To plan or not to plan?!?!

[torsie24]

Hi all......



Right...my indecision has struck again! I am still debating whether to add DDP or not to our October trip. I have 17 days to decide really as our 180 is then, and I'd be tempted to book up CRT (which I heard is still 180 - )

So I made this little list:


Breakfast

Boma – $34

Kona Café – $30


Lunch

Sci Fi Dine In - $45

Gd Floridian Café - $38

T-Rex (or Dinner) - $60 (not included in DDP I know)

Beaches & Cream - $35


Dinner

Ohana - $54

California Grill - $112
OR
Narcoosee’s - $100


Total - $508

DDP is $740 for our stay. Would we spend $230 in 14 days on snacks and CS? ($17 a day?)

I planned for us to share CS meals really, as they look HUGE!

Help, pleeeeease!!

 

[TDC Nala]

CRT is a 90 day reservation for your trip. In fact, all your restaurant reservations can be made at 90 days, not 180.

 

[torsie24]

CRT is a 90 day reservation for your trip.

Cool, thanks!! I thought it was odd hat everything else was 90 now except CRT!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

I didn't know CRT was still 180 but if it is, go ahead and book it as DP participant and choose to add DP later or not as your trip plans come together better. I usually put together a spreadsheet and try to map out the meals the best I can and then see what the DP value is worth OOP vs DP. The savings can be small or large depending on how assertive you are in making your ADR's. I'd hate to be stuck with the DDP by adding it now, then changing your mind later. If you choose not to go DDP,l you can call back and tell them you're paying OOP and give them a CC.

If you are staying 14 days how is your DP cost only $740?

 

[torsie24]

I didn't know CRT was still 180 but if it is, go ahead and book it as DP participant and choose to add DP later or not as your trip plans come together better. I usually put together a spreadsheet and try to map out the meals the best I can and then see what the DP value is worth OOP vs DP. The savings can be small or large depending on how assertive you are in making your ADR's. I'd hate to be stuck with the DDP by adding it now, then changing your mind later. If you choose not to go DDP,l you can call back and tell them you're paying OOP and give them a CC.

If you are staying 14 days how is your DP cost only $740?

Well its £559 which at todays rough exchange rate of 1.3 is $726.

Thats for the 1TS/1CS/1snack plan.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Wow! Don't know how many in your party but here it's $39.99 per adult and $11.99 per child per night of the reservation.

Sounds like the exchange rate gives you quite a discount! I'd definitely take advantage of DDP at that rate!

 

[torsie24]

Wow! Don't know how many in your party but here it's $39.99 per adult and $11.99 per child per night of the reservation.

Sounds like the exchange rate gives you quite a discount! I'd definitely take advantage of DDP at that rate!

There are two of us - which I guess would make it $1120 if we paid american.

Wow! Is a good deal!!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Wow! You'll have NO PROBLEM getting the value out of the plan at that rate!
Have a great trip!

 

[summermac]

Not to split hairs but it's 10.99 for children.

We are at over $500 for our 7 day stay on TS alone. I am CERTAIN we will spend $100 over 7 days on CS & snacks. That made me happy to see that when I did some calculations b/c I was stressing out about maximizing the plan and now I just don't care.

 

[pigby]

I had the same dilemma - I was definitely not going to do DDP when I booked last October but the exchange rate has got so bad for us Brits then I added it on at a later date - I was sure that disney.co.uk would increase the price from £20 per adult but they haven't - they set the price when the rate was still 2 dollars to the pound. I know that we'll benefit with the DDP even though DD is a picky eater (and pays adult price). The cost of this years trip is going to seem more expensive anyway so I thought I'd take care of the meals element before we went.

 

[TDC Nala]

CRT is no longer a 180 day reservation but it is not yet 90 either. You can make reservations for now until June 19 or 20 (have seen both dates.) That means that next week it will become officially 90 days for CRT reservations.

 

[pezaddict231]

I wouldn't necessarily count on sharing all your CS meals. I know some are large portions, but regular things like burgers or chicken sandwiches are not that big. I don't consider myself a huge eater (a lot of times a kid's meal is fine for me) but I would have to supplement those meals with a lot of snacks! I think you could definitely get the value out of the plan, especially since you plan on going to a lot of TS already. Did you include tax in your calculations? I like the dining plan because food at Disney is expensive and it allows me to really get whatever I want.

 

[lisa3383]

Whether or not you have the plan, you still have to give the CM your credit card number to hold the CRT. It is strange, I know but that is what they did to us for our Christmas 2009 trip.

BTW I fully recommend the dining plan - it helps make your trip as care free as possible, it even helped us to enjoy the food more!

 

[AlohaAnnie]

We do not worry about price because all our meals are already paid for with the DDP and we like the all inclusive pricing.

No worry on Vacation. In our opinion that is the way to go.