Undecided on DDP vs OOP

[VegasVic14]

To help us decide, can someone provide us with the current adult menu price OOP for these character breakfast meals? MDE wide price ranges are of no help.

Crystal Palace
Hollywood & Vine
Garden Grill
Tusker House

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

This thread is pretty up to date:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/buffet-character-shows-aycte-pricing-rev-06-30-2019.3108466/
Fwiw, those are all very expensive and will generally push your dining math in favor of the DDP.

 

[Darklord77]

I will go out on a limb and say you will lose money with the DDP for all breakfast meals.

 

[jsebsirois]

I will go out on a limb and say you will lose money with the DDP for all breakfast meals.

I was going to say the same thing.

You might be able to have an advantage on the DDP if you are doing dinner, but adults only, for breakfast, might be hard to make it worth it.

 

[caylene44]

I can never remember if we are allowed to name drop or not so I apologize, mods, if we aren't, but I use All Ears for up-to-date menus.

• Crystal Palace Breakfast: Adult price: $38; Child (ages 3-9) price: $23. Tax is included; gratuity is not included. A standard, non-alcoholic beverage is included in this price.
• Hollywood & Vine Breakfast: Note that the price of this meal varies based on the time of year (peak seasons vs regular season), and even on the day of the week (weekday vs weekend). The general price ranges for this meal are as follows: Adult price range: $34.00-$38.88; Child (ages 3-9) price range: $18.97-$23.03 Tax is included; gratuity is not included. A standard, non-alcoholic beverage is included in this price.
• Garden Grill Breakfast: $40.47 Adults, $24.50 Ages 3-9. Tax and gratuity included.
• Tusker House Breakfast: Note that the price of this meal varies based on the time of year (peak seasons vs regular season), and even on the day of the week (weekday vs weekend). The general price ranges for this meal are as follows: Adult price range: $29.99-$38; Child (ages 3-9) price range: $17.99-$23. Tax is included; gratuity is not included. A standard, non-alcoholic beverage is included in this price. Alcoholic beverages including Bloody Marys and Mimosas available at additional cost.

These would probably all be "bad value" on DDP. Generally, 1 TS credit should be worth $45 to maximize value.

 

[sharonabe]

• Garden Grill Breakfast: $40.47 Adults, $24.50 Ages 3-9. Tax and gratuity included.

I'm fairly certain gratuity is NOT included at Garden Grill; this is probably a typo on allears' part.
As to the others in your list, there is no longer any kind of seasonal or daily pricing. The price is the same every day of the week. The only time there is a difference is on a holiday such as Easter and Christmas or if there is a dining package attached to the reservation like Fantasmic or Candlelight Processional.

OP, if you're planning on getting some kind of alcoholic beverage with your breakfast, then the DDP might still be a good value. Otherwise, you'll be losing money unless you're thinking of doing the DxDDP and these are just your breakfast plans. On the regular DDP, a TS credit is worth about $43, so you're not losing much, but 2 people times 4 meals does add up. On the DxDDP, a TS credit is worth about $35, so you'd be saving money.

 

[caylene44]

I'm fairly certain gratuity is NOT included at Garden Grill; this is probably a typo on allears' part.
As to the others in your list, there is no longer any kind of seasonal or daily pricing. The price is the same every day of the week. The only time there is a difference is on a holiday such as Easter and Christmas or if there is a dining package attached to the reservation like Fantasmic or Candlelight Processional.

OP, if you're planning on getting some kind of alcoholic beverage with your breakfast, then the DDP might still be a good value. Otherwise, you'll be losing money unless you're thinking of doing the DxDDP and these are just your breakfast plans. On the regular DDP, a TS credit is worth about $43, so you're not losing much, but 2 people times 4 meals does add up. On the DxDDP, a TS credit is worth about $35, so you'd be saving money.

That was all copied and pasted Maybe I shouldn't be using that site then

 

[sharonabe]

That was all copied and pasted Maybe I shouldn't be using that site then

No, they're pretty close to what others are reporting. I just think they had a typo on that one. Not sure why they still have the differing prices on different days; that's been gone for quite awhile, BUT, those three do all have packages available to book, so maybe that's where the difference comes in.

 

[Disney Frenhines]

I will go out on a limb and say you will lose money with the DDP for all breakfast meals.

Not if you use at least one on a breakfast at Be Our Guest

 

[VegasVic14]

Thanks for the update of those 4 character meal prices. We're doing them with our grandkids, so that part of the trip is a given. Alcoholic drinks are a very small part of the budget and certainly won't happen at breakfast. Again, thanks for all the advice and info. As of tomorrow, 8/23, we have only 176 days to go.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for the update of those 4 character meal prices. We're doing them with our grandkids, so that part of the trip is a given. Alcoholic drinks are a very small part of the budget and certainly won't happen at breakfast. Again, thanks for all the advice and info. As of tomorrow, 8/23, we have only 176 days to go.

It has been a while since I planned a trip with kids under 10, but IIRC if you did any character meals with them, the value was boosted. The cost of the plan was low in contrast with the cost of character meals and buffets. I also think that if you want to include the cost of snacks if you plan to buy some also made a difference in value.

 

[VegasVic14]

It has been a while since I planned a trip with kids under 10, but IIRC if you did any character meals with them, the value was boosted. The cost of the plan was low in contrast with the cost of character meals and buffets. I also think that if you want to include the cost of snacks if you plan to buy some also made a difference in value.

I used the OOP character meal costs and added the approximate OOP costs for the remaining portions of the DDP ( 1 QS and 2 snacks pp per day) to see which total was higher. [Disclaimer: the mugs are irrelevant to us as we wouldn't use them and our plans will have 1 TS (x 2) credit leftover to be replaced by 1 more QS OOP].

One online calculator shows the DDP to be $333 higher and another calculator shows DDP $210 higher. Any other snacks above and beyond DDP is still OOP, so those, too, are irrelevant when doing a comparison. Having taken the grands to character meals in 2018, I know of their boosted value. We can take the savings and "boost" this trip even more in some other way.

 

[sharonabe]

One online calculator shows the DDP to be $333 higher and another calculator shows DDP $210 higher. Any other snacks above and beyond DDP is still OOP, so those, too, are irrelevant when doing a comparison. Having taken the grands to character meals in 2018, I know of their boosted value. We can take the savings and "boost" this trip even more in some other way.

Do you have two Disney kid aged grandkids? I don't see how either of those calculators could be correct.

The adult cost for all your breakfasts should be $40.47, so that's $323.76 total for the two adults.
Child cost for the breakfast is right at $25, so that's $200
Six adult QS meals at $15 avg (assuming you're drinking soda or tea or something with your meals) is $180
Six kids QS meals (they could get adult meals with the DDP which might stretch these credits even further, but we'll stay with kids meals) at $7.50 is $90
Two $5 snacks for all of you 5 days is $200.
Total OOP is about $995

DDP cost for 2 adults and 2 kids for 5 nights is $1035, so only a $40 savings if you pay OOP.

So, if you think you won't want all those snacks and you prefer drinking water instead of soda, you'll definitely save money OOP.
BUT, if you do want an alcoholic drink or two with your QS meals, if the kids want an adult QS instead of the kid choices, if you want a couple of the more expensive snacks you can get with DDP, then I say you go with the DDP.

 

[Christine]

Do you have two Disney kid aged grandkids? I don't see how either of those calculators could be correct.

The adult cost for all your breakfasts should be $40.47, so that's $323.76 total for the two adults.
Child cost for the breakfast is right at $25, so that's $200
Six adult QS meals at $15 avg (assuming you're drinking soda or tea or something with your meals) is $180
Six kids QS meals (they could get adult meals with the DDP which might stretch these credits even further, but we'll stay with kids meals) at $7.50 is $90
Two $5 snacks for all of you 5 days is $200.
Total OOP is about $995

DDP cost for 2 adults and 2 kids for 5 nights is $1035, so only a $40 savings if you pay OOP.

So, if you think you won't want all those snacks and you prefer drinking water instead of soda, you'll definitely save money OOP.
BUT, if you do want an alcoholic drink or two with your QS meals, if the kids want an adult QS instead of the kid choices, if you want a couple of the more expensive snacks you can get with DDP, then I say you go with the DDP.

Yeah, this calculation is very close and worth thinking about. I'm a "maximizer" and I didn't buy a snack until it was over $6.00. If you get 3-4 mixed drinks and a few $6 and up snacks you've broke even or exceeded.

And I know that no one values the refillable mugs. I certainly started out not valuing them because I am not a soda drinker, but then I took my mug to the food court every morning and some afternoons and I made myself hot tea and coffee there (sure beat out the in room method) and I definitely got some value there.

 

[sethschroeder]

Meal Prices: https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-dining-plan-restaurants.htm or http://allears.net/dining/menu/

Put your meals in an excel with all your meals for each day. Then look up the approximate cost based on what you would eat at each location. This will give yourself a rough estimate. You can even put the most expensive items down if you want to get worst case.

The math never lies and then it comes down to how you want to vacation. Will you save a bunch? Will it cost more for the DP? Or is it close enough that the ease of having the DP means even if it costs more you just want to opt for it?

 

[_19disnA]

There are numerous threads about dining plan vs out of pocket. IF you plan to do character meals (some are dinners vs. breakfast) and consume alcohol and tend to eat the way the plan shows, then the regular dining plan can be worthwhile. Others use long/complicated spreadsheets to reach the same conclusion with a lot more effort. Honestly, who knows what specific entree you will want to each that far in advance?

 

[Nancyg56]

Yeah, this calculation is very close and worth thinking about. I'm a "maximizer" and I didn't buy a snack until it was over $6.00. If you get 3-4 mixed drinks and a few $6 and up snacks you've broke even or exceeded.

And I know that no one values the refillable mugs. I certainly started out not valuing them because I am not a soda drinker, but then I took my mug to the food court every morning and some afternoons and I made myself hot tea and coffee there (sure beat out the in room method) and I definitely got some value there.

I agree that with the calculation that close, I would get the plan. A few snacks that were not planned and its paid in full.

As to the mugs, I have no idea why no one includes them as a value. I never drink soda, but that mug pays for itself in coffee for the week, and once it travels home with me, it is a welcome reminder of that stay.

With kids the savings can really add up quickly. Vacations is a time when giving a little treat at a soda machine is usually allowed, so each child having their own mug is pretty nice.

If someone is not using theri mug, I use it for water. It is a handy dandy container to take to the pool, or have with me in the room. FIltered water from tehmachines tastes okay to me.

 

[sharonabe]

As to the mugs, I have no idea why no one includes them as a value

I think it's just hard to give them a value when calculating for/against DDPs. It's one of those things we wouldn't buy OOP just like we wouldn't get four desserts at the table. For us, it was a cool souvenir that we saw as a bonus to the DDP. Our rooms were never close enough to the food courts to run over and use them much while there and we rarely eat at the resort.

 

[Christine]

I think it's just hard to give them a value when calculating for/against DDPs. It's one of those things we wouldn't buy OOP just like we wouldn't get four desserts at the table. For us, it was a cool souvenir that we saw as a bonus to the DDP. Our rooms were never close enough to the food courts to run over and use them much while there and we rarely eat at the resort.

Yes, it's a YMMV thing. I have just seen it mentioned that, when trying to determine if the plan works for you, just don't even factor in the mug. For you, that seems to hold true. For me, I thought the same way because I just didn't know what was in the food court (Twining's variety tea bags, milk, sugar--dream come true for me!!). I had planned on brewing my tea in my room with bottled water, a hot pot, teabags from home, etc. What a pain. Being able to run to the food court (we were in Contemporary so not a big deal) was a nice, unexpected treat for me. My DH and son also found they weren't thrilled with the in-room coffee maker/selection, so the mugs ended up being a good use for us and I probably got a $5-$6 per day value out of them per person. I mention this because if you're close in the numbers, the mugs *might* get you there.

I seem to be the oddball on the mugs though--we don't keep them when the trip is over. In the trash they go.

 

[VegasVic14]

Do you have two Disney kid aged grandkids? I don't see how either of those calculators could be correct.

The adult cost for all your breakfasts should be $40.47, so that's $323.76 total for the two adults.
Child cost for the breakfast is right at $25, so that's $200
Six adult QS meals at $15 avg (assuming you're drinking soda or tea or something with your meals) is $180
Six kids QS meals (they could get adult meals with the DDP which might stretch these credits even further, but we'll stay with kids meals) at $7.50 is $90
Two $5 snacks for all of you 5 days is $200.
Total OOP is about $995

DDP cost for 2 adults and 2 kids for 5 nights is $1035, so only a $40 savings if you pay OOP.

So, if you think you won't want all those snacks and you prefer drinking water instead of soda, you'll definitely save money OOP.
BUT, if you do want an alcoholic drink or two with your QS meals, if the kids want an adult QS instead of the kid choices, if you want a couple of the more expensive snacks you can get with DDP, then I say you go with the DDP.

Grandkids are included in their parent's DDP. I only mentioned traveling with them as the reason why the price of those meals was needed to calculate OUR decision to add DDP or go OOP. Sorry for the confusion.