Anyone else considering dumping FD for room discount?

[bigmochick]

I'm really on the fence about doing this. My DH wants so badly to do the deluxe dining so I upgraded from free to deluxe. I had already booked a different resort that I felt was the best fit for my family but had to switch (& spend more $) to get "free" dining. So I'm considering,IF this resort has room only discount come up,dumping FD & going with it. I already figured if I only got a 15% discount it would be $800+ off the package I have now with deluxe dining. Surely we can get by feeding 2 adults + child for 6 days/ 5 nights for less than $800?

 

[Santa]

I budget $40 a day per person if we plan at least one sitdown meal a day. Some of the character meals are over the $40 budget but then we save on days when we do just counter service. So unless you need character or signature dining every day you should be fine with under $800 for the three of you.

 

[hsmamato2]

I have a few figures... 2 adults,one child- average cost for dinner is 30 per adult,12.00 per kid TS.(drinks,dessert,etc) some buffets cost more pp.
that's approx. 72.00 for the 3 of you per day for DINNER ONLY. TS.
that's 504,plus tips.
add the cost for lunch (TS) at about 60.00 per day for 3=180.00 LUNCH
breakfast (TS) around 60.00 per day that's 180.00 Breakfast
Snack,1 per day on DXDP(?) 9.00,x7 days= 63.00
so 180-breakfast
180-lunch
504.-dinners(min.)
63-snacks=
= 927.00
This is figuring on the *low* side,and DDXP (3 TS per day) price average. plus add your tips to this total. Allears.net has full restaurant listings for prices,etc.
keep in mind, character meals are around 35.00 per adult

 

[hsmamato2]

sorry OP, your question was on 'getting by' not eating like dxdp?
of course you can get by for less,just eat CS everywhere! is your DH going to be happy with this? price out your FD option too,as it at least gets you that one TS per day.... I don't know how a pp prices 40 pp per day with one TS... since one buffet meal at Boma (my fave- is approx. 35.00 pp)
With doing only QS- I average approx 100-110 for 4 'adults' per day
but one buffet meal costs us around 130.00 min. for 4.

 

[Moomduck1]

I'm really on the fence about doing this. My DH wants so badly to do the deluxe dining so I upgraded from free to deluxe. I had already booked a different resort that I felt was the best fit for my family but had to switch (& spend more $) to get "free" dining. So I'm considering,IF this resort has room only discount come up,dumping FD & going with it. I already figured if I only got a 15% discount it would be $800+ off the package I have now with deluxe dining. Surely we can get by feeding 2 adults + child for 6 days/ 5 nights for less than $800?

It really depends upon what restaurants you eat at and how much you eat. There are several sites online where you can find WDW menus. I'm not sure if it'll let me post it, but I use www.allears.net . You can get an idea of how much food will cost for you.

I've gone with my husband and 2 adult children and we have not spent $800 in 6 days. Then again, we went on a 4 day trip with 3 adult children and used the free dining plan (when it initially came out, which is similar to the Deluxe plan now) and had we spent money on food, it would have been well over $800. The difference is how many table service places you want.

If you are going to do character meals or expensive restaurants, you really might do better with the free dining. But if you are happy eating at counter service places with only 1 or 2 table service meal, then you should go with the room discount.

There isn't really a hard and fast rule, because everyone eats differently. Some people's kids split meals because they don't eat much, and others have kids who eat adult meals. I suggest checking out the menus and trying to do the math.

Whatever you decide, save all of your dining receipts from your trip. When you get home, you can add up what you spent on food (or what you would have spent if you went with the free dining) and you can use that information to help you plan your next trip.

Good luck!

 

[ctl]

I did deluxe dining with my DH for her 13th birthday. I booked TS twice a day, and we couldn't eat all the food. Also, I ended up having to pay huge gratutities on each TS meal, even though we really weren't that hungry. I truly don't think deluxe dining is worth the money,as when we went to Liberty tree Tavern etc, people on the regular DP got the same family stlye meal as we did. There are some nicer restaurants where you get an appetizer, but frankly I think your DH might be a little disappointed. I woud probably take the room discount and have flexibility in what type of food to eat, but that's just me. Always remember, if hubby ain't happy, then no-one's happy! Good luck with a tough decision.

 

[Singinglizzie]

To OP it really depends on your eating style and preferences. If you plan on getting appetizers, desserts and eating at signature restaurants, then it may be worth doing the DxDP. How much do you think you will save by not having the DxDP and going back to your original resort? If it is a wash, then just stay where you are. We stayed AKL last fall and choose not to do the DDP thinking I could save some $$ - but I was wrong. We should have taken advantage of all those snack credits and the refillable mugs. In the end I would up spending just as much as the DDP and would have prefered to not have to be a penny pincher by telling my kid - no we can't afford that. For folks that like to spilt meals, or eat small portions, then the DDP can be way too much food. I think the DxDP is best for signature meals or dinner shows like the Luau and the Hoop de Do. Could you compromise and just do the free DDP - not deluxe, then let hubby order appetizers OOP? Whatever you decide enjoy your trip!

 

[luvallprincesses]

We are fully prepared to "dump" FD for a room discount if a good discount comes up. Actually, that is exactly what we hope happens. We have done FD our last 2 trips staying at a moderate, and feel like we waste food and are too stuck to a schedule every day. DD11 and DS6 are not big eaters - more grazers on vacation - and DD11 is somewhat picky. They also don't enjoy spending 1.5 Disney hours daily at a table. We are planning 3 TS meals for an 8 night trip and would make out much better at WL, where we plan to spend a decent amount of resort time, with 30%+ room discount. If a good room only doesn't come out, then free dining is better than nothing!

 

[momof2gr8kids]

I'm on the fence with this, as we are hoping to do the YES program if it's available when we plan to go. Historicially it has been, as has free dining.

The savings on tickets with a room discount is close to what we would spend on food, but having the dining plan and not worrying about prices is nice. We plan to have the WP & PH option this time. Last time we didn't, so we had more time to relax and enjoy dinner, even if there was a wait.

Im envisioning a lot of bussing around to get to meals and not sure if we'd prefer that or lounging by the pool with a counter service. What to do, what to do???

Then I think if we've got the FD and the WP & M options, I'll want a vehicle, which adds to the cost. Plus w/ FD, we would have to stay at POR as we have 5. Too costly for two rooms at a value w/ an upgrade on the dining.

Ahh, if only all of life's hard decisions were Disney related!

 

[megan_in_pink]

How often do these codes come out? All these numbers are making my head spin.

 

[bdoyledimou]

Estimating after taxes

$10 pp per day breakfast
$12 pp per day lunch
$35 pp per day dinner

$57 pp per day.

For a fam of 4 that's $228 a day not including snacks.


My family sleds makes out better with Free Dining than a room discount

 

[GovieMom]

Our family of four adults also makes out better with Free Dining. However it will only be DH and I on our upcoming trip, and we're staying at the Beach Club. So ... a 30% discount there would save us more money than Free Dining would. Needless to say, we're hoping for a room-only discount, then would just pay for the dining plan and still come out ahead.

 

[rcraw45425]

Right now I'm booked at CR theme park view at $545/$575 per night with three day hoppers for four adults. Total cost is ~$3100. Now our teens say they think they need to stay home due to school commitments. If I drop them and go with room only discount, I'll save ~$575 dollars. Three day hoppers for two are $58, four day hoppers for two are $626. We never eat all of our food on the DDP.

 

[cjsm&d]

We are fully prepared to "dump" FD for a room discount if a good discount comes up. Actually, that is exactly what we hope happens. We have done FD our last 2 trips staying at a moderate, and feel like we waste food and are too stuck to a schedule every day. DD11 and DS6 are not big eaters - more grazers on vacation - and DD11 is somewhat picky. They also don't enjoy spending 1.5 Disney hours daily at a table. We are planning 3 TS meals for an 8 night trip and would make out much better at WL, where we plan to spend a decent amount of resort time, with 30%+ room discount. If a good room only doesn't come out, then free dining is better than nothing!

Our next trip we would only take the FD if we can't get a room only dicount. my DS is not a big eater and my niece and nephew aren't either. Plus with a group of youngsters this trip, I really don't want to "schedule" too many meals. I'd much rather go with the flow.

 

[Masonmj84]

Right now, I have FD in December at POR.

I'd like to do a Poly/BC split stay but won't pay rack rate to stay deluxe (even in the off-season with free dining).

I've decided I'll stick unless I can get a combined average room discount at Poly/BC that exceeds 30%.

Given how generally lousy room discounts have been this year, I'm not holding my breath.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We are fully prepared to "dump" FD for a room discount if a good discount comes up. Actually, that is exactly what we hope happens. We have done FD our last 2 trips staying at a moderate, and feel like we waste food and are too stuck to a schedule every day. DD11 and DS6 are not big eaters - more grazers on vacation - and DD11 is somewhat picky. They also don't enjoy spending 1.5 Disney hours daily at a table. We are planning 3 TS meals for an 8 night trip and would make out much better at WL, where we plan to spend a decent amount of resort time, with 30%+ room discount. If a good room only doesn't come out, then free dining is better than nothing!

Our sentiments exactly!

 

[Megsie1000]

We are going in January and are waiting until discounts come out to figure out dates and book our trip.

Free dining will probably come out first. I don't think we can wait for room discounts to come out to make our plans because we are relying on airmiles to get our airline tickets. Usually free dining would be a good deal, but this year we have annual passes and already have a TIW card. The only one who doesn't have a ticket is DH.

I think when free dining comes out, we will probably book that. If the room discounts don't end up coordinating with our dates, we'll just keep free dining and hold on to the extra tickets for another trip. If we can get POR with free dining, that still ends up being a pretty good deal for a family of 5. However, if room discounts come out, we'll probably switch over to that. DH will be celebrating a milestone birthday and it would be really nice to stay in a deluxe for at least a few nights. I would like to do a split stay and that is much easier without the free dining involved.