Disney Visa Free Dining Confusion (HELP)

[okjay88]

I'm a little confused. This offer is basically supposed to add Free Dining to the standard Magic Your Way package price, right?

I got a quote on the website for:
7 nts @ ASMu; 11/12-11/18; Stand Rm; (2) adults; (2) 7-day w/ Park-Hopper only; no insurance = $1235.78

However, when I call and ask for the exaxt same thing, and then ask to add the Free Dining from Dis-Visa they say it comes out to $1363.

I asked why the free dining adds nearly $130, and they said they don't know, but it may because the Disney Visa package may be priced differently. The quote I did online is for rack rates, regular ticket prices, no discounts. This seems like false advertising. The claim you can add free dining to a MYW package, but it increases the total price and they can't tell you why.

Can anyone make any sense of this? Thanks-

 

[My2Angels]

Could the price over the phone have been a preferred room quoted to you? That would make a small difference like that? Just a thought........

 

[zippy1013]

Before I added FREE dining my Package was $856 for 6 nights plus 7day hopper at Pop from 12/16/12/20 for 1adult and 1child after adding FREE dining it went up to $1081.18.

They told me the reason for this is because the Free dining only gives you a 20% off the room rate. Before I was getting a 40%off the room rate.

But for me I would be spending alot of money on food anyways plus we are going with a group of twelve so oh well

I hope that helps.

 

[mbanks21]

If you had a discount before that is removed for free dining. Youre still getting the dining plan for $130 for 2 adults for 6 nights. Make sure they didnt add the insurance because that runs about $133 for 2 adults

 

[Lisa10]

To the OP: On your original post you stated you tried for 7 nights for dates 11/12 - 11/18 online. That's only six nights. Then maybe when you called CRO you asked for the 7 nights and that's why that quote is higher, you were quoted one more night than the on-line reservation gave you???

 

[mmmbop]

Mine jumped from 980 for nine nights, to 1121 for seven (we arrive 12/12. No FD then)

 

[pwdebbie]

I played around with numbers on the Disney website and then, when the free dining offer came, I called our TA and asked her to get the numbers for us. It came to several hundred dollars more with the "free dining" than with the discount offered on the Disney site for a package. Free isn't always "free."

We're going to wait and see if anything better comes out in the next couple of months.

Deb
POFQ, 2007

 

[okjay88]

Thanks for the replies - Let me clarify a few things

1-I mistakenly put 7 nites in my original post, but it should have read 6
2-I made sure that the person I spoke to on the phone created the reservation exactly as I did online (standard rm, no insurance, same nts, same park tix) - they confirmed, but couldn't explain the difference in price
3-The price quote I did myself online was for rack rates, w/ no discount

What I can't understand is why the price goes up w/ free dining. "free Dining" implies it is just that: "Free". If it costs "X" amount for MYW package at rack rate w/ no discount, the free dining offer should be that same price and just include "free dining". Seems that for "Free Dining" they magically increase the price of a full-price package. That definitely is not "Magic My Way".

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I know someone mentioned this earlier, but are you sure they didn't give you the vacation insurance? You have to be specific about not wanting it. My package at POP came out just what I priced it at online. At first it was quite a bit higher...until I asked if that price included vacation insurance.

 

[Pugrpooh]

I booked last week for the same nights, 11/12 - 11/18 at POR. I checked online and then called for the reservations. She quoted me a price but with insurance. When I told her I didn't want the insurance, the total price was less than what I was quoted online. The difference was $16 per night which was the difference between the rate for value season and regular season. So I was pretty happy! I don't know why yours would be higher, but I would keep trying and maybe check a couple of other resorts also.

Good luck!

 

[okjay88]

Nope - insurance wasn't the culprit. At first they did add insurance, but I had tyhem tremove it, which did lower tyhe price. However, it was still more than the rack rate package price I was quoted online. I don't get it - makes no sense.

 

[ms_missy66]

I definitely think there is some wonkiness in the system with this FD deal. I am booked at the WL for six nights and the original reservation had the Fall discount, which was just a room rate reduction. My parents are going for four nights and had that same Fall discount. When the FD came out, I called and changed our reservation. When I ran the numbers, the difference came to free dining plus approximately 15% off our room rate. When I changed my parents' ressie to reflect FD, they ONLY got FD. No room discount. The only difference is that we're staying in a Courtyard vew room at the WL and they're in a Woods' view. I don't think that should really make a difference, but it inexplicably is and no one can explain to me why! I'm not complaining, of course, but I'm baffled!

 

[disndatworld]

I definitely think there is some wonkiness in the system with this FD deal. I am booked at the WL for six nights and the original reservation had the Fall discount, which was just a room rate reduction. My parents are going for four nights and had that same Fall discount. When the FD came out, I called and changed our reservation. When I ran the numbers, the difference came to free dining plus approximately 15% off our room rate. When I changed my parents' ressie to reflect FD, they ONLY got FD. No room discount. The only difference is that we're staying in a Courtyard vew room at the WL and they're in a Woods' view. I don't think that should really make a difference, but it inexplicably is and no one can explain to me why! I'm not complaining, of course, but I'm baffled!

For the record the CRO told me that any of you who used the FD discount and also got a room discount are telling a fib to make everybody think you are getting a better deal than you really got (he told me it's FD only)... I tend to believe that the FD discount has a lot of moving parts and people are getting different offers based on resorts and what's available at time of booking. It should be a little more clear. It does kind of bug me to know I got FD, but not a room discount and others are getting room discounts. Oh well, it didn't stop me from taking a little trip down to WDW!!!!

 

[dizzy203]

The same thing happend to me, my brother and my brother in law. We all have the disney visa card so when FD was offered we all called for new packages. For all three of us the rates with free dining would have been between $300-$400.00 more than what we have already. We all said thanks, but no thanks. The CM I had kept just kept saying she didn't know why it would be more. I told her that I wasn't expecting to pay less than what I was already paying but I certainly wasn't expecting to pay more for Free Dining!

 

[kath1210]

For the record the CRO told me that any of you who used the FD discount and also got a room discount are telling a fib to make everybody think you are getting a better deal than you really got (he told me it's FD only)... I tend to believe that the FD discount has a lot of moving parts and people are getting different offers based on resorts and what's available at time of booking. It should be a little more clear. It does kind of bug me to know I got FD, but not a room discount and others are getting room discounts. Oh well, it didn't stop me from taking a little trip down to WDW!!!!

I think I figured it out, at least with my package, which is for December 18-22. The rack rates for AKL go up significantly starting on the 19th (from $225 to $370), but with the FD, they stay at the pre-12/19 rates which are value season rates. In my case, it adds up to a discount of over $500 for 4 nights.

Too many of the CRO CMs just do not know what they are talking about. For example, today I spoke to one and told her my reservation # begins with a K. She said, "We do not have any reservations that begin with a K." However, I was looking at an e-mail from the Disney Travel Company with the confirmation number beginning with a "K"! She still argued with me, and then shut up really quickly when she looked it up and saw I was right.

 

[Minniekins]

Op, sorry this is so frustrating! There seems to be no clear answer, with different posters having different results for the same things, and different answers from different cm's. Wondering if you did or could, ask them to break down the costs they have for each thing. Such as, how much they are quoting you over the phone for a standard rm per night, taxes per night, hopper tickets cost for your 7(or 6?) days with the tax, (did they happen to add on the water parks and more option for any tickets? don't know how much that is, just wondering),

I was confused on ours, too. I had used the discount released in Aug for CBR room, 2A, base tickets package, no dining, with insurance. When free dining came out, I priced the same at rack rate(2282), then added dining(683) just to see cost(2965). When I called that morning, they gave me a price(2120) that was 162 less than what the rack rate, everything same without dining would be (so 2965-683=2282, but my actual cost is 162 lower at 2120.) I asked her twice if there was any room discount and she said absolutely not. I called later in the day and asked again and they said no way. Finally, someone here had done some figuring and had a formula with a per nite decrease from Regular season to value season. I plugged my numbers in to the formula, with no. of nights and tax and the amount it was less per night from reg. season to value, and it came out exactly. Oh, well great for us, just confusing! I hope it works out for you, OP and you figure it out and have a great trip!

 

[mytwinklestar]

I am confused, too. I have to call them tomorrow because I rec'd my confirmation email and it shows INSURANCE and I specifically asked to NOT have insurance. I didn't think the price was that great... because adding the dining to our original dates (9th-16th) was less than a $100 difference. The original dates were on AP rates. It still seems HIGH. $1850+ for our family of four (kids 10 & 6) at Pop Dec. 14-21 with free dining. I know we are not getting the $59 rate advertised - and am interested in finding out what the rate is. We haven't seen anything that lists the daily rate. We did have to purchase 5 day tickets because our AP ends on the 16th. Still, this seems high. I am going to call and see if someone will explain this to me. I will let you all know IF I learn anything new.

 

[ConnieB]

I am confused, too. I have to call them tomorrow because I rec'd my confirmation email and it shows INSURANCE and I specifically asked to NOT have insurance. I didn't think the price was that great... because adding the dining to our original dates (9th-16th) was less than a $100 difference. The original dates were on AP rates. It still seems HIGH. $1850+ for our family of four (kids 10 & 6) at Pop Dec. 14-21 with free dining. I know we are not getting the $59 rate advertised - and am interested in finding out what the rate is. We haven't seen anything that lists the daily rate. We did have to purchase 5 day tickets because our AP ends on the 16th. Still, this seems high. I am going to call and see if someone will explain this to me. I will let you all know IF I learn anything new.

When I asked the CM for a breakdown of the cost they couldn't give it to me (and I asked two different CMs because I called first for a quote and then later to book it).....both times they suggested that I subtract out the tickets and the rooms/dining were the balance.

Based on that advice, here's the math that I came up with for you:

5 day base tickets/adults with tax: $236.43 x 3 = $709.29
5 day base ticket/child with tax: $199.16
Total tickets: $908.45

So:

1,850 total package - $908.45 for tickets = $941.55 for room/dining. Divided by 7 nights and you are paying $134.51 a night. This does seem higher than rack rate, because according to Allearsnet.com POP's rack rate is $82 plus tax December 14 through December 18 and then $129 weekday/$139 weekend plus tax for December 19-21. So technically you'd have some rate changes in your stay, but it does seem like it should be lower than that, especially given the $82 per night for your first 5 nights?

Doing the math based on those rack rates it seems like you should be paying roughly $93 for the first 5 nights, then your last two nights would be about $157....so it should be a total of about $779, so that's about $163 higher?

Could you perhaps have insurance added to your package??? But I think when they quoted it to me (for more nights) it was under $100, so that doesn't explain all of it.

I've always wondered if those $15 Planet Hollywood and discounts for golf and boating are somehow costing you in the package room rate (which would explain why they can't tell you the room rate for a package, but they can tell you the varying room rates (weekend/holiday/different seasons, etc) when you ask for a quote for room only.

Still....even with it seeming to be $163 for that "free" dining.....if you can look at it as $163 to feed your family for 8 days, that's about $20 a day. I'd be hard pressed to feed my family on $20 a day on vacation anywhere!

 

[wezee]

Does anyone know the % I need to use to calculate the resort tax on our trip. Also does the tax apply to just our room our tickets and dining??

 

[PixieMixie]

Here is an odd question.....


We are going in Oct. We have a room off property that is paid for (not at our expense). However we have to buy tickets, food and what not.

With this deal it is very apparent (to us, could be wrong) that you might as well do this staying in a value resort, instead of buying tickets + eating on an EXTREMELY tight budget.

Sooooooo do I have to use the room every night?

Can anyone see my dilemma? The room we currently have is at an off property resort, it was given to us and we do not want to appear on grateful (we are leaving in a week, and we have had to cancel once before for circumstances beyond our control.)
WWYD?