free dining kids only

[ck2d]

Have you heard that's what they're doing this summer?

 

[msk]

Interesting in many ways!

 

[Sparkly]

Sounds implausible. I don't see how that would work!

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

It's going to work because of Toy Story land opening which will bring a lot more families and kids to WDW.
It sucks tho. We don't have kids and I'm afraid it could be the new and only 'free dining thing' for the second half of 2018.

Stay dates for now are May 28 – August 30, 2018

 

[goofyintoronto]

I think the new deal (free dining plan for kids) kinda sucks. Not much of a deal in my opinion. But hey, its better than nothing right?

 

[msk]

I think if you do the math the 25% off room offer is better. Kids don't eat that much

 

[Paul Rodgers]

On the contrary, they are offering room discounts for 5/28-6/10 and 8/2-8/30. Value and moderates can save up to 20% and Deluxe and Deluxe villas can save up to 25%.

 

[starousse]

On the contrary, they are offering room discounts for 5/28-6/10 and 8/2-8/30. Value and moderates can save up to 20% and Deluxe and Deluxe villas can save up to 25%.

That's exactly why very few will take advantage of this offer. The majority of those traveling within that time frame will either be getting the usual 20%-25% room discount or they'll be booking the special agency Labor day deals which saves even more. In those cases, the kids eat free discount is void. It's obvious that cost wise, it doesn't pay to forgo the room discounts to have a "child" only to eat free.

 

[JerseyJanice]

It’s true. Disney Food Blog is reporting it.

Kids get a complimentary dining plan when staying with their parents who purchase a package that includes their own dining plan. Three nights required at rack rate and IDK what the ticket purchase requirements are.

 

[DisneyDude71]

Guess it depends on how many kids you have in that age range whether it works for you or not.

 

[JerseyJanice]

It's going to work because of Toy Story land opening which will bring a lot more families and kids to WDW.
It sucks tho. We don't have kids and I'm afraid it could be the new and only 'free dining thing' for the second half of 2018.

Stay dates for now are May 28 – August 30, 2018

We had reports of last summer being slow while the fall season was slammed.

Free Dining was originally started to attract more business in the fall after a particularly bad hurricane season (I believe 2004).

Last year, the Food & Wine Festival and Halloween festivities brought in the crowds, while the summer season was slower than usual.

It is certainly possible that they are offering this deal instead of their usual fall FD offer.

 

[sharonabe]

It’s true. Disney Food Blog is reporting it.

Kids get a complimentary dining plan when staying with their parents who purchase a package that includes their own dining plan. Three nights required at rack rate and IDK what the ticket purchase requirements are.

Only ticket requirement is that you have one. No park hopper or anything else, just a base ticket.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Guess it depends on how many kids you have in that age range whether it works for you or not.

Three kids are the most you can fit in a room and that’s only certain resorts. Looks like suites and villas are excluded.

It may interest folks who want to do the Deluxe Dining Plan. The child’s price is $39.99 this year, so it would be a value of about $80 per night for a family with two kids. That’s not the worst deal I’ve ever heard of.

 

[supersnoop]

Three kids are the most you can fit in a room and that’s only certain resorts. Looks like suites and villas are excluded.

It may interest folks who want to do the Deluxe Dining Plan. The child’s price is $39.99 this year, so it would be a value of about $80 per night for a family with two kids. That’s not the worst deal I’ve ever heard of.

If I’m hearing it correctly, the parents still have to pay for the plan. At $116, that could eat up a lot of the savings.

 

[anneboleyn]

It is certainly possible that they are offering this deal instead of their usual fall FD offer.

The past few years have had rumors of Disney doing away with Free Dining (at least the version that has usually been offered) for the fall, because it just isn’t necessary anymore. So I am very interested to see if this is the replacement!

 

[TeresaWen]

The past few years have had rumors of Disney doing away with Free Dining (at least the version that has usually been offered) for the fall, because it just isn’t necessary anymore. So I am very interested to see if this is the replacement!

Looking like they are weaning folks off the free dining discount.

 

[ariane37]

I think if you do the math the 25% off room offer is better. Kids don't eat that much

Every client package I applied a discount to today saved more with the family summer package discount over the kids eat free anyway, so unless you have more than say 3 kids between 3 & 9 it quite possibly won't be the better deal.

 

[Magrathea]

Every client package I applied a discount to today saved more with the family summer package discount over the kids eat free anyway, so unless you have more than say 3 kids between 3 & 9 it quite possibly won't be the better deal.

we have 3 kids (5-8), so you are saying that may be our better option?

 

[anneboleyn]

Looking like they are weaning folks off the free dining discount.

I agree. I am a little torn about that too...while I used to always take advantage of Free Dining if I could get it (this year is the first I won’t be getting the dining plan because I think DD10 and I can eat less than $1700 worth of food in 12 days, which is what the plan would cost us, and I can’t get it for free because I am renting DVC points), I am very curious to see if the possible lack of Free Dining will have any effect on crowds this September.

 

[sharonabe]

we have 3 kids (5-8), so you are saying that may be our better option?

I was curious how this played out, so priced family of 5 with 3 kids in an AoA suite (only value that came up with that many people), and it was cheaper to do the Fun and Sun than to do the kid's eat free. You could even do the Fun and Sun and pay for the regular DDP for just $135 more than they wanted for the kid's eat free QSDP.