If you had DDP, how much extra $$$ did you spend?

[4mcbjCtr]

in addition to what you paid for DDP? I am just really trying to calculate out if it is worth it for my family or not. Thanks.

 

[LISAMWDW]

We spent very little $$. We brought some snacks and breakfast items to eat in our rooms, which we only did 1x. Never needed any extra snacks. We bought one counter service in DTD. However, after figuring out the counterservice meals were so large, we started splitting meals and we had enough to grab some sandwiches on our way to the airport and we would have had enough to cover our first counterservice also. If you dine at table service while vacationing, as we do, then the plan is very worth it! We saved several hundred dollars!
Tips:
1. Don't use the 2 credit meals for 1 meal ie: CRT
2. Split your counterservice lunches ie: 2 adults share 1.

 

[formernyer]

I am not making this up...

I was at WDW the last week of March with my two kids. The total amount that we spent OOP while we were there was $12 for a refillable mug.

We stayed for three nights on the DDP, but spent four days in the parks. We shared meals to conserve credits and used the extra credits to cover our meals for the fourth day plus some breakfast combos. We didn't have enough conserved credits to cover all of our breakfasts, but on the days that we didn't eat breakfast we had 11am lunch ADRs. The last day of the trip we had to hit a resort food court to use up our last four snack credits. We "bought" stuff for the road with those credits.

We bought no souveniers in the parks because IMO they are a total ripoff. Before we left for WDW I told my kids that we could look around in all of the gift shops to get an idea of what's out there and then on the last day of the trip we'd go shopping at the big (cheap) gift shops in Kissimmee. That's exactly what we did and it worked out great. The kids didn't even ask me for a single item the entire time at Disney and the "gift-shop shopping trip" was actually something that they were looking forward to all week as if it were another attraction. I know this type of trip isn't an option for people who don't have a car with them, but it worked out great for us. For those of you without cars, the shops in DTD are almost as expensive as the ones in the parks, but you can get 10% off with your AAA card, so it might save a little bit.

 

[bleeps]

We spent extra on things like wine with some meals, Perrier water (wasn't included on DDP at CRT -- we used DDP there in Dec., before the meal changes), or other beverages (minor) that weren't included. We also bought some light breakfasts -- coffee/yogurt/piece of fruit/bagel/juice -- stuff like that. We found the DDP to be a great savings, even with an additional -- $100 over 9 days? -- spent on food.

 

[Lewisc]

The biggest item excluded are adult beverages. That's within your control. Some restaurants will give you soda with your meal but charge you if you switch to coffee with dessert. Order coffee with your meal or pay the few extra dollars.

Have a continental breakfast in your room, skip the 2 credit TS meals and you don't have to spend any extra $.

 

[formernyer]

Some restaurants will give you soda with your meal but charge you if you switch to coffee with dessert.

Do you know which ones charge extra? I had 3TS meals and none charged extra for my coffee.

 

[kaybird]

Bought sushi at Teppanyaki for $7, that was all the extra we spent-8 days!

 

[Lewisc]

Do you know which ones charge extra? I had 3TS meals and none charged extra for my coffee.

CRT charged me for coffee at dinner (dessert), that was back in August when it was one credit. The waiter gave me the impression that this is SOP with the dining plan. My free drink was the soda I had with my main meal. I was surprised but I didn't think it was worth an argument.

I don't remember the other restaurant that charged. I generally purchased wine with my meal and had coffee with dessert but my memory is there was at least one other restaurant that had the same policy. I wonder if it was Chefs De France but I'm not really sure, I had wine with my dinner.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am anticipating paying OP for a Dole Whip and possibly a turkey leg IF we find ourselves running low on CS pts. (not likely)

Slightly Goofy

 

[ratfam]

We spent under $100 over nine days, all on stuff that was completely avoidable if we felt strongly about not spending out of pocket--pitcher of sangria at Spoodles, bottle of wine at Yachtsman Steakhouse, sushi appetizer at Teppanyaki, a margarita at San Angel Inn and two sundaes at Beaches & Cream (promised the kids one visit, so we went the one night we cooked dinner in). We were at Beach Club Villas, so we ate stuff we had brought from home for breakfast, supplemented by milk and fruit from Beach Club Marketplace, so I guess that was also money we spent too. The dining plan was fabulous!

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

My husband and I took a 5 night trip w/ DDP last September. We paid OOP for CRT breakfast (@$54.00), some adult beverages (@$40.00), and we brought some breakfast items with us.

Like others, in hindsight, there were any number of places where we could have shared TS meals to cover the CRT breakfast. We certainly plan on sharing this year. But if you want adult beverages, there's no way around paying cash for those! Incidentally, we were never charged extra for our coffee, but I think we only ordered it at Kona and Le Cell.

 

[MyGoofy26]

In December we had bought some snacks in the room that we barely touched because we were so stuffed from the meals, or had dessert to bring back (the brownies from Wolfgang Puck lasted about 3 nights of snacking! LOL)

At Citrico's and OHana's mom and I each had a drink which obviously isn't covered, but is EASILY passed up if you don't want to spend extra.

Other than that, we ordered a side order of bacon when we split a breakfast CS and we split a dole whip. That's it. We had two CS credits left over that we forced ourselves to take 10 minutes to grab breakfast before we went to the airport, and didn't go hungry at all and that's with a 2 credit dinner.

 

[ReneeA]

I packed some pop tarts, fruit snacks, and fruit roll ups in a suitcase. We only ate a couple of each, and brought home more than half.

We were there for 8 days, and spent about $70, but both my DH and I each had an alcoholic beverage during dinner most nights.

Next time we go, we will be sharing CS meals, as food went to waste at every meal.

 

[laurietg]

$10-$15 total. It is really a ton of food.

 

[aubriee]

Last Sept the only things we 'bought' were the Kitchen Sink, three adult beverages my D-I-L and ex-husband wanted, and two Dole Whips.

 

[Luvamouse]

For those of you without cars, the shops in DTD are almost as expensive as the ones in the parks, but you can get 10% off with your AAA card, so it might save a little bit.

Thanks for the info! While I know it isn't 'top secret,' I've never seen this before and 10% does add up with 2 "never-been-to-Disney-before" DD's!! Even though we are driving, when we head home---we are leaving! (Nothing like 1300 miles to motivate you...)

Thanks for the heads-up!

Heidi

 

[kj2mom]

I also thank-you for the AAA info, I had no idea. With a couple first timers in my trip (and myself ) I can see some major souvenirs in our future!

I haven't been yet on the dining plan but I wanted to mention, I don't think I saw it here in this thread yet. Some people plan a little extra tip for the TS since it is 18% that is figured in. That might be something you would want to budget in when trying to decide.

 

[lady_hlh]

I brought breakfast foods and snack packed in our luggage. We got 2 of the refillable mugs, paid for one frozen lemonade at MK and purchased 2 CS meals at POP so we spent very little on top of the DP. I think this year we should try and split some of the CS lunches and we'll spend even less OOP.

 

[daisyduck123]

During our 9 day trip in Jan. on the DP, I think the only thing we paid for was 2 popsicles for DS. Everything else was on the DP.

 

[HaleyB]

We spent very little OOP. We did pay cash for 2 kids meals at Flying Fish (and used the credits for our meals as it is a 2 credit place). They were under $20 total (for both with tip, total). We paid OOP for one breakfast platter early on... but we didn't need to. We were there for 9 nights, 2 adults and 2 kids. We ended up with 2 TS and something like 7 CS meals unused. Plus we went home with a bunch of sodas and Krispy Treats, I think we used 11 snack credits on our way out.

It was food and wine festival time and we did spend about $100 there over the 9 days, but not because we needed to eat or drink. Most of that was on wine. Yum.

I think we are light eaters, but I do not know many adults who can really eat everything included in a day on the DP. It is a ton of food. Last year I spent hours trying to figure out the best deals... this time around I am not even thinking about it.