Question for those that pay oop

[robinb]

In my original post I was asking people that ate similar to us and paid oop how much they spent. I wasn't asking for people that eat cs or 1 table service meal day to tell me my spending is excessive. I was just trying to find out if I would spend less or the same spending oop because I can get a room discount but can't get the dining plan with it. I find that so may threads on this board become judgemental instead of just answering the question.

Sorry, but you cannot control direction a thread will take. Some threads tend to have a life of their own and go places that the OP didn't intend. I love how you complain about people being judgmental while getting your own judgmental comments and digs in at the same time .

The link in my previous post that you quoted will allow you to enter the cost of your meals and allow you to compare the DxDDP with OOP expenses as well as the TIW discount. Of course ... I am one of "those people" who eat "fast food frankenmeals" and at mere 1 table service restaurants (*gasp* The horror!) so you may want to take my advise with a grain of fancy-schmancy natural sea salt.

 

[Tiger926]

Well ... kids that are 9 and under are much less. $10 breakfast buffet, $5 CS and $10 Signature dinner come out to $25 per day instead of $80 per day. So ... 2 adults and 2 kids (9 and under) would be just about $200 per day instead of $300. I have been going to WDW 2-3 times a year for nearly 15 years and I find $300 per day to be excessive. Then again, I find the entire DxDDP excessive ... .

I agree with you. We've been going to WDW for 10 years, so we've BTDT with pretty much all restaurants (Signatures included), as well as done DxDP, DP and DDE/TIW.

That is a very large amount to us too - we just came back from 13 days in July (WDW & Vero Beach), and with 2 adults, 2 kids and 1 toddler (only buffets were free, as kids share adult meals at non-buffet restaurants), using TIW we came in under $1500.00 for: 17TS, 7 CS (mostly breakfast and a few lunches) and 20 snacks. No alcohol, a few desserts and appetizer, as well as: buffets, steaks, fish, chicken, pasta, etc. That also includes the cost of the TIW card (2 trips on it), plus buffet surcharges - this is all tips included of 18% or higher. No Signatures this trip, as we don't find they are really worth it, except for a select few.

We can't believe the amount we spent on food the last time we did the DxDP. Such a waste...it was months and months of groceries for us, so never again.

The OP is free to spend what he/she likes. We don't drink alcohol at all, and so I can't imagine spending hundreds of dollars on alcohol. But, if that is necessary for the OP, then that is his/her choice, but it surely adds a lot to the food budget, so TIW might be a good idea.

We love having the TIW card, as it allows the kids to share adult meals, and for us to get appetizers if we like. We also like eating meals in our villa, so it works well for us!

I think the OP should take a look at the TIW card for sure, as her costs for meals are a bit high, IMHO, and I've eaten pretty much everywhere as well, but we don't know how much they drink or tip, so this could be where the gap lies.

Tiger

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I don't think $300 for a family of four is insane. Especially if it includes alcohol.

 

[honeydiane1953]

If u have a large family the dining plan is good. Personally I never do DDP too much food. WE small family pay OOP and come out to the good by a lot. Disney wants to sell u FAMILY PACKAGES. But after doing the math I purchase tix by undercover tourist, room only and OOP and it is a LOT less money.

 

[eliza61]

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?

Ok here's my example. When we go to the Yachtsman steak house this is what we usually order.

This is for 4 adults (really 2 teens)

2 appertizers for dh & I ~20.00
entrees for 4 ~ $150 bucks (this is 2 steaks, 1 ravioli dish and 1 roasted chicken dish)
drinks for 4 ~40.00 bucks (and this is being very generous)
2 sides which we share 20.00 bucks.
very rarely do we get dessert so I didn't add it. that comes to a total of $230.
I did not add the tip because the tip is a wash as you pay it on both plans.

The DXddp would run us about $288 a night. It's cheaper oop. not even counting my TIW card.

This is how we normally eat. so the Deluxe dining plan with it's appertizers and desserts are pretty useless perks for us.

That's why I'm not big on dining plans, it forces me to eat abnormally simply to get the total "value"

 

[eliza61]

My bad. It sounded like he wanted an opinion.

My opinion is that I could certainly do it for less going oop as well as on a dining plan. I don't pretend to know the OP nor his drinking,tipping or eating habits. He could be doing the princess theme dinner every night and what he pays is entirely up to him and his creditors.

So be it.

That's just it, he wanted an opinion NOT a diagnosis on whether or not there are "issue". nor did the poster want to be labeled with an mental disorder (insanity).

Dh & I spend ~160 bucks on dinners for just the two of us, we have neither any "issues" or any "insanity" between us.

 

[padawans]

I don't think $300 for a family of four is insane. Especially if it includes alcohol.

Thank you All I was trying to do is figure out if I would be paying more than this next year since I can't buy the dining plan. I have gotten some good advice about the TIW and upgrading to a AP. I actually think I may spend less next year doing this. I was worried I might be spending $400 day without the plan but that does not appear to be the case.

 

[arkitekt]

edit: removed

 

[disneynuts2]

I wonder what you spend for breakfast and mid afternoon snacks as this would elevate
the $ 230 beyond the $ 288 maybe.

 

[drag n' fly]

I would really like to see the spreadsheet a pp was talking about. Our family of five can easily spend 250 a day on food with two teenagers a growing 8 year old and the exchange on the dollar. We have done qsdp and ddp. This trip we decided to book again with fd but upgraded to dxddp. We could never afford to do this if it was not for free dining. This will give us a chance to enjoy some really great meals at the signature restaurants so we wont be travelling from one meal to the next. We will either use our snack credits for brekkie during rope drop or use them at lunch and have a nice brekkie at Cape May or Kouzzina! We will use the evenings for signature meals. For our family of five the ddp works in our case. A little ot from op but I thought it might give some perspective on costs for larger families.

 

[robinb]

I would really like to see the spreadsheet a pp was talking about.

You can download it here:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/DisneyDining Template 2009.xls

It even calculates the tip in the comparison.

 

[drag n' fly]

You can download it here:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/DisneyDining Template 2009.xls

It even calculates the tip in the comparison.

Thanks! Dh is an engineer so he will love this lol!

 

[ryanmcin]

We eat TS at least once a day, often twice and also eat at signatures around 3 times per trip (around 10 days). I make a lot spreadsheets to track costs and I just can't find a way to make the dinning plans work for us. We don't eat many appetizers and most of the desserts in TS restaurants don't excite me so the DDP would have us paying for things we won't eat. I would say that in general we are comming out ahead pay OOP by around 10% compared to DDP. When we had APs we had TIW and that was a big savings, we tended to eat signatures more often with TIW since we got the big discount.

 

[hannahryan]

I personally wouldn't do the DDP, but not for financial reasons. We will have the TIW card next visit which will work great for us. I like the flexibility of ordering just apps. and drinks. Also, I know it sounds silly but it would also stress me out knowing that I had to eat all those meals & courses. I think you might enjoy the flexibility with TIW and may also find the extra benefit of saving some money.

 

[snykymom]

We eat TS at least once a day, often twice and also eat at signatures around 3 times per trip (around 10 days). I make a lot spreadsheets to track costs and I just can't find a way to make the dinning plans work for us. We don't eat many appetizers and most of the desserts in TS restaurants don't excite me so the DDP would have us paying for things we won't eat. I would say that in general we are comming out ahead pay OOP by around 10% compared to DDP. When we had APs we had TIW and that was a big savings, we tended to eat signatures more often with TIW since we got the big discount.

I personally wouldn't do the DDP, but not for financial reasons. We will have the TIW card next visit which will work great for us. I like the flexibility of ordering just apps. and drinks. Also, I know it sounds silly but it would also stress me out knowing that I had to eat all those meals & courses. I think you might enjoy the flexibility with TIW and may also find the extra benefit of saving some money.

You have explained two of the major reasons I don't do the DDP! I know people say that it's less stressful having everything paid for in advance, but I can't see it. I'd be so worried about what's on and what's not and how many do we have left and is this worth it . . . Just look at all the questions about the dining plan! It needs its own forum! I'd rather just order what I want when I want it.

 

[Ron from Michigan]

We eat at signatures for almost all our TS meals. Dining is one of the things we love most about WDW so we budget for that on every trip. We figure on spending around $800.00 on most trips for dining.

 

[x5x5x5x5x5]

I've done the math a dozen times and for us it never makes sense to go with the dining plan. We have a TIW card and use it for just about every meal. We rarely use counter service - almost all TS and lounges. We usually order apps or split an entree but the key is - we order cocktails / wine with virtually every meal. That's why the DP makes no sense for us. The DP would only cover a small portion of our usual bills.

 

[jbmgsdmom]

We sat down to map out the cost difference for our family as our trip is getting closer and I'm trying to save as many pennies as possible. My DH and I were actually conservative in looking at menus and actually said we would probably share items. We have a family of 5 (2adults, 1 teen and 2 under 9). Using the spreadsheet everyone has talked about, we actually ended up paying the same eating conservatively and sharing as what we were paying for the DxDP. That cost didn't even include snacks and the refillable mugs you get. For us, we have decdied to keep the DxDP. This is our first trip and we are doing several character dinings and such.

It is totally a personal choice and I don't plan on cleaning my plate and eating every bite. I do plan to enjoy myself and be on VACATION!!!
Use the spreadsheet and get the menus and talk about what you might eat and then run the numbers. It is different for each person.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We eat TS at least once a day, often twice and also eat at signatures around 3 times per trip (around 10 days). I make a lot spreadsheets to track costs and I just can't find a way to make the dinning plans work for us.

I would agree with this. Most of the scenarios I have ever come up with, we are breaking even at best with DDP. We have annual passes (take one vacation a year... with the second just barely within the 1-year limit thus using our passes twice ), and use TIW. Much better for us.

I also just have to say that the judgmental tone on these boards seems to have gone into hyperdrive recently! It seems difficult for people to ask even the most innocuous question w/o the thread devolving into insults. I think that ANY opinion can be voiced - contrary or not to the OP - without being insulting to boot! Might take a few deep breaths before posting, or skipping some threads that push our buttons, though...

 

[Luv2Camp]

I would agree with this. Most of the scenarios I have ever come up with, we are breaking even at best with DDP. We have annual passes (take one vacation a year... with the second just barely within the 1-year limit thus using our passes twice ), and use TIW. Much better for us.

I just worked up a scenerio with our family just to see if we came out ahead with the DDP on our last trip, or if we lost money. We actually broke even. And, I'm sure if we pay OOP on our next trip we won't order dessert with every meal. How many mini chocolate cakes should I eat in one vacation anyways!

BTW...LOVE the bats on your signature! We're getting in the "fall" spirit in our house!