Is anyone else fed up of crunching numbers?

[1andrea]

I am a DVC member with an annual pass going to Disney in May/June from 27th May to June 5th and then June 9th to June 17th and I am trying to decide on DDP or DDE od DDDP

I just cant decide. I have spent many hours working out our ADRS and what we will eat for each meal etc etc and just cant make a decision.

I have only really considered the deluxe plan since the appertizer was removed from the regular plan. But I am also worried about the cost in Tips on the Deluxe plan and ofcourse if we can actually eat enough to make a saving on the plan. The 2TS signature dining dont appeal to us either.

Oh and a lot of the cheaper things on the menu are what we like to eat!

Heres what I have booked so far

27th May Arrival Day
Beaches and Cream Dinner
We will most likely eat 1 portion Onion Rings
2x Cheeseburgers
1x Kids Chicken Strips
2x No way Jose

28th May
Crystal Palace Buffet Breakfast
2 x Adult $18.99 x 2 and 1x $10.99 = $48.97 plus tax and tip

29th May
Donald Breakfastosaurus
2 x Adult $18.99 x 2 and 1x $10.99 = $48.97 plus tax and tip

30 May
Sci Fi Diner
We will most likely eat 1 portion Onion Rings
2x Cheeseburgers
1x Kids Meal
Sundae
Cheesecake
Milkshake
Coke

31 May
Akershus Buffet Breakfast
2x Adults $22.99 1 child $12.99 = $58.97 plus tax and tip (but I think this may have increased now the photo package is included.

1 June
Kona Cafe
Macadamia Pancakes
Big Kahuna
Kids Pancakes
Juice and Coffee

2 June
Planet Hollywood
Lasagne
Cheeseburger
Kids Meal
Drinks
2x dessert

4 June
CRT Breakfast
2x Adult $32.99
1x Child $24.99
Total $90.97 plus tax

9 June
WCC Cafe
Western Chicken Pasta
Canyon Skillet
Kids Meal
Drinks
2x Dessert

10th June
Alice and Mary Poppins Breakfast
2x Adult $18.99 x 2 and child $10.99 = $48.97 plus tax and tip and June buffet surcharge

11th June
Hoop de Doo
2 x Adult $54.99 Child $26.99 = £136.97 plus tax

12th June
Lilo and Stitch Breakfast
2x Adult $18.99 x 2 and child $10.99 = $48.97 plus tax and tip and June buffet surcharge

Le Cellier
2 x Barbecue Fillet
1x Kids Meal
2 x Dessert
Soft Drinks

13th June
Chef Mickeys Dinner
2x Adult $27.99 x 2 and child $12.99 = $68.97 plus tax and tip and June buffet surcharge

14 June
Kona Cafe
Macadamia Pancakes
Big Kahuna
Kids Pancakes
Juice and Coffee

15th June
Off Site

16 June
Cinderellas Gala Feast Buffet
2x Adult $27.99 x 2 and child $13.99 = $71.97 plus tax and tip and June buffet surcharge


This is how we will eat without any plan if we decided to do the DDDP we would add in more TS, but we will eat this amount if TS even if we dont do either plan.

What should I do???

Thanks

 

[Selket]

You have a lot of breakfast buffets which are generally one of the cheaper things. I've booked the DDP for the first time and all of our ressies are for dinner because to do the DDP for breakfast TS places didn't seem worth it.

My guess is that either the DDE or the DDXP is better. Can you eat all the food on the deluxe plan - would you enjoy the choices? I don't think you have to clean your plate but you could order some fancier dinner selections than you might otherwise. The deluxe seems like too much for us - I think I would feel compelled to eat more.

 

[Tricia1972]

I got so fed up with crunching numbers that I just created a spreadsheet to input all of our menu selections, and created formulas to calculate costs and savings.

DDE alone and OOP, DDE with DDP or the DxDDP? I was sick of it!

If you want, I took my spreadsheet and created a template that I am offering to any other Dis'er who is sick of it all. You can PM your email address to me, plunk in your numbers and it will show you what your savings would be with the DDE, DDP and DxDDP.

This offer goes out to everyone else too - it can be quite a headache.

 

[1andrea]

I got so fed up with crunching numbers that I just created a spreadsheet to input all of our menu selections, and created formulas to calculate costs and savings.

DDE alone and OOP, DDE with DDP or the DxDDP? I was sick of it!

If you want, I took my spreadsheet and created a template that I am offering to any other Dis'er who is sick of it all. You can PM your email address to me, plunk in your numbers and it will show you what your savings would be with the DDE, DDP and DxDDP.

This offer goes out to everyone else too - it can be quite a headache.

I would love to try the spreadsheet but I dont have excell on my laptop and each time I have tried to install it it has failed. Do you need excell to load up your spreadsheet?

Thanks

 

[Tricia1972]

You do need Excel, since you don't have it, and you made all of your decisions, I went ahead and did the research for you and plunked your numbers in!

Some questions/notes:

Donald's doesn't do breakfast anymore, it's over at Tusker House so I moved your Donald's morning to Tusker House.

Sci Fi doesn't have cheeseburgers for dinner, but has them for lunch. I used lunch pricing for Sci Fi figuring you're eating a late lunch that is your dinner. I am also including the $4.29 for the milkshake as an included beverage on the DDP, but I am not sure that it is. I thought Sci-Fi was a place you need to use a dessert credit. If it is, you'd need to pay for the milkshake OOP regardless, as you are already getting two desserts there.

I am guessing since you are there for so many days you'll be getting AP's and be eligible for the DDE. I figured out the following

Grand Total OOP with DDE including gratuities $1,045.26

Appetizer Cost - $9.98
Entree Cost - $737.90
Dessert Cost $48.42
Beverage Cost - $43.92
Child's Meal Cost - $188.00
Gratuities - $152.59

Adding snacks that will be included with the DDP increases your OOP expense to $1,225.26 (60 snacks at an average value of $3 per snack)


Dining Plan Costs (20 Nights - May 27 - June 16 for two adults and one child):

DDP Cost - $1,719.40
DxDDP Cost - $3,199.40


This leaves you paying an extra (This total will seem off, but since gratuities are included in the OOP Cost, I added them to the Dining Plan costs prior to subtracting the OOP Cost - to make it even)

$656.71 for the DDP
$2,248.63 for the DxDDP

Now to be fair, this extra money will pay for all CS meals during this time frame. IMO the desserts at CS are gross, and if you're mainly a burger family you can EASILY eat for just $10 per adult and $5 per child every time you go to a CS location. It is not the $20 per adult that some may lead you to believe - it can be that much, but it is not normally that much) We use the snack credits to buy desserts in the parks some time after our CS meal.

You are also leaving some TS's on the table (so to speak) with your current plan. I see that you are using 18 TS credits, this $656.71 will also give you 2 more TS meals that are not included in your OOP Costs. Your average TS meal is $52.94 including tax - I removed Hoop de Doo from this calculation, but kept CRT in the formula.

So 2 TS @ $52.94 each = $105.88

$656.71 - DDP Cost over OOP Cost
-$105.88 - 2 More TS Meals
$550.83 - Extra spend DDP over OOP

$550.83/$25 (CS Meal Cost for the three of you) you would have:

22 CS Meals during your 20 night stay. Unfortunately for three of you, you'll only have 20 CS Meals to use up (60 credits divided by 3).


Basically, for you it comes down to what you plan on doing with those CS credits and are you going to use all 60 snack credits. If you're going to eat one ore more CS in the parks per day that you are there, then you're just a little behind using the DDP. You'd pretty much need to use up all of these credits to break even.

If some of your days are off site and you'll be eating off of Disney property, then I recommend you buy the DDE Card and pay OOP.

I completely disagree with the PP who suggests the DxDDP for you, you'd lose a LOT using the DxDDP.

 

[Tricia1972]

PS your DDE Savings is $169.54 - the card costs you $60, so you'd save an additional $109.54 PLUS DDE allows you to valet park for free and you get 20% off of any adult beverages!

 

[Pumbaa_]

Me too! We are planning a 25th anniversary trip for Sept. We are also DVC'ers with APs. I thought that the DXDP would be a savings since I plan on doing some signatures. I did the math this weekend and I will save more money renewing my DDE card.

Also, we tend to like to plan things last minute and take what is available. Also, if we don't want a meal one day, or prefer something light, i have no credits to worry about.

So back to DDE for me and I feel so free

 

[Tricia1972]

Me too! We are planning a 25th anniversary trip for Sept. We are also DVC'ers with APs. I thought that the DXDP would be a savings since I plan on doing some signatures. I did the math this weekend and I will save more money renewing my DDE card.

Also, we tend to like to plan things last minute and take what is available. Also, if we don't want a meal one day, or prefer something light, i have no credits to worry about.

So back to DDE for me and I feel so free

Too bad I didn't know you were crunching numbers when I was in my mathematical mood. I could have saved you a bunch of time this weekend.

We too are doing the DDE and are happy about it. The freedom is fantastic!

 

[mickeystoontown]

I crunched my numbers twice when trying to decide whether or not to purchase the basic dining plan. I knew that the deluxe plan was too much food for us so I threw that idea out immediately.

The numbers looked like the dining plan would work in our favor again this year so I just went with it. I like the convenience of knowing that everything is paid for before I ever even get to WDW.

 

[Tricia1972]

I crunched my numbers twice when trying to decide whether or not to purchase the basic dining plan. I knew that the deluxe plan was too much food for us so I threw that idea out immediately.

The numbers looked like the dining plan would work in our favor again this year so I just went with it. I like the convenience of knowing that everything is paid for before I ever even get to WDW.

We're getting around the pre-paying without a plan by getting Pre Paid Visa cards that equal just over our total anticipated OOP costs. I agree, it's nice to have it paid off before you go.

 

[Selket]

if we decided to do the DDDP we would add in more TS, but we will eat this amount if TS even if we dont do either plan.

I don't know if it was me that you say suggested the DxDP but to clarify if would only make sense if the OP was going to add many more TS choices as they said they would if they got the DxDP. I think you'd have to add in the cost of an additional TS meal per day to make the DxDP worth it. If they picked the more expensive restaurants, ordered appetizers, etc. it might come in close.

I don't see the point of the DDP if you are doing mostly TS breakfasts with it and I don't see the point of DxDP unless you plan to take full advantage of it.

 

[1andrea]

You do need Excel, since you don't have it, and you made all of your decisions, I went ahead and did the research for you and plunked your numbers in!

Some questions/notes:

Donald's doesn't do breakfast anymore, it's over at Tusker House so I moved your Donald's morning to Tusker House.

Sci Fi doesn't have cheeseburgers for dinner, but has them for lunch. I used lunch pricing for Sci Fi figuring you're eating a late lunch that is your dinner. I am also including the $4.29 for the milkshake as an included beverage on the DDP, but I am not sure that it is. I thought Sci-Fi was a place you need to use a dessert credit. If it is, you'd need to pay for the milkshake OOP regardless, as you are already getting two desserts there.

I am guessing since you are there for so many days you'll be getting AP's and be eligible for the DDE. I figured out the following

Grand Total OOP with DDE including gratuities $1,045.26

Appetizer Cost - $9.98
Entree Cost - $737.90
Dessert Cost $48.42
Beverage Cost - $43.92
Child's Meal Cost - $188.00
Gratuities - $152.59

Adding snacks that will be included with the DDP increases your OOP expense to $1,225.26 (60 snacks at an average value of $3 per snack)


Dining Plan Costs (20 Nights - May 27 - June 16 for two adults and one child):

DDP Cost - $1,719.40
DxDDP Cost - $3,199.40


This leaves you paying an extra (This total will seem off, but since gratuities are included in the OOP Cost, I added them to the Dining Plan costs prior to subtracting the OOP Cost - to make it even)

$656.71 for the DDP
$2,248.63 for the DxDDP

Now to be fair, this extra money will pay for all CS meals during this time frame. IMO the desserts at CS are gross, and if you're mainly a burger family you can EASILY eat for just $10 per adult and $5 per child every time you go to a CS location. It is not the $20 per adult that some may lead you to believe - it can be that much, but it is not normally that much) We use the snack credits to buy desserts in the parks some time after our CS meal.

You are also leaving some TS's on the table (so to speak) with your current plan. I see that you are using 18 TS credits, this $656.71 will also give you 2 more TS meals that are not included in your OOP Costs. Your average TS meal is $52.94 including tax - I removed Hoop de Doo from this calculation, but kept CRT in the formula.

So 2 TS @ $52.94 each = $105.88

$656.71 - DDP Cost over OOP Cost
-$105.88 - 2 More TS Meals
$550.83 - Extra spend DDP over OOP

$550.83/$25 (CS Meal Cost for the three of you) you would have:

22 CS Meals during your 20 night stay. Unfortunately for three of you, you'll only have 20 CS Meals to use up (60 credits divided by 3).


Basically, for you it comes down to what you plan on doing with those CS credits and are you going to use all 60 snack credits. If you're going to eat one ore more CS in the parks per day that you are there, then you're just a little behind using the DDP. You'd pretty much need to use up all of these credits to break even.

If some of your days are off site and you'll be eating off of Disney property, then I recommend you buy the DDE Card and pay OOP.

I completely disagree with the PP who suggests the DxDDP for you, you'd lose a LOT using the DxDDP.

Thanks you so much Tricia for doing this for me it is so kind of you. I really do appreciate it.

We are doing a split stay at Disney with 4 days at Universal so we will be only staying at Disney for 17 nights so the Dining Plan total comes to $1460.83 but we are using 18 TS Credits so will have to pay OOP for one credit.

Tricia you are completly right about the CS desserts we as a family do not really like them nd would NEVER buy them OOP but last time I felt guilty about throwing it away. And I LOVE Cheesecake Factory cheesecake in Disney Quest but last year I wouldnt have room to eat it once I had ate the CS dessert even though I didnt really want the CS dessert!

 

[sorul82?]

Yes!! I am fed up with crunching the numbers. Do we eat all our buffets before the May 25 holiday surcharge, or do we get the DDP for half of our stay? My brain is dizzy.

 

[aclov]

YES!! I'm not sure if I want DDP or buy an annual pass and get DDE. I'm leaning towards DDE. Too much thinking is making me sick.

 

[Shelly S]

I am a DVC member with AP. We are going 2 trips this year for a total of 15 nights and probably another 10 nights early next year to get maximum use out of our annual pass. I decided to do the DDE. We have done the DDP twice before and I just found that it was a lot more food than I would have ordered on my own. This year with the DDP changes I am not even trying to crunch numbers but just order what I want and when I want with DDE without worrying if I get my money's worth as I did on the DDP.

Last trip on the DDP I did not even get to have a lot of the snacks I like around the parks because I was so full all the time from the DDP.