What's the Downside of DDP?

[Coral Reef Diver]

Price has been mentioned as a downside to the DDP plan. Under-utilization of the plan (passing on desserts, not ordering the most expensive entrée) is also mentioned. I understand these things, but are they the only aspects to consider when purchasing a DDP? Is everything else the same between DDP and cash?

Is DDP harder to use, has separate reservation lines, easier to checkout, has fewer menu items (pre-menus?), gets preferred seating, or show seating? I presume ADRs are not affected by DDP. I want to say "no" to the DDP plans, but they seem as flexible and easy to use as cash.

I don't care about getting savings on dining, or overspending on DDP. I want the best, easiest to use procedure for dining. We plan to do several TS at Epcot's World Showcase, but also are small portion eaters. We will also be doing character meals and CRT and BOG.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Easiest is cash. Other than the obvious (cost) I think another main reason we ditched it was we just want to buy what we want when we want. If I see something I want as a snack, I don't want someone telling me that's not a snack credit. Or if I'm not really in the mood to eat a whole meal, but would like just something small, I can just buy it. Also having a special needs child that only eats off kids menus, but is a teen, I usually end up buying him kids meals. So just the fact that I can buy what I want when I want without having to look for the logo and try and figure out if it's on the dining plan.

 

[disneyseniors]

I agree with the PP.
You don't get any "special" privileges with the dining plan. No special seating, show seats, separate lines. Sorry. You enter and get seated like everyone else.
If you are big eaters then it might work for you. Also we find the size of your group affects whether it is worth it or not to you. If you have a big family with teenagers (who are never filled up, it would probably benefit you. However, it is just my husband and I and we aren't big eaters. We found we ate more with the dp, which resulted in us not indulging in the great snacks around the parks. Just too stuffed.
So 2 years ago we quit using the dp, and have never been happier.
For us, it worked not to use it, just didn't fit our style.
If you want the convenience of not paying as you go, then it might be for you. There are many variables, but for us, it was not worth it anymore. Hope this helps

 

[Coral Reef Diver]

Easiest is cash. We just want to buy what we want when we want... without having to look for the logo and try and figure out if it's on the dining plan.

So, there are food places without "logos", where DDP cannot be used?

 

[sharonabe]

So, there are food places without "logos", where DDP cannot be used?

Yes. Some of the lounges don't accept dining plans. Eateries at The Swan and Dolphin do not participate. There are also a few kiosks around that don't accept snack credits. There are always items at all QS/Snack locations that are not considered snacks. The "logo" pp speaks of is for snack items...they all have a purple D next to them. For meals, you get an entrée and a non-alcoholic drink (and dessert at TS), and can order anything off the menu. When some alcoholic items become a part of the plan in 2018, it will get more confusing since it's not ALL alcoholic beverages, but only "some."

If you're just looking for the easiest, fastest way and you're staying onsite, attach a credit card to your account, and just swipe your magic band everywhere you eat. You may still want some cash for some of those kiosks that don't do magic bands or credit cards, but your magic band will send all your bills to your resort where you can settle up however you wish.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

So, there are food places without "logos", where DDP cannot be used?

For snacks only.

I've yet to see a standard meal not available on the dining plan. You don't receive a different menu or a limited list.

I've done a little of all of the options. Cash, gift cards, magic band with a credit card and the dining plan. Easiest? Magic band with a credit card. Most difficult? Gift cards, hands down. With a gift card, you have to keep track of how much is on it. And then you end up with a little on a couple of different cards. It just didn't work for us.

 

[sharonabe]

For snacks only.

I've yet to see a standard meal not available on the dining plan. You don't receive a different menu or a limited list.

I've done a little of all of the options. Cash, gift cards, magic band with a credit card and the dining plan. Easiest? Magic band with a credit card. Most difficult? Gift cards, hands down. With a gift card, you have to keep track of how much is on it. And then you end up with a little on a couple of different cards. It just didn't work for us.

The best way to do gift cards is to just use them to pay off your account at the resort. Since they have a cc attached to your account, you probably need to check with them how often you need to settle up before they actually charge that card, but at least you don't have to keep track of what's on the card or end up with small amounts on various cards. I agree that it's still not as easy as the magic band with cc, but a little easier than paying with gcs every where you go.

As to the TS meals, there are a couple places that have uber expensive meals that have a surcharge with the dining plan, and then there are the "for two" items that require two people to order them. Just more little things you need to watch out for if on the dining plan.

 

[Nancyg56]

Disclaimer: my family likes dining plans, so I may be biased.

There are downsides to using a DDP, and I think that can be lost money or stress trying to maximize it rather than utilize it. If you purchase a dining plan you are making a commitment to TS dining on vacation, and that differs from eating on vacation.

I do care about overspending on the plan, and I choose to purchase after I decide where we are dining. Depending on the meals booked and the dynamics of our group, and the time of year, our dining habits vary. Preplanning makes vacations much easier and cost effective for us.

In my opinion, I think the easiest way to manage paying for food is to charge it from your magic band and pay it at your resort. We do this no matter the plan we choose, and we also use the band for shopping. No money, no cards. WE do stop and pay it off every few days, and make sure there is no balance on the night before our departure. On our last day any credits we use that require a gratuity, I mark our receipt that gratuity was paid in cash, NOT to room. I have never had an issue, but I prefer to be prepared.

I will add that I think you are overthinking "ease" when it comes to dining or paying. One thing DIsney is wicked good at is making it easy to spend money.

 

[wdw4rfam]

For snacks only.

I've yet to see a standard meal not available on the dining plan. You don't receive a different menu or a limited list.

I've done a little of all of the options. Cash, gift cards, magic band with a credit card and the dining plan. Easiest? Magic band with a credit card. Most difficult? Gift cards, hands down. With a gift card, you have to keep track of how much is on it. And then you end up with a little on a couple of different cards. It just didn't work for us.

I disagree. We got 2 cards with $1000 on each. We carried the one card and used it until it was gone then used the other. We do this every trip and the receipt always has your balance. Then at the end of the trip if you did t eat as much as you thought, it's shopping time. Using a magic band with a card attatched i

So, there are food places without "logos", where DDP cannot be used?

mainly snacks. Perfect example, they just put a shaved ice stand in at the poly this week, no dining plan accepted. Just easier to bring cash. Then if you have extra at the end, it's yours, not disneys.

 

[Miffy]

OP: IMO, the best and easiest procedure to use for dining is to pay out of pocket for your meals, snacks, etc. To make it even easier, using your magic band to pay means not even having to have a credit card or cash with you. It may or may not be cheaper than using the DDP (depending on where you eat and what you get and how often you go to TS restaurants, and about 100 other variables), but it's definitely the easiest, since you don't have to wonder how many credits you're using, how many you have left, what's included or excluded, etc., etc., etc. To me, that alone makes it way easier. To some people having everything (although, btw, if you have the DDP, "everything" may or may not include everything you eat during the day or even everything you eat/drink at any given meal) paid for in advance is easier.

But, for example, I don't believe tips are included in what you pay for in advance (I expect another poster will correct me if I'm wrong about this). And, frankly, I'd be kind of annoyed if I got to the end of my trip and had a lot of snack credits left over. But it doesn't bother other people. You have to ask yourself how you'd feel about that kind of thing.

There are tons of threads debating the pros and cons of the DDP. Read around and you'll get a feel for people who're in sync with your style of vacationing and eating while on vacation.

 

[DisBuckMan]

Not only do you not get "preferred" seating, at some shows, you cannot book Tier 1 seating when using the DDP. Spirit of Aloha comes to mind...maybe HDDR too.

Other than that, and some places not accepting the DDP or some items on menus not being covered by the DDP, the main reasons for not choosing the DDP are financial related. There are no refunds...the DDP is use it or lose it. If your party gets sick the last day or two of your trip, you either lose those credits completely, or you're scrambling for 3 cheap packable $5 snacks to replace those $40 TS credits. If you get to a meal, and you're simply not that hungry, you're either going to "waste" a credit getting something small, or you're going to waste a lot of food.

 

[Pumbaa_]

One of the biggest, imho, of dining plans is the what if question

What if someone gets sick?
What if you are just not hungry?
What if you don't use all the credits?

If paying cash, you just don't put out the cash. On the ddp you just lose out

I also don't eat like the plans. I prefer appetizer and rarely want dessert
I don't eat a lot of carbs or sugar so most of the snacks are not for me

 

[verleniahall]

never do disney without the dining plan - you pay way more oop if you don't

(disclaimer - we LOVE the dinning plan and never do disney without it)

 

[persimmondeb]

We find it enormously more convenient to use the dining plan. Takes all the stress out of budgeting, because it's done and paid for, and the only thing we have to worry about is the daily "extras" budget, which is usually on a gift card. I could put the food budget on gift cards too, in theory, but a)that's way more money than I want to tie up that way, expecially since they could be lost or stolen, and b)we ALWAYS save at least a little by using the dining plan, and haven't found it onerous to make sure we're getting value. We don't tend to have trouble using snack credits up though, since we're all big eaters. One of the lovely things about it is that it means we are usually eating the most expensive thing we'd like to eat, rather than the cheapest.

 

[Princess Jaz E Jaz]

I love the dining plan. I like to eat a signature places and not have to worry about money or not being able to get something. And I have credits left I stock up on snacks or see if you can eat at some of the hotel restaurants you might not get to see otherwise.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think you've also mentioned elsewhere that you are not a dessert person, OP? On DDP at TS, dessert is an included entitlement that cannot be divided or used elsewhere. Some places will give you a fruit cup or green salad instead, but not all. So another downside is that you have to eat as DDP would have you eat.

You like water with meals? No credit will be given for that.
No dessert at dinner? You'd pay less OOP.
You want to order two appetizers and a glass of wine? Sorry, your TS entitlement won't cover that.

 

[Barbanellie]

you pay way more oop if you don't

I have to disagree on this. I can't argue that you save money with the DDP, I don't know what you eat and how many in your party. But I think the most accurate advice usually given here is that whether you save money or not depends on how many are in your party, what you eat, how you eat, etc. I've done the math on our two WDW trips. With two adults, no kids, and buying anything we ever wanted, no restrictions (i.e. not trying to budget), even when adding the tips and alcoholic beverages that would have been "extra" with the DDP, our total OOP was always way less than what DDP would have cost us. That is us. It is important to remember that not all traveling parties are the same, YMMV.

 

[FrancoFun]

We just got back yesterday from 7 days/6 nights at WDW without a dining plan.

I think that the downside of the DDP is that if you don't eat they way they have it set up, you lose out. I find the portions at US restaurants (not only at Disney) to generally be much larger than my family needs. Especially for quick service restaurants, we often ordered two meals and shared them between the three of us. My son, at 10, is a Disney adult and often ordered an adult meal. But myself, at 37, often wanted a kids meal. Paying out of pocket, we had no problems doing that.

We looked where we wanted to eat and set out a general budget beforehand. Using a dining calculator, I saw that we would save around $450 paying out of pocket over using the table service plan. We linked a credit card to our MagicBands (including that of our 10yo) and found it super convenient to pay for dining that way. In the end, my estimate was within $4 of what we spent! Definitely better to pay out of pocket for my family.

 

[Superchikk]

If you know where you'll be eating (or have a general idea), you can use a dining calculator website to help you determine if you'd be better off paying OOP or a DP. And tips are NOT included on the dining plan - you still have to pay those OOP. You're also required to order the meal as they build it rather than how you want it. So if I just wanted 2 sides and a drink at a QS place, that wouldn't work. If I wanted an app & a dessert but no entree at a TS place, that wouldn't work either.

We've had both the QS and DDP on different trips. When we had the QS, we had to pay OOP for character meals, which was fine - we calculated that expense and used our QS credits for breakfasts we wouldn't normally have gotten otherwise since we're not big breakfast eaters. When we had the DDP, we ate a TS meal every day. We discovered that was too much for us. Had we not been on the DDP, we would've changed our plans and eaten more QS. So knowing our preferences, neither plan works super well for us.

Using the calculator, I find it's more cost effective for us to pay OOP for food than purchase a dining plan and either have to pay OOP for some meals as well or walk away with TS credits left over. My husband and I are going without the kids next year, and I've already calculated it - it will save us over $200 to pay OOP.

 

[preemiemama]

For my family, it is more about not stressing over what we order. We are a family that will eat a table service every day. We won't survive on only quick service meals for a week. We like desserts (on vacation) and the option to have snacks without worrying about what it costs. For us, we "prepay" for our meals and usually make out better cost wise than if we paid OOP for what we order. BUT, we actually don't mind the confines of the DDP while on vacation- it suits us fine. We also realize that this is not how everyone eats and for some (as PPs have stated) it just doesn't work.

I will tell you to do your research. Look at where you want to eat, and what you might like to have that is on the menu. Also look at how many times a day you would want to eat like that. You don't even have to get as specific as figuring out the snacks- just look at your daily meals. Calculate the cost, and compare it to the cost of the DDP. That is really the best way to figure out if it is beneficial for you.

A couple years ago, a friend and her family (2 adults, a child who counted as an adult, and another child) were going for 1 night (2 days) to Disney World. She had reservations for Cinderella's Royal Table. When she compared the cost of that meal to the cost of the Deluxe DDP, it was the same. For her and her family, then, it was a no-brainer. They added the DxDDP to their stay, and gained 8 snacks, 4 refillable mugs, and 4 other meal credits that they used on their second day for breakfast. Had she not done her research she would not have added a dining plan and paid the same amount for one meal. Again- it won't work all the time for every person, but it might be worth researching a bit more.