I will say we have started to stay off site again and we like it. I enjoyed getting a larger room (a suite) and an included hot breakfast for cheaper than a value resort at different times of the year. We did go off peak in late November/early December. We even had evening receptions which satisfied us as dinner. I followed our room rate up to the end and I was able to get deeper discounts that way. This covered our eating costs; so, in reality we had a different kind of
free dining. You have to be faithful and follow your room rates offsite, but it does pay off sometimes. I booked early to secure a room, but then I watched for lower rates and I was successful and rebooked our resort. It was very easy for us to go back and forth from our resort. In some instances it was faster and in other instances slower to go back and forth from the off site resort to Disney World. You do need a car to stay off site, but we take road trips more than flying there.
If Disney needs to use the free dining plan I'm sure they will do it. Time will tell with the fall or winter rates. If you stay in a deluxe without a large family then sometimes the discounts for the room is better than the free dining promo.
I agree that I don't really want a dessert with my meal and sometimes I like to have an appetizer. I certainly don't mind tap water as my beverage. I think each of us has to see how it works for our own situation.
In reality, I believe free dining got started in the fall; because, there had been a few hurricanes that scared many people from going there at that time of the year. That threat is still there; so, we may see free dining at that time of year. Then, the economy tanked and Disney extended free dining to other times of the year.
I've enjoyed Disney World over 40 times so far and we never have lived close to WDW. I've seen different promotions through the last 25 years. I strongly feel the free dining promo has been the most successful for Disney. I feel Disney will resurrect this promo when they feel it's needed.
We alternate our trips to Disney now with going to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge and Branson. We like the Christmas season and these alternate vacations have been enjoyable to us. I don't know if we are not as strong of a fan of WDW any more, but I rather take more vacations elsewhere if it amounts to the same monies or even cheaper. Dollywood has the added value with being so close to the Smokies. We did Williamsburg, as an alternate to WDW, too.
In the 1990s Disney had me hooked, but not any more. We have expanded our adventures, now. In the last few years we have taken some great vacations out West and East. There are other places to visit. With our population decreasing, Disney will have to offer deals in the future. I can wait for a better day.
