Any DVCers ever book a free dining package?

[ShellyLynn3630]

I am curious, have any of the DVCers on here done this or may plan to do this, this year who may be at Disney during Free Dining? Book a value hotel room just to be able to get the free dining. Of course if would'nt be "free" but a rather hefty discount, espcially if you had two adults and two kids over the age of 10. If you have two adults and two kids, that would add up to around what 160 bucks a night for the dining plan, and a room at a value about 80 bucks, plus tax of course. Just a thought.

 

[Sandisw]

I have not but read several posts from DVC'rs who do just that. They book the value, check in, get the KTTW cards with the dining and then head on over and check in to their DVC accommodations.

It is a way to save, that is for sure. But, remember, you have to purchase at least a 1 day ticket with the value reservation for everyone. But, those can use used to upgrade to an AP, or any other Disney ticket so it is not like they are a waste for someone who will already have tickets.

 

[bwvBound]

There were discussions on this topic back in fall 2008 -- but it didn't seem to be as large a "thrill" in 2009. FWIW, those doing it weren't staying in the value room -- they left the value room empty while staying in the villa.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

I know if I were a DVCer and were going to be there at that time, I for should would do it. (If I had planned on purchasing the dining plan of course.)

 

[goofy4tink]

I booked POP for 5 nights earlier this month in order to get free dining. It came out to be about $120 a night. I gave my one day park pass to my DDIL when she came over to visit..otherwise I would have just applied it to my AP renewal next year.
Would I do it again? Probably not. I was at BWV for 4-5 days before that, then over to POP and then back to BWV for my last two nights. It was a pain to do all that moving. But, I got some good 2 TS meals instead of the regular ADRs I do.
No way would I do it and then stay at a DVC resort. I would think it would be so much cheaper to just add the ddp to the room, even if it weren't free.

 

[sweetdana]

I don't think it will save you anything, not using the room. It would be 41.99$ per adult and 10.99$ per kid.. or 107.96 the room price is 124. per night, as no other discounts are allowed.. this is not a good move. (Unless I am missing some new discount.) You cannot mix and match room disc and free dining.

I stayed at AS Mov in Sept. I would never go back, even with a free room and free dining.. okay maybe then. It is soooooo much different down to no towels or hot tub in the pool area. 1 over croweded bus stop, small dinky room.
Go moderate to FQ or POR, if you are skipping the DV due to points and want to take advantage. Go for 2 rooms and 2 free dinings, to eat like a princess too! (1 room under each adult.)

 

[dznyacct]

I have been in WDW for the free dining for the last 4 years, spending my birthday with friends (we have our 5th trip booked for next year ). We are DVC members, but when I do the free dining trip we stay at Pop Century and there are usually 2 or 3 of us, so a pretty cheap trip. My friend has only been to WDW in September. She was telling me how she would love to see the Christmas decorations, so I told her we could use some of my DVC points and go the week after Thanksgiving 2011. I know that she will be totally spoiled staying at a DVC resort, as she has only stayed at PC.

 

[Sandisw]

I don't think it will save you anything, not using the room. It would be 41.99$ per adult and 10.99$ per kid.. or 107.96 the room price is 124. per night, as no other discounts are allowed.. this is not a good move. (Unless I am missing some new discount.) You cannot mix and match room disc and free dining.

I stayed at AS Mov in Sept. I would never go back, even with a free room and free dining.. okay maybe then. It is soooooo much different down to no towels or hot tub in the pool area. 1 over croweded bus stop, small dinky room.
Go moderate to FQ or POR, if you are skipping the DV due to points and want to take advantage. Go for 2 rooms and 2 free dinings, to eat like a princess too! (1 room under each adult.)

For someone whose children are adult prices, you then end up over $160.00 per night for the DDP. Even at $124, you are saving about $30.00--over a week, this is $200+ dollars. And, this assumes that DVC won't eventually be subject to the surchage for the DDP (which I think will happen come 2011).

Not something I would do for that, but some have felt it was worth the savings.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Would a value resort come out to 124 bucks, a night during September? I was thinking it was like 82 bucks, rack rate and of course taxes?

 

[Sandisw]

Would a value resort come out to 124 bucks, a night during September? I was thinking it was like 82 bucks, rack rate and of course taxes?

I just looked it up and yes, the rooms at Pop are $92 for weeknights and $102.00 for weekends (which includes the tax).

So, for that family of 4, all adult prices, you are saving closer to $60.00 per night--almost $500.00 over the course of a week.

 

[supersuperwendy]

Take into consideration the changes to the free dining promos recently. If you booked value you only got the quick service plan for free unless you paid an upgrade. So you would either have to book a higher category resort for free standard dining or pay the upgrade.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Take into consideration the changes to the free dining promos recently. If you booked value you only got the quick service plan for free unless you paid an upgrade. So you would either have to book a higher category resort for free standard dining or pay the upgrade.

This was for the winter free dining, but it will be interesting to see if and when this may apply to the fall free dining. I don't think it will happen this year, but just when the economy does pick up, I would'nt put it past Disney.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

I just looked it up and yes, the rooms at Pop are $92 for weeknights and $102.00 for weekends (which includes the tax).

So, for that family of 4, all adult prices, you are saving closer to $60.00 per night--almost $500.00 over the course of a week.

Ya, I would most definatley be looking at booking a free dining promo this year, if and only if I was going to be down there during this time already using points and had planned on buying the DDP oop. You know that Disney knows that this has to have been going on, I just wonder what they think about it.

 

[Sandisw]

Ya, I would most definatley be looking at booking a free dining promo this year, if and only if I was going to be down there during this time already using points and had planned on buying the DDP oop. You know that Disney knows that this has to have been going on, I just wonder what they think about it.

Well, the newest promotion that came out (the one that gives you a gift card) requires you to buy a ticket to match the 5 nights you must stay to get the gift card.

So...it is possible you will start to see them require that the park tickets match the nights of stay during free dining to prevent some from getting it this way.

If someone had to buy a 7 night ticket to match 7 nights of free dining, it wouldn't make it as good of a deal any longer since the upfront cost would need to be paid. Not that you couldn't use the 7 day ticket at a later date--but much easier to make this deal work when all you have to get is the 1 day.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

Well, the newest promotion that came out (the one that gives you a gift card) requires you to buy a ticket to match the 5 nights you must stay to get the gift card.

So...it is possible you will start to see them require that the park tickets match the nights of stay during free dining to prevent some from getting it this way.

If someone had to buy a 7 night ticket to match 7 nights of free dining, it wouldn't make it as good of a deal any longer since the upfront cost would need to be paid. Not that you couldn't use the 7 day ticket at a later date--but much easier to make this deal work when all you have to get is the 1 day.

Ya, that could happen, no doubt. We have always bought a shorter ticket for the theme parks verses the nights we stay. During hot weather we just love the water parks and usually that takes two or three of our days up. Plus maybe a day of rest. Ya, I can see Disney doing this possibly with future promos.