Question for those that pay oop

[padawans]

Do any of you pay oop and still eat at a lot of signatures and TS restaraunts. This year we got the dxdp for 9 days 2 adults and 2 kids. I think it was around 1700. I spent probalbly another 1000 on gratuity and wine. When were on vacation we like to eat well and I never worry too much about the cost. Looking back 2700 does seem like a lot for 9 days. I guess because most of it was prepaid it didn't seem so painful at the time. Next year the dxdp will cost us 2050 for 10 days plus another 1000 for gratiuty and wine. We like to eat TS every night 4 out 10 will be signatures, a couple of TS lunches. We don't like apps and dessert with lunch, but do with dinner. We also drink wine not soda. Just wondering if I would spend less paying oop? Anybody out there go without the dining plan and still live it up so to speak. How much did you spend?

 

[vicki_c]

I don't think that $2700 seems out of line for 9 days with signatures, frequent TS and alcohol at Disney.

We don't do many signatures, average about 1 TS a day (maybe 2 on 1 day), and we can easily spend $1000 in 5 days.

We have been AP holders and using the TiW card for the last few years - that works for us. We don't do the DDP.

 

[TDC Nala]

I eat almost exclusively at the signatures (no DDP) but I am paying for one person only and I have TIW. I also don't tend to order entrees or dessert - I do several appetizers. Just did the Chef's Counter with wine at Flying Fish, you can't do that on DDP.

If you have an annual pass or are a Florida resident you may want to look into a TIW membership as you will even get the discount on alcohol.

 

[TyRy]

Our trips are usually DH & I, plus either parents or a couple of friends. We usually eat one TS a day with at least a couple of Signature's thrown in. We'll also stop off in the hotel bars and have a few drinks during out stay. The TiW card has been great for us and has always saved us $$$$ against a dining plan.

 

[DW2010]

I'm seriously thinking of buying the TIW card. We are only going for 4 nights but could possibly go back next year since we only live 4 1/2 hours away. Anyways, we have California Grill and CRT booked as our only signature right now. We do have other TS booked such as Les Chef de France for lunch, Via Napoli for dinner, Kona for dinner. Does anyone know how getting the TIW discount at CRT works since we've already paid?

 

[Dismom55]

We do get the regular DDP, but for us that makes it affordable to do some OOP meals. We usually will get in at least one 2ts credit meal. We do not drink wine and generally I am prepared with tip envelopes. I must say our styles are way different, but if I could afford the DXDDP, I sure would want to give it a try.

No matter, I like the DDP as I do not have to budget for meals for the most part, they are already paid for, all I have to worry about is the tip and of course the few OOP meals. For us and our budget you tip amount seems high, but as stated we stick to soda, water or tea with the meals.

For me it is simple, I calculate the cost of the DDP/tip and compare the calculated cost of the places we will be eating, as long as the DDP/tip cost is less than the total costs of all table service restaurants, well it is worth the cost to get the DDp, if and when that changes, we will either go with the QSDP or no DDP at all.

 

[bangzoom6877]

We paid OOP, with a TIW card, for our July trip. We saved 20% off of food, and spent just over $1600 including the cost of upgrading my ticket to an AP, and also including the cost of the TIW card ($75 for AP holders). That wasn't with gratuity or alcohol. I added up the numbers that way to see if we would have done better on the deluxe dining plan. We stayed 10 nights, and there were 2 adults and 2 children, so the deluxe plan would have cost us around $1860. And we would still have to add in the cost of the alcohol we drank, which we got a 20% discount on as well with the TIW card.

We had a total of 18 TS meals (one was CRT, so would have been 2 credits on the dining plan), 1 CS meal at MK for each of us, 1 CS meal at MK just fo each of the kids, 1 CS meal for each of us in DTD, and I got a little something from the quick service place at the Dolphin hotel which doesn't even accept any of the Disney dining plans. We had a total of 24 snacks throughout our trip. We would sometimes share an app and/or a dessert, but DH and I never got our own of either (too much food for us). I even got an app as my lunch at San Angel Inn one day. So, all in all, if we would have had the deluxe plan, we would have been entitled to 30 meals, 80 snacks. We would have used 21 adult meals and 22 child meals, and only 24 snacks. Couldn't have eaten at the Dolphin without paying OOP either. So...we would have had 9 adult meal credits leftover, 8 child meal credits leftover, and 56 snacks leftover at the end of the trip. Not to mention that we didn't order an app and a dessert each at any of our meals.

So...for us, upgrading to the AP and buying the TIW card works out very well. No guessing if what we order is covered by a dining plan, no guess if the snacks we choose are counted as snack credits, no worrying about using up credits or thinking we threw money away because we weren't in the mood for dessert or an app at that meal. But...for some folks, the dining plan works very well. The basic one worked out perfectly for us on our 2008 trip. We did all -you-care-to-eat dinners so I knew the cost of them before we got the DDP, we did CS lunches, and paid OOP for 2 breakfasts. Plus...DS3 was only 1 year old back then, so he was not on the DDP but we had plenty of snack credits to go around, and when we got CS desserts at lunch, I would get yogurt or something for him to have. Now, we do more TS meals throughout the day, too many for the basic DDP but not enough to warrant the deluxe plan. And we certainly don't do enough CS meals anymore to warrant the basic plan.

As far as going to signature restaurants, yes, we would absolutely go to them paying OOP! We didn't go to any in July because we thought the kids were too young, but we are going to try one with them on our next trip (July 2012), and DH and I will go to one alone one night and put the kids into the kids' camp at the Beach Club resort.

 

[Pakey]

We also pay OOP and do mainly signatures for dinner. Actually, we eat a lot at the signatures not on the dining plan (bluezoo, Bistro, Il Mulino, etc) because they are better. Also, I prefer to order 2 appetizers over an entree/dessert so I'm always much more concerned about getting to eat what I want rather than the cost.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We also use TIW & pay OOP. We eat 2 TS a day. We have either breakfast or early lunch & dinner. We usually eat non-signatures at B/L & signatures at dinner. On occasion our DS(18) & his GF(19) will have a CS meal also, but my DH & I never do. Because we're usually full, we rarely snack. This definitely works better for us, because we get what we want & not what the plan allows.

 

[sjs314]

We normally do 2 TS a day,Breakfast and late lunch or dinner, or early lunch and late dinner, rarely do we order apps or desert since we do eat a snack here and there during the day in the parks. DH will sometimes have a beer with his meal but I no longer drink alcoholic beverages. We budget $100 pp for meals but never spend that much a day. We have never used the DP free or paid for, we prefer not to be limited on what we can order or where we can eat on the DP

Last year and this year are a little different than previous trips as we stayed in a studio last year and a 1 bdrm this year and will have breakfast in the room 4 of our 6 days. Our upcoming trip in November we have 12 TS ADR's so budgeting $1200 for DH and myself , we do not do signature restaurants.

 

[vicki_c]

We pre-paid for CRT and then showed our TiW card at the restaurant and got credit back for the TiW discount - it was no big deal at all, our server did it while we were eating.

 

[Kay1]

We have TIW and really mix things up while at Disney. We sometimes drive off-property, we'll eat at CS, and choose TS that aren't too expensive. We like the Tusker House, Sci-Fi, Mama Melrose, Rose and Crown, and Y & Y.

We're renting a house during Christmas break and already have reservations at some of those places, plus we'll eat at "home" a couple of times, grab Chinese, eat at a couple of nice off-site places. If we always ate at the more expensive on-site restaurants, it would seriously blow our budget.

 

[padawans]

How do you get one of those cards? How much do they cost?

 

[Leota]

We also pay OOP with the TiW card. It works best for us with the way we eat (lots of apps,wine/drinks & desserts, rarely entrees - lots of Swolphin meals)

TiW (Tables in Wonderland) is available to FL residents or to AP (annual passholders). It is good for 20% food & beverages at almost all the TS restaurants, signature r not. It's also good at the lounges. We get ours right at guest services when we get our APs. We use our APs & TiW for 2 years trips, then do it again for the next 2 years. With the way yu like to eat, it would probably be very worth it to you to have one of you get an AP so you can get the TiW card.

Here's a link to the DIS info on it: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneydiningexperience.htm

 

[TheTravelingCarters]

We are paying OOP for dining on our upcoming trip because I estimated our meals based on what we will order; mostly will be signature restaurants and all others are TS. For us the Dining Plan would not be beneficial at all; actually it is more wasteful. But that is because we do not eat dessert and only on rare occasions would we get two appetizers. Plus we like adult beverages with our dinner meals and only water, with breakfast and lunch. Plus we rarely eat fast food (counter service). We really like to eat alot of sushi, which is not included in alot of the DP choices.

So I really think it depends on what type of food your family enjoys and how much food you actually eat as to whether the DP is a deal. Even the Free Dining Package would have cost us more, because without the Free Dining we got a HUGE discount on the room! I just suggest studying the restaurants you can use the DP on and calculate the meals to see if it is worth it....

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I spend up to $80 a day OOP with two TS meals a day and alcohol. It does add up really fast. Sometimes I like to just make a meal out of appetizers, and it's good to not have the plan for that. You could always book the basic plan, and just pay OOP for the extras.

 

[bangzoom6877]

How do you get one of those cards? How much do they cost?

To get the Tables in Wonderland card, you have to either be a Florida resident or an annual passholder. If you are a Florida resident without an AP, it costs $100. If you are an AP holder, it costs $75. It will get you 20% off all food and beverages at participating locations. Most TS places take it (including the regular tables at V&A's), and there are a few select CS places that take it (the ones at AK park, and the ones at the Value Resorts mainly). At TS locations, when you use the TIW card they automatically add an 18% gratuity. We love that since we don't have to figure out the tip ourselves...we just get the bill and pay it and go...maybe add in some extra gratuity for excellent service!

 

[padawans]

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[Sleeping Becca]

OOP and TIW has always saved us money over the Dining plan, not to mention I like ordering what I want to eat not having to think about what is "included".

Consider getting one annual pass, you may get a big enough room discount to pay for it and the TIW. Just something to consider.

I'm doing the dining plan this year (taking multiple families, and doing DDP for convience) and it is driving me bonkers.

 

[Alli76]

How much time do you have????

I found a spreadsheet on one of the disboards that helps you calculate the cost between what the dining plan would cost v. what you would pay oop. You have to estimate what you would eat/drink at each rest... but it may be worth while to take a look at it.

For me it turned out I would lose a LOT of $$ on the deluxe plan - but would save a little on the regular.

I am having a problem finding the link to the original post right now - but if you PM me - I can email it to you.