DDP vs DDE?

[BCV23]

DDE covers signature restaurants and even Victoria & Albert's although not the Chef's Table there.

Sorry can't remember about the dinner shows.

 

[BCV23]

nuzmom,

,

 

[nuzmom]

nuzmom,

,

thank you, thank you, I try my best

 

[Anthony1971]

Usingthe DDP last year I added up all my reciepts for 4 adults and came out about 120 ahead of what we paid and we did eat at a few of the more expensive places... However I would never eat this way normally and what I mean is we will not have desert with lunch if we did have both an apet. and Des. with a TS we would split it between two people and although we do not eat a lot of CS either there are some places we just need to go to like flame tree BBQ. We do not in general have three meals a day we will have breakfast and a late lunch and then a snack later... some days we just do not feel like a TS and those are the days flame tree and others win... I just did not enjoy eating a TS everyday for 7 days it just became something we had to do, however most 7 day trips we have 6 TS meals and we do eat a fair amount it was just to much food for us so discounts win for us....we bought it when traveling with a large group.... I do agree on value though there are a lot of families that can eat a lot more than we can and we can keep up for a few days it is just by the time we get to the third or fourth day we are done
but I would buy it if we were going for a short trip...

 

[CarolA]

I understand folks not liking the automatic tip...but, like most of the DDE people, I simply tip the "discount"...so at 18% it may actually save a buck here and there.

Hopefully they'll still include some Counter Service options for AK and the values, and a "tip" won't be added for those self-service meals.

My concern on the tip issue is that if the DDP eliminates the tip and the customer has to do it there will be a lot of folks using this logic

"It's probably about $20 on my DDP so I will tip $2!" (Yes, it will happen. I once heard a man in the Rose & Crown say "we don't have to tip here, you don't tip in British Resturants" Yeah service is included in lots of resturants IN the UK, but not a the Rose & Crown....) If this happens and the servers start getting shafted on the tip, expect your service to be HORRID once you are identified as a dining plan diner.

 

[Tamar]

Speaking as a former waitron, I would really dislike if the DDP didn't include a decent tip. Those tables are MORE work than standard tables in many cases since they have all courses and you often have to explain what is and isn't included, the thing that probably keeps many of the waitstaff gracious and patient is the guarantee that they won't be stiffed.

I can tell you there always seems to be just the slightest loosening of tension in the shoulders when we're asked if we're on the dining plan and we say "no".

With DDE, they probably aren't doing themselves any favors by automatically adding a tip.

 

[Tamar]

Clarification....I'm not a former Disney waitron, just have done my time in other restaurants.

 

[chevyAZ]

We also tend to have fairly long stays.

Thats what makes the difference for us. We stay for 15 days each time we go and between 2 adults and 2 small children DD5 &DS4 who eat light it just doesnt make sense.

DDP would cost about $100 / night or $1500.
for that same $100/day, we usually

• do 1 shopping trip at the beginning of the vacation ($150 gets water, bagels, poptarts, popcorn, capri suns, chips, cookies, fruit snacks, oreos, milk, Peanut butter, jelly, bread, ham, cheese, mayo).
• Breakfast in the room
• Bring Snacks to the Park, (PB&J, popcorn)
• early Dinner at a Sitdown restaurant - with DDE discount usually $55 - $70 per night (Tip incl)
• Sometimes we have a big lunch instead of a Sitdown Dinner.
• Sometimes we have a character meal instead of a big dinner.
• Cookies & Milk or Hot cocoa in the evening
  

In addition, we don't feel forced to eat. We can skip a meal and not feel guilty.

Last year we made it through the 15 days with about $1150 in meals, which included 4 character meals.

 

[nsalz]

We have done both. We did the DDP last summer and this year opted for the DDE. We just felt that we ate way to much on the DDP. A great Deal, but I think I gained ten pounds on that trip out of "guilt" of feeling I had to have an appetizer and desert to get my moneys worth.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Note that the automatic DDE gratuity coming in 2008 will be applied to the pre-discount cost of the meal. Which makes me suspect that many DDE users aren't tipping that way to start with. We always tip 20% of the pre-DDE discount anyway, so this change will be meaningless for us.

As to which is best--for us it's the DDE all the way. We never eat lunch, never do CS , never eat snacks, almost always do Signature TS dinners, and always have a drink with dinner. Just one meal at V&A "pays" for the card--and we get to use it THREE times before it expires. And there's free valet parking as well---.

 

[Anal Annie]

DDE covers signature restaurants and even Victoria & Albert's although not the Chef's Table there.

Sorry can't remember about the dinner shows.

I just called & asked about this a few weeks ago when we were making dinner ressies. The DDE includes places like Hollywood & Vine, Boma and the Character Breakfasts, HOWEVER, it is NOT valid on the special dining package reservations - like at the restaurants in MGM for the Fantasmic show. You could use it if you just wanted to eat dinner at one of these restaurants, but not for the show.

Our DS just turned 10 and will not eat $39 worth of food / day - so for us, the DDP would be a big bust! Maybe when he's one of those teenagers that eats 3 sandwiches for a snack it will be a deal - but not now! Also, we like to have a few drinks - so the DDE will work best for us!