'FD' announced for the summer months....

[ELSA711]

But it really doesn't save you much if anything. That's what I don't get about this discount. Many times the 15-30% room discount is better than the free dining discount.

Not for me. Even with my room discount this summer I'm only $300 away from my FD deal last fall.
I can't feed my family of 5 for $300 for 10days at WDW.

 

[HopperFan]

But it really doesn't save you much if anything. That's what I don't get about this discount. Many times the 15-30% room discount is better than the free dining discount.

But this is only value resorts. The first date set I think the biggest discount you could get was 15% and I don't know if there is any discount at all on the second set of dates. So assume you got the most at 15% off = $24 per night discount (weekday). If you have two parents and two Disney dining adult kids, then you would be saving about $70-75 per night with this food plan. It's not a bad deal depending on your guest numbers, just strange based on past. All this assumes you are buying tickets too.

Hmmm, interesting. Sounds like bookings might be a bit "soft" for this summer. This would be an expansion of the special offers rather than an attempt to dial them back.

Maybe a combination. Sometimes I think they wait to make a move when something else helps them segway it in ... like blaming a news article for the DAS when it was in the works anyway. Maybe they saw a slight dip in Values during peak time (the price is so high) as the perfect chance to present this new dining offer that they've been thinking about for future offers.

 

[VillainFavs]

I know this doesn't sound like much, but compared to the summer discounts, it's actually pretty good. At least for Values. A family of four "adults" would get four QS meals a day. Since you can substitute any snack item for those pre-packaged desserts or drinks and share meals, I can see stretching these a bit. Nowhere near full free dining, but definitely better value than the typical 15% or 20% room discounts you get off a value resort.

Value resort is what $130 a nite for rack rate at peak season? 15% is $19.50 discount, 20% is $26. 4 QS meals at $15 (conservative) each is saving $60 a nite.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Disney has been trying to "get rid" of the "free dining" since roughly the day after they came up with it...

Economically they have needed it...if they ever don't? It goes to hang out with the great auk

 

[soniam]

I know this doesn't sound like much, but compared to the summer discounts, it's actually pretty good. At least for Values. A family of four "adults" would get four QS meals a day. Since you can substitute any snack item for those pre-packaged desserts or drinks and share meals, I can see stretching these a bit. Nowhere near full free dining, but definitely better value than the typical 15% or 20% room discounts you get off a value resort.

Value resort is what $130 a nite for rack rate at peak season? 15% is $19.50 discount, 20% is $26. 4 QS meals at $15 (conservative) each is saving $60 a nite.

Cheapest I see for the period at rack rate is ~$140/night and going up to ~$170/night for AOA. These are for the cheapest rooms.

 

[VillainFavs]

Cheapest I see for the period at rack rate is ~$140/night and going up to ~$170/night for AOA. These are for the cheapest rooms.

Well, AoA is excluded. So $140 /night x 15-20% is $21-28 a night. This still comes out to a much better deal.

 

[skater]

Two of my clients saved close to $500. Its a decent discount for large families staying in the family suites.

 

[OKW Lover]

Two of my clients saved close to $500. Its a decent discount for large families staying in the family suites.

How many in the party and how long a stay? How does this compare to other room discounts that were offered in the past?

 

[kandb]

Free dining is a great discount for many. We have a bounceback for Aug, 2016 and we are staying in CBR, standard room. I believe it's $185/night. We get free dining for 2 adults, 2 Disney adults and 1 child. The dining plan would cost us $260/night. So you can see why Disney wants to do away with free dining. They definitely don't make as much profit on us as they do on the majority of others. Plus we don't even buy anything else when we're there (souvenirs etc), since we have been going for years and been there, done that!

 

[skater]

How many in the party and how long a stay? How does this compare to other room discounts that were offered in the past?

5-6 in the party for about a week long stay (my files are in the office, but as I remember, those are the details). I didn't have time today to compare it to past summer discounts, but I was very pleased with the discount for these families. I will monitor future promotions to compare it, but at least they already know that they have a deal.

I also have a family with a smaller package in a standard room at another value resort. They were thrilled to receive the "free" meals. I have already told them that something better might come out later for them.

 

[rwdavis2]

My guess is it is a test run to see if they can get away with it this fall as opposed to a full FD promotion.

That was my immediate thought when I first saw this offer. Get people to commit to this and then see if they really need full-blown free dining.

 

[PACVII]

If I read this right it's one free meal per person per night? I am not sure people under its not the regular quick service meal plan it's less then half (no snack). Would appear to be generally $10 value per person on average. It maybe better option but as always do the math. This is on a non discounted room. Just throwing that out there.

Just an edit. Non discounted rooms many times this will also mean not the lowest price room but a preferred room. That would mean you may be upgrading to get the discount. The difference maybe more then the discount your getting.

 

[merry_nbright]

If they don't do FD for this fall, I will be absolutely heartbroken. Fingers crossed this is just because they were't as booked this summer as they wanted to be.

 

[DebbieB]

Well, AoA is excluded. So $140 /night x 15-20% is $21-28 a night. This still comes out to a much better deal.

Only Little Mermaid is excluded.

If I read this right it's one free meal per person per night? I am not sure people under its not the regular quick service meal plan it's less then half (no snack). Would appear to be generally $10 value per person on average. It maybe better option but as always do the math. This is on a non discounted room. Just throwing that out there.

Just an edit. Non discounted rooms many times this will also mean not the lowest price room but a preferred room. That would mean you may be upgrading to get the discount. The difference maybe more then the discount your getting.

Disney has valued it at $17.05 for upgrades to other plans, I forget the child's price. You can't get a quick service meal with drink & dessert for $10.

 

[rteetz]

If they don't do FD for this fall, I will be absolutely heartbroken. Fingers crossed this is just because they were't as booked this summer as they wanted to be.

Free dining is never a gaurantee. This very well could be a test for what they are going to offer this fall. They have shown that they keep increasing the requirement and shortening the time frame for how and when free dining is.

 

[EHakkinen]

Am I doing this wrong, or are the moderate resorts not included in this quick service free meal plan? I'm trying to book right now, the difference between a moderate resort and a value with the new dining plan is only $6 - thinking we will go with the bigger beds this year with older kids, and forego the meal plan, but was checking into pricing anyway. Last night I was finding rooms at CBR during this time period, now only Pirate rooms are left? Looking at CSR there is no option for the dining plan?

 

[Disneylover99]

Am I doing this wrong, or are the moderate resorts not included in this quick service free meal plan? I'm trying to book right now, the difference between a moderate resort and a value with the new dining plan is only $6 - thinking we will go with the bigger beds this year with older kids, and forego the meal plan, but was checking into pricing anyway. Last night I was finding rooms at CBR during this time period, now only Pirate rooms are left? Looking at CSR there is no option for the dining plan?

I think it's just for values.

 

[EHakkinen]

I think it's just for values.

Thank you!

 

[ChasingLeslie]

How do you think this will affect any other summer discount(s)...?

It sucks that this is only for the values.

 

[Mchurchill96]

How do you think this will affect any other summer discount(s)...?

It sucks that this is only for the values.

I agree--we're (family of 6) planning our second family WDW trip for August for our 20th anniversary and staying in the Cabims in Fort Wilderness---first time was 2012 and got free dining. I hope we manage to get some sort of discount or deal!