I thought DDP was a good deal

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Last stay in 2009, DDP was well worth it; ate like kings and save a ton of money vs. OOP vs. the price we paid for the plan.

I just got done crunching the #'s using the pricing on Allears.net and going with fairly high prices, drinks, and deserts for (7) TS, and a fixed rate for (7) QS, and fixed rate for (7) Snacks, after the 18% gratuity that gets tacked on to (TS), we are at $1933. The DDP will cost me ~$1907. WOW, I saved $20!

So is this really a savings? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I would not normally eat a $30 steaks every TS and I only drink water, so I'm out $2.99 x 14 meals. Rest will use the drinks. Would I eat (7) TS meals on my vacation?

Would I normally order 6 deserts per TS? Nope! But w/ DDP I would, and get dinged 18% on all of them as well. I would maybe order 2 or 3 to share OOP.

So yes, OOP I have to pay 6.5% sales tax, but that's a measly ~$120

I now have the tough decision, as I still have to add in another QS per day. Can I make the DDP work in my favor, yes, will it cost me more? Not if me, DW and my 14yo and 12yo order the most expensive items on the menu.



Crunch 'em again I guess... Maybe I can make it work

 

[Disneylover99]

If you have to "make it work" then it's probably not worth it.
Our family loves free dining, but I would not pay for it.

 

[dcannon101]

I happened to run across this DDP calculator. It may help you check your calculations and give you some additional information.

http://www.distripplanner.com/

 

[wdw4rfam]

Yup, we were huge DDP fans. This last year we priced out OOP. We put all of our "dining money" on a Disney gift card so it would be similar having it pre-budgeted, but with more freedom. We saved $600+ over 10 days, we don't get dessert with our CS, used mugs at resort, and even had the freedom to do 2 TS sometimes when they were breakfasts or cheap like sci-FI. Never again for us, unless of course its free!!

 

[MrInfinity]

It really comes down to whether or not a significant number of your ADRs are for buffet / character / special event dining. If they are, then DDP can save you (barely). If they are not, and half or more of your ADRs are for regular menu-service restaurants, then it is not a good deal. As you point out, you get "free" drinks and desserts but you still pay 18% of the listed price for them. These add up! Most ppl fall into this latter category. I would never recommend the DDP unless I know up front someone has at least 1 kid 3-9 per adult, and a lot of character meals/buffets.

Keep in mind even in the best case where they save you (barely) it is only saving you because you're opting for the highest markup restaurants, wherein every adult will have a $33'ish bill and every kid an $18 bill. So you're saving on places where the prices are otherwise inflated.

For us, we're actually considering it. With 6 nights, 1 2-point event, 3 buffets, and only 1 menu restaurant, it saves just a few bucks to get it.

 

[prudence64]

I think it works out as a good deal if you eat at mostly buffets/character meals, but otherwise probably not worth it. We never order appetizers or desserts when we go out and we're vegetarians so it's usually not the more expensive items on the menu. We probably won't get it this time.

 

[CarouselOfLands]

The last two times I went I had the DDP (1 snack, 1 QS, 1 SD), and thought it was way too much. Like most so far have said, I normally wouldn't order deserts as I don't care for many of them, so that's a waste right there. Then I also normally only drink water and wouldn't eat that many SD's paying outside of DDP. However, without DDP I wouldn't have done all the SD's we did either as I wouldn't have made myself pay for them. It let me experience several 2 point restaurants/experiences. Next time though, I'm going to try OOP and see how that goes instead.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

I happened to run across this DDP calculator. It may help you check your calculations and give you some additional information.

http://www.distripplanner.com/

Thanks. I plugged in (2) Scenario's:

No Mugs, No Deserts, 1 Snack/day, Avg QS for Lunch and current ADR's for dinner:
Using Dining Plan

$2267.64 (Additional Cost: $309.68)​

Quick Service Entitlements Remaining: 0​

Table Service Entitlements Remaining: 0​

6 Mugs, 6 Deserts, 1 Snack/day, Avg QS for Lunch and current ADR's for dinner:
Using Dining Plan

$2388.57 (Savings: $218.41)​

Quick Service Entitlements Remaining: 0​

Table Service Entitlements Remaining: 0​

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

I think it works out as a good deal if you eat at mostly buffets/character meals, but otherwise probably not worth it. We never order appetizers or desserts when we go out and we're vegetarians so it's usually not the more expensive items on the menu. We probably won't get it this time.

Yes, agree as the Char/Buffets add up. We only have (1) on the list right now. I should add Akershus back in for the 3yo as today she said she wants to meet Cinderella. She also told us that she changed her middle name to "Queen" so it is now Piper Queen instead of Piper Jane.

As long as you spend more than:
$58.66/day per adult (10 and up) for (1) TS, (1)QS, (1) snack
$18.88/day per child (3-9) for (1) TS, (1)QS, (1) snack

So with me having a 14yo DD and a 11yo DD, they get in the $$$ category while my 9yo DS, who will out eat the two has to order from the $8.59 kiddie menu.

I'm just so bummed about the DDP now. We were just spoiled last time we went I guess. I still have time to make a decision...

 

[Disneylover99]

So with me having a 14yo DD and a 11yo DD, they get in the $$$ category while my 9yo DS, who will out eat the two has to order from the $8.59 kiddie menu.
.

This is another good reason to book mostly Buffets on the ddp. Your nine year old can eat whatever he wants.

 

[chinarider]

I'm still on the fence, have 4 different dining scenarios. If we do OOP we probably eat more burgers and sandwiches ( still TS, places like B & C, Plaza, Liberty ( lunch ), Sci Fi, GF Cafe, Wave, Capt Grill) and make lunch our big meal- while if we stay on the plan we will do places like Tutto, Biergarden, WCC, etc. Our must do's are CP ( B4RP), Boma dinner and we want to try Via, Chefs, Sanaa and TH as well. Its just me and my DD19 so not quite sure which way will we go. Also, on some of these we can save 10% with the Chase Visa discount as well

 

[grwrn]

The link for the DDP calculator was helpful. I don't qualify for the DDP as I booked through a conference and thought I was I was losing out on a meal deal. But after crunching numbers on my family of 3 adults (DD is 11), refillable mugs, 1 TS with 1 dessert, no apps, and 3 snacks a day, my meals came out cheaper than the cheapest DDP.

This makes me feel much better.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Good morning!

I'm also paying for another night than normally would. We arrive late the first night and depart early when we leave. So I have to pay 7 night when we really would only utilize 6. Yes, we would work the 7th in there.

Using http://www.distripplanner.com/ again, for (6) TS and (12) QS and (1) snack/day, 0/6 mugs, no/6 deserts.

OOP: $1,833.22 - $2,017.69 - $2,459.82 (going up to 7/7 TS/QS)
DDP: $2,366.88 - $2,682.07


Again, the ONLY way the plan is saving is if I order (6) deserts with each meal and go all out. I plugged in a bunch of Char Buffets, and the saving is still minimal vs. OOP ($95).

I'm so trying to convince myself that the DDP is still a good deal, but for our visit in March, I think I need to come to the reality that DDP is going to just cost me more. They almost got me!