We won't miss the DDP in 2008

[patsal]

Well we had a short trip and since it was on a conference rate at CSR we could not add the DDP. At first I was concerned, but then DH said it would give us an opportunity to compare real cost versus perceived value. What I learned was very simple--the DDP as it currently stands would have cost us more than we spent this trip and in the coming year when apps. and tips are not included it will still save me money not to be on the DDP. For the purpose of this experiment I rounded my numbers to $40.00 as the cost of the DDP and rounded the totals that I spent as well.
The DDP would have cost us @$800 (four people considered all adult and five nights)
What I spent total OOP for whatever anyone wanted it, whenever they wanted it $603.

Where we ate--PepperMarket--convienience on first day for lunch, as many know I don't really care for the food here. Total about $38.00 (Nachos, chicken sandwich w/ fries and cheeseburger w/ fries) No drinks since no one ever came to take an order! (Hmmm maybe there is something to that auto gratuity--everyone who eats in does have 10% tacked on) They would not remove the grat charge--obviously that is the high cost of cloth napkins and real utensils since it was not for service!

The kids got nachos and virgin drinks at the pool twice.

I got a few Pina Coladas and nachos while we were at the pool.

TS dinners were at Kona, Raglan Road, and Spoodles--at Kona everyone had an entree, we shared an appetizer of sticky wings and we all had dessert and beverages--service was very good and I left a 20% tip, Raglan Road DH and I had alcohol, the kids soft drinks, DH and I each had soup for an app and the kids didn't want any, everyone had their own entree and DH and the kids had dessert--service was good and I left an 18% tip. Spoodles, we opted to dine Tapas style and ordered six apps to share as well as one plate of rigatoni to share as well. DH and I had alcohol, the kids soft drinks. No one wanted dessert as everyone was stuffed. Service was not good (no drinks refilled for the kids) and I left a 15% tip.

I stopped and grabbed a banana and yogurt each morning to go with my Jenny Craig cereal bars from home. I picked up a half gallon of milk at the gift shop to put on the kids cereal that I picked up at the grocery store when I stopped for water and a hairbrush--of all the things to forget.

Dh and I purchased coffee twice, we had a few glasses of wine and rum and cokes at the bar as well.

The kids bought snacks at the Boardwalk Bakery, smoothies at the MK, pastries at Epcot, we got four bottles of water at MK and four bottled sodas as well. At F&W we had several offerings including a few beers, four wines, a sparkling wine, quiche, escargot, lamb, squash soup, chirozo quesadilla, baklava, seafood salad, kiwi custard roll, olive/bread/ dip, orange chicken (DS in China ), potstickers and chicken sha cha, perhaps a few other things I may be forgetting!

The kids and I had lunch one day at the ASMo food court (pizza, chicken fingers and fries, breadsticks and sauce, salad), and we had lunch at Earl of Sandwich one day as well (3 sandwiches, one tomato soup, 2 bags of chips, 3 drinks, and a cookie).

As I said we just ordered what we wanted when we wanted it and had no isues with anyone being hungry. The kids said they enjoyed just asking and getting what the wanted rather than my peddling snacks like I do on the DDP. Everyone decided that ordering what they wanted when they wanted it was better and fit everyone's eating style better.

I was shocked that we saved money doing it this way over using the DDP. I was sure it was going to come closer to a break even.

Because of the timing it was difficult to get in to TS, and those three were the only ones I could get. We did have Pizza take out one night as a result of the inability to get a TS location, but even withthat I'm sure it would have only added an additional $90 or so to the total, still resulting in savings.

YMMV, but for us I'm sure we will not miss the DDP!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Thanks for the info.
Interesting you could not have the automatic tip removed at PM when you did not have any service.

 

[firecracker]

OP: thanks so much for your candid assessment. I am currently trying to talk DH OUT OF getting the dining plan and I think your report may be the final straw. I'm very encouraged to know that you still saved money and you ate what you wanted.

On the DDP (for at least our last 4 trips), we thought we were "living high on the hog" and eating whatever we wanted whenever we wanted. We ended up being full all the time, not enjoying any of the food because we weren't really hungry and I was still paying attention to prices because I wanted to "make the most" of the plan.

Thanks again for your report.

 

[melomouse]

Thank you for posting and sharing the details of how and what you spent - it's very helpful in my planning!

 

[Mad4Dizne]

Really makes me happy we are not doing DDP in January! I know it would cost us more than just eating what we want when we want.

 

[jcc0621]

We have never done the dining plan but on this last rip we made sure to save all of our receips. When we got home we figured out what the cost of the dining plan would have been on the trip complared to what we paid OOP. We spent $435 less that what the dining plan would have cost us. Many people like using the DDP, but I don't really see the savings in it, unless you can go during the free dining promotion.

 

[bornwiththeears]

Thanks so much for the information. We had originally booked the DDP for our February trip. We made our ADR's before the changes came out. Since most of our ADR's were at restaurants that are no longer on the plan, we cancelled. Our TA tried to talk me out of cancelling, stating that we would more than get our money's worth. I did a little rough estimate of what we would probably spend on food without the plan and the figure came in under the cost of the DDP. Your report confirms we made the right decision!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Last poster first - Please remember that the list of participating restaurants has, just as last year, NOT been finalized yet. Disney is still in negotiations with the non-Disney-owned venues, and the complete list will likely be released later this season (i.e. definitely prior to 2008!)

And to the OP - who did you discuss the Pepper Market tip with? A cashier wouldn't have the authority to remove it; if a manager refused, I would write to Disney and if possible include a copy of your receipt.

 

[DCDisney]

Our TA tried to talk me out of cancelling, stating that we would more than get our money's worth.

Travel agents make a percentage of the DDP whereas if you just pay OOP they make nothing. I don't know what the % is but considering the DDP for our family is about $135 a day I would think they make a good bit on the DDP.

We have a trip coming up in Jan and so far we booked with no DDP. The only way I'd consider it is if it comes bundled with a good discount. It just limits so much more in 2008 because if our TS are less than $25 we'll lose money meaning we have to eat dinner TS whereas normally we'd do a breakfast and lunch. Plus the whole kids food issue.

Yvonne

 

[evenpar4me]

Smart,If people ate the way they normally do.the dining plan would be way over priced, but hey,guess its vacation and if one wants steak and lovster every meal,go for it.........but,your way is well thought out and for us its the way to go.

 

[cdrn1]

We ended up being full all the time, not enjoying any of the food because we weren't really hungry.

That was our experience with free dining; we of course enjoyed our meals but would have enjoyed them more had we been really hungry. We even cancelled a LeCellier dinner reservation because we were too full. Hot weather + counter service lunch = not much dinner appetite!

 

[DisneyWorld Delight]

You would have saved even more money with the DDE. (I think this is for AP holders only.)

I think this is the way I'll go next year. I am just alittle anxious about being able to relax and really get what we want when we want it. A $6 hotdog for a 4 year old who will only eat half is sometimes hard to swallow.

 

[sarose]

I guess that is my answer! We are going in Jan to CSR. DH has a conference. We got the conferece rate on the room. I had no idea that we didnt qualify for the DDP. I have been racking my brain and talking to DH about it. He actually could careless and cant believe I am worried about the food we will eat 3 months from now. Anyway, I guess we are oop!

The idea of being locked in to ADR kind of stresses me out. I like to just eat as I go. We are not fancy people and I dont need food that has been prepared by an artist.

The DDP would be 90.00 a day for us with 3 of us. DH, me and DS 7yrs.

 

[Pakey]

We have never felt that the DDP was for us either--tried it once and didn't like it. DH and I prefer the signature dining, which takes 2 credits, and we like to eat late after we are done at the parks for the day. But we always share an appetizer and a dessert, we don't want one each. We generally only get some sort of snack during the day--not interested at all in counter service meals. We don't want to be tied to reservations during the day at all because it just takes away what little freedom there is while doing WDW as a vacation.

So because we are AP holders, we now use the DDE and it's much more cost effective for us to go that route. And I can still go home without having gained 10 lbs, feeling miserable through my vacation, and being forced to wear sweatpants on the plane ride home because no other clothes fit any longer!!!

 

[pooch]

the perennial argument!! DDP is not for everyone, never has been, never will be. WDW isn't for everyone, never has been, never will be. DDP is an option just like park hopping and water parks & more. We enjoy the DDP, split all CS and splurge at TS's. We also always get it free so that certainly helps. We don't try to MAX it out and don't eat til we're stuffed. If we aren't hungry, we skip the meal entirely. Getting it free again in 2008 (although I will look for a good room discount if one is comparable). Don't think we'll miss the appys & always leave a little more tip for good service anyway. I'm thinking it'll cost maybe another $10 - 15 per day, not a lot in my book.

JMHO!!