Would you do the DDP in this case?

[TeddiBarra]

I am trying to decide if we should look into using the DDP, or if we are better off without. Trip is now pushed back to Feb 2013 (most likely) so I have time, but I really need to start crafting a budget. It's hard for me to know, having never been to WDW and only being able to compare to our DLR habits, how it would work best.

Couple of questions:
1) HOW does it work if you have a big group. We're looking to at stay at the Treehouse Villas for 5 nights- Me, DH, 3 kids, Grandma & Grandpa, Sister + her BF. Can only some of us do the DDP or is it all or nothing, and we must all do it?

sub question: if that's the case we all must do it to buy it, what about using it if we eat a meal together? how is the bill sorted?

2) After those 4 nights- we're going to move to a different resort, location TBD. If we DIDN"T do it before, we could add it to the 2nd ressie just for my family of 5? What if we have TWO rooms on our ressie?

3) Does it make sense AT ALL to do the DDP if we would be able to get 20% off at the table service restuarants, and also if we are staying the whole stay in a villa/family suites (basically we'd at least have a kitchenette the whole time).

4) We' really like to do a dinner show, plus probably 3 other character meals.

5) If that was our type of dining plan, would we be better served by upping to the Deluxe DP OR would it work nicely to use the regular (it *seems* like we could probably get all our credits use and then just be "short" for the more expensive meals) and pay OOP hopefully with as much as the 20% off as possible.

Why I like the DDP: being able to send my kids off with grand/grandpa or aunti and they have their meals covered. ability to have it paid for ahead of time and stick to budget/less out of pocket spending during the trip.

 

[havoc315]

The truth is, it is hard to plan for 2013 without knowing the dining plan prices and entitlements, which change every year.

 

[sissy_ib]

I am trying to decide if we should look into using the DDP, or if we are better off without. Trip is now pushed back to Feb 2013 (most likely) so I have time, but I really need to start crafting a budget. It's hard for me to know, having never been to WDW and only being able to compare to our DLR habits, how it would work best.

Couple of questions:
1) HOW does it work if you have a big group. We're looking to at stay at the Treehouse Villas for 5 nights- Me, DH, 3 kids, Grandma & Grandpa, Sister + her BF. Can only some of us do the DDP or is it all or nothing, and we must all do it?

In one room or villa it is everyone has it or no one.

sub question: if that's the case we all must do it to buy it, what about using it if we eat a meal together? how is the bill sorted?

You mean if you are all on the DP? Then they will just give you one bill and you present one KTTW card. Everyone's credits are pooled.

2) After those 4 nights- we're going to move to a different resort, location TBD. If we DIDN"T do it before, we could add it to the 2nd ressie just for my family of 5? What if we have TWO rooms on our ressie?

Yes, you can add the DP to your second resort. It will be a new reservation so you can have a completely different package. If you have two rooms you can add it to one and not the other but it will be two different reservations.

3) Does it make sense AT ALL to do the DDP if we would be able to get 20% off at the table service restuarants, and also if we are staying the whole stay in a villa/family suites (basically we'd at least have a kitchenette the whole time).

What are you using to 20% off all your dining? TiW? Also are you going to want to cook every meal on vacation? How will you cook dinner?Leave the parks early every night?

4) We' really like to do a dinner show, plus probably 3 other character meals.

The dinner shows are 2 TS credits each as is dining at CRT. Character meals are more expensive in general so a good use of a TS credit.

5) If that was our type of dining plan, would we be better served by upping to the Deluxe DP OR would it work nicely to use the regular (it *seems* like we could probably get all our credits use and then just be "short" for the more expensive meals) and pay OOP hopefully with as much as the 20% off as possible.

If you have a lot of 2TS meals you may want to consider DxDP. I personally would not get any DP if my OOP expense was still going to be high. I would chose the 20% over the dining plan so you have more freedom to chose what you want. I am doing TiW next trip and it covers everything not just entree, dessert and beverage.


Why I like the DDP: being able to send my kids off with grand/grandpa or aunti and they have their meals covered. ability to have it paid for ahead of time and stick to budget/less out of pocket spending during the trip.
Will you all be in one room? Would you be paying for the DP for everyone or is everyone giving you the money for it? You can set-up charging privileges on your KTTW card and the grandparents can use that for the kids meals.

 

[TeddiBarra]

Yes, you can add the DP to your second resort. It will be a new reservation so you can have a completely different package. If you have two rooms you can add it to one and not the other but it will be two different reservations.

What are you using to 20% off all your dining? TiW? Also are you going to want to cook every meal on vacation? How will you cook dinner?Leave the parks early every night?

Definitely do NOT want to cook every meal. I assume that MOST mornings we would eat breakfast there. I think we would like to do one group meal BBQ while at the THV. And keep snacks & desserts on hand. I think most eating would still be in the parks/etc.

20%= CM, not TiW discount. Which unlike TiW doesn't cover a party up to (10? I think is how TiW). That's why I was wondering if we did the DP, then backstacked the 2nd ressie part of the trip with the more "OOP" dinners, maybe that would amount to more savings, or at least make sure we max'd the value of the Dining Plan.

The two rooms ressie have to be booked together though, so a separate package likely wouldn't work. I hadn't thought about that aspect, I thought we could separate it based just by room. No package booking will be involved at all.

Will you all be in one room? Would you be paying for the DP for everyone or is everyone giving you the money for it? You can set-up charging privileges on your KTTW card and the grandparents can use that for the kids meals.

Everyone would be paying their own part, so G&G would cover their part, and SIL+BF would cover theirs. Do you mean the KTTW can allow kids to have charging privileges? I didn't realize I could do that. That's a good option. Thanks for clearing up the rules about the Dining Plans. It may be that it's easier to not try to do it. I'll have to mull it over. It seems like it would be probably more painful to set up in this shared group option, unless everyone is on board and wants to do it.