Will you still go for Free Dining if you have to book a Moderate???

[llori7]

I was reading on here about rumors you may need to stay in a Moderate hotel this year for free dining. I punched the numbers, and we really wouldn't be saving that much money (we stayed in pop last year). So if that is true, we will not be going. I will probably just continue to save and go next year, and hope they change the ddp. If you usually stay in a Value resort will you stay in a Moderate to get the free dining or will you just forget the trip, for now anyhow????

 

[llori7]

anyone?

 

[CanadianGuy]

This is probably a better fit over on the Resorts board.

I'll move this thread there. You'll get more and varied responses there.

Thanks,

Knox

 

[guelde96]

We went last year for free dining. I will never go to free dining again. We thought the weather was horrid. I would rather pay more money for a milder time of year.

 

[pooh2001]

Yes - we are actually thinking of staying in CSR or POFQ just to get the meal plan.
We like the Dolphin (we get discounts) - but we can not do the meal plan (it's owned by Starwood, not Disney).

Because we are all counted as adults and like a sit down meal for dinner - we can save $1,000 by doing the meal plan and a moderate. (ie not doing the Dolphin and paying out of pocket)

 

[Freyja]

Nope

 

[KatMark]

We will stay at nothing but a moderate (we won't stay at a Value for any reason and unless someone is forking the bill for the Polynesian, it is the moderates for us). So yes, we will stay at the Moderate to get the Free Dining Plan which we have with the bounceback for September 08.

 

[mrp4352]

No, but that's mostly because I'm an airline Employee and can get great rates during slower times of year. The biggest 'bang for your buck' with free dining comes from staying at a value resort, since you're having to pay rack rate. I can generally get a moderate during the off-season for a little less than rack rate for a value - and with the gratuity not being included anymore, I'd just as soon pay less and use my DDE card.

I can tell you that I've been during free dining the previous two years and really the only time we noticed the increased crowds was at mealtime. The weather last year was horribly hot and rainy - but the year before was beautiful, so I think that was just a quirk rather than the norm.

 

[DISNEYNY]

Probably not. Having to pay tip and the increased price of the room...not worth it for me. I am going with just my DD this year. We are hardly in the room, so value is works for us. I hope that rumor is not true.

 

[belle41379]

Does anyone know if you do indeed have to be at a mod to get free dining this year?

 

[llori7]

Does anyone know if you do indeed have to be at a mod to get free dining this year?

No one really knows. When they offered it for the UK, it had to be a moderate or higher. I hope our deal is not the same.

 

[Lilolvr]

Mods are the best value IMO. I like CSR the best of the bunch. Great food options and a better value when on the DDP. The transportation is great and the main pool/slide is one of the best.

 

[vellamint]

Well I know we wont....

I have been crunching numbers so hard that my head hurts today. Staying at Pop with free dining vs staying offsite and purchasing same disney meals only saves my family of six about $250....possibly a teeny bit more because I did not add in the snack credits but then again we would be buying the mugs to offset that.

I can barely justify staying onsite in two rooms for a week with six people at a value resort......

A moderate would the Disney total waaayyyyy way above the offsite total.

I Am Sad.....

 

[connie1042]

We have the DDP and are staying at ASmu suites. I had heard they were not going to qualify either, but they did. We are on the free dinning from last Sept. I don't know if that makes a difference.