Do you think the free dining will ever be repeated?

[missypie]

I assume that the free dining program is designed to get folks to come to WDW during what was the big hurricane season last year. I think it may be repeated in the future, but only at times of historically weak attendance. What do you think?

 

[javaj]

I'm not even going to venture a guess since so much has changed in the last year in terms of WDW packages, discounts, etc.

But I can say that if they offered the free dining promo regularly, it would really change our typical vacation patterns. We currently get APs since we usually go once or twice a year, and we stay at CR (or Poly) with a discounted room rate.

If the free dining were offered more often, we'd skip the APs, go 3 or 4 times a year, and stay at values (assuming we dont hate our upcoming Pop stay scheduled only because of the free dining).

 

[BeckWhy]

I don't know if they are gonna offer it again, but I agree with javaj... I already said if they offer free dining next year, that's when we are going. Hopefully it will be after Mayb (since I'm in school til then).

 

[Mysteria]

I sure hope so but I'm not holding my breath. I think it may have been just to get people to go back during hurricane season since last year it was so bad. I'll cross my fingers for everyone (including me) that they offer it again though!

Myst

 

[nursemelis374]

I am really hoping that they offer it for December myself!

 

[grimley1968]

I also wouldn't count on it. I agree that it's an attempt to bring back guests who were run off by last year's hurricanes (I'm one of them). However, we had already planned to return this year, and I had already booked my vacation with the dining plan, and I was paying for it. When the free dining promotion went public, I had Magical Journeys apply this to my ressie. So WDW is losing more than $600 off me by doing this, since I had planned to pay for the dining plan anyway. Hey, if they don't want my money, I'll gladly hold on to it.

A lot of people claim Disney is making money on this, since it's filling up resorts that might otherwise go empty, or people might upgrade their ressies, since they have more money to spend on them. I disagree with this, since I think there were a lot of people like me who were already going and willing to pay for the dining plan, since it's not a bad deal if you eat at the offerings it features. Many of these people, myself included, are now eating for free, and food, drink and snacks are probably the highest profit items WDW sells in the parks and resorts.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Disney HQ when the higher ups hear how much they're losing on this. But for us guests, it's great this time around!

In the future, I'd look for more of what they did in the past, such as "Stay 5 nights - get 2 free", or just straight discounts off rack rates. Those saved me about as much, to be honest, as the free dining will this year. It's just that this free dining is a complete bonus to us. We didn't have to change our dates, upgrade or anything like that. You can't beat a $600+ credit to your existing ressie, without having to change a thing. Also, the other types of discounts, IMHO, would do just as much to fill up the rooms as this free dining package does. Guests may have to look a little bit harder to find deals in the future than this free dining, but savings are savings. And I think Disney probably doesn't lose as much giving guests a discount on rooms via AP's or AAA rates, as they surely are by giving guests enough food to choke a horse, for free.

 

[DisFlan]

If it makes money, or decreases an expected loss, it'll probably be back. If it loses too much money, it probably won't.

Personally, I'd prefer the "stay X nights, get X nights free" format. Those were some really good deals.


DisFlan

 

[pandora174]

Though I really would love them to extend the free dining I have a feeling they won't. We're headed the 3rd week in Jan. & this is their "value season" & it would sure be nice if they wanted to fill rooms & offer the free dining package but I'm not holding my breath. I think they may just offer what the others have mentioned like the "Stay 5 nights - get 2 free" or a straight discount. But we can always hope !

 

[Nik's Mom]

If it makes money, or decreases an expected loss, it'll probably be back. If it loses too much money, it probably won't.

Personally, I'd prefer the "stay X nights, get X nights free" format. Those were some really good deals.


DisFlan

I'm with you. We took advantage of the stay 4 nights, get 3 free a couple of years ago! Loved it!

 

[WDWRC]

You may be saving money...but think about all the Guests that now had the opportunity to stay at a different hotel (Moderate resort from value)....we are still making money!

Plus....you are still going to buy souvenirs....and you may buy more than you originally planned b/c of the savings you got.

Tracy

 

[mill4023]

I sure hope so. With my family of 6, it would have saved us over $100 per day. I wanted to go so badly, but have to wait until next year.

 

[Palendat]

I really feel that the free dining promo is as good as it will EVER get!!! For $77.00 per night, our family is getting $90 worth of free food every day. To put it in perspective, that's better than giving away free rooms as long as you eat at Disney. (We have tickets from past trips, so all we purchased were the obligatory 1-day passes.) With the economy the way it is lately, I wasn't expecting anything in the way of great discounts for a while, so this promo really surprised me, and I would be surprised if they ever did this again, except maybe if you book deluxes at rack rate.

Editted: By ever, I meant of course, until the economy and travel tanks!!!!

 

[DISUNC]

I doubt it!

This is a one time only marketing tool probably to hide the real reason as to why they are doing this.

Why Disney is giving away all this food is anybody's quess. However, being in the 'marketing' field for over 20 years...it is most likely a way to "stress test" the system & spare some complaints.

Disney Dining execs need to know if EVERYONE (or most everyone) staying at their resorts bought into the Dining plan, could DISNEY handle this! Hense the 'stress test".

They already have these statistics from the cruise line...however those stats are static(same amount of people all the time). They know precisely how many people are on each voyage, and they know they aren't going anywhere.

By testing this system, there may be some flaws. Dining facilities run out of food? Not enough waiters? Half capacity? No reservations...too many walkins? etc. ANYTHING can happen.

So to rectify the possible onslought of customer complaints (they may not even get any) They will give the food away and test when most people staying on DIS property have the new dining plan!

Basically, all people getting the free dining will be used as "ginny pigs" to test the new dining packages, etc. In return they will get free food & loose the right to be financially compensated about anything that dont work.

All customers who do participate in the free dining experience will also be likely asked for their opinions. This will most likely be a questionaire!

It is a "Win/Win" for everybody involved. Customers get FREE FOOD and Dis execs get all the infomation needed to run a efficent business....and no one gets hurt!

But again....this is just a theory on my part!

 

[twoeeyy]

I'll be a ' ginny pig ' anyday for FREE food