Our choices with and without the DDP

[fidelissemper]

We are having a bit of trouble. We were not going to purchase the DDP, but the recent price increases of CS locations and the character buffets have us thinking otherwise.

WithOUT DDP:
Chef Mickey's breakfast
Crystal Palace breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch
Chefs de France lunch
Ohana dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe lunch
Rose and Crown dinner
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner
Rainforest Cafe dinner

WITH DDP:
Chef Mickey's dinner (1 TS)
Crystal Palace breakfast (OOP)
Ohana dinner (1 TS)
Le Cellier lunch (1 TS)
Chefs de France dinner (or for EPCOT - Chefs de France lunch, Coral Reef dinner) (1 TS)
The Wave dinner (or second Ohana if we like it) (OOP)
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner (1 TS)
Cape May Clambake dinner (1 TS)
Rainforest Cafe dinner (OOP)
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch (OOP)

Cape May Clambake or second Ohana/Wave may just not even happen.

What do you all think? Is it worth switching breakfasts to dinners and such around? I do think we'll come out ahead on several of our days. We would try to be sure to keep our lunch/dinner costs to $30+ to make it worthwhile.

 

[sharonabe]

Buffet prices have not increased yet. The prices listed on allears and here are for peak season pricing. Regular season is $3-4 less that what is shown.

Even with CS increases and possible buffet increases, the thing that makes the decision for us is HOW we want to eat. We don't drink sodas and only two of us eat desserts, so the plan doesn't work for us. There are also some sit downs (non-buffet) where we want apps and may not even order an entree, and I get tired of eating the steak entree just to make the plan worthwhile.

Perhaps you would benefit from doing a cost comparison on just what YOU would order in both scenarios above. It's difficult to know what others might order. Add up the cost of your OOP plan and compare it to your DDP/OOP plan.

 

[havoc315]

We are having a bit of trouble. We were not going to purchase the DDP, but the recent price increases of CS locations and the character buffets have us thinking otherwise.

WithOUT DDP:
Chef Mickey's breakfast
Crystal Palace breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch
Chefs de France lunch
Ohana dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe lunch
Rose and Crown dinner
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner
Rainforest Cafe dinner

WITH DDP:
Chef Mickey's dinner (1 TS)
Crystal Palace breakfast (OOP)
Ohana dinner (1 TS)
Le Cellier lunch (1 TS)
Chefs de France dinner (or for EPCOT - Chefs de France lunch, Coral Reef dinner) (1 TS)
The Wave dinner (or second Ohana if we like it) (OOP)
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner (1 TS)
Cape May Clambake dinner (1 TS)
Rainforest Cafe dinner (OOP)
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch (OOP)

Cape May Clambake or second Ohana/Wave may just not even happen.

What do you all think? Is it worth switching breakfasts to dinners and such around? I do think we'll come out ahead on several of our days. We would try to be sure to keep our lunch/dinner costs to $30+ to make it worthwhile.

As Sharon said, you should run an actual cost comparison. I'll just make 2 comments.
First, the cs price increases aren't significant enough to majorly impact ddp evaluation. You are talking about another $.50-$1 per day on average.

Second, if you have to "make sure" to hit over $30... Then you need to decide whether you are actually ordering what you want, or if you are letting the plan dictate your choices.

 

[Cafeen]

We are having a bit of trouble. We were not going to purchase the DDP, but the recent price increases of CS locations and the character buffets have us thinking otherwise.

WithOUT DDP:
Chef Mickey's breakfast
Crystal Palace breakfast
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch
Chefs de France lunch
Ohana dinner
Grand Floridian Cafe lunch
Rose and Crown dinner
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner
Rainforest Cafe dinner

WITH DDP:
Chef Mickey's dinner (1 TS)
Crystal Palace breakfast (OOP)
Ohana dinner (1 TS)
Le Cellier lunch (1 TS)
Chefs de France dinner (or for EPCOT - Chefs de France lunch, Coral Reef dinner) (1 TS)
The Wave dinner (or second Ohana if we like it) (OOP)
Mama Melrose Fantasmic Package dinner (1 TS)
Cape May Clambake dinner (1 TS)
Rainforest Cafe dinner (OOP)
Liberty Tree Tavern lunch (OOP)

Cape May Clambake or second Ohana/Wave may just not even happen.

What do you all think? Is it worth switching breakfasts to dinners and such around? I do think we'll come out ahead on several of our days. We would try to be sure to keep our lunch/dinner costs to $30+ to make it worthwhile.

Chef Mickey's breakfast is high enough to be worthwhile on DDP, so pick whichever mean you'd prefer there.

However, I am seeing a lot of TS here, what spots are open for CS? If you skip the CS on the DDP then you'll have to make up ~$45 per meal (2011), which is very tricky with an entree and dessert. Remember too that CS breakfast is horribly cheap (well, comparatively) and you'd be much better off paying OOP even if on the plan (a 6-8$ CS meal is a pretty big hit).

Take a look again to make sure that you have room for the CS, or if considering DxDDP, take a look at credit usage there.

My gut tells me that, with the current plan, you're going to be better off OOP.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Changing what you "want" to do to meet the dining plan is not the best use of your money period. If the second is what you want to do then do it and see if you are better off with the dining plan or without.

I'd make a list of what you want to do. Then figure out if you are better oop or with the dining plan. Don't base your desire to do the dining plan run what and where you have to eat.