My assessment of DDP

[disneymagicgirl]

We usually have traveled with the DDP. At first it was because we like it and it was a decent deal way back when. Then it was because that was the best available discount when we were traveling. This year we went during May so no "free DDP" offer and I had to decide whether to purchase it or not. Ok, so really I didn't think hard about it at all...I knew we didn't want it. Now that they keep deleting things and raising the cost on top of our DD now being an "adult" and both boys are over age 3 it didn't seem worthwhile. So I kept track of our 10 day trip (just back yesterday) and compared what we spent. We ate how and when we wanted. Changed ADRs when we wanted, ordered what we wanted, snacked when we wanted, etc. We didn't skip ordering something b/c it happened to be a more expensive item, etc. The results are:

Out of pocket meals, family of 5, 10 days $1219 plus tips.
DDP for 9 nights would have cost $1809.81 plus tax and tips.

Overall savings of $610 plus a lot of additional tip money!

We only did a handful of TS meals, some with the kids and some not. I cancelled a few ADRs the second half of the trip b/c we were just not very hungry and/or did not feel like traveling to them and spending the time to sit and eat.

I did not include in my OOP total a handful of 20oz beverages that were purchased separately throughout the week. The reasoning is that b/c if we were on the DDP we would not have wasted a snack credit on those and would have still paid for them OOP. Those totaled maybe $20.

So overall I am super happy we didn't do the plan. The only good thing that I see about it is that DH doesn't blink when we spend "credits" from the plan. However, he hates getting the bill when we pay OOP. All psychological.

We did a LOT of snacking on yummy items and many CS meals. For TS meals we did:
CMC breakfast
Ohana dinner
TH breakfast
ESPN
RnC (adults only)
VN (us and DD13)
BnC

Just wanted to share for those comparing options.

 

[freckles04]

Thanks for sharing! We're doing our first trip without DDP so I like to read posts like yours.

 

[Jonathan Swift]

You did what most people don't do: run the numbers. Good on ya, mate!

 

[mom_of_2]

We are also doing our first trip without the DDP. To be honest I am very nervous. I was happy to hear your story. The main thing that makes me nervous is we are doing 3 character buffets since my kids are 5 and 3 so I hope we still save.

 

[Tormania]

We go in Dec and plan to make our ADRs in a few weeks. I am in the process of running the numbers, doing a general idea of what we would order at particular TS and CS restaurants, including tax, snack credits, the whole thing for 7 nights for 2 adults and 1 child. Hopefully it will give us a pretty close estimate of what OOP costs would be for the equivalent of the DDP. Then we can decide this fall do we add the DDP to our DVC Rental or just go OOP. My fear is it will be so close that I'll be constantly torn that I should have picked the other option.

 

[wiigirl]

Thanks for sharing...

 

[Jonathan Swift]

My fear is it will be so close that I'll be constantly torn that I should have picked the other option.

If it's that close, then just do OOP. If your plans get messed up in the slightest, it will most likely make things worse for the dining plan. Besides, think about the freedom of dining whatever you want whenever you want without having to worry about points.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

If it's that close, then just do OOP. If your plans get messed up in the slightest, it will most likely make things worse for the dining plan. Besides, think about the freedom of dining whatever you want whenever you want without having to worry about points.

Agree! You may decide mid trip like us that you are sick of ADRs and dump some. If you have ddp, that won't be a very economical option. If you are oop, it would be. Also, it is nice to order whatever u want. I may want an app, salad, and dessert...can't do that on the plan...must be entree. Also, we never really ordered dessert at TS meals thus didn't have to tip on that amount like on ddp. 5 desserts can easily be $20, therefore $4 tip times many TS meals.

 

[Howgreat]

Thanks for the info! We plan on going in December are hoping for FD, but if not, we're trying to decide whether to do the DDP or not. I've been running the numbers and it seems to come out very close for us...

 

[donnajherren]

We did the Deluxe plan on our last trip, and it ended up just being too much for us. This time, we're paying OOP. It'll be interesting to see how the math plays out.

I would consider the Deluxe plan again, but only if we did a bunch of character buffets for breakfast (my daughters love those) and mainly signature dining for dinner. Three sit-down meals a day doesn't work for us.

 

[freckles04]

After running my numbers I came to the conclusion we will save $110 dollars OOP. That is with buying the mugs, ordering most expensive items even at CS and always getting soda and dessert, plus tax. That being said, we dont need dessert all the time, may or may not order expensive items and drink water with our meals much of the time. So I expect our true savings to be more.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Thanks for the run down. I'm sure those deciding between getting it and not getting it will find it helpful. We've done DDP 9 times now and only paid for it the first time (when tip and appetizer were included!).

I love having a DDP but I will only get it when it's free. (and yes I know it's not totally "free" but even paying rack rate for 3 and getting 2 day base tix-to use later-it's still a good deal for us). I won't ever pay for it again. And now having had the QSDP 3 times I love the freedom of not having to make any ADRs (6 months out). Very freeing!

 

[brymolmom]

We're going with no DDP in August...Our first August with no Free DDP and our first trip without Free DDP in many years. Honestly - I'm excited about it. DDP tends to be a bit much for us. I went ahead and made the reservations that we wanted. I anticipate spending somewhere around $850 on food (TS and CS) but that includes the tips I am planning. If I was to pay for DDP it would cost $919.65. I hope to have enough rewards points to pay for all our food - And will probably have at least $750.

I will admit that IF we had the free DDP I would have done Narcossee's, but just couldn't see spending that much actual cash on one meal.

I see us getting a few appetizers and splitting some meals - and splitting some desserts too. Because it is too much otherwise.

 

[rachallyy]

We are also doing our first trip without the DDP. To be honest I am very nervous. I was happy to hear your story. The main thing that makes me nervous is we are doing 3 character buffets since my kids are 5 and 3 so I hope we still save.

We are leaving tomorrow and no DDP for us, Ate 2 character meals , lunch Akers. 155.00, and breakfast at Tusker 119.00, with tips. HTHs you.

I ran our numbers tonight, looks like we are coming out a bit ahead paying OOP. We ate no desserts other than daily ice cream bar in parks. We had two other TS meals one at MK and one at DTD. I cancelled our 5th TS as we were tired of watching the clock and wanted more freedom out last day.

Except for one dinner meal we ate those at AOA Landscapes and had the refillable mugs.

 

[rachallyy]

We are also a family of 4, DH, myself and DS 6, and DS 8, who is such a picky eater

 

[SoonerSean]

We're going in November - party of 5 with two kids under age 12 - and are using the DP. The difference for our room/tickets wo the DP and the price when we added it in is over $200/day.

I didn't price each and every meal out but I figure we would spend probably about $40-$50 on a CS meal and maybe even closer to $60.

For dinner I figured about $35 per adult and $15 per child - if you ate at say O'Hana. Now it's more at some of the buffets.

So rough math... $50 for lunch and $135 for dinner. That's $185. Figure an additional $20 for snacks for 5 so a total of $205.

We are probably over-paying by $100 or so for the 6-days. That's a very rough estimate and using fixed price meals like O'Hana or a buffet. Obviously you could spend less at some places or more at others (Crystal Palace buffet is more than the O'Hana meal).

That close over 6-days... it's not too bad and if we splurge and eat all the desserts it's even better.

I do agree with the flexibility issue. Last time we were there we had dining reservations that coincided with an event time we were given. But they worked around us and we were fine. But I do see the benefit to knowing you can cancel a TSR or just have CS a night or two (or three) and save on some stress as well as money. But we've always viewed it that we kind of forced ourselves to take some time off each day to just sit and relax and enjoy a reasonably good meal.

 

[bdklein]

We're going in November - party of 5 with two kids under age 12 .

How many in the party are Disney adults (10 and up) when it comes to the Dining Plan?

 

[SoonerSean]

Had forgot one of them would count as an adult... so we have 4 (2 adults, one 16-year old and a 11-year old) and then a 7-year old. The 11-year old was only 9 the last time we went in the spring of 2012 so I wasn't thinking of him being counted as an adult.

Changes the math a bit as he's counting towards more of the $200+ per day than I thought, but the daily figures are still in the ballpark as he'd have wanted a kid's meal most of the time. I'm still thinking we're awfully close with what we paid for the DP vs. what we would have paid for 2 meals and snacks if purchased individually and if he'd been able to order kid's meals.

He won't be happy when we walk up to a CS if he has to order an adult meal vs. kids. But when this happened with our now 16-year old she was able to order off the kids menu. So we should be fine.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Had forgot one of them would count as an adult... so we have 4 (2 adults, one 16-year old and a 11-year old) and then a 7-year old. The 11-year old was only 9 the last time we went in the spring of 2012 so I wasn't thinking of him being counted as an adult.

Changes the math a bit as he's counting towards more of the $200+ per day than I thought, but the daily figures are still in the ballpark as he'd have wanted a kid's meal most of the time. I'm still thinking we're awfully close with what we paid for the DP vs. what we would have paid for 2 meals and snacks if purchased individually and if he'd been able to order kid's meals.

He won't be happy when we walk up to a CS if he has to order an adult meal vs. kids. But when this happened with our now 16-year old she was able to order off the kids menu. So we should be fine.

You also have to consider that you will have large tips for all those TS meals that you might not have if you weren't tied to 'x' amount of TS credits.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

This year we are also paying OOP. The DDP for us would be over $1600.00 I know we are not going to eat that much. Last time we went, we had extra meals and snacks. I don't mind having extra when it was free, but not when I am paying for it.