Free Dining at Club Level?

[PennyInPink]

My travel agents states that guests at Club Level are NEVER offered free dining promotions. She says that only for standard rooms at rack rates. You guys know everything....that's the real story? (Thinking of Club Level so all 6 of us can be together, and we LOVE Wilderness Lodge)

 

[dansdad]

She gave you some incorrect information. Club Level rooms are often included.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

You guys know everything....that's the real story? (Thinking of Club Level so all 6 of us can be together, and we LOVE Wilderness Lodge)

I wish. I've been corrected by the best and then they've been corrected. Remember you get free breakfast at CL. Unless I am corrected.

 

[Disneytam]

Just a note from someone who has tried it, WAY to much food. Hubby wanted to try Disney Dinning and we love staying CL but never again. It seriously felt like Thanksgiving evening every day. By the end of the trip my husband was asking me why did I ever listen to him?

 

[cc1013]

Your TA is wrong. We booked a one-bedroom suite (club level) at the Beach Club with the free dining promo for our upcoming December trip. I'm prepared to eat way too much but we will have two toddlers with us that can also take advantage of the food.

 

[Regan117]

We've booked a free dining package on a CL room before. I call shenanigans by your TA! LOL We generally take the room discount instead, because a CL deluxe mostly ends up being a better deal with the room discount versus the free dining.

 

[mjmgsssp]

If you were planning on going in 2016, please be aware that this year's free dining offer/promo ended in July and is no longer available.

 

[AngiTN]

If you were planning on going in 2016, please be aware that this year's free dining offer/promo ended in July and is no longer available.

But the current BounceBack offer is a Free Dining promo. And folks can get Free Dining Pins.
No matter what, the TA was flat out wrong.
If that was your TA, leave them. Any TA that wrong wouldn't be my TA

Is it wise to take the Free Dining discount over a room only discount at a Club Level stay? That is a different question.

 

[cc1013]

Is it wise to take the Free Dining discount over a room only discount at a Club Level stay? That is a different question.

Completely agree with this. Generally given the cost of a club level room, the room discount can be pretty significant. I had intended on switching our free dining to a room only discount, but of course the discounts were pretty slim and a similar room wasn't offered for our dates. With that, we stuck with free dining.

 

[PennyInPink]

We are going September 2017. 6 Adults. Want to make the MNSSHP but before the Epcot Food & Wine fest. We have had the dining plan before, and worked well for us. Hubby and I did this trip in 2012, but this time with adult kids and their significant others! If the Free Dining Plan is offered at that time again, great! if not, we will budget it in. But want to leave the possibility open.

 

[PennyInPink]

And I have found that I know more than she does, many times over. This isnt my first rodeo to WDW, and I can do everything she can do myself! it's with AAA, and there are no real advantages to using that particular service. Heck, ya got the DisBoards, what else do ya need!

 

[AngiTN]

And I have found that I know more than she does, many times over. This isnt my first rodeo to WDW, and I can do everything she can do myself! it's with AAA, and there are no real advantages to using that particular service. Heck, ya got the DisBoards, what else do ya need!

Then why give up control of your reservation to a TA that provides no services for you?

 

[wilkeliza]

I don't think it would be too much food either. I never got how people get so full on the club level offerings. Breakfast you can fill up but all other times of the day they offer light snack and drinks not meals. I guess you could fill up on appetizers though if you wanted to. We also just aren't usually there except for maybe a mid afternoon break so aren't in the lounge for every meal.

 

[ClareH37]

Yes wrong info - I have free dining at BC CL. I am another one who doesn't see the dining plan as too much food, we are all different but I look at the evening offerings as party food/snacks/crudités and as such I prefer to have a proper table service restaurant meal instead.

 

[Nancyg56]

I have booked FD at BC and added CL> your TA is wrong. If there is no advantage to booking with your TA, why do it? I have used TA's before and I never had a bad experience, but once I was comfortable I took care of everyting myself. I want to be in control of my trip.

I have not found CL to bee too much food, but we do not book that level for that reason alone. WE like the lounge in the afternoon as a place to relax as others are getting ready for dinner. A glass of wine, a cup of coffee, a few appetizers, that's it. Breakfast is nice because you CNA have your food, and you are good to go.

 

[mickeynut1]

She gave you some incorrect information. Club Level rooms are often included.

I don't think it would be too much food either. I never got how people get so full on the club level offerings. Breakfast you can fill up but all other times of the day they offer light snack and drinks not meals. I guess you could fill up on appetizers though if you wanted to. We also just aren't usually there except for maybe a mid afternoon break so aren't in the lounge for every meal.

I am another one who doesn't see the dining plan as too much food, we are all different but I look at the evening offerings as party food/snacks/crudités and as such I prefer to have a proper table service restaurant meal instead.

My thoughts are the same as both of the above (but I also agree that everyone is different). We use the food offerings as mentioned above, as snacks, throughout the day and not as a meal. We are also ones who prefer an actual TS meal at a restaurant rather than making a meal out of the evening lounge offerings, so having the DDP with CL is never a problem for us .

 

[Regan117]

I don't think it's too much food to do CL and DDP, but I still think the room-only discount ends up being a better deal when you are staying CL

 

[mickeynut1]

I don't think it's too much food to do CL and DDP, but I still think the room-only discount ends up being a better deal when you are staying CL

A room discount usually saves more money over FD when booking a CL room, but not always. It depends on several factors like what time of year, what resort, how many adults/children in the room, the amount of the discount, etc. The OP mentioned WL, which is one of the lowest priced deluxe resorts. The current promo offers 20% at the WL. Depending on dates, the discount could be more than what FD would save, but it could also be less than a FD discount. Like with all discounts, it's best to run the numbers as it's not cut and dry as to what discount is best without pricing it out.

 

[Regan117]

A room discount usually saves more money over FD when booking a CL room, but not always. It depends on several factors like what time of year, what resort, how many adults/children in the room, the amount of the discount, etc. The OP mentioned WL, which is one of the lowest priced deluxe resorts. The current promo offers 20% at the WL. Depending on dates, the discount could be more than what FD would save, but it could also be less than a FD discount. Like with all discounts, it's best to run the numbers as it's not cut and dry as to what discount is best without pricing it out.

Yes, I know. It has always been a better deal to do room-only versus FD discounts for us. We have priced it out and it's just a better deal. I wasn't swaying the OP in any way...just telling them my opinion. If they want free dining, they should book free dining.

 

[mickeynut1]

Yes, I know. It has always been a better deal to do room-only versus FD discounts for us. We have priced it out and it's just a better deal. I wasn't swaying the OP in any way...just telling them my opinion. If they want free dining, they should book free dining.

I never said you were swaying the OP. I was clarifying that it depends on several factors and a room discount isn't always the best for every family/situation (no matter the room type), which is why I suggested crunching the numbers.