Why we are removing the DDP from our upcoming trip

We have gone both ways a number of times. Great that you did the math and chose what works best for your family!
 
It's more about the fact that I would be ruled over by the dining plan without any significant savings, if any.
If you told me I'd be saving 25% by having a dining plan I'd be like "sir, yes sir, master sergeant dining plan"! :rotfl2:

I feel the same way! If I have to change the way we eat or where we eat in order to break even then I'm still not really breaking even, because it's money I wouldn't have spent in the first place. I *could* eat at $55 buffets and order an alcoholic drink at each meal, and have 2 snacks a day and essentially get the same $75 a day I'd be paying on the dining plan, but that's not a savings in that case. Then, I get the idea that you're then free to choose what you want and not look at prices, but I know that wouldn't be the case for me. I'd feel ridiculious ordering a $12 QS salad when I *could* be getting more for my $$ by ordering $17 ribs and a beer I don't want.

I say this understanding that for some families, yes, it is a savings and it works out great. It's just not a one-size-fits-everyone scenario.
 
Sounds like a good plan for you.

We haven't gotten the dining plan in years for a lot of the reasons you've listed. Sometimes it's just too much food. Sometimes I want to have my alcoholic beverage at night instead of with my meal. Usually I just want water with my meal. And sometimes I want something that is not dining plan eligible.
 


My original plan had 3 buffets and one signature (Cape May, Boma, Biergarten, and Yachtsman). The Yachtsman definitely lost a lot of value with the 2 credits each. I think the other downfall is that we have a 10-year-old "disney adult" who does not yet have the palette of an adult diner.

~Cari~ pluto:

Ok that's make so much sense now. In my head, I was thinking "hmmm...I wonder if I am mis-calculating the savings somehow." The 10 YO would be a huge deal breaker for me. My husband really wants to do the dining plan because he knows I can't let go of the prices on the menu otherwise. I will only do it if there is a great chance we will break even.
 
I just did the math for an upcoming trip. It's just me, DH, and 2 yo and it adds up to $721 not counting what I'll spend on 2 yo (because either way those are OOP costs). We have 2 buffets (Chef Mickey and Biergarten) scheduled for this trip. Standard dining plan for my visit is $906. That's a $185 difference and I'd be 2 credits over on my QS allotment and 6 credits under on my TS allotment. Rearranging my plans to use these credits would mean eating somewhere I probably didn't want to eat in the first place just to use the credits.

My math is based on how we normally eat at Disney- 2 soft drinks and 1 beer/ alcoholic drink per day (total for two of us), and no desserts (we don't usually order them or sometimes we split one). Calculations include tax, but do not include tip (it is not included on DDP, that's an OOP expense no matter what). I used our snack allotment for items at F&G booths mostly, and then the 1-2 snack items we'd want in other parks.

Any scenario where I break even (spend $185 more dollars) means changing my plans just to "get my money's worth." I'd either be ordering beverages and desserts I don't want, or eating at restaurants I don't currently have in my plan, ordering things just because they're more expensive, or eating snacks I wouldn't normally be eating.

Now, if I had 2 more buffets that would nearly be the $185 difference, just to be breaking even. The bottom line is that for us, I've added up at least 4 trips now and based on how we eat we do not break even or come out ahead. If we ate differently, we probably would. I always advise anyone considering the dining plan to do the same.


This is why planning for dining becomes a personal math exercise. You know your family, you know where and how you prefer to dine. And every trip is different. If I was planning on bringing my DGD 5 years I would not have purchased a plan, or if I did it woudl be a QS plan. If I took her today, my 17 YO DGD would want more TS meals so I would need to do the math, because she is not as much into character meals or buffets ar before. Actually, she loves signature dining, and a light breakfast, split a meal for lunch. I always feel that if you plan your meals first, you can make the best decision regarding a plan becuase you are not choosing based on a diagram.
 
Depends where you eat. Our trip last year we went to many character meals since we had a two year old along, however if it was just adults then I'd have to do the math. We ended up saving money since we would have eaten at those places anyway.
We did this our first trip and we did save, but every meal was buffet/character and both our kids were under 10. We don’t do Disney that way anymore, just one character meal and now we have 3 Disney “adults”.
 


We’ve had the DDP for free dining plans. Based on how we eat, I don’t think it would save us money. We like more TS over CS and a lot of our “snacks” are bottled water. I would never pay OOP for the DDP personally.
 
I want to add that there is a benefit for some of us in terms of family use of credits. Our last trip we treated my newly married nieces and they were a bit awkward in regards to "spending" credits. Now we were ahead of the game because we had FD and no matter which way from Sunday I tried to manipulate any of the other discounts that came available, we just could not touch this one. Anyway, they started out looking at prices, and no gift card woudl have changed that, but telling them that their credits were theirs, and the only thing we asked was that they try to record the amount on the slip for my numbers loving daughter. At first they thought that a sandwich and beverage from Starbucks was not a "good use" or collecting some tinned Disney mints for gifting with the snack credits was not okay, but once they got past that, meals were fn for them, and not a guilt ridden thing. You see, when you make decisions regarding plans or no plans, one of the intangible things some of us must account for is our family dynamic. Looking at prices moves two ways. Some of us would only order the most expensive items if on a plan, but others whiteout a plan might not get past the cost. i am one of those people. After two days I am stuck on the prices, and can only see the meter running up and up. DH insists on a plan, especially if he is not with us, so he knows DD and I are not including cost into our dining decisions. On the trip with my nieces, had we used the gift card thing, they would never have ordered what they wanted, and would not have enjoyed any of the "extra" snack options for gift giving. The gift cards would have been returned fully loaded.

I never ridicule how any family tours, especially when they are factoring their dining preferences into the planning, because I know that we are all individuals with our own quirks. I have often discussed my DH and what he asks for vs what he means. DD calls him "Princess" when we tell him our vacation plans because we know that he reallly does not meal he wants motel 6 and a salami sandwich on vacation. He wants a monorail resort, Castle view. Three hot meals. Not three meals, but TS breakfast, lunch at a hot dog stand or burger joint, and an awesome dinner. Other folks I know are not happy unless they have a granola bar for breakfast, pack their PB&J sandwiches in a backpack to be enjoyed under a tree, and dinner at a lounge with wings and a beer. These decisions are often based on more than overall cost, and that also should be respected.
 
So I emailed my TA to remove the DDP. I plan on loading up gift cards with the money that would have gone toward the DDP, plus a bit more to be safe. Now we have the freedom to eat HOW, WHEN, and WHAT we want without restrictions... and it feels so good! Still pre-paid, but on our own terms.

As you know, we have had the DDP twice and my husband has banned me from ever booking it again. ;) I get obsessed with trying to "get my money's worth" and my obsession drives everyone else crazy, but mostly him. It felt like everything we did was based on food. It affected when we scheduled our fastpasses, what parks to go to, when to eat and even what to eat. The DDP ruled our trips.

I now buy Disney gifts cards at Target with the 5% discount. I love using the gift cards because I know everything I buy has a 5% discount. And the best part is that you don't have a big room balance to pay when you check out. And annual passholders get a 10% discount at most of the resort table service restaurants, and that helps a bit. :)

I kept all the receipts from both trips when using the plan, and I barely came out ahead, and that was when I compared how much it would have cost when ordering out of pocket for the exact same food. If I calculated the OOP costs for what I normally eat, I did not save money at all. And I think that is the key to the whole thing. :)

I think the DDP works out well for some families, though, especially when you have Dsiney kids and eat at characters meals and other high value restaurants.
 
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Whether or not the dining plan is a good option can depend on how you like to eat, whether or not the kids involved are Disney adults and personal perspective.

We traveled last April....me, DH, DS11 and DS15. Crunching the numbers convinced me that the dining plan wasn't worth the money. We are not entree-dessert-specialty drink type people. We like appetizers, sometimes two as a meal, and DS11 likes kids meals. I think my husband and I each had one alcoholic drink the whole trip.

To have that already paid for feeling, I put what the dining plan would cost in a savings account ahead of our trip. Then we used magic bands to charge our food back to the room and , therefore ,my cash back credit card. (I understand the discounted gift card method for saving $, but it isn't for me.) We ordered what we wanted how we wanted and I didn't look at prices. It was a six day trip...included three AYCTE character meals and four other TS lunches/dinners. Turns out the money I set aside paid the bill and then some. Once I crunched the numbers and decided the dining plan wasn't likely to save $, I was committed and done FWIW I can understand that having the DP is less stressful if you can't ignore the prices when you are ordering.
 
We aren't really alcohol + dessert people, mostly due to cost at already expensive restaurants! I finally sat down and worked out via spreadsheet and online menus, roughly, what our family would likely actually do for each meal/snacks on a given day. It ended up working out to about $100 less than the cost of the DDP, and that was with very little adding special drinks or desserts that everyone would want but we would be too worried about cost to pay for. So for now I think the DDP is probably a pretty good deal for us - we have two Disney kids, who are still young enough to really enjoy character meals, which I think is probably what puts it over for us.

We arrive Wed and my husband just announced tonight that he's planning to partake of more alcohol this trip since he finds the crowds overwhelming, so now I'm very pleased with my decision! Usually we only get alcohol maybe one night so that's all I figured into my original cost comparison.
 
We did the Deluxe Dining Plan last trip for the first time. While we really enjoyed it - it was extremely filling and we had lots of leftover credits. On that trip we just had to pay for the upgrade from Reg to Deluxe ( booked on a bounce back a few years ago). We are on free dining now but the upgrade cost would be from QS to Deluxe so it still is quite more expensive than the Reg plan. THere are 2 adults ( myself and DD23)- we decided the other day not to do deluxe and not to try and squeeze in 2TS meals this trip (even though we were really looking forward to California Grill Brunch and Dinner as well as Yachtmans). I'm still kind of 2nd guess my decision right now and I have about 2 weeks to decide before ADRS come out. It's going to be Food and Wine and I know we will want to spend a bunch of snack credits there so that's one thing that we need to consider into our plans. We wanted to take our friend out to eat when she comes to visit ( and planned to use some of our credits for that but, after reading other boards, not sure that's an option). I"m just more concerned on not using the credits and having too many remaining at the end of the trip- we wouldnt be eating three meals a day and only have about 6 2TS meals - I think we will have to revisit but think I'm just leaning towards the regular as its less than a $45 a day upgrade for the two of us, however, if we want to go to Deluxe it would then be and additional $83 dollars a day -total of almost $128 dollars at night ( and we're looking at 10 nights)- hard for me to justify the additional however, do love the availability of it and we like our appetizers and deserts.... However, it then gets the additional tip funds budgeted in so, which can add up as well. thanks for letting me chime in and ramble..... thinking we will probably stay with Reg but still am extremely tempted by Deluxe
 
We did the Deluxe Dining Plan last trip for the first time. While we really enjoyed it - it was extremely filling and we had lots of leftover credits. On that trip we just had to pay for the upgrade from Reg to Deluxe ( booked on a bounce back a few years ago). We are on free dining now but the upgrade cost would be from QS to Deluxe so it still is quite more expensive than the Reg plan. THere are 2 adults ( myself and DD23)- we decided the other day not to do deluxe and not to try and squeeze in 2TS meals this trip (even though we were really looking forward to California Grill Brunch and Dinner as well as Yachtmans). I'm still kind of 2nd guess my decision right now and I have about 2 weeks to decide before ADRS come out. It's going to be Food and Wine and I know we will want to spend a bunch of snack credits there so that's one thing that we need to consider into our plans. We wanted to take our friend out to eat when she comes to visit ( and planned to use some of our credits for that but, after reading other boards, not sure that's an option). I"m just more concerned on not using the credits and having too many remaining at the end of the trip- we wouldnt be eating three meals a day and only have about 6 2TS meals - I think we will have to revisit but think I'm just leaning towards the regular as its less than a $45 a day upgrade for the two of us, however, if we want to go to Deluxe it would then be and additional $83 dollars a day -total of almost $128 dollars at night ( and we're looking at 10 nights)- hard for me to justify the additional however, do love the availability of it and we like our appetizers and deserts.... However, it then gets the additional tip funds budgeted in so, which can add up as well. thanks for letting me chime in and ramble..... thinking we will probably stay with Reg but still am extremely tempted by Deluxe

We discussed the upgrade to Deluxe but we felt we could buy plenty for the additional money. I always run the numbers to see if what we buy OOP will come close to what the upgrade costs. This last trip, even with the OOP meals it was not even close. We seldom wanted appetizers, and that was what woudl have brought the bills up
 
Some posters have mentioned that using the dining plan takes the pressure off of not having to pay attention to prices. I'm looking at it like this: it's almost like we made our own dining plan.

The dining plan would have cost us $1132, but we would still have needed $600+ for meals, sides, drinks not covered, tips, etc. If I put $1700 on a gift card, we can eat whatever we want without once having to think "but that's not included in the plan". We can have a drink or two in between meals and not with it. I can have a bowl of soup and a salad if I'm not as hungry. DH can add a lobster tail to his steak. DS can have a kids meal or an adult meal when he wants. We can have more QS than TS, or vice versa. We won't have to make the mad dash at the end of the trip to use up extra credits.

I plan on putting $2000 on the gift cards, so a bit more than I calculate we'll need. It'll be Christmas time and that will give us that luxury of not worrying about money when it comes to food. Maybe we'll spend all of it, maybe we'll spend $1200. Either way, if we have leftover money on the gift card it can go toward our next trip! That's our dining plan. :)

~Cari~ pluto:
 
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I want to add that there is a benefit for some of us in terms of family use of credits. Our last trip we treated my newly married nieces and they were a bit awkward in regards to "spending" credits. Now we were ahead of the game because we had FD and no matter which way from Sunday I tried to manipulate any of the other discounts that came available, we just could not touch this one. Anyway, they started out looking at prices, and no gift card woudl have changed that, but telling them that their credits were theirs, and the only thing we asked was that they try to record the amount on the slip for my numbers loving daughter. At first they thought that a sandwich and beverage from Starbucks was not a "good use" or collecting some tinned Disney mints for gifting with the snack credits was not okay, but once they got past that, meals were fn for them, and not a guilt ridden thing. You see, when you make decisions regarding plans or no plans, one of the intangible things some of us must account for is our family dynamic. Looking at prices moves two ways. Some of us would only order the most expensive items if on a plan, but others whiteout a plan might not get past the cost. i am one of those people. After two days I am stuck on the prices, and can only see the meter running up and up. DH insists on a plan, especially if he is not with us, so he knows DD and I are not including cost into our dining decisions. On the trip with my nieces, had we used the gift card thing, they would never have ordered what they wanted, and would not have enjoyed any of the "extra" snack options for gift giving. The gift cards would have been returned fully loaded.

I never ridicule how any family tours, especially when they are factoring their dining preferences into the planning, because I know that we are all individuals with our own quirks. I have often discussed my DH and what he asks for vs what he means. DD calls him "Princess" when we tell him our vacation plans because we know that he reallly does not meal he wants motel 6 and a salami sandwich on vacation. He wants a monorail resort, Castle view. Three hot meals. Not three meals, but TS breakfast, lunch at a hot dog stand or burger joint, and an awesome dinner. Other folks I know are not happy unless they have a granola bar for breakfast, pack their PB&J sandwiches in a backpack to be enjoyed under a tree, and dinner at a lounge with wings and a beer. These decisions are often based on more than overall cost, and that also should be respected.
We do the regular DDP, and we absolutely love it. We do a lot of signature restaurants and character meals. We save quite a bit of money on it.

We are going to Disneyland in April and I am freaking out because they don’t have DDP. We have gift cards and credit cards with available balances, but I am really afraid that we will run out of money or not relax and eat whatever we want because we are counting every dollar. On DDP, we order whatever we want. I prefer not to worry on vacation.

I understand that it isn’t a savings for some, but for us, it’s a great deal.
 
We do the regular DDP, and we absolutely love it. We do a lot of signature restaurants and character meals. We save quite a bit of money on it.

We are going to Disneyland in April and I am freaking out because they don’t have DDP. We have gift cards and credit cards with available balances, but I am really afraid that we will run out of money or not relax and eat whatever we want because we are counting every dollar. On DDP, we order whatever we want. I prefer not to worry on vacation.

I understand that it isn’t a savings for some, but for us, it’s a great deal.
For sure, there are some cases where it really does work out. I went with just DS who was only 8 at the time. We added two nights to a school trip after they all went home. With the 2 nights room only we added the dining plan (to make it a ticketless package). We then used those credits to do two buffets: Cape May & Biergarten. The two nights worth of credits meant 2 refillable mugs, 4 QS lunches, 4 Buffets (with an alcoholic drink at both), and 8 snacks. The total cost for the plan was $202 (DS was still a disney child). That basically just paid for the buffets and the rest was "free".

So yes, sometimes it really is a good deal. :)
 
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OP here... I should title this post, "Why we are ADDING the DDP back on!!!" :rotfl:

In talking with my very wise mother, but not realizing that she was so right until several hours later, I realized that I can add the DDP to the beginning of my split stay. This means ONE night of dining plan. So, $75.49 x 3 = $226.47. We get mugs and Cape May dinner paid for by the plan (which were were going to pay OOP for anyway). Then 3 QS, 6 alcoholic/specialty drinks with meals, and 6 snacks basically for free.

And THAT'S how it's done. OOP for everything else.
 
OP here... I should title this post, "Why we are ADDING the DDP back on!!!" :rotfl:

In talking with my very wise mother, but not realizing that she was so right until several hours later, I realized that I can add the DDP to the beginning of my split stay. This means ONE night of dining plan. So, $75.49 x 3 = $226.47. We get mugs and Cape May dinner paid for by the plan (which were were going to pay OOP for anyway). Then 3 QS, 6 alcoholic/specialty drinks with meals, and 6 snacks basically for free.

And THAT'S how it's done. OOP for everything else.

I always do this if we have a one night split stay at the beginning of our trip. We add on the Deluxe dining plan for that one night and we schedule meals where we really like the apps, entrees, and dessert, so usually one signature meal and another TS meal, it works out even better if there is a festival going on and we can burn snack credits at the booths. Otherwise, none of the dining plans work for how we like to eat, they are way too restrictive for us, and I don't want to feel restricted on vacation.
 
I always do this if we have a one night split stay at the beginning of our trip. We add on the Deluxe dining plan for that one night and we schedule meals where we really like the apps, entrees, and dessert, so usually one signature meal and another TS meal, it works out even better if there is a festival going on and we can burn snack credits at the booths. Otherwise, none of the dining plans work for how we like to eat, they are way too restrictive for us, and I don't want to feel restricted on vacation.
It kind of makes me think that we should ALWAYS do a one night with DDP (or deluxe) split stay before the rest of our trip. ::yes::
 

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