Any new rumblings about 2013 promotions?

[twoplustwins]

I'm hopeful for a discount too. We're a family of 6 so flying is cost prohibitive, so we'll be making a 16+ hour drive as well.

We are in the same position - family of six, driving 16 hours!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

We are in the same position - family of six, driving 16 hours!

we are a family of 5 flying. We are staying at POR in the Royal themed rooms but they are only made for a family of 4 so DMom and DDad are taking one of my girls in their room. I NEED a discount!

 

[overthemoon4mickey]

I agree--are you SURE you want Deluxe dining? Have you done it before? In order to be worth while financially, you basically have to be on vacation with the sole goal of eating. You have to have ADRs pretty much 3x a day which means your entire day, every day is running from one reservation to the next. The regular DDP is ONE reservation meal a day. This means for the rest of the day you can just relax. Deluxe is a good thing if you are going on a vacation focused on the food (sorta like going on a cruise, i guess) but if you have big plans to do a lot in the parks, I think Deluxe would just be a stress.

But that's just my opinion. Everyone has different views/experiences. If you've done it before and know you like it, go for it. But if you've never done it before, I really think regular DDP is MORE than enough food.

Totally agree. DH won't do it this year unless it's free. Even then we'd most likely do more CS and only a few TS. Between all the tips you pay on overpriced food, to the time it takes to get to the adr, wait for the adr, eat, and the get back into rides at the parks it's a lot of time.

I would checkout some of the Food threads and see what the Deluxe is like. Don't forget to add tip money into your budget. With most meals at TS costing my family of 3 adults 1 child bwtween $120-$150. That's with only 1 glass of wine at dinner for DH and myself. Adding in 20% for each meal adds up! Then times that by 3

 

[havoc315]

I agree--are you SURE you want Deluxe dining? Have you done it before? In order to be worth while financially, you basically have to be on vacation with the sole goal of eating. You have to have ADRs pretty much 3x a day which means your entire day, every day is running from one reservation to the next. The regular DDP is ONE reservation meal a day. This means for the rest of the day you can just relax. Deluxe is a good thing if you are going on a vacation focused on the food (sorta like going on a cruise, i guess) but if you have big plans to do a lot in the parks, I think Deluxe would just be a stress.

But that's just my opinion. Everyone has different views/experiences. If you've done it before and know you like it, go for it. But if you've never done it before, I really think regular DDP is MORE than enough food.

I'm not the biggest fan of the dining plans in general. And I agree that the regular DDP is more than enough food.

But I don't think that's a realistic evaluation of the DxDP. The DxDP is quite cost-effective if you want more TS meals, more food, or simply higher quality.
You can get great value out of the DxDP without much greater time commitment than the regular DDP.
You definitely do not need to eat 3 sitdown meals per day -- Many people who use the DxDP simply do 2 meals per day, with 1 of them being a 2-credit.
And by doing a signature meal, you aren't really getting more food than the regular DDP (just the addition of an appetizer), you are simply getting higher quality food and/or entertainment.

Compare the time commitment and amount of food in this example of DDP versus DxDP:

Breakfast -- DDP -- use snack credits at resort food court. About 20 minutes for breakfast.
DxDP -- exact same breakfast (but with more snack credit availability to make it work), 20 minutes.

Lunch -- DDP -- QS -- Say your typical burger & fries, with beverage and dessert. Waiting on line at a crowded park QS location, searching for a table -- total time commitment -- 30-50 minutes.
DxDP -- TS-- Higher quality burger meal, appetizer, dessert -- even someplace like Les Cellier. Not a dramatically greater amount of food, just higher quality, with waiter service, etc. Total time commitment -- 60-90 minutes.
DDP -- dinner at a 1 credit restaurant. Time commitment -- 60-90 minutes. DxDP -- dinner at a signature restaurant. Higher quality. Mostly same amount of food, with the addition of an appetizer. Time commitment -- also 60-90 minutes.

So really, in this pretty typical example -- the total extra time commitment of the DxDP was about 10-60 minutes. At most, an extra hour. Probably more like an extra half hour.
I don't think a half hour transforms a vacation into being about nothing but the food.

 

[Curious & Curiouser]

That doesn't sound right. How many people are going? Do you absolutely *need* to have the Deluxe dining? You could probably save yourself quite a bit by going down the the regular Dining plan. And if you're only there 10 days...I am assuming day 1 and day 10 are your arrival and departing days...maybe only 8 or 9 day park tickets? Just trying to help.

I do hope that you guys either get PIN codes mailed to you or that Disney comes up with Free Dining for everyone.

It is an interesting theory that they might not have free dining in fall because of the FLE.

we are getting 2 rooms because there is 5 of us going and DH wants the deluxe because he wants to do the 2 credit meals....i could save ALOT going down to basic! we always have tons of meals left over, and with me having the gastric bypass its really just stupid to have that much food

i'm wondering if i should down grade to basic and see if they will let me share plates or something .... i dont know DH is pretty head strong on that damn deluxe dinning

 

[havoc315]

we are getting 2 rooms because there is 5 of us going and DH wants the deluxe because he wants to do the 2 credit meals....i could save ALOT going down to basic! we always have tons of meals left over, and with me having the gastric bypass its really just stupid to have that much food

i'm wondering if i should down grade to basic and see if they will let me share plates or something .... i dont know DH is pretty head strong on that damn deluxe dinning

Everyone on the same reservation must be on the same plan.
But you have an easy solution -- you are doing 2 rooms. So put each room as it's own reservation. 1 room with basic dining, 1 with deluxe.

 

[Mel6197]

Boy has disney spoiled us..
I tell the kids if Disney doesnt offer Discounts, we cant do this or have to down grade, and they look at me like Ive got 3 heads.

Disney offered the room only discounts last year, so we tried a few days in Deluxes Yact Club and Kidani 2 bedroom villias
Boy did the Kids (and adults Love it)
and of course our Free Dining.. when we went over to the all stars..

So this year, I need Room only discounts, and fee dining again,
Then I need Universal to open up some kind of a discount..

Yes Im asking alot... Come on Disney!

 

[sjs314]

Boy has disney spoiled us..
I tell the kids if Disney doesnt offer Discounts, we cant do this or have to down grade, and they look at me like Ive got 3 heads.

Disney offered the room only discounts last year, so we tried a few days in Deluxes Yact Club and Kidani 2 bedroom villias
Boy did the Kids (and adults Love it)
and of course our Free Dining.. when we went over to the all stars..

So this year, I need Room only discounts, and fee dining again,
Then I need Universal to open up some kind of a discount..

Yes Im asking alot... Come on Disney!

I would love a RO discount for 2012, but I just do not see it happening and I hope I am wrong. The fact that Disney has not offered any GP RO discounts for Fall/Winter 2011 yet I do think they have done what they said they would do and cut back on the discounts.

That being said I did book with the FD promo for March of 2012, since it is only DH and myself staying Deluxe our savings is less than 20% with FD, would much rather have 35-40% RO but I am taking what is offered now rather than hold out for something better.

The current FD promo ends 10/29 will be interesting to see what Disney will offer next, my thought is FD from April 2012 to Sept 2012 since the bounceback offer currently in the rooms is FD thru Sept.2012

 

[padawans]

I'm not the biggest fan of the dining plans in general. And I agree that the regular DDP is more than enough food.

But I don't think that's a realistic evaluation of the DxDP. The DxDP is quite cost-effective if you want more TS meals, more food, or simply higher quality.
You can get great value out of the DxDP without much greater time commitment than the regular DDP.
You definitely do not need to eat 3 sitdown meals per day -- Many people who use the DxDP simply do 2 meals per day, with 1 of them being a 2-credit.
And by doing a signature meal, you aren't really getting more food than the regular DDP (just the addition of an appetizer), you are simply getting higher quality food and/or entertainment.

Compare the time commitment and amount of food in this example of DDP versus DxDP:

Breakfast -- DDP -- use snack credits at resort food court. About 20 minutes for breakfast.
DxDP -- exact same breakfast (but with more snack credit availability to make it work), 20 minutes.

Lunch -- DDP -- QS -- Say your typical burger & fries, with beverage and dessert. Waiting on line at a crowded park QS location, searching for a table -- total time commitment -- 30-50 minutes.
DxDP -- TS-- Higher quality burger meal, appetizer, dessert -- even someplace like Les Cellier. Not a dramatically greater amount of food, just higher quality, with waiter service, etc. Total time commitment -- 60-90 minutes.
DDP -- dinner at a 1 credit restaurant. Time commitment -- 60-90 minutes. DxDP -- dinner at a signature restaurant. Higher quality. Mostly same amount of food, with the addition of an appetizer. Time commitment -- also 60-90 minutes.

So really, in this pretty typical example -- the total extra time commitment of the DxDP was about 10-60 minutes. At most, an extra hour. Probably more like an extra half hour.
I don't think a half hour transforms a vacation into being about nothing but the food.

I agree we always do the Dxdp. I don't think we spend that much time eating. We only eat 2 meals a day. One meal being a signature. The signature meals take about 2 hours which is fine with us. We don' t like going to the parks at night. We just like better quality of food. I have found a big difference in quality between the signature restaurants and the 1 ts restaurants. We like a balanced vacation a little entertainment, a little relaxation, and some good food mixed in.

 

[Pikester]

Heads up for Disney Visa holders. I just received a RO discount for the dates of 1/2/12-2/20/12. Book through 12/21/11.

25% off Value Resorts(20% at All-Star Movies)
30% off Moderate Resorts (25% off Port Orleans French Quarter)
35% off Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villa (30% off Animal Kingdom and Polyneisan)

Will be availabe to the public on October 5, 2011.

 

[HeatherLassell]

we are getting 2 rooms because there is 5 of us going and DH wants the deluxe because he wants to do the 2 credit meals....i could save ALOT going down to basic! we always have tons of meals left over, and with me having the gastric bypass its really just stupid to have that much food

i'm wondering if i should down grade to basic and see if they will let me share plates or something .... i dont know DH is pretty head strong on that damn deluxe dinning

Well if you're saying that you always have tons of meals left over (so you mean unused credits?) then I'd say it definately would make sense to downgrade. And my good friend just had gastric bypass a few weeks ago and I know she can't eat more than a handfull of anything. So if you can go to the regular dining instead of the DELUXE....you will have saved so much money. Which you can use for your DH to get himself more food or snacks. Gotta keep their tummys full or they get really cranky! lol.

What I would do is make it make sense to him. Show him the $. How much the current plan is. How much the other is. The difference. Which can be used on the many many many snack options during the day.

Hope you figure something out to save yourself money. I can imagine it's quite the extra expense needing 2 rooms too.

 

[mikat]

Heads up for Disney Visa holders. I just received a RO discount for the dates of 1/2/12-2/20/12. Book through 12/21/11.

25% off Value Resorts(20% at All-Star Movies)
30% off Moderate Resorts (25% off Port Orleans French Quarter)
35% off Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villa (30% off Animal Kingdom and Polyneisan)

Will be available to the public on October 5, 2011.

Woohoo, just saved a ton on my weekend solo trip in January! Thanks for the heads-up!

 

[sandym718]

Heads up for Disney Visa holders. I just received a RO discount for the dates of 1/2/12-2/20/12. Book through 12/21/11.

25% off Value Resorts(20% at All-Star Movies)
30% off Moderate Resorts (25% off Port Orleans French Quarter)
35% off Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villa (30% off Animal Kingdom and Polyneisan)

Will be availabe to the public on October 5, 2011.

Ugh! We arrive on March 2. Bummer, 35% at the Poly would be better than the FD

 

[sjs314]

Ugh! We arrive on March 2. Bummer, 35% at the Poly would be better than the FD

In the same boat here we arrive 3/4 and a 35% discount would save us $700 hopefully they will extend the promo and our week will not be blacked out

 

[Pikester]

Woohoo, just saved a ton on my weekend solo trip in January! Thanks for the heads-up!

So very happy it worked for you!

Ugh! We arrive on March 2. Bummer, 35% at the Poly would be better than the FD

In the same boat here we arrive 3/4 and a 35% discount would save us $700 hopefully they will extend the promo and our week will not be blacked out

Our WDW trip is Feb 25--March3 so we are not able to use this. And of course FD is blacked out those dates. We are driving from New Hampshire (takes us 24hrs or so with stops to eat and stretch our legs) and have chosen to stay offsite. I really, really wanted to stay at Pop Century but we just couldn't swing it. We've been to Disney 3 other times and have always stayed at Pop. This stay offsite will be a new experience which I hope is a good one.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Hey havoc......any thoughts on what the next promotion may be? Or if there will even be a "next" one. The free dining promotion expires on October 29th. Would love to see something for us May and June travelers.

 

[kmd1974]

I agree. We will be there on May 20 - 26. I hope there is free dining BUT I will not let anything stop me from going. DD is not even going the last day of school. She will be at the World for it. If anyone hears please keep us informed. Thanks

 

[mickeystoontown]

I agree. We will be there on May 20 - 26. I hope there is free dining BUT I will not let anything stop me from going. DD is not even going the last day of school. She will be at the World for it. If anyone hears please keep us informed. Thanks

Hello fellow Louisiana resident! We are up in North Louisiana and our son will be missing the last couple of days of school as well.

 

[kmd1974]

Hello fellow Louisiana resident! We are up in North Louisiana and our son will be missing the last couple of days of school as well.

Hi!!! I'm from way down south in Houma. I'm new to this BUT love to read everyone's post. Nice to meet you!

 

[lauralong81]

subbing so i can keep up to date. Hoping for a decent deal end of April or Early May 2012 (when we always go). We won't/can't go if we have to pay list. Past 4 years or so, they seem to offer the Room Only discounts around that time, which is fine with me. With the DDP, tickets and room we usually get, the Room Only deal usually comes out to only be about $200 more than a free dining plan. And I'll easily trade that for lesser crowds. End of April/Early May is practically perfect in every way for us <3