How do you get your DDP money's worth?

[mrstbalt]

We are still trying to decide if the dining plan will be worth it for us. What or how is the best way to get your money's worth from the DDP?? I'm sure this has been posted but I'm not finding it. Thanks

 

[4mcbjCtr]

You often don't get as much value out of a buffet as you do the other restaurants, so first off, don't fill your week with buffets. Next, order dinner versus lunch. Also, check out the menus on allearsnet.com and plan ahead. Some places it is better to use the Dining Plan and other it is better to pay OOP and save the TS credit for later.

We found that even if we ate a buffets for every meal, we still would have come out a little ahead. Just pick the places you are interested in eating at and add it up. If it doesn't add up, don't do the dining plan. We quickly surpassed the cost of the dining plan in just half of our TS meals. After we added snacks, and CS meals, we were about $400-$500 ahead. To me, it is not worth worrying so much about maximizing the plan, as it is to enjoy where and what you are eating.

 

[Donald is #1]

I have been trying to decide the same thing and when I made my decision, it was based upon whether I thought that I was going to eat a sit-down meal every day. From looking at the menus and all of the comments on the dining plan that I have read, if you want to/plan to eat at a table service restaurant once a day, then the dining plan is definitely worth it. However, if you are going to eat only counter service meals, then I think that you may be able to eat cheaper on your own unless you eat at the most expensive counter service places for all/most of your meals. For me, I was alternating between 2 different weeks. In one case I would be soloing all of the time and in the other, I would be soloing only part of the time. My decision ended up being not to do the dining plan because I decided to go with the sister & her family. They are not on the dining plan and are going to eat counter service most of the time.

To help you make your decision, my suggestion is that you go over to Deb's website and look at the menus in the dining section. http://allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm
From looking at the menu's you should be able to estimate whether you will average $38/person/day on food. Good luck & have fun!

 

[RangerPooh]

We have a combination of reservations at both buffets and menu TS resturants. In the past we thought that the DDP was not for us as we could do it cheaper. But we are on the free plan so we're eating to our hearts content. Ie. doing dinner instead of lunch, and trying out new places. Plus we are "researching" cs places that are the best bang for the point. One thing to keep in mind is at the TS places that have menus you also get an appetizer and dessert which can fill in the justification. I know that this is something that we rarely include so we feel spoiled.

 

[patsal]

I think that too many people put too much effort into this. Look at it this way A price 37.99
C price 11.99

snack anything under $4.00--A=$34.99
C=$7.99

Lunch CS averages about $13.00 adult with a combo, drink and dessert
averages about $3.99 for the child combo
A=$21.00
C=4.99
TS plan on a TS that is $21.00 before tax and tip and you have better than broken even. Plan on a TS that is over $21.00 and you save even more money. Think about TS like this--is there anywhere you can order an appetizer, entree, dessert and beverage for under $21.00 per person--I doubt it. Even buffets are $20.99 or morefor lunch and $24.99 or more for dinner. For kids even with appetizer, entree and dessert as well as drink they are going to be spending more than $4.99.

It is also more effective to Dollar cost average for the entire trip than by meal to meal. Example, we love Casey's by far not the best way to max the plan, but I'm not paying OOP in additon to the plan, the same with Earl of Sandwich, but if I get to Peppermarket it will average an overall savings.The program is designed to be flexible, by planning to get greater than the $$'s worth out of it the flexibility goes away. I'm not saying not to plan, but I am saying if you just get what you normally would get you should at the very least do a bit better than break even.

 

[The Sweetness]

You often don't get as much value out of a buffet as you do the other restaurants, so first off, don't fill your week with buffets. QUOTE]


I dont quite understand the math here, maybe...
Garden Grill at EPCOT, CP and LTT in MK, CMs in the Contemp, (dinner) costs $27.99 +tip A couple of the other resorts buffets are 1 or 2 dollars more, or less. On the DP, your 18% gratuity pp will be inc.

Also, you get a CS for lunch could easilly top $10 inc a drink and dessert.

You snack entitlement is good for various treats up to $4 (or breakfast items and drinks)

If the plan was either $38 or $11, didnt you AT LEAST break even?

 

[KelNottAt]

We are not big eaters. The DDP looks like so much food for us. I, too, wondered if it's really worth it.

But, after I thought about it (pretty much using Patsal's method) I concluded it would be worthwhile for us. Plus, based on our dining patterns on a couple of cruises, I know that suffering through too much food really isn't so bad.

Also, here's something else I discovered. We can still come out ahead if we use the TS credits for Signature Dining. That is, use all the TS at fewer meals. (Our upcoming 5-night trip will be 2 Signature meals and 1 reg TS.) We then pay OOP or split CS meals for any "gaps" left in the plan.

This makes it pretty simple to manage our budgets, calories, and waistlines.

 

[4mcbjCtr]

For us on the buffet it was about $130 or less for our family. When we did LeCellier our bill came out to be about $175 and Spoodles was about $240. The best value is not with buffets if you are looking at total cost. Either way for us though, we broke even just with the TS meal even if it was with a buffet. I always schedule a few buffets and the rest just regular meals.

 

[The Sweetness]

Now I understand. I thought the topic was getting your money's woth for the DDP (38 per adult p/day, 11 for kids). I didnt realize that the objective was to accumilate the highest tabs possible~ Party on

 

[ReneeA]

Everyone knows that it's not cheap to eat at Disney. Costs a small fortune.

We went during the free dining promo last August and I kept our receipts. It would have cost our family $560.00 to purchase the dining plan IF we hadn't gotten the promo. I wanted to find out for future knowledge if it's worth it to buy it.

For 8 days, a family of 4 which included a 2 & 3 year old (one of which obviously was too young to participate and so we didn't get credits for her) our receipts added up to $925.00. We didn't always order dessert if we were feeling too full, we left with a couple CS credits and 8 snack credits still left. I was SO dumb not to just run in and grab Mickey rice Krispie treats, but we ran really short on time.

We also didn't eat at the most expensive places, just what sounded good to us and close to where we were planning to be that day.

I can't imagine that anyone wouldn't at least break even on the plan.

 

[laceemouse]

Three of our kids are adults at WDW. Our total for the DDP would be 201$ a day. When you consider how much we would spend for six people for just ONE TS a day, I just can't see how we would not break even or better. If all you eat is junk CS every meal (my Sis and BIL do this, YUK!) then it may not be worth it. We feel that trying new places to eat is a big part of our WDW enjoyment!

 

[goofygal531]

I've done all the math and preplanned all our meals and DH just won't go for it. He doesn't like counter service meals, he'll eat at them here and there if our toddler is too restless to sit for a table meal, but he prefers a table service restaurant most of the time. He would never use the counter service credits or the snack credits. He wants "real" snacks like pastries!

Until our family is larger and cost becomes an issue, the DDP is not for us.

 

[LizinSTL]

I've done all the math and preplanned all our meals and DH just won't go for it. He doesn't like counter service meals, he'll eat at them here and there if our toddler is too restless to sit for a table meal, but he prefers a table service restaurant most of the time. He would never use the counter service credits or the snack credits. He wants "real" snacks like pastries!

Until our family is larger and cost becomes an issue, the DDP is not for us.

He can get a "real" snack like a pastry with the DDP. I used snack credits for choc croissants, entire boxes of Entemann's donuts, twinkie tiramisu, cinnamon rolls, fruit, ice cream sundaes, floats and much more. I can't imagine going to disney and spending 4-6 hours of every day at TS meals!

 

[goofygal531]

He can get a "real" snack like a pastry with the DDP. I used snack credits for choc croissants, entire boxes of Entemann's donuts, twinkie tiramisu, cinnamon rolls, fruit, ice cream sundaes, floats and much more. I can't imagine going to disney and spending 4-6 hours of every day at TS meals!

I just read they changed the "snack" credit to anything under $4. This is new. Used to be just popcorn, bag of chips, ice cream pop, piece of fruit or bottle of soda.

He likes to have two sit down meals a day. Either breakfast/dinner or early lunch/late dinner. Yes, we do spend lots of hours in WDW restaurants but many many people go there just for the food and my DH is one of them. I would love to try the DDP, just can't get DH on board!

 

[The Sweetness]

If all you eat is junk CS every meal (my Sis and BIL do this, YUK!) then it may not be worth it.

Luckilly, I wont have this problem, but with the expense of a family trip to WDW, this may be all they can afford, and they may even have to have to eat B and D back in ther rooms, or offsite. CS is not ALL garbage/ junk That being said, I am looking forward to my junk food lunches. maybe I am just low class, but I love burgers and fries etc

 

[bicker]

I have had a hard time finding any normal usage of the Dining Plan, something that someone would do even if they weren't on the Dining Plan, that didn't give them their money's worth. It seems that the only characteristic necessary to make the Dining Plan worth it is eating a table-service meal each day. It doesn't seem to matter which ones or when, but unless you deliberately pick the least expensive things each and every time, then you cannot help but get your money's worth on the Dining Plan.

 

[MHopkins2]

I just read they changed the "snack" credit to anything under $4. This is new. Used to be just popcorn, bag of chips, ice cream pop, piece of fruit or bottle of soda.

He likes to have two sit down meals a day. Either breakfast/dinner or early lunch/late dinner. Yes, we do spend lots of hours in WDW restaurants but many many people go there just for the food and my DH is one of them. I would love to try the DDP, just can't get DH on board!

I'm just like your DH - I rarely if ever eat counter service lunch or dinner, and get great joy out of spending "4-6 hours per day" at two TS meals. After doing the math, I'm still going to get the dining plan for my February solo trip. Even if I use ONLY the snack and the TS, and let the CS credits go unused all week, I still come out ahead. If I grab breakfast at the hotel "food court" / CS, it's even better.

If you don't think the plan is right for you, then don't sweat it. If you want to try it, however, and need evidence to sway your DH, it's there for the seeking. Check out menus at AllEars for some TS you're likely to eat at whether or not you'll have the DDP. Do the math, and you'll see it's easy to spend $38 (including tip!) on a single TS meal.

 

[Cookie Princess]

I've done all the math and preplanned all our meals and DH just won't go for it. He doesn't like counter service meals, he'll eat at them here and there if our toddler is too restless to sit for a table meal, but he prefers a table service restaurant most of the time. He would never use the counter service credits or the snack credits. He wants "real" snacks like pastries!
Until our family is larger and cost becomes an issue, the DDP is not for us.

Just one thing to consider, more than 1 table service meal per day can really cut down on your valuable park touring hours. This is especially true for a sit down lunch and dinner in one day. Whatever you select, I am sure you will have a great time.

 

[Amyrlin]

For us the DDP is working out as worthwhile for part of our visit as we are going when it is free, and although we have AP's and DDE, we do enjoy having a TS meal everyday.

We sat down and worked out what we would spend on out plans, taking into accunt the DDE and potential room disocunts (assuming the same as last year). It came out ahead for us to use the free DDP as long as we were in a value.

As for the send part of the holiday we will be in a deluxe we did not book the DDP, it is too late for the free one now, so hopefully an AP discount will come out, but allowing for the need to buy another ticket etc there would not be any major advatage as we will also use this time to eat off site (drooll...... Texas de Brazil!)

I think you need to look at what you would do or would want to do, if you eat just to get the best value out of it then it won't be as enjoyable.

 

[salmoneous]

I know I'm the oddball here, but I don't really care how much money I'm *not* paying for a meal. If I'd rather eat at a buffet, or someplace inexpensive, that's more of a "deal" from my perspective than eating someplace I'm not as interested in, but has a larger bill that I don't pay.