Is DDP worth it?

[dkhurley]

I live in Florida and my girlfriend and me are planning on going to Disney World for New Years Eve, staying for two nights. We have been talking about getting dining plan, but when we researched the prices, we don't really see how it could be worth it.

My main question is that, would you suggest getting the dining plan? We would be eating at table services but we still don't see how it would save us any money.

 

[hardhead]

No, dont do it a waste imho

 

[GadgetRick]

Is it worth it? Well, that's quite subjective. Only you can decide whether it's worth it based on your situation.

Would I suggest paying extra for it? No. You're forced to eat the garbage Disney is passing off as food these days.

 

[Cherinva]

It really depends on what you like to eat and your budget. I've done both the table service and quick service and for us, we find them a value....however, we don't do the table service plan anymore...it's too much food.....we are much happier with the quick service. Also, what I did was look at menus and prices and compared what I would spend out of pocket vs the price of the dining plan......every time, the dining plan saved us money. Do some research and then you can make a decision that will work best for you. Good Luck.

 

[sharonabe]

I live in Florida and my girlfriend and me are planning on going to Disney World for New Years Eve, staying for two nights. We have been talking about getting dining plan, but when we researched the prices, we don't really see how it could be worth it.

My main question is that, would you suggest getting the dining plan? We would be eating at table services but we still don't see how it would save us any money.

The only real way to know is to also research the menus at the places you want to dine and see what you might order and compare that to the price of the plan. Remember to add 6.5% tax to your total from the menus.

With the regular DDP, you get entree, non-alcoholic drink, and dessert for each of you. If you don't order all of these for both of you, you will lose value on the DDP.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

The only real way to know is to also research the menus at the places you want to dine and see what you might order and compare that to the price of the plan. Remember to add 6.5% tax to your total from the menus.

With the regular DDP, you get entree, non-alcoholic drink, and dessert for each of you. If you don't order all of these for both of you, you will lose value on the DDP.

I agree - imagine there is no dining plan - where would you eat? What would you eat? Add up the cost plus tax and tip.

Then check out the dining plans - in your case (if you're doing TS) either the regular dining plan or the deluxe (which I'm anti but it works for many people). Pick out where you'd eat with your credits - don't forget it really only covers 2 meals per day (for the regular plan - 1 CS and 1 TS and 1 Snack). Would you pay OOP for the 'extra' meal? add that to your cost. Are you going to eat more snacks than are on the plan - if so add that cost in. Don't forget to calculate tips for all TS meals and add that in.

Then you can compare prices/ cost and see what works best for you.

 

[Atchley]

For some, like me, DDP is a convenience thing. There will be some telling me that I am silly for paying extra money for something that I could just save for and pay OOP, but it is real piece of mind for me.
When we go, it is usually for a week or more. It is DH, myself, DD and DS. I know that whatever happens during the week, we will eat. If DH loses his wallet, we can eat. If our bank account gets hacked, we will eat. If we are robbed, we will eat. I can't be thousands of miles from home and not be sure that I am going to be able to feed my kids. It's an insurance policy, if you will.
Others will argue that you don't really need the desserts with the meals. I will say that it is true, but your on vacation. What kid, or adult for that matter, doesn't look at the dessert menu and wish that they could get something off of it. We don't really do dessert any other time, but at Disney, we are getting dessert.
The DDP is not for everyone. Just review your options and choose what is right for you. You might even review the prices of the restaurants at which you are wanting to dine.

 

[ghtx]

You could, as PPs have recommended, think about exactly what you'd eat for each meal, how much it would cost, and then compare with how much you'd eat with the DDP and determine how much if any money that you would save.

Or, you could save yourself the trouble and just not bother with it. Even if it did save you a bit of money, the hassle it creates (both in terms of planning on what and where you will eat and in what you can order) is not worth it IMO.

I vote no.

 

[sharonabe]

One more piece of advice:

Before you add on the dining plan, be sure you can get ADRs at the places you want to eat. That is one of the busiest times of the year, and people have been making ADRs for that time period for a couple months now.

 

[Robo]

Dozens of WDW trips:

Zero dining plans.

 

[iuki]

If you haven't already made your reservations, go to the WDW website and compute your stay with and without the DDP.

TS restaurants can be very spendy - especially buffets - an easy $100 tab for two people.

Compare your total costs with your dining preferences with the total costs computed for you on the website, and then make your decision.

Enjoy your vacation.

 

[Sparkly]

Mum worked out that for us, the QSDP works out equal to the amount we would spend on CS meals. *shrug*

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Maybe.

We saved money every time we were on the dining plan. But many people don't save money. As others have said, you have to figure out about how much per day you will end up spending on food (that corresponds to the food you would get on the plan), and see which costs more.

I can tell you I dlslike the fact that now the DDP includes the refillable mugs. We used those two in five trips. One time we got them for free, and the other time we only bought one for three of us. I would rather have the price be a little cheaper and not include the mugs at all.

 

[goofy4tink]

Get ADRs in place. Check out the menus. Write down how much you would spend at each meal. Add in the tax as well. Then, add in the gratuity. Do the same for any counter service meals...I usually eat one large, table service meal a day, and a counter service meal...breakfast is usually in my room.
Ok....add up the cost per day. Total it. THen, add up the cost per day, for the ddp. Don't forget to add in the gratuities from each table service meal..and the tax. Most people forget to add that to the daily cost for ddp and are then surprised to find they have spent more than they thought they would!!

I seldom find it cost effective to use the ddp. I did use the deluxe ddp a few years ago..that worked out very well...but that was basically because we had two couples going, and we had a signature meal, at dinner, almost every night. With a nice big breakfast buffet each morning. That time it did pay off for us.

So, you have to do your homework.

 

[dkhurley]

Thank you everyone for the replies! We're actually going through menu's right now and checking reservation ability. This stay is more last minute. If we were planning on staying for multiple days, we would have planned farther out and got ADRs at 180 days. We might get the dining plan, as we found multiple restaurants that we could easily make it worth the money. We're going to be making reservations on some restaurants very soon. We already have reservations to Be Our Guest!

 

[davedmaine]

It's more trouble than it's worth.. making reservations, figuring out what to do with the snack credits that are always left over. I did speak with a CM last time I was there and asked how many people not on the DDP get desserts at QSRs. He said, 'almost never.'

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

It really depends on what you like to eat and your budget. I've done both the table service and quick service and for us, we find them a value....however, we don't do the table service plan anymore...it's too much food.....we are much happier with the quick service. Also, what I did was look at menus and prices and compared what I would spend out of pocket vs the price of the dining plan......every time, the dining plan saved us money. Do some research and then you can make a decision that will work best for you. Good Luck.

THIS!

It's worth it to really look at a typical breakfast menu, lunch and dinner and then do the math.
For us (family of 3) it's worth it because its something else we can pay off before our trip/ less cash to carry. We always have a sit down breakfast and dinner. Character dinner can be expensive so right there it has been worth it for us each time.

 

[autismgoesdisney]

We love it. It gives our vacations a peace of mind. And it tastes better free!

 

[disnut8]

My main question is that, would you suggest getting the dining plan? We would be eating at table services but we still don't see how it would save us any money.

When I have people ask me this question, I suggest they really look at the food they are getting. If it's things you would normally eat, then it's probably worth it. I've never done the dining plan simply because it's way too much food for us. I believe the regular dining plan is one table service meal, one counter service meal, and one snack per person per day. The quick service dining plan is two counter service meals per person per day and I think a snack as well. My husband and I will eat one counter service meal (just the entree, no dessert) and one snack per day so it would be a waste for us to do either plan. We do sometimes eat a table service meal but we don't like the rigidity of having to plan your meals and make the dining reservations and then plan around that. So for us, it doesn't make sense.

However, if you eat a lunch (like a counter service type) and a dinner that includes desserts plus have a snack like popcorn or a pretzel every day in the normal world, then it would be worth it. Some people do that, my husband and I just don't.

Just remember if you do the table service plan, you should make dining reservations before you get to Disney World.

 

[havoc315]

I live in Florida and my girlfriend and me are planning on going to Disney World for New Years Eve, staying for two nights. We have been talking about getting dining plan, but when we researched the prices, we don't really see how it could be worth it.

My main question is that, would you suggest getting the dining plan? We would be eating at table services but we still don't see how it would save us any money.

Generally for adults, it will not save money UNLESS you order very specifically.
Examples:
You will save money if:
- You eat a CS lunch, with beverage and dessert, AND eat a character dinner, AND a snack.
OR
- You eat a CS lunch, with beverage and dessert, and order the steak at a 1-credit restaurant, and get dessert and beverage AND snack.

You will lose money if:
Examples:
- You eat a CS breakfast, get a snack, and eat Chicken Parmigiana with dessert and beverage at Tony's Town Square.
- You eat a TS lunch at the Plaza, including dessert and beverage, and eat a CS dinner at Columbia Harbor House, plus snack.
- You eat a CS lunch with beverage, but skip the dessert, get a mid-day snack, and order the pork chop at Kona Cafe, with beverage, and share a dessert with your significant other.

Overall, there are more combinations that lose money than save money.

Another way of looking at it, you will generally only save significantly IF you eat dessert at every meal and always eat character meals and/or steak dinners.