We Saved $$ by Paying OOP!

[livinlife25]

I hope our next trip we will NOT be doing the dining plan as well. In 2009 we did DxDp and in 2013 we did the regular dining plan. On paper it all sounds good, but I want the freedom and flexibility of not being tied down to my credits. I also want to do more snacking. I'm just never hungry enough on the dining plans in between meals.

 

[mare1203]

We never do the DDP when we go; it just isn't worth it for our family. For one, there are currently no kids in our party, so we usually get a drink or a bottle of wine with dinner. Secondly, I've taken a look at the DDP and it just seems like you get so much food. We like to eat, but we rarely ever order appetizer and dessert, if even getting one and definitely never dessert with lunch. We have enough trouble getting our favorite snacks like dole whips and popcorn worked into the trip around lunch and dinners that the DDP would be overkill. We've even been known to split a couple CS meals between the 3 of us. For the past few years we have gotten TIW and it has come in very handy. It doesn't surprise me that when you actual price it out going OOP comes out less than the plan.

 

[lillyshelle]

Thanks for the info I keep going back to OOP for our trips.

 

[lillyshelle]

I was thinking of getting the Deluxe Dining Plan this June for our honeymoon. However, after doing the calculations by paying OOP vs the Deluxe and Regular Dining Plans I was saving over $200 before any room discounts by paying out of pocket. I am so so glad I did not get the dining plan for us. It is good if you are a family of 4 staying at a value resort with kids under 10, or some other situations. You should always do the math first to see if your are really saving; unless money is not a big factor and you care more about convenience.

I hope you enjoy your honeymoon!!! We (with 2yo DD) are going back Wednesday 2/20/13 to AKL to stay over our 6th year anniversary (2/24).

We stayed in a 1 bedroom at WLV over our honeymoon and had a blast!!!!

 

[Eureka]

We have done the deluxe plan last two trips. This summer's trip, we are going OOP for a variety of reasons: both kids are now Disney adults (10 and 12) and we think the 10 year old would not be able to eat even half of an adult meal. And I have being having issues with GERD (problems even with medication and lifestyle changes) so have to watch what I eat very carefully. There is no way I can do a full meal from app to dessert anymore. This way, I can eat just an appetizer for dinner or whatever. Plus, there are so many good places for dessert and snacks that we just didn't have room for when we did the DxDP. I think I had one Starring Rolls cupcake last trip and could barely make room for that. This way, I can split a white pizza with whoever will share with me at Via Napoli (whoever won't want their own pizza ) and still have room for caramel treats later

 

[gorkt]

The DDP was never a good fit for how we eat as a family. I have priced it out in our last two trips and we always save money or break even. Plus, I don't like the stress of feeling like I have to maximize everything to get the best deal. With my DD being 11 for our next trip, there is no way she will eat enough to justify the adult price so it's another OOP trip for me again.

 

[mom2my3kids]

Its great when its free, but we won pay for it..We dont do deserts and my youngest who is nine now eats off the adult meals..he has never cared for the kids meals and I would rather him eat then not sooo.... We also like to do a couple sit down meals but also counter service so in the long run its better for us to just pay OOP...

 

[SRiley1985]

We've always used the dining plan but then our last trip we rented DVC points and decided to try OOP. It was so much better IMO. If I wanted to eat an appetizer for my entree, it was no problem. If my DSS was super hungry, he ordered off the adult menu and if he wasn't feeling it, he ordered off the kids. I especially liked that I didn't feel like I HAD to eat everything since it was already paid for. I just ate what I wanted. (Which resulted in less "meal" food and more snacks. I had a citrus swirl for the first time. Yum!) We are doing OOP for our upcoming trip in July also. It is going to be so hot and I have been doing so well with losing weight, I may not feel like eating much and I won't have to feel guilty about it!

 

[scrappinannie]

We almost always pay OOP for our meals and save quite a bit versus purchasing a dining plan. Our kids are young and are at the age where they can either share with each other or share with me or DH. We don't usually have appetizers AND dessert during the same meal, and sometimes we'll have a large breakfast, skip lunch and have an early dinner, so for us it's just more cost effective to pay out of pocket.

Now maybe when my kids are older and eating more it may make more sense, but for now it's better for us this way.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

We have done the DP also and felt it was just so much food!!! This trip coming DD and I are doing OOP because her and I find we can split a lot of meals and that saves us money right there. Some of the restaurants give so much food!!

I do have a couple dinners planned like BOG and Chefs de France in Epcot, but those are the only big dinners I have planned. I still think it will be cheaper for us to just pay.

If we go during free dining then of course I will take it....This trip coming up it just does not make sense...If Hub
by was going it would also make a difference because he eats more than us.

 

[CSI:Jude]

I looked at staying on site for a few nights and I thought maybe we could take advantage and get DDP added so we can eat on site at some nice places so I did some calculations. WOW the results were staggering. There's no way we would recoup our money spent on DDP, especially with the $-£ exchange rate at the moment. So we decided to leave it and pay OOP should we do it.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Our first year we had the free quick service dining plan at a value hotel for 3 adults and 1 child and we had a infant. The free dining over the room discount was a no brainer for us. It was great value!!

The next year was free dining at POR (moderate/reg dining plan) 3 adults and 1 child and a toddler. Again it was a no brainer the room discount did not come close to the free dining value.

Last year we stayed at Poly. The room discount won. It would have been 800.00 more to add the dining plan to our package and we all felt that we would rather take our chances and see if we ended up paying more than 800.00 for dining or breaking about even. We all felt that it was just too much money to have tied up specifically in food and in addition to being tied up in food we would be told by Disney what we could and could not get on the dining plan. We broke about even. We all got exactly what we wanted to eat and drink at every meal though.

This time it would be 1100.00 to add the dining plan to our package. We have 4 table service meals planned, 3 are breakfast. I suspect we will break just about even again as far as pricing goes but we will again get what we want when we want and even if we are 10.00 under the dining plan price we can use that additional 10.00 however we want it will not be specifically tied into eating.

That is why we will never purchase the dining plan. It works for a lot of people just not us when it is purchased.

 

[stky6]

Whenever we go to a park, Disney, Kings Island, Cedar Point....for any big meals we always use the DRDP...."Dodge Ram Dining Plan"....we get in the truck and either get stuff out of the cooler in the back or drive off site somewhere. Leaves all that extra cash for funnel cakes, blue ice cream and caramel apples in the parks!

 

[Plaid Sheep]

It all boils down to the personal choice of how you eat.

We'd rather pace ourselves throughout the day and eat like hobbits because of all the stuff out there to try.

I don't want to stuff myself at one sitting and be a bloated porky pie sleeping off her food coma on a bench.. or in Hall of Presidents......or the Great Movie Ride.... or the nursing chair in Baby Care....