Attitudes Towards Free Dining

[morethananyonex]

Something I've noticed a lot on these boards is people looking down on the FD deals and people that use them because "free dining is not free".

Free Dining CAN be a good deal or even the best deal for people depending on the resort and number of people. I understand that people are annoyed with the food quality, but I don't think the blame can be placed entirely on this promotion anyways (and that's another topic for another thread ).

Yes, free dining is a marketing ploy, just like all Disney's other discounts, just like DVC and just like most things Disney does. That doesn't mean people who use/enjoy free dining are idiots falling for simple marketing, unless we consider EVERYONE who goes to Disney to be the same type of idiot.

/end rant

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this to our dining plan board.

 

[morethananyonex]

I'm going to move this to our dining plan board.

Oops, sorry. Didn't know where this should be, thanks.

 

[mjohnson96]

For us we were going to use QSDP anyways on this trip, just because I like to have everything prepaid so we don't have to worry about budgeting meals. Then I decided that we would do some character meals since it is my little nieces first trip and was going to upgrade to the DDP.

We were using the KIDS STAY/PLAY FREE package and then when I got the FD PIN it was less expensive then that. So for every group it is different. If we were able to stay deluxe this trip, BIL just can't, then we would have used the room discount instead of the FD or KIDS FREE promo because that was the best use of the discounts out there for our time frame

There will always be those that just don't get why people use the FD or any DDP at Disney, heck there are those that just don't get Disney at all really

 

[morethananyonex]

For us we were going to use QSDP anyways on this trip, just because I like to have everything prepaid so we don't have to worry about budgeting meals. Then I decided that we would do some character meals since it is my little nieces first trip and was going to upgrade to the DDP.

We were using the KIDS STAY/PLAY FREE package and then when I got the FD PIN it was less expensive then that. So for every group it is different. If we were able to stay deluxe this trip, BIL just can't, then we would have used the room discount instead of the FD or KIDS FREE promo because that was the best use of the discounts out there for our time frame

There will always be those that just don't get why people use the FD or any DDP at Disney, heck there are those that just don't get Disney at all really

We use the dining plan regardless if it's free or not, because like you said it's nice to have everything prepaid before the trip. With 4 adults it usually works out to be the best deal for us, even when we stay deluxe.

And thank you for making my point with that last paragraph . We are ALL falling for Disney's marketing ploys LOL, not just the people who go for the "free" deals.

 

[disneysnowflake]

Who cares how people pay for their food. I just don't see what the big deal is.

We've gone a few times paying oop for all our meals.
We've gone once with free dining.
We've gone once and paid for regular dining plan.
We've gone once and paid for quick service dining plan.

It's convenient for me to use the dining plan. I can pay before I go, have everything planned out where to eat each day, and just have fun on my vacation. I don't care what anyone else thinks.

Last time we went during Food and Wine Festival, we used a snack credit in Italy to get ravioli. The CM working there rolled her eyes when I mentioned the dining plan like I was bothering her even though we paid about $1000 for the quick service dining plan for our family. I asked her if there was a problem. She didn't even say anything back. Once DH saw the ravioli I got, he went back over and got another one with a snack credit. She didn't roll her eyes that time though.

 

[Feralpeg]

The only problem I have with free dining is that it makes getting into a table service restaurant at WDW almost impossible for locals. As a local, I don't have a clue what I will be doing 180 days out. I use to be able to run over to a park and find a place to have a nice meal. Not any more. I totally understand why folks on vacation love it. If I didn't live here, I would probably love it.

I will not be sad if the day comes that business is so good that Disney does away with free dining. But, that is just my selfish side coming out. Sorry!

 

[goofy4tink]

I have over 30 trips to WDW since '99. I have paid oop for my dining, I have used the DDP (back when it included everything, as well as more recently when having to pay extra for appetizer and tip), free dining (upgraded from CS only at Pop) and the TiW discount card.
Every time I go to WDW, I sit and run the figures on what is going to work for my group on that particular trip. We mostly stay DVC, so free dining doesn't work very often. And usually, no matter how I figure it, going with my TiW card comes out less expensive than that DDP. People always seem to forget to add in the gratuities that need to be added when using the DDP...for me, that adds over $100 for two of us, for a week's stay. Not chump change. I like being able to get an appetizer vs a dessert. Maybe, if Disney goes back to including an appetizer, I'll use the DDP.

I doubt anyone is 'against' the free dining. Most of us realize it just isn't a great deal for a lot of us. BUT....the DDP, as a whole, has brought about some unwelcome changes to menus throughout WDW. There is little individuality anymore. You can get pretty much the same thing anywhere....with some exceptions. And those of us that go frequently, enjoyed the ability to find different things at different restaurants.

 

[morethananyonex]

I totally understand people being upset at the DDP in general and even FD for the quality of the food. Like I said, I don't feel it's fully to blame (for example, there's no "plan" for merchandise yet it has all become standardized as well), but I get that argument.

The point I was trying to make was that people aren't stupid for falling for the "free" part of free dining, it's the exact same as falling for other deals Disney offers all the way from discounts to DVC.

 

[mb_uh]

I like the ddp- It makes it like an all inclusive vacation- okay actually we like dxdp. I like dessert, I like snacks, I like breakfast and cereal on vacation is just not enough.

Staying at value during the time that is the cheapest time of year- add in free dining and other then space you can not beat it off site. Cheapest non priceline room I have seen is 57 so the extra 28 for a value room is a good deal- now tickets are more expensive but even comparing them to YES tickets without ph or wpm for a family of 4 that is about $200 more. If you do 7 days that is $396 for free dining- I guess you could feed a family of 4 for that for a week at DW if you took cereal, made sandwiches but that would not be 2 disney meals, 2 snacks, and mugs. For an extra $200 so a total of $596 you would have regular dining which would include 7 ts meals given average prices would cost at least 100 per meal for character or fantasmic, plus 7 cs meals per person, plus 7 snacks. I think that is a great deal.

It is not the best deal for the more deluxe rooms, people staying offsite, less then 4 people per room , ap holders or those with other tickets.

Now, I can not go at that time of year because of work, but during July my pin is still about the best deal, since we like dessert and staying on site.

 

[TDC Nala]

It clogs the restaurants. But Disney likes that, so it's not a complaint that will get anywhere.

If you book free dining even though there is a better deal that will save you more money (and sometimes, for some parties, there is), that is your prerogative. Some people just like the dining plan because they think it's convenient. I don't, but that's me, and I don't have to use it. I don't do buffets or character meals and I don't like being restricted to entree and dessert at every meal (the deluxe plan is WAY too much and I don't like ordering that way either. I want the option to get two appetizers and no dessert if that is what I want). I have to try and get restaurants though.

 

[brymolmom]

The only problem I have with free dining is that it makes getting into a table service restaurant at WDW almost impossible for locals. As a local, I don't have a clue what I will be doing 180 days out. I use to be able to run over to a park and find a place to have a nice meal. Not any more. I totally understand why folks on vacation love it. If I didn't live here, I would probably love it.

I will not be sad if the day comes that business is so good that Disney does away with free dining. But, that is just my selfish side coming out. Sorry!

Do you really have that much trouble getting into someplace? I tried for months (3 months) to get into the Clam Bake for our Dec trip with no luck. Called up the day before and got a table for 6 at 5:15pm. Easy as can be....My girlfriend went to LeCellier during spring break (not Easter week but not a slow week by any means). They went right at opening and got a walk-up table for 4.

I'm surprised you have so much difficulty. While those of us who plan 180 days in advance like to be sure to have a reservation. Being local, I'm guessing I would just try for some last minute, same day reservations or walk-ups. Is that what you do? Do you get turned away most of the time??

 

[marivaid]

We have used free dining once, because that one time it fit our vacation. But it's not going to be the case every time. I'd much rather get a discount on our resort instead especially if we're staying Mod or Deluxe.

The thing that irks me to no end on this board is that the people who are claming FD "ruined Disney" are often the same people who brag that they only go to a Disney resort if they have a 40% pin... because of course, paying your room $200/night instead of $350 has no incidence whatsoever.

 

[morethananyonex]

We have used free dining once, because that one time it fit our vacation. But it's not going to be the case every time. I'd much rather get a discount on our resort instead especially if we're staying Mod or Deluxe.

The thing that irks me to no end on this board is that the people who are claming FD "ruined Disney" are often the same people who brag that they only go to a Disney resort if they have a 40% pin... because of course, paying your room $200/night instead of $350 has no incidence whatsoever.

EXACTLY! And for our family, FD and 40% pins would work out to be approximately the same discount (actually, I think FD comes out ahead).

IMO Disney ruined Disney, if we're going down that road. They treat their dining the same way they treat their merchandise, I have no reason to believe dining quality would have remained where it was before the DDP if the DDP never existed.

 

[Celidh]

I know for some people fd dining does not cut it for many reasons, whether it is their eating habits, how many people there are or where they are staying but for us, it works.

We are on a limited budget and would only be able to afford to stay at a value. We need two rooms. As far as I know, we would probably only ever get a 20% discount. That is what, around $400.00?

Now, there are 6 of us. Only one is a child in Disney's eyes but I would upgrad her to adult anyway so she had more choice and bigger portions. By my figures, it would be around $2000.00 for the dining plan for us if we paid for it. I know we could pay oop and probably eat cheaper but there is no way we could feed 6 people for 10 nights/11 days for $400.00(the discount on the room if we did that instead of dining).

So, the way I look at it, we either get 20% off or so on the room and pay for food, or pay rack rate for the room and feed all 6 of us for 10 days. Even with buying the photobook, I know it's not truly "free" but it sure saves us a tonne of money.

Big difference for us. It would be another story if we were staying in a resort where the room was hundreds of dollars per night, then for sure, the room discount would be better but we're not, we're value bound!

I can understand why people who are local would dread this season though. I totally get pp point about not being able to get into restaurants. I am doing QS because I have no idea where and when I want to eat 180 days ahead of time either. I find it annoying when there is something going on locally that brings a lot of out of towners in and it puts a crimp in my usual plans.

 

[5boyz]

For us we were going to use QSDP anyways on this trip, just because I like to have everything prepaid so we don't have to worry about budgeting meals. Then I decided that we would do some character meals since it is my little nieces first trip and was going to upgrade to the DDP.

We were using the KIDS STAY/PLAY FREE package and then when I got the FD PIN it was less expensive then that. So for every group it is different. If we were able to stay deluxe this trip, BIL just can't, then we would have used the room discount instead of the FD or KIDS FREE promo because that was the best use of the discounts out there for our time frame

There will always be those that just don't get why people use the FD or any DDP at Disney, heck there are those that just don't get Disney at all really

Exactly!!! I got it for the first time this year. We were going in July and at the time we decided to go there were no promos for my time so I was paying rack rate, so for me when I got the free dining it was just that as I was going to have to pay to eat and still have the room at the rack rate so it was a win situtation for me. I am staying at POP and we dont want to have to make reservations so qsdp is what we like......so win win all the way as far as my pocket book is concerned....

 

[Doogan]

My only beef with the DP is that it has been too successful. I remember when you could get a reservation at King Stefan's Banquet Hall (CRT, now) the same day. In fact, you couldn't get reservations ahead of time.

We like having everything already paid for ahead of time without having to worry about budgeting. On the downside, we are tired of "Disney" food by the third day. We also found that DP trips tend to center around our dining reservations rather than being able to do what we want.

Like everything else, there are pros and cons.

 

[MsPeggySue911]

My attitude about free dining is this.... give it to me! I currently have a vacation reservation that is paid for...at rack rate and no free dining. I am paying full price for everything, including food. SO if I get a free dining offer, PIN, etc. I am going to use it. Now I won't change my dates from my Oct dates to the hot summer dates just to get FD but if something comes out for our dates I will jump all over it. We have 3 kids that are considered adults by Disney, so for all intents and purposes we are 5 adults at $45.99 each for the standard dining pan...50 bucks a day times 5 ppl is $250 for 10 days!! That's $2500 for us to get the dining plan, or saves us $2500 if we get it for free. Our trip is already costing us $6,000 so if I can get 2k worth of free food, give it to me. I am not proud. I am not opposed to it. Anything to make our trip more enjoyable and less expensive works for me.

I think a lot of the ppl who claim they don't like the free dining promo don't like it because they have never gotten it. Give them 2k worth of free food and they may change their mind a bit.

 

[discookiemonsta]

For us it's simple...we have two small children who love Disney and when we are able to take them to Disney we can't ever afford to pay for the dining plan, so when FD is available, I cannot pass up that deal since we love to take advantage of it and take our kids to lots of Character meals, that we would never be able to afford to pay for out of pocket. So to us, it's totally worth it!!!

 

[NOLAdisneymom]

For me, Free Dining was a miracle.

It was last year, I hadn't joined these boards, didnt know about discounts, I booked in may, 4 disney adults, Rack Rates. In July they sent me a free dining pin that fit my dates for November.

I was overjoyed, jumping up and down! We would have eaten sammys and cereal and granola bars and the occaisional counter service meal.

No sir. We had Coral Reef, Chefs de France, Ohana, SciFi, and one other I cant remember at the moment. All places we would NEVER have eaten without the FD. NOW, with my trip booked for this Dec, I am buying the DP. There is a great worth "to me" to have everything paid for before we go, and to be able to tell my DS10, "YES, you can have ANYTHING on the menu!" (He's quite the foodie, salmon is his fave).

So Disney gave it to me once, and now I won't go without it. Clever, huh?