anyone else not care about free dining?

[cindykelley]

We went last year with free dining and it was alright. This year we are using the 40% off bounceback offer. We have already decided not to change to the free dining if and when it comes out. We found that we had way too much food last time and the way we figure it, we can split meals or whatever we need. Our kids are not big eaters at all. We also like to have donuts or poptarts in the room so we have breakfast covered. We figure we can save more money this way.

Are we the only ones who don't give a rip about free dining?

 

[twoplustwins]

We did the free dining last year because the discount was about the same as the room only (staying at POR). We thought the kids would really like the character meals, and they did, BUT, this year the Kids Stay/Play Free was a much better deal than the free dining. Plus, we had to add on the tips from the meals.
If we decide to go again next year, hopefully we can use the 40% or Kids Free.

 

[kmk1180]

We planning on going Sept 11' and not worried if there's free dining or not.
We might make a couple ADR's but there won't be any make or break meals for us.
But if everyone else is booked eating, great, then lines for the rides will be even shorter.

 

[MartDM]

I'm with you on that. We never tried it because it didn't make sense for us (we always saved more with the room discounts). Last year, the only deal they were running was free dining so we tried it and I wasn't terribly impressed.

First off, it was more food than we really wanted. Second, it didn't really save us anything because we were paying for more food than we would normally eat and we had to pay for my son's meals (he was not quite 3 yet so he didn't get a plan for himself, but was old enough he needed a meal).

Most of all, I thought it was a real hassle to have to plan so many sit down meals into our days. Don't get me wrong, we like a few good sit down meals while we are at WDW, but for us, the amount you have to use while on the dining plan and the fact that you have to have a ADR for them (because the restaurants are so booked) really limits your daily flexibility.

I would have been much happier with the plan if we could have had the option to have a counter service meal in lieu of a table service if that fit our plans better (wouldn't have saved any money obviously but would have been more convenient for us).

All in all, I'll take a nice discount off our villa over free food any day!

 

[herewego1]

We have never done the dining plan and I have never looked into since our girls were so young-2 and 5. Now with the possibility of FD coming out, I did read a bit about it, but it seems to be way to much food for us, so I am not all worrying about a FD offer. I see where it would be of benefit to those with older children or adults in the group, but I am so glad this post came up because I really felt like I was missing something! Glad I am not alone! I even called to make a change to our current reservation for December and the CM said to call back on or after July 13 because I had a FD PIN as many others on here mentioned. Wish I could give it to someone who really could use it!

 

[mlittig]

I am another one who would rather get a room discount as opposed to the free dining plan

 

[Joie]

I booked free dining for our trip on Sept 25-Oct 3 in the ASMU family suite and upgraded to ddp instead of qsdp. When the AP discount finally came out I cancelled it and got 42% off Deluxe villas. It comes out a better value for us to get room discount and pay for ddp and now we're staying at AKLV savannah view much better for 5 adults than the family suites. The only way free dining is a good deal is if you have kids. My friend that is going the same time we are is going on free dining and staying at PORS. She and her mom splits the cost of the room and she and her 3 kids get free dining works out great for her

 

[3_disprincesses]

For us free dining last trip was a great deal. Our package cost $100 more adding the "free" dining than what we were already paying for room/tickets(guess maybe we didn't have a very good deal to begin with!) and I'm sure we couldn't have fed two adults and one child for $100 in a week. Also, we were able to try restaurants we normally wouldn't have gone to. We also were able to attend 3 character meals that would never have happened if I were to pay for all the meals. AND I got to eat what I wanted to instead of having to order something to share with a 4 year old LOL!!! Would I plan my next trip around free dining? Probably not - but it did help us out that trip.

 

[Junebugwv]

We go every September and we don't do FD . We are not the least interested in planning where we want to eat weeks in advance. We have had a few character breakfasts on our non-park days, but that doesn't interest us anymore because it is too much food. Our preference is to take a break for a quick CS meal and be on our way.

 

[lilclerk]

I used free dining last December... it was good for that trip as I was with my best friend and we were trying to relax and just take in the sights. The restaurant reservations were a good way to help us slow down.
I probably wouldn't use it again, though. In general, I'll save more by using a room discount and paying OOP for food as I'm not a big eater.

 

[Mamu]

I'll take a discount anyday, we stay CL so the savings is quite a bit. I have 2 rooms booked and my savings is over $2100. I also have a Table in Wonderland Card and get 20% of meals and beverages. We also have AP's, more discounts on purchases. While free dining is good for some, I hate schedules when on vacation. Yes we have a few lunches planned but other then that we free to eat when we feel hungry. I enjoy some of the CS restaurants more then some of the TS restaurants at 1/6 the cost.

We visit Disney every March with friends and stay off site at TS, we do lots of the TS restaurants at that time.

There will be 10 of us on this trip 2 young grandchildren one who still naps every day and one adult who naps also, plus the older GC like the pool and the water boats.

There are a few days some are doing other parks, Sea World and Discovery Cove. Those are the days I'll grab a good romance novel find a quite spot and relax.

Keep those discounts coming.

 

[plutolovr]

We don't care about FD either. My DD is a CM and we get a much better deal using her discount. They have also been giving the CMs discounts on the Dining Plan also. This is the only time I buy the DP because it's a no-brainer at the price they offer. Even if we didn't use all our credits we came out waaaay ahead. I also have an AP and TIW card, so we use that for whatever the DP does not cover.

 

[larryz]

We are four adults, and I budget $40 per person per day for food. The regular DP is $41 per person per day on a MYW package, and I just don't think we're going to break that close to the money. I'll keep close track this trip and see how much we actually spend.

And, should I be offered FD, that $40 ppd is what I'm using to see if it'll save us money over the 40% room discount.

 

[disneychick0412]

We have done FD twice. We always get the regular dining plan, so it was a great savings for us.

For our upcoming trip, we are staying at CBR with a 35% discount. The FD discount is just a little bit better, but not that much.

For us the free dining is a great discount IF we wanted to go during that time period! But I can't stand the heat (AT ALL), and we love November and December.

So no, I don't care about the free dining, because it's not worth sweltering in the heat! I would rather pay more and have enjoyable temps!

 

[dalstitch45]

I am another one who would rather get a room discount as opposed to the free dining plan

Ditto! It was always too much food. Plus, I have no desire to run around on my last day trying to use up the credits. Between the discounts from my PAP (I got the Premier this year), and the TIW, I come out better. I have found most of the places I like are not on the free dining anyway.

 

[GSDRescuer]

Room discount here, too!

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I use the best deal available for the time I want to go. FD doesn't dictate when I will go. Based on where we are staying and how many are going, I decide is FD or a room discount in a better deal for my trip.

When I have the DP, I don't let it run my vacation. If I don't use all of the credits I am okay with that.

 

[cindykelley]

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Seems like all I see on here are people looking for free dining. Don't get me wrong, if they insisted I take it on top of my room discount, I wouldn't turn it down

I think if I ate table service meals every night, I'd hurl on the roller coasters.

 

[rt2dz]

I always decide when we are going first and which resort I want to stay at next. Then I decide on tickets and plan my dining--and not to save money, but wherever we want to eat and what I think we might eat. In the end, I run all my numbers and compare every scenario (deals offered at the time of our visit at the resort we want). I always go with the lowest bottom line. While we've been many times during a free dining offer, it has NEVER been the best deal. We're a family of 6 (kids 9, 6, 4, <1) and stay either in the cabins or deluxe resort and with one with food allergies, we eat a lot of TS. Soon to be in some type of villa.

 

[VickiVM]

I had FD booked for next month @ POR for our family of 5 (inc. 3 teens) and was happy to get the perk...it would have saved money since there was not a room only discount available for us that beat the FD offer.

However, at the very last minute before our final payment was due, we learned of Wyndham Bonnet Creek and are getting a 2 bedroom timeshare unit (same amenities more of less of a 2 bedroom DVC) for $110/night!

Although the thought of not really worrying about cost of meals is cool, I really couldn't get fired up about all the food we would be consuming (or throwing out) everyday. That's just too much food for summertime.

I CAN get fired up about 2 bedrooms (1 bed for each of my kids) and full kitchen, w/d, nice pool facilities, etc. Not going to miss the FD, I don't think.