Will DDE save us $$?

[dfuller]

OK, I've read threads about the DDE plan, and with my AP, I'd get it for $50. At 20% savings, I'd have to spend $200 at sit down restaurants in order to break even.
With 2 adults and one child, we are planning on:
BOMA - $65 bill + tip
JIKO - $65 bill + tip
Le Cellier - $60 + tip
Kona Breakfast - $40 + tip

Does the discount come off before or after tip? Would I be saving that much with the dinners above?

 

[Chuck S]

You leave whatever tip you wish. However, if you figue 20% tip, the DDE discount basically covers that. Tax is also discounted 20%. So, figuring your estimates, and assuming they are the only eligible meals you'll have for one full year:

BOMA: $13
JIKO: $13
LeCellier: $12
Kona $ 8
Total Discount: $46

If those are accurate, and those are the only places you'll use it for the full year, then no, the DDE would not be worth it for you.

 

[Allison]

Actually, you would need to spend over $250 to break even. $250 * 20% discount would be $50.

Good luck.

 

[tci1212]

We bought the dde card and we recovered the costs on our first 3 days there. We are going back again in January for a week and will use it again. It was well worth the intial 50.00. I believe it is good for up to 10 people in your party.

 

[dfuller]

Actually, you would need to spend over $250 to break even. $250 * 20% discount would be $50.

Good luck.

You're right. I think the DDE is better for those that plan on spending way more than $250 at sit down dinners, and those that have more than three in their party. Thanks for the input. I think I'll pass on the card - it's just not going to be worth it for us.

 

[Allison]

You're right. I think the DDE is better for those that plan on spending way more than $250 at sit down dinners, and those that have more than three in their party. Thanks for the input. I think I'll pass on the card - it's just not going to be worth it for us.

We have 5 in our party so by the time you throw in visits to LeCellier, 'Ohana and a character meal we won't have a problem recovering our $50. In fact, my husband and I already saved $35 on our December trip. 2 of our 3 kids are "adults" according to Disney's meal policies so it will be a good money saver for us.

By the way, I just read in another thread the price is going up in 2006 to $60 so it will take even more to break even.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I bought the DDE last February, and went on two trips, one in February (6 days), and one at the end of November early December (14 days). We had 3 adults and 2 children in our group in February, and most of the time on the Nov/Dec trip we had four adults and 2 children, but at some meals we had more family with us. On our last night at Boma we had 8 adults and 2 children - I figure we made back the price of the card on that one meal alone!

One other savings that helped us - we were staying at POR and bought the refillable mugs, and were given a DDE discount when we bought those as well.

Teresa

 

[AdventurerKat]

I just went last weekend with my two year old for three nights and we stayed at ASMo. Remember that DDE is good at the food courts at all value resorts and POFQ because they don't have sit down restaurants. I recouped at least $25.00 of the cost between our meals and drinks from there and our dinner at LTT for which I was the only one I had to pay for. I saved $5.60 on that meal alone. I am going next month with my 6 y.o. and I am sure we will make up the rest of it then as we will either be at POP or POR (we will eat at POFQ) and I plan on doing at least one char meal with him.

You don't mention where you are staying but I just wanted to throw that info out there about the food courts as it hasn't already been. Also, If you have an AP and plan on going back within the year, I am sure you will make up your cost of it and more.

 

[dfuller]

We are staying at AKL, so the food court would not be applicable. I'm just not sure if we will be going again within a year. If we did, it would definitely be worth the price. For large parties, I don't see how anyone could pass it up.

 

[pooh2001]

I think if you do one sit down meal a day, the DDE card is worth it.

We are staying 13 days - 4 adults (2 teen kids) @ $100 per sit down meal(average) = $1300

20% of $1300 = $260.

Even it it just covers the tip - having a lower bill will make my DH feel better.

Since we will not buy the card till it is closer to our time to visit WDW in 2006 - we'll pay the $60 for one card. We eat together as a family - so one card will not be an issue.

 

[byoung]

Last May with family of ten we saved over $600.

 

[goodeats]

OK, I've read threads about the DDE plan, and with my AP, I'd get it for $50. At 20% savings, I'd have to spend $200 at sit down restaurants in order to break even.
With 2 adults and one child, we are planning on:
BOMA - $65 bill + tip
JIKO - $65 bill + tip
Le Cellier - $60 + tip
Kona Breakfast - $40 + tip

I think those estimates are pretty low. Are you not planning to drink alcohol at all? Are you only eating entrees? The Le Cellier and Jiko total look really low especially to me.

And if you have an AP, how many days will you be at the resort? Are these the only sit down meals you will have? What about lounges (as they are on the plan also)?

Just making sure you look at all the options.

 

[shoes99]

We are a family of two and have had the card since our August trip. We used it in August, November and December and have already recouped the cost. We stayed at Pop Century this trip and it is good at their food court. We even used it for a box of donuts to go with our refillable coffee mug.
We used it this trip for lunch at the castle, Rose & Crown, Plaza Restaurant, Saratoga Springs Food Court and Liberty Tree Tavern. We have been to the parks many times, and even though we live in the Northeast, we love going to sit down meals at WDW.
Here is a brief summary of our savings this trip:
Liberty Tree Tavern $11.20
Cinderella's Royal Table $9.60
Rose & Crown $9.55
Everything Pop $12.55
Plaza Restaurant $5.00
Saratoga Springs $2.50
Approx total this trip: $50.40

We ate at Kona's on Christmas Eve, and they were not taking DDE. We also ate at Mickey's Barbeque at Fort Wilderness, Christmas at the Fort on 12/25 and they also did not take DDE.
We had a gift certificate for $50 and used it at Raglan Road. Food was very good. They also do not take DDE.
All in all, our experiences were very good.

 

[dfuller]

I think those estimates are pretty low. Are you not planning to drink alcohol at all? Are you only eating entrees? The Le Cellier and Jiko total look really low especially to me.

And if you have an AP, how many days will you be at the resort? Are these the only sit down meals you will have? What about lounges (as they are on the plan also)?

Just making sure you look at all the options.

Thanks for the input. We don't usually drink alchohol with our meals while at WDW and at JIKO, we usually order 2-3 items off the appetizer menu and then one dessert that we all three split, as we are not big meal eaters. Six days at the AKL resort, and those meals were the only ones I knew would take the DDE card. I'm starting to think I might get it now, though, as we are probably going to go back within the year.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

On our first trip using the DDE card, we already saved about $15 over the $50 savings that the card costs. We thought we'd only break even on the first trip. If we didn't know we'd be getting at least two trips out of the card, we probably wouldn't have bought it in the first place - but now we'll save a load of money in May.

I think it was definitely worth it.
Oh, and we were just two adults ordering.

 

[puffkin]

Also don't forget it is good at all the counterservice places in the AK since they don't have a full service restaurant. And it is good at most of the bars/lounges and on alcohol at the meals.

We always tip the discount (since it is 20%) unless we have not had good service.

 

[scejas]

I usually tip based off the original price not the discounted price... (if the service was good) -- no fault of the server to shot change him just cause you have a discount card ....

But that's my 2 cents.

 

[disneymom225]

We had the DDE card for our August trip. I added up the savings when we got home and it was about $52. We ate 1 sit down per day and it was really just 2 adults (DD ate from my plate) and we had about 1 "adult beverage" each. We knew we would be taking 2 trips this year-so any savings from our upcoming Feb. trip will be bonus. It worked out for us.

 

[jorodopo]

We are putting together a reunion of sorts for Jan 2007 and if everyone shows will have 26 people (a little over half will be children). We are planning on getting one DDE card this year to cover our Feb. trip and 10 at the reunion and then getting another DDE card at the start of the reunion trip to cover another 10 and then also use it for the next year. Has anyone ever used two cards at the same time for over 10 people?
Thanks

 

[puffkin]

I usually tip based off the original price not the discounted price... (if the service was good) -- no fault of the server to shot change him just cause you have a discount card ....

But that's my 2 cents.

I believe that when people say they tip the discount or something similar, they mean that whatever the discount comes out to be is what they leave for a tip. Therefore, the server is getting at least 20% of the original bill.

For instance, if your original bill came out to $80, the discount would be $16. So I would leave a $16 tip if I had good service. If you tip off the discounted bill ($64), a 20% tip would be $12.80. Therefore, "tipping the discount" is an easy way of calculating the tip.

I look at the DDE as saving me the Tip and a little bit of sales tax.