OOP over $100 cheaper than Deluxe Dining?

[goteamSy]

We are crunching some numbers and I have to post because it doesn't seem right. Am I factoring in something wrong?

Last time we did the dining plan (mind you it was 2007) we saved so much money!

Based on where we'd like to eat this time, I think deluxe dining would be the best fit.

If the thread below is correct in 2014 prices, that's just under $105 per person, per day.

My OOP total is around $503, where as deluxe dining would be around $630. I know I probably am not accounting for tax (which isn't going to make up for THAT much and tip (which isn't included anyway).

Wed. ($126): Magic Kingdom
- Quick Service: Pecos Bill and/or Pinocchio Village Haus ($35)
- Snack: at park: ($8)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Table Service: Be Our Guest ($75)

Thurs. ($166): Animal Kingdom
- Quick Service: Pizzafari ($35)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Table Service (2): Narccoossee’s ($115) – no dessert factored in here, but apps are

Friday: Typhoon Lagoon
- Table Service: Ohana ($50)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Quick Service: Earl of Sandwich ($25)

Saturday($126):
Checkout
Magic Kingdom
- Table Service (2): Cinderella’s Royal Table princess breakfast ($110)
- Snack at park: ($8)
- Snack at park: ($8)
Back to GF for Magical Express

 

[luvmy3]

Doesnt the deluxe plan include 2 TS meals? If you are comparing the DP to OOP costs and you are looking to eat at 1 CS and 1 TS a day you should price out the regular DP for comparison.

n/m I see that some of your meals would be 2 credits.

 

[Chm635]

You might do a search for Disney dining plan calculator. I haven't tried it yet but according to the thread it works great and will help you check your numbers. I'm mobile and can't post the link, GL

 

[deakam]

On the deluxe dining plan you get 3 meals and 2 snacks per night per person. 4 nights =12 meals per person. I don't think you have enough credits included in your tally.

 

[Cafeen]

The QS each day is affecting the bottom line quite a bit. Assuming 3 nights (you've got 9 credits used and $630 / 2 = 315, which is 105 x 3), you're using ~1/3 of your credits at QS. Add to that, 2 more of the credits are being used up by the 2TS locations (which, on a short trip, isn't helpful) and there's the difference.

With $105/night, using a $4 snack credit, that means each meal should cost around $30 per credit (so 2TS should cost at least $30) and all your meals (unless you add dessert to Narcoossee's) are coming in under this amount ($60 x 2 = 120)

I typically aim to at least spend 80% of my total credits at TS, with at most 2/3 of those TS being 2 credit locations. It's worked out in the past.

However, I too was priced out of DxDDP this year due to changing trip style, so it's certainly not the given it used to be.

 

[havoc315]

The pricing model is VERY different than 2007.
At best, most of the dining plans are now break even scenarios.

With the dxdp-- OOP is cheaper if you are using some if your credits for qs, and if you skip some desserts. You only save money on the dxdp if you use almost every credit for TS, and don't waste any entitlement.

We ate deluxe style on our last trip -- lots of signature restaurants, lots of apps. Never skimped on anything. Paying oop was about $300 cheaper than the dxdp for our family over 5 nights. (We did a few qs meals. We didn't have dessert every meal. Our entrees were mid priced).

 

[sharonabe]

If you swap out your QS with TS, you'll easily spend more than that $100 savings. At MK you could do Liberty Tree Tavern or Plaza, at AK Yak n Yeti, and on your TL day, do one of the yummy TS places at DTD instead of EoS.

I guess the choice becomes do you want to spend a little more and eat more food (and use up a little more time since TS takes longer) or save the $100 for something else and eat what you have planned (and have more park time)? The CS places you have are all very good.

 

[goteamSy]

If you swap out your QS with TS, you'll easily spend more than that $100 savings. At MK you could do Liberty Tree Tavern or Plaza, at AK Yak n Yeti, and on your TL day, do one of the yummy TS places at DTD instead of EoS.

I guess the choice becomes do you want to spend a little more and eat more food (and use up a little more time since TS takes longer) or save the $100 for something else and eat what you have planned (and have more park time)? The CS places you have are all very good.

I guess that's what we have to think about. I think we'd like more time in the park so a QS meal with the snacks during the day just works out better. It kind of stinks because I feel like we are somewhere in between the regular dining plan and deluxe. I think a TS restaurant 3 times a day is too much food for us. Yet at the same time we enjoy the signature restaurants that require 2 TS meals, and I love the 2 snacks a day - those mickey pops are great, which is what bumps us up to the deluxe dining plan. However, I guess as much as we loved doing the dining plan, we just have to accept that paying OOP is cheaper in the end for our needs this year.

 

[havoc315]

I guess that's what we have to think about. I think we'd like more time in the park so a QS meal with the snacks during the day just works out better. It kind of stinks because I feel like we are somewhere in between the regular dining plan and deluxe. I think a TS restaurant 3 times a day is too much food for us. Yet at the same time we enjoy the signature restaurants that require 2 TS meals, and I love the 2 snacks a day - those mickey pops are great, which is what bumps us up to the deluxe dining plan. However, I guess as much as we loved doing the dining plan, we just have to accept that paying OOP is cheaper in the end for our needs this year.

I have found when you pay OOP for what you actually want, instead of paying for a dining plan that includes things you don't want...
You can dine "deluxe" for the same price as the regular DDP.

We paid our last trip OOP -- We typically used more than "3" credits per day -- We did a signature dinner almost every night, including Brown Derby, Flying Fish (twice), and Artist's Point. We did a bunch of TS lunches, and just a couple of QS meals. We ordered appetizers, occasional deserts and we never deprived ourselves of a snack. (But we did not have individual deserts with every meal, we sometimes drank tap water, we sometimes shared appetizers, and didn't always get the most expensive entree.) In the end --- It cost about the same as the basic DDP, but we really ate more in line with the DxDP.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

You are finding out precisely what I did (and what I think more folks are finding out as they go), that if you crunch the numbers, the DDP is a money-loser if you don't normally chomp down three big meals a day. We've been to Disney five times now, and given the way we eat, the DDP was a huge money waster for us. And its really never been close.

Realize everyone is different, but for us, the DDP has never been a realistic option. I always urge people to do the math for themselves.

 

[Mcert01]

Yet at the same time we enjoy the signature restaurants that require 2 TS meals, and I love the 2 snacks a day - those mickey pops are great, which is what bumps us up to the deluxe dining plan. However, I guess as much as we loved doing the dining plan, we just have to accept that paying OOP is cheaper in the end for our needs this year.

I agree, the Deluxe plan is way too much food. However, there are plenty of 1 credit meals which can make the plan worth while. Sanaa, Kouzzina, Wolfgang Puck's, Paradiso, Tutto Italia, Via Napoli, etc...

For us on our upcoming trip it came down to how many desserts are we actually going to eat. We normally don't get dessert. When I priced what I believed we would want (minimal dessert orders) vs. the cost of the plan, Out of Pocket was about $100 cheaper. Now if the plan included appetizers ...

There is something to be said for not worrying about the prices on the menu when you sit down to eat. If it causes you stress and/or results in ordering something other than what you really want, then the additional $100 is worth it.

 

[inkedupmomma]

There is something to be said for not worrying about the prices on the menu when you sit down to eat. If it causes you stress and/or results in ordering something other than what you really want, then the additional $100 is worth it.

Exactly our problem :/ We went the last 3 days of our last trip with no plan, and felt lost! Kids wanted drinks, snacks, eat around the world, and it added up so quickly. We much preferred the DxDP ease. Spoiled :/

 

[Jonathan Swift]

People look at the OOP bill for something big like a character meal or signature restaurant and exclaim, "Oh GOD! We should have gotten the dining plan!" What they don't do is crunch the numbers to compare to see how much money they're losing everywhere else.

Disney is relying on people's emotional response to win out over their rational mind, and they've succeeded.