our next trip will be without the DDP and here's why...

[firecracker]

We just returned from an 8 day/7 night trip on the ddp. We paid just under $1100 for the plan for our family of 4. After adding up all of our receipts, we ate about $1650 of food. Sounds great, right...really got our money's worth? That's what I've thought for the last four trips that we've used the plan. However, I'm going to go without the plan next time.

It seems that with the dining plan our days, nights, our whole vacation! is planned around our ADRs and getting the most "value" out of the plan. I'm sure it's because we are frugal...we can't seem to let go of the "how close to $4 can I come to get the most out of this snack credit!" or "what's the most expensive item on the menu--even if it doesn't sound good!" mentality!

Also, if we go without the plan, we won't be ordering so many appetizers, desserts, and specialty drinks. We were constantly so full that we couldn't even enjoy the snacks in parks. Who wants a Dole Whip or a funnel cake when you're already bloated and rolling through the parks?!?

So, I think we're going to choose our favorite TS's (maybe 3 of them) and build our Disney Visa rewards in hopes of paying for those and our CSs and snacks out of pocket. I'm thinking we may enjoy the flexibility alot more...plus we'll enjoy the food because we'll actually be hungry instead of constantly full!

Any comments or experiences similar to mine?

Carmen

 

[JimMIA]

Who wants a Dole Whip or a funnel cake when you're already bloated and rolling through the parks?!?

I'll take it! Thanks!

Seriously, I've been saying for a long time that I don't think we'd ever use DDP for more than 5 days. We don't have the same concerns you have, but we would just get tired of eating such similar menus day after day after day.

 

[Nancyg56]

I Understand how you feel. The first time we got the plan I don't even want to admit how much time I spent comparing prices and trying to maximize the plan before I placed my ADR's. Thank goodness I changed my thinking and planned our meals around what we liked verses the price.

We eat what we like and tend to share our CS meals in order to cut back on the amount of food that we eat. I am a member of the "clean plate club" so stopping when I am full does not seem to work. I don't worry if we do not use all of our SC or our CS credits because I am even if we use all of our TS credits. I had to decide that anything else is a bonus.

We tend to gather in the evening for our family meal so we are not making changes in our vacation styles. For those families who don't care to stop for a sit down meal, the DDP can pose issues.

The DDP is not for every family, and if it adds stress to your vacation it is not the plan for your family. If you have a hard time letting a credit go...you are talking major stress.

 

[garada3]

It seems that with the dining plan our days, nights, our whole vacation! is planned around our ADRs and getting the most "value" out of the plan.

Also, if we go without the plan, we won't be ordering so many appetizers, desserts, and specialty drinks. We were constantly so full that we couldn't even enjoy the snacks in parks. Who wants a Dole Whip or a funnel cake when you're already bloated and rolling through the parks?!?

Carmen

My DH feels the same way in that we always seemed to be getting ready for an ADR somehwere during our last vacation and had to stop when we were having fun somewhere because of an ADR time.

He also felt that our service was lacking in many places and that once the staff knew we were on the DDP that they did not have to work so hard for a tip.

Plus, our next trip will be August of '09 and we will not want to eat that much and deal with the heat and humidity.

I did tell him though, regardless of having the DDP or not, we will have to make ADR's because of the volume created by the DDP, but we will feel more free to cancel them when our plans change.

It was fun to have one trip with the plan and to be able to do the eat anywhere and everything adventure but he thinks once is enough. Yes he knows that with 3 boys ages 14, 12 and 10 it could end up costing a lot for food but he prefers a bit less structure in the trip. I guess I can concede this one small part of the planning to him

 

[disneymomof1]

We are heading down 10/16-10/23 and am still not sure if we will do the dining plan. We just don't eat that much, we tend to like a big breakfast and then pick the rest of the day, usually sharing a CS between myself and my DH.. DD is 4 and eats like a bird, so our last trip we had 6 CS meals left at the end of the trip. I like the convenience that it is already paid for, but felt like we did not get our moneys worth. Breakfast is the cheapest meal, we are always out in the early AM for a character breakfast, so if we add it up, the DDP might not work monetarily for us.

 

[dburg30]

Did the $1600 worth of food include tips that werent on the DDP? ie: on the $1600 would you have paid 18% more for tips? Just curious, as we're NOT using the DDP too see how much we spend on food, plus tips. Then we'll decide if we'll use it from this point forward.. IF that didnt include tips you would've had to pay then the total goes to almost 1900. Not trying to justify anything, just collecting information I can see where trying to get the most bang for the buck could get on your nerves though and put a stress on a fun time..

 

[sdptalk]

We (5 adults, 1 teenage child) are going February 2008 and using the DDP. We plan on using the CS credits for our breakfast most days - maybe a TS for the breakfast buffet. We are also a family that likes to sit and be waited on at dinner. That's when we talk about our day and relax. When on vacation, we go around the table and everyone tells of their "high" moment of the day and their "low" moment. More often than not, there are no "low" moments. I think we would all miss not having that sit down table dinner.

Also, we only eat two meals a day at Disney so I think we'll have just enough credits. I don't think we'll plan our trip around our dining plan; however, special meals are part of a great vacation.

 

[tinaluis]

We'll take the DDP if it's free, but wouldn't consider paying for it for some of the same reasons as you -- we would try to "maximize" the plan to be sure we are getting our $$$ worth, would have to cut park time short to make an ADR, etc. We enjoyed our trip last year (free DDP) but really did feel like the whole vacation was structured around eating. Of course, we're going again this year for free dining and have, once again, made an ADR for each night/day, so we may feel the same way, or we may need the break each day as we'll have a newborn with us this time. Either way, we're greatful that free dining is being offered again!

 

[mickeysaver]

This is our one and only time using the DDP. I say that because we have number crunched big time on the last two trips and given our usual dining style, it was not worth the money for us. I refuse to go with the "best bang for the buck" mindset. I will go with the mindset of making sure that our dining goes with the flow of our intinerary and that it enhances the day, instead of causing our day to grind to a complete halt in order to go eat.

The fact that we are going to the F&W festival does help make the SC portion of the plan make sense too. We rarely eat a snack with the exception of the manditory once a trip Mickey Bar.

Basically, out of 6 TS credits, 3 are being used for breakfast at CP and twice at Kona. The other 3 are being used for dinners at Kona, RR, and R&C. Some folks would see this as a horrible use of the credits, but it works for us. We won't lose a dime doing the plan, but we are not going to save a ton either. We are doing it more for the convenience than the savings. We will still end up tipping good servers a bit extra out of pocket. We will still have a few out of pocket meals and beverages.

I am extremely frugal in my everyday life. At WDW, I let loose....that's part of the reason that I love going so much. I get to be worry free.

Next year, the DDP's exclusion on tips will make it far less appealing to me. I can't see us doing it again because the value will not be there. Maggie

 

[lilyv]

I've considered DDP, but overall it doesn't fit into our normal way of eating. We really only eat one full meal a day, others are light breakfast and light lunch. We often share a large sandwich on vacation.

The other thing about DDP is that I wonder, overall whether you get equal service/benefits to those that regular customers receive?

 

[OneBadApple]

We decided against the DDP, because I felt the same way. That year was our first trip there and we winged every thing with the exception of one ADR for Cape May Character Breakfast. We went with the flow.

This year I was considering doing the dining plan, but once I thought about it, I felt that our day's would be too structured. This time I made 3 ADRs: 50's Prime Time Cafe (because we heard so many great things about), a Fantasmic Dinner package (less timing waiting in line) and Chef Mickey's (because we couldn't get there last year).

One other concern I had was that I have child that is considered an adult and one that is still considered a child and thought that would just cause more problems.

 

[suffolkprincess]

We love the DDP and make a half-hearted effort to "max" it but generally we are able to relax about it. The key for us was in not knocking ourselves out to try EVERY "hot" restaurant on the DIS! We made ADRs for where we wanted to be that day, and that's it. No commuting for a meal.

I don't go to Disney so that I can take a bus to a monorail and then walk around a lake to have a steak. This is not to say that we didn't take DIS recommendations into consideration at all, but we just took it easy on the dashing around to try different restaurants. We are lucky enough to eat out quite a bit here at home and have a variety of cuisines available to us. I expect that if we weren't so fortunate we might have taken a different approach.

 

[poeticdiabetic]

We always go for the DDP. We love it.

I guess we didn't really think about how our itinerary revolves around our ADRs, or even trying to find a snack that was as close to $4 as possible. We like it because it's about 40% less expensive than going it alone. We also like the DDP because it's very simple. To us, simplicity during vacation is very important, because when we are at WDW, we are all like little kids.

Since we think ahead as to what parks we go to days before, it's just a natural progression to make our ADRs in that same park. Plus, we normally make our ADRs in accordance to what parks have Extra Evening hours.

Oh, and we are not big sitdown breakfast eaters. We normally have a breakfast bar and juice for breakfast. And our ADRs are always before 6PM. And we always go to the Extra Evening hours.

Due to our eating habits, I've lost almost 10 lbs. when I go to Disney, because walking the parks for 4 hours AFTER dinner always keeps the weight falling off.

 

[hsmamato2]

I agree with OP,I've never used it, but a friend has, and the sheer volume of ADR's-planning where we'll be on which day -months in advance is not fun for me- we plan where we'll be based on the weather,our moods,what we feel like doing/eating,so it's never appealed to us-
we like to go off season,and go the way the wind blows.....

 

[hansel1]

The wife and I love DDP. We want to eat in nice restaurants on any vacation we take, so making ADRs is like second nature to us.

I find that the DDP is cost effective to our family when you consider that tax and tip is included. Even if the tip is not included (that is still just a rumor) you still save money on not having to pay tax. I'm not trying to convince anyone that the DDP is right for them, but it's right for our family.

Having said that, the rest of my post will mainly concern ADRs. When many people say they don't like the DDP because of having to make ADRs or attend a certain restauarant at a certain time, the rest of my post if for them.

I think the easiest part of making an ADR 180 days in advance is that when you get to disney your itinerary is done for you. If i have an ADR for Liberty tree tavern, guess what....I'm going to MK that day.

Whether people admit it or not, they plan things out even when they are whimsical and care free. So it makes much more sense to plan your ADR ahead of time than wait till you get off the next ride of splash mountain. If you don't plan the ADR you are stuck with waiting in line for a counter service and eating in a crowded noisy lunch room. Now, if eating in a crowded noisy lunch room is what you love, then far beit for me to knock that. To each his own.

However, if you want to eat in a nice sit-down restaurant then regardless of whether you purchase the DDP, you will still need to make ADRs or you will become, like so many others, "that group of people angry at the servers station" because the place is booked.

Disney is no longer the place where you can go without making plans and thinking about where you need to go and where you need to be at certain times. My point is proven just by you reading this post. We are all planners, we all want to get something out of reading the disboard.

If you really wanted a carefree vacation you would just go to the beach and swim all day. You know I'm right so go out and start making those ADRs and when you are done go ahead and pay for the DDP as well. You know you want to.

 

[septbaby]

Using DDP and making ADRs are mutually exclusive. Meaning regardless of how you pay, if you want TS meals you'll need to make ADRs. So saying I won't use the plan doesn't keep you from having ADRs if you want TS meals during your stay. If you are flexible and won't mind having to select a CS because no TS ADRs/walk ups are available for your requested time, then fine.

This is our first time on the DDP. We chose places for food and experience, not bang for the buck. We will only do one TS per day. In the end, I think we will also get good value:
- Narcoossee's for a dinner treat that includes Wishes and Electric Water parade viewing on our arrival night, no park that day
- Coral Reef, 5yo will love the tank, late lunch after an AM EMH at MK
- Chef Mickey's, our one character meal (late breakfast after night EMH); we've already told the 5yo that Mickey has invited us to his restaurant; he's excited (so am I, we'll celebrate his bday here)
- Boma, want to see AKL, 5yo loves animals and we are vegetarians and our ADR is right after AK closes, convenient
- H&V for Fantasmic seating (at MGM all day, early dinner after the parade)

So for us, the meals are no different than an "attraction" and we'll eat at the same time. So I don't have the slave to ADR mentality that plaques many DISSERs. For us the TS meals will be like our next show or ride!

We are fully paid and inside of 45 days so our credentials should show up anytime! I am tickled to know that my meals are already taken care of so cash is truly for a few extras (spa, golf, mini golf, etc.)

For those who have tried it and decided to go another route I get that, but man am I looking forward to indulging!

garada3: "3 boys ages 14, 12 and 10 it could end up costing a lot for food"

For this 2009 trip I'd wait to see what your boys appetites are like at that time. I've seen boys that age eat, its not pretty in style or volume. Your husband may begin to like the All you care to eat part of the DDP A LOT by then! I friend of mine has 3 boys and he says "its to the 3rd power now, its serious" he has a second job now; glad he and his wife have to feed them and not me!

 

[clutter]

We;ve done the DDP a few times, and I've found that it's our August trips that I enjoy it most!

Here's why: We usually stay 10 days (5 or 6 at DVC with the DDP), so we really have more of a leisurly pace. So making sure we go to our ADRs isn't too big a deal. But I like the fact that we HAVE to go to dinner. Gives us a nice break from the heat. Also, with just 2 of us, it's a little easier to get ADRs. (I just changed around a few, including CP at dinnertime, with no problem.)

I have never tried to get my 'value' from it. To me, it's a convenience. However, I did the math, and for our ADRs for August, with tax and tip, our 6 TS dinners (3 are buffets!) would cost us $40 less OOP than with DDP. And that's with only a few desserts and no appetizers or soft drinks. So if we leave with a few CS and snack credits, we did ok!

 

[hsmamato2]

You know I'm right so go out and start making those ADRs and when you are done go ahead and pay for the DDP as well. You know you want to.

Nope...still don't want to! your points are valid,but I still maintain that DDP works for some types of vacationers,for others,it just doesn't! We are definitely in the latter group. Now,IF someone gifted us with free DDP,and we had to make so many plans, we'd do it,and likely enjoy it- but if it's our money which equals our time- we still vote for free and easy! We usually make 2 reservations for dinners or breakfasts in a 2 week vacation- the rest just come where we decide in the next few hours or so..... really! it's true! scouts honor.... We don't decide what park we'll hit till the evening before,or sometimes the morning!My DH would never go for having to be at certain places all the time, to him,that's not a vacation at all-

 

[DonaldTDuck]

DDP is great! I love to eat, and planning just makes it that much better. I remember going to Epcot and runnin like heck to get to those screens and hope I could get in where I wanted. Much easier now. It gives me the chance to try new places and stick with favorites. Last year, dgf and I had 5 days of credits and ate $550 worth. And we never worried about prices, other than at Cosmic Ray's. That chicken/rib combo really excited me. And it was that good. This year I'm adding LTT and WCC and using credits for HDDR plus favorites PTC and Biergarten. Hmmm, can't wait.

 

[bornwiththeears]

Using DDP and making ADRs are mutually exclusive. Meaning regardless of how you pay, if you want TS meals you'll need to make ADRs. So saying I won't use the plan doesn't keep you from having ADRs if you want TS meals during your stay. If you are flexible and won't mind having to select a CS because no TS ADRs/walk ups are available for your requested time, then fine.

This is our first time on the DDP. We chose places for food and experience, not bang for the buck. We will only do one TS per day. In the end, I think we will also get good value:}


I totally agree with septbaby - this will be our 21st trip. We love the planning and we always make ADR's. Good meals are part of our vacation experience. We schedule or ADR's based on which park we intend to be in or in an easily accessable hotel. When we have an "off" day we schedule our dining at the Marketplace. We have not obsessed over getting ADR's at the most expensive restaurants....we pick the restaurants that appeal to us and some of them are repeat favorites. the bottom line is that we would be making ADR's with or without the dining plan.

My family would not be happy living off of chicken nuggets and burgers the entire trip.....however that works for some people. We have always eaten
one TS meal each day and love the flexibility of using the CS for breakfast or lunch. The DDP is a bargain, but I think it is just going to depend on what works best for your family.