Is DDP right for you?

[Plex]

For our last trip we used DDP for our meals. The previous trip we did not use DDP. This has lead me to debate if it was 'worth it' or not.

One of the things that we noticed was that despite having DDP we still spent quite a bit of money on food anyway. Between tipping and adding extras (appetizers, drinks, etc) we ended up with a sizable bill at the end of our trip.

We also ended up with way more food than we would normally order with DDP. We would have ordinarily ordered dessert maybe 2 or 3 times on a trip like that, however we got dessert with every meal. At other times we had meals that we wouldn't ordinarily have because we felt obligated to use all of our credits because they had already been paid for.

Item-for-item, DDP saves you money. However I think for us we ultimately spent more money on food than we ordinarily would have. On our trip without DDP we spent around $200 per person on food, while with DDP we ended up spending almost $400. (there were 2 more days on our DDP trip, but that's not enough to account for the difference) Also, my tipping was much heavier using DDP because the total bill would have been much larger than it would be otherwise.

What do you all think? Does your family save money using DDP? Or have you found that you send less without it?

[retiredfigment]

I agree. On our last trip of 7 days, I know I ate alot more than I would have if I was paying OOP. I was getting desserts, which I never order. (I would prefer an option of either appetizer or dessert) I was tired of eating at TS restaurants and being tied to a schedule, but felt I had to since I had paid for it. Too much food overall. This trip we were going to do the CS plan, but decided not to do a plan at all since we will be there during F&W at EPCOT. I plan on keeping all my receipts to make a comparison.

[forever a child]

Some very good points. Our last trip we went with out the DDP and paid for everything OOP. For our Dec trip I plan on using the DDP. So I will be comparing our costs as well to see which works better for us. Looking forward to more ADR's and "hopefully" having everything pre-paid for but we shall see!:D

[Stu29573]

We had the DDP for the first time on our last trip and enjoyed it. That being said, I'm not sure if we really saved much compaired to what we would have normally spent on food. The difference was that we ate at many more TS places than we normally would have. However, it was very nice to be able to eat in those places and not really worry about the prices. We didn't get appetisers (we had too much food as it was!) and for some reason I wanted water and tea much more than any other drinks (I think it was the heat). Also, since it is just my wife and myself, we never had any issues getting to our reservations and didn't feel "tied down" at all. We did plan which park we would be in based on our reservations (which we based on which park was busiest, etc, when we made them)

We are returning in November and we once again got the DDP. For us it works great!:thumbsup:

[retiredfigment]

Another thought when comparing prices. Since we were ordering entrees AND desserts at TS restuarants, our bill was higher than normally, thus our tip was higher so each meall cost more that if I was paying OOP.

[azcavalier]

Yeah, it all depends on eating habits. I wouldn't normally get a dessert at lunch, but I love to eat dessert after dinner, *especially* at WDW. There are so many great desserts to choose from!

For our family, we love eating at TS restaurants, because we would get tired of the "fast food" style counter service meals, every meal, every day. Not to knock them...I know that there is variety and there are some CS places that we love, but in the end, it's still fast food. We don't feel "tied down", either, because we like having the schedule. Of course, that's how we roll, and if we want to break free then we have all the freedom we want in the mornings (our ADRs are almost always for dinner).

[Scar]

Popular opinion seems to be that the DDP is only a good deal if you are committed to 1 TS (which means ADR's well in advance) and 1 CS per day. Since I do not adhere to any of those (especially during F&W Festival,) it is not for me. And now that I have TiW, It's really not a good deal for me.

[PopPhan]

If I was paying for the DDP, NO! I would save the money and just eat CS the entire trip. (Probably would lose weight every trip then! LOL) I would eat one CS meal and probably a couple 'snacks' per day and that would be it.

Since we go down in September, and for the past 6 years the DDP has been offered for free (please don't get into that "well, you have to pay rack rate on the room" argument, because it just doesn't fly when staying at a Value resort,) it is pretty much a no-brainer.

Yes, we have to schedule TS meals way in advance, and often you are served more than you would generally eat, but I just figure that I am on vacation and enjoying every minute - whether it be in the parks, in a restaurant, or even just relaxing by a pool.

[DizneyRox]

Nope.. The DDP would end up costing us more for food.. When you break down the cost of the DDP against current menu prices, while on paper it MAY be possible to come out ahead, it's getting more and more difficult. Maximizing the value seems to take a degree in advanced math.

In general, package deals offered by Disney have been more about convenience than value. And maybe it's just me, but lately, Disney is doing everything in their power to maximize profits, so it's a safe bet that if they are offering it, it's designed to optimize their bottom line, NOT MINE! Passing on the "opportunity" seems to be the best choice.

[Ms. Mode]

I was reading in one of my WDW Travel Books last night (helps me get past the blues of not being in the world) and they had a breakdown of the average cost of a meal without the DDP and with the DDP. Basically, if you're looking to save money it can be done, but not with character meals and not if you go to 2T places to dine. Other than that, you pretty much break even.

We love the plan. We can pay for everything before vacation; and not have to carry the cash or credit/debit card with us while on vacation.

MM :mickey:

[mdricks]

I still remember the heady days of a DDP that was a bargain for the guest. The thought that keeping people in the restaurants was key and the discount was an acceptable "loss leader" ruled the discussion boards.

I now tend to think it was more along the lines of a bait and switch.

In the first year or so of its inception, we used the plan for a family of four and ate like kigs (kings+pigs) at a reasonable cost. Had the plan not changed we would still be participating.

As soon as the plan axed apps and tips, we found that for the same amount or even less we could get everything we wanted without having any restrictions.

Our days of DDP are long gone. The convenience of paying for your vacation , in total, prior to getting on the plane is the only benefit I see to this plan. In that case you are probably better off opening a vacation savings account and getting interest on your money.

[Plex]

I'm not even sure that it works out for restaurants with signature dining (2T/character meals).

It seems like the prices of items you purchase with your DDP are capped at the price built into DDP.

I noticed on our last trip that snacks are capped at $4 and QS seems to be capped around 12. If you use that estimate you get a TS value of about $31. I ended up saving most of my snack points for items $3 and up to get the most value out of it.

Just for an example, if $31 is the built-in price of a TS, and you go to a signature dining restaurant, you're "spending" $62 per person. Our last stop at California Grill came up with a total bill for 2 of around $200. The cash Portion was $80. Magically.... $31 x 4 TS points = $124 + $80 cash = $204.

At that particular restaurant we would have gotten everything anyway, but at others We definitely would have skipped dessert. (Marrakesh didn't exactly have the best desserts :ack:) There's no way I would have actually purchased a single one of the QS desserts if they didn't come with DDP. (In fact we gave a couple away to people at nearby tables!)

It would be awfully nice if you could skip dessert and get credited extra snack points instead.

One of my lessons from this trip really was eating in moderation. Any wild ride with a lap bar or shoulder restraint after a TS meal... well let's just say it wasn't exactly comfortable!

[mickey_M_lvr]

I love, love, love the dinning plan. It allows me to pay for everything up front. Then I don't have to worry about what to budget for meals. I know you have to tip....so?!?!? Don't you tip if you eat out anyway??? Ok so it's 18%.....It's DISNEY. I guess what I am saying is...if you don't usually eat dessert at lunch, then don't. It won't offend anyone if you say no.

We have always made out well having the DDP. I think it would be too expensive not to have it.

I would hate to go without my DDP. :mickey:

[betteratmk]

We had the DDP for the first time on our last trip and enjoyed it. That being said, I'm not sure if we really saved much compaired to what we would have normally spent on food. The difference was that we ate at many more TS places than we normally would have. However, it was very nice to be able to eat in those places and not really worry about the prices. We didn't get appetisers (we had too much food as it was!) and for some reason I wanted water and tea much more than any other drinks (I think it was the heat). Also, since it is just my wife and myself, we never had any issues getting to our reservations and didn't feel "tied down" at all. We did plan which park we would be in based on our reservations (which we based on which park was busiest, etc, when we made them)

We are returning in November and we once again got the DDP. For us it works great!:thumbsup:

Same for us, we like it! We also are returning in November. But we enjoy our TS meals. We are not big eaters as a whole and just order what sounds good to us and stop eating when we're full LOL!

[crltkcagle]

We are a family of five and I think it saves us a ton of money. We can go on our trip without having to worry about saving money for food because we know its already paid for when we get there. For some its great for others not so.

[akaDisneyDreamer]

I love, love, love the dinning plan. It allows me to pay for everything up front. Then I don't have to worry about what to budget for meals. I know you have to tip....so?!?!? Don't you tip if you eat out anyway??? Ok so it's 18%.....It's DISNEY. I guess what I am saying is...if you don't usually eat dessert at lunch, then don't. It won't offend anyone if you say no.

We have always made out well having the DDP. I think it would be too expensive not to have it.

I would hate to go without my DDP. :mickey:

I love the DDP too! I love having my meals paid for in advance. I find when it is just included in my package I'm not deciphering what is lodging, what is tickets and what is DDP. I love table service, (getting the Deluxe DDP this time!) it gives us a nice break where we can relax and have a great meal. I'm sure you could spend less and eat a lot of counter service food, but for us, WDW is where we splurge! This is our vacation and we save all year for it and have the time of our lives! And yes, you still need to tip, and the reccomended amount is 18%, but if the service is great (and it usually is!) then they get a fair tip, as with anywhere else I would eat at home. So, for us, I feel the DDP is totally worth it!! :mickey:

[Jared]

My family typically had a counter service and a table service meal each day, but we dislike the dining plan and likely wouldn't pay for it again. We ultimately lose money because we never would order drinks and desserts at counter service locations. At table service places, we would normally order two desserts to split between our family of five. We like to use some of the saved money on appetizers.

But perhaps even more importantly, we skip the dining plan simply because it is too much food. We end up wasting so much, and we overeat. The idea of feeling totally stuffed on a hot day at Disney sounds utterly miserable.

[Tinker Fan]

I love, love, love the dinning plan. It allows me to pay for everything up front. Then I don't have to worry about what to budget for meals. I know you have to tip....so?!?!? Don't you tip if you eat out anyway??? Ok so it's 18%.....It's DISNEY. I guess what I am saying is...if you don't usually eat dessert at lunch, then don't. It won't offend anyone if you say no.

We have always made out well having the DDP. I think it would be too expensive not to have it.

I would hate to go without my DDP. :mickey:

I sooooo agree with this, you took the words right out of my mouth!!

[Figment52]

It doesn't work for us. The only time we had it was during the free dining in 2006, and there was WAYYYYY too much food. That was app, entree, and dessert back then. We joked the whole week you'd have to roll us out of the restaurant after every meal. It was kind of gross in hindsight. We were almost never seated on time, either, so it ate up (no pun intended) more time away from the rides and attractions than we preferred.

We're also not huge TS fans. Some trips we do a few TS meals (like this one coming up), other times we don't do any (like last time). Really depends on the particular restaurant and what they serve, more than if it's CS or TS.

To each his own, I guess.

[DizneyRox]

I'm not even sure that it works out for restaurants with signature dining (2T/character meals).
Actually, using the DDP for 2TS locations greatly diminishes the value of the plan.

And yes, the menus have been altered to keep profits on Disney's side. As a matter of fact, you can look at the menu for most places and see which are on and which are not by the selections (not the DDP logo).

[hokies4life]

We used the DDP during free dining last year and have definitely decided that the regular dining plan isn't the best for us. We ate so much food and were very tied down by our reservations. The quick service plan would work well for us, and any sit down meals we want to have we can pay for OOP. I do find that I'm willing to do the regular plan if we get it free which I'm hoping to get for our honeymoon next year :thumbsup:. We don't add extras to our orders so getting 6 or 7 meals for tips only is a good deal.

[Loweschevy]

The dining plans never really fit into our vacation plans. We could adapt our eating styles to fit the plan, but we enjoy the flexibility of being able to eat whatever we like such as appetizers or other starters. It probably would save us money, but we survive without it.

We tend to eat a ts breakfast, lunch is both ts and cs, and we like to eat a ts dinner. We like to try different appetizers, salads and first courses, my parents drink a glass of wine or beer with meals and I do not need desserts for lunch and dinner...I am diabetic, that would be overload :ack: even though I would like to eat dessert everytime :blush:

[Seasonscraps]

I think if the DP offers meals the way you would normally eat, then it's a good deal. But if you have to alter your dining preferences and order food just because it's included then I don't see the point.

It doesn't make sense for us to get the plan even though we generally have a TS meal every day. We generally prefer to share an appetizer with dinner; sometimes we will get dessert after our meal, other times we might grab something at the resort later or none at all. I would never get a dessert with every meal - especially a prepackaged cookie or something from a counter place when there are much much better options all over disney.

We may spend the same amount or even more on meals then we would with the DP but we are eating what we want to eat and where. We started going off property more for places with more variety - we wouldn't do that if we were on the DP since the meals are paid in advance.

[Figment52]

Not to mention that a lot of great dining has dissapeared due to the dining plan. Menus have changed and become a lot less diverse due to the cost of offering high priced items in a fixed price plan.

[Disney_Barbie]

as a vegetarian, it pretty much is never worth-while for me, since most of the time there is only one entree I can eat, and it almost always tends to also be the cheapest thing on the menu.
Plus, we never get dessert otherwise. Even when we got free dining one year, we just forefeited most of our desserts because nothing sound good to us.
To each, his own. I recommend the plan to some people, because it seems like it will be a great deal for their eating style. For us, not so much.
We prefer TinW personally. THis way we order whatever we want & get it discounted (which granted, not every resturant excepts TinW, but SO MANY of them do now, it's crazy!)

[AllDisney]

We like the DDP..... It's paid for upfront and we don't have to worry about anything except tips. On occasion we have been fortunate enough to get free dining.:number1:

I do wish that we could pick an appetizer over dessert.....maybe one day they will make that offer:thumbsup:

[DizneyRox]

I do wish that we could pick an appetizer over dessert.....maybe one day they will make that offer:thumbsup:
Rumor is in 2011 it will be neither...

[Jared]

Rumor is in 2011 it will be neither...
What's the point of even offering the dining plan then?

[DizneyRox]

What's the point of even offering the dining plan then?
I've been asking that for years...

[PrincessJadesMom]

I love having the DDP, we use it on every trip. I just like to have it all paid for so that I don't have to worry about budgeting out money every day for food.It makes my life a lot easier.:eat:

[TheVBs]

I think if the DP offers meals the way you would normally eat, then it's a good deal. But if you have to alter your dining preferences and order food just because it's included then I don't see the point.



I think that's an excellent way to put it! We rarely order appetizers or desserts. The idea of a dessert with lunch just seems crazy to me. We also just don't need a sit down meal every day. Out of a 10 day trip, we might sit down 4-5 times tops. Even the counter service wouldn't necessarily be a good value for us, because we sometimes split meals - especially the DDs. Of course, I'd happily take any free dining plan! :thumbsup: But, we would never pay for it again. I can understand the appeal of having your meals paid for in advance, but for us, over-paying for our food is not worth the convenience. If you've paid for food you're not going to eat, you're over paying. Not to mention, we have not always found the dining plan to be convenient - sometimes it creates problems.

[Phantod]

We've done the "free" DDP the last 3 times we've gone to the World. The first time was early in the offering of DDP and it was fine. We didn't have to make reservations, just showed up and you could get in. That sure changed the last 2 times. In fact, on our last trip, we ended up with 2 TS for each of us that we couldn't even use.

How can you plan exactly where you will be at a certain time every day of your trip? Sure, we may know what park we want to be in. But to have to work around our reservations has become a pain. And while it has been alluded to, it takes a bunch of time. On our recent 11 day trip, we spend over one of those days just dealing with TSs. With the decrease in menu items and the decrease in quality of the food, it is no longer worth it for us.

I guess some people consider the Dining to be part of the "experience". You know, we had just as good of a time before it was ever offered, in fact, probably a better time. And we can get much better meals at a much better price at home. But we don't have the amusement parks at home. Okay, we do, since DL is only 400 miles away, but it's not the same thing. That's why WE come. I realize that it is different for everyone, so you have to know what your priorities are.

So next time, we're thinking of doing the quick service. If you know where to go, there are some great quick service meals out there (try Wolfgang Puck's Express at DTD). You don't have to have burgers and fries for every meal. In fact, you don't need to have them for ANY meals.

[nicster]

How can you plan exactly where you will be at a certain time every day of your trip? Sure, we may know what park we want to be in. But to have to work around our reservations has become a pain. And while it has been alluded to, it takes a bunch of time. On our recent 11 day trip, we spend over one of those days just dealing with TSs. With the decrease in menu items and the decrease in quality of the food, it is no longer worth it for us.

So next time, we're thinking of doing the quick service. If you know where to go, there are some great quick service meals out there (try Wolfgang Puck's Express at DTD). You don't have to have burgers and fries for every meal. In fact, you don't need to have them for ANY meals.

The only thing I have to add to the above quote is go to the trip reports ending with She Said - He Said - Final Thoughts the times involved for dining were staggering!

[minnie-mouse]

I find it interesting that most people are saying with the DDP they overeat and it is way too much food. Just because you are allowed to have appetizer, desserts, etc. doesn't mean you have to eat it all! I think we will try the DDp next time and see how it goes.

[Seasonscraps]

I find it interesting that most people are saying with the DDP they overeat and it is way too much food. Just because you are allowed to have appetizer, desserts, etc. doesn't mean you have to eat it all! I think we will try the DDp next time and see how it goes.


I think that comes from the fact that you are paying for all this food in advance and most people do not want to just give their money away.

[DizneyRox]

Correct... Why pay for something you're not going to use? In order to get value out of the dining plans, the cost of what you order should be more that the cost of the plan. Otherwise, save your money and pay OOP. Not ordering a dessert would save you $5 per person at a restaurant usually. Since you would be paying for that on the DDP, why would you just give that money to Disney by not ordering it?

When I pay OOP, I order what I want. If I want the Filet, I'll order it, if I want the garden salad, I'll get that. If I have room for dessert, maybe I'll order that, maybe I've had a bunch of snacks and I don't want it, so I won't order it. My bill will reflect what I actually ordered.

I put the money aside for vacation and put everything on my room card, drop all that onto my Disney Vise for the points and then Chase a check for the bill after my vacation. Having to pay for my meals months in advance gives Disney money to play with that could be sitting in my bank. That's the way I like it.

[AJ Springfield]

In general, package deals offered by Disney have been more about convenience than value. And maybe it's just me, but lately, Disney is doing everything in their power to maximize profits, so it's a safe bet that if they are offering it, it's designed to optimize their bottom line, NOT MINE! Passing on the "opportunity" seems to be the best choice.

I totally agree. They are not in business to SAVE us money, but to offer options that some people are willing to pay for. My family doesn't fall in that category-- We pay for only what we want and not extras that we don't care for.

[diz_girl]

It saved us money when tax and tip were included, but now it doesn't. We frequently eat at buffets and character meals and I usually order the lower-priced entrees, such as chicken or pasta, so it doesn't save us money anymore. During my last trip it was nice to go without the DDP, because I didn't feel tied down to all of my ADRs for fear of wasting a TS credit. We just cancelled the reservation if our schedule didn't work out with our ADR, so that someone else could get the table. It also freed us up to do some TS lunches, and we didn't need to worry that we would be wasting money by using a TS for lunch instead of dinner.

Also, I don't see the big deal about paying for meals up-front with the DDP, because you still have pay for the tip and appetizers or alcohol (if applicable), so you really haven't paid everything up-front. You still have to give them your KTTW card whether you are using your credits or charging your entire meal, so the convenience factor isn't all that great

[wickedgin]

The DDP saved us money on our recent trip. We did a lot of character dining--the cost for Garden Grill alone was more than one day on the DDP. So, as long as my children continue to enjoy those types of meals and the numbers are coming out the same way, we'll probably continue to use the DDP.
We did still spend quite a bit OOP, but we would have spent that, anyway. My biggest complaint about the DDP was the CS desserts. It wasn't that we weren't hungry enough to eat them, it's that they were less than tasty. My son and I are dessert fiends, and even we didn't want to eat some of them. :sick: But, next time we'll know which ones to aviod! Had I known, we would have asked for some fruit or something else instead. :thumbsup:

[Scrappy2]

I have never used the dining plan just for the cost. We have a large family, at times we are paying for 6 adults since Disney considers a 10 year old an adult. After I have paid for two rooms and 6 park tickets the dining plan was just way to expensive. We usually go in the summer when it is hot and we just do not eat that much food. Our kids al ot of times would just share meals so we came out much cheaper just paying as we go.