Changing vacation due to Free Food-CRAZY??

[DisneycrazedX6]

Currently I am booked two studios for October VWL. I was planning on taking advantage of the dining plan and getting a DVC AP.

Now the free dining pops up!! I am thinking of going in August now and banking my points and staying at POP, two rooms.

I'm still planning on getting my DVC AP. I have been told that I only need a one day MYW plan and I can exchange those tix towards my AP.

I know that I will have to pay rack rate for the rooms but now everyone will get FREE dining. This will enable us to go to some character meals and hopefully the Hoop De Doo.

I was really looking forward to MNSSHP and f&w festival. The shorter hours did bum me out a bit and I really wanted to stay at Boardwalk not VWL

Am I crazy to do this????? I still have to bank and check for availability on Monday.....anyone want to change my mind?????

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't change. The free dining is instead of other discounts, so while it is a great deal, it isn't an earth-shakingly good deal. Using DVC points is a better deal.

 

[Caskbill]

If the meals mean that much then go for it. If you haven't stayed at POP before, be aware the rooms will be extremely small compared to your DVC experiences. Depending on room location, it can be pretty far from the bus stops, and busses will get crowded. If you have a car that will make a difference. If not, getting to HDD can be a problem.

At least POP is a lot closer to everything than the AS resorts are.

If your DVC stays included any weekend nights, then the POP scenario is more cost effective. And if you don't plan in staying in the room much at all, the small size may not be an issue.

Do keep in mind that most of the DVC perks only apply when staying at a DVC resort. So certain discounts, pool hopping, etc will not be available to you.

Let us know what you decide.

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

Thanks for the help so far. We are planning on going two weeks next summer and banking the points will help with that. We are a party of 6 plus I am bringing my sister this trip. The free dining will save us well over $1000, we usually eat at one sit down a day. I have been to POP and even though the rooms are small I still love the value resorts. We don't plan on being in the room alot....but who knows with the weather in August???

Well I am done trying to talk myself into this....anyone else want a shot at it???

 

[bicker]

At least POP is a lot closer to everything than the AS resorts are.

While geographically that's unquestionably true, I've read pretty convincing messages indicating that the time it takes busses to get folks to and from the parks from AS is significantly shorter than from POP.

 

[FreeTime]

I had considered adding an additional trip due to the free dining. But then I thought, this is what Disney wants me to do, spend more money! I would go with DVC since you have already paid for the trip. Whenever I stay someplace else I always longingly look at DVC and wish I was there.

 

[Chuck S]

If you are happy staying at POP for the trip, by all means, do so. I like POP, we often spend a night there when we drive down as I allow an extra night in case of road/car problems. The rooms are comfortable, but for me personally, I would not want to spend more than a night or two in that size room. I do like their food court at POP, though, and often drive over there for dinner while staying at OKW, as we have our heavy meal for lunch and a lighter dinner.

I don't quite understand this part of your post "I know that I will have to pay rack rate for the rooms but now everyone will get FREE dining. This will enable us to go to some character meals and hopefully the Hoop De Doo."

Since you were planning on getting the Dining Plan as an add on while staying at VWL, those meals would still have been included, unless you were planning to doing them in addition to the meals you'd get with the credits. The DVC version of the dining plan is the same, it just doesn't require the park pass purchase.

 

[rantnnravin]

so, basically, what you will be paying for the rooms at POP, plus tickets is what you would have been paying for the dining plan through DVC?
and you'll be able to conserve your points for use at another time (a trip you're planning for next year)?
And you'd have credit towards the APs you were going to buy anyway?
sounds like you might actually be coming out ahead by staying at POP
if you're cool with the signficant difference in accomodations, why not?
can you do the end of sept/beginning of oct to get MNSSHP and a bit of F&W in?

 

[robinb]

Why don't you look into booking at the end of the promotion? I have a room at POP booked from 9/28-10/2 for $79 per night (plus a 1-day park pass) and I can still enjoy the F&W festival which starts on Friday 9/29 *and* there is a MNSSHP on the same day! The promotion applies to you as long as your stay *starts* withing the promotional time-frame. BTW, I am a DVC member (BWV and OKW) and I'm fine with POP even though my last stay was at OKW in a GV .

 

[DisneycrazedX6]

Everyone had some good ideas, thank you. To clarify a tad....in October we are staying in two rooms at VWL and only one room will be getting the dining plan(the bigger eaters) and the rest was to pay OOP. If we were all on the dining plan now we could afford the character meals cause they would be FREE!!!
We were going Columbus Day week and the kids would only miss three days of school, if we go earlier then they will miss more....but only two I guess!
I think the value in August is something like $123 a night and we need two. The difference for us will be something like $400 and we will keep our points to use for a two bed next year, and not have to borrow.

Thanks for all the help so far....anymore?????

 

[zurgswife]

Have you looked into availablity at this point. There have been numerous posts that POP and other values are totally sold out for this promotion during August.

We are DVC and booked it as an additional trip over Labor day weekend..we are at POP and I can't wait.

 

[Figment2]

All I can say is having been to WDW in August, I swore I'd never do it again. Way too hot and humid for me.

I'd stay with October (my favorite time of the year).

Cyn

 

[bams50]

NOTE: Keep in mind that some restaurants/shows require TWO meal tickets per person (Hoop-De-Doo, Luau, CA Grill, Coral Reef, and more).

We do some 2-ticket items, and skip a couple sit-downs to make it work out.

 

[Boston5602]

I've been to WDW numerous times , stayed at a value ( POP ) for the first time in Feb 06 and its nice and all but it's the reason I came home and called up DVC and bought BWV.


The food court is nice but it was PACKED and twice had to wait for a table and the other thing I didn't care for was the way they corral <?> you out in the open to wait for busses. I had to wait for 3 busses to go to EPCOT , theres no covering so I stood getting wet the whole time . I had a rain coat with hood on but you know you still get wet .


I swore I wouldn't stay at POP again but now when I think about saving points I might ( MIGHT ) stay at POP to save weekend points , but who knows.

 

[robinb]

I think the value in August is something like $123 a night and we need two. The difference for us will be something like $400 and we will keep our points to use for a two bed next year, and not have to borrow.

I also have POP scheduled for the start of the free dining promotion, from 8/13-8/20. It is ONLY $79 per night, NOT $123! I have no clue why they are giving me the Value season rate, but I'm not complaining! We also have APs so we booked with a single park pass and we're paying $861 for 2 Adults and 2 Children for 7 nights which includes the FREE dining. This was a previously scheduled family vacation and we "upgraded" to POP from a Pool Home off-site. Thank goodness we were dragging our feet on booking the pool home.

FWIW, POP is sold out for our dates. I have been trying to add another room to our reservations so my sister's family can spread out into 2 rooms. The CMs say that Movies is also sold out (we need 5 rooms total), but Music and Sports are both available.

 

[swich2mac]

Can someone please tell me what this free dining is all about?

 

[n2mm]

Currently I am booked two studios for October VWL. I was planning on taking advantage of the dining plan and getting a DVC AP.

Now the free dining pops up!! I am thinking of going in August now and banking my points and staying at POP, two rooms.

I'm still planning on getting my DVC AP. I have been told that I only need a one day MYW plan and I can exchange those tix towards my AP.

I know that I will have to pay rack rate for the rooms but now everyone will get FREE dining. This will enable us to go to some character meals and hopefully the Hoop De Doo.

I was really looking forward to MNSSHP and f&w festival. The shorter hours did bum me out a bit and I really wanted to stay at Boardwalk not VWL

Am I crazy to do this????? I still have to bank and check for availability on Monday.....anyone want to change my mind?????

Do like us, and do both. We also have a studio at WLV booked for Oct. 12 nights and when the free dining promo popped up, we booked a long weekend mid August at Pop. So now we're going Aug. 17-21, staying at Pop and still going on our Oct trip. We would never cancel our October trip, nor our early May trip. (Those are our must do trips.) We have stayed at Pop many times and for the price, especially value season price, and free dining, it was a no brainer for us. Our total for 4 nights, 2 one-day tickets, and free dining was $486--minus the $134 for the 2 tickets that we would have had to spend anyway to renew our APs, making our package really only $352. Of course we have to throw airfare in, but we didn't have any summer plans.

 

[robinb]

Can someone please tell me what this free dining is all about?

If you book a WDW resort at full rack rate and buy at least a one-day base pass for everyone in your party then you get the Disney Dining Program added to your room for free. This is good on bookings that start between 8/13 and 9/30. Look here for more informtion: http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=116

 

[fishermouse]

Currently I am booked two studios for October VWL. I was planning on taking advantage of the dining plan and getting a DVC AP.

I was really looking forward to MNSSHP and f&w festival. The shorter hours did bum me out a bit and I really wanted to stay at Boardwalk not VWL

Am I crazy to do this????? I still have to bank and check for availability on Monday.....anyone want to change my mind?????

The shorter lines in Oct. more than compensate for the earlier closings, if you have never been to F+W it's a don't miss event. Don't know if dining plan is a good idea during F+W, since at least in my case I spend all day sampling the F+W and beers too. Most of which would not be included in DP. No I'm not a lush but F+W is a great time. Sorry I'm going to miss it this year!

 

[Disney Fanatic]

I personally would stay at VWL.

There is no comparison between the Pop Resorts and VWL. You are comparing apples to oranges in my opinion.

The difference in the accommodation could make or break your vacation!


We stayed once at the All Star Movies and found it be be too crowded, no balcony, fridge, micro, coffee maker and toaster in the room. The food courts had to be the worst! The line ups were just awful and I dreaded having to go there to get something to eat. These are things we are use to now and would find it difficult to go back.


I would not change for the free dining but it is really up to you.