What would be better Disney Dinning Plan or DDE?

[glo]

HELP! I am really at wits end here. My firend has DVC and has asked me and my girls to spend a few days with her in WDW! I know how lucky are we. We are staying in a 2 bedroom Boardwalk villa with the awesome Boardwalk view. Yeah, I am salivating here...LOL Anyway. I have three daughters 11,11 and 17, then there is my friend Judy and I. We are trying to figure out what would be the most cost effective way to do this. I have looked at this over and over and really my brain is just starting to fry. So for the 5 of us would you suggest DDE or DDP? We know we will be both celebrating our birthdays at the Hoop De Doo...so that will be one meal and we are doing Kona's for tonga toast for breakfast another day. Any help suugestions ideas on which is better would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, she would have an annual pass. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChelleinNC]

Do your 11yr old DD's eat like adults or like kids? They'll be considered adults for the DDP but if they're gonna want chicken fingers and not filet mignon, then I would say go with the DDE. Even if they do eat like adults, I'd probably still say DDE because HDDR is 2TS credits.

 

[tomandrobin]

Based on the little information you have given, the DDE would be the better deal for you.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I agree. With what you have told us so far, I'd think DDE would be the better value. It really depends on how many sit downs and signature meals you like.

 

[glo]

Hey blast from the past for me! How you doing Diane! Is that your house that you were building years ago in your siggie? How you doing pm me!

Ok We plan on doing one nice sit down meal a day. Not Victoria and Alberts quality but either a character or a nice dinner each night. The rest of the time we will probably have breakfast in our room and lunch on the go in the parks.

My kids eat well but the 11 year olds can eat kids meals at times depends on them.

 

[Coach Rick]

Ok We plan on doing one nice sit down meal a day. Not Victoria and Alberts quality but either a character or a nice dinner each night. The rest of the time we will probably have breakfast in our room and lunch on the go in the parks.

My kids eat well but the 11 year olds can eat kids meals at times depends on them.

We are a family of 5, and have done both. I have decided to not do the DDE anymore. My youngest is 14, and eats like a bird at times, but we still find DDP the better value. Le Celier would have cost us over $250 last year, take off the 20% on the DDE, and you come out with $200, plus the 18% gratuity, which I won't get into my attitude about that here, except to say I am not a gratuity basher. DDP cost $189.90 for that day, and the comparison on the DDP was for just one meal. So yes, for us, and from the poll numbers I am in a minority right now, DDP is the better choice. (your results may vary )

 

[hakepb]

I certainly agree that you can still be better off on the DDP when you dine at the more expensive locations, it is just a narrower window than before.

Before it was nearly impossible to eat out much more than a burger for lunch and dinner to eat cheaper than the DDP. Now the combination of greater daily DDP expense (+ gratuity) makes it more possible to save using DDE if you generally stick to buffet's and/or breakfast & lunch sit-down's..
Personally, for the first time in my last 4+ trips, I'll not be doing the DDP this fall, and will try the DDE. In addition to the potential cost savings, I'll also be able to eat at more places. Even if there is no DDE discount, it is not as big a loss to eat at a non-plan location.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Hi, Glo!!!! Good to see you over here!

The problem is if you are doing signatures and some character meals the DDP will ony let you do that every other day with the 2 credits. We tend to like the signatures, so it isn't always the best value for us.

 

[CarolAnnC]

We always do the DDE card and probably will pick one up for our July trip. In September, however, DH and I are trying out the DDP for the first time. Just the two of us so not a huge investement to see if we like it or not. Nice to see you here Glo!!

 

[DVC Eric]

We saved over $150 for 8 nights on the DDE and we like to eat at Le Celier and Jiko we are going to do DDE again this coming trip.

 

[tomandrobin]

We always do the DDE card and probably will pick one up for our July trip. In September, however, DH and I are trying out the DDP for the first time. Just the two of us so not a huge investement to see if we like it or not. Nice to see you here Glo!!

If you plan it right, its still a good deal. We use the DDE and its still a good deal too. But you have recover your initial cost too.

When we go in December for NYE, we are going to try the DDDP.

 

[JimC]

If you or your friend already have DDE then use it. If not, then it depends on your eating preferences. My guess is that you will recover the initial cost of DDE in this one trip. So if you are going to return within the year I still recommend DDE.

 

[CarolMN]

We've done both and will not do the Dining Plan again - it's too confining and too much food. We prefer the DDE card. That way we don't have to make ADRs for every TS meal to ensure we can use the credits, we don't have to worry whether we're eating in a 1 credit or 2 credit restaurant, we feel free to order a glass of wine or an appetizer when we feel like it and we don't have to order dessert if we're already full.

On this last trip (just got back a few hours ago), I made same day reservations for Flying Fish and Citricos. We walked into ESPN (a 5 minute wait). We were perfectly content to eat counter service or in the room for the rest of our meals.

Since this is the second trip on our DDE, we've already broken even on the $65 card cost.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[Pennyguy23]

We like the DDE now that the DDP changed.

 

[mikeandkarla]

From my calculations, we will still continue to use DDP until our children become older than 9. At only $9.95 a day for kids 3 - 9, it's a steal. Although using DDE gives you many more options (appetizer or not to appetizer, etc..), because we travel with 3 small children I think convenience in the DDP is more important to us.

 

[StayFLA]

DDE for limited ADR's and walk-ins. DDP requires most things to be planned too far in advance for the whole trip.

Ralph

 

[DisFlan]

We prefer the DDE - it fits our eatting patterns better. We don't always all eat together, and it's tiresome keeping track of how many of what are still left. Plus, we tend to eat more TS meals than CS and very few snacks. For us, pre-paying for CS and snacks would mostly be a waste.

DisFlan

 

[dis2cruise]

how much do you get off with the dde card and is it for all resturants what about counter service??

 

[ChelleinNC]

how much do you get off with the dde card and is it for all resturants what about counter service??

DDE is only available for AP holders & Fl Residents. For AP's it is $60 a year, you get 20% off most TS restaurants and a few CS, including adult beverages . As of Jan 08, there is an auto gratuity of 18% (based on pre-discount total) added to your check. For more info: http://www.allearsnet.com/din/dde.htm

 

[glo]

Thank you everyone I really appreciate the info. I think we are going to go with the DDE card, even with the gratuity added.