To do DDP or not...that's the question!

[hockeyprincess]

Hey all,

The clock is ticking for me to make my ADR's for our upcoming July trip. I need your help!! We have always had a studio and always had the Basic DDP. I am a fan of the DDP and have always thought it a very convenient way to travel and be able to afford to eat out.

However this trip we will have a 1BR and are CONSIDERING groceries for our 9-day 8-night trip. I'm not a gourmet chef by any means, heck even chef is a stretch...LOL But how do you all that get groceries (either delivered or on your own) plan the meals for that amount of time? I'm not too much of a meal planner either, I open the freezer at night and whatever is there is what we eat usually....I throw together meals at the last minute most times.

There's only 4 of us and we are flying, meaning I want little to no waste at all if we're doing the grocery route. We can take very little back with us, and perishables will end up in the trash. I just don't trust that I will know what to buy and fix for meals while we're there!!!!

Help me decide please, between groceries or $800+ for the dining plan! We are doing very little in the way of park visits, one day MAYBE two, but will visit water parks, etc. But there are plenty of restaurants that we like to visit outside of the parks also. I'm just so torn! Opinions? Menus? Suggestions?

 

[dianeschlicht]

I understand the convenience idea of the DDP, but we tracked how we prefered to eat over a couple of trips. Two trips where we had the DDP and 2where we went using the TIW card discount only. We saved a couple hundred dollars each time we did the TIW card trips over the cost of the DDP. Besides that, we RARELY eat counter service, so most of those went to waste on the DDP, and we also rarely eat desserts, but would prefer to get appetizers.

We always have at least breakfast in the villa, and usually buy things like fruit, salad fixings, and sometimes pasta to have for quick meals and lunches as well as snacks. We figured all those costs into our cost comparison too, and we still came out more than $200 better going "on our own" over the cost of the DDP. Remember that you also have to figure in an 18% automatically charged tip too.

 

[allshookup]

If you ask this on the DDP board, you'd probably gets lots of people telling you to buy the DDP plan, however on this board, you'll probably get a majority of people telling you don't bother. I believe people buy the DDP & steadfastly defend the fact that they are getting their money's worth. However, I think you should "do the math". Do you really eat dessert with every meal? Do you really buy a Mickey bar (just an example) every single day you are there? Are you "paying" for things on the DDP you don't normally eat? Like Diane, I've done all the math for us & we save money over the DDP by eating breakfast, sometimes lunch & late night snacks in our villa, even without the TIW card, but we save even more with 20% off.

With a full kitchen it is so nice to have coffee & breakfast items on hand & just linger in the villa. We typically have soup, sandwiches, snacks & sometimes we bring back pizza from WPE (Wolfgang Puck Express) to heat up later. We then have one TS or big counter service meal out & maybe grab a hotdog if we're out & about for long time.

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

I'd get groceries. Since you won't be in the parks all day every day, you'll have time to make quick and easy meals. The online grocery service can come back and deliver more groceries (I think I read somewhere that a return visit doesn't have a delivery fee, just need to tip I think?), so order minimum of what you need, and just order again if needed.

Remember that they do sell groceries at the DVC resorts, not a huge selection, but pretty good. And the prices are a little high but not outrageous. (If you only run out of bread and milk, just buy it at the resort)Also, do a search here on the boards, and you will find a lot of suggestions for meals that are quick & easy, that don't require a lot of ingredients. Search online for recipes too.

Since you won't be in the parks much, it will be easy to get a resort restaurant reservation somewhere, if you don't feel like cooking all your meals, and just want to go sit down and east somewhere spur of the moment.
-have fun!
mary

 

[DisneyDreamers2007]

Plus don't forget to take into account your DVC Dining discounts (check the DVC Website under perks) and you'll find:

Noodle Station (Magic Kingdom/counter service) 10% off lunch
Studio Catering Company (Hollywood Studios/counter service) 10% off all meals
San Angel Inn (Epcot/restaurant) 10% off lunch
Restaurant Marakesh (Epcot/restaurant) 20% off lunch & dinner
Nine Dragons (Epcot/restaurant) 20% off lunch
Coral Reef (Epcot/restaurant) 10% off lunch
Chefs de France (Epcot/restaurant) 20% on lunch
Tutto Italia (Epcot/restaurant) 10% off lunch or dinner
Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom/restaurant) 10% off lunch or dinner (members + 3 guests only)
Rainforest Café (Animal Kingdom/restaurant) 10% off all meals (members + 3 guests only)
Captain’s Grille (Yacht Club Resort /restaurant) 10% off breakfast, lunch or dinner
ESPN Club (Boardwalk Villas Resort /restaurant) 10% off lunch
Grand Floridian Café (Grand Floridian Resort /restaurant) 10% off breakfast & lunch
The Fountain (Swan & Dolphin/counter service) 20% discount
Mediterranean Market (Swan & Dolphin/restaurant) 20% discount
Splash Grill & Terrace (Swan & Dolphin/counter service) 20% discount
Picabu (Swan & Dolphin/counter service) 20% discount
Kimonos (Swan & Dolphin/restaurant) 20% discount
Cabana Bar & Grill (Swan & Dolphin/restaurant) 20% discount
Garden Groove Cafe (Swan & Dolphin/restaurant-Character Breakfast Sat & Sun AM) 20% discount
Olivia’s Cafe (Old Key West Resort/restaurant) 10% off all meals
Spoodles (Boardwalk Villas Resort /restaurant) 10% off breakfast
Trail’s End Restaurant (Fort Wilderness Resort campground/restaurant) 10% off breakfast & lunch
Whispering Canyon Café (Wilderness Lodge/restaurant) 10% off breakfast & lunch
Ghiradelli’s Soda Fountain (Downtown Disney/counter service) 10% off all purchases
McDonalds (Downtown Disney/counter service) 20% off all meals
Portobello Yacht Club (Downtown Disney/restaurant) 10% off dinner and 20% off lunch
Raglan Road Irish Pub (Downtown Disney/restaurant) 10% off lunch and dinner
CocaMoka Café (Downtown Disney/counter service) Free cookie with smoothie or coffee purchase
House of Blues (Downtown Disney/restaurant) 20% off lunch and dinner
Planet Hollywood (Downtown Disney/restaurant & shop) 10% off food & merchandise
Wetzels Pretzels and Haagen Dazs (Downtown Disney/counter service) 20% off

 

[bookwormde]

If the full TS dining experience is an important part of your vacation then DDP might be a good idea, but if it is just a couple of times during your visit then you can not beat the convenience of a kitchen. We do not do anything fancy and it saves a small fortune (we figure enough for the extra cost of a 1br. This is especially nice in the summer when we would be coming back to the resort for R&R anyway so breakfast and lunch in the villa just make sense.

We have 3 days in a studio and we are going to do QSP for that but once our GG (in villas) starts we are “eating in” most of the time.

bookwormde

 

[webprinter]

I made a list of places I want to eat and figured out what I would probably order and then totalled it all. DH needs to go through and figure his out. Then we will decide if we are going to get the DDP. So far, I have figured out we will save about $100 getting the DDP but, we have to add one day tickets that we don't need, so we need to make a final decision. Even if we don't need a one day ticket, we will still use it and save our others.

 

[Sandisw]

I made a list of places I want to eat and figured out what I would probably order and then totalled it all. DH needs to go through and figure his out. Then we will decide if we are going to get the DDP. So far, I have figured out we will save about $100 getting the DDP but, we have to add one day tickets that we don't need, so we need to make a final decision. Even if we don't need a one day ticket, we will still use it and save our others.

If you are staying DVC on points, you do not need to buy a 1 day ticket to get the DDP...that is only for guests who book cash packages.

 

[hockeyprincess]

Thanks for all of the replys....still tossing it around. I'm going to check out the restaurants listed above that offer DVC discount. I didn't realize there were so many!! We're considering a taxi to Winn Dixie/Super Walmart/Publix on the day of our arrival and probably will not do DDP this time. I def. think we can eat for a week even in Disney, for less than $800+ for the 4 of us.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for all of the replys....still tossing it around. I'm going to check out the restaurants listed above that offer DVC discount. I didn't realize there were so many!! We're considering a taxi to Winn Dixie/Super Walmart/Publix on the day of our arrival and probably will not do DDP this time. I def. think we can eat for a week even in Disney, for less than $800+ for the 4 of us.

That is definitely true! We were there with 3 of us (all adults) for 12 nights, and we spent under $1000, and we ate at places like Artist Point, Jiko, Teppan Edo, Turf Club etc. etc. using the TIW card and DVC discounts with OOP.

 

[mousescrapper]

new to DVC not to Disney and quickly discovering we will probably plan, tour, and eat differently now...which isn't all that bad.

2 Q's

one what is the TIW card and is there a list of places you can use it at?

two the next time we come home will be over Thansgiving when TS prices are inflated, before we bought into BLT we knew this trip was in the works and were planning to do DDP w/ TS, but now wondering if we don't need it, but would the extra costs incurred during a holiday make any of you non DDP user decide to possibly use it.

(yes I'm thinking way ahead...need something to keep me busy over the next year till we come home again )

Thanks!

 

[bobrex]

Here's the way I look at it.... my wife and I are at DW for vacation. Typically when we are on vacation we eat out - I eat at home often enough.
So we get the DDP. The last time I logged the spending (November 2008) I ended up saving 30% over the menu cost of the meals. You can't touch that with TIW. Do I get a Mickey bar every day? Almost, but I might also want a soda during the afternoon and that's also covered with the snack points.

Whether the DDP makes sense for you depends on your eating preferences and more importantly - your family's eating preferences.

 

[disney4metoo]

I understand the convenience idea of the DDP, but we tracked how we prefered to eat over a couple of trips. Two trips where we had the DDP and 2where we went using the TIW card discount only. We saved a couple hundred dollars each time we did the TIW card trips over the cost of the DDP. Besides that, we RARELY eat counter service, so most of those went to waste on the DDP, and we also rarely eat desserts, but would prefer to get appetizers.

We always have at least breakfast in the villa, and usually buy things like fruit, salad fixings, and sometimes pasta to have for quick meals and lunches as well as snacks. We figured all those costs into our cost comparison too, and we still came out more than $200 better going "on our own" over the cost of the DDP. Remember that you also have to figure in an 18% automatically charged tip too.

But isn't the TIW just basically covering the mandatory 18% tip plus 2%?

I wish the DDP would include tip and appetizers.

 

[hockeyprincess]

I agree 100%, I want the old DDP back!!! Last year's plan was much better for our family. Hubby & I do like a salad before dinner.... (appetizer) and would much prefer that over a dessert. Then also the tip. I did not find any better service this last trip (last Nov) compared to last July's trip in 2007. 2007 trip included tips in DDP and Nov 2008 trip did not. I thought the wait staff may "work for it" more but not really. Service was not bad, but not outstanding, really, at any of the restaurants we visited. Including CRT and CM's.

The only problem with TIW card--we don't get annual passes. We usually visit only once per year and find, at least at this time in our lives, the 10-day non-expiring are better options for us. So TIW discounts are out for us, at least this trip. I can't justify getting annual passes when we typically only visit once per year....any opinions on that are also welcomed!

 

[dianeschlicht]

But isn't the TIW just basically covering the mandatory 18% tip plus 2%?

I wish the DDP would include tip and appetizers.

Yes, but the point is we end up ordering things we would not order if given a choice (desserts) and NOT ordering things we prefer (appetizers) on the DDP. On top of that, we end up wasting so many counter service credits, and even though we don't eat those things, we feel we have paid for them.

To the poster who said they saved over the menu price with DDP, that is true, but did you order what you would have if you would be free to order ANYTHING? The other annoyance we have with DDP is that you are limited in other ways with menu items at places like Teppan Edo etc.

 

[ahalla]

I am really wondering the same thing. By the time we buy the dining plan for the 5 of us for 12 nights, it is alot of money! Having said that, our kids are still young enough to enjoy the character meals (we usually do one a day) and the price of that meal alone covers the cost of the DDP for the day. I know we could save alot of money by buying in and cooking ourselves, but I think that would cause alot of trouble especially for days we are at the parks! I honestly think we are going to get the DDP, as that is what dh wants, but, it is a huge expense. Then again, my kids still talk about the character meals from trips past! What to do... what to do!!!!

 

[MichelleB]

We have tracked expenses the past 2 trips. I've been wanting to do the QS plan and DH wanted to see what we spend without so we've been without twice. I have to admit that we spent less with our family of 5 (DH, DD13, DD11, DS7, and myself) than we'd have spent on the plan both times we went. That may be more because my DDs aren't big eaters but who knows. We did 2 TS the last trip and many QS places and still came out cheaper than had we done the plan. It just depends on your family. When we go this July, DH isn't staying the whole time and the kids and I are going to cook in more (not doing many park days) so it will be much cheaper this trip. I would love the convenience and carefree feeling of the plans, but we just don't spend enough to warrant it.

 

[allshookup]

But isn't the TIW just basically covering the mandatory 18% tip plus 2%?

I wish the DDP would include tip and appetizers.

That's true, but since you have to tip anyway, that's still a huge savings, especially for us since adult beverages are included in that 20%.

I am really wondering the same thing. By the time we buy the dining plan for the 5 of us for 12 nights, it is alot of money! Having said that, our kids are still young enough to enjoy the character meals (we usually do one a day) and the price of that meal alone covers the cost of the DDP for the day. I know we could save alot of money by buying in and cooking ourselves, but I think that would cause alot of trouble especially for days we are at the parks! I honestly think we are going to get the DDP, as that is what dh wants, but, it is a huge expense. Then again, my kids still talk about the character meals from trips past! What to do... what to do!!!!

I don't cook & we still eat out every day, but we eat breakfast in the room & we don't do any character meals or eat a lot of snacks or sweets so it's not a savings for us. I don't think it has to be all or nothing either. You could do a couple of favorite character meals & then do a few quick meals in the villa & you would still save quite a bit over the DDP. Or if your family really enjoys the character meals & you plan on doing one every day, then the dining plan would probably work out to be a savings for you & might be a good idea.

 

[bobrex]

To the poster who said they saved over the menu price with DDP, that is true, but did you order what you would have if you would be free to order ANYTHING? The other annoyance we have with DDP is that you are limited in other ways with menu items at places like Teppan Edo etc.

That would be me. Acutally, yes I did order what I normally would. I like dessert and I use the counter credits for breakfasts, snacks are then used in the afternoon in leiu of lunch. I haven't eaten at any of the "limited" restaraunts, so I've been able to order anything I want off of the menus.

 

[webprinter]

If you are staying DVC on points, you do not need to buy a 1 day ticket to get the DDP...that is only for guests who book cash packages.

We are not DVC members. We are doing a timeshare exchange into VWL through RCI. As I understand it, we have to purchase a one day ticket in order to purchase the DDP.