DDP or a preloaded Disney card?

[hauntedmansiongirl]

Hello and Happy New Year!

With the holidays over, it's time to look ahead to our (not yet booked) April vacation. We are going for 2 weeks this time! So because of the extra time away, an increase in DDP charge and the high unlikelihood of a free dining promo, we are looking at trading the DDP for a preloaded Disney card with a guesstimate of what we will spend on food. We love paying for everything possible ahead of time, which is why we have always booked the DDP up until this trip- hence the preloaded card.

So question for all of you- are we nuts? We know that if we pay for the dining plan we at best break even and we always get tired of the counter service desserts by day 3- so really breaking even is a bit of a stretch. It's just that it's so darn convenient! And it is fun not worrying about the cost and having dessert everyday. As you can tell, we're really torn here!

Please give me your highly valued input!

[TinkerbellT421]

Calculate the cost of the dinning plan, then take that cost and put it on a disney gift card. I would almost gaurantee you will come out ahead in the end. Eat like you normally would, the benefit of this? Whatever extra money you have you aren't tied in to losing by not using the credits up like on the ddp. You can buy yourself a souvenir or save it on the gift card of your next trip. It will never expire. It's a win win that way. try it, you may find you like doing that better! DBF and I budget our meals as if we were purchasing the ddp, I don't know the exact figures off the top of my head. But based on our days if the ddp would cost us $800.00, we budget $800.00. We make our reservations wherever we want (within reason, no Victoria and Alberta or anything lol). We never starve and we always come home with at least a couple hundred dollars, that we out back into next years vacation budget! We love saving the money and not walking away feeling we wasted money by leaving credits behind. And honestly we don't eat snacks every day, we don't eat desserts at every meal. But, we do have a few snacks throughout the week, and maybe have a dessert or two along the way depending on how we feel that day. We have never gone over budget. But that's us.

[Strmchsr]

It's an individual choice, but we've come out way ahead not using the DDP, especially with the recent price increases. The TiW card makes it even better. I think your pre-paid card would be a great idea. Still convenient, you can eat like you want, not like you have to, and you will probably end up with a little left to spend on souvenirs.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

I like your idea going to try this for my next trip. Like you I don't want dessert all the time although sometimes an appetizer would be nice. And your way I wouldn't feel like we had to have dinner reservations every night, some nights we could just do counter service and wing it.

Calculate the cost of the dinning plan, then take that cost and put it on a disney gift card. I would almost gaurantee you will come out ahead in the end. Eat like you normally would, the benefit of this? Whatever extra money you have you aren't tied in to losing by not using the credits up like on the ddp. You can buy yourself a souvenir or save it on the gift card of your next trip. It will never expire. It's a win win that way. try it, you may find you like doing that better! DBF and I budget our meals as if we were purchasing the ddp, I don't know the exact figures off the top of my head. But based on our days if the ddp would cost us $800.00, we budget $800.00. We make our reservations wherever we want (within reason, no Victoria and Alberta or anything lol). We never starve and we always come home with at least a couple hundred dollars, that we out back into next years vacation budget! We love saving the money and not walking away feeling we wasted money by leaving credits behind. And honestly we don't eat snacks every day, we don't eat desserts at every meal. But, we do have a few snacks throughout the week, and maybe have a dessert or two along the way depending on how we feel that day. We have never gone over budget. But that's us.

[Fangorn]

So question for all of you- are we nuts?:

Not in the least.

If you really like the idea of having everything paid for beforehand, this is the way to go. Using a gift card gives you so much more freedom to eat exactly what you want. One of the issues I have with the DDP is that I always feel like I need to get the most expensive thing on the menu just to break even. But, sometimes that pasta dish sounds really good, or I just want an appetizer (or 2) as my dinner. And the whole dessert thing is, for me, a total waste of both money and calories.

And, as has already been said, anything left over on the card can be used for shopping or saved for next time.

Steve

[buzznwoodysmom]

Normally I would agree that you can come out way ahead without dining plan. However, pay close attention to which places you plan to book.

We are traveling with extended family in February and booked all meals together. After each family picked their "must do" we realized we had almost all buffet/family style meals. With both my kids being "Disney adults" I have to pay adult prices at all these meals, and we can't cut corners by sharing or skipping desserts. The only meal we have that we can order off a menu is Sanaa. I have run the numbers and this time we will come out ahead with the dining plan.

[medic9016]

We just stayed a week in Dec. We bought gift cards from Sam's club and used them instead of the DDP. We did not make any advanced dining plans at all. We had no problems at all. We even got into BOG with a 35 min wait. It was the best trip we have had in a long time. Did not have to worry about snack or dining credits. The best was knowing we did not have to leave to make a reservation time or pick a place to eat 6 months out. We will never again do DDP.

[Itchy]

I have had the dining plan since it came out and have loved having it. It was nice having everything paid for in advance. Most of the time it was free even though I paid rack rates for the room.

Having said that when I plan the next trip I may consider just paying out of pocket due to the increase in the cost for the dining plan.

I like an appeitizer in place of dessert and do not always eat the most expensive thing on the menu.

I think that disney is about to find out how good of a thing the dining plan is when folks start to bail in masses.

Just my thought.. Happy planning..

[larjani]

The one thing I forget about the dining plan is it only covers 2 meals. I usually still have to buy a breakfast, or lunch. We don't typically use the snack credits for a meal replacement. In fact the two times we did use the dining plan we only used half of the snack credits. We ended up buying a bunch of Pez with the remainder just before checkout.

Anyone know how much the dining plan actually costs per person per day?

[Strmchsr]

Anyone know how much the dining plan actually costs per person per day?

Regular season - $55.59/night
Peak season - $56.94/night.

That's up $3/night over last year. For kids (10 and under) it's $17.16 and $18.16/night.

I spend an average of $25-30/ person at TS meal and $10 at CS. We don't do snacks very often. That leaves me coming up $15-20/person/night short using the DDP. Take our normal 7 night vacation for 4 people and we would spend around $420 more using the DDP than we do OOP.

[MargaretMessler]

I definitely would go with the preloaded cards. As others have said, you don't always break even depending on your choices, or always want a desert, etc.

The extra money spent on the DDP, instead of being "wasted", can be spent on extra drinks or adding an appetizer to share at a table meal. Or a special souvenir. Definitely the way to go.

I've been telling everyone what I want for gifts on Christmas, birthday, etc. is Disney giftcards to save up for my two trips this year.

[Janmac]

We too have been long time DDP fans. We have usually gotten a little bit of a deal but still pay out of pocket quite a bit because we eat two sit down meals a day. On our most recent trip we discovered that salads can be considered dessert, so I had one counter service dessert the whole week, and that was when I had a salad as an entree and figured, hey, I could get a carrot cake. Once was enough. As for snacks, when we have traveled in warmer months, we use up our snack credits quickly. Winter months, not so much.

Since we are making a short trip this February and hoping for a week long trip January 2014, I am contemplating getting an annual pass and a Tables in Wonderland card. I have run some estimates and it seems that the TiW discounts will both pay for the upgrade to an AP and the $100 for the TiW card, as well as significant savings. Many members of our extended family like their exotic beers and fancy drinks as well as opting for an appetizer instead of dessert (or even, appetizer and dessert instead of entree). DDP doesn't help us much in these instances.

Wondering if, since you'll be there for 2 weeks, an Annual Pass for one of you and the Tables in Wonderland card AND a pre-paid Disney card would be the way to go?

Jan

[hauntedmansiongirl]

Thanks so much for all of your input! We booked Port Orleans Riverside today for 2 weeks without the dining plan. Your feedback made me brave enough to go on our own!

Thanks again for all of your help!

[chrim]

I think you made the right decision to reduce your costs by not using the DDP. I do have one suggestion for you to consider.

I think, when you check in, you could have the font desk CM at your resort transfer the value of all your gift cards to your room account. That way, you can still charge your meals using your room card and won't need the physical gift cards. Also, it means that if you split up, all the money will be available to all and not just to the person with the gift card. Also, you won't have to worry about what might happen if you lose your gift card. At the end of your stay, if you haven't spent all the money, you should get a credit to your gift card as well.

Then again, maybe you would rather know that the person hold the gift card(s) has control over the money.

Personal choice, it is up to you. Just something I would consider.

[DizneyRox]

Don't do Disney Gift cards over the DDP. Do a Visa Gift Card or something similar. A Disney Gift card locks any balance back to Disney, however you can always buy something at just about any store with a Visa gift card.

Personally, I enjoy giving Disney as little money as possible for whatever I do. It's not just Disney, it's everyone, why pay more than you have to. Being able to use that savings on something else is huge in my book.

And as others have said, the DDP is really tough to find any value in.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

If you feel you're losing money on the dining plan then don't do it. I know that we save money and its nice knowing you can order whatever you want on the menu (entree) and not have to worry about cost and whether prices went up since you estimated your costs. Plus we love the convenience.

Of course the prepaid card would be convenient too. We also got tired of eating dessert every CS meal but I started ordered yogurt for my dessert to take back to the room for breakfast. Like I said if you really feel you are losing money on the plan, don't do it, but if I took the prepaid card I would overestimate my cost. If you end up with more at the end, you can use it on souveniers or even at home, no big deal.

[Mitzie]

You guys have us thinking of doing this same thing in April. DH has always liked the DDP because he liked having things paid for in advance. We have our stay at YC booked right now with out the DDP...this is a jump for us..Does anyone know if the resturants at the Swan and Dolphin would accept a Disney gift card..my guess is not but thought I would ask.
Also, how would most table service locations be if my DD age 12 ordered off the children's menu..she weighs all of 70 lbs and is a picky eater..9 times of of 10 she would want the chicken nuggets off the kids menu.

[dobby2010]

Also agree that this post has us thinking this is what we will do on our next trip, too. Has anyone ever had a problem with locations not taking a gift card? On the Disney website it says not all locations will accept them and so am wondering which locations that might be. Would hate to have an ADR and then not be able to pay!

[Fangorn]

I don't believe the restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin will take a Disney gift card. It's possible, though. This is where DisneyRox's suggestion of using a pre-loaded Visa/MC/Amex card would be of greater benefit.

As for eating off the children's menu, I haven't run across any Disney restaurants that would forbid anyone from ordering off the kid's menu. As adults, we've ordered from the kids menu a few times with nary a word. An actual child of 12 isn't going to be a problem.

Steve

[TinkerbellT421]

Like DisneyRox said you are definitely better off using a Visa card versus a Disney Gift Card. Visa (or any major bank credit card/gift card) will be accepted at all locations, versus a Disney Gift Card where the chance of being denied at any locations that while MAY be on Disney property, probably are not Disney owned/run, like T-Rex or Rainforest are ones that come to mind. So to minimize that chance, use a Visa/Master Card or Am-ex card, which if there is money left over, you can even bring back home and pay a bill with or grocery shopping, or splurge on some souvenirs, but you don't have to stress about a specific Disney Gift Card being accepted.