If you've used DDE

[mello]

I'm debating whether to do DDE or DDP, some combo of both, or none at all on our next trip. It sounds like lots of you guys use DDE, so please tell me how it has worked out for you and why you like it (or not, as the case may be). Is there a general rule for a "breakeven" point? Certain situations where it may or may not be more beneficial than other options?

 

[daisyduck123]

Well we always use both.

The DP works great for our meals.
We use DDE a LOT for drinks with dinner, at the poolside bar, etc. It has already more than paid for itself.

 

[eliza61]

We prefer the DDE card. We generally have alcoholic beverages at dinner and maybe a beer at lunch if we do a sit down lunch, so we get the discount on that. Since we go at slow (or as slow as it can get at disney) times, I don't do a lot of ADR's, I make 1 or 2 but over 10 days that's pretty much it. The one time I did the DDP we had so many credits left over because we just were not making the adr's we had scheduled.

 

[JimMIA]

We've used both, and we've also used them together. I think the answer to your "break-even" question is that every family is different and everybody's math will vary...so you have to do the math for your family. There is no cookie-cutter answer as far as I know.

IMHO, the value of DDP depends on the composition of your group and your normal dining habits at WDW. For example, we have 2A/1C and we only enjoy a modest savings over what we would spend without DDP. But families with several kids <10 probably do much better than we do.

DDE is beneficial in a number of ways, again depending on the composition of your group and what you do with the card. If you make multiple trips a year, that's a plus because the card is good for 13 months. If you want to treat friends and family to a meal and get the discount, DDE is good for that because you can use it for up to 10 people per meal. It is also the only discount which applies to alcoholic beverages, so some DDPers use DDE with their non-DDP items.

In our case, however, DDE is not a terribly attractive plan for this year. We will probably only make one trip to WDW. Plus, the DDE gives us a nice discount off meals, but those meals carry inflated prices to begin with, so the DDE discount is just bringing the prices down into the realm of reality. And the tax and tips will be computed on those inflated prices rather than a flat rate a day like we'd get with DDP.

In addition, if we go without DDP (as now appears likely) we will probably only do one character meal onsite, and eat the rest of our meals offsite.

If we take anyone with us, that math will change, but for right now, eating offsite without either DDP or DDE looks like the plan for us.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have done both seperately and together. We have used the DDP the last two trips and plan to use it again in November, but we also have the DDE card, and will use that on occation as well. We find the price to be about the same, with the exception that we tend to order desserts on the DDP when we don't when paying OOP, so in that case the DDE is cheaper. We figure it is like getting free tips, since we usually tip 20%, and that is the DDE discount.

 

[DVC Grammy]

For just DH and me, we found the DDP to be too much food ; the DDE suits our eating style better. But if others join us on a trip, we would probably use the DDP, since we would tend to eat more TS meals then (we seem to know big eaters ).

 

[BCV23]

I agree with pretty much everything written so far. As Jim said, you just have to do the math for your family.

But remember with the DDE, you will not start to realize any savings until you've spent $325 to recoup the cost of the card itself. It is good at most table service restaurants and WDW lounges but not at counter service restaurants with the exception of some at AK and the food courts at the value resorts and POFQ.

And of course, you need to have an AP or be a FL resident to buy it in the first place.

We've had DDE since APers could first purchase them and have used the DDP in conjunction with it three times now. But of course, every time we used the DDP we "lose" a little of our DDE's value. When I've run our numbers the savings have been greater on DDP than DDE. It's pretty much as if the snack and QS meal is free compared to the DDE. But like Diane, we do tend to order dessert at the TS restaurants when on DDP and rarely do so otherwise.

 

[Inkmahm]

We've never used DDP but have used DDE since we were able to purchase it for the first time.

We never eat at CS places for lunch. We always do TS for lunch and dinner, plus the dinner places we eat at tend to be "two TS credit" kind of places. We don't eat snacks at all, really.

 

[Tamar]

We only use DDE. Especially with how hard it has been to get ADRs, we don't want to feel "forced" to eat somewhere because otherwise we'll lose credits (for example, if we're in Epcot and we don't want to eat at the one table service restaurant that has openings....we don't. We go counter service or play it by ear). We've been at Epcot when there was no table service dining available at all.

And, DDE is a much better deal if you want to eat a signature restaurants and/or have alcohol.

DH and I usually travel by ourselves, but in May the inlaws and a few little ones joined us. Two meals (Cali Grill and Boma) and we'd more than recouped the cost of the card.

 

[mello]

BCV23, that's just the type of info I was looking for.

We've used DDP twice and found it to be a good value for our family - almost as much for the "all-inclusive" convenience as for the money savings. However, if they remove the tip from it, as rumors are suggesting, I really don't think it will be worth it for us again. Which is extremely disappointing because we were thinking it would make things SO much easier for our upcoming family reunion trip (17 people, 10-14 days) - no hassles with dividing checks, or with sending kids off with different families - as long as everyone has their card, their meals are covered. Now I can forsee problems with who owes whom what for tips, kids' meals, etc .... But anywhoo... we'll just have to wait & see I guess.

So anyway, I got to thinking about the portion of the trip where just our family of 5 will be alone, and we'll not get the DDP for that, so I wondered if we did DDE during that time (we do like to have a sit-down meal once a day), if it would also be of some value during the other part of the trip too. So it's good to know it includes alcoholic drinks on DDP meals - that could be useful. Also, we were thinking maybe one day DH would treat all the guys to lunch at the Turf Club and I thought maybe I'd treat the ladies to tea at the Garden View Lounge, so if DDE would help with those, that would be nice.

So, to recap, let me make sure I've got the facts straight on DDE:

Must have AP (Voucher okay?)

Costs $65?

Gives 20% discount on most table service meals and a few CS locations, including alcohol, but not tax & tip? (is there a list somewhere of places that accept/don't accept it? Or does a list come with it?)

You can use it on OOP extras (drinks, etc) during the same meal you're using the DDP?

Good for parties up to 10 people (What happens if you've got more than 10? Can't use it? Useable on 10 adult meals? 10 cheapest ie; kids' meals? Other scenario?)

So if $65/20% is correct, the breakeven point comes once you've spent $325 (which our family of 5 would likely do in about 4 TS meals).

Good for 13 months (From when? Receipt? Activation? First use?)

How long does it take to receive in the mail?

Does it matter which spouse's name it's in? Does the person who's name it's in have to be present (ie; if it's in DH's name, can I use it when I take the ladies to tea or vice versa?)

Anything else we should know about it?

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

DDE is the greatest if you are going to buy APs anyway. The DDE pays for itself for a family of 4 in about 4 meals. it is amazingly flexible and u don't track credits and so on. just eat almost anyplace we want and it is usually DDE particpant. Save on even adult beverages. Much better deal for us as we don't like to eat out for breakfast...we prefer small in room breakfasts so the DDP is a waste for us.

 

[joelly2103]

BCV23,

So, to recap, let me make sure I've got the facts straight on DDE:

Must have AP (Voucher okay?)

Costs $65?

Gives 20% discount on most table service meals and a few CS locations, including alcohol, but not tax & tip? (is there a list somewhere of places that accept/don't accept it? Or does a list come with it?)

You can use it on OOP extras (drinks, etc) during the same meal you're using the DDP?

Good for parties up to 10 people (What happens if you've got more than 10? Can't use it? Useable on 10 adult meals? 10 cheapest ie; kids' meals? Other scenario?)

So if $65/20% is correct, the breakeven point comes once you've spent $325 (which our family of 5 would likely do in about 4 TS meals).

Good for 13 months (From when? Receipt? Activation? First use?)

How long does it take to receive in the mail?

Does it matter which spouse's name it's in? Does the person who's name it's in have to be present (ie; if it's in DH's name, can I use it when I take the ladies to tea or vice versa?)

Anything else we should know about it?

1. Yes, you must have an AP, the form asks for the AP number, so not sure if a voucher will work

2. Yes, the cost os $65.00 for the first card, you can add an additonal spouse card for $25.00 more.

3. When you receive your card you will receive a list of TS restaurants that accept the discount

4. You can use the 20% discount for up to 10 people per card, so if you purchase the spouse card too you can add another 10 people.

5. Yes the breakeven point is $325 for the first card and an addtional $125 for the second card

6. It is good for 1 year from the day the card was mailed out, so I have been told not to order it until about 8 weeks out from your planned trip date. So if you plan to go back later in the year, maybe you could get 2 trips out of it.

7. The form says it takes 3-6 weeks, you can get the application form online under the AP section. You can also call to get it.

8. We have used the card before and have never been asked if the member of the card was present. There is no guarantee that they will or will not ask.

We are going on the DDE this year because there are nearly 20 of us going and not everyone can afford the add-on for the DDP. We are considering getting the DDP for a later trip this year when there are less of us going.

I know I did not answer all your questions, maybe someone else will have those. I hope what I did answer helped.

 

[BCV23]

BCV23, that's just the type of info I was looking for.

We've used DDP twice and found it to be a good value for our family - almost as much for the "all-inclusive" convenience as for the money savings. However, if they remove the tip from it, as rumors are suggesting, I really don't think it will be worth it for us again. Which is extremely disappointing because we were thinking it would make things SO much easier for our upcoming family reunion trip (17 people, 10-14 days) - no hassles with dividing checks, or with sending kids off with different families - as long as everyone has their card, their meals are covered. Now I can forsee problems with who owes whom what for tips, kids' meals, etc .... But anywhoo... we'll just have to wait & see I guess.

So anyway, I got to thinking about the portion of the trip where just our family of 5 will be alone, and we'll not get the DDP for that, so I wondered if we did DDE during that time (we do like to have a sit-down meal once a day), if it would also be of some value during the other part of the trip too. So it's good to know it includes alcoholic drinks on DDP meals - that could be useful. Also, we were thinking maybe one day DH would treat all the guys to lunch at the Turf Club and I thought maybe I'd treat the ladies to tea at the Garden View Lounge, so if DDE would help with those, that would be nice. You could use DDE for both.

So, to recap, let me make sure I've got the facts straight on DDE:

Must have AP (Voucher okay?) Many people have reported being able to order with a voucher....you just give the numbers on te voucher.

Costs $65? Yes.

Gives 20% discount on most table service meals and a few CS locations, including alcohol, but not tax & tip? (is there a list somewhere of places that accept/don't accept it? Or does a list come with it?) Right, tax and tip are not included. Many just use that discount as the tip. Of course, in any case one should tip on the nondiscounted total.

You can use it on OOP extras (drinks, etc) during the same meal you're using the DDP? Yes.

Good for parties up to 10 people (What happens if you've got more than 10? Can't use it? Useable on 10 adult meals? 10 cheapest ie; kids' meals? Other scenario?) No experience here, sorry.

So if $65/20% is correct, the breakeven point comes once you've spent $325 (which our family of 5 would likely do in about 4 TS meals).

Good for 13 months (From when? Receipt? Activation? First use?) If you order after around the 10th of a given month, your DDE will expire next year on the last day of the following month. So order Aug. 10, it will expire on Sept. 30, 2008. The folks at the DDE office will let you know when it will expire so if you call on 7/7 you might be told that you need to wait until 8/9 to order for a Sept expiration.

How long does it take to receive in the mail? I've been told 3-4 weeks. This year I think it was 3 weeks to the day.

Does it matter which spouse's name it's in? Does the person who's name it's in have to be present (ie; if it's in DH's name, can I use it when I take the ladies to tea or vice versa?) Yes, according to the rules. I do think they check that as most servers seem to take a second and look at both our DDE card and the room key...I assume to see that the names match. By the rules, you could be asked for id so if paying with cash, I would make sure to have id with you.

Anything else we should know about it?

I'll look for a list of participating restaurants for you. As joelly said, you will also receive one in the mail with your card.

Oh, one other thing. If the timing would work better for you, it is actually possible to order and pick up a temporary card at WDW. If that would help, just ask and someone will 'splain that.

 

[BCV23]

Here's a list of participating spots.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm

 

[LeCras]

Just to confirm, you can definitely order the DDE card with an AP (or PAP) voucher - I have done two years in a row. Love DDE, wouldn't go without it, for DH and myself it pays for itself in no time. DDP on the other hand...how do people manage to eat all that food?!? Never again...

Charlotte

 

[JimMIA]

6. It is good for 1 year from the day the card was mailed out, so I have been told not to order it until about 8 weeks out from your planned trip date. So if you plan to go back later in the year, maybe you could get 2 trips out of it.

The DDE is actually good for 12-13 months from the time it is produced -- NOT activation like the AP. There is a time lag between your order and receipt of the card, so they give you 13 months to be sure that everyone receives at least a full year.

When you call DDE to purchase the card, they can give you the exact expiration date you will have. One time when I called to purchase, the CM told me to wait and call back two days later because I'd get an extra month. That turned out to be important to us, because it allowed us to squeeze three trips in on that DDE card.

If you are pushed for time, you can call DDE at the last minute, or even from onsite, and buy it. They will have a temporary card waiting for you at Guest Relations at Epcot. If you time it right, that little manuever could get you another month! One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the DDE office is not open on weekends, so don't expect to be able to call them on a Saturday or Sunday.

 

[DVCMom99]

Our family likes the DDP. We have really made out especially when you use it on nice sit down meals i.e. Le Cellier, Wolfgang Puck. We even used 2 tickets for Narcoossee's last trip - which was really worth it by the way!
If we have snacks left over ,we head to the general store and buy some snacks for the trip home!

 

[granmanh603]

Well we always use both.

The DP works great for our meals.
We use DDE a LOT for drinks with dinner, at the poolside bar, etc. It has already more than paid for itself.

Question....did not know it was usuable at any pool side bar??? I never saw that listed....is it usuable at any Epcot stands like Mexico outside Margarita stand? Thank you. Carol

 

[jdvm]

We use the Disney Dining Experience card and not the dining plan because we like to be in control. With the Dining Plan it seems like our lives revolved around where we wre going to eat next and how we could best utilize the system. With DDE we eat when and where we want---a lot less stress. We also like to eat outside the bubble on occasion which is certainly discouraged by the dining plan!!
John

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The DDE saves us roughly $1000 every year.
My wife and I visit WDW and VB about three times a year, and we tend to eat at the better restaurants. Since we don't have kids we also drink our quota of booze at the bars, and fine wine with dinner.

Once I took some time and tried to figure if the DDP would work for us, and it was about break even with DDE. The main reason it didn't save us money was because we eat at so many 2-credit reastaurants.
It seems like too much hassle for zero or minimal return, plus I would feel too regimented.

MG