Free dining in the fall?

Will you take advantage of free dining this year?

  • Yes

    Votes: 68 68.7%
  • No

    Votes: 31 31.3%

  • Total voters
    99
  • Poll closed .
Hey, looking for an explanation from a Disney fanatic ☺️
Do you know why the U.K offers are far superior to the US specials? A friend of mine, who lives in London, just sent me a link that shows what they are offered.
FREE Dining + $200 Gift Card + Disney's 14 for 7-Day Ultimate Ticket!
Make big savings when you book a 2018 package that includes one of our FREE Dining Plans. Book by 6th July 2017 to also benefit from $200 worth of Disney Spending Money2 and Disney’s 14-Day Ultimate Ticket for the price of a 7-Day Ticket3. This magical deal is available during school holidays!
I realize that airfare is potentially a little more expensive, even though she is flying to NYC for less than my airfare is to Orlando......but anyways....Would love to know the thought process. Thx in advance
 
Well here's a few things to keep in mind.

First, UK residents spend much more than typical US residents. They come here for longer vacations as well. Also, their "free" dining is not the same as ours. They get 1 credit per night if they stay in values for a Quick Service meal, a full Quick Service plan if they stay in a mod, and a regular dining plan for Deluxe. So the US "free" dining is a bit better. The tickets are only sold to the UK and it's often that once they buy a 7 day ultimate ticket, which is more expensive than a US 7 day park hopper plus ticket, that they get to enter the parks on their other days free.

Basically, they have money to spend and traditionally take longer vacations so Disney needs to entice them to make the very long plane ride here to spend that money and vacation time.
 
The 7-day ultimate ticket offered to U.K. Is 384pounds per adult. Not sure what that translates for Americans but it's $703cdn! Not a deal at all.

Disney takes into consideration exchange rates from other countries. For example, there is a current Canadian promotion on tickets. We were offered 25 percent off myw tickets. Amazing deal or us - never seen it offered before. Of course, it negates us from Free Dining which requires full-price tickets. AND with our exchange rate - we would actually need 35 percent off just to break even with American prices.

What I'm saying, is that it may look like other countries are getting a deal, but we are still paying more than the American full price. Grass is not always greener ... but Disney, we will take whatever little bit we can get! ;)
 
Generally speaking many Brits will come over to the USA for a minimum of 2 weeks. Travel time is a lot longer, around 9 hours from London to Orlando. Direct flights can be very expensive especially during school holidays (not to mention parents get fined for taking kids out of school during term time). So a 14 day park ticket keeps them at Disney and gets them spending there instead of going to other locations. Also in the U.K. going on an annual 2 week holiday is common, so Disney has to compete with many others destinations.

Lastly, those coming from the U.K. to Disney, spend far more overall than North Americans going to Disney.
 


The 7-day ultimate ticket offered to U.K. Is 384pounds per adult. Not sure what that translates for Americans but it's $703cdn! Not a deal at all.

Disney takes into consideration exchange rates from other countries. For example, there is a current Canadian promotion on tickets. We were offered 25 percent off myw tickets. Amazing deal or us - never seen it offered before. Of course, it negates us from Free Dining which requires full-price tickets. AND with our exchange rate - we would actually need 35 percent off just to break even with American prices.

What I'm saying, is that it may look like other countries are getting a deal, but we are still paying more than the American full price. Grass is not always greener ... but Disney, we will take whatever little bit we can get! ;)

Whoops, I forgot to add what really got me going
I put in my family info, the RESORT of choice and dates and the U.K rate was almost $1,000 less then the US rate, after converting from pounds to dollars. ANd they have free dining those dates that we in the US do not.
I truly do understand that they normally stay for longer periods of time. But so does my family.
Oh well, there is no use complaining about something I can't change.
Thx for the explanations everyone
 
Well here's a few things to keep in mind.

First, UK residents spend much more than typical US residents. They come here for longer vacations as well. Also, their "free" dining is not the same as ours. They get 1 credit per night if they stay in values for a Quick Service meal, a full Quick Service plan if they stay in a mod, and a regular dining plan for Deluxe. So the US "free" dining is a bit better. The tickets are only sold to the UK and it's often that once they buy a 7 day ultimate ticket, which is more expensive than a US 7 day park hopper plus ticket, that they get to enter the parks on their other days free.

Basically, they have money to spend and traditionally take longer vacations so Disney needs to entice them to make the very long plane ride here to spend that money and vacation time.


Click to expand...
Whoops, I forgot to add what really got me going
I put in my family info, the RESORT of choice and dates and the U.K rate was almost $1,000 less then the US rate, after converting from pounds to dollars. ANd they have free dining those dates that we in the US do not.
I truly do understand that they normally stay for longer periods of time. But so does my family.
Oh well, there is no use complaining about something I can't change.
Thx for the explanations everyone
 
Whoops, I forgot to add what really got me going
I put in my family info, the RESORT of choice and dates and the U.K rate was almost $1,000 less then the US rate, after converting from pounds to dollars. ANd they have free dining those dates that we in the US do not.
I truly do understand that they normally stay for longer periods of time. But so does my family.
Oh well, there is no use complaining about something I can't change.
Thx for the explanations everyone

It may be $1,000 less but when you add in transatlantic flights for a family of 4, that savings disappears. You can't just look at how much the resort costs will be. You have to take all costs into consideration. I looked up flights on British Airways from London to Orlando from August 5 - August 19. THe cost for 2 adults and 2 children is about $5,000. The cost for 3 adults and 2 kids from New York on Jetblue is about $2,000. So airfare coming from the UK is $3,000 more. Then add in a 9 hour flight and 5 time zones. There has to been an incentive to come to Disney and spend all 14 nights on property.

Also you may travel to Disney for 14 nights, but many North Americans do not. The average holiday duration is a week in North America.
 


Click to expand...
Whoops, I forgot to add what really got me going
I put in my family info, the RESORT of choice and dates and the U.K rate was almost $1,000 less then the US rate, after converting from pounds to dollars. ANd they have free dining those dates that we in the US do not.
I truly do understand that they normally stay for longer periods of time. But so does my family.
Oh well, there is no use complaining about something I can't change.
Thx for the explanations everyone

You also have to consider that exchange rates are constantly fluctuating. The pound has dropped significantly against the dollar in the past year, when they set the prices it may not have been as significant a difference. I ran into this when booking my Disneyland Paris trip. I saved hundreds of dollars just by booking through the UK site over the American or French sites just because of the exchange rates.
 
Question related to possible FD and/or Room discount...the answer is most likely no but just in case. So we were booked in garden view regular room at BC. The summer room only discount came out and there wasn't any allocated rooms left for us to apply the discount to our account. A couple days went by and DH went online to check if anymore rooms were released and there was a one bedroom villa at BCV. It wasnt a savings for us but a major upgrade without adding much to our balance. He grabbed it, which we are all very excited about. Question is IF free dining is released and includes the second half of August like rumor suggests, is there potential to also be able to get free dining? Or can you not "stack" things?
 
Question related to possible FD and/or Room discount...the answer is most likely no but just in case. So we were booked in garden view regular room at BC. The summer room only discount came out and there wasn't any allocated rooms left for us to apply the discount to our account. A couple days went by and DH went online to check if anymore rooms were released and there was a one bedroom villa at BCV. It wasnt a savings for us but a major upgrade without adding much to our balance. He grabbed it, which we are all very excited about. Question is IF free dining is released and includes the second half of August like rumor suggests, is there potential to also be able to get free dining? Or can you not "stack" things?


You can not stack discounts. You will have to pay rack rate for your room
 
Question related to possible FD and/or Room discount...the answer is most likely no but just in case. So we were booked in garden view regular room at BC. The summer room only discount came out and there wasn't any allocated rooms left for us to apply the discount to our account. A couple days went by and DH went online to check if anymore rooms were released and there was a one bedroom villa at BCV. It wasnt a savings for us but a major upgrade without adding much to our balance. He grabbed it, which we are all very excited about. Question is IF free dining is released and includes the second half of August like rumor suggests, is there potential to also be able to get free dining? Or can you not "stack" things?
You can't stack the discounts. You gotta take one or the other. Do the math and see what the better deal is.
 
You can't stack the discounts. You gotta take one or the other. Do the math and see what the better deal is.
You can not stack you could how ever do the math to see if it's a better savings multiply the cost of Disney dining plan times the number of people in your party. Then times that by the amount of nights you're staying at Disney. That way you can see which deal is a better deal the room only or the dining. Remember to add in the cost of the park hopper ticket if you have a base ticket it'll be a little bit of an up charge .
 
Looks like the email went out 4/27 last year, so we should be close now? Do Chase cardmembers still get offers early? I haven't seen a single offer for being a cardholder yet...
 
Looks like the email went out 4/27 last year, so we should be close now? Do Chase cardmembers still get offers early? I haven't seen a single offer for being a cardholder yet...
The offer dropped for everyone on the same date last year, but DV cardholders had an opportunity to book the FD a week earlier then the GP in August.
 
I am committed to going when i am going because of scheduled vacation time. Hoping for FD and made all the dining reservations. However, if it is not offered, I will drop most of the reservations and eat at QS meals, no snacks. Will buy the mugs only cause it is cheaper than buying coffee for a week. Will pack shelf stable food for snacks in my luggage.
 
For me FD works We renew our AP's every year free dining is offered. We have always stayed in a moderate. When I add up the FL or AP discount FD wins all the time. This year we will be staying in a value because my oldest will not be joining us. I did the math and I am saving way more then if I were to get a discount on a value.
But you have to buy tickets to get the free dining so how does that work out cheaper? Is it because you apply the ticket money toward AP renewal?
 
In the past has All Star Movies been included as a Value on the Free Dining program? We're booked at Sports, but really don't want to be there. Thanks!
 
POP isn't really and option for us, but I appreciate the idea! We have 2 young children. Looking for more of a cartoon-ish experience. Plus Music has the splash pad. Do any of the Values have a zero entrance pool? Thanks everyone for all your help!
 

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