30% off room rate OR free dining?

[One for the Mouse]

My wife and I are going to be at WDW (staying at the BoardWalk) 8/24 - 9/2 and right now have "free" dining. I just saw that they now have 30% off room only discounted. I know I can pay for DDP and it would still be around $185 cheaper then what we have now.

Now my onto my question. I'm thinking of NOT doing the dining plan at all and cancelling some of my ADR's. With it being only 2 of us and not being big eaters is DDP worth it?

I'm off to look at menus and see but thought I would see what everyone thought.

Thanks

 

[TJA]

Really depends on your personal preferences. We like the freedom of eating whenever/whatever we want, not necessarily keeping track of TS and CS meals. We rarely do CS meals anyway. Therefore, we don't do the DDP. We also stay at deluxe resorts and find the room discount to be a better deal for us, usually. Have you thought about staying Club Level at BWI? Just the 2 of you might enjoy the adult beverages and the lounge for relaxation. Since you are not big eaters, you'd get an adequate breakfast in the lounge and hot appetizers at night.....you could always eat one official meal a day and then nibble on the stuff offered in the lounge....

 

[CanadianPaco]

My wife and I are going to be at WDW (staying at the BoardWalk) 8/24 - 9/2 and right now have "free" dining. I just saw that they now have 30% off room only discounted. I know I can pay for DDP and it would still be around $185 cheaper then what we have now.

Now my onto my question. I'm thinking of NOT doing the dining plan at all and cancelling some of my ADR's. With it being only 2 of us and not being big eaters is DDP worth it?

I'm off to look at menus and see but thought I would see what everyone thought.

Thanks

I'm in the same boat. My difference is about $165 cheaper than what we have now. I went through the menus, calculated all out of pocket costs as best I could. I even ran the numbers if I added the meal plan. I created a Pro/Con sheet...I still can't decide

 

[*disgal*]

We've done the free dining twice and it was great (there were 5 of us). But, I don't think we would do it again. Now don't get me wrong, we love food. and we love good food but with the heat and humidity....it was just too much. I think next time we are onsite we will do a few sit downs during the week and the rest counter or snacks, etc. There were things I wanted (like a Dole whip ) but I was always so stuffed!

I WOULD make ressies though for whatever sit down meals I did. You won't get in otherwise.

 

[One for the Mouse]

If I ran the numbers right, it cost us $102 ($51 per person) to add the DDP. Can we send $51+ each... that is still up in the air. I think we are leaning towards a hand full of sit downs (for sure CG, FF, Coral Reef and maybe a F! diner package). We also are doing The Backstage Magic tour that includes lunch at the Whispering Canyon Café so that is other one that we wouldn't have to worry about paying for. I think the hot weather is going to have to be taken in account. Thanks

 

[goofy78]

I'm going through the same thing too. I'm planning for 2013 so I don't even know if either discount will be offered but I want to be ready if they are. I believe FD would save us more than 30% off our room. We are all considered adults on the plan. My only hesitation is we are not big dessert eaters. Getting a dessert with the CS meal and the TS meal is way too much. It wouldn't be like we were wasting our money if it wasn't eaten because we never paid for it in the first place. I think I would pick the 30% off. I don't feel comfortable wasting food.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

I would definitely take the rooms discount....the dining plan is convenient but we found ourselves eating too much Food and too many desserts rather than what we really prefer which is a nice salad or appetizer...glad we tried it, but would not give up a 30% discount for it...

 

[Disney-Kim]

I priced it both ways for our upcoming trip...

FD and upgrading to DDxp.....was $90 more than booking the 30% and adding the DDxp...

so I did the 30% package

 

[maryj11]

From what I have been told if you are staying a moderate or value free dining is a good deal and if staying deluxe the room discount is the better deal. Then again it would depend on how many people are in the group and if you like the dining plan. You can always call and change you reservation to get the % off your room and take off the free dining. I myself love the dining plan, love eating at all the different table service restaurants, and getting in out of the heat into air conditioning. It is a way we relax, cool off, and get ready for more of the park lol

 

[rentayenta]

The DDP doesn't fit with our dining style so I'd choose the 30% off.

 

[hsmamato2]

30% off will save you more- leaving you the freedom to eat more or less,depending on mood!Think of the FD offer as 'prepaid food' rather than free,and see which one suits your wallet better....

 

[stepdisney]

It definitely depends on how many people are involved. The room discount never works out to be cheaper for us. There are 4 of us, all considered Disney Adults. We also stay Deluxe. Here are my numbers based on what what you said you will do, either go for the FD or go for 30% and purchase the free dining.

5 nights at the YC resort
6 day hopper tickets X 4
Free Dining

$3254.76


5 nights at the YC resort
6 day hopper tickets x 4
Paying for Disney Dining X 4
30% Room Discount

$3711.92

If we did not purchase the Dining Plan, the total for the room and tickets would be:

$2681.02


What I ask is if the four of us can eat for six days on the $600 difference in the cost of each package with FD and the package with the 30% without the free dining because the 30% with the dining doesn't make sense for obvious reasons. I don't think that the four of us can eat two meals per day for less than $600 for all six of the days we are there; and, if we could, it would not be as nicely as we could using FD. The one thing about FD is that you can choose how you want to eat. You can easily tell them that you don't want the dessert and you can order the appetizer as your dinner. It's up to you. I run numbers every year and FD always saves our family of 4 the most money.

Enjoy your trip whichever way you choose.

 

[stepdisney]

Just wanted to clarify that by not wanting the dessert I don't mean get appy instead of dessert. I mean that you can just say "no thank you" to the dessert for CS meals. They don't make you take them. That way you don't have to worry about wasting food.

Also, my DS orderded the appy instead of main entree one night when he wasn't feeling too well and wanted something small. They were very accommodating. Hope this helps.

 

[tstidm1]

http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/walt-disney-world-dining-plan.html is a link to a Disney Dining Plan calculator. I would assume Deluxe dining because you are staying in a Deluxe. Then do the math for the two of you. That is really the best way on whether DDP works for you versus room discount.

 

[tiger4me2]

I would opt for the 30% off if you are staying at the BWI. Maybe like one poster said try club level.

The CM's members at the travel company (Disney) always tells me unless you are a big family & staying at the values or moderates then FD but if at deluxe with a good discount (like 30% or more) do the discount.

We got a bounce back for this coming Dec staying at the BWI Club 35% off staying Dec 9th and leaving Dec 16th run us $3500+and we got the quick service.

We found during the hot months it is too much food for us at least. Good luck !

 

[fla4fun]

You just have to do all the math and then see what agrees with your travel and dining style best. Since every family is different, you can't depend on their research - you have to do it the hard way.

Free dining is never a better deal for me. I usually only eat one or two TS meals at most per trip, I travel solo, and I like to stay deluxe or DVC if I can. So a percent off the room and paying OOP for meals is always cheaper. But the more people in your traveling party and the more TS meals you tend to eat, the better value the dining plan becomes.

Make sure you compare apples to apples. Look at the menus online and figure out what you would order if you were there and add it up. You don't need to include tips as those are paid OOP either way. Remember, if you are paying for the dining plan, you do have the option of buying the QS instead of the regular, so factor that into the calculations as well.