Free Dining 2014 Discussion ~ Part 2

[daizieduck]

I guess I am confused about why people think the room only discount is better than FD. For 8 nights RO discount paying for the dining plan my quote was $3970. For 8 nights with FD the price is $3048. Am I even worse at math than I think I am?

 

[BStew]

Now....when might those MVMCP go on sale?

 

[mommyof3princess27]

So wait - for FD do you have to book a package or not???

Yes because u have to get at least 2 day tickets

 

[SMCURT28]

There are drawbacks. But renting points is still worth it to us. For example:

No flexibility once you book renting points. You can't switch your dates once booked.
You can't cancel and get a refund.
No daily housekeeping. But you can pay extra for it.
It can be tough to get popular resorts/dates as you have to find an owner at that resort to make the booking at 11 months out.
Have to pay at least 50% and up to 100% of the cost when you book, which could be at 11 months out.

Yup, "mentally" just saved $3800 for free dining for 7 people for 10 days. Lets see a RO or rental beat THAT. Cant get a RO discount plus eating all CS OOP get close

You'll have to provide me with me more details so I can show you where you overpaid. However, even without your details, you'rebeatefore you even start. A 10 night stay at AKL Savanna view 10/1 to 10/11 renting DVC points costs me $1,660 (166 points X $10/point). That same room at rack rate (which you are paying at your resort) costs $5,787. A savings of $4,187). But you would get "free" food for your $5,787. You also overpaid for evidently 7 park tickets and will be paying an 18% gratuity for all of your TS meals. If you would have eaten at all of these places to begin with and gotten dessert and drinks, then you would see some savings, but most of it is just as I said previously, "mental".

 

[mmtwinmama]

I guess I am confused about why people think the room only discount is better than FD. For 8 nights RO discount paying for the dining plan my quote was $3970. For 8 nights with FD the price is $3048. Am I even worse at math than I think I am?

I think it depends on resort level and how many are in your party.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Now....when might those MVMCP go on sale?

May 5th

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

I hope you really did get this huge dusting of pixie dust, but if it were me, I would look carefully at what I was given.
Please don't take this as an attack of any kind, I just don't want your trip to be ruined.
I am wondering if they maybe gave you the RO discount and charged you for the Dining.
Maybe the numbers work out pretty close to what you expected the price to be.

Like I said, I hope you did get this awesome deal, but I would definitely scrutinize my reservation and make sure before it was too late to fix it.

You still have to purchase at least a 1 day ticket even with a RO if you want dining.

 

[Later_Mater2009]

I guess I am confused about why people think the room only discount is better than FD. For 8 nights RO discount paying for the dining plan my quote was $3970. For 8 nights with FD the price is $3048. Am I even worse at math than I think I am?

No you are right, I think RO discount is appealing if you dont eat a lot or plan to. Usually couples from what I have read. I have 4 adult mouths and 1 kid mouth to feed. AND they LOVE to eat!! RO wont help me.. LOL

 

[MaggiesMomNJ]

No you are right, I think RO discount is appealing if you dont eat a lot or plan to. Usually couples from what I have read. I have 4 adult mouths and 1 kid mouth to feed. AND they LOVE to eat!! RO wont help me.. LOL

RO (BB) is cheaper for us....2 adults at WL with regular dining.

 

[Later_Mater2009]

RO (BB) is cheaper for us....2 adults at WL with regular dining.

Yeah it boils down to the size of your party

 

[BStew]

May 5th

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[jezebel73]

I guess I am confused about why people think the room only discount is better than FD. For 8 nights RO discount paying for the dining plan my quote was $3970. For 8 nights with FD the price is $3048. Am I even worse at math than I think I am?

Deluxe resorts often work out cheaper with the RO discount, but it definitely depends on the size and ages of your party. Ours has 4 Disney adults (age 10+) and free food is a huge and better savings. With children under 10, that savings is not as substantial.

 

[summerlady]

I had the phone in my hand this morning, started putting the numbers in at 6:59 and held off on the last one until exactly 7 a.m. I swear, the CM picked up immediately, no automated prompts, no anything other than her greeting. Which was....I don't know. I was so excited that someone actually was there that I didn't notice what she said. But since I already had POFQ booked, I just asked to confirm that both Port Orleans were excluded and then asked if CSR club level was available for FD, which it is, and then she asked for my reservation number and name and all that and switched me over to CSR. Ta da! I think the call was completed in about 5 minutes or so, email confirmation half an hour later. I didn't realize how lucky I was at the time, but now I'm really grateful. The CM I had was very nice, very knowledgeable and efficient. She told me that people had been calling for FD yesterday and then yelling at her when she told them it wasn't available.

Just so exciting! Now I have to get going with the not fun part, finding plane tickets that won't put me in the poor house.

 

[bdillahu]

They can, but the deal won't be on the website at 12a. Their system doesn't even roll over for the following day until 6a.

Also, if they are booking a package with the new RO discount they don't have to cancel and rebook. They can just switch the discounts pending availability.

No expert, but didn't the later fall (Oct-Dec) release last year appear on the web around midnight? I know I booked online late at night, and I thought it was when it first became available... I was one of the awful people that had earlier reservations and then rebooked a new one to get FD and dropped the original later (sorry... I know better now!)

Anyway, just saying given how "wild" this rollout has been, I would consider checking the web "just in case" , but that's just me.

 

[Murmur]

My thanks to everyone as well for all of the great info. Our TA was able to get us booked into POP, but we had to split our trip a little. Room only for Aug. 30th, and then Aug. 31st - Sept. 6th with the upgrade to standard dining. Our first family vacation with our 5 yr old...and my 1st trip back since about 1977.

And...thanks to a wonderful visa promotion with Southwest, not only are our bags flying free...but so are we!

Good luck to all!!

 

[punkflute]

896.82 to upgrade from regular to deluxe

1257.96 to upgrade from QS to deluxe

2014

Quick Service to Regular

Adult: $19.02 per night
Child: $3.13 per night

Quick Service to Deluxe

Adult: $65.30 per night
Child: $13.76 per night

Regular to Deluxe

Adult: $46.28 per night
Child: $10.63 per night

Thank you so much! I knew my math wasn't correct, but couldn't figure out where I'd gone wrong. With the exclusion of our ideal resorts (POR or POFQ), I'm preparing our options to present to them both before the public release of FD. Sooo ready to have this part done.

 

[WildMouser]

If you book a deluxe resort and get the regular dining free.....can you upgrade to deluxe dining. What it you have a 9 year old? Can you upgrade to adult?

Thanks!

 

[shetm]

Long time lurker here with a question, My fiance and I are booked December 14-20 for our honeymoon at WL. I'm considering hopping on this free dining offer when it opens to the GP but my concern is if the RO discount comes out and is a better deal, will we be able to switch if we already booked free dining?

 

[mommyof3princess27]

If you book a deluxe resort and get the regular dining free.....can you upgrade to deluxe dining. What it you have a 9 year old? Can you upgrade to adult? Thanks!

U can upgrade to deluxe. We did. The code is D255F

 

[denman007]

I guess I am confused about why people think the room only discount is better than FD. For 8 nights RO discount paying for the dining plan my quote was $3970. For 8 nights with FD the price is $3048. Am I even worse at math than I think I am?

Calc it on a deluxe that is $700 per night.