spreadsheet to see if DDP/QS is "worth" it?

[KelseyLaPerle]

I have found spreadsheets for every imaginable purpose on here and am hoping that someone out there has created one that will help me figure out if the dining plan will be financially better for us for our upcoming trip (August 2012).

Have you heard of such a thing? Are you willing to share?
Thanks!

 

[valvalis]

Unless you usually buy a drink and dessert for every person at every meal then it's probably not economically viable to pay for the DDP out of pocket.

It's definitely more convenient, though, and I enjoy it very much when it's "free".

 

[ses1230]

You can look at the menus here on the DIS and on allears for the prices and then compare.

I think it depends on how/what you like to eat. I do agree with pp, though, that dessert with every meal is a little much for me since we usually don't do that at home. And with the price increase for next year, I'm not sure it's worth it.

As far as the spreadsheet if you want to go that route, DISer Cafeen has one HERE.

 

[prince.john]

There really are too many variables to answer the cost compare question acurately for everyone. I recently did this for my sister. (showing info here)
I basically looked over variour menus on Allears, and got average prices at different locations. Then compared that to the Basic Dining Plan.

Adult: QS brkst 11 - QS lunch 12 - snack 3 - sit down dinner 30
Child: QS brkfst 6 - QS lunch 8 - snack 3 - sit down dinner 12

Since thq dinin plan allows for 1 QS 1 snack and 1 sit down, I dropped
the breakfast amounts from my comparrison (since that was the least
expensive, and the worst value)

Out of pocket: Adult 45 + Child 23 = 68
Meal plan: Adult 52 + Child 16 = 68

Long story short - If you do everything average, its a wash. If you use the meal plan for higher end meals, its a deal. If you leave some snacks/meals unused its a loss... But if its a free plan, then its a real bargain.

 

[sharonabe]

There really are too many variables to answer the cost compare question acurately for everyone. I recently did this for my sister. (showing info here)
I basically looked over variour menus on Allears, and got average prices at different locations. Then compared that to the Basic Dining Plan.

Adult: QS brkst 11 - QS lunch 12 - snack 3 - sit down dinner 30
Child: QS brkfst 6 - QS lunch 8 - snack 3 - sit down dinner 12

Since thq dinin plan allows for 1 QS 1 snack and 1 sit down, I dropped
the breakfast amounts from my comparrison (since that was the least
expensive, and the worst value)

Out of pocket: Adult 45 + Child 23 = 68
Meal plan: Adult 52 + Child 16 = 68

Long story short - If you do everything average, its a wash. If you use the meal plan for higher end meals, its a deal. If you leave some snacks/meals unused its a loss... But if its a free plan, then its a real bargain.

I think your Adult QS lunch is a little low and your Child QS lunch a little high.

A small drink is $2.59 and most desserts are $3.99, so that's $6.58, leaving you with less than $6 for the entree. I don't know of any QS entree that is less than $6. (And we haven't included tax yet).

The kids' QS are all pretty much $5.50 and that includes everything they are entitled to, so I'm not sure where your $8 came from as an average.

Don't get me wrong, I think the DDP is over priced and over rated, but more because we don't want and usually can't eat desserts at every meal and prefer water over soda.

 

[Bete]

If you use all your credits to the maximum you'll never go wrong economically getting the plan, QS or regular dining. This basically means ordering all the most expensive items every chance you get. Now, you don't have to do this 100%, but I would say you would need to accomplish this around 75% of the time.

One big difference with going out of pocket vs. plan is that sales tax is included in the plans.

Another consideration is added gratuity going to TS meals on the regular plan vs. QS.

Free dining is quite a promotion and ususally makes it easier to say yes to dining plans. In return you pay full price for your resort room. With value resorts and moderates this is usually a good deal. For those staying deluxe it will depend on what discounts can be had for those resorts.

I think one issue with dining plans is we all tend to overeat to get our money's worth. One school of thought will say hey, it's vacation and it's fun to go a little overboard and enjoy ourselves this way. Others will say, I wouldn't order desert; so, the dining plan is not worth it. You have to decide where you fall; which camp are you in.

Before I make my final decision on the plan or what kind of plan to do I will use the menus of the restaurants and do a pretend scenario and then I can exactly what I should do.

Another consideration is the time factor. Every meal you do at the parks/resorts is less time for the park rides and attractions.

Personally, I like the dining plans, either one. I've done more free dining, but I have paid for plans, too.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[tpettie]

Here is a link to Cafeen's spreadsheet. He's a dis member who created an excel spreadsheet hope it helps

http://www.allansanschagrin.com/disney-dining-plan-cost-analysis-spreadsheet/