FDP vs. Discount

[tacomaranch]

We have a reservation for late September when the 40% off was offered and we have a nice view at CBR. Does it behoove us to change to FDP? We already have AP's so we don't need tickets to the park.

Any math experts out there? Just 2 adults one child.

 

[Jewel99]

It depends entirely on what the hotel rate is and if the 40% off saves you more than the dining plan would cost you. How old is your child? From 3-9, they pay one rate for dining plan, and after that they're considered an adult.

So, for example, if you have two adults ($38.99 per person) plus one child ($10.99), the dining plan costs you $88.97/day for your party. If you're saving 40% off the room rate, then the higher your hotel costs, the more you save.

In a nutshell, if your hotel rate (with no discount) is costing you more than $148.25, then you'll save more paying for the dining plan out of pocket and using the 40% off on the room. If your room would cost you less than that, then it's better to pay rack rate and get the free dining.

Make sense?

To simplify things even more - if you're staying at a value resort - you get more savings with the free dining and not using a 40% off coupon (unless you're in some majorly upgraded room/suite). If you're staying in a deluxe resort, the savings with the 40% off coupon will usually save you more overall than you'd pay with the dining plan, unless you have a lot of people in the one room, or kids that pay full price, etc.

Hope this helps.

Julie

 

[tacomaranch]

Julie,

You gave me just the answer we needed. I think we are paying about $80 per nite for our CBR with a view so we are doing better with our discount.

Thanks for figuring that out for me and doing it in simple terms.

 

[Jewel99]

Okay - major brain fart on my end... I was figuring out the cost of the room after the discount and not the actual cost of the discount.

With my brain function properly again, let me just say that my recommendation was still correct, but my math was a bit backwards as was my threshold savings point for your family.

If you're paying $80/night with your discount, your room would cost you about $135 without the 40% discount (which is the standard rate for most moderates). That means your discount is saving you about $54/night, so if you go with free dining you are saving $88.97 by not having to pay for the dining plan for your party. Therefore, in your case, you'd save more getting free dining and paying rack rate on the room (see caveat below).

Look at it this way:

With free dining and paying rack rates you'd pay $135/night for your room and get the free dining plan.
With the 40% discount, you'd pay $80 for your room, and pay $88.97 for the dining plan for the three of you for a total of $168.97/night, so you're paying almost $36 more per night by using your discount.

CAVEAT: The only thing to also keep in mind is that I think you can only add the dining plan to your room if you're on a package, which means buying a park ticket for at least one day - not sure how that works with annual passes, so that would be up to someone else to answer.

 

[tacomaranch]

Julie,

I went from head bookkeeper to brain mush when I hit to moose. Hence I can't even figure out basic math.

But on the way home today I came up with the same thing. How much is a base ticket for each of us with a discount. $64 each for 2 adults, then about $50 for a child, then the cost of the room x how many nites. Add it up and divide by how many nites there. Then do the same with no base tickets, discounted room and the price of dining at $39 and $11 for child. Which ever is cheaper is this one to go with.

I think I can do it, but then they may not even have free dining on Sept. 28th, rumor has it as an early cut off this year.

April

 

[HayGan]

Here is a really easy way to figure it out. Go to disneyworld.com and price out your stay with one day base tickets without the DDP. That would be your price for the "free Dining" package as well. If that is more expensive than your 40% off package, keep your package. If not, rebook with free dining.