With or without the DP ...I am thinking it ..

[cgbsilver@hotmail.co]

I think I have decided against the DP. If I purchase a DDE card, I can make up the difference and have more flexibility.

I know I will re analyze this for the next 5 months but as of now I think this will work out better. Except if DFIL decides to go, if he goes I will buy the DP, so I dont end up paying for his meals.

 

[ReneeA]

I just wrote this on another thread, and this is how I figured out if it makes sense for us or not:

We are a family of 4...2 adults, 2 children on the plan. The daily cost of the 2008 DDP for us is about $96 a day - plus tips - we normally added extra tips to TS meals so that's not a huge deal to us. Before the DDP, we would eat 2 CS plus snacks (this was before children BTW). This is what I just figured out:

Average adult CS combo meal: 8.00 x 2 = $16.00
1 adult beverage (DH & I share) 2.39
Average kid's meal 4.00 x 2 = 8.00
Total $26.39
(Probably close to $29 with taxes)
2 CS meals a day = $58
4 snacks (1 per person), a bottle or 2 of water, coffee for me, misc. = $25-30 a day.

So our total without the DDP only eating CS with no desserts or extras is $85-90 a day. On the DDP, we really didn't have much OOP expense - extra tip (since we chose that), I ordered water from Garden Grocer, and we had so much food with 2 desserts a day at each meal that DH and I didn't use our snack credits for snacks...mostly coffee drinks for me.


Even with the changes, it looks like the DDP makes sense for us. The $25 a day (difference between our above plan plus adding a tip) is worth it to us for #1, convenience of use, and #2 it's nice to be able to sit down for a TS meal once a day.

I still haven't booked our 2008 trip yet, and I will be watching closely to see if there are many more changes to the plan. There's still the possibility of changing my mind.

 

[janets]

I think for me, the analysis depends on what they will charge me for my then 10 yo son. He will be listed as an adult on the reservation but if we're at a menu driven restaurant and he wants something off the kids menu, they are not going to charge me the kids price. If I have him order from the adult menu, then I break even on the dining plan price with dinner alone.

Example: Cost of DP for 3A, 1C is $123.96/day
Dinner at LeCellier OOP: $123.23 (if he orders off the adult menu)
Either way I have to pay tips

And this is with me calculating our OOP dinner on what we would order if we were paying OOP (meaning I purchase an appetizer but don't buy dessert).

So if this is the case, then I'm doing better on the DP since then I get 4 CS meals and 4 snacks per day in addition.

If they were to let me get him a kids meal and pay, let's say, 2x the kids price ($15), then the difference is greater but still seems to be a good deal on the DP.

Thoughts?

 

[eventsdj]

I haven't done a whole cost analysis thing, but on our last trip to DW (the only other time we've gone) we did not eat at 1 nice rest., only CS, with $15 burger/chip meals, because we were cheap.

I decided to go with the DP this time becasue it is my insurance we get our butts to 1 nice sit down a day, and it is part of my package, which I pay on weekly, so 95% of our food costs will be pre-paid, which I like.

I'd rather pay a little by week now, then shell out $200/day when I'm there, even if I'm only saving $5.00 a day, thats still a savings.

And heck, I'll eat the darn dessert!