Disney Experts, Please Help Me Decide!!!

[disneyluvr913]

This is kind of long, so bear with me...
Unlike most people, it seems to me like we'll be LOSING some money if we book the free-dining package. However, we'll certainly eat better than we planned on.

Our trip has four people: one adult, two teenagers, and a nine-year-old.
We were planning on staying from August 9-17, going to the parks for seven days. I am an extremely frugal person, and I enjoy making the most of my money.

BUDGET BEFORE FREE-DINING.


Transportation: 250.00

Eight nights at campground
with AAA plus membership 330.00

Tickets (Four passes for seven days at
207 and 166): 787.00

Lodging on the way up and down
plus food: 200.00

Food for eleven days: 300.00
-brought breakfasts
-bagged meals on road
-cooked lunches
-five-six meals in park


TOTAL: $1867.00


BUDGET WITH FREE DINING

Transportation: 250.00

Four nights at campground
w/o AAA 174.00

Tickets (Four passes for six days at
202 and 164): 770.00

Lodging on the way up and down
plus food: 200.00

Food for days w/o free dining 150.00
-brought breakfasts
-bagged meals on road
-cooked lunches


Magic Your Way Package Plus Free Dining 709.00
-one day tickets for four people
-four nights at a value resort
-free dining for four days


TOTAL: $2253.00


So it seems like we'd lose 386.00...but we'd eat like royalty for the last four days of our vacation. What do you think? Anything I'm overlooking?

 

[waste]

I am not sure, but it seems like you are not "losing" money. you are staying at a resort over the campground (the major difference). Here's my question: why don't you stay at the resort the first four days and at the campground the last four days? if you did it that way, you could buy all the ticket passes as part of the Magic Your Way package, and can continue to use it after you leave the resort. Right now, you are paying about $50/person for the one day pass with the package. I think this would reduce the price, but I'm not sure. Basically, the reason you are paying more is for the resort.

But also look at it this way: for less than $100/person, you get four nights at a resort, and amazing food for four days! (that's less than $25/day/person!).

When we went, we did the Dining package (not free), and paid $39/person per day (came out to about $450 for two for the week), and I don't regret it one bit. Amazing food - and lots of it - for the price. And if you have never tried the restaurants in WDW, you really should. (I personally recommend Le Cellier in Canada at Epcot, if possible).

 

[disneyluvr913]

I'd love to spend the first four at a resort, and the last four at a campground, but our problem is, the free dining doesn't cover campgrounds. So we wouldn't be able to stay in a campground and take advantage of it...

 

[waste]

I don't know enough about the free dining, so excuse me if I get it wrong... but wouldn't you get the free dining the first four days then, while you are at the resort? then you can go back to your old schedule in the campground (cook own food, etc) for the last four days.

 

[Skylarr29]

My .02 is this. I dont think you budgeted enough in for food in your orginal budget..... $300 for 4 people for 11 days even with cooking etc is too low I think. The dining plan is a good deal and it is giving you the option to stay at one of the resorts you wouldnt have and eat better. I know wher eyou are coming from though. We are ap holders and we had to do a big break down to see if it would be worth it for us.



Budget with no free dining , ap room discount and tickets was almost $700
Budget with free dining , no room discount, and 5 1 day MYW tickets $965



so for $265 5 people will eat for 4 days and stay for 5 days!


If you are frugal you can maybe try sharing your counter service credits. Instead of using 4 for a lunch use 2 and order like a double cheeseburger combo and slip it... with fries, a drink and dessert that should be enough. Once again just my opinion.

 

[disneyluvr913]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Maybe I did budget a little too under for food...But we DID plan on cooking most of the meals at the campground.

I don't know enough about the free dining, so excuse me if I get it wrong... but wouldn't you get the free dining the first four days then, while you are at the resort? then you can go back to your old schedule in the campground (cook own food, etc) for the last four days.

You see, the first four days we plan to stay are BEFORE the 13th, which is before the free dining begins. Otherwise that way would be perfect (seeing as I wouldn't have to buy four one-day passes).


Keep the posts coming!

 

[Willow25]

My husbands family is extremely frugal so much so that when they have gone to Disneyland with us before they would plan on eating one meal per day hopefully a buffet so his mother could put some pastries and fruit in her handbag to allow for breakfast the next morning. My husband and I were not yet married on this trip and would often sneak away to McDonalds to get an extra meal in.

After five years of marriage we invited them to come to Disneyworld with us last year during September. The only condition was that they had to agree to pay rack room rates to get the free dining plan because we did not want to go through the same nightmare as DL.

They absolutely loved it. While it would have cost them maybe a few hundred dollars more they had the best worry free vacation ever. For the first time they did not stress in the parks because they were spending too much on snacks or on a meal. On top of that they did not have to worry about tax, tip and they got to try food that they would have never even thought about trying before. It was a truly wonderful experience. They have even said that if they ever go back they would pay if they had to for the dining plan.

I think for you and your family it would be a totally different experience to have the dining plan. No one is cooking or cleaning and shopping. You would be able to go to the parks and not have to worry about leaving in time for dinner or making it to the shops or going over budget. If I were you I would go for it. Whatever you decide have a great time and really enjoy yourself.