[Goodegirl2007]

First of all, I want to apologize if this topic has been covered tons of times....just send me the link if it has....

We have been DVC member since 2000, and we have been to Disney 1-2 times a year since 1994. Believe it or not, this is our first time trying the DDP. We (me, my DH, and my 4yr old DS) will be there from May 9 - 21st. So we need to buy 12 nights.

We spend about 3 of the days over at Universal, but I'm sure we can still have 1 meal at WDW each of those days.

Ok - finally, my question:
How do you make sure you get the value out of the DDP. How much should you try to spend on the TS, and how much on QS, and how much on snacks?

Do you have any suggestions to make sure we get our money's worth?? I'm not going to worry about it too much, I'm very excited to try this out this time. I wish we did it when the appy's were included. I'm more of an appy person, not desserts - so this will be a change for me.

Thanks for your help!!

[emamasa]

I go to allears.net and search the menus. that way you know what to expect from each place, and if it's really getting your money's worth out of the DDP. I wouldn't overly worry about maximizing, such as only ordering the most expensive things on the menu - just to be sure you get as much as you can - but would just be sure that if the only thing on the menu at a restaurant would not even total the price you paid for DDP for the day (be sure to add in your counter service and snack too), then maybe that restuarant isn't the best choice to maximize DDP.

on your universal days - I'd do downtown disney or resorts for those meals!

12 nights sounds awesome!! have a great time! I think you'll find that over the course of the almost 2 weeks, the ddp will have more than paid for itself, but it's different for everyone....so i'd check out allears menus!

[Willbegone]

The best way to get your $$ worth is eat dinner for Table service meals. Buffets are considered by many to not be a good use of the TS credit but we use it for them anyway. Have you made ressies? Le Cellier is one of, if not the best dinner to optimize that credit. As mentioned check out the menus, also since you are going for so many nights you have the luxury of chosing some of the 2 TS credit meals like Hoop De Doo, CRT, etc.

[ssn]

I guess the most important thing, it to get the most value out of the table service credits. So use those for dinner instead of lunch or breakfast.

Also, we usually use the counter service credit for lunch and pay OOP for counter service breakfast or use snack credit for a small breakfast.

[cinderbella]

I've used the DDP several times and I am CHEAP! So I like to make sure that my dollar is being maximized! Here are some tips I've learned from the past few times on the DDP. They may not all work for you since it's just me and my very hungry DH but you might be able to customize them to fit your family:

*Look at the menus on Dining at Walt Disney World
*My DH and I have done the DDP several times and we have found that if we shy away from Buffets or character meals (maybe do one or two a trip) that we pretty much come close to the cost of the DDP per day in this one meal. (This was with the apps though--we haven't tried it without yet).
*Since you are going to Universal you should eat at a Signature Dining place that requires two credits like Hoop De Doo, California Grill, Jinko or the Luau. That way you don't feel like you need to rush back to WDW to eat all of the time.
*Avoid using a counter and table service credits at breakfast. I know sometimes a character breakfast IS necessary but try and only schedule one. We usually bring a breakfast type snack from home (pop-tarts, doughnuts....healthy stuff like that) and eat that for breakfast and save the CS credits for lunch since they are more expensive.
*Don't use a TS credit for lunch. Lunch is much cheaper than Dinner and unless it's a big ticket restaurant like Le Cellier that's hard to get for dinner you may end up feeling like you wasted a credit.
*This is the biggest one! If your hot and want water..use your snack credits! Our first trip we were SO stingy with our snack credits that we actually would buy drinks and cheap snacks out of pocket. On the last day of the trip we had 7 snack credits left and we had to go spend them on junk to take home. In the end we wasted a lot of cash because we kept buying drinks.
* Space out your ADR's and lunches accordingly. Don't make an ADR for 5:00 and eat lunch at 12 or 1. Since lunches on the DDP come with entree, side and dessert you will be stuffed after a CS lunch! (Esp. after my next tip). You won't be hungry for your ADR. I know you'll be walking around the parks all day and work up an appetite but trust me..that's a lot of food!
* Research your counter service options! As you probably know WDW has a plethora of places to eat. Go through the allearsnet.com menus and pick out big price tag CS dining options. It's good to eat at places like Pecos Bills and Backlot Express occasionally but throw in some more expensive ones (A lot of these are in World Showcase) like Tangerine Cafe, Sunshine Seasons, Yak and Yeti, Flame Tree BBQ etc..

[dixie]

Originally Posted by Goodegirl2007

First of all, I want to apologize if this topic has been covered tons of times....just send me the link if it has....

We have been DVC member since 2000, and we have been to Disney 1-2 times a year since 1994. Believe it or not, this is our first time trying the DDP. We (me, my DH, and my 4yr old DS) will be there from May 9 - 21st. So we need to buy 12 nights.

We spend about 3 of the days over at Universal, but I'm sure we can still have 1 meal at WDW each of those days.

Ok - finally, my question:
How do you make sure you get the value out of the DDP. How much should you try to spend on the TS, and how much on QS, and how much on snacks?

Do you have any suggestions to make sure we get our money's worth?? I'm not going to worry about it too much, I'm very excited to try this out this time. I wish we did it when the appy's were included. I'm more of an appy person, not desserts - so this will be a change for me.

Thanks for your help!!

I am so glad you asked this as it will be the first time for us using the DDP and at the moment its as clear as mud :)
Thanks Bella for your tips they are really good for getting the most out of the plan.

[gingles]

Wait til fall and get it FREE.

[whitba]

Agree wholeheartedly with Ciinderbellas notes;

DH & I also pay OOP for breakfast and we will sometimes share a CS allowing us to include a breakfast and lunch. Think of those huge pasta servings at POR. Then, if we want a pancake or bacon & egg breakie we have an extra CS available, cutting the OOP a little.

[Goodegirl2007]

This place is great!! Thank you for the great tips! Keep them coming!
Well.....it looks like I will need to do some major changes to my ADR's and plans to make sure I get the most for my money.
Here are my plans and ADR's. Please feel free to make suggestions on how I should modify - or if you think it's better to skip the DDP for us.

Day 1 - arrival date - not staying on-site this night because we are getting in too late...just found out that means we will only need 11 days for DDP.

Day 2 check into Boardwalk (MK and Epcot)
Breakfast - Chef Mickeys
Dinner - Living Seas

Day 3 (AK and MK)
Lunch - Yak & Yeti's (CS)
Dinner - Tony's

Day 4 (Epcot and HDS)
Lunch - CS in Epcot
Dinner - Prime Time Cafe



Day 5 Universal - no TS or CS
maybe dinner in Downtown Disney

Day 6 Universal -
Breakfast - CS
Dinner - CS

Day 7 (water park & Epcot)
Breakfast - CS at Boardwalk
Tea Garden - can't use TS or CS here (2:10 p.m. afternoon tea)
Epcot - Tuto Italia

Day 8 (water park/resort and MK)
Lunch - CS somewhere
Dinner - Ohana
Pirate and Prncess Party

Day 9 (DTD and DHS)
Breakfast - CS
Lunch - CS
Dinner Mystery Science Theater

Day 10 (AK and MK)
Lunch - CS
Dinner - Crystal Palace Buffet

Day 11 - Universal in the morning
Breakfast - CS
Dinner - T/S undecided

Day 12 -
Breakfast - 1900 Park Fare Buffet
Lunch - CS
Leave for airport

Please don't be shy.....let me know what to change!! And hopefully I can get the ADRs!!

[cinderbella]

Actually your plans look good. I know you have 3 buffets but I think that would be OK considering you are there for so long and you have a little one!
How many nights are you staying on property? That's how many TS and CS meals you'll have..so far you have 10.
Maybe you could combine your possible DTD dinner and the Undecided dinner and do Hoop Dee Do? That's two table service credits and since you are doing Universal you could use a CS credit that night at either DTD (Earl of Sandwhich not to be missed TRUST me!) or at your resort. It might make the day a little less hectic for you if you don't have to worry about getting back to make an ADR.
Even though Ohana is technically a buffet I never consider it to be one.

[BGHG2802]

Thanks for the post, great tips here.

[cinderbella]

Oh also! Have you made these ADR's yet? I just noticed you were going in May.
Also, don't skip the DDP. It's a great thing and you can really save a lot of money by doing it this way!! Trust me, keep your receipts and see how much you "spent" in the restaurants vs. how much you actually spent on the dining plan. We have only broken even once and that was when my husband had the stomach flu and we were only there for 2 days. Every other time we have saved anywhere from 70-200 dollars a trip.

[Andrea]

For me, the biggest "value" is having everything prepaid.

I think the best advice is to use the TS for dinner and the CS for lunch, and to bring breakfast, and to use snack credits for water during the day.

But as for analyzing where to eat based on $ amounts rather than where you really feel like going- that just seems silly to me. Eat where you want to eat and enjoy it. (For your CS in Epcot, I always recommend the Tangierine Cafe! I love their food... and if you're worried about bang for your buck, this will definitely make you happy. Huge portions and a higher price point than a lot of TS).

And as for making your ADRs... call YESTERDAY!

[Goodegirl2007]

Thanks again Bella! Your tips are wonderful! I've always wanted to try Earl of Sandwich!! And since you so highly recommend it, it will be on the schedule.

Yes - all ADR's have been made. But I will be making some changes as you suggested.

Sorry for the confusion on my dates....when I booked this vacation with my DVC membership last year, I booked through 05/10 - 05/21. We now decided to take a late flight home on 05/20. If I cancel the room for that 1 last night, I will have 9 points credited to my DVC account, but I would need to use them by end of September (because they were borrowed from next years allotment, and they can't be returned to next year once borrowed). We decided to keep the extra night reservation and then be able to check out as late as we want!!

So long confusing story shortend.....we will actually need to pay for the DDP plan one extra day (11 total). It's ok, because we leave late on the 20th and have 2 meals planned for that day.

I'm also going to take your tip about the Hoop Dee Doo. I also do plan on keeping all of my receipts, and a good tally - that way I can decide if we should use it again for our trip in October. I'm really bummed they took the appy's out of the deal - that's my favorite part!!! But maybe I can be converted into a dessert eater!! They all sound so yummy!.

Thanks again!!!!

[Goodegirl2007]

Originally Posted by Andrea

For me, the biggest "value" is having everything prepaid.

I think the best advice is to use the TS for dinner and the CS for lunch, and to bring breakfast, and to use snack credits for water during the day.

But as for analyzing where to eat based on $ amounts rather than where you really feel like going- that just seems silly to me. Eat where you want to eat and enjoy it. (For your CS in Epcot, I always recommend the Tangierine Cafe! I love their food... and if you're worried about bang for your buck, this will definitely make you happy. Huge portions and a higher price point than a lot of TS).

And as for making your ADRs... call YESTERDAY!

You're right! I'm a big talker, and a big planner, but I'm sure once I get there, it could all fly right out the window and we will just go by the seat of our pants. I do plan on having a great relaxing vacation....but since I'm bored stiff at work right now, I'm just trying to do some pre-planning, and this seems like a good way to pass the time!!