Oh, one other thing I wanted to say. I been reading differant threads and wondering how some are saving so much money! The person who posted above gave some scenerio's and I figured it out. Everybody calculates differantly how they saved money. I have been going bottom line. Running the figures.
For example, I would do a cost anylisis for no discounts, AP and free dining.
When I did AP I was figuring room only, calculated costs of dining-I had most of the kids and my husband pick were they wanted to eat in the differant parks and then what they wanted to eat.(from the downloaded menus off www.allearsnet.com) This was to take a survey of what where my family wanted to eat. We had enough simularities of what restaurants we would pick on the plan! I did my itinarary up figured up where we would be when and eating at which restaurants. I had some of the kids who wanted to participate more pick there choices again.(some didn't have to because it ended up being their origional-the girls and me where having fun!) So, I was able to get a fairly accurate cost of the food. Just for your info, I found a pattern to the counter service meals all costing about the same money for the most part. The sit downs were more varied, but had a ball park. And finally the tickets we were going to mail order through ticket mania for the best deal.
Now I would do this for each: no discounts- using the same amount for food out of pocket. Rack rate for rooms, actually I couldn't do that!! I would never pay rack rates! There is always a deal somewhere!! Thats what got me to the boards in the first place!! So I take that back. My base was from a AAA discount on rooms.(but it is always nice to have the other figure to know what I could have paid retail.-scary!!- We would never go on vacation!)
and the cheapest way I could get my tickets(either AAA or through the mail. I found AAA in Orlando had the tickets I wanted for the same price, but they said I had to pick them up. For those wondering. AAA in Maine had differant tickets they offered for less. I found that differant AAA offices in differant states carry differant tickets from Disney.
So anyways I had a base of comparison from AAA discounts seprately and I just remembered AAA package deal.(for those that don't know, before the free dining special on the plan- you could book the MYW package with dining included cheaper through AAA, then through Disney. AAA applied another small discount to the whole package deal. I also found out that AAA works very closely with Disney, so it was just something us bargain hunters had to find out on our own.) So much I've learned and still have to learn I keep going on bunny trails to explain, because I wanted to understand all this when I read your posts. Let's see if I can sum this up.
I had two differant AAA prices. One completely seperate-room only, food and cheapest tickets. The other a package deal through Disney with AAA discount. The Disney package quote and Disney seperately with us buying our own food. And the AP way. Whew, what alot of figuring. I had it down to AP being the best way to go. -booking all your own componants seperately. The dining was close- being realistic to what you would eat and having fun still, but not feeling like you could do anything you wanted.(that's the treat of the dining plan for those of us that don't get to do stuff like that)
So I put on 14 day hold w/Disney my lodging through AAA discounts on May 31st. After much discussion, I get the feeling I should be calling every morning at 7:00a.m. to get the AP rates. The second day I call they are in!
I change AAA rates to AP. I go back on Mousesavers and Allearsnet and don't find any AP rates. I email them to let them know. I got an email back from Mousesavers, she said thank you, this was totally unexpected, I am on it.(from me tracking the previous days when codes have come out it is usually later) I keep checking there sites for the updates. Finally Mousesavers posts the AP and posts something about dining you'll want to come back for details tomorrow. I get back on the phone with Disney and ask the dining dept. about this. They say they don't know, but they seem a little curious. I read exactly what I saw on the site, she says, yes there is a buzz going on here about some dining deal, but it doesn't start till tomorrow, you'll have to call back tomorrow. I call at 7:00 am and get someone who doesn't know anything, I call back get someone who can help, but I need to consult my parents. The frenzied day goes on..... and some days that follow trying to figure the best plan of attack. The figures all start rolling all over again trying to figure from every angle. We finally have a "new and improved plan!" It was definately cheaper to go with free dining for us and we could stay longer because of it. We were looking for more days, but couldn't afford it. The less days you save the less the savings.
So anyways, I have realized everyone calculates their savings differantly!
I go with the bottom line of comparing apples to apples. I do not go on how much I saved for free dining. And technically its hard to compare apples to apples when what we would have ate doesn't compare to what we can now do on the free dining!!!!!!!!! So, yes to you that are asking, but you wouldn't have spent that on food really.
For example, I would do a cost anylisis for no discounts, AP and free dining.
When I did AP I was figuring room only, calculated costs of dining-I had most of the kids and my husband pick were they wanted to eat in the differant parks and then what they wanted to eat.(from the downloaded menus off www.allearsnet.com) This was to take a survey of what where my family wanted to eat. We had enough simularities of what restaurants we would pick on the plan! I did my itinarary up figured up where we would be when and eating at which restaurants. I had some of the kids who wanted to participate more pick there choices again.(some didn't have to because it ended up being their origional-the girls and me where having fun!) So, I was able to get a fairly accurate cost of the food. Just for your info, I found a pattern to the counter service meals all costing about the same money for the most part. The sit downs were more varied, but had a ball park. And finally the tickets we were going to mail order through ticket mania for the best deal.
Now I would do this for each: no discounts- using the same amount for food out of pocket. Rack rate for rooms, actually I couldn't do that!! I would never pay rack rates! There is always a deal somewhere!! Thats what got me to the boards in the first place!! So I take that back. My base was from a AAA discount on rooms.(but it is always nice to have the other figure to know what I could have paid retail.-scary!!- We would never go on vacation!)
and the cheapest way I could get my tickets(either AAA or through the mail. I found AAA in Orlando had the tickets I wanted for the same price, but they said I had to pick them up. For those wondering. AAA in Maine had differant tickets they offered for less. I found that differant AAA offices in differant states carry differant tickets from Disney.
So anyways I had a base of comparison from AAA discounts seprately and I just remembered AAA package deal.(for those that don't know, before the free dining special on the plan- you could book the MYW package with dining included cheaper through AAA, then through Disney. AAA applied another small discount to the whole package deal. I also found out that AAA works very closely with Disney, so it was just something us bargain hunters had to find out on our own.) So much I've learned and still have to learn I keep going on bunny trails to explain, because I wanted to understand all this when I read your posts. Let's see if I can sum this up.
I had two differant AAA prices. One completely seperate-room only, food and cheapest tickets. The other a package deal through Disney with AAA discount. The Disney package quote and Disney seperately with us buying our own food. And the AP way. Whew, what alot of figuring. I had it down to AP being the best way to go. -booking all your own componants seperately. The dining was close- being realistic to what you would eat and having fun still, but not feeling like you could do anything you wanted.(that's the treat of the dining plan for those of us that don't get to do stuff like that)
So I put on 14 day hold w/Disney my lodging through AAA discounts on May 31st. After much discussion, I get the feeling I should be calling every morning at 7:00a.m. to get the AP rates. The second day I call they are in!
I change AAA rates to AP. I go back on Mousesavers and Allearsnet and don't find any AP rates. I email them to let them know. I got an email back from Mousesavers, she said thank you, this was totally unexpected, I am on it.(from me tracking the previous days when codes have come out it is usually later) I keep checking there sites for the updates. Finally Mousesavers posts the AP and posts something about dining you'll want to come back for details tomorrow. I get back on the phone with Disney and ask the dining dept. about this. They say they don't know, but they seem a little curious. I read exactly what I saw on the site, she says, yes there is a buzz going on here about some dining deal, but it doesn't start till tomorrow, you'll have to call back tomorrow. I call at 7:00 am and get someone who doesn't know anything, I call back get someone who can help, but I need to consult my parents. The frenzied day goes on..... and some days that follow trying to figure the best plan of attack. The figures all start rolling all over again trying to figure from every angle. We finally have a "new and improved plan!" It was definately cheaper to go with free dining for us and we could stay longer because of it. We were looking for more days, but couldn't afford it. The less days you save the less the savings.
So anyways, I have realized everyone calculates their savings differantly!
I go with the bottom line of comparing apples to apples. I do not go on how much I saved for free dining. And technically its hard to compare apples to apples when what we would have ate doesn't compare to what we can now do on the free dining!!!!!!!!! So, yes to you that are asking, but you wouldn't have spent that on food really.
Oh well, maybe another year after we win the lottery! 
