Paying OOP on DDP-Why?

[mom2rb]

We payed out of pocket for a kids meal. When we ate at 50's Prime Time and at Beaches & Cream, DH and I split a meal. We just were not that hungry. The boys each had their own meal. When we went to Yachtsman Steak House we paid for one son's meal. He only eats chicken tenders so it seemed a waste to use two credits for it anyway.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Why do so many people talk about paying OOP on the DDP? It seems everyone talks about having extra credits left over, there's so much food(too much, some say), yet people talk about paying OOP. I don't understand why anyone would have to pay OOP for a meal on the DDP. In several trips on the DDP, I've only paid for one CS meal OOP, and that was because I'd lost my room key. So at the end of my trip, I had an extra CS meal, which I took on the airplane and ate (except the drink). Yes, some meals were probably not "good use"/expensive enough, and a few snacks were just bottled water. But the point is, I never paid for any food (except for that one time)in addition to the plan. But I also never had any credits left over at the end of the trip! Isn't that the way the plan is supposed to work? I don't understand how people are paying OOP but complaining about the DDP being too much food and having credits left over at the end of the trip. Hopefully, these are all different people. Someone, please explain it!

I'm one of those who feel that the plan includes a lot of food. When we used it, there were plenty of times we skipped dessert and/or the appetizers. We only ordered what we know we'd eat.

I pay OOP for all of our drinks, can't see wasting a snack credit on a $2.00 bottle of water.

We like to have a hot breakfast each morning. If I don't book a TS breakfast, then I'll pay OOP for a food court breakfast.

We LOVE the yummy park snacks, funnel cakes, candy apples, caramel apples, fudge, cookies, ice cream.... I pay OOP for all the snacks covered by the plan.

When we dine, I don't stick to items that are covered by the plan. When we had dinner at Cape May, we wanted crab legs. (Not on the plan) So I paid OOP for them.

I’ve never viewed the dining plan as a way to cover ALL of our meals.

 

[Lisa F]

On our upcoming trip we are planning to eat at Jiko, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish, Ohana, The Plaza Restaurant, Coral Reef and Hoop Dee Doo. We'll have 7 TS credits and obviously that won't cover it all, so we are planning to use them for Jiko, Narcoossee's, Flying Fish and Coral Reef. The plaza we will probably just hit for a lighter late lunch/early dinner one day, Ohana we are going to with friends who have DDE so take off 20% there and Hoop Dee Doo we wanted tier 1 seating.

I, too, find that we tend to have snack credits left over the most because DH won't "waste" them on water... but we just buy stuff to take home.

There is also a difference between "too much food at any given meal" which we find a lot and only eat what we want vs. "too much food for the trip overall." One sit down, one CS and one snack is not too much in a day if you leave food on your plate for the meals .

 

[faindrops27]

Op. I will chime in to say this. I am a person who loves to eat. My upcoming trip we have 9 nights on the DDP. I am paying OOP for a Kona breakfast, and possibly Beaches & Cream. Add on of sushi @ WGP. Probably an Earl's sandwich too, as we never had one.
Last year, I bought waters, and extra snacks.
We went to Tempura Kiku for lunch. Paid OOP. Expensive lunch, but worth it! We adore going out to sushi bars.
(Pics added for Tasha)
My plate.

My son's plate.

We also paid for Beaches & Cream for lunch OOP.


I cannot justify spending a TS credit on a place like Beaches & Cream, or breakfast @ Kona'. Or using a snack credit for a 1.49 cookie. That is why I pay OOP. I did have 5 snacks left over. Also 4 CS. But, that is just fine we packed them up and bought them home.

 

[bigbabyblues]

We ended up paying for 3 character breakfast OOP this last trip, but we knew that going in. We like character breakfasts, but we also like other sit-down meals. When it came down to it, we didn't want to just stick to one ts meal every day and give up any of our favorites.

We had extra cs credits because we split several cs meals; there was just too much food with some of them. That doesn't bother me at all.

 

[mickeysaver]

This is our DDP for our upcoming 6 nites at the Poly. While I know that many of you will shake your heads at our use of 3 of our TS credits for breakfast meals, it's what works for us. Breakfast is a must do meal for us, especially at WDW. Without breakfast, the day just doesn't start off well and it leads to meltdowns....there will be no 40 year old toddler meltdowns at WDW! We are going to make a couple of meals out of the F&W festival offerings, so we know that we will end up paying OOP for some of that. There are also a lot of cups of Kona Coffee and Adult Beverages that will be OOP. We will use every credit.....some will be maximized and others won't, but I see the DDP as a money saver for this trip. I haven't been able to justify it in the past, but I can for this trip. Maggie

10/29 Monday (Arrival Day)
CS - Dinner at Captain Cook's
OOP - Adult Beverages at Tambu Lounge

10/30 Tuesday
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
TS - Breakfast at Crystal Palace @ 8:05am
CS - Lunch at Pecos Bill's
TS - Dinner at Kona Cafe @ 6:45pm
OOP- Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

10/31 Wednesday
OOP - Breakfast at Captain Cook's
CS - Lunch at Catalina Eddies
SC/OOP - Explore WS F&W booths
OOP - Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

11/01 Thursday
TS - Breakfast at Kona Cafe @ 7:30am
SC/OOP - Explore the F&W booths
TS - Dinner at Raglan Road @ 8:00pm
OOP - Drink Away My 30's from multiple locations at PI

11/02 Friday (My 40th Birthday)
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
CS - Lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express
SC/OOP - Fried Candy Bar at Cooke's of Dublin
TS - Dinner at Rose & Crown @ 7:20pm

11/03 Saturday
TS - Breakfast at Kona Cafe @ 7:30am
CS - Lunch at Flame Tree
CS - Dinner at Pecos Bill's
OOP - Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

11/04 Sunday (Departure Day)
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
OOP - Breakfast from Captain Cook's
OOP - Beaches & Cream for a Kitchen Sink

 

[tasha99]

Op. I will chime in to say this. I am a person who loves to eat. My upcoming trip we have 9 nights on the DDP. I am paying OOP for a Kona breakfast, and possibly Beaches & Cream. Add on of sushi @ WGP. Probably an Earl's sandwich too, as we never had one.
Last year, I bought waters, and extra snacks.
We went to Tempura Kiku for lunch. Paid OOP. Expensive lunch, but worth it! We adore going out to sushi bars.
(Pics added for Tasha)
My plate.

My son's plate.

We also paid for Beaches & Cream for lunch OOP.


I cannot justify spending a TS credit on a place like Beaches & Cream, or breakfast @ Kona'. Or using a snack credit for a 1.49 cookie. That is why I pay OOP. I did have 5 snacks left over. Also 4 CS. But, that is just fine we packed them up and bought them home.

Thank you!

When we went to Teppanyaki last year, I saw what looked like a sushi bar between Teppanyaki and the other sit down Japanese restaurant. Was that a sushi bar or Tempura Kiku? I'm wanting to get my fix of good Japanese food on this trip, and the best Tempura I've ever had was a sushi like bar outside Nagasaki that served tempura instead of sushi. Everything was totally fresh because they served each piece up individually. I'm hoping what I saw was a tempura bar . . .

 

[ballarinamom]

We shared alot of our meals. At breakfast, the three of us would split 2 platters from the food court. Or eat a muffin or the dessert from dinner the night before. I know alot of people don't want to waste time in ther in the morning. So I ran down got it and brought it back to the room while DH and DD5 got ready. Didn't take that long. We had mugs so I got bottled water as our drinks and carried them into the park.
By paying OOP for an app or extra entree at TS, we never had a ridiculous amount of food. We just asked for an extra plate and picked and chose what we wanted. Sill had a bit of food left over. We payed OOP for CRT for lunch because I thought 2 TS credits was a waste. So we were able to try other TS places than wasting those 2 credits or by using 3 credits at each meal and having too much food. I think planning ahead makes a difference too

 

[Wendy31]

I always end up making ADRs for a couple more TS restaurants than for which I have TS credits, and we'll pay OOP for the less expensive TS meals (like breakfast).

We also now pay OOP for CRT since it went to 2 TS credits.

DH & I love Columbia Harbour House, but our kids really don't like the kids' choices. This is the one place I cheated, and ordered 4 adult CS meals instead of 2 adults' & 2 kids' meals. And, yes, I still feel guilty, but, when I asked if I could, the CM let me do it. This next time, we'll probably just pay OOP for our kids' meals at CHH so that they can have what they like - chicken strips and fried fish instead of chilled chicken cubes - which means then, of course, we'll have extra counter service meals leftover at the end of our trip.

We also pay OOP for items like a pressed pot of coffee at Boma or other "fun" drinks. And, last year, I found many of the refreshment stands in the WS at EPCOT didn't take our KTTW card, so we paid OOP a couple of times.

And, this coming year, we'll probably pay OOP for a couple of fun desserts (the "moose" at Le Cellier, the Kona Cone at the Kona Cafe, etc.) for the kids so that while I'm eating something yummy, they're not stuck with a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Somehow, we always have snack credits leftover, which we always use on our last day at DTD. Last year, I used one whole snack credit for a chocolate covered strawberry at Goofy's Candy Company. No, it wasn't a really good "value" for a snack credit - but it was soooo yummy & completely worth it!

We also had 4 counter service credits leftover last year, so we got sandwiches to go from Earl of Sandwich and ate them for dinner on our way home (we drive).

 

[otoole]

We are going at the beginning of August (bounce back free dining plan) and have booked CRT for my mother, daughter and I for breakfast and am now thinking it is better to pay OOP - when do we need to decide - can we tell the server after the meal, before the meal or do we need to notify in advance of our arrival?

 

[thunderbird1]

This is our DDP for our upcoming 6 nites at the Poly. While I know that many of you will shake your heads at our use of 3 of our TS credits for breakfast meals, it's what works for us. Breakfast is a must do meal for us, especially at WDW. Without breakfast, the day just doesn't start off well and it leads to meltdowns....there will be no 40 year old toddler meltdowns at WDW! We are going to make a couple of meals out of the F&W festival offerings, so we know that we will end up paying OOP for some of that. There are also a lot of cups of Kona Coffee and Adult Beverages that will be OOP. We will use every credit.....some will be maximized and others won't, but I see the DDP as a money saver for this trip. I haven't been able to justify it in the past, but I can for this trip. Maggie

Same here--my dh used one CS credit nearly every morning for a croissant sandwich and bottle of OJ. It wasn't the most economical use of a credit, but it kept him happy and moving until lunchtime. So I would never criticize anyone's use of credits as being "not financially sound enough." Even without any $$ savings, the DDP is still a terrific stress-saver.

 

[ExtinctDino]

We paid $50 or less OOP in 9 days on the DDP. We paid OOP for alcoholic drinks once or twice, and for a few extra items such as kids' desserts when sharing meals (to conserve credits for an extra TS meal or one requiring 2 credits). Certain items at the water parks weren't covered at all under the DDP. We also paid the first couple of days OOP for $2 bottles of water, before realizing we would have snack credits left over if we kept doing that.

We never paid OOP for a full meal. I don't mind "wasting" a TS credit, rather than paying OOP, for a $19 breakfast. We like Chef Mickey's breakfast buffet better than the lunch/dinner buffet, and why not go to the one we like best instead of the one that's most expensive? We've only used the free DDP though, and I realize it might not make sense for us to ever purchase it.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

Well, we will be paying OOP for quite a bit if we keep all of our reservations. On a 7 night trip, we have 13 TS credits worth of meals booked. Two reservations we have require 2 TS each...We basically have a character breakfast booked every day, plus dinners we want for the adults in the evenings. We are a large party, and I'm not sure every person will make every reservation, but I'd like to hope we will. I'm not really looking at the character breakfasts for the food aspect...so I'm not sure how much I'll eat. We'll probably end up with CS leftovers with this scenario, but since its "free dining" I don't feel too many qualms about not maximizing the plan. I look at what we're getting as a "gift" and makes me feel better about what we will have to spend OOP. If I were paying for it, I might try to be more thrifty...

 

[septbaby]

We will spend $60 OOP for two adults and child on our upcoming trip. We only have one TS per day booked, but one of those is a Signature meal, ie. 2TS. The adult 2TS OOP bill would be nearly $160 if one of us orders lobster tails! We will get to see Wishes and the Electric Water Parade without using a park entry! We'll pay for 2 adult character breakfasts a couple of days later. We'll also pay OOP for the kids 2TS meal.

We'll have an extra kids TS. We'll use that on our auntie nephew "date" with mini golf and Beaches & Cream, so worth the OOP cost!

 

[Colleen27]

Why do so many people talk about paying OOP on the DDP? It seems everyone talks about having extra credits left over, there's so much food(too much, some say), yet people talk about paying OOP. I don't understand why anyone would have to pay OOP for a meal on the DDP. In several trips on the DDP, I've only paid for one CS meal OOP, and that was because I'd lost my room key. So at the end of my trip, I had an extra CS meal, which I took on the airplane and ate (except the drink). Yes, some meals were probably not "good use"/expensive enough, and a few snacks were just bottled water. But the point is, I never paid for any food (except for that one time)in addition to the plan. But I also never had any credits left over at the end of the trip! Isn't that the way the plan is supposed to work? I don't understand how people are paying OOP but complaining about the DDP being too much food and having credits left over at the end of the trip. Hopefully, these are all different people. Someone, please explain it!

I don't think it is usually the same people complaining about too much food *and* paying OOP.

We'll pay OOP for a lot if we get the dining plan because we like nicer restaurants and sometimes like 2 sitdown meals in a day. For an 11 night trip, we have 16 TS meals planned in all, 2 of them in restaurants that don't accept the dining plan and 3 of them in signature (2TS credit) restaurants. And some of those are meals that don't fit the DDP entitlements - Beaches & Cream for dessert only to try the DDP-excluded kitchen sink, or ESPN Club where all we want is 2 or 3 appetizers to share between the 4 of us. Paying for those OOP leaves the TS credits for the places where we do want full meals.

We might have some counter service credits leftover, depending on the selection at the food court, because we as a family don't eat much CS type food. Last trip, we used a lot of CS on fruit trays and other munchie type stuff to have in the room for late snacks & breakfasts, and we did use up our credits. Snack credits will probably be used for edible souveniers for the kids' friends, just like on the last trip.

 

[Kata]

I am also someone who loves the signature restaurants. I always do the Fantasmic package and while I love the Brown Derby I would never use 2 TS credits there,so I will pay OOP. I also really enjoy CG but I when I went there in 2005 I had the pork tenderloin for $25.00 so if I go there again it will be OOP. I plan on going to Boma and I would never use a TS credit for a buffet so when I go there I will pay OOP.I plan on eating at quite a few signature restaurants,so that TS credit will be more valuable to me paying for a signature restaurant.I don't eat alot of big meals for breakfast but if I do I would definetely pay OOP. I may end up with alot of CS credits left but I really enjoy good food.Everyone just needs to decide what kind of meals they really enjoy and try and use their dining plan credits to enjoy it the most.I would never complain about getting too much food.I eat what I can and I will take leftovers if I think they will keep I liked them and will keep well. I travel alone so I don't have anyone to share with,so I am always amazed that people have snack credits left. I would have no trouble using one snack credit a day even if it is just for water.I think you can use the dining plan any way that you want to,you can use it to supplement your dining costs or you can aim to make it all inclusive and plan your adr's accordingly. The choice is yours which make the dining plan so great!!!!!!

 

[septbaby]

I would never use a TS credit for a buffet

You might want to check the value of the buffets. At $28 plus tax and tip OOP its a $35 meal. Unless you get lobster or surf and turf you'll spend about this much per credit(w/o alcohol) at Narcoosee's. So by my math using a TS credit for a buffet is the about the same as using 2 for Narcoossee's.

With a daily DDP value of $39 I have no problem using a credit for a $35 meal. That still leaves me with a $10 CS meal and $3 snack, a good deal.

 

[faindrops27]

This is our DDP for our upcoming 6 nites at the Poly. While I know that many of you will shake your heads at our use of 3 of our TS credits for breakfast meals, it's what works for us. Breakfast is a must do meal for us, especially at WDW. Without breakfast, the day just doesn't start off well and it leads to meltdowns....there will be no 40 year old toddler meltdowns at WDW! We are going to make a couple of meals out of the F&W festival offerings, so we know that we will end up paying OOP for some of that. There are also a lot of cups of Kona Coffee and Adult Beverages that will be OOP. We will use every credit.....some will be maximized and others won't, but I see the DDP as a money saver for this trip. I haven't been able to justify it in the past, but I can for this trip. Maggie

10/29 Monday (Arrival Day)
CS - Dinner at Captain Cook's
OOP - Adult Beverages at Tambu Lounge

10/30 Tuesday
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
TS - Breakfast at Crystal Palace @ 8:05am
CS - Lunch at Pecos Bill's
TS - Dinner at Kona Cafe @ 6:45pm
OOP- Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

10/31 Wednesday
OOP - Breakfast at Captain Cook's
CS - Lunch at Catalina Eddies
SC/OOP - Explore WS F&W booths
OOP - Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

11/01 Thursday
TS - Breakfast at Kona Cafe @ 7:30am
SC/OOP - Explore the F&W booths
TS - Dinner at Raglan Road @ 8:00pm
OOP - Drink Away My 30's from multiple locations at PI

11/02 Friday (My 40th Birthday)
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
CS - Lunch at Wolfgang Puck Express
SC/OOP - Fried Candy Bar at Cooke's of Dublin
TS - Dinner at Rose & Crown @ 7:20pm

11/03 Saturday
TS - Breakfast at Kona Cafe @ 7:30am
CS - Lunch at Flame Tree
CS - Dinner at Pecos Bill's
OOP - Adult beverages at the Tambu Lounge

11/04 Sunday (Departure Day)
OOP - Coffee from Kona Bar
OOP - Breakfast from Captain Cook's
OOP - Beaches & Cream for a Kitchen Sink

I havent been back, on this post until tonight. No, I am not shaking my head at you. I actually like your creativity for mixing up your TS'. I never have done that! Maybe I will try it next year!!. I am the type of person who feels whatever is best for YOU.. Go for it. My family, and I are not big breakfast eaters,usually, at home. We will have a cup of cereal, or oatmeal, and keep it moving. So using a TS for a breakfast, just wouldnt work for us. But, if it works for you, all the more better!! To, each his or her own, I always say. I will however pay OOP to revisit Kona, for that delicious Tonga Toast, this year I will try that Kona coffee too!!
Enjoy your birthday!!

 

[faindrops27]

Thank you!

When we went to Teppanyaki last year, I saw what looked like a sushi bar between Teppanyaki and the other sit down Japanese restaurant. Was that a sushi bar or Tempura Kiku? I'm wanting to get my fix of good Japanese food on this trip, and the best Tempura I've ever had was a sushi like bar outside Nagasaki that served tempura instead of sushi. Everything was totally fresh because they served each piece up individually. I'm hoping what I saw was a tempura bar . . .

I'm so sorry, i havent replied sooner. I lost track. Anyhow, I asked the lady in the store in Japan at Epcot. Where Tempura Kiku was, she told me to go up the steps. Well, i get in there, and ask to be seated in tempura kiku, the lady sits me down at some bar. Then, a lady comes with menus, but they dont say tempura Kiku. I tell her I wanted to eat at Tempura Kiku, and she says usually we dont serve it here, but relax I will get you the menu. So, needless to say, I dont know where tempura kiku is really located. I assume where i was sitting was the mitsukoshi lounge. Why we were sat here, I have no idea. In any event, she brings the menu for Tempura Kiku, and we order!

I have heard rumors of recent that. Tempura Kiku will be closing soon. Or is closed, I am not sure. Anyhow, the Tempura was the best Tempura I have had, very fresh. That says alot, since I frequet sushi bars, and have had my fair share of Tempura. In any case, if it is still open, and you can eat there. I highly recommend it, for a light lunch!!

 

[faindrops27]

Sorry to tired to post anymore will post tomorrow