40% off or Free Dining?

[starann]

Does any one know which is a 'better' deal? The last 2 years I have gotten PIN codes for 40% off in Sept/Oct if we booked before Feb. Last year we didn't do it as we were waiting to see about FILs plans (it did, and we later booked, but not for free dining or the PIN as it was too late in the season for either)


Has anyone does the math? I am currently plannign a trip for Sept or Oct of 2010, and I know that a PIN is not a sure thing, but I'm just seeing IF I got one, which would save us more. We are a DP family so either free, or we pay!

 

[lisam427]

we also got a 40% off pin. we booked port orleans riverside w/ the regular dining plan for the beginning of sept. 2009 with this pin. when free dining came out we called our aaa travel agent to see if free dining is cheaper. free dining worked out to be cheaper than the pin.

you have to figure that the regular dining plan is 39.99 a night per adult. $10.99 per child (3-9). for us that is $159.96 per night that we are saving (4 adults in our room). with the pin i would be only saving about $89 a night.

it would depend on how many people in your party, and where you are staying (value, moderate, deluxe). i would say if you are staying at a value or moderate with a family of four, you would probably be better off with free dining. if staying at a deluxe, i'm not sure.

 

[tiggertabi]

Unless you are staying deluxe or only have 1 or 2 (possibly) people on dining, it's usually cheaper to do the dining. e.g. we were pricing 40% off akl with dining or rack rate with free dining, and they were almost the same price for 3 people. Had we only had 2 people on dining, the 40% would be better. Had we been staying in a value or even moderate probably, it doesn't add up to $120 off a night that we were getting.

So it depends on where you are staying and how many people basically LOL

 

[starann]

Thanks, I guess when I book I'll keep checking to see if anything new came out!

 

[talulabelle]

You have to price both out for you own family to see the difference. With more than 2 people and staying value, free dining would be cheaper. If you are staying deluxe or don't have many people on dining, 40% may be cheaper. They are both very comparable though.

Something to keep in mind: 40% is WAY cheaper than free dining if you can go without the dining package. If you aren't big eaters, if you are staying in a cabin , family suite, or villa with a kitchen or kitchenette and think you may eat in sometimes and when you go to restaurants will eat less than the dining plan costs a day - then do 40% and don't buy the dining package. This is what we did, and I feel like that is real savings.

 

[bennyrn12]

We booked WL on the 40% bounce back in Dec when we were at POR. When free dining came out we worked the numbers for our big party (3 different rooms.. rm 1 2 adults 2 kids under 2/rm 2 3 adults/ rm 3 one adult) for all but the first room the dining was the better deal, for my husband the kids and i the room was the better deal since there were only 2 on dining. Good luck!

 

[extremesoccermom]

We priced it out and the free dining came out cheaper.