Is the DDP REALLY a value...I think not!

[pooch]

The Dining Plan is really only a deal if you have children under 10 years of age. For adults, not really.

My husband and I are food sharers for lunch (counter service) and eat our own meals at dinner. We can't eat enough food in 1 day to justify all the food you would need to eat to make the dining plan worthwhile.

Funny but it is exactly that type of meal sharing (we also share a CS breakfast) that makes the Reg DDP perfect for my adult DD and I. We share all CS meals thus giving us a breakfast and a lunch each day and our own TS dinner. Doesn't really feel like a ton of food. We use snack credits mostly for frozen fruit/coffee drinks and get packaged apple slices for our CS desserts to munch later. Never been hungry or overstuffed using this method. And we usually end up with an extra CS or 2 to bring food to the airport while we wait for our flight in that pretty courtyard just outside of the Security line!!

 

[TDC Nala]

Now, I eat at the TS too as a solo diner and I have never used DXDDP and will never use the other plans again either. I don't want appetizer, entree, dessert and a non-alcoholic beverage. If I want two appetizers, no entree and no dessert, and some wine, that is how I want to order. I don't want to have to take the dessert because I've already paid for it. So it is really not just a matter of whether or not you like to eat at TS restaurants. I also order what I want, but I want the option to order the way I want and to eat anywhere, not just at restaurants that will take the plan.

Not only that, but I have taken to refusing to make ADRs at all and I will eat at bars and lounges that serve the full or a partial menu when I am there on my own - and DDP doesn't help with that.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

Sure it's not a great deal for everyone. Everyone has to decide what's best for them. For us, the prepayment aspect is key because we would NOT eat what we wanted to when confronted with the prices on the menu. It's totally a psychological thing. I think that we would probably spend less because we would only drink water, we'd share a lot of meals, we'd buy the cheaper things on the menu even if we really want something else, and we'd never get dessert, and we'd probably eat very few TS. But that's not how I want to vacation. We have a child and enjoy the buffets and character meals so it's a steal when it comes to him. For us the deal isn't necessarily in money saved but in eating the way we want to on vacation, feeling a bit pampered by eating a sit down every day, ordering a soda at every meal, and dessert too.

 

[Csaks]

That's the great thing about the plans, there is almost one for everyone, ALMOST! Run the numbers against your normal eating patterns and see if one works for you and your family. As many have said it works for some and not so much for others. It works for us and the convenience of paying for it before we even leave takes a load off our shoulders during the trip.

 

[Amy&Dan]

There are truly so many variables its just hard to say. Even in my own family, our variables change with the years. For example, during F&W, we LOVE the QSDQ for those two snacks we can use at the booths.

For sure for us, two adults, two kids (ds16 and dd 14) the DDP is not a hands down better deal. For one thing my dd is a light eater, we go during holiday pricing now which means I will pay $47.99 for her. Last time I took her to Boma she ate a chicken tender, some strawberries and a cookie. That sort of put an end to our DDP days until she eats more or grows up and pays for her own darn DDP! Now if its "free", for us that is a good deal since my 16yo son can eat like nobody's business, and even with paying rack rate for the room, its our best discount.

If you eat mostly buffets, a lot of breakfasts and lunches, prefer appetizers over entrees or desserts, have adult priced kids that don't eat much and probably some other factors I can't remember, its not for you as far as the value is concerned.

And the DDP continues to evolve downward on the value scale imho. Back when more was included, the price was less and they didn't mark it up for holiday periods, it worked well for us.

I just do the math each trip and go from there. Which is what I see most people do.

And I do agree, the prepayment aspect is wonderful.

 

[seadd67]

Its so wonderfull to read so many diffrent oppions. There really is no one way,we are all diffrent in our approach. We are doing the DxDDP for the frist time,from doing Basic DP last July. Really Cafeen said it best,it about the experince not the cost(if you can afford it) or value. But its fun to read everyones diffrent approaches. We are going to try for three meals a day,i say try LOL. My plan?, eat what I like,eat what I can and not over eat. I would rather have samples of many then alot of one!.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

The Dining Plan is really only a deal if you have children under 10 years of age. For adults, not really.

My husband and I are food sharers for lunch (counter service) and eat our own meals at dinner. We can't eat enough food in 1 day to justify all the food you would need to eat to make the dining plan worthwhile.

We use our Disney Rewards pts from our Disney Visa Card to pay for all of our food while we at Disney... so it's hard to pass up "free" meals while on vacation!

Also, some justify that it is easier to have all of their meals prepaid. I am just wondering how it is so difficult to have your room card swiped and charged back to your room on the credit card you have left on file? How is it any different? In fact, on the dining plan doesn't every single person's room card have to be swiped separately to keep track of the meals? All I ever see is people on the last day of their vacation swiping for a bunch of drinks and snacks at food courts trying to not waste the items they had prepaid for.

Disney makes out on the deal - that's why they do it! It forces you to eat at their most expensive restaurants every day (and pre-pay for it!) or if you don't they definitely make out!

I think that's a very sweeping generalization.

The DDP can be a very good deal for adults with no children (or adults with with "adult" aged children).

I would rather share 1 counter service meal for breakfast, share 1 counter service meal for lunch and then each be able to enjoy our own entree and dessert with dinner. Based on what we've spent in the past, the DDP can be a very good value.

I took my 16 year old god daughter for 2 nights (and 1 day) to WDW before our cruise in March. I spent more on food but got less value than if I had bought the dining plan. It cost me as much for 2 counter service meals (without desserts) and 1 sit down meal (and not an expensive one and we shared dessert) then it would have cost me to purchase the dining plan for the two nights.

And not everyone can qualify for the Disney Rewards Visa so no "free" meals for me unless I get "free DDP" from Disney.

 

[Tikitoi]

Definitely not black & white. Because in my case when it is me and DD13 (who only weighs 75 pounds), it does not work for us. Because even if she does order off the adult menu (she doesn't always) and I do, there's no way we can even eat dessert. Sometimes we may opt for an appetizer and I have even opted for a couple appetizers for my entree, since sometimes the entree choices are so limited. Steak again???

 

[Becky2005]

Back when the plan included tips, it was a much better value. But most travelers are putty in the hands of the genius Disney marketeers so the dining plan continues to be popular.

My DH keeps saying the QS plan would be good for us, and I can't seem to make him understand that it's not a savings at all, given the way we eat and often share meals. So you're not alone, OP!

Oh when the appetizers & tips were included it was great. However, I completely understand why they took the tips out. There were threads constantly complaining about the tips being included because it could = bad service and well....people wanted to be able to tip the amount they wanted to not be forced, etc... It was a HUGE complaint all the time. I'm sure there were some that contacted Disney and there must have been enough that they removed it.

The first time we used it they only had the original DDP and Premium plan. Nothing in-between. We ended up on the Premium plan because my DH wanted 3 meals/day and not have to worry about counting credits. I know for us if DH was coming with us the DxDDP would be perfect because he does like to do a couple sit down meals/day and he couldn't care less about the attractions. Without DH the dining plan isn't that great of a value/big of a deal for us. However, we did get a pin code for free dining so for us it was worth it this time. We got to add character meals that I otherwise wouldn't have done.

 

[tinacaplan]

I thought I was staunchly in the DDP camp after our anniversary trip in February of 2010. We did the deluxe plan, btw. My husband and I had either breakfast or lunch somewhere and then we hit a signature nearly every night. It was great and we really liked not thinking about prices at all. That said, I often have zero interest in eating dessert immediately after my big meal, but we ordered them anyway.

We went back this past February, this time with our three year old son. Because of the amount of character dining I had planned, we did the DxDP again, as I could not see the wisdom of doing the DDP and still paying OOP for a few meals. My husband and I quickly realized we had made a HUGE mistake. For one thing, travelling with a three year old demands a certain amount of flexibility, something you cannot have if you want to get your money's worth out of either dining plan.

We were also underwhelmed by a number of the 1 credit TS places we ate at and I wondered if we wouldn't have been better off with just CS or snacks.

As a TDC Nala said, there are a number of places where I'd rather have two appetizers, or an app and a salad, forgo my entrée entirely, and not order dessert. We also don't need three TS meals per day. We barely need two! We also left more credits on the table than I cared to count.

And again...if you're planning on doing a ton of signatures and really want to order all three courses, deluxe is probably a good deal. I'm sure if you have more than one kid, free dining is an awesome deal. And I could see returning to the DxDDP if my son becomes one of those adoloscent boys with a bottomless pit for a stomach.

Sorry for the long post, but I've thought about this a lot since our last trip and this is why we're forgoing any dining plan for our upcoming trip.

 

[Disth2000]

New to Board, so can't PM you. Would you be able to share a copy of your excel spreadsheet? Can't post my email either, so if you can PM me with your email, will provide my email.

Also (not from Florida, so don't know if taxes are relevant), but are taxes included in the DDP? If so, what is the current Florida tax rate? Understand that tips are NOT included in the DDP. TIA!!