Booked Today at CBR but Having 2nd Thoughts

[Poohbear03]

I booked today for 7 nights at CBR the week of April 24th. I received a discount code by email. We are going to stay there for our trip but do 2 days at Universal and the rest at Disney. The crowd calendars look a little crowded for that time so now I am wondering if I should wait and go in September. The cost and this is with no discount other than Free Dining would only be 330 more than my April trip. ( I know I can't use a discount code for FD) I figure 7 days of food for only 330 difference is not bad. I thought I would save more with the code they gave me and it looks like I do for 5 nights but they charge 28 dollars more a night for weekend nights. The Boards are always wonderful at giving advice and I was wondering if anyone could tell which would be better and why.

 

[Sue M]

I haven't gone in April, but I would assume it would be more crowded. We go late August a lot. The closer to Sept, the lower the crowds.
The April advantage is better weather. Aug/Sept is very hot & humid.
So it depends what is more important to you.
April higher crowds but better weather or Sept. Lower crowds but hotter weather. And often Sept has free dining.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

The cost and this is with no discount other than Free Dining would only be 330 more than my April trip. ( I know I can't use a discount code for FD) I figure 7 days of food for only 330 difference is not bad.

There are already Free Dining offers for Fall 2017? I didn't expect them this early. If it is only $330 more and you get free dining then yes, that is a better deal.

 

[Fangorn]

There are already Free Dining offers for Fall 2017? I didn't expect them this early. If it is only $330 more and you get free dining then yes, that is a better deal.

At the risk of starting another fruitless discussion of the dining plan: I'm sorry, but the mathematician in me just cannot resolve how $330 more equates to "free" dining. "Reduced", perhaps (and that's questionable), but definitely not "free".
I know this is Disney marketing speak but it still drives me crazy!

Stepping away from my soapbox now.

Steve

 

[Airship Ariadne]

At the risk of starting another fruitless discussion of the dining plan: I'm sorry, but the mathematician in me just cannot resolve how $330 more equates to "free" dining. "Reduced", perhaps (and that's questionable), but definitely not "free".

Steve

While I was a liberal arts major, I think if my limited math skills can be recalled, let try to make it an equation.
Lets say R=room T=ticket F= food D=room discount and C=cost. We aren't saying:

(R-D)+T=C compared to R+T+(F-F)=C
but saying in (R-D)+T+F=C; C is greater than it is in R+T+(F-F)=C

Yes, R isn't reduced in the second equation as it is in the first, but F is zero'ed out, so IS free.

Hows that for a theater major playing at math?

 

[Poohbear03]

Free Dining is not out yet for fall of 2017 but that is one of the times I had been debating. And I guess Disney changed the rates on weekends years ago because I thought with the 25% off I received it would have been more of a discount for 7 nights so I was thinking the free dining for 7 nights vs 330 off in April would be the better deal. Let's face it theme park food has gotten a little pricey which is normal but if you look at it as you are eating 2 meals a day one quick service and the other table service it seems like the better deal for the money.

 

[Fangorn]

While I was a liberal arts major, I think if my limited math skills can be recalled, let try to make it an equation.
Lets say R=room T=ticket F= food D=room discount and C=cost. We aren't saying:

(R-D)+T=C compared to R+T+(F-F)=C
but saying in (R-D)+T+F=C; C is greater than it is in R+T+(F-F)=C

Yes, R isn't reduced in the second equation as it is in the first, but F is zero'ed out, so IS free.

Hows that for a theater major playing at math?

nice try. An A for effort. You don't get to add F into your first equation and take it out of the second (because it's "free"?) when that wasn't the original conditions. What the OP seemed to be saying is that changing to September and ADDING dining, they'd pay $330 more. That makes F=$330. Not zero.

So, using your variables:
(R-D)+T=C (April)
(R-D)+T+F=C+330 (September and yes, D=0, but the value doesn't matter)

Therefore F=330, since all other variables can be eliminated.

Again, just having a bit of math fun here. And I think the theater thing is cool. Both my wife and #2 son are actors, so I have a good deal of insight into the mindset.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Airship Ariadne]

nice try. An A for effort. You don't get to add F into your first equation and take it out of the second (because it's "free"?) when that wasn't the original conditions.

I know it was just an assumption on my part that the OP wasn't going to be able to go 7 days without eating, that is one of the benefits of a Liberal Arts education, we look past just the stated factors and apply real-life rules

I added it (F for the cost of food) to the first equation because of this, and added it to the second before subtracting the discount as being the full price of food because that is the discount expected, free dining...so the discount is the cost of the food plan.


Of course to be really picky we would need to add tipping into it...and maybe the OP would also like an alcoholic beverage...but the weeds are getting too deep.

But on topic...it is really a matter of if crowd size or weather are the driving concerns...April will be more crowded...Sept. much more hot and humid.

 

[Fangorn]

Exactly. The real decision points are, as you stated, weather and crowds.

Steve

 

[Lynzer4]

I would suggest doing Disney for only 5 days if you go in April and do the other 2 at Universal. Spring Break is much heavier crowds at both parks. There are benefits at staying on property at Universal (depending on hotel but I would suggest one with the front of the line pass) that would make me look into the cost vs savings (money, time and the FOL pass) for a room at Universal.

In September the crowds are lower but its HOT! The week of April 24th might not be as bad as most kids get around Easter off and by that time most schools only have a few weeks left (in the Midwest school is out by May 19ish) so I would like most spring breaks would be finished.

As for cost/discounts there will be codes for September that will bring the price down (or Free Dining as you suggested) so comparing a discount code for April to a rack rate in September isn't equal. I would think that a discount of 20% will offered for that time but it would be room only.