Cancel DVC ressie to get Free Dining?

[DisneyDenis]

Thank You, Someone that actually "gets it"

I don't book the Free Dining package as we use our DVC all the time; but I do know many people that don't get room discounts and this sometimes for a family of 4 staying in a value or moderate is a decent deal.

For my Dec 2010 trip to Coronado Springs for 7 nights with standard park tix. My party included 4 adults and 1 child. I included the DDP. I had a special pin activated 40 % room discount which I used for 2 rooms.

When Disney annouced the "free DDP" for moderates and deluxes (free QS dining for values), I rebooked the trip and saved a nice amount of money (forget how much now). My advantage is that Disney way overcharges for the DDP.

Denis

 

[Sandisw]

Thank You, Someone that actually "gets it"

I don't book the Free Dining package as we use our DVC all the time; but I do know many people that don't get room discounts and this sometimes for a family of 4 staying in a value or moderate is a decent deal.

Prior to DVC, we really got anything more than the AAA discount....never got any of those pin codes and one year, we went on free dining, staying at the CR. Given the discount with AAA at the time--the only one that was available--vs. free dining for our family of 5--all Disney adults, you bet it was a great deal.

Did we overeat? Sure, but it was nice going into it with everything budgeted and paid for and to be honest, it was one of the first trips our kids didn't ask constantly for food or snacks..they were never hungry!!!

But, the point is that it is a valid promotion and semantics aside, its up to someone to compare all available discounts and decide what makes sense for them.

 

[Sammie]

Prior to DVC, we really got anything more than the AAA discount....never got any of those pin codes and one year, we went on free dining, staying at the CR. Given the discount with AAA at the time--the only one that was available--vs. free dining for our family of 5--all Disney adults, you bet it was a great deal.

Did we overeat? Sure, but it was nice going into it with everything budgeted and paid for and to be honest, it was one of the first trips our kids didn't ask constantly for food or snacks..they were never hungry!!!

But, the point is that it is a valid promotion and semantics aside, its up to someone to compare all available discounts and decide what makes sense for them.

Exactly Same with us we never got Pin Codes, sometimes we would get a AP discounted room. As you said, one has to compare and make the best choice for that family.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We have a value studio at AKV on the free dining promotion for this September. It was well worth the price. We would not have stayed in anything else besides Port Orleans, and those rooms were not available. The other deluxe room rates were too expensive. So this free dining promo made sense to us. We even upgraded our tickets before the price increase, and I will have 6 mos. no interest to pay for it all after making my final payment tomorrow. Really one just has to add up all the numbers.

 

[LSchrow]

How is it not free.

I agree totally it might not be the best bargain, or even the best total cost.

But many people do pay rack rate and with free dining they get it for no additional cost.

i agree with sammie

free DDP is based on rack rate.
AP, PIN, FL resident, etc discounted rooms are also based on rack rate.

soooooo, if free dining is not considered free because it's based on rack, then percentage-off rooms should not be considered discounted because they are also based on rack .

both have the same base rate, and are simply different discount categories. DRC discounts usually cannot combined (excluding a select few, such as CM rate with discounted dining, European offers, etc).

i would echo what others suggested, and price out your vacation with the different discount offers available (personally, we know our "price per point" - what we pay for each point including purchase price & dues - and find using DVC points, rather than DRC, or DVC 25%, discounts, the most economical solution for us).

have fun planning!

 

[hakepb]

We have a trip planned to SSR using points for our family and sister's family in November. We already purchased DDP and made reservations. Of course, this week they announced free dining and my sister wants to cancel our DVC ressie and make a regular one to get the free dining.

Since we were using my points, she bought the our park tickets and our DDP.

I haven't crunched the numbers to see if I could sell the points to get cash to pay for a ressie in order to get free dining, but if the numbers make sense... can I keep our ADRs?

Also, I wonder if all this free dining is messing with people who rent points because many people want the free dining and can't get it with the points.

Thanks,

Just running quick numbers:
The 2013 rack rate (per mousesavers) at SSR for a week in the nov 11-23 dates:
Studio 350/night 2450/week
1BR 477/night 3339/week

With a David's $14/point rental
Studio: $1456/week only $124/day savings vs rack rate+tax
1br : $2884/week $185/day savings

With a private $12/point rental
Studio $1242/ week. $214 night savings vs rack rate+tax
1BR $2472/week $182/night savings



Considering the dining plan is nearly $55/day/Disney adult (ages 10+). Rentals may not be ideal for families with children over 10.

 

[LisaS]

How is it not free.

I agree totally it might not be the best bargain, or even the best total cost.

But many people do pay rack rate and with free dining they get it for no additional cost.

I think a lot of us state that "free dining is not really free" to dismiss the notion that it's a "thank you" gift from Disney that one should be able to apply to that DVC reservation or that discounted room they booked a few months back. Strictly speaking it is free but unless you're from a part of the world where you can get free dining and a room discount, it means giving up room discounts (AP codes, general public codes, PIN codes, etc) and not everyone realizes that. And yes I'm guilty of forgetting that some people do actually pay rack rate.

I think most of those who make that statement that it's not really free do go on to explain that it's a numbers game. For those booking a Value resort for a family of four, free dining might be a good deal. For a couple booking DVC or a deluxe resort who like appetizers and rarely order dessert, it's probably not a good deal when compared with a DVC room on points or a discounted room rate. One has to work the numbers and figure out whether it works for their group.

 

[chalee94]

soooooo, if free dining is not considered free because it's based on rack, then percentage-off rooms should not be considered discounted because they are also based on rack .

both have the same base rate, and are simply different discount categories. DRC discounts usually cannot combined (excluding a select few, such as CM rate with discounted dining, European offers, etc).

This is painful to read.

"Free" is a rather important word here.

If you want to call "free" dining a discounted rate, that would actually be accurate.

But to make your comparison logical, Disney would have to offer "free lodging at the poly...if you pay us 60 percent of rack rate for your check in package." Most people would get that such lodging was not really "free."

(The more important point is that virtually no one pays rack rate during those periods of time when free dining is offered. So in order to get "free" dining, you have to pay extra - more than others - to get the supposedly free dining.)

 

[ellab]

We did it in Dec. 2011, and I know I still paid for it by not getting a discounted room, but we had enough adults in our party that it worked out OK. It was good for me to know how it works as well. We have another trip this Dec on points, so I will have to see if it will be DDP or TIW for us. My older daughter is now also considered an adult, so that makes it 3 adults, one child for this trip. I'll be crunching the numbers.
Does anyone know where to find the current prices for the DDP?

 

[chalee94]

I'll be crunching the numbers.
Does anyone know where to find the current prices for the DDP?

2013 Dining Plan Prices and Brochure

 

[hakepb]

This is painful to read.

"Free" is a rather important word here.

If you want to call "free" dining a discounted rate, that would actually be accurate.

But to make your comparison logical, Disney would have to offer "free lodging at the poly...if you pay us 60 percent of rack rate for your check in package." Most people would get that such lodging was not really "free."

(The more important point is that virtually no one pays rack rate during those periods of time when free dining is offered. So in order to get "free" dining, you have to pay extra - more than others - to get the supposedly free dining.)

So, everyone would be happier if Disney marketed a "discounted Room Dining and Ticket" package time.

 

[chalee94]

So, everyone would be happier if Disney marketed a "discounted Room Dining and Ticket" package time.

I am confident that would end all the "so I have a discounted room booked for aug. if free dining is announced for those dates, then I get the DDP for free, right?" and more importantly, all the "if I rented pts for aug and free dining is announced, can I get it?" threads...

But I get why marketers love to offer "free" stuff... (and it's not because it makes people think more clearly. )

 

[sweetdana]

It's not exactly a savings for most. Negligible at best, more of a convenience.

It is not negligible except if you would stay at a Del . (compared to say 40% off rates or rack rate).
For many staying at a Del is not a requirement to go to Disney. I LOVE STAYING AT THE BC, but if I couldn't... staying at the FQ or even the POP I would be thrilled.


IMO (and many people others I am sure) are absolutely okay at mod and even Val.

IMO FQ is nearly as nice as SSR, (and nicer than AK. ). They have a way nicer QS, and the POR QS walking dist has the best pasta bar ever. Both have great boats to DTD, and the ambiance/atmosphere of FQ is wonderful. ***(it is okay if you would pay 40% of 800$ a night at SSR.. but I would not compared to 25% off FQ.)


***It is an opinion and everyone is entitled to there own. You may choose not to stay there.. but it doesn't change the price per night including the DP.

I would not pay much more for SSR over FQ, so for me if it made sense and I was not point heavy I would and have booked FD.

I do not see how paying about 100$ a night for the room only (even requiring the DP and tix purchase), is not a savings (225 cost of FQ minus cost of DP if you would do it anyway.) Even adding in a 2 day ticket you might not use for years I doubt your paying more than 125$ a night.. with a family of 4.. so to me that is not negligible.
(even comparing to 160-170$ a night with 25% off ) THIS IS FANTASTIC!

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

I'd rather keep my quality DVC room then book in a hotel room to get free dining.

The space, the convenience of a kitchen and the washer/dryer, and just being "home" makes it worth it to me. But then again, we typically eat only one meal and one snack out of the room...having breakfast in the room and then one big meal for the day.

Good luck.

 

[Sandisw]

This is painful to read.

"Free" is a rather important word here.

If you want to call "free" dining a discounted rate, that would actually be accurate.

But to make your comparison logical, Disney would have to offer "free lodging at the poly...if you pay us 60 percent of rack rate for your check in package." Most people would get that such lodging was not really "free."

(The more important point is that virtually no one pays rack rate during those periods of time when free dining is offered. So in order to get "free" dining, you have to pay extra - more than others - to get the supposedly free dining.)

I have to respectfully disagree that people are not booking at rack rate during those times. If you had over to the resort boards, there were plenty of people who had no discount prior to the Free Dining promotion was announced for their trip, hoping for it as a promotion.

These people had not gotten any discount codes, and Disney had not yet released any discounts either.

Free Dining simply implies that you are paying a certain price for your room and you are getting the dining plan for free--you are not paying extra for it.

Same thing with a room discount. Its simply a discount off the room. It has nothing to do with the total cost of a trip

As I already mentioned, whether the total cost of one's trip using the Free Dining promotion is a better deal than getting a RO discount and paying for the dining plan depends on one's situation.

And, there are certainly ways to reduce the costs of the trips below what someone's "free dining" package might cost, but that's a completely different topic.

When you choose the "free dining" program, you are indeed not paying for the dining plan, and IMO, if you are not paying for something, it falls under the category of "free".

Now, I certainly agree that if someone has a room discount and changes it to the free dining program, because they have to give up that discount, the free dining promotions savings will not be equivalent to the cost of the dining plan, but again, that doesn't negate the fact that the dining plan is free. It simply changes the overall total cost of one's package. That is why is it so important for someone to always run the numbers for all discounts to see which one works the best for them, because, IMO, that is really what matters--total cost of the package and the needs of one's family.

 

[Sammie]

Honestly I am sure none of us care about this in the big scheme but I have to agree with Sandisw, and don't understand why this concept is so hard for some to understand.

If you don't pay additional for something, then, yes it is free.

Rooms book all the time at rack rate. So when you book a package that includes a room at that price, tickets at their full price and you are given the dining plan, what is free, is the that cost of the dining plan, which is about $50 per day for anyone over 10 years of age.

You are not paying any extra for that dining.

Because hard as it may be for some of you to believe, people book packages all the time to Disney and pay rack rate, full rate for tickets and pay for the dining plan too.

Just because one has not experienced something or even heard about it, does not mean it does not exist.

 

[Minniesgal]

So, everyone would be happier if Disney marketed a "discounted Room Dining and Ticket" package time.

Disney did just that in January with the stay play and done packages and a lot of people were disappointed by that.

 

[LSchrow]

This is painful to read.

"Free" is a rather important word here.
If you want to call "free" dining a discounted rate, that would actually be accurate.

actually, that would be incorrect - FD is not a "discounted rate", but is a discounted package. please post a link if you have found where FD was offered without the package requirements stated.
to put it more simply:
when a store offers "buy 1, get 2nd free", then the following week offers "buy 2, get 50% off each" (same price categories) - the discount is the same. FD is like that 2nd shirt: not totally free, but a discount with stated restrictions (which often include "cannot be combined with other discounts"). the consumer (or guest) may opt for the discount based what they are eligible for & what is offered at that time. (the same store might have a "25% off everything" the next week, which may suit some consumers more).

while i understand the multitude of "can i get free DDP when renting points?" posts can get annoying, you can simply opt not to read them (just like many on the transportation board ignore the no less than weekly: "can i use DME for just my luggage?" posts).

both sammie & sandi posted good summaries to consider

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'd rather keep my quality DVC room then book in a hotel room to get free dining.

The space, the convenience of a kitchen and the washer/dryer, and just being "home" makes it worth it to me. But then again, we typically eat only one meal and one snack out of the room...having breakfast in the room and then one big meal for the day.

Good luck.

Yes, that's us too, and when we had the dining plan, we didn't like it much. Too many restrictions...no appetizers etc. We also think the "free" dining offers crowd the good restaurants with families who wouldn't normally take a toddler to that type of establishment. It makes a nice date night out less than desirable during "free" dining periods. I was none too happy to find they have it during our 12/15-24 dates this year too. I was hoping we would be outside the FD window.

 

[chalee94]

while i understand the multitude of "can i get free DDP when renting points?" posts can get annoying, you can simply opt not to read them...

in the future, i will try to leave those threads to you to explain how the dining is really "free" but no, they can't actually have it for nothing. i concede the subtleties of disney's clever marketing people may be too much for me in this case...