What is no free dining? What's your dining Plan-B?

[msb578]

Meh, now that there's no young kids in our group and we're never at the resort, we just go with All-Stars.
$122/night + discounted deluxe dining = worth it.
I'm intending on finally just putting the money out for a 250-300 point DVC probably in 2016 or 2017.

All-Star Sports last August- $73 a night We packed 3 kids into the room (legally) and had a great time.

 

[disneyseniors]

You should try just quick service once and even ditch your favourite TS restaurants. It's freeing! We alternate our free dining stays every year. One year we stay value and do just quick service, and then the following year, we stay moderate and do TS. Staying at a value every other year saves us a ton of money. Plus we save even more by not having to factor in tip money. We love it!

Thanks, disneylover99. I've been trying to talk my husband into doing just that, QS only!! But he's difficult to change! I think I'm wearing him down though. There are a lot of QS places I want to try and that look really delicious. But I find that with one big sit down meal, we don't use our QS 90%of the time. Last visit, we had 10 QS on our last day, to use up. We used them to feed our daughter, sil, 3 grandkids (2 of who are hungry teenagers). That worked out well on that trip, but we usually just go by ourselves, so it would be a big waste to me. Thanks for the tips

 

[disneyseniors]

You should try just quick service once and even ditch your favourite TS restaurants. It's freeing! We alternate our free dining stays every year. One year we stay value and do just quick service, and then the following year, we stay moderate and do TS. Staying at a value every other year saves us a ton of money. Plus we save even more by not having to factor in tip money. We love it!

Oh, I forgot to ask, which value resorts to you recommend? We've only stayed at moderates. thanks!

 

[scard192]

Free dining not free if you have to pay rack rate for hotel.

for my family of 3 Disney adults staying at POP with RO discount (20%) = ~ $30/day discount. the 3 of us can't eat for $30/day. I will gladly pay rack rate to get Free Dining

 

[eva]

Does the free dining plan normally work with the value resorts too? I thought it was for moderates and up. We are going with a large group and using DVC points. But I just looked at room rates for the value resorts and it would be a huge savings to book a couple rooms there and get free dining, but still stay at the DVC resort. Anyone every do that? I know that check in and such might be a bit of a hassle. But I calculate it could save us close to $800 for the week.

 

[aaarcher86]

Does the free dining plan normally work with the value resorts too? I thought it was for moderates and up. We are going with a large group and using DVC points. But I just looked at room rates for the value resorts and it would be a huge savings to book a couple rooms there and get free dining, but still stay at the DVC resort. Anyone every do that? I know that check in and such might be a bit of a hassle. But I calculate it could save us close to $800 for the week.

It's free QS at the value resorts.

 

[eva]

It's free QS at the value resorts.

Thanks! Thought that was too good to be true. I think I will look at the moderates real quick. I know that DD would love to have a room over at the Caribbean resort just to take her kids to the pool and food court. She used to love that place when she was little. So if there is a little bit of savings, it might be worth it.

 

[SouthJersey]

Thanks! Thought that was too good to be true. I think I will look at the moderates real quick. I know that DD would love to have a room over at the Caribbean resort just to take her kids to the pool and food court. She used to love that place when she was little. So if there is a little bit of savings, it might be worth it.

It still pro-rates your plan, don't forget! We save $587.86 on the deluxe dining plan for 2 adults at a value resort during free dining.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

This argument is so ridiculous and I never get anyone to respond to my question about it. We're a family four with DS14 and DS12. We stay moderate. If the moderate room rack rate is about $200 a night and the room only discount is 20% (both are about average; maybe a little more or less, but good for an example). That saves me $40 a day. Wow!!! Huge savings! Now explain to me just how I'm supposed to feed four people for a whole day at Disney on $40, including one TS meal because we consider those to be part of the experience. Please explain to me how the room only discount is a better deal! I'd love to hear it!

Yes, I'll gladly pay full price for the room, if we get to eat for free--and I do consider it free!--for the week.

Let's start with the fact that its $200 a night to stay in a hotel with double beds and exterior corridors? LOL!

Based on the quality of the hotel and the service the hotel itself is worth about $120 or less. So IMHO I would be paying $80 a day for "dining" and the right to stay in a subpar hotel.

NO!

Disney just marks up the prices and people keep paying what they want for hotels that you would spend less then half on anyplace else. And no, "location" is not that good unless you can walk to a park IMHO. And for that I use the Swan/Dolphin. I am staying there for one night next month. Got a GREAT rate of $109. For the SAME night the BW was $300 Sorry, but... it's not $200 cuter!

 

[msb578]

Let's start with the fact that its $200 a night to stay in a hotel with double beds and exterior corridors? LOL!

Based on the quality of the hotel and the service the hotel itself is worth about $120 or less. So IMHO I would be paying $80 a day for "dining" and the right to stay in a subpar hotel.

NO!

Disney just marks up the prices and people keep paying what they want for hotels that you would spend less then half on anyplace else. And no, "location" is not that good unless you can walk to a park IMHO. And for that I use the Swan/Dolphin. I am staying there for one night next month. Got a GREAT rate of $109. For the SAME night the BW was $300 Sorry, but... it's not $200 cuter!

Ok, wait- how'd you get $109? I ask purely out of self-interest. I've seen $159, after a government employee discount.

 

[Disneylover99]

Oh, I forgot to ask, which value resorts to you recommend? We've only stayed at moderates. thanks!

We prefer Pop over the AllStars, but the AllStars are good too. Lakeview at Pop is beautiful and quiet, plus you can easily walk across the bridge to the AofA resort to eat. The food court at AofA is delicious!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Let's start with the fact that its $200 a night to stay in a hotel with double beds and exterior corridors? LOL!

Based on the quality of the hotel and the service the hotel itself is worth about $120 or less. So IMHO I would be paying $80 a day for "dining" and the right to stay in a subpar hotel.

NO!

Disney just marks up the prices and people keep paying what they want for hotels that you would spend less then half on anyplace else. And no, "location" is not that good unless you can walk to a park IMHO. And for that I use the Swan/Dolphin. I am staying there for one night next month. Got a GREAT rate of $109. For the SAME night the BW was $300 Sorry, but... it's not $200 cuter!

First, nope, queen beds. And the exterior corridors is just a ridiculous argument. You're not going to tell me the cobble stone streets of POFQ are equal to a motel on the highway. Sorry, not buying it.

So even if it's only worth $120, then you're right. I'm paying $80 a day for dining. I have boys 12 and 14--do you really think I'm going to feed both of them plus me and my husband, including one sit down TS meal, for $80????? I'd love to know where you eat! So, yes, it's a deal. You still haven't shown me how it's not.

Yes, you may have gotten $109. Then you have to add food. How do you plan to feed a family for $80 a day at Disney?

 

[Disneylover99]

Let's start with the fact that its $200 a night to stay in a hotel with double beds and exterior corridors? LOL!

Based on the quality of the hotel and the service the hotel itself is worth about $120 or less. So IMHO I would be paying $80 a day for "dining" and the right to stay in a subpar hotel.

NO!

Disney just marks up the prices and people keep paying what they want for hotels that you would spend less then half on anyplace else. And no, "location" is not that good unless you can walk to a park IMHO. And for that I use the Swan/Dolphin. I am staying there for one night next month. Got a GREAT rate of $109. For the SAME night the BW was $300 Sorry, but... it's not $200 cuter!

Obviously, you think all Disney resorts are way overpriced and you would rather stay off property for cheaper. I get that. But I'm really not sure what that has to do with free dining. Moderates have Queen beds btw.

Anyways, just for arguments sake, let's say a moderate is $80 overpriced. I still can't feed my family of four at a TS restaurant, get 4 counter service meals, and get 4 snacks per day plus four refillable mugs for that $80. Free dining = great deal.

 

[minerva78]

Interesting post, OP: Thanks. We always do free dining, but I must admit I get pretty tired to running to TS reservations the entire time. I would love to have a "half" dining plan. We have 2 or 3 must do favorite TS's, but honestly could get by with QS. The last 2 years, I have asked to just do QS and try it once. we can book our must do favorites and pay OOP. Waiting to see if we get FD this Nov/Dec or not. If it is offered, we willdo it, but we find we cancel some at the end of our stay when we are really tired.

I completely feel you on the "half" dining plan. While there are a few TS places we want to eat at, the reality is that we're looking to try to go for 8 nights, now including 2 days at Universal, and trying to fit in 8 TS meals in a potential schedule has been painful. While I would love to stay onsite during free dining, there is a part of me that feels like I need to just cut my losses and maybe stay just one or two nights onsite with the rest offsite and pay OOP for the meals I really want, instead of feeling like I need to eat at all of these TS places to get the best "value". The hard part for me is that we still have not made it to our first family Disney trip, trying to make it happen this December. So while I would love to try out some TS places when we hopefully go, there is a part of me that is a bit nervous about having that many scheduled meals, when I'm not even sure what our touring style will be and when we'll want to eat. So who knows.

 

[mileshuff]

I love the fact that Disney marks their hotels up to an unreasonable price point and then say's "free dining" and folks fall over themselves to throw money at Disney. It's not "free" and IMHO the overpricing is such that I can't justify Disney hotels any longer. So for me it's either the Swan/Dolphin or offsite if I have to pay for a hotel room.

Your belief holds true mostly for those with families staying at Deluxe resorts and have a choice between free dining or 40% off room rate. Value or Moderates save considerably more with FD than any room rate Disney has offered during the same time period for a family of 4 ages 10 or above. Swan/Dolphin rates are excessive for me and many others. Occasionally I have seen their rates on par with some moderates but then if I'm paying the same then I'll take free dining! You are correct that technically it's not 'FREE' but the overall savings is substantial for most.

 

[SouthJersey]

 

[verleniahall]

It will have no effect on us - we will go and keep the same plan whether or not there is free dining -

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

We plan our fall trips before FD is ever announced. We go at that time of year because we like the F&W Festival and MNSSHP.

I do admit that we have been lucky enough to get FD a couple of times in the past but we always plan the trip as though we are paying for it all out of pocket. Anything other than that is an added bonus. We plan the table service restaurants that we want regardless of free dining so I'd say that we fall into the group that wouldn't really change our dining ways. However, I can say that we'd probably have a few less desserts as a whole. We'd probably skip the desserts at the TS restaurants for the most part and instead opt for a mickey ice cream bar or dole float later on.

 

[lauraleh]

We might still go this year (cause I really want to ) but I think in the future we would be looking at Disney vacations less often if FD isn't offered. Our options would be a cruise (non Disney since we have Diamond status on Royal Caribbean) or even National Parks. I chose to go to WDW last year because it was roughly the same price as a cruise and we got free dining. If it meant they were the same price but food was included on the cruise and I was paying out of pocket for everything at WDW, I would have to reconsider. Also, not that I want to ditch my kids, but excellent childcare is included on a cruise. So if we want to have a nice dinner alone, that's possible. Not so at Disney without a hefty price tag. We don't travel with extended family.

Also I am a big fan of free dining but I do see the argument about the hotels being subpar for the price. We are staying at POP again and actually really enjoy it but my husband and I are also going to DC this year and I booked a 4 star hotel within walking distance to the White House, National Mall, etc... for $81 a night. Walking distance to MK would cost me $500 a night.

 

[aaarcher86]

I guess it depends on your tastes. I paid double (after a discount) in Boston what I paid for POR and didn't enjoy it nearly as much.

Regardless, the prices are the prices - they're worth what people will pay for them. The prices would be the same whether free dining was offered or not.

 

[SouthJersey]

I guess it depends on your tastes. I paid double (after a discount) in Boston what I paid for POR and didn't enjoy it nearly as much.

Regardless, the prices are the prices - they're worth what people will pay for them. The prices would be the same whether free dining was offered or not.

^This.
There is always someone willing to pay.