I have become obssesed with maximizing the plan! I am thinking about changing alot of my adrs because I feel like I am not getting the most for my money. Does anyone else do this? For instance, I am doing Crystal Palace and Ohana's and I feel that I could get a better value at another ts that you can order off of the menu!!! Please tell me that I am not crazy!

 

[k-team]

I guess if it makes you feel better.......but.we chose to use the dining plan for our upcoming trip so we wouldn't have to look at the prices. For me, (the one who usually orders the cheapest thing on the menu and water to save money), it is going to be absolutely amazing to look at a menu and just order what I really want without even thinking about the price!!

 

[S.Poppins]

I just booked the places I wanted to try! Either way the DDP is a good deal. Try not to make it stressful.

 

[Nancyg56]

Last year I purchased the plan and started to do the same thing. Looked at the prices and started planning according to them, not the food that my family would enjoy. I was always wondering if I was getting the biggest bang for my buck. How much fun is that? Reason prevailed and by the time I made my ADR's I was looking at the menus and choosing my TS according to what my family would enjoy.

I know that it seems reasonable to try to maximize your plan by looking at the prices, but if your family does not like the food or the experience, you have not gained anything. If your family would like CP, take them there and enjoy them. This is maximizing your vacation.

 

[n2mm]

You're not crazy. I think alot of us did this the first time we used the DDP. I know I did back in September 2005. However, the novelty wore off for us and we found it so stressful we became obsessed with eating during our entire trip. We have been back 6 times since then and have used the DDP the last 4 of those trips and we no longer do that. While we would never use a TS for breakfast, we try to at least break even to what the cost is. We do find most of our TS credits run close to the price of the plan, so by the time you add the CS and snack on, you are ahead of the game. We still don't use TS for the Plaza or Trails End, we do now use our CS for breakfast meals. We find using the CS credits the hardest for us. We also have the DDE card and do pay OOP for breakfasts and a few other TS meals. The DDP is wonderful and a great value, but if you get too obsessed with maximizing the plan, it will take over your entire vacation. Relax.

 

[mommyaof2]

Thanks for the quick replies!! I guess I should be worrying more about maximizing my vacation instead of the plan. I am just a budget wise person and I am always looking for the best value. I am new to all of this! I might just change a few or I might just pay oop for a few. I better decide quick though, because our trip is getting closer and closer.

 

[WDWBetsy]

mommyaof2, if you haven't already, you should check out the food pics in this thread - it really has helped us choose where we want to eat.

The link I've given has the most recent index of restaurants (page 352). You can replace the page number after the = sign in your browser's address bar with the restaurant pages you want to see.

Hope this helps!

 

[jaskemr]

I've used the DDP once in 2005, and that was a great thing. I just booked for June 2007, and took the DDP again.

The pluses for me is:
1) I don't need to watch the menu prices.
2) It's paid for up front
3) No one will starve on this plan.
4) Everyone gets to eat what they want.

Sure, there is some stategy, but I just rather just order what I want rather than the most expensive.

ie the Day of our arrival, we might do a counter service and save a table service to allow a 2X table service meal later in the stay.

I need to slim down before Disney, because the DDP will pack on the pounds.

 

[KatGarcia]

As someone just back from their first try at DDP you learn quick not to stress it! Its a TON of food no matter how you slice it so just go where you want to try and you'll figure out where you feel the best use of the plan is for you!

PS Can anyone tell me how I get the DDE card??? Thanks!

 

[bicker]

I guess I should be worrying more about maximizing my vacation instead of the plan.

Absolutely.

I am just a budget wise person and I am always looking for the best value.

It's not much of a value if it causes such stress.

 

[n2mm]

PS Can anyone tell me how I get the DDE card??? Thanks!

The DDE (Disney Dining Experience) card, which is good for 20% off most TS meals and a few counter service places (Value resorts and AK CS locations) is available to AP holders and Florida residents.

 

[ncbyrne]

My last trip was just with DH, who looooves restaurants. It's his main reason for going to WDW - you know, all those great restaurants in such close proximity. The dining plan is his idea of a dream vacation! I searched for months - finding just the right menus that gave the biggest bang for the buck! Steaks, shrimp, lobster - etc. I guess it was worth it, but frankly I didn't have any better time than when we just pick favorite restaurants without much thought.
My next trip is with DD and 2 DGDs (9 + 13) who are VERY picky eaters. We have the DDP but this time my quest will be to find place that offer food they will actually eat! Planning a WDW vacation is a big part of the fun. I don't mind the research at all! However, if it really is getting stressful, just stick with what you have done so far - you'll have a wonderful trip one way or the other.

 

[mommyaof2]

Thanks again everyone! I guess I am worrying way too much. I looked over my adrs again and again last night and I honestly think that I will like the food that each place offers. I have got to just quit obssessing! It is so hard though! I have never eaten at any of these restaurants. I only ate quick service meals when I was a child at WDW and that was years ago! I keep reading all of these things on the net and in books "how to maximize" the plan! You are all very supportive though! I love this board!

 

[The Sweetness]

Here's my plans, as we are on a somewhat tight budget. We will be on the DDP, and I made ADR for the 8 nights of our trip (not our departure day, as I was and still am on the fence about paying OOP for a nice lunch before we drive home. We will dine at the places we want. We will enjoy the luxury of several character meals where in the past, we settled for one or 2, max. At places with menu, we can order what we want, without worrying about the fact that the aps are how much?!?!?!

 

[neatokimmo]

I also tried to maximize the plan for our trip last Sept. Everytime I asked my mom where she wanted to eat, she said anywhere with steak.

So I choose a lot of steak places and she ate one at every place. I don't think she enjoyed the meals as much as I did because I chose different stuff.

So I think the key is variety. Go for things unique to Disney. You can get a steak anywhere, don't worry about ordering the most expensive stuff

 

[Bete]

We mix the DP up with serious TS meals and more fun places like Prime Time in MGM-Dis STudios, etc. We absolutely get our money's worth. We could get more out of the plan, but we would have to go to places that don't necessarily suit us. If you haven't been to many of the restaurants, you'll enjoy everywhere you go probably.

I think what you need to be sure of is you get at least what you spend for the plan. Everything else is an absolute bonus.

I concentrate more on counter service meals and the value offered at those places. There is more disparity with CS meals than TS meals. You can't go too wrong with TS for the value you get everywhere.

 

[allflgirl]

The first time I used DDP, I focused on eating only at the TS places that offered the premium steaks and higher priced meals. You can only eat so many steaks in a week. I did enjoy the plan but needed more variety.

The second time, I decided just to eat based on the menu, not the prices. I still came out way ahead (would have paid way more if I had to pay cash) and loved the choices at each of the restaurants.

I think the only way you won't get your money's worth out of the dining plan is to use your TS for breakfast.

 

[laura001]

I think that the DDP makes it easy to go overboard. Even if you just use your credits the way they are designed for you, and don't each or share appetizers and desserts..........you still come out ahead! My DH and I share app's and dessert, if paying for one table service per day OOP, the plan is covered already, so the rest is gravy (no pun intended)

 

[jonkatony]

If you and you family realy enjoy your meal and you have fun, that is value for money? eating to excess food you do not want in a place that is not enjoyed by your family is not value for money, no mater how much the bill say's.
Just go have fun, eat where and what you would like, you will not lose

 

[mommyaof2]

I think I am going to keep most of what I have. I think that I have posted it in another thread but just to update you guys, here is what I have:

4/14 Crystal Palace -dinner (thinking of changing to LTT)
4/15 50s Prime Time -lunch (thinking dinner would be better value?)
4/16 Coral Reef-lunch (again thinking dinner would be better value?)
4/17 Kona Cafe-dinner
4/18 CRT-lunch (oop)
4/19 LeCellier-dinner
4/20 Ohana(again not sure of the value here)
4/21 Princess Storybook Norway(again worried about value) maybe should pay oop here. This is departure day.

See here I go obessing again!!!! (sorry I had to edit this. I didn't finish my post)