DDE to Dining Plan comparison

[Dean]

Is the price definitely going to stay at $37.99/$10.99 for DVC members? The current DP price is based on two incentives - to get people to stay on property and then to get them to eat there too. Disney doesn't need the first incentive for DVC so I think they would raise the price to reflect that.

Others have reported being told that by MS. And though I could see reasoning from Disney to have a higher price for DVC, I think it would complicate the system more than the extra income. I'd expect it to stay the same price.

 

[londonderrydisneyfan]

Others have reported being told that by MS. And though I could see reasoning from Disney to have a higher price for DVC, I think it would complicate the system more than the extra income. I'd expect it to stay the same price.

Thanks, that is a great price. I never thought we would use the DP, but since we have three kids under the age of 9 it makes sense for us.

 

[vpack05]

I think the OP is right, for his family DDE may be better. They seem to eat the majority of their TS meals at lunch, thus making them less expensive. We do the opposite-all TS for dinner, and counter service for lunch. we also do a lot of TS breakfasts too. We were at the BWV Dec 1-9 and we kept really good track of our meals with the DDE discount just so I could compare it to the meal plan! For us, 2 adults & 3 kids, the dining plan wins by far. I think I would still get the DDE card to use for any table service breakfasts and alcohol, but our CS lunch, snack and TS dinner would be covered by the meal plan. We would absolutely save money. A counter service for lunch cost our family around $45 every day. Then you have everyone getting a bottle of soda and my daughters popcorn later in the day, around $15. Then dinner for 2 adults & 3 kids at places like Kona Cafe, San Angel Inn, Rose and Crown, etc. are around $120-$140. It's a big savings. Plus, we love the idea of meals being pre-paid and just going and eating!

I understand what some say about 10 and 11 year olds, but you'd have to pay adult price for them at buffets anyway, unless you lie about their age, which I wouldn't. Many people on the restaurant board have posted restaurants not letting 11 and 12 year olds order off the 9 and under kids menu or charging them double for a kids meal. In our case, for our Oct trip our oldest turns 10 about 3 weeks before the trip, thus making him an adult in the eyes of Disney. The meal plan is still worth it for us. He ate the adult Counter Service food every time anyway. The kids portions are really tiny at those restaurants. We'd have to pay an adult price for him at places like the Cape May Cafe Clam Bake or Ohana anyway, since he'll be 10.

I do like the DDE card too. We ate dinner twice at the POLY (Kona and Ohana) and sat at those little tables drinking tropical drinks waiting for our tables and the DDE card does take a nice little chunk off. We also have a princess freak in the family and do both princess breakfasts. Although, when the price increase goes into effect for CRT, you can't use DDE anymore anyway. We also always do Cape May's and Crystal Palace's breakfasts and a couple Spoodles too. So, I think the DDE card may still be worth it in addition to the dining plan, as long as we have AP's. I'm just so happy about the dining plan though!!!

this was so helpful in planning for our upcoming trip! I just wanted to tell you thanks for taking the time to detail out the DDE savings and DDP advantages. I have 4 children, 2 are juniors (12, 11) and I'm also thinking we'll save a bundle on those character meals and table service meals. If we could eat TS at every meal, we would!

 

[Diznut84]

Did the price of the Dining Plan increase?

Thanks!

 

[Chuck S]

Current price of Disney Dining Plan is $37.99 for adults and $10.99 for children 3 to 9, per person, per night of your ressie.

Current DDE price is $60 per year for AP holders and $85 for non-passholder Florida residents. Additional (optional) spouse card is $25.

 

[jimmytammy]

I did some figuring today on this very subject based on our trip in Dec. We had the DDE card with us at that time. We have 2 kids who have good appetites now. For us, the math still pushes us towards the DDE vs DP. I wish I could eat and truly enjoy the amount of food to get your $s worth out of the DP. But honestly, DW and I both agreed we would be stuffed to the gills with that much food. And we love the TS restaurants. We consider ordering cheese soup before the meal at Le Cellier a stretch.

But I am glad that there are folks that are taking advantage of the DP through DVC. It just doesnt add up for us.

 

[rinkwide]

...I wish I could eat and truly enjoy the amount of food to get your $s worth out of the DP...

No kidding. Makes you wonder who Disney had in mind when they came up with this thing, William "The Refrigerator" Perry?

 

[tomandrobin]

I think it all depends on how you use each plan and what your eating habits are like. We used the dining plan for our New Years trip this past year. My wife and I and three tennage kids. We planned ahead, made reservations at some the best Disney resturants every day. It was a real treat, especially for the kids. We did not drink on the trip, so that is a factor. Tips and taxes are included which is a big savings. (We did tip additional anyway, we always reward great service). We were determined to make the dining plan worth the money, which for this trip was. Also, during New Years Eve and New Years Day the DDE does not apply, which were two of our six days there.

Another thing, with the kids going, we didn't always eat together. The kids just used their room keys to use the meal plan. With the DDE we need to be together to use the DDE card.

Now on our next trip we are not using the dining plan. Eating out at all those restuarants are great, but after a couple days you start to feel like a bloated tick. Plus are next two trips it will be just the wife and I. We will eat a bigger breakfast, not so many large dinners and drink wine and such. On the next two trips the DDE works alot better .

 

[tomandrobin]

Oh, just one more comment. The dining plan is not really a cost effective way of eating. But sometimes its not about the cheapest, just most effective for your own needs.

 

[Dean]

No kidding. Makes you wonder who Disney had in mind when they came up with this thing, William "The Refrigerator" Perry?

exactly!

 

[mamatojon]

No kidding. Makes you wonder who Disney had in mind when they came up with this thing, William "The Refrigerator" Perry?

You know, I've read people saying this type of thing before and always felt a little bit insulted because I can totally see myself utilizing the dining plan and yet I don't feel like I'm a complete pig either. I really don't think comments like this are helpful at all, just kind of mean and alienating to those of us who actually really like the dining plan. I don't understand why people can't just say that the DP doesn't work for them because they are light eaters rather than insinuate that anybody it does work for financially must be real gluttons.

 

[Dean]

You know, I've read people saying this type of thing before and always felt a little bit insulted because I can totally see myself utilizing the dining plan and yet I don't feel like I'm a complete pig either. I really don't think comments like this are helpful at all, just kind of mean and alienating to those of us who actually really like the dining plan. I don't understand why people can't just say that the DP doesn't work for them because they are light eaters rather than insinuate that anybody it does work for financially must be real gluttons.

I'm sure it was a joke, at least that's the way I took it. Though it is my belief that the meal plan, for an extended period of around a week or more, is too much food for most people. Not intending to be insulting and not referring to present weight at all, only future happenings and other health issues.

 

[tomandrobin]

I agree with you Dean. When we used it at New Years Eve, 6 nights....it was real hard to finish the meals the last two days. I think I gained 4 pounds on the trip, even with all the walking! Would we use it again, yes.

 

[mamatojon]

Sorry, I think I'm just being over sensitive.

 

[Pig Pen]

I used the DDE on our last trip and carefully analyzed our eating habits as I was considering the dining plan for our Dec trip. We both agreed that the dining plan would not work for us. We tend to eat our main meal at lunch as neither of us like to eat after 6:00 pm. Since lunch prices are generally cheaper, this is one deterrant. We also like to graze rather than eat big meals.

I would LOVE to do the dining plan as it seems to be a simple way of budgeting for meals, but I think the DDE is a better plan for us. Especially the FREE dining! (I momentarily considered booking a Sept trip to take advantage, but paying rack rates to get it doesn't work for us either!)

 

[rigs32]

I don't think the food per night is a lot, but it's the way it's provided. You get one CS and one TS. The TS has so much more food, what with the appetizer and dessert.

Yet, many people like to eat three meals a day. In that case, you would be splitting meals to stretch the number of credits. My mom and I will likely split CS for breakfast and lunch a couple of days on our trip.

There are ways to "cut down" on your intake without giving up DP benefits. Using your appetizer credit at TS for salad cuts down on calorie intake (depending on dressing) and gives you a more diversified meal. I was excited to hear people being allowed to substitute fruit for a side or dessert. That's easier to take with you than cake and could be eaten while in a line or waiting for a show and a heck of a lot better for you.

I prefer smaller courses, so just having an entree would be a bit boring for me. If you look at the menus, you rarely (if ever) get soup/salad with an entree and often the veggie component is measly or non-existent. I'm really looking forward to ordering apps and desserts for all of us to share and be able to sample many items. If I were paying OOP, we'd stick with CS and maybe one or two TS (I am the queen of budget vacationing).

Granted my DP plan will be free, but I broke it down and even if paying, I would end up with all those apps and desserts free based on my ordering at the places I have ADRs. I also don't have to snip at my DH for wanting to order the most expensive thing on the menu.

 

[Califgirl]

We haven't used the DP yet, but I did get it for our upcoming trip while we are staying at OKW.
What convinced me to get it was the fact that tax and tip were included. To eat at Disney for $38 per day (tax and tip included) seems to be a great deal. Will it be more food than we can eat? Probably, but we enjoy sit down dinners and not worrying about the cost of what we are ordering is a wonderful perk. I really don't think we could eat much cheaper on our own without feeling like we were putting an awful lot of effort into watching our budget.
With the Dining Plan I know we can eat well and I know what it will cost me.

 

[Dean]

To eat at Disney for $38 per day (tax and tip included) seems to be a great deal.

We normally eat 2 TS meals per day and using the DDE, spend far less than $38 per per per day on average and that includes eating at least once per trip at a signature restaurant. But likely not everyone eats as we do.

 

[byoung]

A lot of the days you had only one meal listed? We always eat at least 2 meals a day.