'08 Changes make me DROP it

[rjmdds]

Hi. Thanks to Intercot, I stumbled on the DDP changes for '08. We booked our April trip back in September to include a basic dining plan. My and 2 children love to eat at the nicer places for dinner just about every night. We definitely got value by using the DDP. We typically order appetizers,entree and dessert at all nice restaurants, Disney or not. So the DDP was perfect for us. We would never have to worry about ordering something because we thought we had to. And we usually tip close to if not 20% all of the time barring unusual circumstances. Anyway, with the changes to the DDP (omitting appetizers and gratuity) has really thrown me for a loop. I just don't know that it is worth it anymore. It is very disappointing because I love the idea of not worrying about it. But I just don't know what to do. I am strongly considering dropping it. I did use the link provided in another link to email Disney. THat won't help for my April trip. Any guidance on what I should do?

[MickeyChick]

I was angry about the changes too, but I have been looking at it this way-- it's not like I'm not going to use everything on the plan and try to get the best value for what they're giving. So what, I have to pay for my tip and appetizer. Likely I'll share an app with my sweetie anyway.

The convenience of the plan for snacks and counter service meals is still great. And I'll just make sure I order the most expensive entree options possible for my TS meals. :)

:mickey:

[DizneyRox]

'08 Changes make me DROP it
I hope I can help.

The DDP has really never been even a good value. Many people, contrary to their belief actually paid more for the plan than they would have spent without it. Sure it was possible to break even and maybe save a couple bucks, but the restautants necessary to do that only hold so many people.

With the new changes and the *cough* drop in price *cough* i really can't see anyone being able to save any money.

Just pass on it, use the opportunity to voice you opinion the only way Disney will understand. With your wallet!

[SBETigg]

You should probably look at the menus and add it up. For most regular table service diners, unless you're heavy on the price fix or buffet places or prefer breakfast and lunch over dinner, the dining plan still saves you money. Just do a little research before dropping it. Granted, it's not as good a bargain as it was, but do the math and then decide.

[Duchess99]

The DDP has really never been even a good value. Many people, contrary to their belief actually paid more for the plan than they would have spent without it. Sure it was possible to break even and maybe save a couple bucks, but the restautants necessary to do that only hold so many people.


I totally disagree. On my last trip in February, I kept all of my receipts and added up how much I would've spent. I ended up saving close to $150 for 2 of us. I thought the old dining plan was a GREAT value! But I'm not so sure about the new plan.

Does anyone know what the price difference is from last year to this year? I don't remember last year's cost.

I do think that last year's DDP had too much food on it, but I would like the choice of appetizer or dessert instead of JUST dessert. I would much rather have an appetizer than a dessert.

[SBETigg]

Sarah, I believe this year's regular DDP is a dollar less than last year's, but I could be wrong.

[Ian]

The DDP has really never been even a good value. Many people, contrary to their belief actually paid more for the plan than they would have spent without it. Sure it was possible to break even and maybe save a couple bucks, but the restautants necessary to do that only hold so many people.Definitely not true. It all depends on how you eat when you're on vacation. If you're a guy who's gonna grab a quick burger here and there then no ... it makes no sense. But if you like the character meals, the table service dining in Epcot and the resorts, and fine dining in general, it's well worth it.

In fact, I can tell you with 100% certainty that on our last trip we saved in excess of $300 by using the Dining Plan. I saved my dining receipts and added it all up ...

For our entire trip (2 adults, 1 child) the DDP cost us $450. The tips alone on our meals were close to $250 ... our total bill for eating and snacks was $783.29.

To the OP ... I'd suggest looking into the deluxe dining plan. It still doesn't include tips, but it does give you the app/entree/dessert and you can have three TS meals a day, if you choose. It's obviously quite a bit more expensive, but I still believe that (if you like to eat) it's a great bargain for you.

[lightyearfan]

[QUOTE=DizneyRox;1513303]I hope I can help.

The DDP has really never been even a good value. Many people, contrary to their belief actually paid more for the plan than they would have spent without it. Sure it was possible to break even and maybe save a couple bucks, but the restautants necessary to do that only hold so many people.

well im sorry dizneyrox, but i would have to disagree as well, on our last 2 trips me and dw saved well over $300 by being on the DDP, the plan was an extra $500 towards our trip, when we got back home i tallied all of our reciepts from snacks included and both times it was over $800. when at WDW me and dw love to eat our TS meals at the more jazzier places, so our TS meals alone would be more than $100. we tend to want to do this because lets face although good the CS meals just can't compete to what you get at a nice TS meal. as far as the changes this won't pouse a problem, as we usually leave a tip anyway, and as far as the apetizers are concerned we'll just get 1 and share it. soon we'll be planning our upcoming June trip, i'll post our ADR'S as soon as we make them

Victor

[kdsjjb]

I wholeheartedly disagree with DizneyRox. We did exactly what Duchess did on our last trip and we saved close to $800 for our family of five. It's there in black and white.

I also completely agree with SBETigg - you have to sit and figure it out. It took me just about an hour, less than 24 hours ago to find this:

I picked out six places we would want to eat. I then figured the AVERAGE prices for meals,based on what you get with the dining plan. That came to $1341.46. Then, based on my knowledge of what my family would order, I figured out what we would spend out of pocket to eat at those same places, with the same DP choices. That came to $1689.60. That price even includes two breakfast buffets, that loads of people will say is a waste of the DDP. I then ran it to figure us all eating the most expensive things on each of the menus. That cost was $2038.50. The cost for the dining plan for five of us for six nights: $37.99 x 6 = $ 1139.70.

What you have to figure out is how your family usually eats, where you would eat in WDW, and try to figure out your menus. If your family is the type that makes breakfast in your room each day, packs their own snacks and lunch and is fine with eating quick service for dinner, then the plan is definitely not worth it for you. My family likes to splurge a little on vacation. We only do this once every 12-18 months, so we like to do it up a little bit, we like to sit and relax and have nice meals.

Believe me, I ran the numbers every way I could and even though I'm not too happy with the changes,the plan still makes sense for us.

I even ran it to eat at nothing but buffets, and the plan still saves us $20. That might not sound like much, but saving $20 plus the convienience is worth it to us. You have to decide if it's worth it for you.

What gets me though, is the people that complained that it was too much food. Little did they know. I'll bet that those people are also complaining about the changes now.

[poeticeclipse]

I ran number a while ago as well and got it right down to every last detail. Tax, gratuity, and what DH and I would ACTUALLY eat. I was honest with myself.

When it came down to it, it was still a bargain. Sure, not as much of one, but still worth it to us.

I also did a "what if" situation where we wouldn't do the DDP and we set a certain limit of how much we spent on food. Probably only doing 3 or 4 TS meals out of a 7 day trip. And picked only snacks and CS for the rest. While it's not as fun, it does save you some cash.

The new plan does not work for everyone. Especially if you really are a light eater or someone who likes three courses at a TS meal. You just have to figure it out for your family.

[JPL]

For all of those saying how much you saved on the DDP figure in the extra 30-40% you paid each night for your room for the privelage of being on the plan?

[Ian]

For all of those saying how much you saved on the DDP figure in the extra 30-40% you paid each night for your room for the privelage of being on the plan?Since I'm a DVC member, that didn't factor in to the equation.

[poeticeclipse]

For all of those saying how much you saved on the DDP figure in the extra 30-40% you paid each night for your room for the privelage of being on the plan?

*braced to sound stupid*

What do you mean extra?

[Hammer]

Remember, Jeff, if you are DVC there isn't that extra 30-40%. Also, Disney does at times offer package discounts with dining (and not the free dining promo). If you are DVC, you very well could see a decent savings over paying out of pocket or the Disney Dining Experience card (if you also purchase an AP).

[DizneyRox]

For all of those saying how much you saved on the DDP figure in the extra 30-40% you paid each night for your room for the privelage of being on the plan?
It is important to figure total cost...

Many folks staying offsite do not include the cost of a rental car (or whatever transportation they decide to use) and parking when deciding that staying off-site is cheaper. I believe the same problem exists with the DDP.

I can also produce receipts from a previous trip showing I would have spent more than $150 more if I got the DDP than paying OOP as we did (Yes, DVC member here as well).

[JPL]

Disney constantly offer discounted room rates however by opting for the dining plan you pay rack rates for the rooms. The typical room discounts available most times of the year range from 30%-40% add the DDP and this is gone.

A good Example is the last Disney Visa Promotion

Pop Century Rack Rate was Approx $89 through the Promotion it was $59 about a 30% savings however in order to qualify for the DDP you had to pay the Rack rate and were not eligible for the promotional rate.

So a 7 day stay during this time would cost you $210 more if you opted for the DDP. In your Calculations this additional money should be deducted from your savings. So if think you save $300 using tht eplan before calculation this additional cost in you actually only saved $90

[Hammer]

*braced to sound stupid*

What do you mean extra?

Not stupid at all, Stacey. Jeff is referring that in many cases you are paying rack rates for your room if you get a package which includes dining. There are times when WDW offers package discounts for packages with dining where you do get a room discount, though. Also, if you are a DVC member, you can purchase the Dining plan and there isn't a room charge (other than using your DVC points) so in that case Jeff's example does not apply.

[poeticeclipse]

Disney constantly offer discounted room rates however by opting for the dining plan you pay rack rates for the rooms. The typical room discounts available most times of the year range from 30%-40% add the DDP and this is gone.

A good Example is the last Disney Visa Promotion

Pop Century Rack Rate was Approx $89 through the Promotion it was $59 about a 30% savings however in order to qualify for the DDP you had to pay the Rack rate and were not eligible for the promotional rate.

So a 7 day stay during this time would cost you $210 more if you opted for the DDP. In your Calculations this additional money should be deducted from your savings. So if think you save $300 using tht eplan before calculation this additional cost in you actually only saved $90


Not stupid at all, Stacey. Jeff is referring that in many cases you are paying rack rates for your room if you get a package which includes dining. There are times when WDW offers package discounts for packages with dining where you do get a room discount, though. Also, if you are a DVC member, you can purchase the Dining plan and there isn't a room charge (other than using your DVC points) so in that case Jeff's example does not apply.

Thank you! I was not aware of this at all!

What if you go during a time where there is no promotion going on? Then you're not paying "extra" right?

[Ian]

What if you go during a time where there is no promotion going on? Then you're not paying "extra" right?Correct. The only time it could truly be said you're paying extra is if you opt for a package with the DDP where you're forced to pay rack rates.

[poeticeclipse]

Correct. The only time it could truly be said you're paying extra is if you opt for a package with the DDP where you're forced to pay rack rates.


Well, that makes perfect sense.

Now i've got another question... say I book when there is a promotion going on that we could apply to our package and say I use the DDP. Obviously, i'm paying rack rate because i'm forced to but would it then be better for me to opt out of the DDP, take the rack rate, and pay OOP for all of my food?

[wendy*darling]

What if you go during a time where there is no promotion going on? Then you're not paying "extra" right?
Even without a "promotion" many people are eligible for room only discounts (like AAA, for example). You could not get the AAA discount AND the DDP. You have to buy the Magic Your Way Plan which is a rack rate room, at least a one day basic pass and the DDP for every night of your stay.
In this example- your savings are less- but... there is usually still some savings.

DVC is the way to go! ;)

[MizMissy]

Remember, Jeff, if you are DVC there isn't that extra 30-40%. Also, Disney does at times offer package discounts with dining (and not the free dining promo). If you are DVC, you very well could see a decent savings over paying out of pocket or the Disney Dining Experience card (if you also purchase an AP).

This is a little off topic, but can you get DDP if you rent DVC points?

[SignguyTom]

The old plan was a better value, but, that aside, the new plan is still a savings. Consider:


1 Snack - $2.50 - $4.00

1 CS Meal $8.00 - $12.00
1 CS Drink $3.00
1 CS Dessert $3.00

1 TS Meal $15.00 - $27.00
1 TS Drink $3.00
1 TS Dessert $5 - $7

Totals $39.50 - $59.00

They way I see it, if you are going to go to the nicer restaurants anyway, you still come out ahead with the DDP at $37.99/day, even if you use your credits for the least expensive items throughout the day.

But the old plan was better. ;)

[MicMouse]

The one question people need to ask themselves about the DDP is if you did not have it, would you still eat as many meals or as much food at each meal?

IMHO I kind of feel that the DDP forces you to spend money on meals that you probably wouldn't have eaten or food you wouldn't have ordered. Sure you will be saving money when you look at the cost of the meal, but are you really saving money??

Its a matter of choice. Some people don't like to spend extra for a Magic Kingdom view or Club level rooms.

[SignguyTom]

The one question people need to ask themselves about the DDP is if you did not have it, would you still eat as many meals or as much food at each meal?

IMHO I kind of feel that the DDP forces you to spend money on meals that you probably wouldn't have eaten or food you wouldn't have ordered. Sure you will be saving money when you look at the cost of the meal, but are you really saving money??

Its a matter of choice. Some people don't like to spend extra for a Magic Kingdom view or Club level rooms.


I don't think it forces anything. If we did not buy the DDP, I know we would spend less $$$ on food. I would eat fewer TS meals, more CS meals.

For us, it is a bit of a luxury. We dine out rarely in our real world. When at WDW, though, I feel good not even considering the prices on a menu. If my DD14 wants a $28 filet mignon and a dessert, I think it's way cool to not have the price enter into it. I have crunched the numbers repeatedly, and it is more than worth it for us. It makes it easier for us to relax and enjoy our meals. So what if we spent a couple hundred bucks more. We still talk about the restaurants and can't wait to try some new ones in May! :thumbsup:

[jszczur5]

well im sorry dizneyrox, but i would have to disagree as well, on our last 2 trips me and dw saved well over $300 by being on the DDP, the plan was an extra $500 towards our trip, when we got back home i tallied all of our reciepts from snacks included and both times it was over $800. Victor

There is another way to look at this. Most of us who have saved heaps of money using the DDP did so by eating at restaurants that we would not normally choose if we were paying OOP across the board. When choosing a TS meal on DDP, many of us are more inclined to book a "nicer" restaurant (and also to choose the more expensive apps and entrees) just to get the most bang for your buck. Admit it, most of us would not be dining in this manner if we were not on the the DDP. I call it the DDP mentality - eat the best food at the best restaurants - to make it worthwhile. Otherwise, there are a plethora of nice places to eat just outside the gates, for way less money.

[MicMouse]

SignguyTom, you are right. You don't have to buy the DDP. And it is nice to not have to worry about meals while you are at the best place on earth!!

I just wish you didn't have to think about where you wanted to eat 180 days before hand.

But...planning a trip to WDW is almost as much fun as being there.

:mickey::mickey::mickey:

[JPL]

Now i've got another question... say I book when there is a promotion going on that we could apply to our package and say I use the DDP. Obviously, i'm paying rack rate because i'm forced to but would it then be better for me to opt out of the DDP, take the rack rate, and pay OOP for all of my food?


This would really be crunching the numbers especially since tip is no longer included on the DDP so the math becomes a bit more complicating factoring in the category of resort and the 18% OOP tip you will be paying on the full amount of the bill along with the cost of the DDP.

So for instance let's say you are staying at a Deluxe resort and you get a discounted rate of $199 when the rack rate is say $299. If you are staying for 7 days you are forfeiting a $700 savings on the room. If 2 People are staying in the room that's $50 a day more each add that to the cost of the DDP around $38 each per day and the actual cost of the plan is $88 per person per day.

Broken down into meal cost averages:

Snack Value $4.00
CS Average $9.00
TS Average $25-$50 (+18% tip OOP)

so even at the higher end averages you would be spending $62 a day on food without Tip as opposed to the $88 per day the plan will coast you. When You add a tip to the TS of $9 which would be 18% of the high end dining you are still only spending $71 per day as saving of $17 a day over the plan.

[Hammer]

Jeff, the only problem with your example is that sometimes you can get a discounted package rate which will include dining. I'm not talking about free dining either. Case in point. I had a package last October and I added Dining. I received a PIN code. Debbie at MJ called and presto the price of my package went down $400 (5 night stay) and I still had Dining included.

[JPL]

I understand that on occaision they are available but I am going by the Norm according to standard Disney Policy. Pin codes are usually sent to individuals and there is no garauntee of receiving one.

[Hammer]

True enough, but I have also seen that when they offer general package specials, discounts are available for packages with dining. Also, your calculation does not work for DVC members. Like Linda said earlier, DVC is the best way to go ;) !

[glenpreece]

The one question people need to ask themselves about the DDP is if you did not have it, would you still eat as many meals or as much food at each meal?

IMHO I kind of feel that the DDP forces you to spend money on meals that you probably wouldn't have eaten or food you wouldn't have ordered. Sure you will be saving money when you look at the cost of the meal, but are you really saving money??

Its a matter of choice. Some people don't like to spend extra for a Magic Kingdom view or Club level rooms.

I totally agree. when we don't have the DDP I don't eat as much at WDW. I'd rather spend time doing things then eating lol.

[Ian]

The one question people need to ask themselves about the DDP is if you did not have it, would you still eat as many meals or as much food at each meal?For us, I can definitely say yes ... we would still eat that way.

I know, because we did it long before the DDP came into fashion and we used to spend a small fortune dining when we were on vacation.

For us, the food in WDW is a major part of the attraction. Having been so often, I find it tough to get worked up about riding Soarin' for the 1,000th time. But get me into Chefs De France and start talking about the tuna steak??? That'll get my eyes to light up!!

We like food and fine dining. Even at home we tend to eat at more upscale places, have wine with meals, apps, etc. For us, the DDP is a no brainer.

Also one thing people should consider is just the flat out convenience factor. Many people (myself included) are willing to pay for convenience and there is nothing easier than having all your meals prepaid in advance.

Now one thing I will say is that I haven't dined on the new plan yet, without the tip. I'll see how that works out in May and it could change my opinion on the DDP.

But I'd also echo what Wendy said ... DVC with DDP is the way to go. :thumbsup:

[poeticeclipse]

In regards to our dining habits with or without the DDP, we do what we can to save money but still have fun.

If we didn't use the DDP we WOULD NOT eat the same way. Meaning, no Coral Reef and Le Cellier type meals every day. We'd probably only pick 3 or 4 TS meals and then we'd CS the rest. Now i'm curious as to how much we would spend if we didn't use the DDP. We wouldn't eat breakfast ever outside of our room. We'd probably just bring Pop-tarts and granola bars like we've done before. Snacks probably would only happen once a day because we'd be so full from our meals (just like when we use the DDP). I think it's time to crunch some numbers.

Side note: I love talking to you guys about DDP! We all try and help each other out.

[Mackflava99]

I find it hard to see how you couldnt save money- With kids especially, the amount is very reasonable.
We have done the DDP for 3 trips and each time we saved at least 200$. Now yes we do like to go to nice dinners, but in reality we would have exceeded the daily cost with dinner each night.
I have a great example- Last year we went to BCV and so did my sister and her family. We each have a family of 4 ( 2 adults 2 kids about same ages) we did the DDP and they did not ( they wouldnt listen) we kept receipts and at the end of the trip- they paid 225$ more.
This was over 10 days, but YES it adds up. Plus they are cheap so they were ordering some of the lower priced dinners.
They are using it this year.

[JPL]

DVC members using the DDP is a totally different situation when compared to people booking a trip themselves or through a travel agent. DVC members will save more money on their food than most regular customers using the DDP for the simple fact the number of points used per night doesn't go up when you use the plan. However the norm for regular customers is you must pay rack rates for the room in order to participate in the DDP. So you might be saving money on your food but paying more for your room. See my example earlier in the post. Unfortunately some people calculate their savings based on the food alone if you saved $300 but you paid and extra $400 for your room because you paid rack rate and lost your room discount to save money you actually paid $100 more for your trip with DDP. I like to think of it like the Gambling scenario people who say they won $100 on a slot machine but fail to realize they started the using $150 and are so happy they won the $100 they never think about the $50 they really lost in the deal.

The main thing I want to point out to people is do the math before deciding on the DDP make sure at the time you are going it is the best deal and really will save you money. It could save you money on one trip and cost you more the next. Just don't blindly say I want the DDP because it saves me money.

[SBETigg]

Jeff, I'm sure you're technically right but... I can't stand bargain hunting. I'm going to book my trip the easy way even though, yes, I'm not saving money and it will probably cost me more. I'm going for the package.

So if I'm booking a package anyway, then trying to decide between adding or not adding the DDP, I think adding the DDP will save most people money. Not money in the long run, as in we could have booked a cheaper trip if we hadn't gone with a package in the first place(not always the case, but often), but money over having the package and not going DDP.

When we, the package travelers, feel as if we're saving money on the DDP, you can smile to yourself and know that we're not-- but we'll still feel we've made a small bargain. It comes back down to doing the math. If you've booked a package and you want to know if the DDP will add up to additional savings or if you're losing money, think of how you eat normally, where you plan to eat, check out the menus, and price it out. We do eat a TS dinner almost nightly and at the occasional signature dining place with some days all CS, and it works out to be a savings for us. Maybe not for everyone. And certainly not if you're Jeff saving more by getting deals with room only. ;)

[Meteora]

I've never used the DDP, but just judging from the discussion, it seems like what would make the most sense would be sitting down and figuring out where you actually want to eat and maybe even looking at menus from those places to decide if the dining plan would be worth it to you. How much money you will save seems to depend entirely on your eating habits to begin with.

[JPL]

Jeff, I'm sure you're technically right but... I can't stand bargain hunting. I'm going to book my trip the easy way even though, yes, I'm not saving money and it will probably cost me more. I'm going for the package.



That's fine I understnad booking for convenience I have done it many times myself:thumbsup: My posts were directed more to those who want to save money and are concerned with budget. I know people who love to bargain hunt to the point where it gets scary.

[Disneyatic]

We are the family that loves the DDP because of the convenience and probably don't get a whole lot of savings out of it.
Honestly, on our first trip we were so new at everything that it never occurred to me to run the numbers and compare costs. The prepayment aspect had me at hello!
We like some of the buffets and doing sit down breakfasts so I am sure we don't maximize the value, but it sure feels great getting the tab and just handing over a room key.
This year having the tip OOP will make us have to do a little more planning to make sure we always have enough cash with us for proper tipping but we still chose to get DDP because of the prepayment convenience.

On a side note, I really wish they would let you choose between an appetizer and a dessert though!

[jszczur5]

On a side note, I really wish they would let you choose between an appetizer and a dessert though!

You're preaching to the choir on this one. This seems to be the overwhelming opinion here. Apparently, however, Disney is committed to giving the new plan a full year test run, so you probably won't see any tweaking until 2009, and then, only if the DDP proves to be less popular and less profitable.

[SignguyTom]

... However the norm for regular customers is you must pay rack rates for the room in order to participate in the DDP.....

I thought you had to pay rack rate in order to get the free dining promotion they've had the past couple of years... :confused:

I've never heard that they would deny selling you the DDP because you have a discounted room during other times of the year...

[JPL]

It's not really widely publicized by Disney. I mean they aren't going to say come enjoy our food and lose the saving on your room. But if you take advantage of a promotion like the Disney Visa Room Discounts or AP Rates and then try to add dining they raise the room price back to rack rates.

[jszczur5]

It's not really widely publicized by Disney. I mean they aren't going to say come enjoy our food and lose the saving on your room. But if you take advantage of a promotion like the Disney Visa Room Discounts or AP Rates and then try to add dining they raise the room price back to rack rates.

That doesn't seem rght. What next - I pay more for my room because I upgraded my park tickets to Park Hopper Plus? More again if I add the Waterparks option? Huh?
Usually when you ADD something to a package, the overall discount goes down - the base price isn't suopposed to go up. That's why we all started bundling our phone, cable and internet services.

[DizneyRox]

Usually when you ADD something to a package, the overall discount goes down - the base price isn't suopposed to go up. That's why we all started bundling our phone, cable and internet services.
You'd think, wouldn't you...

Disney packages have never been a good value to me. Length to stay tickets were never appealing to me, dining has never made sense for me, and I have NEVER, EVER, used Disney to book my flights.

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall. People ask how I can go to Disney all the time... I consider it a cheap vacation actually, much cheaper than most other destinations I can get to. Then when I hear what other people pay for their trips, I understand why they think it's so expensive! WOW!

[Ian]

Disney packages have never been a good value to me. Length to stay tickets were never appealing to me, dining has never made sense for me, and I have NEVER, EVER, used Disney to book my flights.

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall. People ask how I can go to Disney all the time... I consider it a cheap vacation actually, much cheaper than most other destinations I can get to. Then when I hear what other people pay for their trips, I understand why they think it's so expensive! WOW!I actually agree with everything you said here. Disney packages aren't (normally) a very good deal. They kind of wrap them up in a nice little package with a pretty bow on top, but when you unwrap them you normally find you could have done much better booking things separately (or just using MJT, for that matter).

If I wasn't getting dining free as part of a package or if I wasn't a DVC member, I probably wouldn't use it either. It just works for us in our particular situation. I don't think I was clear enough about that before ... in the majority of cases, Jeff and Rox are correct that it's not as good a deal as it seems on the surface.

[Meteora]

I really think they are riding the package are better thought process, when in reality, you're paying more overall.

I think it's also that most people, when offered the package, will assume that because it comes from a Disney representative it is the best and most effective deal they can get. After all, the vacation planners are there to help you, right?

The length of stay pass and the DDP are both tricky in subtle ways, but one thing they have in common is this--if you're paying for a Disney park every day or you are pre-paying for meals that can only be redeemed at Disney, you're far less likely to venture off property. In the coming years, as nearby attractions add some interesting new components, it would not surprise me at all to see more "package" options that will encourage people not to leave the property.

[Jeri]

Now I am confused.
We went last October and had the Visa special. So once MJ gave us the discount our final cost for 9 nights 10 day park hoppers and the dining plan for 2 adults a 4yr old and 10 yr old was $530.00 less.
So you guys are saying we still paid rack rate for our room? Where did the savings come from? Park tickets? Dining plan cost?
I cant believe we paid rack rate .

I did add up how much we would have spent on food if we didn't have the dining plan and how much the dining plan was for all 4 of us and the savings was around $400.00

I think we will use it again just because we like to eat at table service when on vacation , and we like having it paid for in advance. The tip doesn't bother us because we tipped an extra $20.00 at each table service above what they were already getting.