Should we get the DDP?

[Feckless]

I need an opinion on whether or not in my circumstances it would be sensible to purchase the DDP.

I am staying for 10 days, arriving at MCO at 1 p.m. on Day 1.

I have one TS meal booked for each day, with 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch and the rest dinner.

Most are expensive, such as Tutto Italia and Brown Derby; a couple (Via Napoli, Captain's Grille) are more reasonable.

Brown Derby is our only 2 TS meal.

I used Allears to price out the meals, and without drinks (I should have included one drink, but I forgot! Sorry!) it was about $1200 to pay OOP for just the meals that we have booked.

We are staying CL so we will be able to use the lounge for some breakfasts and snacks.

We are 3 "Disney Adults" and 1 "Disney Child". So, with DDP being $55 per adult and $19 per child, that's about $2200. We will probably buy the refillable mugs unless someone tells me that's nuts with CL, in any event. LOL We are planning at least 4 full resort days - most of our ADRs are for Epcot.

So, will we be likely to spend $100 more a day on food, on top of the one TS?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[goofy4tink]

You need to sit, and figure day by day, what your food costs will be. I know what my costs are before we get there, but I've been to WDW many times.
Figure out snacks, as well as any TS meals and CS meals. Add up the costs for these meals. Be sure to calculate tips in that as well...I like to keep it in a column by itself.
Then, figure out the costs using the DDP...but be sure to add in tips when you total the costs. A lot of people forget the tips and they can really add up.

With the cost of the DDP skyrocketing now, I can't see myself ever getting it again. I did get it in Oct when we traveled with another couple and we had at least one 2 TS meal booked each day.We booked the deluxe plan due to the 2 TS meals. It worked for us, but that was pretty much the only time it has in recent memory. But now that the regular DDP has gone to $55ish, there is no way I am buying it. Dear heavens...I remember when it was about $35 per day, and it included a lot more!!!

So, do your homework, and then make a decision.

 

[havoc315]

I need an opinion on whether or not in my circumstances it would be sensible to purchase the DDP.

I am staying for 10 days, arriving at MCO at 1 p.m. on Day 1.

I have one TS meal booked for each day, with 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch and the rest dinner.

Most are expensive, such as Tutto Italia and Brown Derby; a couple (Via Napoli, Captain's Grille) are more reasonable.

Brown Derby is our only 2 TS meal.

I used Allears to price out the meals, and without drinks (I should have included one drink, but I forgot! Sorry!) it was about $1200 to pay OOP for just the meals that we have booked.

We are staying CL so we will be able to use the lounge for some breakfasts and snacks.

We are 3 "Disney Adults" and 1 "Disney Child". So, with DDP being $55 per adult and $19 per child, that's about $2200. We will probably buy the refillable mugs unless someone tells me that's nuts with CL, in any event. LOL We are planning at least 4 full resort days - most of our ADRs are for Epcot.

So, will we be likely to spend $100 more a day on food, on top of the one TS?

Thanks for any insight.

Especially with the club level, there would be absolutely no need for the mugs. The mugs can only be refilled at the food court soda fountain. Your rooms will actually be closer to the club lounge -- where you can get unlimited beverages, including some alcoholic beverages. So I don't understand how the mugs would have any value, whatsoever.

The club lounge should also significantly reduce your need to "snack." You won't need to expend snack credits for breakfast, plus there are snack foods available through the day at the club level. Some people even turn the dinner appetizers into a small meal, especially if they have eaten well the rest of the day. Knowing there are always snacks and desserts available at the club, may also lessen your desire to order desserts with your CS meals. (In fact, good desserts are available in the evening, lessening the desire to order desserts with your TS meals as well. Did you budget include ordering desserts with dinner?)

Finally, if you have 10 meals planned, and 1 of the meals is a 2-credit meal, it means you would have to pay for 1 of your TS meals OOP. So IN ADDITION to the cost of the DDP, you would need to factor in paying for 1 meal OOP. If you are staying 11 nights, then you have enough credits -- but -- you described Brown Derby as expensive. When using the DDP -- it's very cheap, a bad use of credits. You are basically paying $35 per TS credit, and a meal at Brown Derby is typically around $50-- So you are paying $70 for a $50 meal.

All that said, your pricing looks off. We have confirmed that the $55/19 is incorrect... It's more like $53/15 during peak. Are you staying 10 nights of 11 nights?

Personally, I doubt you need the DDP. I doubt it will save you anything at all.

But it really depends on your personal preferences. 3 adult CS meals and 1 child's CS meals can run anywhere from $30-70 for lunch, depending on the price of the entrees and whether you include desserts. If you do use all your snacks, that's anywhere from $10-20 per day.

So it sounds like even if you maximized snacks and CS lunches, you would still lose money or barely break even under the plan.

I'd carefully consider the math. You paid a premium for club level, so plan on taking advantage of it. If your dinner plans are near your hotel, are you going to order dessert at dinner, or take advantage of the desserts in the club lounge?
Are you going to use all of your snack credits, or often snack at the club?

With food constantly available at the club, would you even use all your CS meals?

Assuming you don't maximize all your entitlements, you will likely lose money.

Based on your reservations, even if you do come close to maximizing your entitlements, it seems unlikely you will do better than breaking even.

 

[Feckless]

Thank you so much for the insight. I really appreciate your posts.

It appears that I have the cost of the DDP for us wrong - it should be $1740 for us for the trip. Just the meals that we have planned are going to be $1200, plus drinks. I plan on maximizing the use of the lounge to keep the other dining and snack expenses down. Upon reflection, with CL, there should be no need for the refillable mug (plus my kids will drink too much Coke!)

I am leaning towards not getting it...

 

[havoc315]

Thank you so much for the insight. I really appreciate your posts.

It appears that I have the cost of the DDP for us wrong - it should be $1740 for us for the trip. Just the meals that we have planned are going to be $1200, plus drinks. I plan on maximizing the use of the lounge to keep the other dining and snack expenses down. Upon reflection, with CL, there should be no need for the refillable mug (plus my kids will drink too much Coke!)

I am leaning towards not getting it...

So putting it in perspective... *If* you spent $45 per day on CS (probably about what you would spend if you skip CS desserts), and $9 per day on snacks (average 2- 3 snacks per day, plus your club level snacks), then you would approximately break even. And maybe even get your beverages for "free."
Not sure if your 1200 included desserts for each person at each meal. If that 1200 is a high estimate -- then even less chance that the DDP will save you money. As you may find yourselves skipping some desserts. Or being full from the club level, and ordering smaller/cheaper meals.
And if you are spending a lot of time at the resort and with club level... You may find yourself having so much fun at the pool, and with sufficient "free" food at the club, you may even find yourself canceling 1 or 2 adrs... Making the DDP even more costly.

On the other hand, if your 1200 was a low ball estimate. If you could see yourself easily going over it... and if you do want desserts with your CS meals, and if you can see yourself really maximizing your snacks, even with the club snacks.... Then conceivably, it may be possible for the DDP to save you a couple hundred dollars.

 

[Huff]

We've added up our expected food costs and DDP saves us several $100 for a 9 night stay. You need to remember to figure in costs for TS, CS, snacks, drinks at each meal as well as tax which are all included in DDP. Also include dessert costs although many paying OOP would not order dessert so its a bonus if you enjoy such.

DDP now includes mugs free of charge.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I can't really say if DDP would save you money, but my family would be so full from the allowed entitlements we wouldn't take advantage of the club level offerings. I'd be more concerned with not getting my money's worth out of staying club level than whether or not I would save money with DDP. Are you okay with paying for the food in the lounge & not partaking of it? I guess I would need to consider why I booked club level in the first place. If the food offerings didn't factor into my reason for booking club level, I'd discount that all together, when making my decision. Just something for you to consider. Only you know your personal situation.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

We will be 3 Disney *Adults* and 1 child on our next trip. DD will be 10 on our next trip - We are also considering staying CL.
I have run the numbers a million times and they all end up the same way - NO WAY will I be getting the Dining Plan (first time without it in 5 years!)
Reason #1 - there is no way my daughter will eat enough to justify the adult price. Occasionally she may want to order something off the adult menu (normally from the dessert menu) - But she has always been happy with the kids offerings at many TS meals. The CS meals stink for kiddos - but we find sharing works well for us. We split the ribs at Flame Tree...a huge sandwich with sides at Sunshine Season, roast chicken meal at Cosmic Rays -etc..
Reason #2 - The CL lounge will be our place to go for breakfast every morning. We are not huge breakfast eaters...so a pastry, bagel, cereal, fresh fruit and coffee will be perfect for us.
Reason #3 - If you are staying at CL the refillable mugs make no sense..you can get all the beverages you need there (including beer and wine).
Reason #4 - We plan on spending quite a bit of time relaxing and enjoying our resort - we think we will enjoy the CL food offerings often.
Reason #5 - We do not plan on doing a TS every day...we have been underwhelmed by our TS meals the past few trips - we have a few favorites we want to revisit and few new ones we want to try, but not enough for 7 or 8 TS meals.

After MUCH extensive and ongoing research - CL and paying OOP seems to be the best choice for us.