How does DDP work in these instances....

[tbssenterprises]

Hello. Question 1: Say I'm at a 1 Table Credit restaurant and I order the "chicken" entree. If I want to "enchance" it with someing, that say costs an additional $10 do I get charged the extra $10?

Question 2: Say I don't want to order dessert, then I guess the $12 dessert price doesn't get added to my total bill, thus decreasing the amount of tip I'll have to leave, correct? Note, the reason I'm asking is that I will have 7 people on the DDP and we don't really do deserts, so if I can save an extra $100 dollars or so,, (that would add to what my tip requirement would be), does that work and make sense?

Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

If you want to add something that is not included in the DDP meal then yes they will add it to the bill and you will pay for it.

If no one wants desserts then yes I would assume the gratuity would be less as it would not be put on the overall tab that is then "cancelled out" from being on the dining plan. BUT you're also wasting the dining plan by doing that.

IMO if you're not using the dining plan to its potential you're wasting money. I'm not sure if you're paying for it but even if it was "free" its still wasting your money and you may want to see if a room rate discount would better serve you.

If you're paying for it then I'd consider ditching it and just paying as you go.

 

[scrappinginontario]

If you don’t plan to use the dining plan to its fullest, I’d highly recommend pricing out meals without the DDP. Even with ‘free dining’ we don’t find it worth the cost if we have a room discount.

 

[tbssenterprises]

Thanks. I have a room discount. I'm paying for four rooms that will contain 7 adults. I'm thinking about doing the DDP. I do visit WDW a few times a year (solo), so I know many ins and outs, just trying to figure out if the DDP is worth it this time...I'm thinking that if the adults do a high priced quick service for lunch with a drink, and we will do about 3 dinner buffets (we will have a 2 year old thus we need characters) and if the other nights are pure steak entrees with a drink, then I think the cost will be worth it. Not many of us are desert people. I personally like to save my calories for wine, lol.

 

[lanejudy]

I'm thinking that if the adults do a high priced quick service for lunch with a drink, and we will do about 3 dinner buffets (we will have a 2 year old thus we need characters) and if the other nights are pure steak entrees with a drink, then I think the cost will be worth it.

That seems like a lot of assumptions to make about what 6 other people will want to eat.

Honestly, in your situation, you either accept that you are buying the DDP for the convenience (not the value) or you skip the DDP and give each room a gift card to use for meals.

 

[sponica]

A) You'd be surprised how many people do desserts when it's "included in the price". My husband NEVER does desserts but has one almost every night when we cruise.

B) Parties of 6 or more have an autogratuity added, so I think the tipping situation is moot here.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

A) You'd be surprised how many people do desserts when it's "included in the price". My husband NEVER does desserts but has one almost every night when we cruise.

B) Parties of 6 or more have an autogratuity added, so I think the tipping situation is moot here.

A. Totally agree! I never have dessert but on the DDP I would always get dessert even if I didn't need it or didn't finish it.
I have not gotten a DDP since 2018 though because the way I eat really does not make it worth getting. And now I'm back to not eating a dessert unless one really sounds good or I'll just have something desserty as a mid day snack when I'm actually hungry for it.

B. I do think that them not getting dessert will drive the gratuity down because they base the amount of gratuity on what the bill would have been if paying out of pocket. However I'd say its just wasting money rather than saving money if no one gets dessert since you basically are paying for it.
BUT with the buffets and any fixed price menu then the gratiuity would not change with declining dessert.

 

[tbssenterprises]

Thank you all. Honestly, if the DDP didn't have the alcohol (even just the one drink), I don't think I would do it. I'm trying to avoid having to tip about $100 each night. If I can even reduce that down to $70 on the non-buffet nights, I'd be happy.

Someone made a suggestion about giving gift cards, and I might just weigh that optinon instead of DDP

 

[Mle8308]

Thanks. I have a room discount. I'm paying for four rooms that will contain 7 adults. I'm thinking about doing the DDP. I do visit WDW a few times a year (solo), so I know many ins and outs, just trying to figure out if the DDP is worth it this time...I'm thinking that if the adults do a high priced quick service for lunch with a drink, and we will do about 3 dinner buffets (we will have a 2 year old thus we need characters) and if the other nights are pure steak entrees with a drink, then I think the cost will be worth it. Not many of us are desert people. I personally like to save my calories for wine, lol.

The drinks will bump up your tip more than a dessert! A typical drink at a TS location at Disney will be about $17 on average. And you will pay the 18% gratuity on it due to your party size. Not sure if a DP is the most cost effective way to go, as others have stated. If you wouldn't normally order an alcoholic drink or a dessert at each meal, the DP is going to cost you more than paying as you go.