DVC and Free Meal Plan in Sept.

[Mickey527]

I am bringing my family to WDW in Sept to celebrate my DIL's, son's birthdays and best of all, my Grandson's first trip to WDW.
We will be there from Sept 24 until Oct 6 and I was planning getting the meal plan for all of us. This would cost me lots of points for a 1 bedroom and $1,250 for the meal plan for the entire time.
I just called to check the price of a room at Pop Century for the time we will be there and one room, 1 day ticket (we all have AP's) and the meal plan for 10 days (they can't bok more than 10 days on the meal plan) will cost me $1,249.12.
I am debating staying at Pop. The downfall would be crowding in one room. The upside would be saving my poits for another trip later in the use year.
Does or do you think Disney will give a discount of perhaps free meal plan to DVC members during the time they are giving it free to resort guests?
I would enjoy more space but the cheaper cost sure sounds good too. Peggie

 

[dizzynee]

No I don't think they will. Why would they offer a discount on something you have already bought (the dvc points).

 

[mikesmom]

You know, September will be mighty hot & muggy still. Will you really get enough out of the meal plan to justify it? I know everyone's family is different, but there is no way I could justify it with our family. They just wouldn't eat enough - even with a 20 something along. And to cram in one room to boot? The space to spread out would serve us much better than the meals.

 

[crisi]

I'm wondering why you bought DVC if you are willing to stay in a Value Resort. Even without the "free" meal plan, its cheaper to stay value - especially if you can apply a discount like AAA.

I know we bought DVC because we weren't content in Values, and even Moderates were not meeting our desires.

 

[nezy]

What if you book a larger room at a different resort that may be more accomadating for the 4 of you or
are there any other family members who would come at that time. You and Dila and son stay in 1 br, other get the POP and split the food.

 

[DebbieB]

Keep in mind you could get the free dining plan at OKW 1 bedroom through CRO. You would be looking at $401 per night plus the cost of the one day tickets. The Pop Century room is about 1/4 the size of an OKW 1 bedroom (1016 vs 260 square feet). Those are the figures you need to compare vs what DVC costs.

 

[Mickey527]

We are thinking it over and we might wind up booking either two rooms at AS or hopefully we can get one of the new studio rooms. I was planning on spending about $1500 for the food plan in my DVC so I might sell a few points to make up for the difference in getting the rooms at the value resort.
I am very close to my DIL and son and woud share the bed with the 8 year old or get him a cot. But I would like more space and either the studio or two rooms would work better for us.
I don't mind spending the money for a stay at a value and usually wind up using the value resorts at least two times a year. I have 270 points right now and would buy more but I just went on disability and don't think I should risk another debt until I can see how things will stretch with the disability amount.
I travel to WDW at least 6 times a year, the most was 9, the least was 5 the year I had cancer and was going through treatments. I did 5 trips before diagnosis in August, and when I finished treatment in May of 2005 I was able to get 4 trips in before the New Year. Those were my slow years. I have 2 already this year and trips planned for May, July, Sept, and New Year this year. Those points don't hold up when I wind up taking at least one family member each trip, and we always do one big family trip each year. Last year I took 14 people for 2 weeks to celebrate the end of treatments.
I am not a big eater since finishing chemo but my DIL and son will make up for it. They eat BIG meals and love the all you can eat places, especially Cape May. there may be times when a TS meal will do it for me for the day and I will stay in the room with the kids and they will go out and have a big meal. We won't waste anything on the food plan, but Disney might go broke.
Thanks for the replies, I will let you know what I decide. Peggie

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Have you thought about paying cash for all or part of your DVC stay? MS can tell you if there are any DVC member cash discounts for the room at your time period. We got a 1BR at BWV for only $307/night. That could help you save points and then still have more room.

Oh, and you may want to do some comparisons with a AAA rate plus adding on your own meal plan (actually, I hear that if you book through AAA directly you can not only get the Free Dining plan, but also that AAA discount on the room) and comparing that to the regular price breakdown.

We love September...it will be our third trip in September and third year in a row.

 

[chris1gill]

I'm wondering why you bought DVC if you are willing to stay in a Value Resort. Even without the "free" meal plan, its cheaper to stay value - especially if you can apply a discount like AAA.

I know we bought DVC because we weren't content in Values, and even Moderates were not meeting our desires.

I agree with crisi.... DVC really isn't a cost savings if you are able or willing to stay in a value... a value will always be less money

Personally you should be comparing apples to apples... how much would your reservation cost if you reserved the 1 bedroom with the dining plan & 1 day ticket?? I don't see how you can compare apples to oranges... Deluxe 1000 sq. ft. 1 bedroom vs. 290 sq. ft. value..

 

[DebbieB]

Have you thought about paying cash for all or part of your DVC stay? MS can tell you if there are any DVC member cash discounts for the room at your time period. We got a 1BR at BWV for only $307/night. That could help you save points and then still have more room.

Oh, and you may want to do some comparisons with a AAA rate plus adding on your own meal plan (actually, I hear that if you book through AAA directly you can not only get the Free Dining plan, but also that AAA discount on the room) and comparing that to the regular price breakdown.

We love September...it will be our third trip in September and third year in a row.

If they take the member discount rate, they will have to pay for the meal plan, which will eat up the savings.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Good point.

 

[littlestar]

I wouldn't want to give up my DVC accomodations to stay value. I'd rather go to the grocery store, have a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, and eat a few meals out.

Why don't you do a mix? Spend part of the trip at the value (when the weekend points are high) and then move to DVC accomodations for the rest of the trip (like a Sunday through Thursday). Besides, by then everybody would probably be stuffed to the gills and ready to relax in deluxe accomodations and eat a little lighter.

 

[skoi]

but CRSNDSNY- I love the picture in your sig. Have to show my complete ignorance re: photography, posting sigs, etc- but did you do that to a picture you took or--?

 

[byoung]

Make the best decision for you, Good luck.

 

[zurgswife]

I'm wondering why you bought DVC if you are willing to stay in a Value Resort. Even without the "free" meal plan, its cheaper to stay value - especially if you can apply a discount like AAA.

I know we bought DVC because we weren't content in Values, and even Moderates were not meeting our desires.

Hey I've owned DVC for about 7 yrs. I love my DVC but I've booked all my points for 2006 (spring break and a trip in Dec). The Free Dining was another excuse of Zurgie and I to use our AP's and yes horrors upon horrors I'm staying at POP. We don't spend that much time in our room. The only thing I'll really miss is my access to Epcot and MGM. But for $500 for 2 people you just can't compare...

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm also going to WDW in September, using the DDP, but as a DVC member, I'll be (gasp!) paying for it. And I don't mind paying for it one bit. I figure that for all I'd have to go thru to get the free dining, and what little it's "costing" me (in points) to stay at BCV, I'm doing just great!

 

[NYMomof4]

Someone mentioned it already, but have you considered doing both? We are doing 5 days at BCV and 7 at POR w/free DDP. We're planning on doing the dining, parks, and running around the week at POR and then spending the last 5 days just enjoying the BCV.

 

[Slakk]

Hey I've owned DVC for about 7 yrs. I love my DVC but I've booked all my points for 2006 (spring break and a trip in Dec). The Free Dining was another excuse of Zurgie and I to use our AP's and yes horrors upon horrors I'm staying at POP. We don't spend that much time in our room. The only thing I'll really miss is my access to Epcot and MGM. But for $500 for 2 people you just can't compare...

We are staying at AKL in August. We had planned an Alaskan cruise but the school district changed my sons start of school so we had to cancel. We decided to go to Disney and really just hang out - don't even care about hitting any parks. We decided to stay at a resort that is not DVC and since AKL is our favorite non DVC we got a savannah room.

Imagine my surprise when free dining showed up - and our reservation started 8/13. Now it is even cheaper!!!