I Think I Might Change To DDP Deluxe

[hollygolitely93]

Am I crazy?

We have Four Adults and One Child (technically two but the baby eats free)
I have free dining, currently.

Our meal plan

Arrival: GF Cafe (L) and LTT (D)
Epcot: GF Grill (B), Sun Seasons (L), Tutta CP Package (D)
MK: CP (B), CHH (L), Citrocis (D)
HS: HV (B), Backlot (L), 50s Prime (D)
AK: Tusker (B), FTbbQ(L), BOMA (D)
MK: GF Grill (B), Pecos (L), Hoop de doo (D)
Departure: GF 1900 (B)

So, while I wouldn't do a TS every meal, I can use a TS credit and since I have a lot of meals that take two credits (CP package, Hoop de doo, and Citrocis) I think it almost evens out.

I went through the menus and on regular DP I will be about 850 out of pocket and I think the Deluxe is 750 more (6 nights)...

I figure we get the extra snack credit a day and we can use on bottle water, coffer, soda if not food for the baby (fruit) and such.

Thoughts??? When is the cut off window for upgrading your plan?

Thx!

 

[TINKSFRIEND2]

I am glad you asked this as I am thinking of doing the same thing.

 

[sharonabe]

I think you might have miscalculated the upgrade...it would be $33/per adult/per night which is $792 and then $10/per child/per night for $60 with a total of $852.

Was your OOP calculation for ALL the meals you have in your plan? If so, you'll be better with free DDP and OOP since you will only have 18 credits per person and you have 21 listed. So you would pay $852 to upgrade and still have 3 meals to pay OOP.

 

[hollygolitely93]

ah...I did miscalculate...I left the child out completely...

So i did the 792 for the four adults and 60 oop

Vs 850 oop on free ( also for four adults )

So a wash...of sorts but then the bonus snacks and apps if anyone wants one...even just one night...

What to do...guess I need to figure the boy in and see if it matters...ha!

 

[sharonabe]

Don't forget your 3 extra meals OOP and the extra in tips if you order ALL the food you're entitled to on DxDDP.

 

[Cafeen]

I'll agree with the fact that it's roughly a wash if you don't get apps or the extra snack. (I don't feel like going through the numbers tonight), so if you think you're going to get at least a few apps, and that you're going to spend the bulk of the additional snack credits (even on cheaper stuff), then go for it. Otherwise, just keep what you have and go OOP for any extras.

As a note, it looks like you got 14 of your 18 credits planned for TS locations. This is close (it's a bit higher really) to the typical break even point for paid DxDDP when you count getting apps at all applicable places. This doesn't help much, but you're not likely going to lose money on the plan.

 

[HadesTX]

It was worth it to us to upgrade from free dining to deluxe. We tried a lot of places we normally wouldn't have. We only did two meals OOP & did those for cheap breakfasts. We did all TS & Signature places for our meals. Since you are getting an app/entree/dessert for each person, it adds up the ticket fast. The tips add up also, so definitely factor that in.

 

[kpm76]

It depends on how you want to spend your vacation. We've done DDP and QSDP and this past trip just paid OOP and decided that was best for us. I can't imagine attempting to consume all of the food offered on the Deluxe plan. Not to mention all of the time you will spend in restaurants/eating. Again though, depends on what's important to you. For us, it would be much too much food and valuable park time spent eating....

 

[hollygolitely93]

We wouldn't be eating all the food offered. What might make it width it for us is we have three signature dining...two at fixed costs for hoop de doo and candlelight processional...and four character breakfasts...so we would still eat CS for lunch...and probably only get app at citric is...snacks I anticipate will go for sodas and fruit for the kids...

Still debating...

The whole dining plan is a wash really...oop might be same for us...

 

[Colleen27]

Don't underestimate how nice all those snack credits and appetizers are to have with a baby. Since you mentioned fruit I assume he's old enough to be eating real food.

We did two deluxe dining trips when our youngest was under 3 and she used up a LOT of our snack credits on fruit, bottled water/juice/milk, muffins, and other things to tide her over between meals. The mugs were nice too, because we used them for ourselves (coffee/tea) when eating at our resort food court and got milk or juice for her with the drink included in our meal. And when I didn't feel like an appetizer, I just ordered soup or salad or something else suitable to share with her.

 

[tinka-belle]

Unless you are super light buffet eaters, with the breakfast buffet days I doubt you'd be hungry for a full CS lunch. More like 2 CS split among 4 adults unless you have a late dinner time booked.

When we book Boma, we have a very early lunch at Flame Tree because the portions are good sized and we like the BBQ there. The only light lunches are a fruit plate or chicken ceasar salad, which is a waste for a BBQ lover!

Same with the other days you have a breakfast, or even a dinner buffet booked. With a breakfast buffet, you would most likely be too full for CS unless you order something light or split the meal. We find that a snack credit serves us fine for an ice cream or soft pretzel between the two meals.. You don't want to be full when dinner is a buffet and you'd want to try different things!