Dilemma about Resorts and Dining Plan

[phillymummer]

Hello all! I have a dilemma I am hoping you can help me with. I plan on calling on Thursday morning to book a 3 night/ 4 day vacation in Oct. I am hoping to get the FD. My hubby and I really want to stay at a moderate resort- either POFQ or CB, but at this time I only have 2 TS ADRs booked, and one of them I might be canceling due to a change in plans. I *might* try to reschedule that one, but I don't plan on trying to schedule any more. That would still mean converting at least 2 TS credits to QS. I feel bad taking a room in a moderate resort and not using all of the TS credits that come with the dining plan. I feel like I should leave a room at FQ for someone who actually will use all of their TS credits. Should I feel that way? I am wondering if I should try to get a room at the Pop which would come with the 2 QS meals and just pay for the one TS out of pocket.

It comes down to this: should I try for a room at the POP since I will be eating mostly at QS? Or should I stay at my first choice, regardless of the fact that I will be "wasting" TS credits?

 

[Tara]

Hello all! I have a dilemma I am hoping you can help me with. I plan on calling on Thursday morning to book a 3 night/ 4 day vacation in Oct. I am hoping to get the FD. My hubby and I really want to stay at a moderate resort- either POFQ or CB, but at this time I only have 2 TS ADRs booked, and one of them I might be canceling due to a change in plans. I *might* try to reschedule that one, but I don't plan on trying to schedule any more. That would still mean converting at least 2 TS credits to QS. I feel bad taking a room in a moderate resort and not using all of the TS credits that come with the dining plan. I feel like I should leave a room at FQ for someone who actually will use all of their TS credits. Should I feel that way? I am wondering if I should try to get a room at the Pop which would come with the 2 QS meals and just pay for the one TS out of pocket.

It comes down to this: should I try for a room at the POP since I will be eating mostly at QS? Or should I stay at my first choice, regardless of the fact that I will be "wasting" TS credits?

Why on earth would you feel bad about choosing the resort that works for you?

The bigger question is - can you get a better deal if there are discount codes for rooms and you then add the dining plan? I'm not sure rack rate at a moderate is worth it if you're eating 90% QS anyway. I'd skip free dining if I were you, honestly.

 

[Missytara]

Why on earth would you feel bad about choosing the resort that works for you?

The bigger question is - can you get a better deal if there are discount codes for rooms and you then add the dining plan? I'm not sure rack rate at a moderate is worth it if you're eating 90% QS anyway. I'd skip free dining if I were you, honestly.

Ditto.

 

[Pink Mouse Ears]

Agree with Tara. Run the numbers. Book FD on Thursday for now and you can switch to the public discount if one comes out and it works better (you can probably go by whatever the most recent room discount is to determine that.) Are you sure there aren't any other meals you'd want? Pizza delivery? Breakfast on your departure day?

Either way, book the room you want. You are paying for the room and not "taking" it from someone who wants free dining.

 

[phillymummer]

I didn't think about it that way. Am I correct in thinking that the discount on a room at a moderate is 20%? So, you're thinking that I would save more by taking the 20% than getting the free meals? I don't want to wait until the room discounts are announced to make the reservation. I have been told that the dates for room discounts usually coincide with FD. So, if I don't go for the FD, I just have to keep an eye out for the room discount, then call and ask to have it applied?

Anyone else have thought about this?

Moderate Resort, mostly QS meals. FD or room discount?

 

[Pink Mouse Ears]

You can book FD and then switch your reservation if the discount works better (you can estimate 20%..it has been 25% even in the past.) There's no absolute guarantee that a room discount will come out...historically, it has and it most likely will, but you're safest to book FD and switch if the discount works better for you. Disney may have to "rebook" your room- there may not be availability for your room category or resort when the discount comes- but they can apply your deposit to your new reservation.

 

[cwt580]

i wouldnt even worry about dining plan then and go for the room discount. if your not using the credits then its a total wash for FD....but i would book fd for now and wait for room discount if available. if its free why not. dont worry about the use of all your credits. I bet after you book it you will figure out something to use them on......


dont worry about your choice of resorts. get what you want. your money is as good as anyone elses.

 

[phillymummer]

Thanks everyone! This is why I have "stalking" these boards for the past week or so. Everyone has good advice and is quick to help out a Disney newb like myself! So I will still call on thursday and try to get FD at POFQ or CB. If the room discount comes out I will switch over to the room discount.

Although, two free meal are still two free meals, no matter where you staying, correct? I could stay at POFQ AND have to pay for all three meals a day plus a snack or I could stay at POFQ with FD and pay for only one meal day. I still think I am saving money with the FD option, regardless of whether it is QS or TS. But my thinking has been off-base before, so it probably is again!

I do see why a room discount might be the better deal, if I am paying mostly for CS anyway. I could use the money I save with the discount to buy all of my meals.

 

[Pink Mouse Ears]

We basically don't buy any other food when we get a DDP. We use the snack credit for breakfast, CS for lunch, and TS for dinner (we do this even when we don't get a dining plan...we just probably wouldn't order the desserts with each meal.) So when I book free dining and pay $179 for the room, I am getting about $115 discount each day. For us, paying $179/night is better than $143 (with a 20% disc.) plus food costs for 3 people. Even 25% off wouldn't be better, even with skipping dessert.

If you're doing CS, try to estimate what you spend per day for your group and add it to the discounted price of the room. I think you can use a TS credit for a CS meal if you have the dining plan/free dining, but someone will need to confirm that.

 

[phillymummer]

Thanks PinkMouseEars! It will be hard for me to estimate. I have only been to Disney one other time as an adult. We did not have a Dining plan at all. We did a mix of QS and TS, mostly TS I think (which I hated!). We did not buy any snacks. I don't think we ever did dessert. Maybe one or two times.
Maybe I will try to figure something out.

I did not think of using that snack for breakfast! That would be perfect for me and my daughter, but hubby loves himself a hot breakfast. A "snack" would be unacceptable for him! LOL!

 

[phillymummer]

I just tried to do the math as best as I could- estimating how much we would spend on breakfast at the resort each morning at at QS restaurants in the parks, plus dinner at hollywood and vine. It appears that I the money spent on food is greater than the 20% room discount, so I think I am better off with FD.

Really, this is speculation bc who knows what is going to happen when I call tomorrow morning!

P.S- I was feeling bad bc I know there will be a lot of people trying to get FD and there are also a lot of people who WILL use the TS credits on the plan that comes with a moderate resort. I think it's like taking the last piece of cake at a party (when other people wanted it) and then throwing away most of it. However, I have gotten over that now. ; )