Disney Dining Plan calculator - Amazing Tool!!!

[SPHB ILU]

The video was made using a Mac, you can briefly see the bottom of a Mac toolbar here and there when they scroll. So it must work with a Mac! But maybe you need Microsoft Office for Mac? It looks like a complex spreadsheet...perhaps it doesn't translate to open office.

[Cyrano]

Moving thread to a dining board

[Braden's Momma]

It won't let me sign in to download it?????? I keep clicking on the sign in option and nothing is happening...can someone post it here please (if not against the rules)?

[DisneyStarWisher]

Originally Posted by SPHB ILU

Did you look at the breakdowns on the other tab by meal and then look at WDW menus and see if there was a glaring discrepancy? I'm not sure how it works but that could show if something is off!

I know you didn't quote my post, but I have looked at that tab. What I found was $50-100/meal under my predicted cost for the signature meals and $10-30/meal over my predicted cost for CS lunches. I'm wondering if it has something to do with appetizers/desserts. I know you can't order appetizers at CS locations but you can desserts; however, we will not order desserts, so I guess it calculated desserts which would explain why it's over. But I can't figure out the signatures. OOP does not include tips, and TIW does. Even then, it looks like we will spend quite a bit more than it suggests.

[angelmichelle]

Originally Posted by DisneyStarWisher

I know you didn't quote my post, but I have looked at that tab. What I found was $50-100/meal under my predicted cost for the signature meals and $10-30/meal over my predicted cost for CS lunches. I'm wondering if it has something to do with appetizers/desserts. I know you can't order appetizers at CS locations but you can desserts; however, we will not order desserts, so I guess it calculated desserts which would explain why it's over. But I can't figure out the signatures. OOP does not include tips, and TIW does. Even then, it looks like we will spend quite a bit more than it suggests.

You can specify how much % per trip you order deserts (and beverages other than water and snacks, etc)... upper right.

[HuskerFaninIL]

According to this it would save us over $250 to do the DDP. I'm thinking it's because we have so many buffet/family styles listed. Our kids still want character meals and they are always so overpriced.

[DisneyStarWisher]

Originally Posted by angelmichelle

You can specify how much % per trip you order deserts (and beverages other than water and snacks, etc)... upper right.

Yep, already did that. I put in 100% for both since we always order an app and dessert at a signature meal. We don't get dessert at CS for lunch though, so that's why I was saying it was probably adding dessert (but not an app) to my CS meals. Probably what I need to do is put in 100% for apps, since it won't add that to the CS meals, and then 50% for desserts. I just hope it adds the desserts to the signature meals instead of the CS meals. That will make a huge difference!

[gtpoohbear]

There doesn't seem to be an option to put in Resort Room Service as a meal. I was interested in seeing what it said for us, but we'll likely be using that several mornings for breakfast so I don't see any way to use it.

[AngiTN]

Originally Posted by DisGirl819

I have Excel...I think its the latest version for macs but not positive. I'm not really sure why it wouldn't work in excel on a mac as long as you have excel. Its an .xls file which should work in excel on any computer.

Originally Posted by SPHB ILU

The video was made using a Mac, you can briefly see the bottom of a Mac toolbar here and there when they scroll. So it must work with a Mac! But maybe you need Microsoft Office for Mac? It looks like a complex spreadsheet...perhaps it doesn't translate to open office.

I would say that is the issue. I only have Open Office on my MAC where I have Excel on my PC. I did find it odd that the only column that won't work on Open Office is the Dinner column. Every other one has the proper drop down menu. You can't even type in an answer in the Dinner column. Anything you type returns an invalid entry

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by gtpoohbear

There doesn't seem to be an option to put in Resort Room Service as a meal. I was interested in seeing what it said for us, but we'll likely be using that several mornings for breakfast so I don't see any way to use it.

Room service is 2 credits, so just put in CRT or another 2 credit meal.

[gtpoohbear]

Originally Posted by Robbi

Room service is 2 credits, so just put in CRT or another 2 credit meal.

I think CRT would be more $$ OOP than most Room Service meals though, which would throw off the comparison. But, I'm pretty sure we don't come out ahead on the DP, but also pretty sure I'd never convince DH to give it up. So maybe it's better that I just not know

[Srbright]

Cool....

9 days/8 nights, $2,800 for DxDDP vs $3,200 OOP for $400 savings. That includes not ordering a single dessert. If we order dessert 50% of the time then it goes up to about a $500 savings.

It matches almost exactly to what we calculated using Cafeen's spreadsheet.

Stacy

[Robbi]

Originally Posted by gtpoohbear

I think CRT would be more $$ OOP than most Room Service meals though, which would throw off the comparison. But, I'm pretty sure we don't come out ahead on the DP, but also pretty sure I'd never convince DH to give it up. So maybe it's better that I just not know

You're probably right.
allears.net has a dining section where you can check the resort and theme park menus.
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

[skeettafic]

Neat. For us, it came out to be about a $10 savings to pay oop on the "average" setting. I think it seems to be pretty accurate for us with the comparisons I had made so far. I think we could save money oop but this will be our first trip so we want to do CRT. If we weren't, we could probably save money oop over the DDP.

[nonstopdisneymom]

Does anyone know if this takes into account purchasing the refillable mug? Our savings OOP would be $150 Vs getting the dining plan. BUT if you add in having to purchase the cups at $16 a piece x5 that would bring our savings down to $70. We use our Refillable Mug a lot so I know we would be purchasing them.