Can someone help this newbie figure out what saves more money?!?!?!?!

[Leenybean]

I'm so confused!! I'm planning a first trip for my 2 kids and my parents in October. We already booked a Cars suite at AoA, with DDP and tickets.

Would it make more sense to keep our reservations and get the 15% off or switch to a ASM suite and get the free dining (but pay for the upgrade)?

This may be a dumb question but these numbers are just floating in my head now

Thank you!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I'm so confused!! I'm planning a first trip for my 2 kids and my parents in October. We already booked a Cars suite at AoA, with DDP and tickets.

Would it make more sense to keep our reservations and get the 15% off or switch to a ASM suite and get the free dining (but pay for the upgrade)?

This may be a dumb question but these numbers are just floating in my head now

Thank you!

How many people in your party? Generally ASMu FS are less expensive to begin with a FD usually is the better offer than RO for anyone staying in a value.

 

[Leenybean]

It's me, my mother, my stepfather and my sons (ages 7 and 5). So, 3 adults and 2 kids.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

It's me, my mother, my stepfather and my sons (ages 7 and 5). So, 3 adults and 2 kids.

So free QS is about forty for and adult and fifteen for the children. That would be a savings of about $150 a night, probably much greater than that 15% off at AOA, plus there probably is a room rate savings as well with the switch.

 

[Leenybean]

Great! So if I upgrade to the other dining plan I should still be saving?

Thanks so much for answering, planning is overwhelming.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Great! So if I upgrade to the other dining plan I should still be saving?

Thanks so much for answering, planning is overwhelming.

Yes, you have the DP with your AOA reservation? The DP is just under sixty for an adult. You will just pay for the difference to upgrade.

 

[mmbl]

I'm so confused!! I'm planning a first trip for my 2 kids and my parents in October. We already booked a Cars suite at AoA, with DDP and tickets.

Would it make more sense to keep our reservations and get the 15% off or switch to a ASM suite and get the free dining (but pay for the upgrade)?

This may be a dumb question but these numbers are just floating in my head now

Thank you!

For my family , the dining plans were never worth it. We simply don't eat enough to warrant paying up front. Sometimes we'll arrive mid-day or evening and other times we leave ( for home) before dinner or on an early morning flight and the plans figure meals and snacks for each day even if you arrive at 11:00 pm and leave at 4 :00 am for a 6:00 am flight. Frequently we'll ( me and daughter, sometimes spouse) split meals because the goal is , our goal is, to walk a lot and briskly for exercise and not put on vacation weight while still enjoying ourselves. Depending on how long you are going for, sometimes it pays to invest in an annual ( premium annual) pass for automatic meal discounts; you can also purchase a Tables in Wonderland card ($75.) but you get 20% off food AND all beverages. There are some restrictions but not many. You also get free valet parking with the pass and card. Additionally the pass gets you room discounts- generally. We have found if we are going for more than 8-10 days or so, the pass and card are well worth the cost and the cost is made up in resort savings.
You can also try to book studio, 1 or 2 bedroom suites in any of the vacation club resorts THROUGH DVC- David's Vacation Club Rentals. If there is availability, you can save a ton of $$$ over the WDW rates and still have ALL the benefits.
Whatever you do, you'll have a great time!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

For my family , the dining plans were never worth it. We simply don't eat enough to warrant paying up front. Sometimes we'll arrive mid-day or evening and other times we leave ( for home) before dinner or on an early morning flight and the plans figure meals and snacks for each day even if you arrive at 11:00 pm and leave at 4 :00 am for a 6:00 am flight. Frequently we'll ( me and daughter, sometimes spouse) split meals because the goal is , our goal is, to walk a lot and briskly for exercise and not put on vacation weight while still enjoying ourselves. Depending on how long you are going for, sometimes it pays to invest in an annual ( premium annual) pass for automatic meal discounts; you can also purchase a Tables in Wonderland card ($75.) but you get 20% off food AND all beverages. There are some restrictions but not many. You also get free valet parking with the pass and card. Additionally the pass gets you room discounts- generally. We have found if we are going for more than 8-10 days or so, the pass and card are well worth the cost and the cost is made up in resort savings.
You can also try to book studio, 1 or 2 bedroom suites in any of the vacation club resorts THROUGH DVC- David's Vacation Club Rentals. If there is availability, you can save a ton of $$$ over the WDW rates and still have ALL the benefits.
Whatever you do, you'll have a great time!

Just an FYI... TIW is $100 for an AP holder... $125 for Florida resident.

 

[mmbl]

Just an FYI... TIW is $100 for an AP holder... $125 for Florida resident.

I guess rates have gone up! Mine expires the end of the year and I'm pretty sure I paid $75, last year, with my PAP. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[wysteria]

Great! So if I upgrade to the other dining plan I should still be saving?

Thanks so much for answering, planning is overwhelming.

When I made our plans, I am sure I annoyed the CM on the phone.

I had her price out all the options I felt would be in my price range for the stay/play/dine pin. It turned out that staying at a moderate resort was only a tiny bit more than staying at a value (since I didn't have to pay to upgrade from QS to DDP).

So if you aren't sure what value would be best for you, just call and have them price it all out!

 

[GrammyJudy]

When I made our plans, I am sure I annoyed the CM on the phone.

I had her price out all the options I felt would be in my price range for the stay/play/dine pin. It turned out that staying at a moderate resort was only a tiny bit more than staying at a value (since I didn't have to pay to upgrade from QS to DDP).

So if you aren't sure what value would be best for you, just call and have them price it all out!

But a mod only has one bathroom and with 5 I think the suite would be better....Asmusic is great and the suites are close to the main building and bus.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

Unless you are staying in a deluxe room that costs more than $350 a night with a 35% off room only discount, the free dining will always be the bigger money saver. Period. If there are more than one person and you are staying value or mod, money wise, you will always save more with free dining.

Now some ppl might not LIKE free dining and choose to use a room only discount but if you are looking at which option will save you the most money, free dining will always be the best deal.

For a 15% off room discount to save you more than free dining you would have to be staying in a room that costs $1,000 a night.

Now if you are ppl (like us) who eat 3 meals a day you will still be out of pocket some money for meals (breakfast) unless you eat BF in your room. If you do pay OOP for meals, pay for BF because it is the cheapest meal of the day and not a good value for wasting a meal credit on.

Even if you stay in a family suite and upgrade from QSDP to DDp (which will cost you about $70 a day to do that for the 5 of you) you will still save more with the free dining.

 

[mmbl]

Unless you are staying in a deluxe room that costs more than $350 a night with a 35% off room only discount, the free dining will always be the bigger money saver. Period. If there are more than one person and you are staying value or mod, money wise, you will always save more with free dining.

Now some ppl might not LIKE free dining and choose to use a room only discount but if you are looking at which option will save you the most money, free dining will always be the best deal.

For a 15% off room discount to save you more than free dining you would have to be staying in a room that costs $1,000 a night.

Now if you are ppl (like us) who eat 3 meals a day you will still be out of pocket some money for meals (breakfast) unless you eat BF in your room. If you do pay OOP for meals, pay for BF because it is the cheapest meal of the day and not a good value for wasting a meal credit on.

Even if you stay in a family suite and upgrade from QSDP to DDp (which will cost you about $70 a day to do that for the 5 of you) you will still save more with the free dining.

I've never been able to make the numbers work where any dining plan is better than a PAP R/O discount. I just don't think we eat enough to make it worthwhile , especially with our TiW 20% discount on food and all beverages. If I'm missing something, please let me know! I'd really like to save more if it is at all possible!

 

[Mayhem1976]

I've never been able to make the numbers work where any dining plan is better than a PAP R/O discount. I just don't think we eat enough to make it worthwhile , especially with our TiW 20% discount on food and all beverages. If I'm missing something, please let me know! I'd really like to save more if it is at all possible!

I'm thinking that PP is meaning for most people. Many aren't annual pass holders and not elegible for the TIW card.

And like another PP said. It usually comes out to less total, but for us example (2 adults, 2 kids 6 & 3) we would never pay the ~1100 the DDP would cost for food for the week, but the total cost of everything would be less with FD vs RO for mod's and values.

 

[plumsiren]

I've never been able to make the numbers work where any dining plan is better than a PAP R/O discount. I just don't think we eat enough to make it worthwhile , especially with our TiW 20% discount on food and all beverages. If I'm missing something, please let me know! I'd really like to save more if it is at all possible!

Same for us, even without TiW. In our case it's just not the way we eat. I still feel this nagging sense of guilt for deciding against the dining plan (even if it's free; I'd rather have the RO discount), like I just MUST be doing the math wrong or something!