Renting DVC pts and the Dining Plan

[lpbm4]

Don't know if this is the right place for this questions.... Do you regular DVCers thing the Disney Dining Experience is worth it if staying in a villa with a kitchen? I'm still trying to decide if it's worth the money. Do you really eat a lot of your meals in the hotel? If so, it obviously wouldn't be worth it. But I would like to do 2 character meals, and for that, it seems worth it. I know the DDE is just open to DVC starting April 1st, so I know that many won't have much experience. Any input would be great appreciated, though!!!

 

[iluveeyore]

We always stay in a one or two bedroom for two weeks with the full kitchen and love it - it saves so much money for the five of us, and it's a nice way to unwind as a family to have a meal together at least once a day. It's also nice to start each day in our pj's sitting on the balcony having breakfast together. We save a lot because at the beginning of our trip we rent a car and head to the Walmart Supercenter (only ten minutes away from Old Key West), and I stock up on enough food, water, pop and snacks for the twelve days and usually only spend $200, with lots left over at the end. We can usually get back to the room for lunch and dinner, but if not, we have a snack at the park and then an early dinner together. With a full kitchen, it's so much easier, especially with kids, to make some juice or freeze a water bottle to take to the parks with us, and to have snacks at night without going to the restaurant or gift shop and spending too much on extras we don't really need (although a Mickey ice cream sandwich never hurts! ). Anyhow, if you're staying in a full kitchen suite, and you have small children that don't like restaurants (mine are older and still like to flop on the couch and watch me cook rather than wait for a restaurant reservation), I'd say go with the groceries. The CMs at the front desk would be more than happy to help you find a grocery store nearby to stock your kitchen. We still eat out at least once for a treat - the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the WL is the greatest place for dinner, especially with the kids! Whatever you do, enjoy - the lodge is wonderful!
Tracey

 

[Chuck S]

lpbm4,

I assume you are talking about the pre-paid DDP (Disney Dining Plan) and not the DDE (Disney Dining Experience) discount card.

The DDP is available to DVC owners and renters effective April 1st, it must be booked for everyone on your room for the entire length of your reservation. It includes a counter service meal and a table service/buffet meal and a snack for each night of your stay.

The DDE card is only available if you are a Florida resident OR a WDW annual passholder and has nothing to do with DVC membership or reservations.

 

[byoung]

If you like to cook in you do not want the dining plan. It can be costly. One thing about renting is watch out it can get you hooked. I did and now own.

 

[JimMIA]

As Chuck S noted, be careful of the terminology. What you are inquiring about is the DDP (Disney Dining Plan), not DDE (Disney Dining Experience card).

We are using the DDP for the first time this May, and we're looking forward to it. We are also going to do two character meals, and that is one of the factors that persuaded us to try the DDP. We're doing character dinners, because there is no difference between breakfasts, lunches, or dinners.

One suggestion I would make on the DDP in DECEMBER. We went last December, and had huge difficulties getting ADRs to many of our favorite restaurants. The main culprit at that time was the Candellight Processional dining packages at Epcot. This year, you will have that problem, plus the DVC DDP folks during the busiest time of the year for DVC. Should be a zoo. Let us know how it is, because we've scratched December off our calendar due to the dining difficulties. We'll go other times when we can enjoy the full spectrum of WDW experiences.

The suggestion is: IF you are going in December, get on the phone as soon as you can (180 days out) and make your ADRs. I think you will still have major difficulties, but at least you'll have a chance if you get on the phone in June.

 

[lpbm4]

Sorry, yes, I meant DDP (disney dining plan), sorry for the confusion!! Thanks for all of your input!! I'm now leaning towards no DDP so we can save some money and maybe doing 1 or 2 character meals--still expensive but we'd save about $200 buy not doing the DDP. I was hoping to do brkfst and dinner at the room and then just eating lunch wherever we are in the parks. We also plan on doing Sea World one day in the middle of our stay so that would kind of waste a day on the dining plan.

JimMIA--Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup: I need to decide what meals we're doing and reserve as soon as that 180 day mark hits.

Thanks again!!

 

[shellbelle1971]

For our family there's just no way the DDP is a money saver. I make a Costco run at the beginning of the trip & just pop a frozen entree into the oven most days. Add some bagged salad, milk and/or sodas (hey, it's vacation) & a pre-made dessert and the cost for a dinner for my entire family (mom, dad, g'ma, g'pa, 2 teenagers, and 4 younger kids) is still about $25.

Breakfast is usually cold cereal & milk. (Kids' choice, not mine. I always either make a smoothie or some oatmeal.) Total cost for whole group: about $10 per breakfast.

Lunch: sandwiches, (cold cuts, cheese, tomatoes, etc.) fruit, chips, veggie tray items, etc. Total cost for whole group: about $20 per lunch. (Cost is a little bit higher on lunches than you might expect because we always use paper plates for lunches so nobody has to do dishes.)

Snacks: fresh fruit, microwave popcorn, veggie tray items, ice cream bars, granola bars, etc. Cost is about $.50-.75 per person per day.

We typically do one or two character meals (usually breakfast or lunches because it's pointless to try to do a dinner if you have a tired, cranky toddler with you) with the whole group each trip and then DH and I will also go out to dinner a couple of times, leaving kids either with g'ma & g'pa, or with the Fairy Godmothers. For us, the cost of the Fairy Godmothers is less than the cost of taking the kids out to eat with us (!) and DH & I can enjoy a little bit of time away from it all.

Still, our family usually spends about $50 TOTAL per day on food (excluding those few meals out)--and that's purchasing a lot of "convenience" foods that require very little in the way of preparation. I believe the DDP is close to that per person. It looks to me like the more people you add, the more the numbers are in your favor for using that DVC kitchen!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Everyone's eating habits vary, so what is a good plan for one might not be for another. For us, the DDP is not a good value. We like to eat in the better sit down places, but NEVER eat counter service and never eat breakfast anywhere but in the villa, so the DDP is lost on us. We usually prepare a big breakfast in the villa and have our main meal of the day at a nice restaurant. Sometimes it's midday and sometimes it's early evening. We generally only eat those two meals, and then we might have a snack or ice cream at the villa some time inbetween. We also don't eat out every day. We usually plan to cook at least a few main meals in the villa as well. We especially like to do this when we have guests with us.

 

[slp87]

We just returned and kept records on our food spending and we were $200 under the price of the DDP. First of all, our DD 11 is considered an adult, but she could never eat the amount of food offered on the plan. Secondly, we would share a lot. We still ate at 6 sit down restaurants, but had breakfast in the room all but 2 mornings.

 

[DebIreland]

I'm now leaning towards no DDP so we can save some money and maybe doing 1 or 2 character meals--still expensive but we'd save about $200 buy not doing the DDP. I was hoping to do brkfst and dinner at the room and then just eating lunch wherever we are in the parks.

My thinking is similar to yours. We're renting points too for a 1bdr villa in October but more than likely we won't do the DP because I don't think we'll spend 125 dollars a day on food (2 adults, one 11yo, one 9yo and baby). Some days we'll exceed that amount for sure (like our 9yo's birthday) but other days if the children are tired, especially our 2 year old, we'll just do pasta and salad in the room and let her sleep or relax and eat when she's ready. I'd hate to feel we must keep our TS ADRs because the DP is paid for and kinda force the kids to get moving, you know! lol Also if there's adverse weather and you don't want to get a bus/boat to a TS place you have booked, then that flexibility exists. We're hoping to do all breakfasts in the room, some dinners and some lunches - Overall I think (hope) we'll come out better without the DP, especially as we'll have the advantage of the DDE but even without that we wouldn't do the DP!

 

[Muushka]

We are going to WDW in 2 weeks in a 2 BR. No DDP for that trip. It just seems like it will be more trouble/time/money than it is worth. I am going to ASMU for a family thing this fall. Free DDP. Staying at a resort like a value, I look forward to an excuse to go out and eat, and there is no way I am bringing a crock pot to a hotel! It will be interesting to see how that plan works out.