DDP vs DDE

[Princess Ariel]

We recently got back from WDW and had a great experience with the DDP. We are going back in November and will be getting AP with the DVC discount. Since we are DVC memebers we have the option to do the DDP. I wonder if it is more benefical to have DDE and not DDP. We are staying in a one bedroom villa with full kitchen and we are driving there so we can stop for groceries. :shrug:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

The question comes down to whether or not you are going to use the DDP to its full potential. If you want to take advantage of all that it offers, then it is a much better deal than the DDE. If you don't think that the meals everyday like that are worthwhile then go with the DDE card and save what you can when you do eat. It really is a family preference issue, and some people will say one thing and others will say another.

 

[Rob562]

Actually, I *just* figured this all out yesterday to satisfy my curiosity. It's probably different for you, as you're in the DVC and don't have to worry about hotel rates, ticket purchase, discounts, etc

To start, I have a trip planned for September during the Free Dining promotion. But I wanted to see how much the DDP would have saved even if I had to pay for it. So I took my ADRs, looked at the menus, and selected what I would want at those places (not caring whether it was expensive or cheap), calculated taxes and tip, a few average counter service meals, snacks, etc.

The upshot of that comparison is that the DDP still came out ahead of paying out-of-pocket, with a savings of about $120.

But then as I'm thinking about my trip next May when there *won't* be Free Dining, I started thinking about the DDE. So I applied that to these same hypothetical meals. While the DDE-discounted food cost more than buying the DDP, the overall trip was less because I'd be able to get an AP discount on the room. The AP-rate room plus the DDE card plus the food came out about $100 ahead of the no-discount room plus adding on the DDP. (This didn't even factor in that I'd have to buy a 1-day ticket because I have an AP)

So, if you plan on dining like you would if you were on the DDP (a sit-down meal and a fast-food meal virtually every day), it's generally cheaper to go with the AP and the DDE (exception is during the Free Dining promo). If you don't have an AP, the DDP is the better bargain.

Of course if you have DVC (like you said you do) and can just buy the DDP on its own, it just comes down to the simple calculation of which is cheaper: paying for food but with the DDE discount? Or paying for the DDP? My calcualtions point to the DDP.

I hope that made sense...

-Rob

 

[Princess Ariel]

Yeah, I am kind of on the fence about it. In May when we went on the MYW with DDP (we just bought DVC after going on the tour in May) we assumed it would be a good deal, but we had no idea. We ate like kings and had trouble trying to use all our CS and snacks. Thanks for the input.

 

[Princess Ariel]

One more question. Can the DDE only be used at TS restruraunts and not CS or snacks? Then it seems the DDP would be better.

 

[AEfx]

One more question. Can the DDE only be used at TS restruraunts and not CS or snacks? Then it seems the DDP would be better.

Generally, yes.

The DDE is only for TS restaurants, but also includes the food courts at the values and (at the present time) Animal Kingdom, because those places don't have Disney-owned table service (RFC at AK is not run by Disney and does not accept DDE). All of major CS places at AK (Flame Tree, Restaurantosaurus, etc.) are included, but not carts and such.

As others have pointed out, it depends on how you like to eat. For instance, with the DDE you can eat sit-down at The Plaza or LTT (lunch) and get a burger or sandwich for only a buck or two more than a fast food lunch would save you. At Epcot, we often go to say Mexico or China TS and just get several apps between a few of us, and with the 20% off again we pay about the same or just a few dollars more than we'd pay for three counter-service combo meals.

DDP is a great value too. I'm usually not elligible, but when I am I often take it just for the convenience of having it pre-paid and not having to think about budgeting for meals as the trip goes on.

Of course, the best combo is having both, LOL. I was on one trip where we got free dining AND had DDE...a family of four ate for a week on about $100. And we ate at Cindys, Le Cellier, etc. every night. That was one hell of a trip, LOL.

AEfx

 

[davinakb]

Great breakdown Rob562.

As others have mentioned, a lot will depend on how much you eat, and how you eat Princess Ariel. Staying in a vacation villa, you can easily do the grocery/snack thing as you mentioned so you may not eat out as much.

We've had the DDE card for years and really like it as we prefer the TS places. It is good for up to 10 people, so when we go to Jiko or Artist Point with six adults, we save a good bit of money. If you factor in the savings off resort parking, off the nice bottle of wine, the discounts add up. FWIW.

 

[Master Yoda]

If you are just going to compare DDE to DDP as a quantity of food to dollar ratio DDP will win out every time however are you really going to eat that much food? I know that personally I rarely to never order an appetizer, entree, and desert all for myself. At most the wife and I might split an appetizer and desert and each get an entree. Also do you drink at all? My wife an I are light drinkers but even so it is not hard to run up a $50 bar tab between me and my wife. There are also other perks that go along with the DDE card such as free valet parking and 1/2 price admission at PI. Lastly you have much more freedom with the DDE card as you are not relegated to 1 TS and I CS per day and you will also never have unused credits leftover.

Each persons situation will be different so what I would do is plan a menu based solely on what you wound normally eat at where ever you want to eat and then compare numbers.

 

[Monty]

As has been said, it's not readily easy to compare the two. DDP locks you into a fixed number of credits that cover only specific things. DDE gives a 20% discount on the entire bill at a TS including alcohol and does not limit what you can or can't order.

I'll be using the DDP in August [because it's free], but will use my DDE discount at HDD as well. We always end up with one or two more TS meals than we have credits for, so the DDE helps with the OOP ones. Last week we used DDE all week and saved easily $300 over the time we were there. We didn't eat near as much as we get with DDP, because we ordered only what we wanted instead of what we were 'allowed'.

Despite both being dining-related, it really is comparing apples and oranges unless you happen to always eat exactly what DDP provides every trip, in which case, DDP wins the comparison - but only if you eat primarily at non-buffet/non-AYCE TS restaurants. A $23/adult buffet doesn't maximize the value of a TS credit, but at Le Cellier - Seared Canadian Scallops $10.99, followed by 20oz Grilled Prime Rib Eye $36.99 with Le Cellier Canadian Cheese Selection $11.99 for dessert gives you $59.97 in food for your daily $38.99 DDP charge - and you still have a snack and CS credit for free.

 

[Imaginationeer]

DDP!!! Self-high five! DDP would definetly win!!! You will feel the BANG!

400th post!!!

 

[SANDKRUSER]

We have free dining when we are going in September, but I am also an AP holder and have a DDE card. This works out well when we decide to have a drink while waiting for our ADR time. We've used it at AKL, Poly and WL at their lounges and at the Sci-Fi Drive Inn, along WITH the DDP. The specialty drinks are expensive but you feel better when you get 20% off - makes your Marsha's Martian (Sci-Fi) much more enjoyable!:lol:

 

[Shrike]

I didn't think it was possible to combine an AP room rate discount with the DDP?

How are some of you doing this?

 

[Master Yoda]

I didn't think it was possible to combine an AP room rate discount with the DDP?

How are some of you doing this?

You can't. The trick is to buy a only one day MYW ticket with your package. Free dinning is linked to your room key not your park ticket so you will get free dinning with your length of stay but you will be paying rack rate for your room. You can then apply the price you paid for the one day MYW ticket to your AP renewal.

 

[slappy magoo]

Great breakdown Rob562.

As others have mentioned, a lot will depend on how much you eat, and how you eat Princess Ariel.

That did not sound right whem I read it in my head :lookaroun

Anyway, FYI, DDE is also valid at water parks CS areas, and at the food court at POFQ (since there's no full service restaurant onsite). I'm assuming once the full service eateries open up at AK, DDE won't be valid there either.

Pros of DDE are you don't have to feel compelled to order an appetizer and an entree and a dessert to "get your money's worth." You don't have to worry about, if you use your table credit service for breakfast, you can't use it for dinner. You get 20% off restaurants that'll cost you 2 TS credits, like Cali Grill or CRT. If you like all or most of your meals to be TS, go nuts. And, very important to some, especially with what they charge, alcohol is included in the discount.

Pros of Dining Plan are it includes CS restaurants that DDE does not, which benefit lots of people who want to get back to touring. It simplifies many of the costs associated with the vacation. Tip is included in TS meals. And if you're thoughtful about where you eat and when you use it, it can sanve you a considerable amount of money.

Big questions would be - 1: Do you like to drink with meals when possible, even just a glass of wine? Do you have the appetite that warrants appetizer entree, side dish(es) AND dessert? Or do you tend to eat less, or maybe split appetizers or desserts with your partner or family? And would you rather have more table service meals? Answering those question, IMHO, helps determine whether or not MYW Dining or DDE is the better value for you.

 

[SANDKRUSER]

You can't. The trick is to buy a only one day MYW ticket with your package. Free dinning is linked to your room key not your park ticket so you will get free dinning with your length of stay but you will be paying rack rate for your room. You can then apply the price you paid for the one day MYW ticket to your AP renewal.

Exactly! I've done this the last two years - that $67 off the renewal of your annual pass helps! I HAVE used my DDE card while on the dining plan at restaurants - you just have them put your drinks on a different ticket (or however they figured it) - I asked - they said "no problem" and paid for the alcohol separately.

 

[Shrike]

You can't. The trick is to buy a only one day MYW ticket with your package. Free dinning is linked to your room key not your park ticket so you will get free dinning with your length of stay but you will be paying rack rate for your room. You can then apply the price you paid for the one day MYW ticket to your AP renewal.

Ahh. Thanks for clearing that up MY!

I wouldn't give up my DDE, but I can see how having both might be a good thing. Then again, that sounds like an awful lot of food, and we rarely eat at non-TS locations, so it might just be wasted.

 

[AEfx]

Anyway, FYI, DDE is also valid at water parks CS areas, and at the food court at POFQ (since there's no full service restaurant onsite). I'm assuming once the full service eateries open up at AK, DDE won't be valid there either.

Not sure if that is going to end up being true. Isn't Landry's doing the Yak and Yetti as well? If so, it's doubtful they will take DDE, and hopefully the DDE discount will still work at AK Counter Service.

I hope!

AEfx

 

[mprewitt]

We recently got back from WDW and had a great experience with the DDP. We are going back in November and will be getting AP with the DVC discount. Since we are DVC memebers we have the option to do the DDP. I wonder if it is more benefical to have DDE and not DDP. We are staying in a one bedroom villa with full kitchen and we are driving there so we can stop for groceries. :shrug:

We're also DVC members, so we also have an AP. We decided that DDP was way too much food! We bring some groceries to the 1-BR villa and always eat breakfast there in the room. If we decide to take a break and head back to the room, we can grab lunch there too.

We do tend to go out to dinner, and we find the DDE gives us the discount we need on our food and wine. We tend to go upscale (California Grill, Citicos, etc).

For the way we vacation at WDW, DDE is the way to go.