Hello all,
I thought I would share our recent experience with the current "value" of the DDP. 2A 2C - We are long time DVC members and have used the Regular DDP since its inception back when it was close to $30/day for the and included apps & dessert & tips but no mug. We continued to use it through the years as the entitlements were reduced and the price increased. We tried one trip with Counter Service only recently, but missed some of our favorite sit down's and paid out of pocket for them while there, which in the end "added" to our overall dining cost.
Over the years we kept using DDP for "convenience" of prepay and in the early years there was truly "value" in the plan. However, by the end we recognized it was forcing us to to not eat what we wanted or where we wanted. We spent too much time worrying about if it was a good value or if we should pay out of pocket (adding to the overall dining cost). Apps were taken away, tips were no longer included, food quality (CS desserts) went downhill, etc. through the years.. and yet every year, price goes up.
So our latest trip we decided to finally forego the DDP and just do out of pocket. However we made a plan to track of every food, beverage & snack purchase (including tips) for the entire 10 day trip and then would compare it to what the DDP would have cost us. We agreed we would order what we "wanted" whether most expensive or cheapest on the menu.
We had a lovely trip where we all ate what and when we wanted mix of deluxe, TS & CS meals and at least 1 snack a day (with no thought to if it was a good "value") and many days more, we drank what we wanted (including alcohol, specialty cocktails & wine), ordered apps which we prefer over dessert and TS desserts when we wanted and shared which would be more in line with our normal dining approach. Did not over eat because it was "free" (aka included in the plan) We did not order the mediocre Counter service desserts or get "sodas, bottled water or other packaged drinks" when we normally drink water most of the time with an occasional indulgence of a diet coke. We carried our own water bottles which we happily refilled and had no trouble keeping them full of ice and water and bought a case of water, box of cereal and milk for kids for breakfast on the way to the hotel which we included in our tally. And of course pool cocktails! Some days we ate more. Some days we had leftovers in our DVC fridge for dinner because we were tired that night or we "snacked" around World showcase sharing bites from all the countries amongst the family...it was honestly like we felt finally "free" of DDP. Even once we had ice cream for dinner...kids loved it.
In the end and religious logging on my iPhone every drink, meal, snack, cocktail, we found over a 10 night stay and using Tables in Wonderland (cost included in our tally) where possible, our total spent was roughly $80 more than the DDP regular plan would cost us, but the difference was that we had what we wanted, tips were included, we had cocktails and wine with dinner and even bought 2 bottles of wine for our room in the hotel shop.
We easily would have spent another $80 had we been on DDP in tips and alcohol.
The alternative had we bought DDP, we would have ended up with a bunch of food/drinks we would not have eaten anyway or overeaten free desserts and still paid tips, alcohol & appetizers on TOP of the DDP cost...and then would have ultimately paid much more overall.
$DDP cost + $tips + $alcohol + $OOP snacks = total dining cost
So we are done with the DDP in our family. At this stage, it is just not a "value" to our family and preferred way to dine. It was so freeing to not be rushing every single day to a sit down meal and paying more (tips/alcohol) on top. Tables in Wonderland did offer some savings but we included the TIW membership in our total and we will get a 2nd 10 day trip out of it in the same year so that is awesome!
Anyway, I thought it was an interesting experiment and ultimately was a bit surprised by the result.
My new non-scientific analysis is if you ONLY eat/drink what is included in your plan it may be value. It is definitely plenty of food in the plan (All types) It was more food/drink than we needed, and not the food we wanted, with the "but its included" refrain in our head when grabbing drinks/desserts we would not have bought anyway followed by the "what is the best value?" when looking at a menu. It is only "value" if you would have bought it anyway.
If you supplement the plan with appetizers & alcohol and other cash snacks it is probably not a "value".
Anyway, just thought I'd share my unsolicited unscientific opinion. Happy Disney Day to all whatever you do!
I thought I would share our recent experience with the current "value" of the DDP. 2A 2C - We are long time DVC members and have used the Regular DDP since its inception back when it was close to $30/day for the and included apps & dessert & tips but no mug. We continued to use it through the years as the entitlements were reduced and the price increased. We tried one trip with Counter Service only recently, but missed some of our favorite sit down's and paid out of pocket for them while there, which in the end "added" to our overall dining cost.
Over the years we kept using DDP for "convenience" of prepay and in the early years there was truly "value" in the plan. However, by the end we recognized it was forcing us to to not eat what we wanted or where we wanted. We spent too much time worrying about if it was a good value or if we should pay out of pocket (adding to the overall dining cost). Apps were taken away, tips were no longer included, food quality (CS desserts) went downhill, etc. through the years.. and yet every year, price goes up.
So our latest trip we decided to finally forego the DDP and just do out of pocket. However we made a plan to track of every food, beverage & snack purchase (including tips) for the entire 10 day trip and then would compare it to what the DDP would have cost us. We agreed we would order what we "wanted" whether most expensive or cheapest on the menu.
We had a lovely trip where we all ate what and when we wanted mix of deluxe, TS & CS meals and at least 1 snack a day (with no thought to if it was a good "value") and many days more, we drank what we wanted (including alcohol, specialty cocktails & wine), ordered apps which we prefer over dessert and TS desserts when we wanted and shared which would be more in line with our normal dining approach. Did not over eat because it was "free" (aka included in the plan) We did not order the mediocre Counter service desserts or get "sodas, bottled water or other packaged drinks" when we normally drink water most of the time with an occasional indulgence of a diet coke. We carried our own water bottles which we happily refilled and had no trouble keeping them full of ice and water and bought a case of water, box of cereal and milk for kids for breakfast on the way to the hotel which we included in our tally. And of course pool cocktails! Some days we ate more. Some days we had leftovers in our DVC fridge for dinner because we were tired that night or we "snacked" around World showcase sharing bites from all the countries amongst the family...it was honestly like we felt finally "free" of DDP. Even once we had ice cream for dinner...kids loved it.
In the end and religious logging on my iPhone every drink, meal, snack, cocktail, we found over a 10 night stay and using Tables in Wonderland (cost included in our tally) where possible, our total spent was roughly $80 more than the DDP regular plan would cost us, but the difference was that we had what we wanted, tips were included, we had cocktails and wine with dinner and even bought 2 bottles of wine for our room in the hotel shop.
We easily would have spent another $80 had we been on DDP in tips and alcohol.
The alternative had we bought DDP, we would have ended up with a bunch of food/drinks we would not have eaten anyway or overeaten free desserts and still paid tips, alcohol & appetizers on TOP of the DDP cost...and then would have ultimately paid much more overall.
$DDP cost + $tips + $alcohol + $OOP snacks = total dining cost
So we are done with the DDP in our family. At this stage, it is just not a "value" to our family and preferred way to dine. It was so freeing to not be rushing every single day to a sit down meal and paying more (tips/alcohol) on top. Tables in Wonderland did offer some savings but we included the TIW membership in our total and we will get a 2nd 10 day trip out of it in the same year so that is awesome!
Anyway, I thought it was an interesting experiment and ultimately was a bit surprised by the result.
My new non-scientific analysis is if you ONLY eat/drink what is included in your plan it may be value. It is definitely plenty of food in the plan (All types) It was more food/drink than we needed, and not the food we wanted, with the "but its included" refrain in our head when grabbing drinks/desserts we would not have bought anyway followed by the "what is the best value?" when looking at a menu. It is only "value" if you would have bought it anyway.
If you supplement the plan with appetizers & alcohol and other cash snacks it is probably not a "value".
Anyway, just thought I'd share my unsolicited unscientific opinion. Happy Disney Day to all whatever you do!
