With about $40 separating the DDP and the DXDP, most people didn't do detailed breakdown comparisons, since the DXDP is "much more food" and "much more expensive."
But now that there is the in-between DDP+, the differences in value are really exposed.
What I mean -- For someone who uses the DDP basically as intended, it's a break-even to small savings outcome. (A maximizer could save a bit more). Someone who uses the DxDP basically as intended, can do must better than break even.
I've seen some conflicting information about whether the other plans have increased in pricing, but the pricing is now approximately:
QsDP - $56
DDP - $79
DDP+ - $96
DxDP - $120
All plans have the refillable mug -- Let's call that a $3 per day value. All plans have 2 snacks, let's call that $10 per day value.
So we can subtract $13 from each plan, to get the value of included "meals."
QSDP is charging 2 QS meals at $21.50 per meal.
DDP is taking those meals and upgrading 1 of them to TS. So let's call it $21 for QS, and $45 for TS. Paying an extra $23 to upgrade 1 of your QS meals to a TS meal.
DDP+ -- Charges another $17 to upgrade your second meal, to also be TS. So now, they are charging you $41.50 per TS meal. So if you really use all your credits for TS restaurants, you have the potential to save more than the DDP. BUT -- Figured into their math, if you have 2 TS credits, you are more likely to use some of them for CS anyway, or for a signature restaurant, or for breakfast, or for some smaller TS meals (as opposed to if you were just eating 1 TS meal per day). Any of those uses would result in reduced value. In other words, Disney assumes (probably rightfully) that you won't be getting the same value out of your credits as just doing 1 TS per day.
But for just $26 more -- You are adding a whole other meal (either TS or CS), plus you are adding appetizers to your already existing TS meals.
You're now paying only $36 per meal -- Plus getting an appetizer during the meals.
Let's say you do 2 1-credit TS restaurants plus 1 QS. Under the DDP and DDP+, it is assuming a $40 to $45 value on those meals, but you are now adding an appetizer. So those 2 meals are now more like $45 to $55 meal.s And assume QS is still $21. So that's value of $124 to $144 -- Significant savings.
Let's say you did 1 signature plus 1 regular TS -- Assuming that $45 to $55 value for the 1 credit, the signature with an appetizer is easily $70-$80+... So a daily value of $128-148+
And obviously if you do 3 TS meals per day, you'll really maximize: Breakfast range from $20 (ala carte restaurants) to $42 (buffets), lunch and dinner ranging from $35 to $70, but usually in that $45 to $55 range)... for a total of $103 to $195. (the low end would be skipping all alcohol and eating all your meals at the Plaza).
Now, the DxDP is still not for everyone. I did it once.... I probably wouldn't do it again unless it was a short adult only trip. But then again, none of the current dining plans are really for me.
I'm just saying if you are actually going to use the credits, the DxDP can present a much better value than the other plans.
And *IF* I was considering the DDP+.... I'd probably then also be considering the DxDP.
If you want 2 table meals per day... Might be nice to do 1 regular table meal per day, and 1 signature per day.
On the other hand, if I really only wanted to do 1 TS per day most days... but I am doing a bit more TS, so I'm a few credits short -- I'd probably stick to the regular DDP and pay for cheaper meals OOP. Not worth it to upgrade from the DDP to the DDP+ just because you're a couple of credits short.
For some people, the DDP+ may indeed be perfect. If you are doing a character breakfast plus large 1-credit dinner, every day, then the DDP+ may be perfect. But for most other people, I actually think they are better served with either the DDP or the DxDP.
But now that there is the in-between DDP+, the differences in value are really exposed.
What I mean -- For someone who uses the DDP basically as intended, it's a break-even to small savings outcome. (A maximizer could save a bit more). Someone who uses the DxDP basically as intended, can do must better than break even.
I've seen some conflicting information about whether the other plans have increased in pricing, but the pricing is now approximately:
QsDP - $56
DDP - $79
DDP+ - $96
DxDP - $120
All plans have the refillable mug -- Let's call that a $3 per day value. All plans have 2 snacks, let's call that $10 per day value.
So we can subtract $13 from each plan, to get the value of included "meals."
QSDP is charging 2 QS meals at $21.50 per meal.
DDP is taking those meals and upgrading 1 of them to TS. So let's call it $21 for QS, and $45 for TS. Paying an extra $23 to upgrade 1 of your QS meals to a TS meal.
DDP+ -- Charges another $17 to upgrade your second meal, to also be TS. So now, they are charging you $41.50 per TS meal. So if you really use all your credits for TS restaurants, you have the potential to save more than the DDP. BUT -- Figured into their math, if you have 2 TS credits, you are more likely to use some of them for CS anyway, or for a signature restaurant, or for breakfast, or for some smaller TS meals (as opposed to if you were just eating 1 TS meal per day). Any of those uses would result in reduced value. In other words, Disney assumes (probably rightfully) that you won't be getting the same value out of your credits as just doing 1 TS per day.
But for just $26 more -- You are adding a whole other meal (either TS or CS), plus you are adding appetizers to your already existing TS meals.
You're now paying only $36 per meal -- Plus getting an appetizer during the meals.
Let's say you do 2 1-credit TS restaurants plus 1 QS. Under the DDP and DDP+, it is assuming a $40 to $45 value on those meals, but you are now adding an appetizer. So those 2 meals are now more like $45 to $55 meal.s And assume QS is still $21. So that's value of $124 to $144 -- Significant savings.
Let's say you did 1 signature plus 1 regular TS -- Assuming that $45 to $55 value for the 1 credit, the signature with an appetizer is easily $70-$80+... So a daily value of $128-148+
And obviously if you do 3 TS meals per day, you'll really maximize: Breakfast range from $20 (ala carte restaurants) to $42 (buffets), lunch and dinner ranging from $35 to $70, but usually in that $45 to $55 range)... for a total of $103 to $195. (the low end would be skipping all alcohol and eating all your meals at the Plaza).
Now, the DxDP is still not for everyone. I did it once.... I probably wouldn't do it again unless it was a short adult only trip. But then again, none of the current dining plans are really for me.
I'm just saying if you are actually going to use the credits, the DxDP can present a much better value than the other plans.
And *IF* I was considering the DDP+.... I'd probably then also be considering the DxDP.
If you want 2 table meals per day... Might be nice to do 1 regular table meal per day, and 1 signature per day.
On the other hand, if I really only wanted to do 1 TS per day most days... but I am doing a bit more TS, so I'm a few credits short -- I'd probably stick to the regular DDP and pay for cheaper meals OOP. Not worth it to upgrade from the DDP to the DDP+ just because you're a couple of credits short.
For some people, the DDP+ may indeed be perfect. If you are doing a character breakfast plus large 1-credit dinner, every day, then the DDP+ may be perfect. But for most other people, I actually think they are better served with either the DDP or the DxDP.