2014 Free Dining Offer

[HulaMinnie]

So I've read through this article a few times but don't know for sure: can DVC members use this offer? It does say that villas are eligible (minus VGF) but I know sometimes us DVC-ers don't apply to these offers. Anyone have more specifics?

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/05/02/news-2014-disney-world-free-dining-offer-details/

 

[chalee94]

So I've read through this article a few times but don't know for sure: can DVC members use this offer?

absolutely, DVC members can use that offer.

we would just have to pay full price for a cash reservation (room and tickets) instead of using points (which are a discounted form of accommodation - that's why we bought in, right?)

if you think that deal would work better for you, rent your pts and pay cash for your stay. (but do get a cash price first for comparison before you make the decision.)

 

[disneynutz]

So I've read through this article a few times but don't know for sure: can DVC members use this offer? It does say that villas are eligible (minus VGF) but I know sometimes us DVC-ers don't apply to these offers. Anyone have more specifics?

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/05/02/news-2014-disney-world-free-dining-offer-details/

Disney makes these offers to fill empty cash rooms, DVC rooms are never empty and we don't help their room cash flow after buying.

No benefit to Disney for including DVC, we can pay for the DDP and last I checked the price did have a slight discount.

Bill

 

[LisaS]

So I've read through this article a few times but don't know for sure: can DVC members use this offer? It does say that villas are eligible (minus VGF) but I know sometimes us DVC-ers don't apply to these offers. Anyone have more specifics?

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/05/02/news-2014-disney-world-free-dining-offer-details/

When they say that DVC resorts are eligible they are talking about paying cash (booking through CRO) at full rack rate, not booking with points. While they sometimes offer free dining and discounted room rates to guests coming from outside the US, for those inside the US you don't get free dining unless you pay full rack rate for the room and buy tickets. It's just one of many different promotions Disney offers at various times when cash bookings are down, like the 30% room discounts or the "pay for four, stay for seven" promo they offered a few years ago.

They don't need to offer DVC members incentives to book a DVC room on points. We already paid for the points and if we don't book something, it hurts us (having points expire) and benefits Disney (they can rent those rooms for cash and keep some of the money).

 

[HulaMinnie]

Makes sense. Thanks! Too bad we just booked our rooms a couple days ago with our points.

 

[LisaS]

Too bad we just booked our rooms a couple days ago with our points.

Have you checked the rack rate for the room type you booked? If you do, you will be very glad you can book that room with points!

Before we bought into DVC I used to wait nervously for some sort of room discount to be announced, hoping that it would apply to the resort where we wanted to stay. I refused to pay rack rate so if we couldn't get a discount then we wouldn't be vacationing at WDW. Buying into DVC changed everything. Now I book 11 months out knowing that we're getting a great deal on our room by booking with points. I can book dining and flights and get everything planned ahead of time instead of waiting to do anything until we could secure some sort of room discount.

I guess it's the word "free" in the "free dining" promo that gets people excited but given how we eat, I'm quite sure we come out way ahead by using points and paying for our food out of pocket vs paying rack rate for the room and getting free food. Plus, with DVC it's easy to prepare and eat breakfast in the room most mornings, saving money on food versus dining out for every meal.

If somebody offered me a choice of staying in a Moderate resort with free dining or staying in a DVC resort but paying for my meals and both options were priced exactly the same, I would choose the DVC option every time.

 

[wnielsen1]

...It's just one of many different promotions Disney offers at various times when cash bookings are down, like the 30% room discounts or the "pay for four, stay for seven" promo they offered a few years ago.

Ahh, the old 4+3 promo. The good old days. I had my very first stay in a Deluxe thanks to that promo. It was more than a few years ago, though. I think it was 2003.

 

[LisaS]

Ahh, the old 4+3 promo. The good old days. I had my very first stay in a Deluxe thanks to that promo. It was more than a few years ago, though. I think it was 2003.

They brought it back again in 2009 or so and that is the one I remember. We were already DVC members by that time so we didn't book it but it was a good offer.

 

[DizBub]

If somebody offered me a choice of staying in a Moderate resort with free dining or staying in a DVC resort but paying for my meals and both options were priced exactly the same, I would choose the DVC option every time.

Us too. Frankly, I can't bring myself to go back to a regular Disney hotel room, even a moderate. Even with "free" dining.

 

[kenly777]

Just for kicks, today I priced out with FD the Dec 26-Jan 3 one bedroom BWV reservation that I already booked with points. FD = ~ 9,000 (had to add two day tickets for two adults and two children). With points, including DDP, =~ $4,400! Quite the savings!!!! Welcome home