Anyone not really excited about the Free DDP?

[Cinders Mum]

Thanks.
I did some math too and the deluxe isn't a good deal for free dining when I ran the numbers. I can't even go in that time frame!

Make some ADRs and all will be wonderful. We always go in June and always have to make ADRs or we wouldn't get in anywhere to eat

Oh don't get me wrong, I have got ADR's booked for some of the time, but trying to plan a full 21 days dining is virtually impossible, I have been able to narrow it down to 11 definates but the rest who knows??!!

Ah well if it comes to it we'll counter service it the rest of the time ....

thanks

 

[Dizzyworld]

This is our problem too. We are having a quick trip to WDW before a cruise. We were not planning a lot except one TS dinner. We figured we didn't want to spend the time eating at TS each day when we will be having dreess-up dinners as the kids call them each night on the cruise. We just want to run through the parks, so I figured it wouldn't work for us and our plans either.

 

[schumacher]

I can't speak from direct experience as we were there right after the Free Dining promotion last year. I think as many have pointed out the crowds will be relative, expect to have crowds and you won't be disappointed when you have minimal waits and remain flexible. If one park seems mobbed, bail out and try another, it generally seems to have worked for us.
One thing I will mention is the fact that I believe the free dining causes an increased stress level for the CMs. I can recall at least 5 or 6 restaurant CMs that mentioned how incredibly demanding (ok they actually said "rude and inconsiderate") some of the guests were from last year's promotion. I would like to have taken advantage but we were too late as I mentioned. We just couldn't understand why for the first couple of days we were constantly asked "are you on the dining plan?", when we responded "sorry NO" the server became a much more relaxed and accomodating individual. When we asked what was going on they explained some of their not so happy encounters with these "demanding guests". We will be returning late October this year so we will miss it again but for you fortunate folks that are able to take advantage you may want to keep in mind that the servers are pushed to the brink from the sounds of things. Just smile and distribute the magic yourself while you are enjoying the great food.

Cheers,

Schuey

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

but for you fortunate folks that are able to take advantage you may want to keep in mind that the servers are pushed to the brink from the sounds of things. Just smile and distribute the magic yourself while you are enjoying the great food.

Great advice and I plan on doing just that. I hate it when people are getting a great deal and then are rude or stingy about it.

But, I do imagine that these servers are making a lot more from people on the dining plan than the other tables.

Take our family for instance. One of the places we are dining is Chef de France. All servers make 18% of the "bill" before tax. I added up what we would be ordering on the free dining plan(there are 5 of us). It came to about $160. That means they make about $29 on my table.

We have eaten there in the past and ofcourse, have not ordered appt., entree PLUS dessert and beverages. Our bill last year came to about $85 for lunch for 6 of us. That's $15 (at 18%, which actually we gave 20%).

Now, they are doing a lot more running around for that $29 and the table isn't going to be freed up as soon when you are ordering 3 courses, but I would have been happy, way back when I was a waitress, to earn $29 over $15. And the dining plan guarantees a server that they will not be stiffed!

And I hope they realize (I know some of them must read these boards) that people like me( I would hope I'm not in the minority) are going to leave EXTRA money if I get good service. I'll be good to them if they are good to me.............

edited to add: schumacher...........that's a good Pa. name. I am from a little town called Highspire........ever heard of it? Outside of Hbg. When I was a little girl, we used to listen to a singer (I believe also from Pa.) whose name was Paul Schumacher .......not sure if his was spelled that way or not.

 

[dandave]

Well, between today and yesterday I have:

Booked and cancelled dinner at the castle
Booked and cancelled Hoop Dee Doo
Booked and cancelled Le Cellier
Booked and Cancelled Teppanyaki

Rebooked Le Cellier
Rebooked Hoop Dee Doo

I have had absolutely no trouble getting the times I wanted for September 2 and 3, either. Being Labor Day weekend, I was stunned that I had my pick of times at Hoop Dee Doo. I'm sure it's going to be packed at the parks, but the restaurants aren't looking too packed as of right now. (Knock on wood!)

 

[epcotfan]

I think the free dining is overrated. I would rather get a room discount and use cash for meals. There are some days at WDW where I don't feel good and can't eat at a restaurant. Or I'm just not hungry. For myself it would probably be a waste. Especially since (as far as I'm aware) you cannot downgrade table service credits to fast food credits.

 

[LiteBrite]

We did free dining last September and really enjoyed it. However, when we went back in January, we found that it made more sense for us to take an AP room discount and use the DDE card than it did to pay for the dining plan. The normal way we eat at WDW, we average about $30/person/day, so it still wouldn't have made sense for us to pay for the dining plan even if we didn't have to give up the AP room discount to do it. With the room discount, it was really a no-brainer.

But, now that free dining is back, we're going for it again. I ran the numbers with a hypothetical AP discount scenario, and it was cheaper for us to do rack rate (at a value or moderate - we chose Pop). Plus, there is also the intangible benefit of being able to splurge on our meals in a way we don't normally get to. I don't think I would want to do it every trip, but once a year it's a lot of fun.

 

[schumacher]

Great advice and I plan on doing just that. I hate it when people are getting a great deal and then are rude or stingy about it.

But, I do imagine that these servers are making a lot more from people on the dining plan than the other tables.

Take our family for instance. One of the places we are dining is Chef de France. All servers make 18% of the "bill" before tax. I added up what we would be ordering on the free dining plan(there are 5 of us). It came to about $160. That means they make about $29 on my table.

We have eaten there in the past and ofcourse, have not ordered appt., entree PLUS dessert and beverages. Our bill last year came to about $85 for lunch for 6 of us. That's $15 (at 18%, which actually we gave 20%).

Now, they are doing a lot more running around for that $29 and the table isn't going to be freed up as soon when you are ordering 3 courses, but I would have been happy, way back when I was a waitress, to earn $29 over $15. And the dining plan guarantees a server that they will not be stiffed!

And I hope they realize (I know some of them must read these boards) that people like me( I would hope I'm not in the minority) are going to leave EXTRA money if I get good service. I'll be good to them if they are good to me.............

edited to add: schumacher...........that's a good Pa. name. I am from a little town called Highspire........ever heard of it? Outside of Hbg. When I was a little girl, we used to listen to a singer (I believe also from Pa.) whose name was Paul Schumacher .......not sure if his was spelled that way or not.

Mom of Sleepy, Bashful and Baby Doc (wow that's some screen name),

Schumacher is actually because I'm a Formula 1 fanatic and a follower of the Michael variety of Schumacher. I am very familiar with Highspire because we reside outside of Lancaster. Not familiar with your singer though, Sorry.

I applaud your tipping advice. Unfortunately, the read our family got from the upset CM's last year was that people were basically demanding and being cheap. I understand some folks argument that this is their job but, they also are human. Not all of the Disney attractions are animatronics LOL.

Cheers Schuey

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

ITA Schumacher. I wonder how I could inform a server that yes, I'm on the Free dining plan but no, I'm not a cheapo or demanding. Do they make Disney badges for that?! Maybe giving them an extra $5 at the start of the meal would do it!

oh, can you tell I'm not a race car fan? Didn't even think of that one. And we are 25 minutes from "The Glenn" (Watkins Glen). Ofcourse, that's not Formula 1, right? Anyhoo...........

Lancaster....... love, Love, LOVE Lancaster!! Have family there. You are so blessed to live there.

edited to add: just call me Mom of Dwarfs.

 

[rigs32]

Dh and I went at the end of July in 2003 and had no problems dealing with crowds as we had a plan of attack and made crowd patterns work for us.

I'm not worried about crowding during our trip at the end of Septemer. With the new park ticket costs, we got 6 days for $4 more per person than 4 days. By being able to spread out, even without hopping, I have no fear of not seeing what we want to.

We haven't paid for the hopping upgrade, but if our plan isn't working, our plan is to pay for that upgrade when/if we need it.

 

[Panna]

Actually you can use a TS credit for CS and a CS credit for Snacks

 

[NYRN]

I have been running the numbers as well hoping to stay in the BC the week before Labor Day... I just don't think free DDP is for us. I am worried a bit about the crowds now, but I have read a few posts that seem to point in the direction of go ahead, it isn't going to be nuts.
Now I am just trying to figure out what to do...
I found this deal for our dates:
http://www.wdwforless.com/FAAP.htm
It almost seems to good to be true though, kwim?

 

[lark]

I'd rather have a room only discount. We don't care much for TS meals at WDW -- just a couple of character meals and those are usually lunch. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great thing -- free is free (well, unless you're getting upsold to rack to get "free"). But I'd much prefer to see room only codes come back.

 

[PortieOwner]

The neat thing last year was we could use our "snack" credits (assuming they still have those) at the Epcot Food and Booze festival. I ate a lot of good international snacks with our otherwise neglected snack credits.

PS. My favorite WDW discount ever was the "Fall Fantasy" plan, circa 1994. Discounted room plus free breakfast just about anywhere on the property every day. I am a big vacation breakfast eater.

Portie

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

I just wish it would extend into our stay. We miss out on both of the promotional deals by 2 weeks! Oh well...maybe that will make October less crowded???? I know..wishful thinking!

 

[cruiserkaren]

Actually you can use a TS credit for CS and a CS credit for Snacks

nevermind, found it on another thread.