Would you recommend DDP for me?

[only1alexa]

Ok, I've been debating adding the DDP to my trip. I've been to the World 8 times in the last few years and have never bothered w/the dining plan because I only made a few ADR's to places the kids really wanted to go and enjoy the CS options. I also plan out my vacation but don't like to worry about ADR's if we decide to abandon a plan and just stay at the pool or go shopping one day. This time I'm going with just my DS and DD and I have several ADR's based on where they told me they want to eat. (Yeah, I let my 4 and 5 year old plan my WDW vacation lol. They remember where they ate and who they saw and asked for it.)

We are going from 10/18-10/25 and all have APs and I have the DDE card. Would you add the dining plan based on these ADR's and the possibily that I may add one or two more? Or would you just use the DDE card (I tip 20% without it) and pay OOP?

Here are our ADR's:

O'hana - Breakfast
Crystal Palace - Lunch
Chef Mickey - Breakfast
Hollywood and Vine - Lunch
1900 Park Fare - Dinner
Tusker House - Breakfast

 

[TooExcitedCantSleep]

.

 

[suemac]

The kids are only $10. per day on the DDP. Even at 4 and 5 it is hard to fed them for that little.
Although we do not usually use our points on breakfast I think if you look at the prices posted on allears. You will see that you should come out on top

 

[bangzoom6877]

I would definitely recommend the regular dining plan. We had it in July and felt it was a great deal for us based on our dining choices, so we went with it. For children and character meals, it is particularly a good deal. Here's where we ate for our TS credits on our 5-night trip:

-Biergarten (Epcot)...dinner
-Crystal Palace (MK)...dinner
-LTT (MK)...dinner
-Boma (AK Lodge)...dinner
-1900 Park Fare (GF Resort)...dinner

All of these were a terrific deal for the kids. We have 2 sons, 3 years old and 1 year old. For $10 a day, my 3-year-old got to eat one of the above all-you-can-eat dinners (each of them would have cost MORE than $10 for him), PLUS a CS lunch and a snack. My 1-year-old was free at all the above meals, and they are not on the dining plan if they are under 3. So I thought that for what we were doing, it was a great deal just for my 3-year-old. It also ended up being a great deal for the 2 of us. And since it was pre-paid we were able to figure out the cost of our trip BEFORE we went, and not worry about what to order. A no-brainer...at CS lunches we just got what we felt like having without having to worry about how much each meal cost us. We like having as much included as possible and pre-pay as much as possible for a vacation. And on top of that the plan saved us some money which was an added bonus.

So I would go with the regular plan. Remember, it will also allow each of you a CS meal and a snack each day, plenty of food!

 

[ROEDISNEY]

Love the DDP

 

[only1alexa]

I just added an ADR to Spoodles to I'm leaning towards getting the DDP. Now I just have to write down the numbers (prices, added tip, and discount using the DDE card and discounts I get on food using the AP vs. DDP prices), see them on paper, and pick up the phone.

Thanks again.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think you're better off with the DDP. I ran your numbers in my spreadsheet and it looks like this:

DDP Cost - $405.79

OOP Cost - Including Tax and DDE/TiW Discount - $429.24


The OOP costs assume that you will have 7 CS meals - yours valuing around $10 and the kids at $4.60 each.

 

[fn2bfree]

We always use the DDP but based on your ADRs I would not recommend it for your trip. You might save a little bit with DDP but I don't think it is worth it because of the flexibility you will loose.