Cancel DVC ressie to get Free Dining?

[cush1]

We have a trip planned to SSR using points for our family and sister's family in November. We already purchased DDP and made reservations. Of course, this week they announced free dining and my sister wants to cancel our DVC ressie and make a regular one to get the free dining.

Since we were using my points, she bought the our park tickets and our DDP.

I haven't crunched the numbers to see if I could sell the points to get cash to pay for a ressie in order to get free dining, but if the numbers make sense... can I keep our ADRs?

Also, I wonder if all this free dining is messing with people who rent points because many people want the free dining and can't get it with the points.

Thanks,

 

[Pirate Granny]

I would make sure you can get a resort reservation BEFORE you cancel your DVC. And you can keep your ADR's. just make sure you tell them you are on the dining plan when you check in.

 

[ellab]

I thought you only get free dining with a whole package which includes park tickets.

 

[Pirate Granny]

Oh that's right minimum 2 day pass per person is required. Before we bought DVC, and we had AP, I would just save the room key with the days on them for other trips...I think I still have two more left ...

 

[spruce]

Crunch your numbers and see. Free dining is not free, you pay a non discounted room rate and have to buy tickets. The time card gets you 20% off.
There is no way I would buy more tickets if I had an ap.
Your sister buying tickets and food plan in exchange for a dvc room is generous.

 

[spruce]

Stupid auto correct.... Tiw card.

 

[Sammie]

Crunch your numbers and see. Free dining is not free, you pay a non discounted room rate and have to buy tickets. The time card gets you 20% off.
There is no way I would buy more tickets if I had an ap.
Your sister buying tickets and food plan in exchange for a dvc room is generous.

How is it not free.

I agree totally it might not be the best bargain, or even the best total cost.

But many people do pay rack rate and with free dining they get it for no additional cost.

 

[lucyem]

I'd crunch some numbers on the DDP before buying it in the first place. It's not exactly a savings for most. Negligible at best, more of a convenience.

As for switching out to free dining - crunch the numbers for your group.

 

[Sandisw]

How is it not free.

I agree totally it might not be the best bargain, or even the best total cost.

But many people do pay rack rate and with free dining they get it for no additional cost.

I have to agree with you. I really don't understand the whole "it's not really free" piece. As you said, it may not be a better deal than a room discount with a full price dining plan depending on ones situation, but you are still getting the plan free as part of your package.

 

[disneynutz]

I have to agree with you. I really don't understand the whole "it's not really free" piece. As you said, it may not be a better deal than a room discount with a full price dining plan depending on ones situation, but you are still getting the plan free as part of your package.

Semantics, Disney and the public may call it "free" because everyone likes free things, but since the room price is increased to the maximum price and you are required to buy tickets at full price, you are really paying for the dining plan.

Disney isn't in the business of giving anything away for free and they use the "free" incentive to increase business during projected slow times.

Bill

 

[Kidanifan08]

Oh that's right minimum 2 day pass per person is required. Before we bought DVC, and we had AP, I would just save the room key with the days on them for other trips...I think I still have two more left ...

Actually, the current offer requires the purchase of a MYW ticket for every day of a minimum length of stay of 6 nights/7 days. Of course, one could still use that purchase to apply the ticket value to a future ticket purchase. We still have some MYW tickets attached to a free dining stay from 2011 that we plan to use toward a future ticket purchase.

 

[davedmaine]

Semantics, Disney and the public may call it "free" because everyone likes free things, but since the room price is increased to the maximum price and you are required to buy tickets at full price, you are really paying for the dining plan.

Disney isn't in the business of giving anything away for free and they use the "free" incentive to increase business during projected slow times.

Bill

Perfectly said. Free dining is for suckers. Keep your current Dvc reservation and drop the plan altogethrt.

 

[CarolMN]

If you are planning to rent the points you have tied up in your current reservation, be sure to keep an eye on your banking deadline and point expiration date.

If it were me, I'd check availability before giving up my reservation. It's very limited for the rest of calendar year 2013. You may have trouble finding time to rent.

 

[Missyrose]

Actually, the current offer requires the purchase of a MYW ticket for every day of a minimum length of stay of 6 nights/7 days. Of course, one could still use that purchase to apply the ticket value to a future ticket purchase. We still have some MYW tickets attached to a free dining stay from 2011 that we plan to use toward a future ticket purchase.

Nope, the promo used a six night trip as an example. Free Dining requires the same three night minimum and and two day ticket it always has.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

How is it not free.

I agree totally it might not be the best bargain, or even the best total cost.

But many people do pay rack rate and with free dining they get it for no additional cost.

I can see the Disney marketing meeting now

"our hotel is worth $150 a night, but let's do this. Mark it up to $250 and then give then the $40 free dining package. As long as we put the word 'free' folks will jump all over us to give us $250 and we make $60 a night for our subpar hotel"

Sorry if you over pay to get "free" it does not feel free to me

 

[Kidanifan08]

Nope, the promo used a six night trip as an example. Free Dining requires the same three night minimum and and two day ticket it always has.

Wow . . . they are sneaky! The WDW website page about the FD reads:

"Get a free dining plan when you purchase a non-discounted 6-night/7-day Magic Your Way package (includes room and theme park tickets) at select Disney Resort hotels. This offer can be booked through September 15, 2013 and is valid for arrivals most nights"

I could not find anything on the WDW website about a shorter stay, but it does work for a minimum of 3 night stay. The number of days of MYW tickets can even be adjusted to fewer days than the resort stay. Sneaky little marketers!

Thanks for correcting my mis-information!

 

[darkwing818]

I'd crunch some numbers on the DDP before buying it in the first place. It's not exactly a savings for most. Negligible at best, more of a convenience.

As for switching out to free dining - crunch the numbers for your group.

Good Advise....

 

[Missyrose]

Wow . . . they are sneaky! The WDW website page about the FD reads:

"Get a free dining plan when you purchase a non-discounted 6-night/7-day Magic Your Way package (includes room and theme park tickets) at select Disney Resort hotels. This offer can be booked through September 15, 2013 and is valid for arrivals most nights"

I could not find anything on the WDW website about a shorter stay, but it does work for a minimum of 3 night stay. The number of days of MYW tickets can even be adjusted to fewer days than the resort stay. Sneaky little marketers!

Thanks for correcting my mis-information!

No worries! I'm on the Disney Resorts board way more than I need to be.

 

[Sammie]

I can see the Disney marketing meeting now

"our hotel is worth $150 a night, but let's do this. Mark it up to $250 and then give then the $40 free dining package. As long as we put the word 'free' folks will jump all over us to give us $250 and we make $60 a night for our subpar hotel"

Sorry if you over pay to get "free" it does not feel free to me

You know just because someone asks a question does not mean I do free dining. I just asked why is it not free.

Where did I say I overpaid for anything.

And most people that book the package stay in a value or moderate and for those it can be a decent deal.

For a deluxe no, its not always the best deal. But it really depends on each family personal circumstances especially now that Dining is almost $55 per person 10 and up.

 

[Sammie]

I have to agree with you. I really don't understand the whole "it's not really free" piece. As you said, it may not be a better deal than a room discount with a full price dining plan depending on ones situation, but you are still getting the plan free as part of your package.

Thank You, Someone that actually "gets it"

I don't book the Free Dining package as we use our DVC all the time; but I do know many people that don't get room discounts and this sometimes for a family of 4 staying in a value or moderate is a decent deal.