For those who feel cheated by free dining

[dr&momto2boys]

We're planning a three night stay before our free incentive cruise this fall. I thought, "Great, we'll finally get to take advantage of free dining!" We started planning and realized we really don't want to stay in the VERY small rooms of the All-Stars. Been there, done that and it was TIGHT--and that was when we only had one 5 month old--now we have two kids and an infant.

Decided we really want to stay at Beach Club. Realized we could borrow points and stay on DVC, but not get free dining . Then priced out what a cash stay would be at Beach Club to get free dining and not use points. The room price alone was $1135. (Not including the min. one day passes we would have to buy for four of us to qualify for free dinig. (We would have just saved those and used them to upgrade to APs on our next trip.) The points required for the 3 night stay...only 44...the cash equivalent of $440 (at $10/pp for which we could rent them.)

So that's $1135 versus $440 (less really, since we used the rental price to figure it out.)

The dining plan for us two adults, 2 kids cost $102 per night...so $306 total. That brings our cost of room and dining to about $746. We're saving almost $400 with DVC rather than free dining.

Thank goodness for DVC! We get to stay in an awesome resort for a fantastic price...3 nights including a Friday for $440!

We were even planning to go to a waterpark...but with Stormalong Bay..we won't have to. It's just as good for our little ones.

So, please don't drool over free dining offers! DVC is a much better value! (At least for the way we like to vacation.) (Adding to the value...Free 7 night incentive cruise, discounted AP instead of having to buy tickets required for free dining, not needing to buy waterpark passes, free laundry facilities...)

 

[hockeyprincess]

And just think of the accomodations you will get to stay in with full kitchens, eliminating the dining plan all together! (Or "free" dining.... remember, NOTHING is ever free. I've never been upset about not getting free dining....it's not really FREE to me. And I would never EVER stay at the All-Stars... I NEED that big bed to sleep with my restless hubby!! LOL) We are tossing around the idea of no dining plan this July for our upcoming trip, and having groceries delivered and cooking at the resort. It's a very minimal park trip for us, we are kicking back and enjoying the resort more this time and just relaxing! We may go once or twice to the parks, water parks are defiinitely on our list this time around... so that will be a great experience in itself. None of which would ever be possible without DVC!!! Our grandkids will be able to enjoy our DVC purchase.

And......Welcome Home!!!!!

 

[Disney_Villain]

Oh, I love this post! It is so nice to see other DVC'ers appreciating what we have in DVC . . . and not complaining about "what perks we don't get". We get a lot of perks (as mentioned below).

Thank you for this positive note.

 

[lck33]

Love this comparison! you are right on! You can keep the "free" dining. Give me my Beach Club! I Love my DVC and so does my brothers family, and my girlfriends family, my FIL and all my friends and family that have shared it with us!

 

[Mouse511]

We totally agree - Free Dining = Lots of crowds.

We stay away from WDW when free dining is offered. We were happy to find out it will be over when we go down at the end of October.

 

[tkitty]

I was feeling like I was missing out, since we are now staying on points at OKW. We planned last year that we would stay one week at CBR, and I was going to wait until free dining was announced.
But I am so excited, and we will pay for the dining plan, because we like it- no biggie!

 

[LIFERBABE]

Great post and very accurate comparison.

FD only works out moneywise when you stay in a Value resort. You cant compare the Values to DVC.

Last year we had FD and a Value booked. I called MS and moved to SSR. I cant do those small beds and the food court was a zoo!

Dont forget you will have a balcony also and I love my balcony/patio and it is hard to stay in a room without one.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

We started planning and realized we really don't want to stay in the VERY small rooms of the All-Stars. Been there, done that and it was TIGHT--and that was when we only had one 5 month old--now we have two kids and an infant.

Great post... I just found this one bit amusing. Wouldn't All-Stars get you in the mood for your cruise stateroom

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Great post... I just found this one bit amusing. Wouldn't All-Stars get you in the mood for your cruise stateroom

Yeah, we thought about that too! But actually we'll be staying in a Cat 4 room which might be bigger! At least it has a balcony and bunk beds so it feels bigger!

Really, though, I'm not putting down the All-Stars. I love the theming and it's a great value for staying on-site at Disney. We just enjoy more space. I love DVC!

 

[ftballfan7]

I posted this on another thread, but something to consider for those who do want the dining plan.

We are taking advantage of free dining and DVC. We are staying at SSR for seven nights in August using developer points. We had planned on 4 table service meals, and as such purchasing the DDP would not have made sense for us (especially when considering the requirement for entire length of stay). However, when the free dining offer came out I did the math and realized we could book a value room with free dining for less per day than what the DDP would have cost us had we paid for it seperately. The best part is we made the reservation for only the four days we want, so it works out perfect for us. So basically we have booked a room at Pop that will not really be used. Here are the numbers:

DDP for 7 days (full length of stay - 4 people) = $1092.00
DDP for 4 days (4 people, all considered adults) = $624.00

Package price 4 nights @ Pop 1 day ticket w/ free dinning = $694.76
Adjustment for aplying the cost of 1 day tickets to AP upgrade = -$300.00
Actual cost of Pop room + free Dining = $394.76 ($694.76 - $300.00)
Our cost per day to get dining plan is $98.69
Regular cost of DDP per day (for us) is $156.00

If we weren't staying on developer points, I might consider cancelling our DVC stay and saving the points like previous posters. Although after 14 nights in a value last year with myself, dw, and 2 boys (12 & 13), I think I am officially done with that. Very much looking forward to our 1 bedroom.

I know it sounds crazy to get an extra room we don't need and probably won't use, but we usually spend over $100.00 when we do a sit down meal at WDW. We were planning on 4 sit down meals anyway. The numbers work for us.

 

[bcrook]

The points required for the 3 night stay...only 44...the cash equivalent of $440 (at $10/pp for which we could rent them.)

This is a great post. Thank you. I also like the idea of ftballfan7. One question, does the $10/pp rent fee generally include the cost of maintenance fees? or should maintenance fees be included in this analysis? Either way it is cheaper and more comfortable to go the DVC route.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

I though the same, that Free Dining was a great deal, but after making a comparison I got the following:

As I will use my DP´s to invite my two daughters and their six children, I have reserved a 2BR.

Well, for tickets for all of them (Park hopper and water park) it will be

$2186.65 (at UCT) +
599.00 (at Disney) for AP to get dining discounts +
3000.00 (approximate for air tickets......) +
2000.00 (approximately on dining and the TIW) =
7785.65

If choose the free dining, then we would need two rooms (at a moderate resort, no way to compare to a DVC, I know that!) at Port Orleans and would be:

$5500 (plus tax) for the rooms with tickets and dining +
3000 (air tickets) =
8500

Am I right on that? or missed something? However DVC seems to be a better deal!! or not?

For me, tickets prices are tooooooo expensive......... and it´s OK to avoid people staying off-site, but for us as DVCers there would be a special price or discount as we are staying on-site.......... please tell me we have a special price!!!!

 

[Tara]

For me, tickets prices are tooooooo expensive......... and it´s OK to avoid people staying off-site, but for us as DVCers there would be a special price or discount as we are staying on-site.......... please tell me we have a special price!!!!

A special price for what? For DVC members buying tickets for guests?

 

[emlutz23]

Don't forget about that coffee pot! I stayed at a value in March (didn't have enough points for that bonus trip and my friend's budget warranted it) and I couldn't believe there wasn't even a coffee pot! Never again!!! No FD for us, ever!!

 

[Dean]

For me, tickets prices are tooooooo expensive......... and it´s OK to avoid people staying off-site, but for us as DVCers there would be a special price or discount as we are staying on-site.......... please tell me we have a special price!!!!

The only DVC discount is the AP one. AAA and Wal Mart along with a few online options are the best places to get discounted tickets in Orlando.

 

[wilma-bride]

Whilst I agree with the OP to a certain extent, a post on the UK trip planning boards brought to my attention something which was slightly concerning.

The poster on the UK TP boards has booked a studio at OKW for Sep 09 with free dining (through Disney Travel UK) - cost £1200.

If staying on points and purchasing the standard dining plan (equivalent as would be given with free dining staying at a deluxe resort, as OKW is) the cost would be $2239.44. With the $/£ exchange rate as it is right now, that would work out at (for 2 adults and 2 teens) £1523.

I couldn't believe the difference in price - you can basically stay at OKW in the same size accommodation, get free dining and save over £300. Obviously this only affects us in the UK and, obviously, only because the exchange rate is so dire for us at the moment - however, it does grate a bit that you can get DVC accommodation with free dining for less than adding the dining plan to an existing DVC ressie

 

[dr&momto2boys]

One question, does the $10/pp rent fee generally include the cost of maintenance fees? or should maintenance fees be included in this analysis?

I used the $10pp for analysis because I could rent the points for that much. Actual cost of the points plus maintenance is less than that. I could have shown even more savings using actual cost!

 

[appstate04]

Thanks for the thread guys, I feel much better about the deal I have. When I went to the All-Star resorts the next day we bought DVC!