FD vs. 40% off

[disneymagicgirl]

I have both pins. I am currently booked w/ the FD, but I was thinking of using the 40% instead.
The FD saves us more (3 adults, standard view WL, value season) per night as far as the discount, but we will end up paying for food OOP b/c we want more TS meals than are allotted. Also, there are some menus I saw where DD and I might share if we were paying OOP, or where I might order an app and salad vs an entree...those types of things that the DDP would not allow for. Also, on the DDP, the CP would cost me 2 TS meals for our restaurant of choice at lunch, R&C...that is a rip-off! Also, DH and I want to have dinner at Artist Pointe...2 more TS credits.

I planned out our meals, and allowed for a few snacks here or there and it looks like the cost of the vacation paying OOP for food and using the 40% discount would be the same as the cost as with the free DP. However, we would add on some OOP costs with the DDP to cover the extra meals. I am just having a hard time b/c I am looking at the 40% pin saving me $96/night or the free dining plan saving me $126/night.
Seems like a no-brainer...I am just having trouble getting past the discount numbers.
Does anyone fore-go the free dining and do the room only discount?

 

[snykymom]

I have both pins. I am currently booked w/ the FD, but I was thinking of using the 40% instead.
The FD saves us more (3 adults, standard view WL, value season) per night as far as the discount, but we will end up paying for food OOP b/c we want more TS meals than are allotted. Also, there are some menus I saw where DD and I might share if we were paying OOP, or where I might order an app and salad vs an entree...those types of things that the DDP would not allow for. Also, on the DDP, the CP would cost me 2 TS meals for our restaurant of choice at lunch, R&C...that is a rip-off! Also, DH and I want to have dinner at Artist Pointe...2 more TS credits.

I planned out our meals, and allowed for a few snacks here or there and it looks like the cost of the vacation paying OOP for food and using the 40% discount would be the same as the cost as with the free DP. However, we would add on some OOP costs with the DDP to cover the extra meals. I am just having a hard time b/c I am looking at the 40% pin saving me $96/night or the free dining plan saving me $126/night.
Seems like a no-brainer...I am just having trouble getting past the discount numbers.
Does anyone fore-go the free dining and do the room only discount?

Always, for all the reasons you mentioned! The dining plan saves you money only if you eat the way the dining plan is set up. If you don't, it usually not only will not save you money but will make you crazy because you're not doing what you want to do!

If I want to have appetizers instead of entrees, I can.
If I want to skip an ADR that I have, I can without worrying about replacing it or "losing" the credits.
If we want to split a meal, we can.
If we want to have lunch in Morrocco and dessert in France, we can.
If someone gets sick or we're just not hungry one day, I won't have pre-paid for something I no longer want.

Even if I spend a couple of extra bucks, I get to eat exactly what I want, when I want and where I want. For me, it makes for a much nicer vacation!

 

[floridascgirl]

Always, for all the reasons you mentioned! The dining plan saves you money only if you eat the way the dining plan is set up. If you don't, it usually not only will not save you money but will make you crazy because you're not doing what you want to do!

If I want to have appetizers instead of entrees, I can.
If I want to skip an ADR that I have, I can without worrying about replacing it or "losing" the credits.
If we want to split a meal, we can.
If we want to have lunch in Morrocco and dessert in France, we can.
If someone gets sick or we're just not hungry one day, I won't have pre-paid for something I no longer want.

Even if I spend a couple of extra bucks, I get to eat exactly what I want, when I want and where I want. For me, it makes for a much nicer vacation!

The DP didn't work for our family for several of the above reasons. We prefer appetizers over desserts and we only drink water, so that was a glitch for us. Also, my DS got sick on Mission Space and we had to go back to the room one day. We all "missed" our CS meals for the afternoon and he didn't want dinner, so that was a "missed" TS for him...snacks, too. All in all, it was stressful due to missed credits and ADR's.

Oh yeah, the other problem was my DH fell in love with Tangierine Cafe and wanted to eat there for dinner one night. I wouldn't let him b/c of the %&!#@ ADR's and TS credits that we had. He swore never again to the dining plan!!!!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Thanks for your responses. Now I know I am not the only one who thinks this way. I am going to give Disney a call and try to change my whole ressie to the 40% off pin and forego the "free" ddp.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Ok, so no changes could happen.
The 40% code was not available for WL for our dates, so I stuck with the free dining code.
Guess I will try again around the time final payments are due. Maybe someone will back out.
OR- Maybe tomorrow will be a great day for discounts and we can get a better deal!

 

[CinderellaDreamer]

So for me, I like to book a room with a 40% off code, then upgrade it to a package with dining. (this only works if you are flexible about where you stay; I don't care which deluxe, just happy to be at one!). I calculated for our family that if we are going to do one TS per day, that is the cost of the dining plan per day for our family of 5 ($120). So -- I would get a CS and a snack for free each day! This does not work if we do not do one TS EVERY day of our trip. We would lose that 120 dollars if we missed the one meal. We want to do CRT for the first time this trip, which uses up two of our TS credits. That means that we can pay OOP for one of our nights at a TS or decide to cancel it, giving us a little breathing room. I am also considering doing Hoopdedoo this time, which again would use up two TS. I still think its a great deal because we can be flexible for our other meals and still get free CS and snacks for each day of our trip, knowing we will be eating them! We could even split some of them and eat CS on a non-TS night!

Sorry, OP, that you could not switch your discount for your dates. Here's hoping for a great discount tomorrow for all!