Just crunched the numbers...DDP

[sunshine girl]

Sorry if I missed this in the thread, but are you all factoring in the tip $$ as part of the calculations? At sit-down restaurants, you still have to pay the tip, calculated from the full price of your selected menu items, when you are on the dining plan. The tip is not included in the pre-paid price, you pay it after the meal.

Just wondering!! I'm sure this is not news.

Edit - oh wait, I see this is pre-trip planning not post-trip comparing your bottom line on receipts to the dining plan. Got it! Was reading too quickly!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[DJFan88]

Sorry if I missed this in the thread, but are you all factoring in the tip $$ as part of the calculations? At sit-down restaurants, you still have to pay the tip, calculated from the full price of your selected menu items, when you are on the dining plan. The tip is not included in the pre-paid price, you pay it after the meal.

Just wondering!! I'm sure this is not news.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I think they are just ignoring that part for calculations because you would have to pay it either way. However, I think it could play into the equation if you are someone who would order less at your table service meals if you are OOP (like not getting dessert,). So, I guess you just have to factor that in if you think you would order differently under the plan from OOP.

 

[sunshine girl]

I think they are just ignoring that part for calculations because you would have to pay it either way. However, I think it could play into the equation if you are someone who would order less at your table service meals if you are OOP (like not getting dessert,). So, I guess you just have to factor that in if you think you would order differently under the plan from OOP.

Yes that makes sense! I was misreading what the OP said, I thought he was comparing the total cost of food after the trip was over (i.e., looking at the bottom line on his receipts, which might have included the tip amount in the total). But I see he is doing pre-trip calculations!

Thanks!

 

[MHSweb79]

We stopped doing the DP when my DD went off to college and it was just the two of us. It was great when we WANTED to do 1 TS and 1 CS meal a day (including character breakfasts at least 2-3 times) but now we don't do more than 1 or 2 TS meals during a typical week's visit. Even back then it was too much food - who needs dessert at lunch AND dinner, plus a snack during the day? Especially if your TS meal was a buffet.

So for us taking a room discount is usually a much better deal than getting the DP, even if it's "free."

I think including the cost of tips in "doing the math" is wise because without the plan, we would eat many more CS meals than TS meals. So tips do generate additional cost.

If and when we ever have grandchildren who love character meals, we'll probably start using the DP again.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

Just as you outlined, I totally believe the cost of getting the DDP is justified! I have 4 main reasons that I outlined in my review!! Read more here:
http://thismomlovesdisney.blogspot.com/2013/07/this-moms-take-on-disney-dining-plans.html

Your review is specious. When you say, "built in snacks," it really means, "you're being FORCED to buy snacks." When you say, "dessert and drink with every meal," it really means, "dessert and drink with every meal whether you want it or not." You're not getting those things for free. You're paying for them. In fact, you're essentially OBLIGATED to buy them lest the whole thing becomes financially unfavorable.

 

[aaarcher86]

Your review is specious. When you say, "built in snacks," it really means, "you're being FORCED to buy snacks." When you say, "dessert and drink with every meal," it really means, "dessert and drink with every meal whether you want it or not." You're not getting those things for free. You're paying for them. In fact, you're essentially OBLIGATED to buy them lest the whole thing becomes financially unfavorable.

I vividly remember a CM lynching me in the streets until I decided how I was gong to use a snack credit one glorious afternoon in MK... Oh wait.

Some people enjoy the dining plan and/or save money. THE HORROR.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

I vividly remember a CM lynching me in the streets until I decided how I was gong to use a snack credit one glorious afternoon in MK... Oh wait.

Some people enjoy the dining plan and/or save money. THE HORROR.

Some people are bad at math and logic, too.

 

[aaarcher86]

Some people are bad at math and logic, too.

The two are not mutually exclusive. It's really hard to be bad at addition :-/

Gallivanting a single position like a politician running for office simply muddies your message.

 

[wysteria]

Our family likes the dining plan as it doesn't cause undue stress at dinnertime. We never really visited the sit down restaurants until our last trip where we had the DDP. The trips before we only had the QS plans.

That way my husband can order anything he likes without me kicking him under the table and my dad has the excuse to have desert with every dinner since its included in his plan. My uncle is joining us this time too and even though he is in a single room by himself, we are putting him on the dining plan too because he would also feel obliged to choose a less expensive menu option when dining.

We took advantage of the stay, play and dine so we are paying child prices. Hopefully a free dining comes out. If a great room discount comes out I may put my uncle on that to save him some money, and pay full price on the dining plan.

I know possibly spending more than I need to on food goes against everything I believe in (crazy coupon/bargain hunter) but its just much more relaxing which is worth a bit to me.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

The two are not mutually exclusive. It's really hard to be bad at addition :-/

You'd be surprised.

Gallivanting a single position like a politician running for office simply muddies your message.

Reality is sometimes politically unsavory.

 

[brettcw23]

Greath thread. Lots of sound logic and facts here. I usually come across these discussions and they are merely zealots of either plan telling the other side they are wrong

I save almost all of my receipts from each trip. Of course some get lost, thrown out, etc. I am going to take the meals and price them out to see.

The one thing that I see different is based on apps versus desserts. I am a Type 1 Diabetic and I really don't have much of a sweet tooth. However, I do love the deep fried, salty things like provolone sticks, fried pickles, etc. So it does bother me to pay OOP for an appetizer and then not eat dessert. I'd like for Disney to provide you an "either or" option.
And I do have to say that based on my haphazard efforts in the past to figure out which is more cost effective, it's always seemed to be almost a wash. More in favor of DDP if doing character or buffet type meals.

Also, my oldest DD will be 9 in the Fall and she is tarting to eat more but not adult price more. So I'd also like to see a version in between kid\adult. I know it's not likely but here's to hoping.

 

[Squidrific]

For the first time in 10 years we are NOT using the DDP this upcoming trip. With the latest price increase they have just priced us out of it. We have two teenagers who are both vegetarians so at $55.00 per day they are not getting our moneys worth.

I used to love the DDP for the convenience because they could go on their own and use their credits and I didn't have to worry. I am just having them charge their meals to the room this time and we have purchased a Disney gift card in the amount we were going to spend on the DDP. We will use it to pay for the room charges and the balance will go to souvenirs. I actually expect to save a lot this time by doing this.

 

[teesott]

That is about how it works out for us--we are really close, either way. I do this every time--should we or shouldn't we? We always end up getting the plan and the ease of it alone is worth it, imo. We like our desserts so that is not an issue. We never use snack credits but stock up on take home treats that can be given to nieces and nephews as "souveniers" or pulled out of the freezer when the kids least expect it