All these discounts - what is the hard $ value to me?

[TheLittleRoo]

I love Disney, but it's so darn expensive - - and even with all these discount types - how do you know which one is best for you?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but for my family of 5 (3A,1C, 1 under 2) it seems the Free Dining is the best net discount. We stay onsite in 2 rooms at a Moderate for 7 nights. We don't currently have an AP, but I would consider it for the AP hotel discount and/or the DDE 20% discount. I would also consider joining AAA just to get a 20% hotel discount.

But here's my math:

Free DDP: 3A@38.99 + 1C @10.99 = $128.00/ day Savings

40% Pin code on 2 rooms: $145 x 2 rooms x 40% off = $58/ day Savings
(which I didn't get...) Might be similar discount for AP code, don't know...

DDE 10-20% off food : assume $150 total daily food tab = .1x$50 + .2x$100= $25/ day Savings

Even if I combined the DDE discount and the AP/or PIN discount, my daily savings would only hit $83.

Am I missing something, or isn't Free Dining the best discount for my family? If we only booked one room, Free Dining would absolutely BLOW the other discounts AWAY... I guess if we stayed at a Deluxe Resort, the AP/Pin discounts might outweigh $128/day we save with free DDP, but that's the only way I can see anything topping free dining.

Is it just me, or is this obvious to everyone else and I'm just late to catch on?

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I think most would agree that the Free DDP is the way to go for those who maximise their Dining.

The problem is that no one knows if it will be offered or when and for what resorts. With the return back in the fall and the 40% pins it seems like they already have a fill of discounts right now for at least until the summer.

And your room discount with the 40% would be $116 per day I think if they let you apply it to both rooms.Ap rates are about 20to 25% off from what I have seen.

Even with the DVC we have we did do good on an AP rate at POFQ for our long weekend in Oct and the DDE is a great savings for us there as well.

 

[TheLittleRoo]

D'oh! Thanks for the math edit! $116/night hotel is much different than $58/nt! <shakes head>

Problem is, I didn't get a pin code, so that is completely random whether or not I'll ever get that discount, whereas Free Dining was a general public promotion.

However, I think I would prefer to have a hotel discount and pay OOP for the DDP and then I'm not tied to September during a DDP jamboree!

Thanks!