Opinions...is DDE worth it?

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

Definitely worth it for us!

 

[50 years Too!]

Loved it! Definitely will renew it again.
I like that you can order virtually anything at any TS restaurant, including alcohol and have the discount.
Much better deal for us than the DDP.

Deb

 

[ADP]

You also get free valet parking at the Disney resorts you are dining at. $10 for valet parking, but don't forget the tip.

I actually flashed my DDE card at the Poly last July and got free valet parking for our entire stay. You are not supposed to get free valet parking during your stay, but the valet said she would honor it all 4 nights of our stay. It never hurts to ask.

 

[star2500]

Hey Everyone...

I bought an AP just so I can get the DDE. We are a family of 6 and I needed a 10 day MYW ticket anyway. I took the difference of the cost between the AP and 10DAY and added in the DDE cost. I have all my ADR's, so I went on the websites, found the menus and estimated the bill. Was a little time consuming, but 1/2 of the meals are buffets which are very easy to caculate out. I figured out my savings from the meals and the percentage I probably will save shopping at DDD and I am saving at least $550. Well worth it, especially since I didn't qualify for any codes for my reservation other than a AAA. But was well worth the effort of figuring it out! Hope that helps.

 

[theparsons]

Broken record here (I've posted this before on another thread).....remember when doing your math to determine if your savings is worth it...starting in 2008, there will be a mandatory tip added to any DDE bill. I thought it was 15% mandatory tip, but someone posted telling me I'm wrong it's 20%....so hopefully someone will verify which is right.

I would leave a 10-15% minimum tip anyway and more for great service.....(except for horrid service and then I'd be complaining anyway)....so I've pretty much calculated that all it will save me is the tip....but that's still substantial amount of money since we'll be there for almost a month (though staying off site so we won't eat every meal in the parks).

 

[aubriee]

I don't know where you are staying, but you can use your DDE card at the food courts for the 3 All Star Resorts and Pop Century because they have no sit down restaurants. Plus, you can use your card at Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom.[/QUOTE

With them making Tusker House into a character meal for all meals and with Yak & Yeti going in, do you thing we'll still be allowed to use our DDE cards at AK? The only reason we've been able to use it thus far at AK is because there are no TS restaurants in AK for lunch or dinner.

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I definitely think it is worth and am wondering what to do about my Dec trip as both my AP and my DDE have expired.....so may have to redo them both, and do I hate that expense but I definitely think DDE is worth it.

 

[mdoc]

For us it is. We have 7 people, so it's easy for us to spend the breakeven amount. On our Spring Break trip next year we're planning on going to the Spirit of Aloha dinner show; that alone is enough to make it worthwhile. You really do need to plan ahead for the table service meals, though, because it is getting harder and harder to just walk into a restaurant at WDW.

 

[mom2my3kids]

For just two adults, I would say yes. Now its was great getting it free, but I don't think I would pay for it. We just don't eat that many sit downs and when we do we prefer buffets.. So we come out ahead if we don't purchase the dining plan. Now if they offer free dining again next sept, we may just have to go again. Hubby said NO at first then after getting all that great food, he said well maybe next year.

 

[JenH1969]

Hi there- we are going to be staying for 9 nights- getting hopper plus pass with expirary- we won't be back within a year- wondering about the annual pass, the DDE or DDP- any thoughts?

Jen

 

[MarieA]

Worth it for us too. In fact, I just renewed.

 

[disney1990]

I don't know where you are staying, but you can use your DDE card at the food courts for the 3 All Star Resorts and Pop Century because they have no sit down restaurants. Plus, you can use your card at Pizzafari in Animal Kingdom.[/QUOTE

With them making Tusker House into a character meal for all meals and with Yak & Yeti going in, do you thing we'll still be allowed to use our DDE cards at AK? The only reason we've been able to use it thus far at AK is because there are no TS restaurants in AK for lunch or dinner.

My guess is that the AK policy will change after Tusker House reopens. I'm not sure about Yak & Yeti because I understand it isn't a "Disney" restaurant and may not participate in the DDE. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

[chamonix]

For just two adults, I would say yes. Now its was great getting it free, but I don't think I would pay for it. We just don't eat that many sit downs and when we do we prefer buffets.. So we come out ahead if we don't purchase the dining plan. Now if they offer free dining again next sept, we may just have to go again. Hubby said NO at first then after getting all that great food, he said well maybe next year.

Just to clarify for those reading this thread for info/opionions on the DDE: this quoted post is about the DDP=the Disney Dining Plan--this thread is about the DDE=Disney Dining Experience which are two very different things. The DDE is a discount dining card that is available for purchase by Florida residents and those with Annual Passes to save 20% on their drinking and dining bills at WDW.

 

[chamonix]

Broken record here (I've posted this before on another thread).....remember when doing your math to determine if your savings is worth it...starting in 2008, there will be a mandatory tip added to any DDE bill. I thought it was 15% mandatory tip, but someone posted telling me I'm wrong it's 20%....so hopefully someone will verify which is right.

I have not heard this about the tip, where did you see this mentioned? I couldn't find it anywhere.

Why would they do that? I understand why they do it with the DDP, but why the DDE? I have to say this makes me very nervous for a few reasons. I don't think they should do that at all, especially since a large portion (probably half!) of our dinner bill is for wine, and the customary tip percent on wine is not 20%. (although we usually end up tipping that much anyway, lol)

 

[*Flower*]

We spoke with someone at DDE and they said that the tip would be 18% added.

However, we usually tip more (when the service warrants it)- so it would remain to be seen whether we run into a situation where we would want to dispute the 'tip'.

It reminds me of when we lived in Europe- and a 'service' would be added to our bill. DH would try to add a tip to the total, and I had to tell him that the 'service' was the tip already added in.

So now we'll not have to worry about the tip unless our servers are on top of their game. (No flames please)