FD vs Canadian Resident Discount

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I don't see where you account for any meals with the summer discount and Cdn ticket deal....did I miss something ?

When I was trying to price out a resort yesterday with a room discount, Canadian offer tickets were automatically added.
But when I was trying to book the same resort with Free Dining, they were not.

 

[fattymatty]

If you get free dinning you have to pay rack rate on room and tickets

 

[Pkltm]

There is a thread about being able to use Canadian Disney gift card in WDW.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/canadian-disney-gift-cards-now-work-at-the-park.3599477/

Our local Disney store manager told us yesterday that they don't, she claims personal experience. I will be reading the thread, but would love if their employees were on the same page

 

[hdrolfe]

Since I already bought the CAD tickets for my upcoming trip, the free dining doesn't seem to be worth it for me. I also got a great deal on YC for the week I'm there. The Free Dining deal doesn't have standard rooms left there but is about $1000 more (for the garden room, 7-day PH, and free dining plus the gratuities on the table service meals vs standard room, Canadian deal 7-day PH and the meals we have planned). One adult and one child. It is what I suspected any way, I have a good deal.

 

[LauraJean]

I guess it depends on your family size and how you like to eat in the parks. I was going to buy the dining plan anyways.
The 25% tickets and a ro offer didn't save me as much as FD did.
I upgraded my dining plan in the fd offer also. $6400 to $5400 and now I have hopper. I have the gift cards also which is great.
Family of 5 with 4 of us at adult prices.

Thought about not upgrading but 6 TS meals alone were $1100 and I still need to add a few more on.
If we went without the dining plan with a room and tickets 25% off I would have spent more then the dining plan was to buy so I was going to buy it anyways.

 

[LauraJean]

When I was trying to price out a resort yesterday with a room discount, Canadian offer tickets were automatically added.
But when I was trying to book the same resort with Free Dining, they were not.

no because you can't have a fd promotion paired with 25% off tickets. Room offer and 25% tickets you can though

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

no because you can't have a fd promotion paired with 25% off tickets. Room offer and 25% tickets you can though

That's right

 

[otten]

I'd like to know this too...if we can load up a Disney gift card in a Canadian Disney store and use it at Disney world... but something tell me no because of the exchange

You can buy e gift cards though. We just did this successfully last week. (Bought the e gift cards and used them in the parks)

 

[merrick]

I just calculated it out for us today... we are a family of 5 and have booked for dec 13-22. our youngest will be 10 when we go so all 5 of us are considered adults on the dining plan. based on that room discount will not give us the most bang for our buck, and FD seems to. actually I am not sure if room discounts are even offered in december... I will give a quick call and see if there is anything better on my file from a bounce back.

just like all things Disney, you gotta do your research and book what works for you and your budget.

 

[rance]

Another thing to factor in is your dining habits. Last trip we did DP and I did not like it at all. Way too much planning and for us too much food. Found we ate sometimes because we had paid for it.
I like the idea of loading GC.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

You can buy e gift cards though. We just did this successfully last week. (Bought the e gift cards and used them in the parks)

Where do you buy the e-cards? I mean I'm assuming online but at the Disney store?

 

[otten]

Where do you buy the e-cards? I mean I'm assuming online but at the Disney store?

https://www.disneystore.com/disney-gift-card-egift/mp/1417611/13544/#longDescription

 

[drag n' fly]

https://www.disneystore.com/disney-gift-card-egift/mp/1417611/13544/#longDescription

How do they work once I get there?

 

[otten]

How do they work once I get there?

The same as a gift card would.

 

[drag n' fly]

The same as a gift card would.

Can you scan off your phone or do they have to be printed

 

[suse66]

I'd like to know this too...if we can load up a Disney gift card in a Canadian Disney store and use it at Disney world... but something tell me no because of the exchange

Yes, you can use gift cards purchased at the Disney store in the parks. That is how I am paying for my food for my trip in August. This has just become possible in the last few months. I think it started in February. I know a few people who have been recently and used them successfully.

 

[drag n' fly]

Yes, you can use gift cards purchased at the Disney store in the parks. That is how I am paying for my food for my trip in August. This has just become possible in the last few months. I think it started in February. I know a few people who have been recently and used them successfully.

Awesome this is good to know!

 

[Nutbean]

I've done the math for our vacation and this is how it works out:

2 adults staying 14 nights (Sept 6-20) in a standard Caribbean Beach Resort room with 9 day park hopper tickets and free quick service dining upgraded to regular dining: $4844.76 US

2 adults staying 14 nights (Sept 6-20) in a standard Caribbean Beach Resort room with 25% off Canadian resident 9 day park hopper tickets and 20% off room discount: $3120.23 US

Difference: $1724.23 US

Now the question is...can two adults eat at Disney World for 14 nights for $1724.23 US or less? That works out to $61.59 US per person per day. For sure it can be done but not with a table service every day like we want and trying something from every booth at Food and Wine Festival like we want. Some of our ADRs include Boma and 'Ohana which are $59.99 + tx US each, and our Tusker House ROL dining package would cost us $52 + tx US each if paid out of pocket. Our breakfast counter service ADR at Be Our Guest is $24 + tx US.

Could we eat cheaper? Yes. Do we want to? Nope!

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

I feel like I must be doing something wrong. I get ~US$7200 whether I do a FD pkg at AoA or US$5400 to get the room deal and Canadian ticket deal. That leaves us US$1800 for nine days of food (really 8.5 days, 8 in the parks). $200/day for six people. My experience in December 2016 says that ain't much. I consider it a wash, at best, with me penny pinching if I were spending OOP instead of just relaxing, letting my kids order whatever they want and not having anxiety of over wasted food and wasted money when they don't eat enough.
Meanwhile. at Air Canada, I can get tickets, room, and dining plan PLUS air travel for CDN$10,500.
Do remember, it is best when discussing comparisons to list your group's make-up. FD tends to be dependent on group composition.
My family is three Disney adults and three kids. Nothing is beating Air Canada, and the number of tickets and number of meal plans is probably why our math is different than, say, a couple traveling alone.

 

[DocWes]

I've noticed this morning that the free dinning for Canadian residents isn't really worth it. If you are booking with a room discount and the savings for the tickets it is actually a little cheaper then the free dining option. It also seems that the selection of rooms is larger on the 25% off select rooms vs the Free dinning rooms that are available.

Pop Century - Free Dinning Package - 6 Nights - Preferred Room(can't get on Standard) - 3704

Pop Century - Summer Time Discount /w Canadian Resident - 6 Nights - 3425


If you cannot go during the summer and spring months then I think we will probably see some room discounts that will come along that will be somewhere around at least 20% off.

Now if can get the free dining with the Canadian resident discount then let me know

Would that not mean you save only $279. So it's only cheaper if you can eat for 6 nights for $279? I guess if you have 1 maybe 2 people you might be able to do it. With 2 people you would have only $23.25/day vs 2 meals and 2 snacks/day.