Disney Complainers Complain About This!

[ARAITHEL]

I totally think it's "free" if you don't otherwise know how to get the discounts. If you don't go to the "specials" page on the WDW web page or don't go through a TA, then there's a possibility that you could be paying rack rate and OOP with NO discounts! Some people don't even know that the discounts exist. I'm thankful for every scrap of "free" food that I get at WDW...every last morsel.

Saved the family I'm traveling with around $1450, myself about $650. RO discount for me would have been about $525.


Booked 6 nights 7 days at CBR this morning...and I'm waving my FREE DINING sign high! Takes the worry out.

Yes, nothing is "free," but it's one cool discount if you like to eat.

 

[fishhunter]

I'm surprised to see all the "disney fans" on here posting about how Disney "needs to improve this and that", "sneaks discounts " into their customers in disguise as "free", and All the Fast Pass whiners. I've never seen so many people take a place Of leisure and joy and turn it into a negative thing. It's sad. People will look for the negative in anything instead of focusing on the possative attributes. Looks like a dis-hater board needs the be started for them. Enjoy your free dining and every penny saved on a vacation you were going to take in the first place!!!

Great post and I agree! Those that say its not free can cut it anyway they want. I booked this vacation several months ago and included the dining because we like the convenience. After today, the price has changed dramatically. My room rate or my ticket price did not increase with the free dining so yes, I saved money.

 

[Reddog1134]

Great post and I agree! Those that say its not free can cut it anyway they want. I booked this vacation several months ago and included the dining because we like the convenience. After today, the price has changed dramatically. My room rate or my ticket price did not increase with the free dining so yes, I saved money.

Yeah, the semantic arguments around here about "free dining" drive me nuts.

It's like trying to argue that taking the lump sum for a lottery winning isn't really "getting free money" because "you had to buy a lottery ticket and you could have received more money if you took the annuity".

 

[Praying Colonel]

“Complainers”
“Kill-joys”
“Whiners”
“Dis-haters”

Stay classy.

 

[mom2rtk]

“Complainers”
“Kill-joys”
“Whiners”
“Dis-haters”

Stay classy.

Yeah. That.

Besides, we love free dining. Even if it isn't free. Why would I complain? Not that it matters. We're heading west to Walt's original park for the second year in a row. I'm willing to bypass a better discount for a better experience.

 

[LSUfan4444]

It's pretty apparent the OP didn't want a discussion, but rather people to just come agree with her, so I apologize for offering a different, rational insight.

The insinuation that those who realize "free dining" is not free and are disillusioned is quite funny and ironic though.

 

[Praying Colonel]

As for the "free" dining: in exchange for that free dining, you're agreeing to pay rack rate, plus you're paying your tip, plus you're limiting your food experiences to what fits in the DDP (or you're paying OOP for anything else).

Maybe that works better for you than the other discounts Disney runs--maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's worth comparing against other discounts/packages that are available. Or maybe you just want to do the DDP and don't care whether it's the best discount.

Signed,

Your friendly DIS Complainer/Kill-joy/Whiner/Dis-hater

 

[JanaDee]

As for the "free" dining: in exchange for that free dining, you're agreeing to pay rack rate, plus you're paying your tip, plus you're limiting your food experiences to what fits in the DDP (or you're paying OOP for anything else).

Maybe that works better for you than the other discounts Disney runs--maybe it doesn't. Maybe it's worth comparing against other discounts/packages that are available. Or maybe you just want to do the DDP and don't care whether it's the best discount.

Signed,

Your friendly DIS Complainer/Kill-joy/Whiner/Dis-hater

Stop with the logic. Pretty sure OP doesn't want to hear it.

 

[Reddog1134]

I think most people realize that nothing is ever truly free. BOGO is just “50% off when you buy multiples of 2”.

The problem I have is that whenever someone is excited about “Free Dining”, no one seems to be able to offer additional insight without giving an economics lesson and sounding condescending.

No one says “That’s great. Just remember you still have to pay your tips”. Or “Did you check to make sure there wasn’t a better offer available? Such as a discount on your room?”

It’s always “There is NO such thing as Free Dining”, “It isn’t free because you paid rack rate for your room”, etc.

 

[Praying Colonel]

Stop with the logic. Pretty sure OP doesn't want to hear it.

Thanks--forgot my place there for a second.

 

[LSUfan4444]

whenever someone is excited about “Free Dining”, no one seems to be able to offer additional insight without giving an economics lesson and sounding condescending

Really? Seems to me that most of the condescending comments came from the other side.

Having a differing view isn't condescending, especially if you can explain why the view is different with examples.

It’s always “There is NO such thing as Free Dining”, “It isn’t free because you paid rack rate for your room”, etc.

How is that condescending?

Her post wasn't about getting the best discount available. The post was specifically to boast of free dining:

Can anyone tell me where you can go on vacation and eat for free the entire time?

Then referred to spending alot of money on food in Vegas.


If she, or wants to discuss other possible ways to save more money, or spend the same or slightly more and have more freedom, that's always an option, but as soon as anyone had a different view they were called names and casted as some sort of disillusioned party pooper.

 

[AngiTN]

I'm surprised to see all the "disney fans" on here posting about how Disney "needs to improve this and that", "sneaks discounts " into their customers in disguise as "free", and All the Fast Pass whiners. I've never seen so many people take a place Of leisure and joy and turn it into a negative thing. It's sad. People will look for the negative in anything instead of focusing on the possative attributes. Looks like a dis-hater board needs the be started for them. Enjoy your free dining and every penny saved on a vacation you were going to take in the first place!!!

Welcome to the Dis Boards. The place that can suck the fun right out of Disney if you let it.

 

[AngiTN]

You don't have to be a dis hater to see that free dining isn't free and the dining plan is not nearly the value alot of people think it is.

I love dining at WDW restaurants, which is why I purchased a Tables in Wonderland card. I now dine with no restrictions, spend less money and save on my alcoholic purchases with dinner as well.

If it makes you happy, great. I don't think you shouldn't be happy you got free dining. In the end, if you're not happy in WDW, it's that less special for everyone else.

It's awesome you can do that. Sadly, all guests can not get them. If I could, I would in a heartbeat

 

[sonofanarchy]

Welcome to the Dis Boards. The place that can suck the fun right out of Disney if you let it.

That's the key. You just can't let it get to you. I post negative things and positive things. I just post whatever is on my mind. Rest assured, I'll have the time of my life on vacation, no matter how much Disney tries to screw things up.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Awwww...look how happy everyone is making their way to A&E

 

[LSUfan4444]

That's the key. You just can't let it get to you. I post negative things and positive things. I just post whatever is on my mind. Rest assured, I'll have the time of my life on vacation, no matter how much Disney tries to screw things up.

Eaxctly...it's like there is no room on the boards for those who can criticize anything Disney does, has or offers, yet still love going to Disney and line up to go over and over.

If you're not all doom & gloom or live on some magical disney rainbow filled with unicorns and faries you have little company on the board.

 

[alicia080979]

We used to love the convenience of the dining plan and only traveled during Free Dining because it gave us the biggest discount for 3 adults in a moderate. That was until the prices got to where they are now.Even with dining being free, a mod is now upwards of $200-$250 per night. Not a chance they are worth that IMO and I love the mods.

We are doing things a little differently this September and saving quite a bit that I think will cover the cost of food. We are renting DVC points for 10 nights at BCV, buying APs (we are going in June so it saves us $150 pp to buy the AP), getting a TIW card and spending almost $1000 less than if we stayed in a moderate with free dining. I think that $1000 will come very close if not cover the cost of our food. Even if we were to pay for the DDP, we would still only be spending $200 more than if we went under FD at a Moderate. I think we are getting a much better deal to be able to stay deluxe for less than $180 a night, eat how we want (ie. order apps, share desserts, etc.) and paying for our food OOP (not to mention walk to Epcot and Stormalong Bay!).

OP I am happy that you are getting FD...it really is a great discount for some. If you go often, I would say make sure you crunch the numbers because there can be better deals out there to save more/get more for your money. Sometimes though, FD is just the best discount out there.

 

[BlackMagicWoman]

I think most people realize that nothing is ever truly free. BOGO is just “50% off when you buy multiples of 2”.

The problem I have is that whenever someone is excited about “Free Dining”, no one seems to be able to offer additional insight without giving an economics lesson and sounding condescending.

No one says “That’s great. Just remember you still have to pay your tips”. Or “Did you check to make sure there wasn’t a better offer available? Such as a discount on your room?”

It’s always “There is NO such thing as Free Dining”, “It isn’t free because you paid rack rate for your room”, etc.

Honestly it doesn't even make sense to me. When I go to the grocery store and I get my apples say buy one get one free, no one says that apple wasn't free because you paid full price for you oranges.

The meal is still free. The room was full price. They are two separate things.

 

[AngiTN]

That's the key. You just can't let it get to you. I post negative things and positive things. I just post whatever is on my mind. Rest assured, I'll have the time of my life on vacation, no matter how much Disney tries to screw things up.

Oh, I don't let it. If you were to just read some posts on the site you'd wonder why some are here and why they bother to give such an evil place a penny. I find it quite hilarious really. Opinions of people here have zero bearing to my life or my enjoyment of our trips.

 

[LSUfan4444]

It's awesome you can do that. Sadly, all guests can not get them. If I could, I would in a heartbeat

yeah, this is our first year with it. We waited to plan 3 trips in one year, splurged on APs and bought our TIW the first night on our trip.

Previously, to save money we started renting villas from DVC owners and it saves TONS of money over renting directly through Disney. We get rooms with full kitchens so it allows us to eat breakfast in the room, keep alot of snacks cool to bring food to the parks each day, then sit down for one meal a day, pay OOP and we ended up spending less with more flexibility.

In jan of 2013 this was my example:

We ate and drank what we want when we wanted, and I wanted to see how that compared to the dining plan. Now, these costs are based basically on two adults and Molly (my daughter who was under three and free), but I compared them to what the meal plan would have cost us. I think the only way you can judge the value of the dining plan is after you dine without it because it is too hard to know what you would have ordered if you weren't on the meal plan. Alot of people see their receipts and think, "wow, look how expensive that is, good thing we're on the meal plan", but would you really have ordered a dessert for everyone at the table? Would you really eat a counter service, a snack and a table service meal each day? Anyway, for us the meal plan for 2013 is $55 per day. That comes out to $880 for both of us for eight nights.

In total we spent $1,058 on food and dining. Now, maybe you're asking how could I come out better not on the dining plan when I spent more. Well, this is why. That $1,058 included all of our groceries from Publix, which included a case of beer and two bottle of wine, plus other non food items for the room. That $1,058 also included alcohol that we ordered with our meals, AND gratuity we spent, both of which you have to pay extra for with the meal plan. Most importantly, it allowed us to order what we want when we wanted it. It isn't like we ate cheap. We ate at Ohana, California Grill, Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review, Be Our Guest, Wishes Dessert Party (also not included on the dining plan), Mama Melrose, Big River Grill and did the Dine with Shamu experience at Sea World. Another benefit of not having the meal plan is it doesn't cost you any more money to dine at any of the Swan and Dolphin restaurants (Blue Zoo, Kimonos, Shulas, etc). At the California Grill, the night before the marathon, we ordered an app, two sushi rolls and a salad and it was MORE THAN ENOUGH food....thats impossible on the meal plan, no matter how full you are.

Notes by Cliff:
-Dining Plan would have cost wife and I $880 (no gratuity, no apps, no salads, no alcohol, etc.)
-Opted for out of pocket and spent $1058 (included all alcohol, all gratuity, all apps, salads and a grocery store strip which included alcohol for the room snacks and cleaning supplies)
-We ate at Ohana, California Grill, Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review, Be Our Guest, Wishes Dessert Party (also not included on the dining plan), Mama Melrose, Big River Grill and did the Dine with Shamu experience at Sea World