POLL: To DDP or not to DDP?

[Figaro928]

That is the question! It seems to be a hot topic so I figured I start a poll.

I started planning our March vacation and spent about three solid days crunching numbers on wheather the DDP would be worth the cost. The result was with that the DDP was a wash - we wouldn't be saving significant money BUT wouldn't lose any either - it was a give or take $20-30. If we ate "normal" off the DDP, we would save probably about $300. In the end, my hubby said he didn't want to eat "normal" and din't want to worry about penny pinching while on vacation. So we are going on the basic DDP!!!

What's your reasoning and rationalizing?

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Because we prefer apps to dessert, the dining plan doesnt work for us. Unless it's free.
Sometimes we prefer snacks to desserts. We like signature restaurants and I find savings in using discounted disney giftcards.

The numbers have never worked out in favor of the dining plan for us.

 

[EnchantedRose]

If we can get it during the "Free Dining Plan" promos, then we definitely go for it! It is such a convenience to not have to worry about having cash set aside for food. It is all covered! The only cash we spend on food is of course on tips...and if me and hubby want a drink. Right now we are 2 adults, 1 child and 1 infant. We always stay value...and for us even with the upgrade charge we save a few hundred. I know everyone has their opinion and they views...and it doesn't work for everyone. We did do one trip without the dining plan, and the amount of money we spent....and we did ONLY counter service meals was insane! Free Dining is the way to go for us!

 

[AC21075]

No dining plan here, at least not for the foreseeable future. We're DVC members (well, associates) so we don't get the free option.

Years ago, my wife and I used it on a weeklong trip, staying at a moderate resort and getting it free. It cost less then, but it covered more - an app and a desert each table meal. We ate at a lot of nice restaurants that week, and it was great. We certainly ordered MORE than we would have (we probably would have shared apps and deserts) but I don't think we ate anything that wasn't covered other than an extra snack here and there and alcoholic beverages.

But now, as DVC members we don't get it free, and part of the reason we like DVC is that it gives us more options for eating/cooking in the room once a day. Add in the kids, and now we're not doing as much "nice" dining out, either. When I've made our dining plans for the last few trips, I haven't been able to make the numbers work in favor of the dining plan. At best, I've come close to even between the cost of the plan and the cost of what I'd probably actually order, some of which would cost extra if I had the plan. And that included an excessive amount of character meals to get that close to even. I get no personal value/comfort out of paying in advance - I'd worry just as much that I wasn't getting my money's worth and feel pressured to adjust my eating...

A simple switch to "appetizer or desert" for each person, well, now I'll have to reconsider...

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I get that some people enjoy the convenience of DDP, but I enjoy eating what I want to eat. I don't like to feel bad about ordering a cheaper chicken dish because it's not as good a use of that DDP credit. I don't like paying OOP for the appetizer I want and watching most of our desserts go to waste. I'd rather have TS breakfast and dinner (and not always signature dinner) and not feel like I'm wasting credits.

 

[Figaro928]

We personally felt like, no matter what, we were going to be looking at the prices. If we decided not to get the DDP, we would be constantly looking at prices and "the best value" for our dollar. If we went on the DDP, we would constanly be looking at the prices and the "best value" for our credits. Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Character meals are a huge hit for us, but paying for them out-of-pocket seems so much more expensive. If we were paying out of pocket, I doubt we'd go to as many as we are (4) Also, we rarely ever order apps or alcoholic beverages. The last time we went, we had the free DDP promotion and didn't need to pay for a single thing out of pocket.

 

[FrostyNaples]

In the end, my hubby said he didn't want to eat "normal" and din't want to worry about penny pinching while on vacation. So we are going on the basic DDP!!!

What's your reasoning and rationalizing?

Pretty much this.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

We're doing the Dining Plan (1 CS, 1 TS + 1 S) this year for the first time - ONLY because its free. We have considered it previously, but found that for what it would cost us we gained very little so it wasn't worth the hassle. This year is a win, win, win situation

 

[Figaro928]

HOneslty - i thought the quick service plan would would have gotten more votes. It never worked for us because with the kids we wanted to do the character buffets, but i thought it would eventually work well we older kids going park commando style

 

[LAKid53]

We personally felt like, no matter what, we were going to be looking at the prices. If we decided not to get the DDP, we would be constantly looking at prices and "the best value" for our dollar. If we went on the DDP, we would constanly be looking at the prices and the "best value" for our credits. Complete opposite ends of the spectrum. Character meals are a huge hit for us, but paying for them out-of-pocket seems so much more expensive. If we were paying out of pocket, I doubt we'd go to as many as we are (4) Also, we rarely ever order apps or alcoholic beverages. The last time we went, we had the free DDP promotion and didn't need to pay for a single thing out of pocket.

You didn't tip?

 

[LAKid53]

Given that I'm both an AP & DVC member, I don't do the DDP anymore. Why?
(1) free dining comes with a price - rack rate rooms and the need to purchase a ticket. Thanks, I already have a ticket, my annual pass
(2) If I stay at a DVC resort that has a full kitchen, then I have the ability to provide most meals and snacks. Even if I stay at a non-DVC resort, no matter the level, there is still a fridge for milk/juice, some cold snacks and I bring cereal. And an electric tea kettle, plus bottle water, to make tea.
(3) I have a TiW card that gives me 20% off, including alcohol, at almost every TS restaurant and some QS. Unlike the DDP, I'm not limited with my TiW card in terms of what my selections are. Not too hungry, but want more than an appetizer? Order something from kids menu. Want just coffee and dessert? That I can do and get my 20% off. And don't feel like I just wasted a TS credit that I will to scramble to use by midnight the day we check out.

 

[TB4244]

We're on QSDP this year and the first time we've tried it. Last year we paid for food out of pocket, but after doing our sums it appears that it's good value for money compared to what we spent last May on food. However, we do have ADRs so that are going to cost us extra but I figured that I'm on holiday/vacation, I want to enjoy myself and not penny pinch even though we have the dining plan.

 

[Tinkerfan4ever]

We have done the basic dining plan all but one of our trips when we did the quick service plan. I have seen a lot of questions recently asking if the plan was worth it, so I decided to calculate for my family to see if we made the right decision to go with the plan for our Oct trip. We have all our meals booked and I looked at all of the menus to take a best guess as to what each member of our party would order if paying out of pocket. All said and done... the dining plan would cost us $1.00 more than paying out of pocket. And since we are DVC members I also calculated out with the Tables in Wonderland card, but because we do not order appetizers or alcohol we would only save $40 with the TiW card. Now I am not saying that $40 is nothing, because it is still a savings, but with it being so close, we prefer the convenience of the dining plan. (I was actually shocked there wasn't more savings with the TiW card, because it is recommended so much, but I think it is because we don't get the aps or alcohol.)

I think each family really should calculate which option is best for them because it certainly isn't a one option is best for everybody deal.

 

[Figaro928]

You didn't tip?

No we tipped well. But I used my disney visa points towards the tips.

 

[LucyK]

We like the DDP because we book up to a year in advance, so by the time we arrive at Disney it's all paid off. This time we were fortunate enough to have a pin attached to my email and we have free DDP at POFQ, so even better savings.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

free dining is never free - like @LAKid53 said, you have to pay rack rate for rooms. and there are so often discounts on rooms - 20% here, 30% there - that it is almost never necessary to pay full price for a room. back when it was first really introduced, it was a great deal. now, not so much. they've upped the price up so much that unless you always eat dessert and usually order one of the more expensive options on the menu, it's going to be a wash. if anyone is seriously considering paying rack rate for a room to get a free dining promotion, or considering adding it on, google 'see ya real soon dining calculator', download it (i never get spam emails from them) and plug in your info. that is the most comprehensive spreadsheet i've seen for the dining plans and it takes so many things into account. no matter which plan i use, no matter which meals i choose, dh and i *never* save money using the dining plan. i think it was close with the quick service plan, it still included things we almost never order - like desserts with quick service lunches.

if it's about having your dining 'prepaid' when you get there, buy a disney gift card. buy visa gift card. buy something that you can put away and save so your dining is 'prepaid' when you get there. especially now that you can save 5% on disney gift cards at target with the debit red card, sams/coscto/BJs have discounted disney gift cards, and disney offers that savings account thing, there are so many ways to have your trip paid off when you walk on property.

 

[ninjaprincesst]

We always get the dining plan, the last few years we have been lucky enough to get it for free. We get it for two reasons. First as stated earlier we like the convenience of booking everything all at once and being able to pay for everything in advance at one place. Second we would never be able to go to all the character meals and sit down meals.

 

[4disneylovers]

This has been a big question for us. We don't like to be tied to a sit down meal every day. I also never liked losing as much time as I do in a sit down meal. However, as I get older and have been there more times my thinking is changing on that a little. We like the flexibility of being able to get up a morning and decide to change our "plan" and go to a different park. Unfortunately with the new fast pass system they are forcing us into knowing what park we are going to be in anyway.

At any rate, When they first came out with the dining plan it was a great deal. However, as the years have gone one and after everyone was trained that it is a great deal, they have begun to chip away at the benefits. Anyone that used it in the beginning will remember that your sit down came with appetizer, meal, drink, dessert and tip was included. There was no way anyone could eat all of that food. But they have slowly taken away the number of snacks included, appetizer, tip, etc. But everyone still remembers it is a great deal and they mindlessly pay for it.

I calculated many many times and there was no way that we could even break even unless we got dessert every single time including counter services. We just don't do that. So it is not a savings for us. Now we do take it when it is free (i know it isn't really free). We have been able to try some new restaurants and have new experiences this way.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

It pretty much doesn't come free to us. We either use our DVC membership or use an AP rate. Neither usually offers it free. It doesn't offer enough savings, and the limited flexibility is challenging. Plus we have a 13 year old who still likes the kids' menu. We get the Tables in Wonderland card instead

 

[Mouseears23]

Our family always gets the Basic DDP. We like not having to carry money with us for meals and since we have been to the parks so many times we are never rushed by a TS meal. We actually enjoy them and use it as time to sit down and recap the day or see what the day might hold. I don't think any member of our party has ever ordered their meal to get the best "deal," we just order whatever sounds good. However, you have to do what's best for your group.