This one not empty: Some Families Can Still Save with DDP, right?

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Sorry about empty duplicate posts - everything was stuck...

We have a trip coming up at the end of the month, and with all the changes and questions regarding the new DDP for the year, I keep asking myself, are we really saving anything? I've run the numbers before, but I put myself through that again! Come on, you know you've done it!

Okay, so we're paying for 2 adults and 2 kids. DDP cost is about $96 a day + OOP for tips (using Disney's 18% for these calculations).

LTT dinner OOP cost:
27.99x2
12.99x2
87.29 w/ (1.65 % tax) -TYPO MEANT X 1.065 OR 6.5%
TIP 15.71
=103.00

DDP cost 96 + 15.71 tip=111.71
$8.71 diff and DDP still gives you 4 snacks and CS meal
______________________________________________________________
HV lunch OOP cost:
24.99x2
13.99x2
83.03 w/ tax
TIP 14.94
=97.97

DDP cost 96 + 14.94 tip = 110.94
$12.97 diff and DDP still gives you 4 snacks and CS meal
___________________________________________________________
Ohana dinner OOP cost
25.99x2
11.99x2
80.90 w/ tax
TIP 14.56
=95.46

DDP cost 96 + 14.56 tip = 110.56
$15.10 diff and DDP still gives you 4 snacks and CS meal
____________________________________________________________
CP breakfast OOP cost:
18.99x2
10.99x2
63.86 w/ tax
TIP 11.49
=75.35

DDP cost 96 + 11.49 tip = 107.49
$32.14 diff - 4 snacks and CS will be close but still a few $ saved
________________________________________________________
CRT dinner OOP cost:
40.99x2
25.99x2
142.67 w/tax
TIP 25.68
=168.35

DDP cost 96 + 96 (2 credits) + 0 (Tip incl) = 192
$23.65 diff and you still get 8 snacks and 2 CS meals
_________________________________________________________

So even though it's not as good a deal as it was when tips were included, it still seems like we're saving even though we're not going to upscale restaurants that might end with a higher bill. Of course, once the kids start having to pay adult prices for DDP, I think we'll be saying bye-bye DDP.

 

[becca011906]

I couldn't agree more we have never stayed on site so this is the first time we've been able to use the DDP, so we won't know the differance but still it's saving, and my dh is the type who would turn his noise up at the costs of sit downs but since it's pre paid he won't blink and eye!!!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

If you use it fully and diligently, yes, you can save money. But there are so many people out there, running to the gift shoppe right before they leave, trying to use up the CS and snack credits they didn't get to use during the week, you really have to plan well and use those credits up to get your money's worth out of it.

 

[Maraena]

We were definitely one of those who had CS and snack credits left over. For some odd reason, my DFi just wasn't hungry for most of the trip. I think part of it was just that he got off schedule and part was that he didn't want to stop long enough to eat. We ended up leaving snack credits behind but still saved a huge chunk of change without them.

This next trip, however, we will definitely have to be very diligent in using all of our credits to the best extent possible. We are going during the F&WF so the snack credits shouldn't be as much of an issue. (Plus, it will be a lot warmer so I expect that DFi will want a lot more ice cream than he wanted during a chilly December trip.)

One of the big things that I'm going to have to do is force us both to stop and eat so that we don't end up with CS's left at the end. We only had 2 so we grabbed sandwiches, drinks, and cookies for dessert but we ended up getting last minute sandwiches rather than the ones I'd wanted. Live and learn! I'm just glad it wasn't a costly decision!

 

[patsal]

Yes, depending on the demographics of the group, the choice of TS venue and if the plan aligns with your personal eating styles. Personally while on vacation the DxDDP is my style, DH's as well, the kids are more regular DDP, but prefer an app over dessert. CS desserts are nothing worth getting excited IMHO and usually full from lunch they don't get eaten. Since we tend to do our big vacation in the summer it is hot and we dont' eat as much, usually on the last day I scramble to use snack credits and some CS credits.
For us change the scenario to a few days at Christmas and we'd get the plan, look at 12 days in July and we'lll skip the plan.
I think the real issue now is that it used to be at least a small savings regardless of if you ate all the food and it was really all inclusive. Now you have to work it and plan more to be sure you save money and since it is not all inclusive it loses its luster. Knowing that tips would be an additional $900+ for a family of four (kids over 10)just for tips on the DXDDP for 12 days really makes me rethink and choose not go withthe plan.

 

[carmiedog]

Yup. I did menu planning last night and no matter how we do it (with the exception of eating groceries in room), the DDP still saves us money even with tips. Not a ton, but some. Just having the kids eat at a dinner buffet covers our cost for them right there. When the kids get older I don't know how the numbers will work out with everyone on the adult plan.

Other deciding factors are I don't like being told how much my tip will be (DDE) and if we didn't have DDP my husband is a cheapskate and we wouldn't get to eat anything besides PBJ in the room. I do all the planning and with it prepaid he thinks he's getting a great deal! Shhhhhh!

The only disadvantage is dessert. We're very much an appetizer family. But our next trip isn't until 2009 so I'm hoping for an option by then.

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

Yes, depending on the demographics of the group, the choice of TS venue and if the plan aligns with your personal eating styles. Knowing that tips would be an additional $900+ for a family of four (kids over 10)just for tips on the DXDDP for 12 days really makes me rethink and choose not go withthe plan.

Spending that much money on tips alone would scare me away from all TS dining for sure!! Yikes!

For those of you who said it depends on if you get full use of the plan, I totally agree. If you aren't using everything, you really aren't saving. If we were going OOP, we probably would be sharing more and not buying desserts (except for the occasional snack).

When my oldest turns 10, I'll have a really hard time paying around $40 a day for her. Too much!

Thanks for the input everyone!

 

[gomomgo]

Looking beyond dollars and cents, I find added value in having the meals paid for (mostly) and planned. As long as we break even on average then I'm okay with the plan not being a huge money saver.

 

[mickeystoontown]

I've found that if we purchase the dining plan, we are more apt to try new restaurants and order different foods.

On the trips where we paid out of pocket, we would only eat two or three table service meals over a ten day period. We were okay with that until we bought the dining plan. Then we wondered how in the world were we ever satisfied with eating so many counter service meals for both lunch and dinner.

While I don't plan our counter service meals, I do plan our table service meals very well. We usually stick with a table service meal at whatever resort or theme park we will be in on that certain day. I also use the table service credits at dinner so that I am getting more bang for my buck.

I do wish Disney would give you the choice of ordering either an appetizer OR a dessert instead of just a dessert. I guess they figure that would get too confusing for both the castmembers and the guests.

We use our snack credits for ice cream, churros, breakfast items, etc. Since we drive to WDW, we have the benefit of bringing along snack type items such as chips, snack cakes, fruit snacks, candy, etc. We also stay at either a moderate resort or a deluxe resort so we have a refrigerator to cool our water and drinks.

I also like to have the satisfaction of knowing that all my meals are paid for ahead of time and the only money I need to bring along is for souvniers or those "just can't live without" items.

 

[patsal]

If it wasn't for that additional $900 in tips I'd use the DXDDP, but it loses its all inclusive nature the minute I have to pay OOP.

 

[DisOrBust]

It makes more sense with kids under 10. However, would you really eat that much if y"ou were paying out of pocket?? The whole "it's paid for ahead of time aguement is kinda of gone iIMHO since you still have to deal with the tip. It also makes you plan your trip around your meals so you don't miss using the DDP. Also, what happen to us, SICKNESS! With a stomach bug the whole cost savings goes out the window.

I have been telling people the "few" bucks it saves you now I'm not sure are worth being so tied down and force feeding yourself, just IMHO.

Remember to also consider would you be better off with an AP, AP room rate and using the DDE.

 

[jensen]

We've used DDP for our last three trips, but I think this new plan is the end of it for us. I keep crunching the numbers and I see how we can get more food for less money... but, it's not the food we would normally eat. We are appetizer people and dessert just doesn't do it for us. Last year, I found that I was asking for substitions (like grapes or apples) for dessert at our CS meals and then just ordering dessert (because it was included) to only take a bite or two at our TS meals. I would never have ordered them if they weren't included. We are the opposite of most in that we always have TS credits left at the end of our trips. We would rather spend our time on rides and enjoying the parks than sitting in a restaurant, eating a big meal. With that in mind, I figured the costs of a 6-day trip with 3 TS meals (appetizers, no desserts) and 9 CS meals and a few snacks and I came out about $50 ahead. It's not that much, but if I add in the cost of adding appetizers to all the TS meals and the tips for those meals we wouldn't normally do TS and we are more like $150 ahead.

I REALLY hate the thought of not doing DDP because I LOVE LOVE LOVE the convenience of having everything paid for up front and not having to think about budget while on vacation. But, this new plan just doesn't fit us. I'm praying they add appetizers back in - then we'll probably be back.

 

[patsal]

It makes more sense with kids under 10. However, would you really eat that much if y"ou were paying out of pocket?? The whole "it's paid for ahead of time aguement is kinda of gone iIMHO since you still have to deal with the tip. It also makes you plan your trip around your meals so you don't miss using the DDP. Also, what happen to us, SICKNESS! With a stomach bug the whole cost savings goes out the window.

I have been telling people the "few" bucks it saves you now I'm not sure are worth being so tied down and force feeding yourself, just IMHO.

Remember to also consider would you be better off with an AP, AP room rate and using the DDE.

Well for us that is exactly it--no we would never have two snacks a day, heck we usually don't even have one hence trecking around to use up snack credits on the last day. For four of us three CS meals plus an extra drink easily fills us all up, leaving additional CS to be used up--the only credits we used full were the TS--nope we dont' share here at all, and honestly while paying OOP it will be one or two apps for the whole table, four entrees, four drinks and maybe a dessert or two depending on where and what. Now take a variety of AP discounts, and DVC discounts and I'm going to be saving anywhere from 10-30% without a DDE card--I still may get this so I can save on the alcohol and not have to work as hard to figure which discount is for where and at what time as well, but still really undecided. Now throw in that we prefer a larger TS lunch not late night dinners and you have a whole new combo of reasons not to use the DDP

 

[MickeyReeds]

I am relatively sure that tax is included in the DDP, so I figured that into the decision making for our family. I just guessed that it was around 6%--anybody know what it actually is in FL? If you are comparing the plan vs oop, you should take that into account too.

 

[jensen]

I am relatively sure that tax is included in the DDP, so I figured that into the decision making for our family. I just guessed that it was around 6%--anybody know what it actually is in FL? If you are comparing the plan vs oop, you should take that into account too.

I used 6.5% in my calculations... I think I read that on here somewhere.

 

[jensen]

I am relatively sure that tax is included in the DDP, so I figured that into the decision making for our family. I just guessed that it was around 6%--anybody know what it actually is in FL? If you are comparing the plan vs oop, you should take that into account too.

Yes, tax is included in the DDP rate. I used 6.5% in my calculations. I think I found that percentage on here somewhere.

 

[tink fan]

I'm confused by the example for CRT. Why don't you need to tip at CRT if you are on the DDP?

 

[tink fan]

1

 

[patsal]

I'm confused by the example for CRT. Why don't you need to tip at CRT if you are on the DDP?

You are correct, the tip is not included in the price of CRT. For those who are planning on avoiding additioanl tips while using any form of DDP in 2008 I believe the limitations for included are room service, HDDR, and the Luau. If there are others I am not aware.

 

[bluslag]

We are going in a couple months and have been debating whether we will use the DDP. We have made all our reservations so I think we will eat at these restaurants regardless of what we plan we do. One of our considerations is the DDE discount card but I think all that would do is save us the price of the tip because we usually tip around 20% and we are going to be automatically charged 18% because we are a larger table. I think we will have a better time if we do the DDP because we can order whatever we would like and not worry about the price because most nights we are eating at very nice restaurants. As most posters have commented on we would rather have an app than dessert but I have tried to explain to my husband that we don't have to order the dessert. If we are full we still keep eating on the DDP. So I think if we are going to eat where we want to eat and they are all on the DDP it still makes sense to use the plan. I don't think we save nearly as much as last year but we still save a little and it makes vacation that much enjoyable.