When does FD become better than RO?

[lucybalue]

Hi, we are looking at staying at CR in Nov during the dates of FD. I had originally hoped for a RO discount but doing the calculations, with the potential 20 % (since that seems to be the historical discount amount) we would be saving $85 a night. We are 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 under 3 (so we would be doing a good bit of character buffets, both for the characters and so my <3 is free). I was going to spend some time looking up menus, but wondering if anyone else uses a ballpark cut off figure for whether FD or RO works better. Thanks

 

[wdw4rfam]

FD would probably be better if you are going to do a lot of restaurants. 2 adults and a child for one day on the dining plan is about $140 per day. So of you are only saving $85 RO, Its a better deal. Now if you are staying deluxe with only 2 people and aren't planning a lot of TS meals, its sometimes better with RO.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

Hi, we are looking at staying at CR in Nov during the dates of FD. I had originally hoped for a RO discount but doing the calculations, with the potential 20 % (since that seems to be the historical discount amount) we would be saving $85 a night. We are 2 adults, 1 child, and 1 under 3 (so we would be doing a good bit of character buffets, both for the characters and so my <3 is free). I was going to spend some time looking up menus, but wondering if anyone else uses a ballpark cut off figure for whether FD or RO works better. Thanks

I would have to suggest you go back to those menus and look at what you would spend on food if you weren't on the dining plan, but ate like you think you'll want to eat. I find the dining plan doesn't work for me as I'm not that interested in TS anyway, so if I wasn't on the dining plan, I'd do CS all the way. Or once or twice I might go to a lounge and have an appetizer or two for dinner. The lounges aren't on the dining plan.

So it really depends on how many nights you're going to be there, how many character meals are "a good bit," and also which character meals are you likely to go to. Do you see yourself doing mostly breakfasts, so you can eat before the parks open? Or taking a break mid-day or in the evening for your meals.

Someone else's "ballpark" figure may not be in your ballpark.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

FD would probably be better if you are going to do a lot of restaurants. 2 adults and a child for one day on the dining plan is about $140 per day. So of you are only saving $85 RO, Its a better deal. Now if you are staying deluxe with only 2 people and aren't planning a lot of TS meals, its sometimes better with RO.

What the dining plan would cost each day is irrelevant to figuring out what is the better deal. You need to look at what you would spend OOP for food with and without the dining plan, on average, then what would your RO discount would be, and which is the better deal.

Don't forget to factor the gratuity into your calculations.

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I don't think you can look only just at finances.

For me there are two non $$$ considerations that I look at. 1) having to book all your ADRs 180 days in advance. Which simply means that you had better be prepared to plan out all your park days 6 months in advance and 2) just the amount of time it takes to get a family ready and transported within the day to your reservation. Time, in many ways, can be a drawback to the DDP (free or otherwise).

Financially I like to think that if you are going Deluxe resort, that the RO discount is preferable to free DDP. If you are doing a moderate, which for us, as a family of 5, the free DDP way exceeds the RO discounts.

Also, bear in mind that if you are paying oop for your food, you'd probably spend a lot less than if you paid for the DDP. I calculated that the DDP would probably cost us about $2000 for our (hopeful) upcoming stay. I think we can get by for at least $500 less than that, so when comparing RO vs free DDP, that has to be taken into consideration. I also have to remember that every time we leave a TS dining, that I'm dropping no less than a $20 tip on the table.

I also would be surprised that you couldn't do better than a 20% discount at the CR. Even if you had to pay for one AP, you could get an AP discount that would probably get it up to 25-30 or even 35% off. That would also allow you to buy the TIW card, which might offer you better value than free DDP.

Bottom line, its just not as simple as saying "here is what the DDP would have cost me and here is what my room discount would have been". If you are staying deluxe, I would certainly consider more closely the RO discounts.

Good luck.

 

[manateesmom]

Dining plan does not include tips, nor does it include appetizers (other than buffet items) or any alcoholic drinks. Point was raised earlier, and bears repeating - if your natural inclination, if you were paying out of pocket, would be to do more counter service meals and/or snacks you bring from home or have delivered (yogurt, cheese, crackers, granola bars, etc.), but DP shifts you to doing more table service meals, then not only are you eating (and spending time) on meals differently, you're incurring tip amounts that you would not be paying if you were OOP. You could easily be looking at $200-300 in tips alone.

There's a free calculator put together by a Disney enthusiast, I'm not sure if we're allowed to link it but you can google for Disney dining plan calculator.

 

[disneynewbee]

I determine just the way you did. Determine what your percent off would come out to be for room only and then decide if you could feed your family on that amount per day. In that calculation you have to take into account the tip which is not included and anything you might still buy that isn't included on the plan. We stay at values so the discount is only 15-20 percent and the rooms when we go are only $105-110. We always have a full room with one of our kids being a disney adult. There is no way we could feed all 4 of us for 20-30 dollars a day. We do qs though so we don't have to worry about tips either.

 

[sam1998]

I agree with the previous poster in that you don't have to pour over menus and all of that. Figure out what the room discount would be (in your case, you think about $85 a day) and then determine if you could feed your family on that amount per day. If the answer is no, which is likely the case if you are a family taking children, then the FD is a good deal. There are cases with RO is better, but those are more often people traveling as a couple rather than a family and people staying at Deluxe Resorts (where the discount is usually much higher).