Any truth to dining plan rumor?

[brifraz]

For example, we always drink water with dinner at home (when we go out) and never order desserts. No desserts because we're usually full. No water because I'm a tight wad. So, if I were to dine in the same fashion at WDW, I'd definitely spend less in cash than the DDP would cost me. However, I'm not interested in pinching pennies when I go to WDW - because I've spent all year pinching pennies just to get there.

So, if that means my wife and I can actually have tea or soda with dinner, then order a couple of desserts, try a few bites of each, then toss them - so be it. I'll "save" money by getting the DDP, because if I were faced with those options on an out-of-pocket basis, I'd never allow drinks or dessert because my thriftiness would kick in. With it being pre-paid, I can have whatever I want and eat as much or as little of it as I want, and pay a flat rate.

Very well said. I'd add a comment, but I don't think I can put it better than you did. Our families are obviously cut from a similar mold.

 

[erinshaneb]

Out of our multiple trips since DDP was introduced (in its behemoth form now) we have used it exactly twice.

It just doesn't work for our family.

We ended up losing 4 table services and 7 snacks last week bcuz we just couldn't make all the reservations with two kids and my dad..it was kinda a bust

 

[djpoore94]

But don't you still have that credit card bill? You just get it sooner when you buy the DP.

And I'm not arguing, just discussing. :wave:

Good point. Yes, we do still have the credit card bill, but before we became DVC members we would book our airfare and pay that bill off, then the next month we would book our Disney package and pay that off, then by the time we got to the World we knew that we had money for souvenirs or tours, etc.

Now that we're DVC members and don't have to pay for the dining plan until we arrive (I heard that is changing), we at least know exactly how much it's going to be so we can put the money away and be prepared when the credit card bill comes.

I always pay my credit card bill in full each month so I don't pay interest and that's a lot easier to do when the charges are spread out over several months or you know ahead of time exactly what you are going to need to pay it and can put the money aside!

As far as the poster who asked about "working the system" the way we do that is by going to places like Cosmic Rays someplace that is more than the typical burger and fries CS places, we also order whatever we want at the TS or CS restaurants (where as if we were paying out of pocket we would be much more conservative with our money), we also don't waste a snack credit on something like a soda pop or a box of popcorn, insted we use the snack credits for School Bread in Norway, Dole Whips, etc... things that we probably wouldn't buy because they are more pricey. We also go to the gift shops and buy take home snacks with any leftover snack credits we have (cookies, nuts, rice cereal treats etc).

 

[Tom]

Now that we're DVC members and don't have to pay for the dining plan until we arrive (I heard that is changing), we at least know exactly how much it's going to be so we can put the money away and be prepared when the credit card bill comes.

Right. It was supposed to have changed already, but they pushed it off a bit longer. If you have a trip booked, add the DDP now, you're "grandfathered" into the old system and won't have to pay until check-in. We added ours the other day for our Jan/Feb trip when we found this out.

As far as the poster who asked about "working the system" the way we do that is by going to places like Cosmic Rays someplace that is more than the typical burger and fries CS places, we also order whatever we want at the TS or CS restaurants (where as if we were paying out of pocket we would be much more conservative with our money), we also don't waste a snack credit on something like a soda pop or a box of popcorn, insted we use the snack credits for School Bread in Norway, Dole Whips, etc... things that we probably wouldn't buy because they are more pricey. We also go to the gift shops and buy take home snacks with any leftover snack credits we have (cookies, nuts, rice cereal treats etc).

We too "work the system". We'll go to Cosmic Rays and Sunshine Seasons and Flame Tree for CS meals, on top of my requirements of Backlot Express and Columbia Harbour House. That way we get a little more bang for our DDP buck on QS.

For dinner we always do Ohana at least once, often Tepan Edo & France, and a few others that would normally be out of our price range.

For snacks I'll always get one MK popcorn (one of my traditions), but we too will get pastries at France, something from the MS Bakery, and Dole Whips.

When you do it this way, you REALLY come out ahead.

 

[kapeman]

I'm glad you brought up the 18% tip. In theory, TiW is really only a net 2% savings, and that's not taking into account the $75 membership fee.

I would argue that the savings are 22%.

I typically tip 20% just out of habit, so when the 18% automatic gratuity kicks in that is all I tip and I can add that 2% on top of the 20% discount.

We have used the DP before and it has worked pretty well for us in the past.

We used the TiW card on a recent short trip and while we saved $72 or so, rough calculations made it almost a wash with the DP.

 

[Tom]

I would argue that the savings are 22%.

I typically tip 20% just out of habit, so when the 18% automatic gratuity kicks in that is all I tip and I can add that 2% on top of the 20% discount.

We have used the DP before and it has worked pretty well for us in the past.

We used the TiW card on a recent short trip and while we saved $72 or so, rough calculations made it almost a wash with the DP.

You're right. I was doing my math in the wrong directions.

So, on a $10 meal, I'd pay a total of $12 with tip (@ 20%). But with TiW, the $10 meal becomes $8, then you add 18% and it's $9.44 which is 78% of 12. So yes, 22% savings assuming you would normally tip 20% (and I would, except at Akershus where I left absolutely $0 but that's a long story).

My problem is still that if I'm paying cash in person, I'm going to be a tightwad and never get anything good. So, I'll probably continue to get the DDP (as long as it really is an apparent savings) just so everything it pre-paid :lol:

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I'm glad you brought up the 18% tip. In theory, TiW is really only a net 2% savings, and that's not taking into account the $75 membership fee.


People will argue that while you do indeed spend less money on the plan than you would purchasing those same meals with cash, it can be a false savings if you wouldn't normally order that much food if you were spending cash.

For example, we always drink water with dinner at home (when we go out) and never order desserts. No desserts because we're usually full. No water because I'm a tight wad. So, if I were to dine in the same fashion at WDW, I'd definitely spend less in cash than the DDP would cost me. However, I'm not interested in pinching pennies when I go to WDW - because I've spent all year pinching pennies just to get there.

So, if that means my wife and I can actually have tea or soda with dinner, then order a couple of desserts, try a few bites of each, then toss them - so be it. I'll "save" money by getting the DDP, because if I were faced with those options on an out-of-pocket basis, I'd never allow drinks or dessert because my thriftiness would kick in. With it being pre-paid, I can have whatever I want and eat as much or as little of it as I want, and pay a flat rate.

It's a gimmick, and I've fallen for it. But at least I know what I'm getting and what I'm paying for - I'm not naive about it like many people who get the plan and then eat like birds. They're losing big time.

I disagree that there's only a net savings of 2% with TiW... Unless you never tip regularly. That's a cost you're going to incur with or with using TiW.

And your second point, I think, is where the gray area is with the DP, and I totally agree with it. When I read the posters above that listed out what all they bought, the first thing I wondered was "but if they weren't of the DDP, would they eat like that normally?".

When we're on the DDP, I don't drink water, which I normally do at meals. When we're on the DDP, I eat desserts at literally every meal, which I NEVER do. In fact, my family doesn't really like desserts all that much. But since it doesn't cost me more out of pocket, we get them. Every single time.

I think your point that it can be a "false" savings is accurate.

Then it really just comes down to how you rationalize that out.

EDIT TO ADD: I hadn't read your post yet about TiW saving 22% as opposed to 2% when I wrote this.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Acutally the Tables in Wonderland discount DOES cover alcoholic beverages as well... which can be a huge savings, especially if you enjoy a cocktail and then ordering wine by the bottle.

You're totally correct. Duh. Sorry.

It had been a while since I compared the two.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

We ended up losing 4 table services and 7 snacks last week bcuz we just couldn't make all the reservations with two kids and my dad..it was kinda a bust

I wonder how often this happens... That could be part of what Disney counts on to make the DP profitable. :shrug:

When you pay for the plan, of course.

 

[Tom]

I disagree that there's only a net savings of 2% with TiW... Unless you never tip regularly. That's a cost you're going to incur with or with using TiW.

And your second point, I think, is where the gray area is with the DP, and I totally agree with it. When I read the posters above that listed out what all they bought, the first thing I wondered was "but if they weren't of the DDP, would they eat like that normally?".

When we're on the DDP, I don't drink water, which I normally do at meals. When we're on the DDP, I eat desserts at literally every meal, which I NEVER do. In fact, my family doesn't really like desserts all that much. But since it doesn't cost me more out of pocket, we get them. Every single time.

I think your point that it can be a "false" savings is accurate.

Then it really just comes down to how you rationalize that out.

I was wrong about the TiW savings. Did my math backwards. Corrected it in my last post.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I was wrong about the TiW savings. Did my math backwards. Corrected it in my last post.

Ha. I was editing my last post as you wrote this one. :lol:

Here's one thing I know for SURE... If I'm drinkin' some booze (which is highly possible), then I'm on TiW. :lol:

 

[Phonedave]

The other thing to consider is family size.

You have to buy a DDP for each family member. However a single TiW card covers up to 10 people. So that $75 fee gets spread out over more people.

I was in WDW with my kids last Aug - we used TIW and saved money

I will be in WDW in Oct with My brothers family and two of my friends - all of us will be saving money by using my TiW card

I will be back in Jan by myself for Marathon Weekend - I'll be saving money

I will be back with my kids next July - The three of us will be saving money again.

I think I have that $75 covered

-dave

 

[Tom]

The other thing to consider is family size.

You have to buy a DDP for each family member. However a single TiW card covers up to 10 people. So that $75 fee gets spread out over more people.

I was in WDW with my kids last Aug - we used TIW and saved money

I will be in WDW in Oct with My brothers family and two of my friends - all of us will be saving money by using my TiW card

I will be back in Jan by myself for Marathon Weekend - I'll be saving money

I will be back with my kids next July - The three of us will be saving money again.

I think I have that $75 covered

-dave

Indeed you do! When you can visit "in volume" you'll definitely save tons of money using TiW.

A once-a-year visitor who really enjoys food (including desserts) but doesn't drink when at WDW (<-- me) saves money by using the DDP smartly.

To each their own...but the people who buy the DDP and then don't use all of their credits (for whatever reason) are going to lose big time. Just like with almost anything at WDW, if you aren't prepared to plan, plan, plan you won't come out ahead (be it waiting in line for rides, not making dining reservations, renting a car because you didn't know about DME, etc). If you know how to "work the system", the house doesn't always win

 

[John]

I always love it when this argument comes up....DDP vs Tiw vs "out of pocket. The thing is, I think its great that we have so many choices. What works for you is what really matters.

I love the DDP, The argument about "you wouldnt normally eat there" or "You wouldnt normally eat that" just dosnt make sense to me. Thats exactly the point of purchaseing the DP. To be able to do something nice on vacation. No matter what you do you are spending a lot of money visiting WDW anyway. So why not make the most of it.

As far as someone not taking full advantage or "working" the system, I highly doubt any of us here would be guilty of that.....we are all members of WDWMAGIC......right?

 

[Tom]

I always love it when this argument comes up....DDP vs Tiw vs "out of pocket. The thing is, I think its great that we have so many choices. What works for you is what really matters.

I love the DDP, The argument about "you wouldnt normally eat there" or "You wouldnt normally eat that" just dosnt make sense to me. Thats exactly the point of purchaseing the DP. To be able to do something nice on vacation. No matter what you do you are spending a lot of money visiting WDW anyway. So why not make the most of it.

As far as someone not taking full advantage or "working" the system, I highly doubt any of us here would be guilty of that.....we are all members of WDWMAGIC......right?

Well, in post 42 the member indicated that they forfeited 4 TS meals and 7 snacks due to "kids and her dad". I can only guess that health issues came into play, or perhaps they attempted to eat on a walk-in basis without making ADRs in advance. That is an example of someone who took it in the shorts on the DDP for one reason or another - and they're a member here

 

[John]

OK....My comment about being a member of course was in "jest"...... a weak attempt at being funny. If we assume (which we all know is dangerous) that the reason they had a problem was because of health, there isnt any planning that can prevent that from happening.

Second, My original point was that atleast we have choices and different ways of planning our vacations are available. If they find that the DDP isnt right for them then, the next time they go they can choose another way to go.

Last, If they failed to plan , being a member of WDWMAGIC......shame on them. There is way to much info here to make a mistake like that.

 

[sbkline]

I haven't read every page to see if anyone else has said what I am about to say, but I don't see how people can say that the DDP is not a value, even with the loss of appetizer and gratuity. Sure, not everyone cares to eat a TS meal for every night of their stay, but for those who do, I think it's hard NOT to save money.

The DDP is roughly $40 a person per night (for adults). This can be roughly broken down as $5 for the snack portion, $10 for the counter service portion and $25 for the Table Service portion. Generally, a person would pay around $5 for a snack (maybe a little more, maybe a little less, depending on the snack) and $10 for a counter service meal. Go to Pecos Bill's and order a bacon cheeseburger meal with a drink and I guarantee you're going to be paying pretty close to $10, if not a little more.

Now what about Table Service? How hard is it to come up with a bill for $25 at a Table Service meal? Since it still includes tax and dessert, not very hard at all. Many entrees at most restaraunts come up to over $20. Get the $20 entree, a $2 drink, and a $5 dessert, and add tax, and you're almost at $30 already. IMO, it is quite difficult NOT to have a TS meal come up to less than $25. Sure, you can go to Mama Melrose and order the $16 entree (last time we were there, a couple years ago, they had something for $16 bucks or so), or you can go to one of the cheaper buffets and only pay $19.99, plus drink and tax, and even then, you're close to $25. And coming up a little short of $25 on one particular restaraunt on one day of your trip, could easily be offset by greater savings at other restaraunts on other days of your trip. Of course, at alot of restaraunts, you can get entrees which are $25 or higher just in themselves. Then add on dessert, drink and tax, and you could be at AT LEAST $35. At that point, all it takes is another $5 to make up what you paid for dining for that day on the DDP and we all know that your snack allowance and counter service allowance for that day are going to easily exceed $5.

Of course, you could also argue that the dining plan causes you to spend more than you would have since, without it, you might not feel the need to buy a snack every single day for each person, or you may order the cheapest thing on the menu, or you may not even eat at a TS every day for your trip. So, without the dining plan, you're eating habits and choices may be different, such that you pay less out of pocket without the dining plan, than you paid for the dining plan. So looking at it that way, the DDP could cost you more than not having it. Just as you may pay more at Walmart with things being on clearance than you would without the sales simply because the clearance deals may prompt you to buy things that you didn't have any plans of buying when you went in. But if you eat on the dining plan and look over your receipts at the end of the meals and see what it comes out to per person, I guarantee you that it's very easy to determine that the same meal, out of pocket, would have cost you alot more.

I seem to remember more than one time on our last trip, that, when looking over our receipt for the TS meal alone, that the total came up to around $100 bucks or more. With two adults and one child, the dining plan cost us roughly $82 ($41 for each adult) plus about $12 for the child, for around $94 per day (give or take a couple dollars since I can't remember exactly how much the DDP was for the adults or the child in 2010). So for that one Table Service meal alone, we exceeded what we paid for the entire day on the dining plan, and that's not even counting the cost of the snack or the counter service for that day.

 

[sbkline]

Okay, I just checked the menu for Pecos Bills and the menu is dated June 14, so it should be pretty accurate for our April trip this past year. I believe I had the 1/3 Pound Angus Burger with Fries and according to that menu, that entree was $9.09. The drink was $2.19. So without tax, that meal comes up to $11.28. So I've already beaten the $10 allowance for counter service under the dining plan, and that's not even including the chocolate cake which I got as a dessert there, and I didn't see that on the menu I just looked at.

Now let's look at Tony's Town Square, since that is where we had "supper" that day, even though it ended up being a late lunch (around 4:30 or so). This menu is dated November 2009, so the prices may or may not be the same as what I paid, but I believe I had the chicken parmesian, on the lunch menu. That entree came up to $16.99 + $2.69 for drink. I think I had the tiramisu for $6.49, according to the dessert menu of the same date. So $16.99 + $2.69 + $6.49 comes up to $26.17.

So, so far, that's a counter service and a Table Service at $11.28 + $26.17, which comes up to $37.45. Add tax, my daily snack, and the dessert I had at Pecos Bill's, which wasn't on the menu I looked at, and it comes up to just a little more than what the DDP cost me for that day. So, I broke even and managed to save maybe five to ten dollars, and that was by using the DDP in the least economical way by eating a cheap entree on the lunch menu, which tends to be less pricey anyway. So figure a similar price for my counter service, plus eating a supper meal with a $25 or $30 entree, for most of the rest of the week (since we tend to do suppers for out TS meals), and I'm definitely saving money.

If anyone wants to check my numbers, I went to the restaraunts and dining section of these forums and went into the subforum for restaraunt menus and looked up the restaraunts I mentioned.

 

[Tybee]

I'm glad you brought up the 18% tip. In theory, TiW is really only a net 2% savings, and that's not taking into account the $75 membership fee.

I'm with you 100%. We've used the DDP on the last 6 trips. Each time we've kept the receipt from every TS, CS and Snack Vendor and tallied them up at the end. Savings varied, but there was always a significant savings. And it didn't make life any more inconvenient for us - we didn't adjust our plans at all to accommodate the DDP, because we would have been eating at most of those places regardless. I also don't adjust what I order based on the DDP - except that I WILL get something more expensive on the plan than I would if I were faced with that choice outside of the plan...but it's still something I like.

People will argue that while you do indeed spend less money on the plan than you would purchasing those same meals with cash, it can be a false savings if you wouldn't normally order that much food if you were spending cash.

For example, we always drink water with dinner at home (when we go out) and never order desserts. No desserts because we're usually full. No water because I'm a tight wad. So, if I were to dine in the same fashion at WDW, I'd definitely spend less in cash than the DDP would cost me. However, I'm not interested in pinching pennies when I go to WDW - because I've spent all year pinching pennies just to get there.

So, if that means my wife and I can actually have tea or soda with dinner, then order a couple of desserts, try a few bites of each, then toss them - so be it. I'll "save" money by getting the DDP, because if I were faced with those options on an out-of-pocket basis, I'd never allow drinks or dessert because my thriftiness would kick in. With it being pre-paid, I can have whatever I want and eat as much or as little of it as I want, and pay a flat rate.

It's a gimmick, and I've fallen for it. But at least I know what I'm getting and what I'm paying for - I'm not naive about it like many people who get the plan and then eat like birds. They're losing big time.

Edward pretty much nails why the DDP works for some of us, but not everyone. I think one thing some of you are overlooking (and it's understandable, given the venue) is that not all of us can swing multiple visits to a Disney park in a year, and may go many years without a visit. To wit, our last trip was in 2002. Our next trip will be this January.

So that makes it a very special occasion when we get to go. As would be the case with most special vacations, we're not going to be eating as conservatively as we normally would, regardless of how we're paying. We're both big on seafood and more exotic fare and we love fine dining. As such, most of the counter service options leave us cold. So using the DDP and booking most of our dining at table service restos (and, under the deluxe plan, even a couple signatures -- shocking, I know) is one of the attractions of the trip, not simply a distraction from rides, as I imagine a lot of folks see eating in the World.

My wife is an engineer and there are few things she loves more than generating spreadsheets. We actually sat down and put together a spreadsheet listing every single item we would order at each of our intended ADRs under the DDP, including the cost of tips and drinks. Also included any snacks we knew were must-haves. In another sheet we calculated what we would order if we were paying OOP. Once the 2011 DDP prices and details were announced, we compared the sheets and came out significantly ahead under the DDP, even though we'd made more conservative decisions OOP. At that point the DDP was a no-brainer.

Nevertheless, I can definitely see how this would not be the case for everyone, especially if you're not a foodie and simply want to cram something in and get on the next ride ASAP. I get that.

But it's a lot like the people who don't understand why anyone would want to "waste money" on a deluxe or even a moderate resort when Pop Century or an offsite hotel will do the job. And they have a point because they can probably afford to go more frequently. We did that when I was a kid, but when I was in college, I had my first experience staying on property in a moderate and later a deluxe resort, and I knew I could never go back. Does that mean less frequent trips? Yup. But does it also mean I enjoy those trips more? Hell yeah. Different priorities.

Last, If they failed to plan , being a member of WDWMAGIC......shame on them. There is way to much info here to make a mistake like that.

Yeah. I genuinely feel bad for the folks who barely even understand what an ADR is, much less bother to make one, and who walk into just about any TS restaurant and get a hard dose of reality. But if you're hanging around here, there really is no excuse for not knowing the score. Make your ADRs...six months out, if you have that luxury.

 

[sbkline]

On another day of our trip, we had supper at the Grand Floridian Cafe. On this particular day, we went to the ocean, so we actually had breakfast at IHOP in Kissimmee on the way, then got lunch at Burger King on the way back to WDW Property. I don't think we used our snack allowance that day either, so for what it's worth, I don't think we used our CS or snack allowances that day, although they did get used at some point during the trip.

If I remember correctly, my wife and I both got the grilled ribeye for $25.99 and we split the dessert sampler which was $9.99. Add $2.69 for my drink (I can't remember if my wife got a drink or not, since she often gets a glass of water at no charge.) So $25.99 + $25.99 + $9.99 + $2.69, comes up to $64.66, plus tax. So, without counting tax, and without counting the $2.69 for the drink that I can't remember if she got or not, that comes up to $32.33 for our TS portion, which leaves a little less than $10 to cover our snack and counter service for that day's dining plan credit.

And all these figures don't even include our 4 year old son who was with us. I couldn't find the childrens' menus for these restaraunts, but the child's DDP costs 10 or 12 dollars per day, I believe. And between counter service and table service, 12 dollars is quite a bargain to pay for both, not to mention a snack.