Should we do the DDP?

[garys12]

Are there any general rules that you abide by when deciding on the DDP? We are going to be on site for 3 nites after a cruise staying at Port Orleans...

We are a family of 4 and already have ADRs at 1900 Park Fare for Dinner and Chef Mickeys for Lunch. My wife and I are hoping to do Epcot for a nite if my parents make the trip up from South Fla one nite to watch the kids.

IF we do 2 days at the parks, and one day at the resort, is the plan worth it?

Thanks

 

[sanbornangel]

We always do the DDP. For your 3 night stay you will get 3 table services, 3 counter services and a 3 snacks. You already have 2 table sevices you will need to get one more. Le Cellier is an excellent choice at Epcot. There are many threads and sites on maximizing your DDP. Even though it has changed this year we are still going for it. We are hoping (if we ever get to vacation just me and DH) to do the Deluxe plan and eat at all the signature restaurants.One thing to consider, you have to purchase the plan for all 4 of you. If you were planning on not taking the kids to dinner you will have 2 table service credits left over. Good luck with your planning

 

[Camster0307]

I would say it also depends on the age of your children. I won't do the DDP because my daughter is 12 and therefore considered an adult and would be charged as such. But, she certainly doesn't have an "adult" appetite - I just don't think she'd eat as much food as I would be paying for. She still likes to order off the children's menu at the many TS restaurants we eat at - which obviously is alot cheaper.

 

[La2kw]

We never do the DDP. We have never spent as much money on food as the DDP would cost us, and we have been on 20+ trips to WDW. Now since the tip and appetizer is not included, it has even less value than before, yet costs just as much.

 

[jenseib]

I find all Disney food expensive. If we didn't do the dining plan, we would eat at any table service resturants. We would only do CS and it still would be alot of money. I just told DH what a good deal it is and how we can eat at nicer resturants and he said OK. So we do character meals and eat alot! It's also nice becuase we don't have to worry about how much money to have for food. I still have to mention to Dh that this year the tip isn't included. He liked that about the plan before.

 

[Atchley]

I won't go without the DDP. We eat much better this way. Who wants to eat CS for a week? I also like that everything is paid for in advance. It really didn't matter to me that the appetizer is not included anymore and that the tips are now not included. I'm just glad to know they aren't included for our upcoming trip and will make sure to budget that into my expenses.

 

[septbaby]

Are there any general rules that you abide by when deciding on the DDP? We are going to be on site for 3 nites after a cruise staying at Port Orleans...

We are a family of 4 and already have ADRs at 1900 Park Fare for Dinner and Chef Mickeys for Lunch. My wife and I are hoping to do Epcot for a nite if my parents make the trip up from South Fla one nite to watch the kids.

IF we do 2 days at the parks, and one day at the resort, is the plan worth it?

Thanks

Assuming that your children are both 3-9yrs old the plan will cost your family $95.96 each day including all taxes.
Given that you have CM for lunch(its only a breakfast and dinner restaurant) tells me that you are going during a peak period where they're adding lunch. Most of the character meals have $4/$2 surcharge then:

PF Dinner will cost: $109 including tax, reduce by $13 if not at a peak time
Chef Mickey's will cost: $90

So the dining plan will cost you $288 for:
6TS Adult meals, 6TS Kids meals, 6CS Adult meals, 6CS Kids meals and 12 Snacks

Without the Dining plan you'll spend: $199 for 4TS Adult meals, 4TS Kid meals

So for just $89 more you get: 12 Snacks, 6CS Adult, 6CS Kids, 2TS Adult, 2TS Kids.

For me that screams get the Dining Plan.

 

[TDC Nala]

Moving to the Dining Plan board.

 

[garys12]

Thanks for the responses and even for doing the math for me. We are going to CMs for Breakfast.. I was eating my lunch while posting that so lunch was on the brain...

My kids are 7 and 5..

G

 

[garys12]

I think I just read somewhere that you must buy a park ticket??? Is this true?

We have 3 days left on never expiring tickets we bought 2 years ago. So I guess I am not a candidate anyway.

Can someone confirm this.

GS

 

[septbaby]

No problem, I did use CM's breakfast pricing in my calcs.

If its not a time when the surcharges are in effect then substract $13 from each meal total ($12 plus about $1 in taxes). So those meals will cost you $173 leaving you $115 to eat for a rest of your time there. As you can see you can easily eat up a chunk of that with you third TS meal. Even your date night is likely to cost $80 just for your entree, dessert and coffee at LeCellier.

After the cruise I would think getting the Deluxe Dining Plan would be too much food, but the base plan will be plenty and give you good choices and meal experiences.

I would suggest that your parents take the kids to Beaches and Cream. The kids can use their TS credits at a fun place and the grandparents won't spend a lot to eat. B&C is a glorified ice cream shop so Granma and Grandpa will get big FUN points for taking them there! Then they can stroll the boardwalk after dinner. Just be sure at least one of the kid's Key To The World cards has charging privledges. Otherwise they'd need one of your cards to pay for the meal and you'll need your cards to enter the park for your date night. We didn't allow charging on our 5yos card, but he was never without one of us. You have a different plan so just make sure to build in that flexibility.

Hmm, just saw your note on the tickets as well as the answer. I'm just starting to research and plan a short cruise for my family, so I don't have any experience there. I would just check with Disney Cruise Line to be sure there aren't any deals that would allow you buy the DP without buying tickets. Besides there are always deals and specials so you just never know.

 

[TDC Nala]

I think I just read somewhere that you must buy a park ticket??? Is this true?

We have 3 days left on never expiring tickets we bought 2 years ago. So I guess I am not a candidate anyway.

Can someone confirm this.

GS

In order to add the dining plan to a resort package, you must purchase at least a one-day base ticket for everyone on the reservation age 3 or over, unless you are a DVC member staying on points or you have an annual pass.

 

[garys12]

I will have to have my wife ask our TA. She handles that end.. I handle the planning end.. I have to think there is some sort of leeway since we booked the cruise. If we did not have the never expiring tickets, we probably wouldn't be doing the parks at all. One of the tickets still has all 6 nites left on it.. We bought a ticket for my son who was 3 two years ago, and was told upon arrival that we did not need a ticket for him.

We are doing the 4 day (2 castaway cay stop) cruise that leaves on May 11. 3 days in disney after - 2 in the park - one hanging at Port Orleans Riverside..

 

[Tricia1972]

Assuming that your children are both 3-9yrs old the plan will cost your family $95.96 each day including all taxes.
Given that you have CM for lunch(its only a breakfast and dinner restaurant) tells me that you are going during a peak period where they're adding lunch. Most of the character meals have $4/$2 surcharge then:

PF Dinner will cost: $109 including tax, reduce by $13 if not at a peak time
Chef Mickey's will cost: $90

So the dining plan will cost you $288 for:
6TS Adult meals, 6TS Kids meals, 6CS Adult meals, 6CS Kids meals and 12 Snacks

Without the Dining plan you'll spend: $199 for 4TS Adult meals, 4TS Kid meals

So for just $89 more you get: 12 Snacks, 6CS Adult, 6CS Kids, 2TS Adult, 2TS Kids.

For me that screams get the Dining Plan.

I agree if you are doing dinner at Park Fare, however since you mentioned lunch in your post I'm going to figure out with Park Fare as late Breakfast/Early Lunch to give you a few more numbers. To me it sounds like you're planning on doing an 11:00 Lunch at both places, which will give you breakfast pricing:



Breakfast for both meals
Non Peak - Including Tax OOP - $140.50
Park Fare Breakfast - $63.86
Chef Mickey Breakfast - $76.64

Peak - Including Tax OOP (Using Easter Pricing from WDWinfo) - $159.67
Park Fare Breakfast - $76.64
Chef Mickey Breakfast - $83.03

Breakfast for Chef Mickey - Dinner for Park Fare
Non Peak - Including Tax OOP - $172.45
Park Fare Dinner - $95.81
Chef Mickey Breakfast - $76.64


Peak - Including Tax OOP (Using Easter Pricing from WDWinfo) - $191.62
Park Fare Dinner - $108.59
Chef Mickey Breakfast - $83.03

Easter Pricing Link http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/easter.htm

You mentioned going to Epcot one night without the kids...
WS Dinners OOP - Including Tax for 2 Adults
LeCellier - 2 Fillets, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $81.32
Biergarten - $57.49 (non peak) $66.01 (peak)
Chefs de France - 2 Beef Fillets, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $87.52
Nine Dragons - 2 Pepper Steaks, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $57.47
Rose & Crown - 2 Fish and Chips, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $51.50
Restaurant Marrakesh - 2 Roasted Lambs, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages $74.74
San Angel Inn - 2 Plato Mexicano, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $61.62
Tutto Italia - 2 [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tortelloni alla Panna Tartufata, 2 Desserts and 2 Beverages - $85.60

DDP Cost for 3 Nights - $287.88

With the DDP you'll get 3 CS meal options for your group:

CS - Assuming you order your own meals with Desserts on Average:
$7.00 Burger/Sandwich. $2.09 Beverage, $3.50 Dessert - $13.41/Adult
$4.78 - Kids Meal

CS - Assuming you order your own meals without Desserts on Average:
$7.00 Burger/Sandwich, $2.09 Beverage - $9.68/Adult
$4.78 - Kids Meal

OOP Options:
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1. Breakfast Both Buffets - Non Peak OOP $140.50
a. CS Option With Dessert - $109.14
b. CS Option Without Dessert - $86.76
2. Breakfast Both Buffets - Peak OOP $159.67
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] a. CS Option With Dessert - $109.14
b. CS Option Without Dessert - $86.76[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] 3. Breakfast CM/Dinner Park Fare - Non Peak OOP - $172.45
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] a. CS Option With Dessert - $109.14
b. CS Option Without Dessert - $86.76[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] 4. Breakfast CM/Dinner Park Fare - Peak OOP - $191.62
[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] a. CS Option With Dessert - $109.14
b. CS Option Without Dessert - $86.76

Option 1a - $249.64
Option 1b - $227.26

Option 2a - $268.81
Option 2b - $246.43

Option 3a - $281.59
Option 3b - $259.21

Option 4a - $300.76
Option 4b - $278.38

DDP Cost - $287.88

The only way you can possibly lose on the DDP would be to use Option 1b and eat at Rose and Crown at Epcot. Even then you could break even with clever use of your snack credits.

For your family, I say the DDP works - no matter which buffet you're doing!
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[TDC Nala]

I will have to have my wife ask our TA. She handles that end.. I handle the planning end.. I have to think there is some sort of leeway since we booked the cruise. If we did not have the never expiring tickets, we probably wouldn't be doing the parks at all. One of the tickets still has all 6 nites left on it.. We bought a ticket for my son who was 3 two years ago, and was told upon arrival that we did not need a ticket for him.

We are doing the 4 day (2 castaway cay stop) cruise that leaves on May 11. 3 days in disney after - 2 in the park - one hanging at Port Orleans Riverside..

I don't believe there is any exception for persons booking a cruise. The only guests exempt from the ticket requirement appear to be annual passholders and DVC members.

If you really want the dining plan, you would have the option of adding 1-day base tickets, which never expire.

 

[septbaby]

Buying more tickets to sit on the shelf probably isn't worth it right now as that would be about $280 for your family. You'll probably spend more on food than the cost of the DP, but you'd still have that $280 in your pocket. This way you'll be able to use up those tickets and able to buy the full package with DP for your next WDW trip.

If you want to trim the meal expense just do one of the character meals and eat CS in place of the other. Your kids will get a fair amount of fun on the cruise and in the parks so its not a huge let down. Besides most are pretty full when they roll of those all you can eat cruises,

As for any deals I'd still ask the question. You are no worse off if the answer comes back NO, but you might just be luck up on some promotion.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I suggest purchasing the DDP it is so worth it...when we got home I added up all the receipts, I know it does not give the price so at each restaurant I made a point to carry a pencil to write down the amount the meal cost, and the amount that we would have paid was outrageous...we went to Jiko and that restaurant alone for the 3 of us would have cost $160US, which means we would not have been able to experience the great food there because we would not been able to afford it...I lived and loved having the DDP....we had 3 character meals, '50's Prime Time and like I said Jiko...also just a point that even at lunch for CS meals if we didn't have it it would have been expensive...so all in all I would definitely recommend the DDP...

 

[KorieDWnut]

we never used to do the DDP because our kids were always so little and barely ate anyway. It is a constant fight to get them, even the 9yo, to eat all or most of their food. Usually we would just always eat at CS places and have them share 1-2 meals between them. The only TS we ever did was RFC and it isn't on the ddp anyway. But now that I do the numbers, I think it is worth it while the kids are so little because it is only, what, like 10 dollars per day per kid and then we could go to TS places and DH and I would make it worth it by what we would order.

We are doing DDP this August with just me and 2 of the girls. I want to try TS places this time and based on where my ADRs are and what I will likely order, it is worth it.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Definitely worth it....

 

[Tricia1972]

Buying more tickets to sit on the shelf probably isn't worth it right now as that would be about $280 for your family. You'll probably spend more on food than the cost of the DP, but you'd still have that $280 in your pocket. This way you'll be able to use up those tickets and able to buy the full package with DP for your next WDW trip.

If you want to trim the meal expense just do one of the character meals and eat CS in place of the other. Your kids will get a fair amount of fun on the cruise and in the parks so its not a huge let down. Besides most are pretty full when they roll of those all you can eat cruises,

As for any deals I'd still ask the question. You are no worse off if the answer comes back NO, but you might just be luck up on some promotion.

Again I agree! If the numbers are accurate and you'll spend an additional $280 on the tickets in order to purchase the DDP and from the numbers that I roughly worked up, there is no way that you'll get another $280 of value out of the plan.

I think that you can still eat where you're planning to eat and you'll break pretty even to what the cost of the DDP is. Especially if you cut a few corners at CS locations (sharing an occasional meal and not ordering dessert).

Maybe you should go to Rose & Crown on your Epcot night and order the Fish and Chips

Have a great trip!