Anyone ever do this or is it a hairbrained scheme I am thinking about?

[JsMom2]

What's EMH?

Extra Magic Hours

 

[PinkTink63]

Bottom line is:

IF Disney CARED about the families that would potentially miss out from being able to afford to go during these promotions THEY would give a discount to DVC members so they wouldnt HAVE to do this to save some money.

If I pay for it, I can do what I want with it as long as it is legal...If I want to leave MY room that I paid for empty, it is MY business....maybe I will just use it to store my luggage and souveniers.......

My big complaint about the DDP is what 10-12 year old EATS $38 worth of food in a day? I am sure there are some out there, but Disney needs to get realistic with their adult price here. Even the Buffets around the US usually use 12 or 13 as the adult cut off....It really makes DDP unrealistic for many families...

That is exactly why I have never bought the DDP! My son is 13 and weighs 79lbs.! There is no way he can eat $38 worth of food in a day!

 

[PinkTink63]

I agree with other posters that if Disney cared about their loyal DVC Owners, they would create a way for members (who have invested in DVC and Disney vacations for 40+ years into the future) to also get a dining discount. Especially when a lot of the WDW dining discounts for DVC (10%, 20% off) have been removed from their website as of late.

As a newer DVC member, I'm not pleased to hear that someone can book a value for $82/night, get upgraded to a 1BR DVC room AND get free dining.

Booking two rooms and juggling all of that seems like too much work for me and not enough savings to make it worth it. Now, I'm using points for an Aug 31-Sept 5 stay, incuding borrowing points for a room for our guests. We're not doing the DDP, but I'm irritated that unless we make reservations now, it is likely that we will be turned away at the majority of restaurants (as cash-paying customers) because they are full of people eating for free.

Well, be prepared to be turned away, because that is exactly what happened to us last summer! We were not able to eat at several places we wanted to try because they were "booked". The thing that I find most irritating is I know many people don't even show up for their ressies! We don't know what we are going to want to eat 3 months before arriving!

 

[PinkTink63]

I think your missing the point of the perks they are adding to the value resorts, Disney is luring mostly first time visitors to WDW with free dining, etc knowing they will visit the parks and drop a ton of money on those trinkets.

That may be their intention for offering the FD, but as we all know by the people on these boards, sooo many people wait for this offering and are frequent visitors to WDW!

 

[RichieGraciemom]

Im Hoping There Is No Free Dining This Year. Now With The Tip Not Included It Could Not All Actually Be Free. Keep The Crowds Away And No Free Dining.

 

[tammymacb]

I think your missing the point of the perks they are adding to the value resorts, Disney is luring mostly first time visitors to WDW with free dining, etc knowing they will visit the parks and drop a ton of money on those trinkets.

This sounds like the same thing I see everyday at work. I work for a hospital that is alllll about recruiting. The retention thing isn't even a consideration. The result- they don't keep good help for long periods of time ( I've been there 8 months and my last day is April 20th ). To truly keep a happy medium, how about you make your business appealing to bring on the new guys and yet throw the old dogs a bone. If not, they look for other ways to get them....

 

[nicki's mom]

OK...maybe I'm fatally flawed on ethics, but I'll be switched if I see anything dishonest or unethical in this plan!! I do see it as not saving very much money by the time you pay for the various MYW package elements that are required to get free dining...but if you get lucky and get one of the least expensive rooms and have a group of four that "works" (kids ages, etc), you might save a penny or two. (Don't forget you'll have to go check in at the value, and "show" all your people on the reservation, or so I've read, to get the free dining, so for it to work you wouldn't be able to "make up" your party size...it'd have to be real. And you'll have to carve out valuable vacation time to check in to make it work.)

But what's so wrong with this? It's low season (hence free dining)...not like there will be huge competition for those rooms. And truth be told, why would it be wrong to "use" two rooms (whether for free dining or just because you might happen to want to) if you can get them and pay for them?

I just don't get what's "wrong" with this plan (other than, for me, it being too cumbersome and troublesome to make it worth a pretty minor savings)...no doubt you-all will tell me and then I'll know. BUt I not only don't see anything particularly wrong with it, I'm mystified at the intensity of the reaction...

I'd actually welcome someone explaining it to me...particularly if that can be done w/out suggesting that I'm a slime ball. Keep in mind, even tho I see nothing at all wrong with the idea, it's not my idea and I'm not going to use it!

Thanks...

Move over, I'm with you.

WDW set the rules, you played by them. Although, I think I'd likely bank my points and stay in the value. But I tned to the cheap like that.

 

[JsMom2]

Move over, I'm with you.

WDW set the rules, you played by them.

Exactly!

Here's my take: Unlike an off-property hotel, Disney registers each and every person staying in their rooms. Therefore, it should be very simple to prevent folks from booking 2 rooms for the same time period. Even if one is a DVC room, it's relatively simple to have a computer bump the names up against each other.

If Disney wanted to prevent this, they could.

 

[Inkmahm]

What I book versus what I can afford or booking two rooms because I want the extra space are decisions that I make to maximize my personal utility. These decisions have no bearing, absoluely none, on anyone else. That any DVC owner can pretend to argue for the less fortunate that might lose out on a room is ridiculous. We enjoy a privledge that includes frequent, expensive vacations. It is becasue we are smart with our money that we are in this position. Smart often includes such things as clipping coupons, buying things on sale and taking advantage of special offers. Special offers like free dining. I applaud all that can make this offer work to their advantage.

Another great post!

My husband never clipped coupons or shopped sales before I met him. He does both now. He's gotten use to my approach to online shopping which is that I'm the happiest camper when I can find something on sale, get yet another discount off the sale price with a coupon AND find free shipping for it, too. Oh yeah, and order online through ebates to get a rebate, too. I spend hours and hours planning our various trips so that I find the cheapest car rentals, hotel deals, etc. It's part of the fun of the trip for me!

 

[Starr W.]

That may be their intention for offering the FD, but as we all know by the people on these boards, sooo many people wait for this offering and are frequent visitors to WDW!

You should see the codes/rate board, that is a group that knows how to work the system. Not that I think there is anything wrong with that.

I'm not sure I would go during "free dining", I know a lot of people from the c/r board set up ADR's at 180 days in anticipation of FD, I bet if they decide not to go they don't bother cancelling those ADR's.

 

[nunzia]

Because markup on souviners is better?

Let's say your orginal budget was $1,000 for Food and Souviners. And you were going to get a 20% discount on the room.... So your orignal room for three nights was around $200 (Value) Total cost for you and DH.... $1200.


Now you get Free Dining.... So you spend $250 on room and food. That gives you $950 to spend on souviners which have at LEAST a 100% markup based on regular retail (and I bet Disney's is higher on a LOT of stuff) The "margin" is better on souviners then food....Plus it cost less to sell.

And how much do you bet that the averge family spends MORE then they would have on souviners since "we are eating for free"

I guess that's a valid point since merchandise mark up is so high. However, I don't buy souviners so they'd be losing money on me. But, good point.
And I'm sure Disney sees it as a good thing or they wouldn't do it..maybe they do think it will get more people to come back or spend money on site or whatever. I tend to think these promotions have a long term negative effect. People begin waiting for the 'sale', and then won't come without it. Have you ever noticed the JC Penney ads?? Every week is the BIGGEST SALE EVER! ..does anyone shop there without a Sale, knowing if they wait a bit everything will be on 'sale'? Or is it just case of having such huge mark ups on items that the 'sale' price is the 'real' price. Then people who pay full price feel like schmucks. It is not a good trend to have your customers feel like schumcks.
I guess I feel for the restaurant workers since that was my world..
"oh lord..here come the free dining people...."

 

[RLRDA]

I believe that the "less fortunate family argument" could go for someone who books at a value when THEY could afford a moderate. They are also depriving that less fortunate family from getting what they want. Or a family of four that books two rooms, just to have extra space!

There is nothing unethical, as long as you are not making any deceitful transactions (see definitions). As already mentioned, you could make the same arguments about people who rent out their DVC, they are depriving an "owner" the oppotunity to use it. Under that theory, if you can't use your points you should let them expire!

For the record, the definition of Ethical from dictionary.com (I believe #2 applies here)

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
2. being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, esp. the standards of a profession: It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
3. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

I was waiting for someone to break out the online dictionary! I saw this thread the first day it started and can't believe how it's grown!! That being said, there is nothing unethical about what the OP suggested in the least. But many, including myself, wouldn't do it simply because of the extra energy/time needed to do it. If you want to do it, go for it.....

 

[hansel1]

No, thanks.

Don't judge me by YOUR standards of what is important enough to care about. No, I'm not at all concerned about keeping another family from making a reservation. The playing field is level. If that family wanted the reservation as much as the person who booked it just to get the free dining, they COULD have booked it first. They didn't? Too bad. I prefer to be concerned about things that are much more important to me- my family, my church, funding research to cure various diseases, funding our local zoo, the girl scouts, United Way, etc. The money I save by getting "deals" etc. allows me to be generous to charities of MY choice, which doesn't include families that want a trip to WDW in a value resort.

If you believe that I have judged you, I apologize. That was not my intention. However, your posts reveal an egocentric attitude towards others. That is an observation, not a judgement.

Your previous posts of people and their "first born" attitude toward disney could be called into question, just the same, for judging others on your standards.

The argument that you make for your opinion being correct is no less valid than the argument that I make about my opinion.

Let's not forget that these are all just that, opinions. If you don't agree with me, I don't lose sleep over it. As I'm sure you don't if I don't agree with you.

My opinion is that the OP's suggestion shouldn't be done because it could prevent others from visiting disney. My family loves our trips to disney and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on a great vacation.

 

[global_mom]

If you believe that I have judged you, I apologize. That was not my intention. However, your posts reveal an egocentric attitude towards others. That is an observation, not a judgement.

Your previous posts of people and their "first born" attitude toward disney could be called into question, just the same, for judging others on your standards.

The argument that you make for your opinion being correct is no less valid than the argument that I make about my opinion.

Let's not forget that these are all just that, opinions. If you don't agree with me, I don't lose sleep over it. As I'm sure you don't if I don't agree with you.

My opinion is that the OP's suggestion shouldn't be done because it could prevent others from visiting disney. My family loves our trips to disney and I wouldn't want anyone to miss out on a great vacation.

 

[Inkmahm]

If you believe that I have judged you, I apologize. That was not my intention. However, your posts reveal an egocentric attitude towards others. That is an observation, not a judgement.

That IS a judgement. An apology that says "I'm sorry, but here's another insult" isn't much of an apology.

 

[karrit2000]

I personally won't pay for a room I don't intend to use. That way I get to spend more time using my points at other times of the year. If I want the "FREE DINING" I'll stay in the room that I'm paying for. I'm not going to waste my points just to stay in a fancier room. This is what I've done the past two years. This becomes my trip where there is maid service every day even though it isn't a fancy room. If I didn't own DVC I'd probably be staying in the Value resorts all the time anyway. I realize that some DVC members have more points than they know what to do with so this may seem like a win-win to them. But for those of us who have a set number of points the more time we can spend at Disney for the least amount possible the better. I won't even get into the arguement of taking rooms away from other people because that has already been covered.

 

[JaxDisneyFans]

Karrit2000, when you get back from Expedition Pins, I'd love to read your Trip Report about how you liked the event. We debate (too long) about going & it was sold out by the time we decided.

 

[dvcdisney]

The best cure for us would be for Disney to offer free dining to DVCers staying on points, but I don't see this happening.

DisFlan

I'd be happy with a DVC discount on DDP.

 

[Miz Diz]

Do you actually get one day tickets though or are the admissions included for the days that you have the room on your room key and then expire at the end of the trip?

I did this last year and the CM making the reservation actually recommended it to me. She said a friend of hers had already done it. I booked a Value Resort (we stayed in the room) and paid for a 1 day ticket for each of our party. We got the free dining for the entire stay. You never activate your ticket, so it never expires. Later we upgraded the 1 day ticket to an AP.

Apparently this is okay with Disney so don't flame me. When we checked in, we were asked if we meant to only get a 1 day ticket and I told them what we were doing.

Sorry to be OT, but someone had asked why you would want to spend the money on the ticket. It is not a loss on the money because you can upgrade the ticket to more days or an AP later.

 

[hansel1]

I didn't sell my soul or promise my first born child to Disney when I became a DVC member, unlike some of you seem to have done.

I still think you need a hug.