Disney Complainers Complain About This!

[maxiesmom]

SO that's our experience with the dining plan. I think it varies for everyone… time of year, level of resort, number/age of people (I am sorry but a 9 year old ISN"T an adult, anywhere but Disney!). OP, I think that it ROCKS that you are saving $1800 by using "free" dining, because you KNOW that's money that's now in your pocket that wouldn't have been otherwise! How can you argue with that??

A 9 year old isn't an adult at WDW either. It is ages 10 and up that are an adult for the dining plan. If they charged you the adult rate, they shouldn't have.

But I have to agree, the dining plan is way too much food for me. I have only used it when it is "free", and then I run the numbers to see if it really works out.

 

[ashprincess]

We were getting the dining plan either way. My fiancees parents agreed to pay for most (they said most but since the credit card bill comes to their house i'm thinking more like all if i know them) of the vacation, if we agreed to buy the dining plan so they wouldn't have to worry about us getting down there, spending too much and not being able to eat. Apparently, they think we're irresponsible (we're not, promise). But they worry, so we agreed, so either way we were getting the dining plan, and either way we had decided on deluxe dining. Free dining allowed us to upgrade our room and still pay the same amount. While it may or may not technically be free and no we wouldn't eat this way every day, it is vacation and our honeymoon so we decided to splurge a bit, and eat way too much (at least it's after the wedding and my dress will still fit!). So, we are happy with the offered discount.

 

[Anthony1971]

We own DVC.. before FD ever was...
There are a lot of places I use to enjoy eating at that I rarely pay the price for... There are things on the menu I will no longer order because of the price... Are these price inflated because of the DP... maybe... they did start getting expensive around that time... if I average what I spend will I do well ordering those $$$ items.. yes.. can I buy the DP.. yes (did in the now distant past).. my point would I take a free DP offer just to eat at some places truly saving or not.. yes.. can I rent my points, use them for something else and pay for FD yes... would I.. no and it is not offered in general when we go.....
do I get a great discount with DVC.. yes and considering mow much less I paid compared to what it cost now.... still find it hard to dig into my wallet to pay for the most expensive places night after night as I know I can get better food for the same price at... in DTD or Swan or... but I do enjoy the Disney places... so for those who get FD enjoy it.... a better discount may be... but being able to eat what you want at most places and not care about the price is very nice as well...

 

[disneyfav4ever]

It's free, if I don't have to pay for food.

When there are requirements and restrictions to get something, I don't see it as free.

 

[workin4vacation]

I modified an existing 10 night stay in December in which I initially added the meal plan and was going to pay for it. With the offer of free dining during my stay, it saved me $1,880.00! Can anyone tell me where you can go on vacation and eat for free the entire time? Some meals might not be great and some will be but they all will be for free!

That's awesome!!! Congrats!

 

[workin4vacation]

When there are requirements and restrictions to get something, I don't see it as free.

Even with restrictions or requirements....if you don't take cash out of your pocket or put it on a card......it's free!!

 

[workin4vacation]

For some of us, it's the convenience. I love having my vacation totally paid for before i even go. Not to have to budget out money for our meals. the only money i have to bring is for tips and merch. To me that is worth it, i dont really care if i "could have " saved more money with a RO discount or if the "free" is not free. It makes me happy to book with FD.
And I can never understand why anyone else cares what ppl do or think about FD and that they have to point it out at every opportunity that it is not free. You do your thing,feel superior that you got the better deal and i will do my FD discount without a thought about what anyone else thinks

I have a similar situation....and am psyched to get FD!
Booked the Cape May seafood buffet, Coral Reef, LaHacienda, Captain's Grille and the Rose & Crown table service dinners this morning.

 

[SEA333]

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

Good lord! No wonder people are so unhappy here and in Disney. If I were to ever go at a time where crowds were like that, I would come back here and not only complain about the (FREE!) DDP, I would definitely have something to say about the strollers hitting my legs...and that guy with the map stopped in the middle of the walkway - and I would probably put a leash on my 10 year old AND put him in a stroller, to try to get to the nearest fixin's bar just in time to see that unsupervised 7 year old licking all of the utensils while mom holds a table while dad gets food just before walking into the bathroom to see the perfectly able-bodied Brazilian tour group walk into the handicap stall in the Ladies Room - WITH their 9 year old sons - and THEN go out and stake a spot for the parade right in front of a single mom and her three kids, but behind the man with the twin boys on his shoulders. I would then just give up and head for the overcrowded bus, wait 45 minutes, and have a family of 10 step in front of the line with their ECV.

But for free dining, it's worth it! Oh wait....that's right. It's not free...I paid for a hotel room first. It doesn't matter that I would have paid for a room and food anyway - NOTHING at Disney is free!

(I still haven't figured out how I saved over $600 last year with my non-FREE Dining Plan...and for the sake of doing all of the math, would have saved a whopping $11 bucks had we stayed off-site and eaten Subway and Pizza Hut)



It's a vacation, people!!! I have never seen such kvetching in my life than the #firstworldproblems I see people go back and forth about on this board. What a great lesson in the Sociology of the Have's.

 

[asmit4]

I just always seem to hear from EVERYONE how expensive DW is....and how we manage to afford it.

I seriously wonder if these people have actually priced out a trip. We spend about 120/night on a 2 bedroom condo...grocery shop and eat breakfast at home, We head to disney for a few days, and often have leftover tickets from the last trip (non expiring).

Sure- you can have an expensive disney vacation but you can just as easily have an inexpensive one too.

 

[Disneylover99]

When there are requirements and restrictions to get something, I don't see it as free.

What are my restrictions and requirements? A minimum 3 night stay? A minimum two day tickets?

I usually stay a week or longer and need to buy tickets anyways, so free for me!