Free Dining . . . I want it . . . help me!

[Serkazong]

I want free dining. I can't help it. I know what I paid for when I bought into DVC. But I still want free dining. I want other free stuff too. It's just how I am.

 

[hollypoast]

I want free dining. I can't help it. I know what I paid for when I bought into DVC. But I still want free dining. I want other free stuff too. It's just how I am.

Rent your points and use the money to purchase a package including free dining. When just my dtr and I travel together I rent our point because we don't need a full villa. Works great and gives you more options. Other times when the whole family travels we use DVC and stay in a villa.

 

[Serkazong]

Rent your points and use the money to purchase a package including free dining. When just my dtr and I travel together I rent our point because we don't need a full villa. Works great and gives you more options. Other times when the whole family travels we use DVC and stay in a villa.

Good idea. I do need a 2 bedroom though. Isn't renting about $10/pt? I don't think I'd get enough for the room, although I haven't looked, that's just off the top of my head. I'd rather Disney just give us free dining if we meet all other qualifications.

 

[Serkazong]

Holy mackerel, my 2 BR Savanah View at Kidani is listed as $879.20 / night for my Sept - Oct trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't think I'd get enough for the room, although I haven't looked, that's just off the top of my head.

It's always good to have actual $ info.

Holy mackerel, my 2 BR Savanah View at Kidani is listed as $879.20 / night for my Sept - Oct trip.

Now you can see that you're getting a bargain with the points. No "free" dining needed, eh?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Look at it this way. At least if you pay the rack rate (with discount, I might add), you'll get your free dining. See? That's what you wanted, right?

 

[nalajms]

Holy mackerel, my 2 BR Savanah View at Kidani is listed as $879.20 / night for my Sept - Oct trip.

At 37 to 48 pts per night, that's $444 to $576 if rented at $12 per point. You'd get the regular plan at $60.64 per night per adult. You'd need 5-8 adults to breakeven. This is assuming that you were going to get the minimum 2 day ticket + park hoppers.

 

[3 Hobbits 2 Disney]

Troll posting. Nothing to see here.

 

[Dean]

I want free dining. I can't help it. I know what I paid for when I bought into DVC. But I still want free dining. I want other free stuff too. It's just how I am.

Wanting it is one thing, feeling entitled is another. I doubt any of us would turn down free things but we shouldn't expect them.

 

[Serkazong]

It's always good to have actual $ info.

Now you can see that you're getting a bargain with the points. No "free" dining needed, eh?

Are there really any people who pay this rack rate? Sometimes I think Disney prices these DVC rooms outrageously high just for comparison's sake when selling DVC. But since I've been a DVC member long enough, maybe I'm just out of touch with prices. I'd be shocked if anyone ever paid that rack rate for that room. But, life is shocking sometimes.

 

[Serkazong]

Look at it this way. At least if you pay the rack rate (with discount, I might add), you'll get your free dining. See? That's what you wanted, right?

LOL , not at all what I want, I want to use my points on a room and get free dining. I know Disney doesn't need to. I want Disney to appreciate repeat and loyal customers and give a benefit even though they don't have to. Some companies do that, its not unheard of. (For instance my company, I will give discounts to repeat customers even though they aren't expecting it and I know they'll come back anyway.)

 

[Serkazong]

Troll posting. Nothing to see here.

You're 34.7% right. I was hoping for someone to give the typical frothing at the mouth response about how we are owed nothing except blah, blah, blah. I don't understand the hysterical responses sometimes to people wanting free dining. I get the impression many on these forums would be angry and turn it down if Disney offered it.

Now if someone feels entitled to it, yeah, that's dumb.

But no, I'm not entirely just trolling, I'm looking for an honest rational conversation about it.

 

[Serkazong]

Wanting it is one thing, feeling entitled is another. I doubt any of us would turn down free things but we shouldn't expect them.

Yes! But so many of the posts about it seem angry to me, as if people shouldn't even want benefits.

 

[MoreTravels]

Yes. There are lots of people paying that rate. Lots of people made millions in stock and real estate rebounds. The tv show Million Dollar Listings show New Yorkers spending $10 million to get a condo or $20,000 to buy a Hermes hand bag. A night at Trump hotel is about $1000

So yes. There are people that will pay for it.

 

[bwvBound]

I'm looking for an honest rational conversation about it.

My $0.02 is simple: You retain both the choice and opportunity to book free dining through CRO. You never lost that choice -- but it doesn't combine with DVC as "free." Through DVC you have the additional choice of adding a Dining Plan to your DVC reservation. How cool is that?

 

[Serkazong]

My $0.02 is simple: You retain both the choice and opportunity to book free dining through CRO. You never lost that choice -- but it doesn't combine with DVC as "free." Through DVC you have the additional choice of adding a Dining Plan to your DVC reservation. How cool is that?

Hmmm, I wouldn't categorize adding the DDP to my DVC reservation as cool. If I could do that at half price, now that qualifies as cool. When they opened TIW to DVC members (wasn't it only for Florida residents and AP holders before?), that was cool. In another thread there's a poll about satisfaction with DVC. I'm surprised at how many people answered "very happy" for getting what they expect. I'd be very happy for getting more than I expect. I'd be very happy for a company bending over backward to make me happy when they don't have to. But don't get me wrong, I'm satisfied with DVC and glad I bought, it's been great for my family.

 

[TimR]

If you want to know what people are willing to spend for a vacation with Disney take a look at the prices for Adventures by Disney tours, especially the European and Asian ones. Some of them run $8-10k per person. Now assume a family of 4 and add airfare, and suddenly a week at $850/night for the whole family doesn't sound so expensive. There are also some suites at GF that cost in the vicinity of $2000/night during peak season, and they do tend to sell out.

 

[bwvBound]

Holy mackerel, my 2 BR Savanah View at Kidani is listed as $879.20 / night for my Sept - Oct trip.

Hmmm, I wouldn't categorize adding the DDP to my DVC reservation as cool.

Get solid quotes on both options: a) CRO reservation with 'free dining' package; and b) DVC reservation with added Dining Plan

Choose the most affordable between the two. At some point one must accept that "free dining" is just a market ploy with the actual costs buried inside the room rate. It isn't free to either Disney or the consumer.

 

[deedisneydream97]

Get solid quotes on both options: a) CRO reservation with 'free dining' package; and b) DVC reservation with added Dining Plan

Choose the most affordable between the two. At some point one must accept that "free dining" is just a market ploy with the actual costs buried inside the room rate. It isn't free to either Disney or the consumer.

Exactly that! Free dining for Pop is only with a non-discounted room and for quick service only. The regular dining plan is offered at non-discounted moderates. the deluxe is offered at non-discounted deluxe resorts.

It does not make good financial sense for Disney to offer free dining to DVC members already having the ability to stay in discounted rooms. We stayed in a studio for one night before moving to a one-bedroom, so we were able to purchase the deluxe dining plan for the one-night stay. That cost us total $219 for two people. We got the resort refillable mug ($15? each = $30), dinner at Narcoosees (the bill before tip came to $245), dinner the next night at a restaurant in Epcot ($130 before tip), plus two snacks each at an average price of $6 each at Epcot ($24). So we got $429 worth of food for $219. So if we were offered free deluxe dining for staying in our discounted deluxe resort room, we could essentially get $400 worth of food every day for a week. Again, this does not make financial sense to Disney. They know that DVCers will return when they have the points to do so. When they sweeten the pot now and then, yes it makes me happy. The downside to that is when something is withdrawn, the screeching begins. Maybe that is why they have pared things down.

As previously mentioned, we bought a timeshare with some added benefits that come and go. I'm happy with TIW, discounted annual passes and discounts of some restaurants and merchandise. Sometimes people are just looking for something to be unhappy about.

 

[nalajms]

Exactly that! Free dining for Pop is only with a non-discounted room and for quick service only. The regular dining plan is offered at non-discounted moderates. the deluxe is offered at non-discounted deluxe resorts.

Deluxe resorts get the regular plan, same as moderate resorts. That makes it even less of a "deal" however you look at it.

Wow! What snack are you getting for $6? That's a great deal