Does free dining dramatically increase crowds?

[Dakota731]

I kind of hope it's not offered during our week -Dec16. That week is probably packed enough!

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

It doesn't increase park crowds at all. It does make ADRs harder to get.

 

[notrub98]

I have not found that it has any impact at all on crowds, but ADRs are a nightmare to get.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Ditto what others have said. Our first, short trip we booked late and could choose between 2 weekends, one with a RO offer and one with FD, and chose the RO both because it was a better deal and we couldn't get any ADRs we wanted in the FD week.

 

[ncc1701]

Free dining is meant to increase occupancy at WDW resorts.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Free dining is meant to increase occupancy at WDW resorts.

Yes, by taking people who would otherwise stay off site.

 

[Dakota731]

If it doesn't increase crowds then I wonder what the benefit to Disney would be?

 

[Faldred]

If it doesn't increase crowds then I wonder what the benefit to Disney would be?

It fills up the restaurants and gets some off-site guests to convert to on-site guests. It doesn't seem to have an appreciable effect on overall crowd levels, but it does increase restaurant bookings on hotel occupancy.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

It increases hotel occupancy, not park attendance.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

The resorts are packed and the TS restaurants are packed - park crowds are not impacted at all.

 

[Nancyg56]

If it doesn't increase crowds then I wonder what the benefit to Disney would be?

It is an incentive to encourage guests to allocate all of their vacation dollars to Disney rather than split them with anywhere else. You must stay onsite to get the FD so resorts get booked. Because you are in a disney resort, people tend to spend all of their meals and shopping dollars in Disney restaurants and shops.

 

[SaintsManiac]

It doesn't increase park crowds at all. It does make ADRs harder to get.

This is my fear. My heart sank when I saw they were offering it during our dates. I only want 3 ADRs, but I am worried I won't even get those.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is my fear. My heart sank when I saw they were offering it during our dates. I only want 3 ADRs, but I am worried I won't even get those.

If the offer is as suggested, you may be okay. They are suggesting that free TS dining will only be available for deluxe resort reservations. That means that a lot of folks will have to accept the QS dining plan as many cannot afford to upgrade to the regular DDP. This might result in a whole lot of ADRs being cancelled. It may also result in empty moderate resorts.

 

[SaintsManiac]

If the offer is as suggested, you may be okay. They are suggesting that free TS dining will only be available for deluxe resort reservations. That means that a lot of folks will have to accept the QS dining plan as many cannot afford to upgrade to the regular DDP. This might result in a whole lot of ADRs being cancelled. It may also result in empty moderate resorts.

I hope so! I didn't want to get up at 5am to book them, but I am going to now. Really curious to see what the actual offer is when it drops.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The accounting is the key. The "payment" for free dining comes from resort GM budgets. This is also why resort GMs are the ones who determine what inventory becomes eligible for what dates, as the cost of free dining comes off THEIR P&L. The restaurants are still paid by DDP.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

The accounting is the key. The "payment" for free dining comes from resort GM budgets. This is also why resort GMs are the ones who determine what inventory becomes eligible for what dates, as the cost of free dining comes off THEIR P&L. The restaurants are still paid by DDP.

I assume the "payment" is less than retail though. We've had 4 Disney adults in one room at POR under free dining (regular DDP) and the retail value of the DDP was significantly more than the room's rack rate.

 

[sharonabe]

I kind of hope it's not offered during our week -Dec16. That week is probably packed enough!

Sorry to bring bad news, but the Dec dates rumored are from the 8th all the way to the 23rd (which makes no sense at all, since that means people will even have free dining through the Christmas week as long as they check in on the 23rd).

 

[Dakota731]

I thought Christmas week sells out so why would free dining be needed?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I assume the "payment" is less than retail though. We've had 4 Disney adults in one room at POR under free dining (regular DDP) and the retail value of the DDP was significantly more than the room's rack rate.

The restaurants receive their contracted payment, period. While that is likely less than the cost of DDP reatil, it still comes out of resort P&L and is non-zero.