Anyone "pass" on Free Dining?

[hezreck]

Free Dining was offered when I booked our package, but I told them I didn't want it. I took a $300 gift card instead. The CM on the phone kept telling me it was a better deal to get the free dining, but that is just to much food and planning for us. We also have about $300 on our Disney rewards card so between the 2 we shouldn't have to pay for anything anyway. Anyone else do this too? Just wondering.

By the way, we are doing CSR the 1st week of Feb. I can't wait.

 

[ppan77]

We opted not to do it. We priced it vs our room only discount. Its not worth it to be tied down to ressies we may or may not get to bc our kids are young. No telling when they want to sit down and eat. Maybe when the kids are teens.

 

[A-Jay]

I did the same. Took the room discount vs. the dining. Didn't want to be tied down with resis. and purchased the counter service instead. Wasn't much of a price difference.

 

[Pakey]

I would not do Free Dining either. None of the dining plans suit our eating style.

 

[TDC Nala]

All my reservations during the time period are DVC or at the Dolphin, so they weren't eligible anyway. But even if I had been eligible I would pass on it.

It appears Disney is having their phone agents hard-sell the dining plan; there's been a number of reports here about reservation agents trying to talk guests into booking the plan.

 

[laxk1d]

we figured it was worth taking the "free" dining plan

 

[kaybird]

We always take the free plan if it is available. Never look at reservations as being "tied down", always think of them more as a fast pass. It works well for us, and if we have an adr that doen't work, I just call wdw-dine and change it. No big deal.

 

[yitbos96bb]

All my reservations during the time period are DVC or at the Dolphin, so they weren't eligible anyway. But even if I had been eligible I would pass on it.

It appears Disney is having their phone agents hard-sell the dining plan; there's been a number of reports here about reservation agents trying to talk guests into booking the plan.

Makes sense. The margin on the Rack rate rooms has got to be high anyway, plus free dining keeps people on property, potentially spending more money in the parks.

 

[gardenia]

Anyone who thinks free dining is a good deal, just PM me, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

 

[ChrisAlli]

Passed, always seem to do better with Room Only code. I don't want to sit down for dinner every night and also like to leave property.

 

[patsal]

I couldn't get a DVC room for my next short trip so I opted for the AP discounted room. I could have saved the passes for use at a later time, but the value of hte DDP is very realtive and not a good value for us!

 

[asmit4]

Free dining can be a great idea for some people. Gardenia- Please- explain to us how financially the free QS plan in a value is NOT a good value. For roughly 100 bucks a night a family of 4 gets a basic room and breakfast/lunch and snacks paid for. (if you presume that dinner is a TS OOP)

I agree that for some it's not a good value but for someone in a value room? You could just take the plan, use 1/2 of it and it's still a good deal. They don't offer 40% codes on values so the best you can get is 30% I think. 30% is 30 bucks.

Of course if you have APs or don't plan on eating any meals onsite the 30% might be a better option but if you plan on eating even 30 bucks of snacks/drinks/CS meals per day? The plan is a good deal for values.

 

[IbeAbitGOOFY]

We're booked at the Room Only discount. I've done the math the DDP is more. Not by much, but it is more expensive for my DW and I. If we have little ones, then it might be better to go with the free dining. Also, there are several places that my DW and I are thinking about going to while in Orlando that are not on property.

Also, for us, it has nothing to do with being tied down to an ADR. It has more to do with the fact that we aren't sure if we are going to eat all our meals on property.

 

[mommyarewegoingback]

We did. Took an AP room only discount then added QSDP. DH didn't want the regular dining plan with the mod room. Plus we'd be paying for 2 day tickets that we didn't need. It was breakeven for us. (CSR + 2 day tix + FD) was about $2600 or (CSR - AP discount + QSDP) $2000. The $600 (for 2 day tix 2A2C) could have been saved for a future AP renewal and we would had the Reg Dining with the FD. But otherwise it's pretty much break even. I know we really don't save any money either way. We just like it pre-paid and not having to worry about the cost of every meal.
-Virginia

 

[aubriee]

Anyone who thinks free dining is a good deal, just PM me, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Depends on which level of resort, how many people are in the room, and what other room discounts are available. I always run the numbers. Sometimes free dining is a better deal, sometimes my AP discount is a better deal. For a family of four in a value or moderate, usually free dining is a better deal. At a deluxe or for a solo (and sometime couples) the room discounts are a better deal. Everyone just has to run the numbers for their individual situation. With free dining now requiring at least two day tickets for everyone in the room, it is not as good a deal for AP holders as it was last year, when just one day tickets were required.

 

[ocalla]

Unfortunatly all that was available during early March was the "Free" Dining. this past July I was able to use a 40% room only discount which I LOVED!! I have not enjoyed making the dining reservations, knowing that i am tied down to a certain place and time to eat on vacation.

If I could get ahold of a PIN for a room discount, I would jump all over that and eat at my own pace!!!

I can't understand how anyone likes the dining plan, but hey....to each his own.

 

[desamnik]

I know one is mostly quick service, and the other offers table service options.

 

[beansmom]

Free dining can be a great idea for some people. Gardenia- Please- explain to us how financially the free QS plan in a value is NOT a good value. For roughly 100 bucks a night a family of 4 gets a basic room and breakfast/lunch and snacks paid for. (if you presume that dinner is a TS OOP)

I agree that for some it's not a good value but for someone in a value room? You could just take the plan, use 1/2 of it and it's still a good deal. They don't offer 40% codes on values so the best you can get is 30% I think. 30% is 30 bucks.

.

oh, allow ME. I just did this earlier in the week. 'FREE' dining was going to cost our family of 4 $950 whereas room only would be $750...BUT we cannot possibly eat 4 full dining plans per day. No way. I think we'll spend less than $200 on food if we only do CS using our TIW card when we can and only ordering enough food--not way too much. My gs eats very little--any full meal is a waste with him.

So, for us, even FREE dining doesn't make sense. And, honestly, do you really think Disney is giving you anything free? Rack rate on a room was $138 for our stay...we are paying $49 a nite.

 

[TDC Nala]

I know one is mostly quick service, and the other offers table service options.

Depends on the resort you book. Value resorts get quick service, moderate or deluxe get the basic DDP. Any plan you get free can be upgraded to a higher plan by paying the difference.

If you're British, you can't get free dining at all at a value. Moderates get quick service, and you need to book a deluxe to get basic free. I don't believe guests booking from Britain can upgrade quick service to deluxe DDP but they can upgrade basic to deluxe.

 

[ccgirl]

Anyone who thinks free dining is a good deal, just PM me, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you.

Simple mathematics. We are staying at ASMo. Rack rate is $82/$92 a night. I originally had a 40% off code which would make the room $50/$56. However, after figuring out food we knew we could not eat for less than $32 a day for a family of 4. So, before you judge you have to do the math and realize there are different situation. We upgraded to the regular DDP for $10 per night per adult. So, we are eating at a TS/QS/Snack per day for $52 a night. Considering just the table service is $35 per person (over $100 per night) we are saving a good deal of money.

Now, if you are staying Deluxe, the room discount is usually better.