Is it just me? I am not seeing the value in '08

[micksterlee]

We are looking in to the DP but I am afraid what will happen is the wait staff will pay for the difference.I usually tip 20% but with Disney menu prices and the fact that I would much rather have an appetizer with my meal than dessert I will be cutting my tips back to make it more affordable.

 

[bicker]

With respect, it isn't appropriate to cut back on tips to make meals more affordable. There are a number of ways to make WDW vacations more affordable without abrogating the implied obligation to tip service staff appropriately. The most notable approach is to simply switch a number of meals from expensive TS meals into less expensive CS meals. Please be conscientious with regard to the diner's implicit obligation. Thanks!

 

[frannn]

Right now, we have the deluxe DP reserved with the bounceback offer. I think it may work for us if we do early character breakfasts each day, some of the dinner shows, CG, and CR. We bought the refillable mugs OOP this year, and purchased the photo pkgs at CM and PSB (so we'd get value when choosing CRT). Also, we rarely order appetizers at home, so this is a big treat for me at WDW. I definetly don't think we'd order appetizers OOP if we did the basic DP, or just DDE. The additional cost for the deluxe over the basic (free) plan for DH, DD5, and I is 740. I'll have to add all the extra tips onto my spreadsheet for the TS breakfasts we'd be eating, though most would be buffet, so I doubt we'll be tipping 18% on those (more like 10-15%).
To offset the cost of the deluxe plan, we chose a standard AS room instead of a preferred. Plus, we have about 180 in credit with Jetblue because the cost of our 2007 tickets went down after purchase. Hmmmm.....guess those two savings will just offset the TS tips... Maybe I should start looking for a great deal on my 2008 rental car, LOL!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Boy, frann, it sounds like you have a real plan there! Soon we'll be reading your blog on "Disney for $10 a day!" Well, maybe not, but good for you scoring those bargains.

AS a PP stated, for me it's more of a budgeting tool, regardless of the savings. We're trying to maximize the basic plan, doing dinners and character breakfasts. But it would absolutely KILL the tightwad in me to shell out the money for meal after meal, even if the bottom line was the same. I wouldn't order what I really wanted and fret about the children not cleaning their plates. It would be a cloud over my entire vacation, because the cheapskate would be whispering in my ear at every meal. So this way, it's paid for, end of discussion.

 

[solfan68]

We went with the basic DDP for Feb. 08 as a budgeting tool.
It is nice to know that all is paid for except for souveniers and minor things, and we are not shelling out $$$ at the end of the dinner.

Even if we only break even, I know if we didn't budget it in, I'd never eat at the places I have scheduled like Coral Reef, etc. because I'd be too cheap.
Now its paid for, so we have to!

Just like OP, its me, dh and dd (4)

My thought, exactly. In June '07 we did CRT one night(2 credits each) and so paid OOP for one of our other meals. It wasn't nearly as much 'fun' having to look at all of the prices that one evening. I'd much rather risk breaking even and have everyone just get what they want.

 

[chaoscent]

I am still torn. I crunched the numbers. I have an AP, a DDE card and I am staying at OKW for 4 nights.
We are going to Dinner at Concourse Steak House, Ca Grill & Le Cellier. My dinner at Ca Grill will be $46. I figure part of the tax/tip will be covered by savings using DE card & added a few dollars as I tip higher than 15% if service is good. The other meals will be $35 for Concourse & $38 for Le Cellier. I figured in Counter Service and the snacks and figured I would either break even or it would cost me a few dollars more to buy the plan. As I will have my mom, DH & Sister with me (no children) I figure we are better off just paying out of pocket. We will sometimes be meeting up with niece who is doing the Deluxe Dining Plan for her family. But we will have breakfast in the our 2 br DVC and probably come back around lunch to either bring my 80 year old mom back for a few hours to rest or pick her up. Anyway, I am still deciding if it is worth it for us.

 

[MarieA]

For us neither the DDP or the Deluxe Dining Plan is worth it. We can do better using the DDE. We looked at the menus of the restaurants we are planning to dine at. We then priced out the most expensive thing on the menu that we would order, totaled everything, took the 20% and then added 20% tip. It was cheaper for us to use the DDE then either DDP. It will cost us approximately $140 for a 2 TS meal (with 1 drink each) and $30 for a TS breakfast. The Deluxe Dining Plan will cost $139.98 plus approximately $30 per day in tips. If you add another $20 for 1 drink each with dinner the Deluxe Dining Plan would cost us $189.98 per day (2 adults) vs. $170 per day with the DDE.

The basic dining plan doesn't interest us at all since we prefer appetizers over dessert. Our next trip will be the first time in 15 years we haven't been on a dining plan at WDW. We are also considering eating some meals off property since we will be renting a car.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

I think its all what you make of it.

We are going again during free dining...if we weren't I'd pay for it a) as a budgeting tool and
b) if we paid OOP I couldn't and wouldn't justify the cost of certain dinners and extras

Even without the appetizer, I ate more than 38.99 worth of food...but we did 2 TS meals per day and used the DDP for the more expensive dinners and paid OOP for the character breakfasts...if I was only paying for mainly character meal buffets and having a CS lunch and then light breakfast or dinner (whatever the case may be)...it may be cheaper to pay OOP.