If doing DDP is DDE worth it?

[Anjelica]

We are doing the disney dining plan for our upcoming trip in May. We are also DVC and AP holders. I have never done the DDE before but I am trying to decide if it is worth it. I know some restaurants give DVC 10% discount and others give DDE 20% discount (not on holidays) but if we are going to have the DDP is DDE worth it?

 

[Tricia1972]

It may be:

In order for the card to be worth it, you'd need to spend more than $300, or maximize the card in any of the following ways to pay for the $60 fee that the card costs to get:

Victoria & Albert's accepts the card. One meal there is at least $250
The DDE card gives you 20% of your adult beverages - which are about $6-$10 each.
The DDE card allows you to valet park for free ($10 savings for each time you do it)
The DDE card gives you about 50% off of PI admission
The DDE card will give you 20% off of your appetizers that are no longer included in the plan


We used the DDP and DDE twice last year (Victoria & Albert's about paid for it), but we knew that we'd use the card three times before it expired. For you it may depend more on knowing whether you'll be back again within the year.

 

[CandleontheWater]

If you travel in a large group that will want food not included in the dining plan, and/or are big drinkers you can definately make your money back with the DDE card on top of the DDP.

My family is a group of 8 people, that can easily wrack up a $300 bar tab in an evening, let alone a whole week, so it was really a good deal for us to go with both.

One thing to remember is that the savings used for a group of up to 10 people, so that can really add up. We also use our DDE to get into Pleasure Island, but that discount is only for 2 people.

 

[Anjelica]

Hmmmm......we are going in May but also Christmas this year but will probably still do DDP for both trips. However, I thought during Christmas time that certain days DDE discount does not apply? I do like that it can be used for our entire party as we are going with friends in May.l

 

[mommylibrarian]

If you are going with friends, you can ask them to chip in some of the cost of the card, depending on how much it would be worth to them. We went to V&As with two other couples last year, and they were more than happy to pitch in. (We used it the rest of the week too, incidentally, and two subsequent trips... )

 

[Tricia1972]

Hmmmm......we are going in May but also Christmas this year but will probably still do DDP for both trips. However, I thought during Christmas time that certain days DDE discount does not apply? I do like that it can be used for our entire party as we are going with friends in May.l

I believe it's Christmas Day (perhaps Christmas Eve Day also) and New Years Eve that the discount doesn't apply for.

 

[Luv4Disney]

We're DVC and AP members also. We've worked the numbers and found the DDE to be better for us for our May trip. With the DDE our food cost came to $650 (including extra money for snacks) and the DDP came to $900 or so. We didn't find the DDP worth it for us because it comes with too much food and we were ordering stuff we normally wouldn't plus it no longer includes gratuity or appetizers (which you could do without but it doesn't seem as "worth it".) The DDE will cover the cost of the tip and save us 2% since they add 18% now.

 

[davinakb]

IIRC it's just the busiest holidays that are excluded (Easter, Mother's Day, Christmas Eve & Day, NYE and day, etc.); we used it late December just not NYE. Love that discount on wine and parking, nice savings there if you drive to the resorts a lot. FYI: the bill must be one check for the discount, so work that out with others before hand when you have a big group. FWIW.

 

[schoen]

We figure that if we spend more than 300 dollars on food and drink it is worth it.... We usually do!