Free Dining anytime soon?!

[momto3gr8boys]

curious question to those who are waiting for free dining offers...

how many will still'purchase the plan if its not offered?

how many will pay out of pocket for the week

OOP is about $600 cheaper for us than paying for the DDP, so with no discounts we will be paying OOP for our meals.

 

[kcwiak]

curious question to those who are waiting for free dining offers...

how many will still'purchase the plan if its not offered?

how many will pay out of pocket for the week

We will still pay for the DDP. We are booked for room/DDP with all paid except for $1500 in case a deal (either room or FD come out) We find that it is worth it as we like to have 1 sit down lunch/dinner per day. The first time we went with FD, we saved every receipt that we used that FD covered and I think we ate $1500 worth of food. So even with paying for it, it is worth it for us.

 

[kcwiak]

We're currently booked September 21-28, and plan on going with or without free dining. I'll be THRILLED if we are able to go with FD, but if not, we'll still go, and we'll still use the DDP. September can't get here fast enough!!

I know. It seems so far away. We are there 9/21-10/1. Where are you staying?

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

I know. It seems so far away. We are there 9/21-10/1. Where are you staying?

Awesome! We're staying at POR. Where are you staying?

 

[kcwiak]

Awesome! We're staying at POR. Where are you staying?

We are currently staying at Pop but I want POR. We like Pop because of the dedicated buses but DH is worried about switching because of the shared buses. I try to explain to him that the amount of people who go in September probably won't be an issue. What are your thoughts? Anything I can used against him?

 

[babyflo1]

We are planning Oct 12-19,'13 and were counting on free dining. Now I am reading that the dates around the Monday holiday are blocked from free dining!! Can anyone confirm this? This is our third trip and have received a postcard many times to get a room discount but never knew that those postcards are random? Yikes

 

[momto3gr8boys]

We are currently staying at Pop but I want POR. We like Pop because of the dedicated buses but DH is worried about switching because of the shared buses. I try to explain to him that the amount of people who go in September probably won't be an issue. What are your thoughts? Anything I can used against him?

When I stayed at POFQ we did not share with POR except for one time. Not sure if its always like that or not.

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

We are currently staying at Pop but I want POR. We like Pop because of the dedicated buses but DH is worried about switching because of the shared buses. I try to explain to him that the amount of people who go in September probably won't be an issue. What are your thoughts? Anything I can used against him?

This will be our first stay at POR, so I have no idea about the buses. I wouldn't think they would be too horribly bad in September, though!

 

[smitch425]

We are planning Oct 12-19,'13 and were counting on free dining. Now I am reading that the dates around the Monday holiday are blocked from free dining!! Can anyone confirm this? This is our third trip and have received a postcard many times to get a room discount but never knew that those postcards are random? Yikes

The middle two weeks of October have been blacked out for years. Last year's free dining dates were Oct. 1-4 and 19-31. 2011's dates were similar. Anything can happen, though. No way to know what the future holds. Good luck!

 

[mm1971]

curious question to those who are waiting for free dining offers...

how many will still'purchase the plan if its not offered?

how many will pay out of pocket for the week

If free dining is not offered, I will pay out of pocket and go with a room discount PIN (25%) that I received via mail.

 

[mm1971]

This will be our first stay at POR, so I have no idea about the buses. I wouldn't think they would be too horribly bad in September, though!

When it is peak times, POR and POFQ have their own bus. I non peak, they have the same bus. It stops at FQ first and the POR. Have never heard anyone complaining about the bus being too full and having to wait so I'm sure Disney knows when to make the changes.

Have a good trip.

 

[amber_cntrygrl]

When it is peak times, POR and POFQ have their own bus. I non peak, they have the same bus. It stops at FQ first and the POR. Have never heard anyone complaining about the bus being too full and having to wait so I'm sure Disney knows when to make the changes.

Have a good trip.

Thank you!!

 

[gregger]

If free dining is not offered, I will pay out of pocket and go with a room discount PIN (25%) that I received via mail.

Not sure if mentioned before but did you see the price increase of the DDP? We are booked at the POFQ with a pin code for end of Aug and I added a sit down dining and it increased the cost by $2000!!! This is a $500 +/- increase and QS is now $1500 for a family of 4......

 

[babyflo1]

Well this is a bummer, I wish the cm would have mentioned that when I booked the room, I even said I was hoping for free dining then. I hope I don't have trouble switching my reservation from Kidani Village to somewhere less expensive now. We would always purchase the DDP, I know it saves money and when it is paid for in advance the bill is much easier to stomach! pun intended

 

[serene56]

Well, I sat down and did my math on our places of choice.
With the dining plan I would pay 770 for two adults. Dining plan includes tax but not tipping. When I figure out OOP I have to figure in the tax.
We decided we will not get a dessert with each meal and still allow for 1 snack each day.

the dining plan is giving us 7 sit downs, 7 counters and 7 snacks.

our choices include Cinderellas castle which costs 2 sit down credits. Bringing our meals to 13 meals and 7 snacks.

so OOP gives me 15 meals- one of which is Castle dining and 6 snacks for the same price of 770.

 

[mm1971]

Not sure if mentioned before but did you see the price increase of the DDP? We are booked at the POFQ with a pin code for end of Aug and I added a sit down dining and it increased the cost by $2000!!! This is a $500 +/- increase and QS is now $1500 for a family of 4......

Yup, I saw it. It's really crazy. I guess as long as the restaurants keep booking up at 180 days they'll keep jacking the price until they reach the breaking point.

FYI - last night I saw the end of a new commercial for Disney. It looks like they are offering room discounts for specific summer dates. I didn't catch the whole thing, but will keep watching to see if it comes on again. It was while DD was watching Disney Channel. Not trying to start a rumor or anything, but if anyone has seen the commercial, I'd be interested to hear the full offer. Offer expired on 6/30/13 per the announcement.

 

[mm1971]

Well, I sat down and did my math on our places of choice.
With the dining plan I would pay 770 for two adults. Dining plan includes tax but not tipping. When I figure out OOP I have to figure in the tax.
We decided we will not get a dessert with each meal and still allow for 1 snack each day.

the dining plan is giving us 7 sit downs, 7 counters and 7 snacks.

our choices include Cinderellas castle which costs 2 sit down credits. Bringing our meals to 13 meals and 7 snacks.

so OOP gives me 15 meals- one of which is Castle dining and 6 snacks for the same price of 770.

So you are saying you get 2 more meals and one less snack to go OOP? Just trying to make sure I understand.

I ran our numbers as well and if we pay OOP we would spend about $300 less than paying for the free dining. The room discount would be $345 so without FD, we spend less if we go OOP by $645. If they do end up offering FD, we'll go with the dining for convenience.

 

[serene56]

So you are saying you get 2 more meals and one less snack to go OOP? Just trying to make sure I understand.

I ran our numbers as well and if we pay OOP we would spend about $300 less than paying for the free dining. The room discount would be $345 so without FD, we spend less if we go OOP by $645. If they do end up offering FD, we'll go with the dining for convenience.

I am not counting on free dining. I have to figure out if I want to pay for it or OOP as we go along.
Free dining has not one time been offered this year-- and its March.
Of Course- if they do offer it I will take it because after all 770 is a huge hunk of change. and then we are short two meals-- that we will still pay out of pocket.

When figuring the plan-- the plan includes a dessert. I can not see me wanting a dessert with our two meals EVERY day PLUS that snack.
I know when we went in sept 2010 we had free dining.. we never touched the snack credit- we ate that dessert EVERY time.. and was sluggish afterwards from being too full instead of comfortable.. all that I took into consideration.. so that itself was a 10 per person savings every day.

I also factored in a 5.00 pp snack for each day. my 770 is based on two adults

 

[KELLY]

Comments like this make me very upset.

Free Dining is FREE. There is no hidden cost, no increased rate for other part of the packages, just FREE DINING.

There may be other discounts that work better for you, your family or your travel plans, but Free Dining is FREE.

I really do not understand why people say it is not.

I agree we stay at pop and for the past 3 years have just stuck with the QSDP. I'm not big on ADR's so it works well for us. Last year the room discount at pop was 5 percent. We go for 14 nights free QSDP saves us 1455.00 this year for 2 adults and 2 Disney kids.

 

[momto3gr8boys]

For those of you trying to run the numbers and decide whether to pay OOP for meals or to purchase the DDP, this is a great thread:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3050182&highlight=disney+dining+calculator

Because of the configuration of our family and the way we dine, it would be a lot more $$ to pay for the DDP as opposed to paying OOP as we go.

Just keep in mind this does not factor in the refillable mugs, so add $15 pp if you plan on buying those.