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Free Dining frustration <tiny vent>
- Thread starter cavecricket
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corgi_monster
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I do not believe that free dining is really free at all.
In order to get the "free" dining plan, one has to pay rack rate on a room. Do you have any idea what rack rate at a deluxe is? Of course, the situation at the value resorts is a whole different story . . . but more on that later.
Last year, it was cheaper for us to pay for the Dining Plan OOP rather than book a free dining package. We paid somwhere around $115 (including taxes)/night at AKL and about $80 for the dining plan. $115 + $80 = $195 = cheaper than rack rate.
To me, the solution is not to limit free dining plan people to counter services, only let them eat at a certain time, etc. It makes more sense for Disney to offer the free dining plan ONLY to people who book deluxe or perhaps, moderates at rack rate. That way, Disney does not have to keep track of where everyone eats, when they eat, etc.
In order to get the "free" dining plan, one has to pay rack rate on a room. Do you have any idea what rack rate at a deluxe is? Of course, the situation at the value resorts is a whole different story . . . but more on that later.
Last year, it was cheaper for us to pay for the Dining Plan OOP rather than book a free dining package. We paid somwhere around $115 (including taxes)/night at AKL and about $80 for the dining plan. $115 + $80 = $195 = cheaper than rack rate.
To me, the solution is not to limit free dining plan people to counter services, only let them eat at a certain time, etc. It makes more sense for Disney to offer the free dining plan ONLY to people who book deluxe or perhaps, moderates at rack rate. That way, Disney does not have to keep track of where everyone eats, when they eat, etc.
I don't think it's DVC members in particular. It was just the OP's attitude in her first few posts that people who were smart enough to utilize the free dining promotion were second class citizens who shouldn't be allowed to dine in her TS restaurants and should be regulated to CS only. That way she wouldn't have to go to the trouble of making ADRs. Now, later she clarified her posts, but by that time people (free diners) were already feeling insulted. The problem is Disney not having enough restaurants and overbooking the ones they do have.
Personally, we prefer TS and our dining patterns do not change whether we are using the DDP or paying out of pocket with the DDE card. If I was on the DDP (free or paid) I would definitely resent being told I had to dine at CS. This past May I paid for the DDP, Sept 29th-Oct 7th I'm getting it free (even though I had to give up an AP discount to do so), and then in Dec I'm paying for it again. I'll also have more TS booked than I have credits, so will be paying for some meals OOP, using my DDE card.
disneyjunkie
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If Disney offered free dining to DVC owner, would you book it? If you did book, would you only dine at CS restaurants?
So do I.
I'm waiting for the Easter hours to be posted so that I can get started.
kaytieeldr
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Okay, fine, if you insist... first let me say my reservations are all already in place; now, that said, I do not think it's fair that AP holders get better discounts (SOME of the time) than other Guests. I think AP room discounts should be restricted to only certain resorts, or certain times of the year - or maybe even only specific hours? You know, like, from 4 PM to 10 PM and after that your room rate goes up for the rest of the night?marivaid said:
I don't think that's fair BUT! The packages being offered in the UK right now that include free dining a year from now, DO have that restriction. Moderate resorts or better - no values, no campsites.corgi monster said:
kaytieeldr
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You still haven't said when your last trip was or when your next trip is, but to answer your specific question: Yes, free dining ends. Every year. It is a SHORT-term promotion. It is available about EIGHT weeks a year, although Guests checking in on the last day of the promotion get it for their entire stay up to ten nights, so nine and a half weeks.cavecricket said:
disneyjunkie
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The bounce back program(it has new name but I can't think of it right now ) started yesterday. Those guest can book the value resorts for the 2008 free dining packages.
OP, have you booked your 2008 trip? If not, you may want to avoid end of August thru end of September.
marivaid
My mother is a Pluto molester.
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Okay, fine, if you insist... first let me say my reservations are all already in place; now, that said, I do not think it's fair that AP holders get better discounts (SOME of the time) than other Guests. I think AP room discounts should be restricted to only certain resorts, or certain times of the year - or maybe even only specific hours? You know, like, from 4 PM to 10 PM and after that your room rate goes up for the rest of the night?
I have just read all of these posts, and honestly they are crazy!
For those of you who "hate" DVC, you need to find another place to vacation. It is not our fault to have purchased into Disney. I am sorry. And if Disney is adding more Villas, it is because the number of DVC members has increased and since we are paying and staying more often there has to be enough rooms. There is a ratio of this, if you call or ask at the LOVELY DVC booths.
This Free dinning is exactly that, which is why it is called FREE dinning plan when the offers are made to the public. So please keep in mind that as a DVC member we are not offered Free dinning with the increase of additional point stay.
It should also be noted that their was a "Food and Fun" program, that was very close to the dinning plan over 10 years ago. And this program was never offered for FREE to anyone, you always had to pay for it (regardless if you were a DVC member or NOT). There was also never this problem that has come about today either.
It is extremely disheartening to know that people on this board are confusing DVC memeber with an exclusive club of people who are "better than others". Wherein, DVC just means that we have made a financial commitment to DISNEY since we enjoy "the magic" more often than others.
Keeping in mind that anyone of you who have made comments about DVC, can become part of DVC. And for what ever reason, you have not. So please stop making statements regarding DVC when you have the same option as us, but YOU decided not to do it.
And honestly as DVC members we should have something MORE than paying cash people. Why? Because DVCers are what make the $$ for disney because we are always coming back yearly if not sooner
Sorry, but that is the truth even if no one else whats to admit it or say it!
For those of you who "hate" DVC, you need to find another place to vacation. It is not our fault to have purchased into Disney. I am sorry. And if Disney is adding more Villas, it is because the number of DVC members has increased and since we are paying and staying more often there has to be enough rooms. There is a ratio of this, if you call or ask at the LOVELY DVC booths.
This Free dinning is exactly that, which is why it is called FREE dinning plan when the offers are made to the public. So please keep in mind that as a DVC member we are not offered Free dinning with the increase of additional point stay.
It should also be noted that their was a "Food and Fun" program, that was very close to the dinning plan over 10 years ago. And this program was never offered for FREE to anyone, you always had to pay for it (regardless if you were a DVC member or NOT). There was also never this problem that has come about today either.
It is extremely disheartening to know that people on this board are confusing DVC memeber with an exclusive club of people who are "better than others". Wherein, DVC just means that we have made a financial commitment to DISNEY since we enjoy "the magic" more often than others.
Keeping in mind that anyone of you who have made comments about DVC, can become part of DVC. And for what ever reason, you have not. So please stop making statements regarding DVC when you have the same option as us, but YOU decided not to do it.
And honestly as DVC members we should have something MORE than paying cash people. Why? Because DVCers are what make the $$ for disney because we are always coming back yearly if not sooner
Sorry, but that is the truth even if no one else whats to admit it or say it!
kaytieeldr
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Oh, I don't hate DVC by any means. I am, otoh, a bit aggravated with my brother who said - three weeks before I leave for a trip that I've planned for six months and which I HAVE mentioned to him in the intervening months - "Oh, you could use some of my points"swim-mom said:
: 
Well, since you mention it, and not in ANY way in dispute of what you so eloquently state - we DDPers too (both paid and free) make a financial commitment to Disney. Not nearly as long as the DVCers, and for the most part not nearly as much money, but we do give Disney our money in full, well in advance of our visits. Now, those room-only Guests, and those off-site people, and the day Guests - they don't have nearly the financial stake in this whole thing that the DVC/DDP(aka any package) folks doswim-mom said:
Not nearly as long as the DVCers, and for the most part not nearly as much money, but we do give Disney our money in full, well in advance of our visits. QUOTE]
I understand what you are saying, however if you pay disney in full or not does not make a differance. While you (not personally) may not go to Disney every 10 months or year or more, DVCers do. In addition to that we are also HIT with maintance fee's yearly and lack of daily housekeeping, like paying people get. So again, being a DVC member we do not get the housekeeping PERKS like others either.
I do hear you, but as a DVC member it is a long term commitment and paying full does not mean anything because there are many DVCers who pay there contract in full to. And at one point or another we all have to anyway
marivaid
My mother is a Pluto molester.
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I understand what you are saying, however if you pay disney in full or not does not make a differance. While you (not personally) may not go to Disney every 10 months or year or more, DVCers do. In addition to that we are also HIT with maintance fee's yearly and lack of daily housekeeping, like paying people get. So again, being a DVC member we do not get the housekeeping PERKS like others either.
I do hear you, but as a DVC member it is a long term commitment and paying full does not mean anything because there are many DVCers who pay there contract in full to. And at one point or another we all have to anyway
By the end of December we'll have been to WDW four times this year. Probably spent more in that year than the average DVC family.
Does that give us any more rights than anyone else ? No. And I don't think it should.
I think you greatly underestimate how much money non-DVC members bring to Disney. Sorry, but Disney World as it is now could not survive if it relied mostly on DVC. If that was the case, Disney would not have built 4 new value resorts since 1994.
Don't you get perks like $100 off the AP, possibility of getting the DDP without paying for tickets you don't need, and without having to pay in advance ? Don't you get discounts on room rates, free parking, dining discounts... Sounds pretty nice to me.
kaytieeldr
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Yeah, I understand that. I was trying to be funny, and to ride the DVC coattails to ersatz superiority over non-package Guests. Going a bit off-topic, since you brought it up I did once stay at OKW long enough to get Trash & Towel service, but I changed rooms after the first night, which meant I wouldn't be in the second room the required four nights. Turns out, it didn't matter. It's the GUEST that gets the service, not the ROOM. Pretty cool. For that one last night I had clean towels and empty trash barrels
I did once stay at OKW long enough to get Trash & Towel service, but I changed rooms after the first night, which meant I wouldn't be in the second room the required four nights. Turns out, it didn't matter. It's the GUEST that gets the service, not the ROOM. Pretty cool. For that one last night I had clean towels and empty trash barrels Free or pay in advance, does not matter when DISNEY is offering you a FREE dinning plan and you "ACCEPT" that offer!!
Sorry, but that is the truth, don't confuse apples and oranges. As a DVC member we pay in advance for that plan not those who "ACCEPT" disney's free offer of FREE dinning plan. Huge differance!!
Expecially, since DVC members are getting the short end of the stick in the post!
Sorry, but that is the truth, don't confuse apples and oranges. As a DVC member we pay in advance for that plan not those who "ACCEPT" disney's free offer of FREE dinning plan. Huge differance!!
Expecially, since DVC members are getting the short end of the stick in the post!
corgi_monster
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And honestly as DVC members we should have something MORE than paying cash people. Why? Because DVCers are what make the $$ for disney because we are always coming back yearly if not sooner
If I were Disney, I would, unfortunately, have the complete opposite view. If I were Disney, I'd be thinking, "Ok, I got the long-term commitment and I've got her money. Now, what can I do to entice the newbies and get them to commit to vacationing here every year?" This is not to say that they are, or should be, neglecting DVC owners because if DVC service gets a bad rep. the whole operation will suffer. What I am trying to say is that if I were Disney, I would only be concerned with maintaing the bare minimum services needed to keep DVC owners happy while concentrating my money and efforts on attracting "new blood."
Whether you use your points, rent them, etc, it doesn't matter - you have to pay your DVC bill. WDW doesn't really care if you come back every year because no matter what, they will still get your money. (Correct me if I'm wrong because I am not a DVC member.)
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this business strategy is right. I just think that this would be a logical approach to take for any business. Spend as little as possible to maintain existing, contracted clients while spending big bucks to roap in the new ones!
Don't you get perks like $100 off the AP, possibility of getting the DDP without paying for tickets you don't need, and without having to pay in advance ? Don't you get discounts on room rates, free parking, dining discounts... Sounds pretty nice to me.
I am glad that you know the discounts, BUT if you fly you don't need free parking or room discounts if you have enough points. So those are not even worth anything to someone who flies everytime, dinnng discounts they are too small to even mention. Considering that a FREE dinning plan TOPS in savings all of the discounts you are mentioning, expecially when you stay 2 weeks at a time!
Great point, but so not worth mentioning!
Also there are more resort rooms added, because DINSEY offers the free dinning so people have to stay somewhere...........when there are no rooms left because so many are now staying on property to get that plan!!!
THANK YOU!!! That is whole the frustration over the free dinning plan that the orginal posted mentioned!!!
Case and point, thank you!
corgi_monster
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Don't you get perks like $100 off the AP, possibility of getting the DDP without paying for tickets you don't need, and without having to pay in advance ? Don't you get discounts on room rates, free parking, dining discounts... Sounds pretty nice to me.
Do any DVC members know exactly what the perks are and how much they add up to (on average) per year? Also, if any of you are willing to share, how much do you pay DVC each year? I would also guess that it adds up to less than a 10% savings. Big whoop. (But hey, at least it's something)
Also, those "perks" don't really cost Disney anything. Unless there is 100% resort occupancy, Disney is MAKING money if you book a discounted room. It's better to offer a $200 room for $75 than it is to let it go empty. Markup in most restaurants is 3x food cost, so they're still making money off food, and it's not as though they created special free stalls for DVC members. While these things do reduce Disney's profit margin, they do not truly cost Disney a dime.
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