Love, Love, LOVE DDE

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Hi all,

Just back from our first trip as annual passholders and using DDE. We loved it! I know the DDP works for a lot of people but DDE suited us so much better. DH is not a counter food person so we do many table service restaurants and DH usually has a glass of wine with dinner so the 20% off even alcohol was great. I haven't tallied it up yet but I know we saved much more than the $60 card cost. I loved seeing that bill before and after the DDE discount.

Just felt a need to say how well it worked for us and we loved it!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I am so glad it worked for you.....we are table service people too and I did not renew last trip and I should have. If I go again, always have an AP, I will renew, it is worth it.

 

[MickeyNicki]

What you said is exactly how we feel! We just came back from a 9 day stay and purchased the DDE for the first time, it is good for 13 months and since we are planning a few more big trips in that time it was a no brainer!

It paid for itself in just a few meals, it was awesome and I cannot wait to go back and use it again! It was a thrill to see the before price and then the after price...and the discount was used on all the bars that we visited too...it was amazing and we will make sure to alway buy it.

 

[LYNSUE]

DH and I love the DDE also. We are not CS type people and really enjoy the TS restaurants. (although the card is accepted at some CS restaurants) My DH also likes an alcoholic beverage with dinner and enjoys the DDE savings on that. Some single drinks cost as much as an appetizer at WDW!!

ITA that the DDE is a better value for us than any of the dining plans offered at WDW. We used our DDE on three trips in one 12 month period and the 20% savings quadrupled the cost of the card.

 

[Tricia1972]

We're lovers of the DDE too, I used it four times in the year that we had it. It paid for itself on the first trip (at Victoria & Albert's - main dining), and the rest was gravy!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

I know, the next trip is gravy, card already paid for itself - it was awesome!

 

[QueueCT]

So I'll just add my voice to the chorus here. Between DDE, hotel discount and the three trips we made between Oct '06 and Oct '07 it was worth getting the AP.

FF, CG and V&A (for four) on the first trip made a huge dent in the cost of the AP . . . then we went back two more times!

 

[PatsMom]

We got the DDE for the first time on our last trip. It paid for itself very quickly and we have two more trips planned before it expires. We almost always have at least on table service per day and DH does like to have a beer with dinner. So the 20% adds up pretty quick. We won't be without it again unless they change the rules or seriously increase the price!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

This is the DDE fan club thread . . .

 

[sandisuze]

count me in as part of this fan club

we the DDE card
even with the tip addded in it saves so much!!
and that means we can go to Disney more often cause we save money-

Our conversations go like this:
Hubby: we can't go this weekend - lunch/dinner will be too expensive
Me: yes but we have the DDE card
Hubby: ok make reservations someplace
Me

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Our conversations go like this:
Hubby: we can't go this weekend - lunch/dinner will be too expensive
Me: yes but we have the DDE card
Hubby: ok make reservations someplace
Me

That's so cute Lucky you, to live close enough to do that!

 

[ChelleinNC]

I'll join the club We ordered ours before our June trip last year. It was a 10night trip and the card had paid for itself by the end of the 3rd day. On our December trip we got the DDP (holiday surcharges and mainly so my Dad wouldn't freak out at the prices ) We still used our DDE on that trip. DS wouldn't eat most of the "adult" meals, so we used his adult credits and paid OOP with DDE for his kids meals

 

[snowdrift7]

DDE paid for itself quickly on our last trip and getting anything off on the things not covered by DDP is gravy IMO.

 

[davinakb]

Joining the "I the DDE" Fan Club. We are on our 3rd "magic" card, just perfect for us. We really enjoy the TS restaurants, especially signature dining and the card just gives us the excuse to try new places. Our last trip we saved $40 just in valet parking at the resorts. And that 20% discount off bottles of wine can be a dangerous thing! Love.

 

[heartbeeps]

how do I get in the fan club? really, do I need an AP to join? how many people are covered (10?)? If I have a group of 20, can DH & I each get one to cover all 20ppl for dinner? Do you think it's worth it if we already have DDP for 16 out of 20 people?

 

[mouseclick1]

We used our DDE card every day (except Easter) during Spring Break with our party of 10 (2 adults and 8 teenage boys). We saved a ton!

 

[tkmmc]

Yes, what exactly is DDE. I'm guessing a dining discount card you can purchase with an annual pass. Do you buy a card for each person?

It seems that with the DDE you could have a room discount and this dining discount (if all the right stars were aligned). Whereas with free dining, it seems as though you can't also have a room discount???

 

[daisy112878]

Yes, what exactly is DDE. I'm guessing a dining discount card you can purchase with an annual pass. Do you buy a card for each person?

It seems that with the DDE you could have a room discount and this dining discount (if all the right stars were aligned). Whereas with free dining, it seems as though you can't also have a room discount???

It's a dining discount card for Florida residents and AP holders. It gives your 20% off at table services, lounges and a few CS places. The DDE has nothing do with your resort reservation and lasts for a year once you buy it. You only get one card with the buyers name and can buy one extra for your spouse.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

Another huge DDE lover!!! We love the ease of it and how much it covers (alcohol!).

Yes, what exactly is DDE. I'm guessing a dining discount card you can purchase with an annual pass. Do you buy a card for each person?

It seems that with the DDE you could have a room discount and this dining discount (if all the right stars were aligned). Whereas with free dining, it seems as though you can't also have a room discount???

tkmmc, yes, you can have a room discount with DDE. Or you can also just stay offsite! Unlike the DDP, the DDE is not associated with a package. It's not really like a meal plan where you need to have a room booking associated with it, everyone in your room on the meal plan and purchase park tix for it to "work." It's just a card offered to APH's and FL residents that gives you a flat 20 percent off your bill (alcohol included!) at just about all TS restaurants (including those few that are not on the DDP meal plan, i.e., Bistro, Wolgang Puck's Upstairs Cafe) and a few CS places. It also gives you free valet parking at the resorts and no parking fee at the theme parks if you go after five.

Keep in mind the FL resident seasonal AP doesn't give us free parking. So if DH & I want to just zip over to Bistro for dinner, we would have to pay for parking at Epcot just to go to dinner. The DDE eliminates that fee for us. The free valet is wonderful, too. DH & I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this September, and we're going to V&A. I couldn't imagine parking in the self lot a mile away and walking so far in heels and formalwear.

So a lot of the extra perks are just perfect for locals or those who prefer to stay off site.

It does cost money to get an extra card. I forget how much, but it was rather substantial. Maybe $25? But one card covers up to 10 people in your party for the discount. The cardholder does have to be present for everyone to get the discount. In other words, my hubby can't use mine without me there. But if you're having a meal with 10 people, all 10 will get the discount as long as you're present.

 

[LoveMickey]

We love the DDE card.

I do have a question. There is a 6.5% meal tax that we have to pay. I assume that the meal tax is on the total amount of the bill before any discounts are taken. Is that correct?