Dvc members paying for free dining

[Chuck S]

I'm not advocating one way or the other, but I'm curious - why would Disney care whether the room was being used or not if it has already been paid for? Less work for Mousekeeping, right?

Say an average family spends $600 or more per trip on souvenirs and items not included in the dining plan or room charge.

If a DVC member stays on points at a DVC resort, they still spend that in addition to buying the dining plan, or paying cash for their meals. Now they book a room at All Stars to get free dining, in addition to staying at their DVC resort, perhaps blocking another family from the reservation.

Now, either Disney has to UPGRADE for free the blocked family to a moderate or deluxe, or simply tell them sorry, no room.

If they tell them there is no availability and they don't make the trip, they lose the souvenir and side sales to that family. If they overbook and upgrade them for free to a moderate. deluxe or even DVC, they lose $$ on the upgraded accommodations.

If the Disney CRO computer can now see DVC reservations (and obviously the new Dining ADR system can) it is doubtful such double booking practices will be allowed to continue in the future.

Disney cares because not having the second family there at WDW costs them money, and potentially a lot of $$.

 

[ftballfan7]

Say an average family spends $600 or more per trip on souvenirs and items not included in the dining plan or room charge.

If a DVC member stays on points at a DVC resort, they still spend that in addition to buying the dining plan, or paying cash for their meals. Now they book a room at All Stars to get free dining, in addition to staying at their DVC resort, perhaps blocking another family from the reservation.

Now, either Disney has to UPGRADE for free the blocked family to a moderate or deluxe, or simply tell them sorry, no room.

If they tell them there is no availability and they don't make the trip, they lose the souvenir and side sales to that family. If they overbook and upgrade them for free to a moderate. deluxe or even DVC, they lose $$ on the upgraded accommodations.

If the Disney CRO computer can now see DVC reservations (and obviously the new Dining ADR system can) it is doubtful such double booking practices will be allowed to continue in the future.

Disney cares because not having the second family there at WDW costs them money, and potentially a lot of $$.

True, there is potential for some loss of collateral sales. However, I think it unlikely that the resorts will be full during free dining. Even if they have to uprade someone, there is little cost for that, unless all disney resorts fill up and people are turned away. The exception to this would be if the would be value dwellers are upgraded to a concerierge room where there are added costs.

As far as Disney disallowing double booking, If they did that I wouldn't do it. Although it would be difficult for them to enforce. One could look at it the other way. If someone took a trip to Disney for free dining, and then decided that they wanted to use points for nicer accomadations, surely Disney wouldn't disallow them from using their points. The way I see it, these "deals" are available to the general public and that includes me.

 

[Sandisw]

I'm not advocating one way or the other, but I'm curious - why would Disney care whether the room was being used or not if it has already been paid for? Less work for Mousekeeping, right?

I don't know why they should care either, since you are right, the room is paid. I was just reporting that I had read somewhere that it could be an issue.

But, it does bring up an interesting scenario. If DVC members (those who want the DDP) decide to go this route during "free dining" promotions, it does take rooms out of inventory for other guests.

Now, if Disney offered DVC owners a discounted DDP during the "free dining" promotions, there would be no incentive to book it this way. But since that doesn't happen, the only way for DVC members to get a discounted DDP is through a room reservation.

 

[Cyndibear]

I doubt it would be cheaper to get a full price room at any DVC Resort with "free" dining than to pay for the DDP and stay on points, you need to compare like accommodations for a true comparison.

Would it be cheaper to stay at a value resort? Most likely. And while I like POP Century fine, and stay there for a night or two occasionally, I would not want to spend an entire extended vacation there, especially with the high occupancy "free" dining crowd trying to maneuver through the food court.

I agree. One or two days at a value during free dining is enough for me. Too many people and food court is way to crowded. Give me my DVC studio resort ANY day!!

 

[Cmbar]

Maybe Disney cares because during Free dining, the Values DO all BOOK UP. Yes there will be people who will not be able to go to Disney because they actually can't afford a moderate or deluxe and therefore are not able to get into the POP or the All stars because some DVC member has taken up the room to save some bucks. To each their own, I wouldn't do it because basically it is cheating. For goodness sake, if you are going to do it book at All stars and not POP. Have some heart for the people who can only/want to stay at a value.


By the way to book the free dining from Aug 28 to Sep 6 with a one day base ticket at ASM in a standard room for 4 adults is 1361.64. Not sure why you would bother checking into another hotel to save $78.00?

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

So that Disney is still earning money on food and souvenirs, why not give the value resort reservation as a gift? I can see us staying at a DVC resort on points, also booking a value room for the "free" dining, and letting my nieces stay in the value room for free. Everyone wins. We save money on our dining plan (something we would have bought anyway), Disney has extra guests filling the empty room who will now purchase souvies and food, and my nieces get a free hotel room. Anyone see a problem with this?

 

[ftballfan7]

For goodness sake, if you are going to do it book at All start movies and not POP. Have some heart for the people who can only stay at a value.

A little presumptive to assume people would want to stay at POP instead of Alll Star Movies. My family stayed at values twice, neither time at POP (by choice).

 

[Chuck S]

So that Disney is still earning money on food and souvenirs, why not give the value resort reservation as a gift? I can see us staying at a DVC resort on points, also booking a value room for the "free" dining, and letting my nieces stay in the value room for free. Everyone wins. We save money on our dining plan (something we would have bought anyway), Disney has extra guests filling the empty room who will now purchase souvies and food, and my nieces get a free hotel room. Anyone see a problem with this?

Uhh, because the room occupants need to be listed on the reservation to get a room key. Since the DDP is also tied to the room key, and they'd have to be in your name for free dining...there is no way your nieces could also stay in your unused value room and be legally registered Disney resort guests.

 

[d-r]

you could let your friend or relative come along and stay in the free room

 

[Chuck S]

you could let your friend or relative come along and stay in the free room

The only way this is financially an advantage is with 4 people who would normally be staying at DVC. Thus you'd need those 4 people to be registed as the room occupants to get the free dining. So, no, you can't give the room away to someone else and still get the free dining for your party.

 

[ftballfan7]

Uhh, because the room occupants need to be listed on the reservation to get a room key. Since the DDP is also tied to the room key, and they'd have to be in your name for free dining...there is no way your nieces could also stay in your unused value room and be legally registered Disney resort guests guests.

This is why we are not doing this. That would be against the rules.

 

[christa112]

I have been down during Free Dining 3 times and only experienced bad service once and it was not because of the crowds, we just had a crappy waiter.

As for crowds, you can pretty much walk on rides during Free Dining, of course there are some rides that required FP's but for the most part the crowds are great. I love going in Sept, and I wish I could go every year in Sept, but DH can't get the time off this Sept, so I think we are heading down in July .

Why anyone would want to put up with the crowds and poor service in the restaurants just to save a few bucks on food is beyond me. People hear the word "free" and they want some just because they don't want to be left out.

 

[karebear06]

I think it comes down to ethical behavior. I don't feel it is right to book a room that you will not be staying in to get free dining. For one, it is not honest. Two, that will be taking value rooms away from families who may not be able to afford disney any other way.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Maybe Disney cares because during Free dining, the Values DO all BOOK UP. Yes there will be people who will not be able to go to Disney because they actually can't afford a moderate or deluxe and therefore are not able to get into the POP or the All stars because some DVC member has taken up the room to save some bucks. To each their own, I wouldn't do it because basically it is cheating. For goodness sake, if you are going to do it book at All stars and not POP. Have some heart for the people who can only/want to stay at a value.


By the way to book the free dining from Aug 28 to Sep 6 with a one day base ticket at ASM in a standard room for 4 adults is 1361.64. Not sure why you would bother checking into another hotel to save $78.00?

Like I said, just curious. I don't ever plan on booking a value just to get "free dining". One of the reasons I bought DVC is so that I don't have to wait on pins and needles for a discount. It's nice not to have to get up at 5:30 a.m. to try to get "free dining" at the resort I want. Nope, those days are over!

 

[taurus8012]

To my DVC family that was all of a sudden worried about ethics , people not getting rooms: and everything under the Disney Sun .... Well for my family I'll go with option "Save Some Money for about 400" ...LOL PS For those worried about the rooms not being used while using the my DVC 2-bedroom dont worry two of my employees just earned a free room for their hard down at Disney A.S.M . They were very Happy for the Pixie Dust .............................So thats an option for the people that decide to save money they can donate the room to family member, someone they know or show gratitude to their employees for the fine work that they do.

 

[lugnut33]

Don't bend the rules to save money people since Disney would never bend the rules to help them earn more of a profit.

If they don't want people doing this then don't offer it!!!!

 

[bobbiwoz]

To my DVC family that was all of a sudden worried about ethics , people not getting rooms: and everything under the Disney Sun .... Well for my family I'll go with option "Save Some Money for about 400" ...LOL PS For those worried about the rooms not being used while using the my DVC 2-bedroom dont worry two of my employees just earned a free room for their hard down at Disney A.S.M . They were very Happy for the Pixie Dust .............................So thats an option for the people that decide to save money they can donate the room to family member, someone they know or show gratitude to their employees for the fine work that they do.

So, who is going to be using the dining plan? Whose names will be on the reservation? I don't understand.
Bobbi

 

[lugnut33]

I still don't see the savings though

I just checked for our August trip. There are 4 of us and we are all considered "adult". Well, the DDP costs 40 each for 5 nights which equals $800. If I use the ASMu it's $900 for the room and free dining.

Don't matter to me, we are eatin all our meals outside Disney

 

[Cmbar]

Yeah, I don't understand how you will have two sets of room keys and then give your employees the room key for the ASM?? How does that work since you need the ASM room keys for the dining plan?

 

[Chuck S]

As the OP stated she has a family of 4, and the values sleep 4 people, there no way to legally, under Disney policies, do free dining AND give the room to someone else, as the free diners AND room occupants would need to be listed as guests on the reservation.

The DVC boards do not allow encouraging or suggesting work arounds to established Disney policies and protocols. Or putting unregistered guests into rooms. This thread is now closed.