If you weren't on free dining.... [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

jonimce

07-03-2006, 08:32 PM

We had already booked out trip for 7 nights starting on Aug 13 with dinning. When I came across the free dining, I called my TA right away to have it changed. With the money we saved we are now staying 10 nights for less money than the 7 would have cost us. This will be our 3rd trip on the dining. You used to get a lot more, and you payed a lot more.
:cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

Amyrlin

07-03-2006, 09:05 PM

We would use DDE

WAHMto5

07-03-2006, 10:36 PM

We paid for it this past Christmas and we are going on the free one this September! I would pay for it no problem! I really don't think we would go without it ever again;)

BethR

07-03-2006, 10:46 PM

If they were not offering "Free Dining," we would be staying off site in a place with a lot more space and amenities. But we would definately have a couple of table service meals at WDW planned. :)

missmun52

07-03-2006, 10:52 PM

I would pay but only if I could still get my AAA discount (I heard if you book through AAA you still get the room discount and they allow you to get dining :confused3 )

Anyway...before free dining I planned about 5 TS meals for my 6 night stay. WE just planned what we were getting and decided where to eat with cost in mind so that meant more buffets ect. Now with the dining we can try a few more resturants and the more expensive meals.

I would rather pass up paying for dining and getting my AAA discount but when dining is free who can resist?

indigoxtreme

07-03-2006, 10:52 PM

We had the free dining last sept and then in Feb we bought the plan. We have never been able to enjoy this side of Disney before as it was just too expensive to eat nice meals on top of the Disney cost. We always had to eat sandwiches for lunch, cereal etc in the room for breakfast and then eat off site for dinner. 1 or two times we would get a CS meal and split. So for the same money I would be spending in groceries, my time and driving off site to eat, we can have wonderful meals. It is the best thing DIsney has come up with and yes they are making money on it because people are not buying groceries or going off site as much to eat, they are staying on site and enjoying the parks and even buying extra souveniers because the meals are paid for up front. We even split a few cs meals so that we can have a small breakfast and lunch and then a nice TS meal for dinner. I will never go back without the plan again :sunny:

kapica3

07-03-2006, 10:56 PM

Actually if we werent on the plan.... we would have planned TWO table service meals per day; breakfast and dinner. We don't have the nerves for counter service and usually don't want to break up our day with waiting for lunch so we usually eat an early breakfast and an early dinner and hardly snack at all in between. So this time it will be a bit different for us. :woohoo:

Aimeedyan

07-03-2006, 11:19 PM

If it wasn't free, no we wouldn't buy it because we get a significant room discount that is not applicable with the dining plan and free admission. We also get an additional discount at dining venues if we aren't on the dining plan. So it's def not worth giving all that up!

We wouldn't eat just a couple of TS - we always eat one a day and that doesn't change regardless of the dining plan or not.

shondad

07-03-2006, 11:45 PM

We went last year (our first trip to Disney) during the free dining, and are going this year during the free dining as well. That was simply delightful. We had really limited funds around the time of our trip (life just gets in the way sometimes), and could not purchase as many 'extras' as we would have liked, i.e good souvenirs, photopass pictures, that I loved and so on. However, we never, never went hungry, even with the limited snacks that were offered at that time. We did buy photos taken during our brkfst meals at Donald's and Chef Mickey's, mixed drinks and popcorn in a souvenir bucket at AK though and my son's counter service meals at the time as he was only two and not on the plan. It made our premiere trip all the more memorable, having great meals and at no extra cost to us. Plus any leftovers were eaten for a late night or midday snack.

DH and I had decided on a trip for next June to Disney (but may be re-thinking that) and have decided hands down to purchase the plan for our family of four for ten days, instead of the five from this year and last. I feel it is the way to go, for us anyway. I love the idea of having a set fee to pay and then the ability to order just about anything I wanted from the menu without regard for price, or location, as in which restaurant and such.

robinb

07-03-2006, 11:56 PM

I said "Yes, all the TS is too delicious to resist" even though we had planned to stay off-site on our August Budget Trip turned Grand Gathering with 12 people. I was very happy to hear that DVC now offers the DDP! We'll be paying for it in December because it is such a great deal!

PIRATEGIRL007

07-03-2006, 11:59 PM

We have went several times without DDP and have always had TS. We don't eat out a whole lot at home so this is one of our splurge times, granted we don't eat at V&A, but we always fit in a trip to Mama Melrose's, one charector breakfast, San Angel Inn, and LTT or Sci-Fi.

sorul82?

07-04-2006, 12:12 AM

DDP for us! We tried without it in March and failed miserably!

tabrizia

07-04-2006, 04:04 AM

We were paying for the Dining Plan before free dining came out, when it did we moved our reservations to get it, but yes we had planned on paying for it. We figured on our 8 day trip without the dining plan we would have done a sit down restaraunt 4 times, that plus the 12 CS and snacks we would have gotten was more expensive then the dining plan with 8 TS and CS we would have gotten with our first reservation so it was definately a good plan for us.

Of course with free dining we are actually paying $100 more for our trip then we would have been with paying for the dining plan, oops :blush: (that's the problem with adding two nights and having to go up a catagory at the hotel).

munchkin bunchkin

07-04-2006, 04:57 AM

We went in January of this year and had the DDP(not free) and ate at CP, CM's,CRT ,and 1900 PF wouldn't go without it ...free or not! :sunny:

Lisa loves Pooh

07-04-2006, 05:12 AM

I would if we were vacationing.

However we usually cannot take advantage of it b/c when we do Disney--we already have tickets and usually don't do packages.

We haven't "vacationed" at Disney in a long while though. Mostly just hops over.

Disneynutbsv

07-04-2006, 12:23 PM

I actually had it booked prior that we wanted the dining plan, and then free dining came out and woohoo!

zipuzee

07-04-2006, 02:27 PM

We are going before the free dining. We originally booked without the dining, but some friends had just gotten back and said the ddp was the best deal around. So I changed our ressies to include the plan.

kldmom2000

07-04-2006, 03:09 PM

I voted no but I would book a few TS restaurants. The only reason we're doing the DDP for our upcoming trip in Sept. is because it's free. We had to give up the AAA room discount at the Yacht Club in order to do the plan. If we had to pay out of pocket for the DDP, we'd have to pay an additional $60 per day for the room + the $98 for the plan. Personally, our family does not eat $158 worth of food a day to justify it. I kept a log of how much we spent on food each day when we went in 12/04 and it averaged $88 per day-somedays were just over $100 (character meal days) and other days were only around $60.... (2 adults/2 children). Why would I spend an extra $70 for too much food that we won't eat? :rotfl: :rotfl: Just my thoughts.....

tinkerbeth

07-04-2006, 05:22 PM

We usually have always done one TS per day and not gotten the DDP, so i would for sure get it in future. With it being FREE, I'm over the moon! Can't wait to EAT my way around WDW. :)

Beth :wave:

dsneygirl

07-04-2006, 05:24 PM

We have and are planning on it for our next trip. But we usually do 1 TS every day and really enjoy the dining experience part of the trip.

legalslave

07-04-2006, 07:59 PM

cmwade77

07-04-2006, 08:29 PM

This Septmber will be our first experience with the DDP, so I am not sure and sicne we got it for free, it works out really well, we would have paid for it this time around as it is our Honeymoon and having a TS restraunbt each day sounds really nice, if it weren't for that I don't know yet.

PureTcrazy

07-04-2006, 08:36 PM

We love that it is free when we are going. Even when we don't look at the discount on the room, it is hard to justify having to buy everyone a 1 day tix everytime we go. We all have AP's already. I wish :wizard: they would just connect the DDP to the room reservation (even at rack rate) and not make you buy the tickets. We would definitely be eating like kings everytime we went! :cheer2:

Mousema

07-04-2006, 08:56 PM

We would! It's relaxing to do a TS every day. I've been there enough that I now like to take my time and enjoy.

Brooknwdw

07-04-2006, 10:36 PM

We paid for the DP last June, & are getting free dining this Sept/Oct.

We were totally happy with the dining plan...and used it exactly as it was intended, the value is great, we were 2 A 2 C.
We ate at one TS per day, and they were a great experience.

If we pay OOP, we may not always eat a TS every day.

daisyduck123

07-04-2006, 10:47 PM

We did pay for it for 8 days last month. Worth every penny!!

CA Disney Fans

07-04-2006, 10:50 PM

We have every trip since 2002 and definitely find it well worth it. It seems to much easier to splurge on some good TS meals.

tribus121

07-04-2006, 11:01 PM

I was planing a trip for feb 07 when i found out about free dining and booked for September we were only going to have one table service meal during our 10 day visit ( Chef Mickey's ) we would stay offsite and eat most of our meals offsite ( A lot of Mc Donalds ) as we are on a very tight budget .

drogerstn

07-05-2006, 11:08 AM

We spend much less than $152 per day on food (family of 4 "adults"). We change our touring plans as the week goes along; during our last visit, the restaurants were booked when I tried to change some of the TS meals we had scheduled. We don't want to spend much of our evening time in the restaurants and only eat an occasional TS meal for lunch and maybe one character breakfast during a 8 to 10 day visit.

Counter service, eating offsite, and eating occasional meals in our room is much more flexible and takes up less time and money. The "Disney Dining Experience" has little value for us. The money we save on food will help us pay for another vacation. :thumbsup2

CamColt

07-05-2006, 11:17 AM

Lewisc

07-05-2006, 11:37 AM

I always book all my TS restaurants plan or no plan.

I have yet to use the Plan, but I will in August and it will be free. While I cant say for sure since I haven't used it yet, I do feel like it would not be worth it for us to pay for it. We never order appetizers, entrees and desserts with our meals so I dont think it would really work for what we want. But like I said...I may feel differently once I get a taste of it. ;)

I think the plan pays for itself if you skip appetizers or desserts. Someone, I think Bicker, did an analysis and for many of the restaurants and entrées the plan will pay for itself even if you skip appetizers and desserts.

Look at it this way, the plan costs $37/day. Figure the snack is worth at least $2 and the CS meal is worth $10. However you calculate it the snack and CS meal together is worth at least $12. That gives you $25 for your TS meal. Back out tax and tip and you're down to around $20. A drink and entrée at almost any TS restaurant will cost at least that.

Guests who drink free water, don't order appetizers and desserts, only order the less expensive entrees and tip lightly won't do well on the plan. Guests who only want to eat TS (or CS) meals won't do well. Most guests will at least break even with the meal plan.

BCV23

07-05-2006, 11:51 AM

Exactly, Lewis. And with many of the snack option in the $3-4 range now, it is even better value.

I voted yes because it is the answer that comes closest. We will be there during free dining but aren't eligible for it. I haven't yet decided if we will add it to the DVC portion of our stay but the reason is that we really enjoy 2 or 3 TS restaurants/ per day. After so many years of not doing CS, it is a whole different way to dine. But BCMarketplace does have some good breakfast CS options so we may do it again. Then we can just take breakfast back to our room. :thumbsup2

But we did it in May and it is certainly good value.

wdwobsessed

07-05-2006, 01:13 PM

We are big TS people. I would say if the DDP changes the way we eat it is because of the CS credits. We are not big CS people.

I would say we have less TS ADR's than normal. We would do like an early lunch/brunch ... and late dinner ... TS. Now we do one TS and one CS a day.

WDWO

Mickeefan

07-05-2006, 05:44 PM

I would definately pay for it. Although, I'm not going to have to for my September trip. :woohoo:

We're taking a family trip in January and are planning to purchase the dining plan. We plan to have one TS meal each day and with the counter service lunches, we'll get our money's worth.

jengelbrecht

07-05-2006, 06:03 PM

:wave2: Hi! We were fortunate to get the free dining last September and loved it so much we purchased it for our December trip. Now we are going again in September and are THRILLED it was offered again!

We've been going to WDW since it opened and I can honestly say about 90% of our meals were counter service (which have improved dramatically over the years, by the way :thumbsup2 ). The dining plan, free or paid, has opened up a whole new way of eating for us. We get to try new table service restaurants that we would never dream of trying before the advent of the dining plan...it makes our vacations much more enjoyable.

However, table service meals can take a huge chunk of time out of your day. I'm not so sure I would recommend the Disney dining plan to newbies, unless they will be there a week or more. It takes away a LOT of time seeing the attractions. To those of us that have seen every show and ridden every ride, the plan works for us.

Happy that our September dining plan is free? YES! Would I ever pay for the dining plan again? ABSOLUTELY, we're hooked!

jenjersnap

07-06-2006, 12:43 PM

We're doing free dining ... our situation wasn't mentioned in the poll, however, since we dislike CS (and, yes, the poor kid's choices) and normally have 2 TS meals per day. We'll see if the DP is something we're willing to pay for, depending on our experience this September.

I am betting that we will do the Premium plan next time we do a package.

Tnkrbelle565

07-06-2006, 01:58 PM

We had the MYW with Dining booked for the past two years and then lucked out with free dining both times. So yes, I would pay for the plan. I just can't stand the thought of eating burgers and chicken fingers two meals a day.

magsmom

07-06-2006, 05:44 PM

I am paying for the plan on a portion of our trip - the portion we will be staying at BWV. We made this decision way back in the planning stages of our August trip back in January. The free dining on either side of our trip is an added bonus! :thumbsup2

We have heard wonderful things regarding the dining plan from friends that have paid for it. Since I swear by DDE's great value, this trip is going to be a very interesting (and yummy) comparison.

We are bringing along the DDE card as well for libations :drinking1

mking624

07-06-2006, 05:51 PM

If it wasn't free, we wouldn't get it. We typically plan only 1 or 2 TS each trip, and we're fine with CS the rest of it. We're excited about the free dining because it's giving us an opportunity to try out some TS we've been wanting to try (especially since this will be our last trip for some time), but we wouldn't actually spend over $500 for a week of food when we don't even spend that much in groceries a month.

cdntourguide

07-06-2006, 08:02 PM

When going previously to WDW on a AP discount rate, I budgeted $50.00 per day for food and snacks. Paying $38.00 per day is a saving of $12.00per day , plus there is a better selection of dining options. Best deal ever offered IMO

Dizzy for Dsny

07-06-2006, 08:19 PM

We wouldn't buy it. We eat at least 1 TS everyday when on vacation, but we generally share because it is too much food! For what we would pay, we still could eat cheaper on our own. Of course, we don't have appetizers, dessert, etc..., but we don't order anyway unless we are in the mood and have room in our tummies! :goodvibes

rumrunnergirl

07-06-2006, 09:10 PM

YES YES YES! LOL

Our last two trips we paid for the DDP, the next trip has free dining. The DDP is more expensive than brown-bagging it, but lots lots more enjoyable. :goodvibes

If we didn't do the DDP, we wouldn't get ANY TS - we would eat in the hotel, pack snacks, etc. - so it's nice for us and gives us a chance to eat super food, the kids get to go someplace besides McD's and work on their table manners, etc.

If we get full we just take our leftovers and dessert back to the room and snack on it later or have it for breakfast.

TravelGrl

07-08-2006, 09:58 AM

I am getting the free dining for my upcoming trip, but paid OOP in my February trip and can't imagine going without it.

We got our money's worth on the table service alone. That plus not having to budget ourselves once we got there, and not having to carry much cash with us, all make the plan worth while for us.

We ended up using most of our snacks on drinks at the parks. These were things we would need to get anyway. All our left over snacks helped feed us for the flight back home.

I say money well spent!

DisneyWorldWisher

07-08-2006, 11:39 AM

Wow! I didn't think the DDP was this popular!
I guess I am alone in only going to one or two TS. :)

Santa

08-22-2006, 09:42 PM

We use DDE with an AP. I come out ahead every time.
I feel DDP would be too much food.

disneypharm

08-22-2006, 10:00 PM

We did pay for the dining plan last year and thought it was great. We planned to pay for it again, but are going during FREE DINING! We can't wait...let the gluttony begin. :banana:

The same for us. We paid for DDP last year and thought it was great too. We will be there in 4 weeks with free dining. Can't wait. :banana:

Lisa_Belle

08-23-2006, 03:19 PM

Actually, I had already purchased the dining plan before the free offer was announced. Disney credited the amount back to my account, and I added two extra TS meals since I had "saved" so much money.

PortieOwner

08-24-2006, 09:43 AM

In the past with no plan at all I'd expect to at least do a big breakfast every day, and then a table service dinner most days.

I am not totally sure I'd do as many dinners in the future--the prices at WDW restaurants have gone sky-high. It used to be about the same as a meal cost at a DC-area restaurant but not anymore.

Portie

MScott1851

08-24-2006, 06:18 PM

Yes, and we're paying for it this year. We ended up booking a discounted room and paying for the DDP.

The way I look at it, it isn't saving us money, really....it's just convenient and prepaid. The first three times we went to WDW, we ate bagels for breakfast, a CS lunch, and supper off-site, with minimal snacks. We ended up spending almost exactly what the DDP is costing us.

I do have to say I like the ability to eat table service in the parks, though. It was really nice last year NOT to have to leave to eat dinner. But it's not a "savings" because we would NEVER spend that much on dinner each night. We never order an appetizer apiece, or a dessert apiece. Plus Disney's prices are grossly inflated. So I don't look at it as "I got to eat at LeCellier...$130 for FREE!" because that food wouldn't cost $130 anywhere else but Disney.

Convenience and prepayability (I just made that word up.. :) ) are the two selling points for me.

amy4bruce

08-25-2006, 04:04 PM

The same for us. We paid for DDP last year and thought it was great too. We will be there in 4 weeks with free dining. Can't wait. :banana:

Ditto. We bought it last December, and wouldn't consider going without it. Free is a bonus. (And yes, we probably could have gotten discounts otherwise, but it doesn't add up for us.)

DW has often stated that she likes the TS meal as a good break from the park. She also feels that the best thing about the DDP is that it is already paid for, so you don't have to worry anymore about overspending.

Me? I don't acknowledge the concept "too much food." :rotfl2:

lisabelll

08-25-2006, 04:20 PM

I didn't see my situation posted either. We wouldn't be going if it weren't for the DDP!!! When that came out I totatlly convinced DH of our need to go on vacation, so we booked 3 days. Then I rationalized 6 days, since food was free and we were staying at a value. Then we decided that we HAD to eat at the castle, but it would be better to pay OOP. So, I put on my rationalization cap and called to find out the cost of the meal (lunch at the castle for 2A 2C plus tip) and decided that it would be worth the less then $20 a day to go for 2 extra days (to be able to get the 2 dining credits for CRT).

Now DH is on board and talking like this is a "once in a lifetime trip." I think we will be so spoiled by DDP that this is just the first :banana: :banana: :banana:

Anyway, I put that if the DDP weren't free we wouldn't get it (next trip, I do see it in our future free or not ;) ) and that we would pay for one or 2 TS.

DVC Grammy

08-25-2006, 04:54 PM

Since October will be a split-stay trip, we're going to try it for the first 3 days, and then go back to non-DDP for the next week. We don't usually eat the amounts available, so we'll do only one 2-credit TS and one 1-credit TS. :cool1: We're more worried about feeling "Thanksgiving-ed". :rotfl: The CS's and the snacks won't be a problem.
If we like it, we'll arrange split-stays for each trip and repeat it; getting it for an entire trip would be too much food and too much money for us; this way, it'll be a treat for every trip (plus we'll get a chance to "sleep around" at the various DVC resorts :rotfl2: )

Dopey Sharon

08-25-2006, 05:27 PM

We are trying it, for the first time, this upcoming trip in November.

It's just the two of us and we usually eat at a sit-down place for dinners. We don't usually order appetizers and dessert, though. I have a feeling it's going to be too much food and I can see me taking my dessert to go. Fortunately, we are DVCers, and have a refrigerator to put the leftovers in for breakfast the next morning!

lyzziesmom

08-25-2006, 05:34 PM

I've paid for the DDP twice and loved it. When I didn't use it, we did not go to TS, just ate at CS.

4shinystars

08-25-2006, 11:23 PM

We just got back from free DDP, and I have to say we probably wouldn't do it if we had to pay. You get in this mentality of "I have to order everything or it's a waste", and you look at the pricier choices, even if they aren't what you'd usually order, just for the sake of getting the full value of the plan. That's not to say that's what we did all the time, but to have 2 adults, a 10 and 15 year old, and have 1 TS meal come to over $200, well that's not something that would ever happen in real life for us. I hated to waste food, and so much is wasted. You look around and see half eaten appetizers and desserts, and kids 10-12 with barely half of their adult entree eaten. We brought many desserts back to the room, and still tossed out 3 upon checking out.
If we weren't on the plan, we would do mostly CS, maybe 2-3 TS, not order appetizers and few desserts, DD10 and I would share meals, and we'd drink tap water with Crystal Light packets added. We wouldn't spend $160 a day on food (cost of DDP approx. $40pp/day).
If it was just DH and I, then maybe we'd do the plan, but not with kids who eat little.

Dolce27

08-26-2006, 09:41 AM

Yes, I would - and actually did do. I booked my trip (with dining plan) just before the codes came out for the free dining promotion. I was able to call and switch over to the free dining plan. My impression (since this will be the first time I will have used the dining plan ) is that it is a great deal if you enjoy eating at TS restaurants.

princess sparkle p

08-26-2006, 10:12 AM

Since it is just DH and I we would not save with the DDP. We don’t eat that much. Generally we make 1-2 TS ADR’s. Although I would love to do the DDP and try all of the different restaurants.

ElizabethB

08-28-2006, 12:09 PM

We just returned from free dining. It was fun, but I'm not sure I see the value in the DDP at $40 per person. So, we'll go in October but not do the dining plan. We eat mostly at 2TS restaurants these days.

cmwade77

10-05-2006, 06:25 PM

Having just done the dining plan at Disneyworld, I would say it is absolutely worth the money, we would have spent around $800 on food alone without it. Of course we probably wouldn't have gone for a nice of food, thus cutting that bill tremendously, but I think it is definitely worht it.

calypso*a*go-go

10-08-2006, 12:38 PM

We just returned as well. After enjoying the DDP for a week, we have decided not to get it again. We ate so much food that it got to a point that we just didn't enjoy it anymore. Everything started to taste the same. I told DH that I was very happy to try some new restaurants but many of them weren't unique enough for me to return to (whether on the DDP or paying OOP).

lynninpa

10-09-2006, 09:47 PM

In 2005, as a party of 3, we booked with all intention of paying for the DP-yet ended up getting it for free. :thumbsup2 In 2006, as a party of 9, we booked with all intention of paying for the DP-yet, again, ended up getting it for free. :thumbsup2 We just booked for 2007. Again booking the DP!

mdfdisney

10-10-2006, 09:30 AM

We booked the DDP for September 2006 back in January (before the free offer came out). After trying free dining, we booked the DDP again for our upcoming trip in January 2007. We really enjoyed eating at restaurants that we otherwise would not have eaten at (LeCellier, WCC, CRT, etc). My family of 5 could easily save a couple hundred dollars in a week by not using the DDP, but we would have the leave the park every evening for a meal offsite or eat only counter service meals most evenings to do so.

We may not do the DDP every trip, but IMHO it is worth paying for if you have never had a chance to experience some of the finer restaurants at DW and always wanted to do so.