Got the DDP....don't want dessert every meal.

TheLittles

Mouseketeer
Joined
May 5, 2014
Not sure if this has been asked a lot but can any of you report on what, if anything, you have been able to get in place of a dessert? I like dessert but I definitely won't be getting them at every meal MUCH LESS one for every person at the table! Wish the DDP had apps instead of dessert lol. (Also, I know if we dont want dessert we aren't really saving money but we dont get the DDP for that, we get it because we like to have an almost "All Inclusive " feel to our trips.)
 
Substitutions are made at the restaurant's discretion. In my experience, we did not have success with dessert substitution. So you have to "leave that money on the table", waste the food, ask for a take-away box and eat the dessert elsewhere, or Pixie Dust another family with it. ;) We did all of these things during our trip.
The food wasteage is just regretfully, one of those Dining Plan side-effects. :(
 
Not sure if this has been asked a lot but can any of you report on what, if anything, you have been able to get in place of a dessert? I like dessert but I definitely won't be getting them at every meal MUCH LESS one for every person at the table! Wish the DDP had apps instead of dessert lol. (Also, I know if we dont want dessert we aren't really saving money but we dont get the DDP for that, we get it because we like to have an almost "All Inclusive " feel to our trips.)

You'll have to ask at every restaurant what, if anything, they will sub for your dessert. In the past, most would do a side salad, cup of soup, or an additional vegetable, but PP's experience above may indicate they are no longer doing anything at all.
 
At sanna last year we were able to get Two Appetizer (bread service and lamb kabobs I believe?) in place of our desserts. We had three people there on the dining plan. So instead of three desserts we had two appetizers. (Bread service counted as two.)
 


Take a collapsable container with you. Stick the desserts in and have them when you get back later. No worries about to go boxes.
 
some places have cheese plates as desserts, you could ask for it first!
I have to watch my sugars, and at a couple of places this past December, I got a very small greens salad (plain, just lettuce) with dressing on the side.
 
Does it still make economic sense if you don't eat the desserts? Saving money in DDP is iffy at best anyway.
 


At sanna last year we were able to get Two Appetizer (bread service and lamb kabobs I believe?) in place of our desserts. We had three people there on the dining plan. So instead of three desserts we had two appetizers. (Bread service counted as two.)

Wow! You either had a new server or someone who just wanted to pixie dust you. The times this has been reported being done can literally be counted on one hand.
 
Wow! You either had a new server or someone who just wanted to pixie dust you. The times this has been reported being done can literally be counted on one hand.
It seems there was more flexibility last year, when the DDP brochure did have language about substitutions. For example, for QS, guests had been allowed to sub the drink for something that was a snack credit. I'm fairly certain that's not the case anymore, based on reports from 2018 and the fact that the language that was in the DDP brochure in 2017 is gone.

However, my understanding is that most restaurants *will* sub the dessert for fresh fruit. They won't sub an app.

P.S., I pretty much never got dessert during my last trip. But, we were on the DxDP and we did mostly Signatures (5 signature meals in 4 nights). I still came out ahead, but it's much easier to come out ahead when eating at Signatures on the DXDP.
 
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Wait? You don't get appetizer with the Deluxe Dining Plan? Oh, we definitely did better without the plan then.

We like salad or soup with our meals.

ETA - Found the listing. DDP=regular plan= no apps. DxDDP =Deluxe dining plan = apps.
 
Not sure if this has been asked a lot but can any of you report on what, if anything, you have been able to get in place of a dessert? I like dessert but I definitely won't be getting them at every meal MUCH LESS one for every person at the table! Wish the DDP had apps instead of dessert lol. (Also, I know if we dont want dessert we aren't really saving money but we dont get the DDP for that, we get it because we like to have an almost "All Inclusive " feel to our trips.)

Well, you don't get dessert every meal. You only get it with the TS meal on the DDP. Actually you only get it with TS meals on the DxDP too, but you can choose TS or QS for your 3 meals/day. Also, no dessert for breakfast on any plan, TS or QS. Problem solved. :teeth:
 
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This is one of the reasons we opted not to do the DDP on our next trip. Our group is much more likely to want one appetizer to share before our meal than three desserts after.

I’m a little nervous about losing the “all-inclusive feel” mentioned above - but last time, I felt like I was gaining weight to avoid wasting money!

I’m going to try to save receipts and add them up at the end, to see how it really works out for us.
 
This is one of the reasons we opted not to do the DDP on our next trip. Our group is much more likely to want one appetizer to share before our meal than three desserts after.

I’m a little nervous about losing the “all-inclusive feel” mentioned above - but last time, I felt like I was gaining weight to avoid wasting money!

I’m going to try to save receipts and add them up at the end, to see how it really works out for us.

I know! I love to eat! We opted for the regular plan this time, and because we are all dessert lovers it shoudl work for us. I was pricing the DxDDP due to the appetizers I believe my DH and others will order, but DD assured me that will be minimal. Okay. We decided anyone who wants appetizers can order them, however they pay OOP themselves. Usually DH picks up the cost. Now I just need to be sure DH knows this because he is the problem! LOL!

My DD saves receipts. She calculates every trip. I used to but do do so any longer.

This trip we have 7, so trying to corral everyone to hand over receipts will be a challenge! LOL!
 
it's much easier to come out ahead when eating at Signatures on the DXDP.

You can come out ahead, but eating at signatures devalues the DxDP (and the DDP, for that matter) quite a bit. For every two credit meal you choose instead of two "one credit" meals, each diner loses out on an alcoholic/specialty drink, an appetizer, and a dessert.

Signatures are generally a bad use of two credits, but they ARE a bit better on the DxDDP than the DDP.
 
However, my understanding is that most restaurants *will* sub the dessert for fresh fruit. They won't sub an app.

That would be fabulous--thanks for sharing! We'd be perfectly happy subbing fresh fruit for some of our desserts.
 
We just returned last week from doing the dining plan. We were able to sub a bowl of fresh fruit for the desserts at every TS restaurant. The only one we had dessert at was Ohana dinner. Of course, we realized not all restaurants might accommodate this request, but we were happy nobody even hesitated when we asked.
 

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