Does it seem odd to anyone else...

[dhardawa]

...that Disney is coming and offering free dining across their busy season? The place will be packed during the summer with or without free dining. It just seems odd to me that they would put out a huge promotion at that time. I wonder if bookings are way down. I'm going to be optimistic and say that if they are offering free dining all summer, it is pretty much a guarantee for fall and winter since that is their slow season anyway.

 

[Ziggy]

I guess bookings must be down for them to offer it and by offering free dining they are keeping people on site more spending more of their money in Disney whereas with a rate code people may well visit off site restaurants.

 

[ctjsowens]

Not too odd with me. Last year we got 40% off of a room in late June and the year before that was the 4/3 discount over the summer so I dont look for it to be any different than the past 2 yrs.

 

[wdwmaw]

It is a busy time but on property bookings are way down. Summer use to be value in the summer for deluxe resorts. When the pricing changed and
switching of seasons, Disney priced many people out, including us. Disney will offer whatever it takes to get people back on property in the very hot summer months. Anyone else remember, we stayed at AKL one summer for about $120/night with tax and CR for $170.

 

[THERESA522]

I, for one, won't go in the summer unless a really good deal comes out. It's just too hot.

 

[KB24]

I agree, bookings must be down. A good way to tell what is going on is to look at booking rack rate rooms.

With those prices, it's really no wonder.

 

[maggiew]

We've gone to Disney every summer for several years. This year we are going to Universal to see Harry Potter.

Maggie

 

[jpaxton1118]

I know that I have never considered staying offsite until this year. If they don't offer free dining in September this year we may still stay offsite

 

[Amy&Dan]

I know that I have never considered staying offsite until this year. If they don't offer free dining in September this year we may still stay offsite

I know, offsite just looks better and better sometimes.

I hate the way they do things now, in the old days your check in date determined your rate for the whole trip. My check in date rate is $50-75 cheaper than the rest of my nights.

I don't get the pins, my dates fell after the general public fd offer that expired in December and nightly rates go out the roof after my first night.

I honestly don't know why I keep doing these trips, clearly its to the point the magic is not outweighing the aggravation! Never thought I'd see the day.

If gas hits $5 a gallon by summer, Disney can kiss goodbye even more of their guests.

 

[LaurieN]

If gas hits $5 a gallon by summer, Disney can kiss goodbye even more of their guests.

You are SO right with this statement!!!! I can't imagine people paying those kind of prices with gas sky high. Thankfully I've already booked our air-fare for our Nov trip because I'm sure that is going to sky rocket along with gas prices.
All that being said, I'm not looking for a free dinning I really hope I get a % off room only (wasn't lucky enough for the pin that just expired)!!
Laurie

 

[Amy&Dan]

You are SO right with this statement!!!! I can't imagine people paying those kind of prices with gas sky high. Thankfully I've already booked our air-fare for our Nov trip because I'm sure that is going to sky rocket along with gas prices.
All that being said, I'm not looking for a free dinning I really hope I get a % off room only (wasn't lucky enough for the pin that just expired)!!
Laurie

Dh said last night that if Disney had an ounce of sense, they'd release AP rates, fd or other decent offers for the rest of the year NOW. I mean we are seriously thinking we may have to cancel a family trip to IL in July with these gas prices. We have had our airfare for months for our June trip otherwise that would just add fuel to our fire of "maybe we should cancel WDW".

 

[sharona]

Free Dining not only gets you to stay on property but it keeps you there for your entire trip - that is why they offer it even during "peak" vacation times. You're less likely to split your trip btw WDW and US/IOA if you have incentives to eat "free" at WDW each day. They pay peanuts for the food and charge a fortune for it so we all think the free dining is a great deal. We compare the free dining savings with the room discounts - comparing discounts on overpriced food with discounts on overpriced rooms. If you compare the cost of DDP with the cost of eating out AT REGULAR PRICES in Orlando, you can see why they offer it free even during peak times. Between DDP/Free Dining, complimentary bus transportation, ME and the front loading of the ticket prices, they are doing everything they can to keep you on property for your whole trip. It's really ingenious of them.

 

[sandymandr]

I agree. WWOHP is drawing HUGE crowds, even if it is just for one day of the vacation. Disney wants you in their parks, buying their merchandise, and tipping their waiters. Many folks I know going or gone to Orlando lately are splitting their trip between WDW and IoA for WWOHP (myself included), or foregoing WDW altogether because their kids want to see HP. Just my opinion of course, but it can not be helping WDW in times when people have limited $. Having said all that....if I get a FD code around my bday, I will be making another trip.....can't help it

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Gas prices are going to knock alot of people out. Airfare is going to go up very soon I have a feeling. The really need to release some rates to get people not just to book vacations but to book flights. People who end up having to pay the higher rates later may not book at all.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

It does seem odd, especially since they did not offer much for discounts in late March (when I am going) I just checked availability at every value, mod and a handful of deluxe / villas and could stay anywhere I want the week I am going. 3 weeks from now!!! Yet, the best discount offered (as far as I know) was the early spring discounts that had to be booked by December. I got a whopping 20% discount. Yay.

I called and switched resorts around this week and did not have any problems with getting rooms and keeping my discount either. So, my only consolation for a crummy discount off peak rates, will be if the parks are empty! I checked and I could also get any dining reservation I would want - if I wanted to. I am trying to get excited about this trip, but am really obsessing about not "getting a deal" this time.

So, yes, I don't get why they are throwing out free dining for summer if they don't care about filling up their hotels for this month.

 

[sharona]

That stinks that there were no PINS or discounts for your March trip. My coworker is leaving on Saturday and he booked through Travelocity for BW and got 40% off of rack rate and park ticket was buy 4 days days get 3 free or something like that. Maybe you can get a better deal through them. He tried to call WDW and get them to match the price so he could book direct but they said they could not do it. I went home and checked my dates/hotels to see if Travel... had a better deal for May but they did not. Worth a look anyway...

 

[RangerPooh]

It is a busy time but on property bookings are way down. Summer use to be value in the summer for deluxe resorts. When the pricing changed and
switching of seasons, Disney priced many people out, including us. Disney will offer whatever it takes to get people back on property in the very hot summer months. Anyone else remember, we stayed at AKL one summer for about $120/night with tax and CR for $170.

I remember paying $108/night for the WL in 2003 when DH and I went on our honeymoon. Now that was a great price!

 

[aubriee]

Dh said last night that if Disney had an ounce of sense, they'd release AP rates, fd or other decent offers for the rest of the year NOW. I mean we are seriously thinking we may have to cancel a family trip to IL in July with these gas prices. We have had our airfare for months for our June trip otherwise that would just add fuel to our fire of "maybe we should cancel WDW".

I agree! I currently have trips booked for April 30th-May 8th and Sept 24th-Oct 2nd with the GP discount that came out a couple of months ago. I also usually go to WDW the first or second week of Dec every year. If AP discounts would come out for the rest of the year I'd go ahead and book that Dec trip and change my other two trips to the AP discount. In the past AP discounts always came out prior to the GP discounts. I wonder if Disney knows (or cares) how many AP holders they are pissing off right now. They are offering discounts to everyone except their loyal AP holders. The 45 day mark is coming up in the next week or two for our April 30th-May 8th trip. If an AP discount doesn't come out in the next week we'd have to pay the change fee to even switch to the AP discount. I can't believe they'd wait until until less than 45 days out to offer an AP discount. I'm afraid with all the discounts out now, that WDW is just going to skip the AP holders this time. With gas prices and the economy the way it is right now, that would not be a smart business move. We already have our airfare purchased so we are going to Orlando, however we have APs for Universal also and we could always do a week at Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens, ect. If AP discounts don't come out in the next week, we may just cancel the day before the 45 day mark and if the CM asks why, we'll tell him we don't like the way they are treating their loyal AP holders and there are other places in the Orlando area to vacation who do appreciate our business. Disney may not care, but I'd feel better letting them know why they'd be losing our business.

 

[Mamu]

I agree, bookings must be down. A good way to tell what is going on is to look at booking rack rate rooms.

With those prices, it's really no wonder.

Always remember with FD you are paying rack rate, FD is a Win, Win position for Disney, especially since they have down-grated the dining experience.

You pay rack rate and you eat on Disney Property. Fills it's resorts and it's restaurants.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Always remember with FD you are paying rack rate, FD is a Win, Win position for Disney, especially since they have down-grated the dining experience.

You pay rack rate and you eat on Disney Property. Fills it's resorts and it's restaurants.

That is all true and for sure Disney wins with fd or they wouldn't offer it. But for some of us, fd is the hands down best discount we can get.

We always stay value or mod, we have two kids that are adults.

My current discount at POR saves me just under $500 off rack.

Paying rack rate and getting free qsdp saves me almost $2000. Even when I figure in that if we pay cash for our meals and would not eat all the stuff on the plan, we still save around $1200. I'll gladly pay rack rate for that.

If it was just dh and I and we stayed deluxe, saving 30-40% off our room would be the way to go. But I have to wait for my kids to grow up for all that to happen!