Disneyworld free QS meal per day offer - free dining?

[Madonna3]

Ok...so then I can ask you:

First, I'm all about you saving money...no dispute there.

But I have to ask: over the 6 or so years of that promotion, have you not seen the bill steadily climb? Has the benefits of the plan not been restricted? Have the out of pocket/additional costs outside of the food plan not become much more expensive (i.e. Tips based on bloated prices)?

I just wonder what the promo has saved?

Right?!

I remember back in 2007, I had purchased our first Annual Passes. My dad died 30 days after our January 2007 trip, so in August 2007, Disney had the free dining promo and I kind of felt the need to "redo" the vacation. So, the only caveat was you had to buy a one day ticket, per person, which was about $80 that I could use to renew my passes the coming year. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter for about $99 a night. What I remember is for $900, I had hotel, food, and $240 towards next year's annual pass renewal. I didn't have to pay any money out of pocket for tips. I just signed and went on my way. I was able to do that until 2009. In 2009-2011, I was finishing my second master's degree and had to take a Disney break (read: I was poor). However, in 2010, I managed to take advantage of the crippled economy by renting someone's DVC points for $9 a point and stayed in AKL - Savannah view for an entire week and booked the Quick Service for my son and I. Then, the Quick Service was something silly like $15 a day and was a steal. But the trip, was still around $1300 with hotel and food and we had tickets already. By time I was ready to roll again, in 2012, rooms were $150/night for a VALUE, I had to buy everyone a 2-3 day NON-DISCOUNTED ticket (the amount of days required changed as the plans changed), and now tips and mugs had been removed (mugs were added back in) and the amount of snacks had been reduced. So now, the same trip from 2007 was about $2000 up front and it was only ~5 years later and menu prices were through the roof making the amount I could expect to spend on tips $600!!

So yeah, I get it about what is anyone really saving with these dining plans. The promo only gives the illusion on saving money. Heck, even my TiW and AP discounts do that same and I admit that. I still pay overinflated food prices, I just don't have to tip on them

 

[anorman]

Ugh. Traveling Aug 16-23 and don't know whether to take this offer or hold out for possible free dining dates.

This makes for some interesting reading and if the bounceback offer is predictive of free dining dates to come in 2017, then it would look good for your dates as they have it starting on August 11th.
http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-free-dining-dates/

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Right?!

I remember back in 2007, I had purchased our first Annual Passes. My dad died 30 days after our January 2007 trip, so in August 2007, Disney had the free dining promo and I kind of felt the need to "redo" the vacation. So, the only caveat was you had to buy a one day ticket, per person, which was about $80 that I could use to renew my passes the coming year. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter for about $99 a night. What I remember is for $900, I had hotel, food, and $240 towards next year's annual pass renewal. I didn't have to pay any money out of pocket for tips. I just signed and went on my way. I was able to do that until 2009. In 2009-2011, I was finishing my second master's degree and had to take a Disney break (read: I was poor). However, in 2010, I managed to take advantage of the crippled economy by renting someone's DVC points for $9 a point and stayed in AKL - Savannah view for an entire week and booked the Quick Service for my son and I. Then, the Quick Service was something silly like $15 a day and was a steal. But the trip, was still around $1300 with hotel and food and we had tickets already. By time I was ready to roll again, in 2012, rooms were $150/night for a VALUE, I had to buy everyone a 2-3 day NON-DISCOUNTED ticket (the amount of days required changed as the plans changed), and now tips and mugs had been removed (mugs were added back in) and the amount of snacks had been reduced. So now, the same trip from 2007 was about $2000 up front and it was only ~5 years later and menu prices were through the roof making the amount I could expect to spend on tips $600!!

So yeah, I get it about what is anyone really saving with these dining plans. The promo only gives the illusion on saving money. Heck, even my TiW and AP discounts do that same and I admit that. I still pay overinflated food prices, I just don't have to tip on them

This is what I have been begging people to consider for the last 5+ years...

Everyone was "thrilled" with the dining plan and the promos...but they - we - laid down to double the base price on everything over a ridiculously short period of time.

Nobody cares...and it's costing everyone a fortune and reducing quality. But the worst part? It empowers the management to do more and more. That's my gripe. There are others...dumbing of menus, Walmart ordering practices, and more salt than a Chem lab as well.

Nancy Reagan had a saying about this...

Stop going to freakin Le cellier and spending ridiculous money and more coupons on outback caliber steak...if you're lucky. That's all.

 

[Madonna3]

This is what I have been begging people to consider for the last 5+ years...

Everyone was "thrilled" with the dining plan and the promos...but they - we - laid down to double the base price on everything over a ridiculously short period of time.

Nobody cares...and it's costing everyone a fortune and reducing quality. But the worst part? It empowers the management to do more and more. That's my gripe. There are others...dumbing of menus, Walmart ordering practices, and more salt than a Chem lab as well.

Nancy Reagan had a saying about this...

Stop going to freakin Le cellier and spending ridiculous money and more coupons on outback caliber steak...if you're lucky. That's all.

Yeah, but be careful about the last statement. There are some AMAZING Disney restaurants that are worth their price tag.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yeah, but be careful about the last statement. There are some AMAZING Disney restaurants that are worth their price tag.

They're of poorer quality across the board. I've eaten a lot of disney food for a long time. (Who else would go wdw during spring break specifically to eat and stroll...which we once did?)

You can still have good meals...some restaurants are better than others...but I'm more "surprised" when I get a good meal now than not.

My rules are:
1. Le cellier is not "good"...it's of average quality and bad prep in a converted cafeteria for ridiculous price.
2. Pizza...should be of last resort in wdw...except pucks and via Napoli.

Other than that...we get along fine.

And chef Mickey's/Cinderella's sucks

 

[Madonna3]

They're of poorer quality across the board. I've eaten a lot of disney food for a long time. (Who else would go wdw during spring break specifically to eat and stroll...which we once did?)

You can still have good meals...some restaurants are better than others...but I'm more "surprised" when I get a good meal now than not.

My rules are:
1. Le cellier is not "good"...it's of average quality and bad prep in a converted cafeteria for ridiculous price.
2. Pizza...should be of last resort in wdw...except pucks and via Napoli.

Other than that...we get along fine.

And chef Mickey's/Cinderella's sucks

1. agreed
2. super agreed

I hate Chef Mickey and Cinderella.

We mostly agree. I go to places that have never disappointed me so I would be surprised to get a bad meal vs being surprised on getting a good one.

Monsieur Paul has never let me down
California Grill is very good
Grand Floridian Café fantastic
Raglan Road makes me off menu stuff every time
Chefs de France is my go to lunch place
Sanaa is awesome

 

[TheMaxRebo]

1. agreed
2. super agreed

I hate Chef Mickey and Cinderella.

We mostly agree. I go to places that have never disappointed me so I would be surprised to get a bad meal vs being surprised on getting a good one.

Monsieur Paul has never let me down
California Grill is very good
Grand Floridian Café fantastic
Raglan Road makes me off menu stuff every time
Chefs de France is my go to lunch place
Sanaa is awesome

I agree with a lot of your places (though, I did think breakfast at Cinderella's was pretty good and they let us order extra food, etc. - that, coupled with how much my kids enjoyed it made it worth the money, at least to do once)

"new to us" this last trip that we enjoyed were Skipper's Canteen and Spice Road Table

 

[Madonna3]

I agree with a lot of your places (though, I did think breakfast at Cinderella's was pretty good and they let us order extra food, etc. - that, coupled with how much my kids enjoyed it made it worth the money, at least to do once)

"new to us" this last trip that we enjoyed were Skipper's Canteen and Spice Road Table

We also tried Skipper's Canteen for this first time this trip and the only menu item worth mention was the steak, but at $42? $46? it's way too overpriced.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

We also tried Skipper's Canteen for this first time this trip and the only menu item worth mention was the steak, but at $42? $46? it's way too overpriced.

We liked a lot of the appetizers there and the kids meals - I do agree that the entrees, especially, were over priced

 

[Jellybass]

I wish I could eat every meal at Wolfgang Pucks Express, best deal down there.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I wish I could eat every meal at Wolfgang Pucks Express, best deal down there.

It's not even debatable...

And why? Because Disney doesn't have anything to do with the menu and the prices...

And the puck management company seems to prefer not to cut corners and doesn't seem interested in turning you upside down and shaking you till the last quarter falls out of your pocket.