Beating the price of free dining?

[black562]

I've seen people talk about beating the package price of free dining...but I'm not sure how they're doing this?

I'm wanting to stay at a value resort, 6 nights with park hoppers and dining plan for two people. Under the free dining option (assuming they do it this year), I'm looking at around $1,116. I can't seem to get anywhere near that using AAA or anything else.

Can someone please help me with this? I'm thinking that we may have to go in August or October and therefore miss out on free dining...so I want to know how everyone is saving so much on it.

Thanks guys...

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

You won't find a better deal than free dining unless you are staying at a Deluxe!! The codes that I and other people have gotten via the mail or email will save more than the cost of the dining plan off a Deluxe resort. If you are staying at a value or moderate free dining is the way to go!

 

[beroh2253]

Did the free DDP last 2 Septs. and doing the bounce back free DDP this Sept. All the last weekend in Sept and runs into the start of the food and wine fest. and were all great trips.
I can't see anything that would beat that deal and that is only ME and DW. If we had our DD19 and DS21 along that would save even more. We are going with DD and DS in June and that is costing us alot more bucks.

 

[Rylee]

In part, it could depend on the number of people in your travel party.

We are a family of 7. Six adults (or Disney adults in terms of pricing) and one child. 6 @ $38 per day, plus 1 @ $10 = $238 per day. Free dining is likely to the biggest value for my family.

Two adults = $76, or one adult and one child = $48 per day. A 40% off discount code may be a better value for some families.

 

[sorul82?]

For you to get a better deal than free dining, you must get a room discount of better than $76 off per night. For your situation, yes free dining is larger discount. For my family, we would need a $134 per night discount. I know there has been AP rates of $101 off, but I just can't remember any greater than $134 other than the 40% pin which I never seem to receive. But still, we would need to stay somewhere with a rack rate of $335 to exceed the discount free dining would offer us (which I would do ).

 

[sorul82?]

In part, it could depend on the number of people in your travel party.

We are a family of 7. Six adults (or Disney adults in terms of pricing) and one child. 6 @ $38 per day, plus 1 @ $10 = $238 per day. Free dining is likely to the biggest value for my family.

Two adults = $76, or one adult and one child = $48 per day. A 40% off discount code may be a better value for some families.

Your family is a great example! Unless you plan on staying somewhere that has a rack rate of $595 and you do get a 40% off code, then free dining is hands down the best discount for you.

 

[nikjd68]

My family and I got free dining last year. We had 3 adults and a DS4 in one deluxe room. We "saved" quite a bit. But the problem with this analysis is the typical one with the dining plan in general:

1. Would we have eaten as much at every meal and would we have eaten as many meals without free dining? If not, what exactly are we saving?

2. We had to use quite a bit of effort to use up all our CS's and snack credits. Again, we weren't hungry, but to maximize the value...

3. My DS4 couldn't have cared less about the non-character TS meals. Again, what did we save by getting free dining?

 

[Stinky_Pete]

2. We had to use quite a bit of effort to use up all our CS's and snack credits. Again, we weren't hungry, but to maximize the value...

I'm glad to see someone else say this! That is what happened to us in December. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one...