Should I use the DDP?!?

[gabzee]

Hey everyone! I have been to DW many many times but I have always paid out of pocket. I am going to be staying at CSR for 1 night and I will be going alone. If I was to get the DP I would most likely get the DxDP. From my understanding the credits are based on the number of nights that you stay (since I am staying one night on the DxDP I would have 3 meal credits and 2 snack credits). Is this correct? By the time I arrive on Friday, I would be having 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners during my stay. I am a person that at home normally has 3 meals a day as well as at Disney. I would most likely get a dessert with dinner but I don't know if I would have one for lunch. I already have an ADR for 1900 Park Fare for breakfast. I plan on having dinner at a TS both nights; however, I'm not sure where yet. Possibly, Artist Point, Boma, Ohana, etc. I'm going to make an ADR for Via Napoli for lunch one day as well. I know that I don't have enough credits to cover all of my meals. However, I was wondering if you thought based on the meals that I am having if it is worth getting?!? Thank you!

 

[summermac]

Look at the menus online and see what the cost would be OOP vs. DxDP.

Also how do you eat typically at the TS restaurants? Do you always get an appetizer, an entree AND a dessert?

 

[gabzee]

That is the problem... normally at home with my whole family (the 4 of us) we will get an appetizer or two and share, individual entrees, and the dessert depends on the night and how full we are. I can't eat/ don't like chocolate (I know... I'm the one of the few people that don't like chocolate) so that limits my dessert choices but I think I would most likely get a dessert at Disney if they had something that I liked. There are certain appetizers that I want to try at restaurants that I would try if my family was there. I figured if I got the DP you already paid for an appetizer, entree, and dessert so I would look like less of a pig. If I am not mistaken, the DxDP is $92ish per night. I don't normally pay much attention to the prices but is it possible to break even or come out better if you don't order the most expensive item on the menu?

 

[MolonLabe]

That is the problem... normally at home with my whole family (the 4 of us) we will get an appetizer or two and share, individual entrees, and the dessert depends on the night and how full we are. I can't eat/ don't like chocolate (I know... I'm the one of the few people that don't like chocolate) so that limits my dessert choices but I think I would most likely get a dessert at Disney if they had something that I liked. There are certain appetizers that I want to try at restaurants that I would try if my family was there. I figured if I got the DP you already paid for an appetizer, entree, and dessert so I would look like less of a pig. If I am not mistaken, the DxDP is $92ish per night. I don't normally pay much attention to the prices but is it possible to break even or come out better if you don't order the most expensive item on the menu?

I can say that I am one of the few people who ONLY like chocolate deserts and I would have a hard time finding a suitable desert many nights, lol. Usually only one of the choices was chocolate.

DxDP is right at $90 a night per adult. You get 3 TS, 2 snacks and the refillable resort mug.

I did a post on here last week called "Deluxe Dining plan spread sheet tale of the tape" check it out for a full break down, we "came out ahead" about $450 as opposed to paying OOP vs the full price purchase of the DxDP over the course of 4 nights. That doesn't include some other stuff like not having to tip at CRT, 18% would have been over $30. Some of it doesn't include taxes either which would have put us easily over the $500 mark for just 4 nights of the plan.

I will say it was nice to sit down and not think twice about what to order because it was all already paid. Ditto for all the snacks.

Conversely, because of the DxDP we left something like $300 worth of tips based on the menu price of the food we ordered in those 4 nights and 5 days. Most of our lunch time tips would have paid 100% for a counter service meal for all 4 of us, lol.

Over all I'm glad we did it and we are going to the DxDP for this years Christmas trip as well. I think we will come out much farther ahead this time as we have several places in mind like Bistro, Nacroossee, California Grill that are higher priced places as compared to a few of the other places we went in May 2011 like Tony's, Liberty tree and coral reef.

Oh +1000 for 1900 park fare for breakfast, it was by far the best breakfast food we've had at WDW.

 

[MolonLabe]

Here is the link to my spread sheet break down:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2884012

As for your situation. I'd use the TS credits for dinner each day. 1 for breakfast at 1990 park fare and then use the two snacks and have a cup of water for lunch one day (probably the day when you do 1900 park fare, you'll be stuffed!)

The other lunch that isn't covered I'd do via napoli or a CS meal and pay it OOP. This way you make sure you are on the winning end of the DxDP.

 

[gabzee]

Here is the link to my spread sheet break down:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2884012

As for your situation. I'd use the TS credits for dinner each day. 1 for breakfast at 1990 park fare and then use the two snacks and have a cup of water for lunch one day (probably the day when you do 1900 park fare, you'll be stuffed!)

The other lunch that isn't covered I'd do via napoli or a CS meal and pay it OOP. This way you make sure you are on the winning end of the DxDP.

Thank you so much for the link! Very helpful! We love 1900 Park as well and do it every trip. I was wondering about the refillable mug. The mug comes with the DxDP... correct? Do you have to pay for additional refills? Thanks!

 

[MolonLabe]

Thank you so much for the link! Very helpful! We love 1900 Park as well and do it every trip. I was wondering about the refillable mug. The mug comes with the DxDP... correct? Do you have to pay for additional refills? Thanks!

The mug has unlimited refills at the resorts. Unfortunately not in the parks. We used our mugs for water and ice in the parks but we were able to leave them with the stroller on rides. Not sure how good of an idea it would be for you to lug it around though. We also used the water (or iced tea) from our TS meals to refill as well, although that probably is frowned upon, our servers never cared.

Forgive formatting, sent from my phone.

 

[sharonabe]

You will probably do better than break even and even if you do the three buffets you have listed, your 2 snacks and mug will be "free." If you choose a little pricier dinners where you can choose an app and dessert, you'll do even better.

If you decide to do it, I'd pay the breakfast at 1900 Park Fare OOP and use the 3 TS credits for your lunch at Via Napoli and your 2 dinners.

 

[gabzee]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and opinions! I probably won't carry around the mug in the park but it would come in handy for sure. Thanks for the note about what meal to do OOP. It makes sense... I'll probably pay for 1900 Park OOP. I believe that I will now be trying the DP for the first part of my trip! Thanks for your help!