Is this bonkers, or am I just doing the math wrong?

[uncleozzy]

We're in the final stages of planning our trip for early December, and with the recent price increases, I decided to take another look at adding DDP to our package. As a quick test, I made a spreadsheet of places we'll likely eat (a combination of ADRs and probable QS locations) and the items I'd probably order.

Including the 6.5% meal tax (menu prices don't include tax, do they??), I'm spending $354.39 on meals that would be paid for by my entitlements, and the total cost of the plan for 5 nights (for just me) is $377.45. Before I even add a single snack (or include dessert at TS meals!) I'm very close to parity.

I'm including beer or a cocktail at all the TS meals (La Hacienda, CRT, Tusker House, and Sci-Fi), all of which run $10-15 ... is that where the value is? Or am I just missing something here?

 

[sanapp]

It is possible to come out ahead on the ddp. I have dlxdp booked and I will come out several hundred dollars ahead. It really just depends if your way of eating matches the plan or not.

 

[sharonabe]

We're in the final stages of planning our trip for early December, and with the recent price increases, I decided to take another look at adding DDP to our package. As a quick test, I made a spreadsheet of places we'll likely eat (a combination of ADRs and probable QS locations) and the items I'd probably order.

Including the 6.5% meal tax (menu prices don't include tax, do they??), I'm spending $354.39 on meals that would be paid for by my entitlements, and the total cost of the plan for 5 nights (for just me) is $377.45. Before I even add a single snack (or include dessert at TS meals!) I'm very close to parity.

I'm including beer or a cocktail at all the TS meals (La Hacienda, CRT, Tusker House, and Sci-Fi), all of which run $10-15 ... is that where the value is? Or am I just missing something here?

Yes, the alcohol is definitely adding monetary value to the plans.

Couple questions for you:
1. You said early December. Have you made your ADRs? If not, you need to do that before adding any plan to be sure you can get the places you want.
2. How many nights are you staying? You have 5 credits planned. If you're only staying 4 nights, you have too many credits. If you're staying 5 nights, you'll likely need another meal OOP and that needs to be added to your total.

 

[uncleozzy]

Yep, we have all of our ADRs (at least until I juggle them around ... again). And we are staying five nights; we will have one TS meal out of pocket (probably 50s Prime Time, based on pricing).

I figure that anything the DDP doesn’t cover we will be paying for out of pocket in both cases, so I’m not even counting that right now (this is strictly budgeting for DDP vs OOP).

It really does seem like even just choosing alcohol at every TS and one or two QS meals makes it a value vs paying out of pocket, if you plan on having a QS and a TS every day anyway.

 

[DazzleT]

I think for a lot of people the question is would I order a drink at every meal normally. For me, I will totally enjoy the beverages while there if I get dining plan but odds are I would only get 1-2 drinks the whole trip if I weren’t on the plan. So, when I compare, I could look at what I would order if on dining plan (steak, alcohol, dessert) versus how I order normally (split meal, water, split 1 dessert amongst the 4 of us). If I order like I normally do, I would be better off oop, but if I looked at how I would order if I was on a ddp, I would save on ddp.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We're in the final stages of planning our trip for early December, and with the recent price increases, I decided to take another look at adding DDP to our package. As a quick test, I made a spreadsheet of places we'll likely eat (a combination of ADRs and probable QS locations) and the items I'd probably order.

Including the 6.5% meal tax (menu prices don't include tax, do they??), I'm spending $354.39 on meals that would be paid for by my entitlements, and the total cost of the plan for 5 nights (for just me) is $377.45. Before I even add a single snack (or include dessert at TS meals!) I'm very close to parity.

I'm including beer or a cocktail at all the TS meals (La Hacienda, CRT, Tusker House, and Sci-Fi), all of which run $10-15 ... is that where the value is? Or am I just missing something here?

You said we on another comment. I do believe everyone who is on the same hotel room reservation must have the same Dining Plan. Are you including that in your cost analysis? Have you tallied up what the others on your resort reservation would be eating and drinking? Have you added up what it would cost for all to be on the Dining Plan (since you just just for you is $377.45)?

 

[aimeekaye26]

We're very much coming out ahead with the ddp (we are doing psd, but even if we weren't we were ahead). With the qs plan we were breaking even, but the little jump up to TS and we are saving money - but we're also not going to, say, Earl of Sandwich for our lunch with our DDP.

 

[Nancyg56]

It is possible to come out ahead using the plan, we always do. Add in the alcohol and it is a slam dunk for us. The issue is when people try to make the plan work for them when they normally would not eat that way on a vacation. Those folks cannot make it work, and should not try. If you normally book expensive meals or order desserts and the higher cost items, and if you use your snacks (I think this is where teh plan can push to the break even or saves money point) and you tend to have at least two meals per day the plan can be a positive thing for your trip. WE order wine with dinner, or cocktails, so this is just a bonus for us. For the CS meals, I don't know. I think some of us will have a glass of wine or a beer, but we will see.

 

[uncleozzy]

You said we on another comment. I do believe everyone who is on the same hotel room reservation must have the same Dining Plan. Are you including that in your cost analysis? Have you tallied up what the others on your resort reservation would be eating and drinking? Have you added up what it would cost for all to be on the Dining Plan (since you just just for you is $377.45)?

Yes: my wife and I eat mostly the same way, and the dining plan for a child is cheap enough that I expect we'll break even, or come close, on that plan as well. We're staying 5 nights, but our flight gets in before noon on the first day and leaves on the evening of the last day, so we really have more like 6 days worth of meals to eat; if we do happen to have an extra QS or snack entitlement on the last day it'll get used instead of paying OOP.

It is possible to come out ahead using the plan, we always do. Add in the alcohol and it is a slam dunk for us. The issue is when people try to make the plan work for them when they normally would not eat that way on a vacation.

Yeah, I think this is it. The last time I had the dining plan was almost a decade ago, when it included dessert at QS and appetizers at TS, which was way too much food. We had free dining, but if we'd paid for it there's no way we would have gotten value from it. But with the current plan, it more-or-less fits the way we tend to eat. I was very, very surprised when I did the numbers yesterday and it seemed to be a savings (or at the least a break-even, at which point the psychological load of not worrying about the price of the $7 pretzel or $30 entree makes up for whatever small difference there might be).

 

[Myhandsfull]

I think you make an excellent point about the psychological load being worth a little bit, as well. Probably not enough to justify if you are off by hundreds of dollars, but if it’s close, that is worth quite a bit on vacation, at least to me. We have usually gone when we got the free dining plan promotion, but we would pay for the dining plan if we had to. I have three teenaged boys, and we are all very much foodies. Even if by math it is only a breakeven proposition because none of us drink any alcohol, the ability to let them order the most expensive steak on the menu if that’s what they want without panicking about the cost and watching every bite is worth quite a bit! And my kids eat that way (and don’t waste), so we really do save money or break even, even if we have to pay for it.

 

[sharonabe]

I think for a lot of people the question is would I order a drink at every meal normally. For me, I will totally enjoy the beverages while there if I get dining plan but odds are I would only get 1-2 drinks the whole trip if I weren’t on the plan. So, when I compare, I could look at what I would order if on dining plan (steak, alcohol, dessert) versus how I order normally (split meal, water, split 1 dessert amongst the 4 of us). If I order like I normally do, I would be better off oop, but if I looked at how I would order if I was on a ddp, I would save on ddp.

And your example is one reason I think TIPS should be considered when trying to decide as well. The difference in your total costs with your example will greatly increase the tip amount when you use the DDP to its full advantage.

 

[siren0119]

And your example is one reason I think TIPS should be considered when trying to decide as well. The difference in your total costs with your example will greatly increase the tip amount when you use the DDP to its full advantage.

THIS. The servers should still be tipped on the full amount of the bill, even if you'd have used the same credits for a burger vs a steak.

We opted to skip the DDP on our last trip, knowing how we normally eat and what my kids would be willing to eat. DS was also 10 at the time (so technically a Disney adult), but the adult dining plan would have been a total waste on him, he's still all Mac & Cheese and chicken nuggets. For us, having the flexibility to be able to order off the kids menu (even I could do it when I wasn't feeling really hungry) was more important than just being able to swipe credits for food. TL: DRit pays to know - and be realistic about - what your eating will look like and pick what's best for you.

 

[uncleozzy]

Yeah, I was discussing it with my wife last night, and we both agree that if it's even close to break-even for us, just the idea that we don't have to think about the price of our afternoon coffee or an extra Dole Whip or whatever because it's already paid for would be nice. I am pretty sure we'll come out ahead, though.

Plus I just ran the numbers for our daughter, and even before snacks we're coming out ahead since we're going to do a couple of buffet / prix fixe meals. It's not hard to hit $25.75 when Biergarten runs $24 and dinner at CRT is $50+, even at 2 credits.

 

[lilfaeriebrat]

I had to rerun the numbers for our trip too with the price increases. DH loves BOG for breakfast and when that price went up I said no way. But as I looked at other cost increases we were fairly close to the cost of both the QS with TS OOP and the DDP. We have a 9 day trip with an 8 night stay but most of our eating is going to be at F&W so DDP didn't work for us because we were left with too many TS and not enough snacks. When I counted up the QS that I had planned we had a lot of extras that we can swap for snacks and that made the most sense for us. The cost of alcohol at QS wasn't in the initial budget but with QS plan I will definitely have a mimosa or Bellini at BOG and maybe a few other specialty cocktails at some other QS locations. It took a lot of time and back and forth in excel to figure everything out but for the value of the alcohol basically being free I'm glad I spent the time.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

And your example is one reason I think TIPS should be considered when trying to decide as well. The difference in your total costs with your example will greatly increase the tip amount when you use the DDP to its full advantage.

Yup. Very few threads that discuss the financial comparisons with or without the Dining Plan (or the differences between the different Dining Plans) rarely add in the tips. I don't care how a person tips (before or after tax, whole dollars vs percentages, adjustments in percentages between style of places, etc) just that they include that in even if they just give a total of anticipated tip amount based on how they normally tip. I know it's all personal opinion but I find that to be very helpful for someone who is reading the person's thread who is looking at the Dining Plan.

If my meal comes to $50 because of what I ordered on the Dining Plan and I would have spent $40 OOP if I was not on the Dining Plan that may not seem like much difference in the grand scheme (could even make someone just go ahead and get the Dining Plan when it's close enough) with exception to if you did this over every meal vs a couple of meals over the trip but it does in terms of tips, and it does in terms of every meal when you start to add it up.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yeah, I was discussing it with my wife last night, and we both agree that if it's even close to break-even for us, just the idea that we don't have to think about the price of our afternoon coffee or an extra Dole Whip or whatever because it's already paid for would be nice. I am pretty sure we'll come out ahead, though.

Plus I just ran the numbers for our daughter, and even before snacks we're coming out ahead since we're going to do a couple of buffet / prix fixe meals. It's not hard to hit $25.75 when Biergarten runs $24 and dinner at CRT is $50+, even at 2 credits.

Even knowing the Dining Plan will never be our cup of tea for multiple reasons I've always said there's no problem with the Dining Plan in my book so long as someone knows why they are getting it- a lot of times though people try and make the Dining Plan work for them rather than the Dining Plan just naturally fitting in with how they eat and drink.

Sounds like for you with the $ being close enough and the added "don't have to worry" (or the convenience factor in the knowledge is another way of saying it) makes your decision easier. I do know one of the going advices is to purchase gift cards and put the $ you would have spent on the Dining Plan cost but I tend to see that the most when people are really truly on the fence.

 

[sanapp]

I know if I was paying OOP I would eat much cheaper than if I had any of the dining plans. That is one of the reasons I do get it though. It is vacation after all! I eat very healthy when at home and don't eat out that often, so when on vacation I like to splurge. I probably wouldn't order an appetizer or dessert OOP, but if I have dlxdp I do order them and enjoy every bite. I am frugal by nature, but not with food on vacation I guess!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know if I was paying OOP I would eat much cheaper than if I had any of the dining plans. That is one of the reasons I do get it though. It is vacation after all! I eat very healthy when at home and don't eat out that often, so when on vacation I like to splurge. I probably wouldn't order an appetizer or dessert OOP, but if I have dlxdp I do order them and enjoy every bite. I am frugal by nature, but not with food on vacation I guess!

There's something to be said for that.

My husband and I will reserve a meal or two on vacation that we personally consider a splurge (though likely not considered a splurge to the bulk of people given the prices of some of the places people eat at in WDW lol). In regards to app or dessert we don't as a norm but it depends on our hunger level. I would say we almost never order apps and desserts are an every now and then thing.

That's part of the reason the regular and the Deluxe Dining Plan wouldn't work for us. Too much food and drink. Time of year can impact that part as well but still for our eating habits it's too much as a generality. We drank almost exclusively water on our trip because of hydration. I'm also not personally a fan of ordering but only eating a bit of something just because it came with the plan. That's me personally.

That can be an advantage to the Dining Plan if it make someone feel more free to order something they wouldn't have before.

 

[GillianP1301]

Even knowing the Dining Plan will never be our cup of tea for multiple reasons I've always said there's no problem with the Dining Plan in my book so long as someone knows why they are getting it- a lot of times though people try and make the Dining Plan work for them rather than the Dining Plan just naturally fitting in with how they eat and drink.

Sounds like for you with the $ being close enough and the added "don't have to worry" (or the convenience factor in the knowledge is another way of saying it) makes your decision easier. I do know one of the going advices is to purchase gift cards and put the $ you would have spent on the Dining Plan cost but I tend to see that the most when people are really truly on the fence.

I agree with this completely and it's so important to take into consideration when making your plans. I plan out where I want to eat and roughly what I think I'll want to eat ahead of time. I don't limit myself to number of credits I would get on a plan, I simply put together my meal plan. I then compare it to how it would fit against the dining plans and make my decision on how to pay from there. When you start having to ask questions like "which meal should I drop, I have more than I have credits for" or sacrificing a TS meal you want because you only have QS credits left, then the dining plan is not working for you, regardless of the numbers.

I had free dining on my last trip and I tracked all my meal spending. I had twice as many TS meals planned as I had credits, so I just used my credits on the higher value meals and paid OOP for the rest. It never occurred to me to not eat a meal because I didn't have a credit for it.

 

[Nancyg56]

Yup. Very few threads that discuss the financial comparisons with or without the Dining Plan (or the differences between the different Dining Plans) rarely add in the tips. I don't care how a person tips (before or after tax, whole dollars vs percentages, adjustments in percentages between style of places, etc) just that they include that in even if they just give a total of anticipated tip amount based on how they normally tip. I know it's all personal opinion but I find that to be very helpful for someone who is reading the person's thread who is looking at the Dining Plan.

If my meal comes to $50 because of what I ordered on the Dining Plan and I would have spent $40 OOP if I was not on the Dining Plan that may not seem like much difference in the grand scheme (could even make someone just go ahead and get the Dining Plan when it's close enough) with exception to if you did this over every meal vs a couple of meals over the trip but it does in terms of tips, and it does in terms of every meal when you start to add it up.

i agree that you need to choose the plan that matches your dining habits, btu I do nto necessarily agree that the tips are problematic. If you choose a plan that matches your habits, and then choose to order even $10 because you can....the gratuity difference is actually a bit of a wash. No matter what you order in WDW, it is taxed. Snacks, etc all taxed. You food on the DDP have teh tax included so those two snacks are now clear, as are yoru CS meals, etc.

While folks are advising people to add in tips, I advise them to run the numbers with tax when they compare the cost of their potential meals and food to the cost of the dining plan.