Between staying at BLT as a DVC member for the first time and having people come and go and thinking about dining and park tickets and everything else - my head is spinning. I need help guys!
Okay - we are still 'new' to visiting Disney, this next trip will only be our 3rd as a family. There are so many restaurants we haven't experienced and would love to. However, with the kitchen in our villa, so many people say it is really silly to not take advantage and use it! Save money! I agree BUT I really hate to cook here at home, the last thing I want to have to do on vacation is go grocery shopping ad then cook meals 
So, we're thinking yes, we'll bring snacks (we're driving down so we'll need them anyway) and we will definitely take advantage of the kitchen for breakfast - that sounds perfect! However, lunch and dinner? I really don't think I want to have to come back to the room on a regular basis to get some grub - so I've started to map out where we'd like to eat every day - we know we want at least one TS every day.
This is where the DDP comes into play. Last year it didn't work out very well for us because my son, who was only 2 at the time, wasn't able to be on the DDP but yet he ate a lot so sharing meals was not an option. Buffets worked out well for us but TS was a nightmare because we were still paying for him, plus any extras (drinks) and of course gratuity. I am trying to decide if it's better to just save $ and then use it for meals and pay as we go or if the dining plan would be with it this time. I know that it's going up in price for next year - something like $41.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids per day? That includes 1 TS, 1 QS and 1 snack. The places I think we'd like to eat average more than that per day. I mean, just figure an adult gets a sandwich/fries/drink for lunch somewhere - that's about $10 then a TS could be well over $30 per person (if it's not a buffet) so there's already at least $40 a day for that adult.
Then, it gets worse; me, CJ, the 3 kids and my grandma will be driving down together. Grandma is only staying for 3 days so she was just going to be coming as our guest. The day she leaves, my MIL and my BFF are coming. I was going to have Fawn (my MIL) on the reservation but not Cherie (my BFF) - she was going to be a guest as well. I thought if we did do the DPP we'd get it for Fawn and since she'd only need it for 5 days, grandma could use it for the 3 days she'd be there as I was told if we get the DDP for someone and they don't use all the credits, those credits can be used by the rest of us. However, grandma gets there before Fawn so would we even have Fawn's card for grandma to use? Or do I need to have grandma register and have Fawn as the guest?
Cherie was just going to be a guest as she said it was no problem for her to just get her own park tickets and pay for her meals each day. So perfect, if we choose the DDp that's 8 days for me, CJ and the kids - 8 days for Fawn used by grandma for 3 days and Fawn for 5. Cherie no DDP as she'd just be a guest. Perfect, right?
It gets even more complicated because if the person needs the Magical Express
then they need to be registered, cannot be a 'guest' and Fawn and Cherie need the ME 
AND, if we want the DDP all those that are registered must be on it.
I have no clue how to manage this one - help!
Updates while we're there and trip reports >> Disney Vacation Trip Reports
) But we are thinking that we will not get DDP because it is cheaper and much more relaxing to have breakfast in the studio than a noisy food court. If we take an afternoon break, we will have lunch in the room, otherwise probably a snack in the parks will do. We will still have dinners at TS, but probably would not use all the QS credits. We have a summer trip planned also, so will get APs and TIW, which provides a 20% discount off at most TS and QS places. 
This whole interchange is cracking me up! You guys are the best. UL, I agree, I think no DDP (even though I'm NOT a DVC member and really have no idea whatsoever); when things get this messy, I think you just take the straight and narrow. Who knows, you might end up making more meals in your room than you expect... and then it'd be wasted. Good to take a first DVC trip and see what your "personality" as a DVC member is. 
