FREE DINING, NOT REALLY FREE at all...

[hurleysweety]

Just my two cents...

Usually it is common for 2 adults to get a better discount with Room Only - since adding kids into the scenario increases the value of free dining. We are staying at moderate for 4 nights with Regular DDP. For an additional $187, we can switch to a room only discount with an added Regular DDP. Obviously, Free Dining wins and we'll stay with our original package promotion.

So we are saving $187 by doing Free Dining - and we're looking forward to that! You just gotta run the numbers.

 

[SarahKate]

I disagree. If I select a package without a dining plan that amounts to 2500 and then book the same package but with free dining, the cost is still 2500. I forfeit any other discount but that's just the way it goes. I go during value season so the rooms are already naturally cheaper than during peak season. So I either take a room discount savings of maybe 300 or I take free dining that has a cost of 1000 for my family of three for a week. I'm in the black by 700. I don't understand how that's not free?

 

[hotcarib]

I've said this before:
No matter how I book...hotel discount, free dining our trip is always about $2100.00 (pre air and tips).
Free dining (or dining plan/hotel discount) just lets me 'mentally' relax.

 

[maxiesmom]

IN MY OPINION ( sorry I will have to respectfully DISAGREE WITH YOU ) its misleading ... , its like a retailer raising the price of a piece of merchandise and then having a 30% off sale....

I always am skeptical when someone says FREE nowadays... because more and more there is something more to the equation or failing to leave out
( the fine print )

once in a while you actually get something for FREE...but those are few and far between!

Disney has never promised they will have "sales" on their rooms. They do it when occupancy is low, to fill those rooms. And sometimes they give you the choice between a room on sale, or the dining plan for free. It is up to us as the consumer to make an informed choice on what works better.

And yes, if you decide to pay rack rate sometimes they will throw in the dining plan FOR FREE!!! I always run the numbers and see if it is worth it. And if I make the wrong choice it is my fault, not Disney's.

 

[meeshkamooshka]

Disney has never promised they will have "sales" on their rooms. They do it when occupancy is low, to fill those rooms. And sometimes they give you the choice between a room on sale, or the dining plan for free. It is up to us as the consumer to make an informed choice on what works better.

And yes, if you decide to pay rack rate sometimes they will throw in the dining plan FOR FREE!!! I always run the numbers and see if it is worth it. And if I make the wrong choice it is my fault, not Disney's.

and thanks for reminding me....that everything is NOT magical at disney
( been on a disney bus lately)
I have to remember to sober up from all the pixie dust inhalation...
and when I come to my senses remember I have a choice where I want to spend my money as a consumer...

for example this summer I went to six flags over texas ( instead of disney)

and this fall I am going to the DIZ and staying off site , in a friends timeshare for FREE !

 

[maxiesmom]

and when I come to my senses remember I have a choice where I want to spend my money as a consumer...

You are exactly right. We all choose where we spend our money, and have to decide for ourselves what is worth spending money on and what is not. Personally, I don't think there is a 6 Flags out there that could hold a candle to WDW, but you may think they are better. Different strokes!

 

[meeshkamooshka]

You are exactly right. We all choose where we spend our money, and have to decide for ourselves what is worth spending money on and what is not. Personally, I don't think there is a 6 Flags out there that could hold a candle to WDW, but you may think they are better. Different strokes!

I was stating an alternative...

disney is an amusement park.... like anything there are good/bad

same goes for universal, six flags etc.

I am glad their are alternatives!

 

[Cafeen]

IN MY OPINION ( sorry I will have to respectfully DISAGREE WITH YOU ) its misleading ... , its like a retailer raising the price of a piece of merchandise and then having a 30% off sale....

I always am skeptical when someone says FREE nowadays... because more and more there is something more to the equation or failing to leave out
( the fine print )

once in a while you actually get something for FREE...but those are few and far between!

Actually, it's closer to having a choice between two discounts. Because, that's what it is.

For example, a restaurant offers 20% off their meal or a free dessert. If the desserts cost ~$4, you'd need to make a $20 meal to make the percentage better than the free dessert. If you order a nice appetizer and a steak, this total may come out ahead of that $20 mark, if you don't then the free dessert's going to win out. Of course, if you don't want dessert, then going with the percentage off makes more sense.

It's the same thing with the FDP vs. Room Discounts. They don't raise the price to apply a FDP, you just don't get the discount, it's simply a choice of one or the other.

 

[JessB320]

Actually, it's closer to having a choice between two discounts. Because, that's what it is.

For example, a restaurant offers 20% off their meal or a free dessert. If the desserts cost ~$4, you'd need to make a $20 meal to make the percentage better than the free dessert. If you order a nice appetizer and a steak, this total may come out ahead of that $20 mark, if you don't then the free dessert's going to win out. Of course, if you don't want dessert, then going with the percentage off makes more sense.

It's the same thing with the FDP vs. Room Discounts. They don't raise the price to apply a FDP, you just don't get the discount, it's simply a choice of one or the other.

This is the best way I've seen this explained, thanks!!

 

[meeshkamooshka]

good point,, you are right...

what i find myself doing is tuning out when it becomes to complicated....

I was recently at OLD NAVY...and I bought some clothing...at the register she gives me a FREE packpack and a coupon to come back and get another discount....

at which point I dont feel like who I won the lottery...I feel more like, what a sucker ...the backpack was so cheap (probably last a coouple days) and now I have to go spend more money to get another discount....

my point is the marketing machine and sales pitch nausiates me after a while...
but they say ignorance is bliss so....

Ill have a large glass of ignorance please , w a lime, thanks!

* I am not in any way calling anyone on this board ignorant, before you get excited.

 

[rainynight]

This is a discussion that will never end.

Yes, free dining is free.

 

[rainynight]

why would you subtract tips from the value of the free dining? If people are going to eat at X number of table service restaurants on their vacation, they're going to pay tips regardless of whether they pay cash or use a free dining plan. If you're booked with 5 table service restaurants, you're paying tips at 5 no matter what. The tips do not need to be figured into the value equation at all because that number would be there either way, so it's a push. The only reason you would have to subtract tips to get the real value would be if you would not go to any table service restaurants unless you have the free dining plan. Then you're not making an even comparison anyway.

Exactly, if someone is planning to pay OOP for some table service meals its a bit unfair to hold that against the dining plan.

I will add though, I refuse to leave a 15-20% tip on Disney's inflated food prices. I tip in the same range I do anywhere else, which is $5-10 for 2 adults and one child, regardless of the meals price. Tipping is one American tradition I think has gotten completely out of hand. So I don't think it's right to hold the excessive tipping social standard against Disney either. It's no more work to bring someone a $50 steak than it is to bring them a $5 burger, so tipping based on anything more than the actual service that was offered is just silly, I will never understand where the percentage thing came from.

 

[meeshkamooshka]

This is a discussion that will never end.

Yes, free dining is free.

ahhh.... yet again we digress...

 

[meeshkamooshka]

Exactly, if someone is planning to pay OOP for some table service meals its a bit unfair to hold that against the dining plan.

I will add though, I refuse to leave a 15-20% tip on Disney's inflated food prices. I tip in the same range I do anywhere else, which is $5-10 for 2 adults and one child, regardless of the meals price. Tipping is one American tradition I think has gotten completely out of hand. So I don't think it's right to hold the excessive tipping social standard against Disney either. It's no more work to bring someone a $50 steak than it is to bring them a $5 burger, so tipping based on anything more than the actual service that was offered is just silly, I will never understand where the percentage thing came from.

the formula with the percentages is not about how hard the waiter is working...

I think its more of...if they guy ( rich guy ) can afford to buy that $50 steak...he can surely afford a better tip than the person that got the daily chicken leg and slop special...

the rich guy( or gal, don't want to offend the ladies there few rich ones too) can afford a few extra bucks....

not sayin I am rich or isn't (lol) rich....

but after all they say being rich is not everything...but those are usuallythe folks that don't have anything that are sayin that...so I don't know who to believe...

again, I am not rich ...so leave me out of it!

I am going back to my hole now...

 

[maxiesmom]

I will add though, I refuse to leave a 15-20% tip on Disney's inflated food prices. I tip in the same range I do anywhere else, which is $5-10 for 2 adults and one child, regardless of the meals price. Tipping is one American tradition I think has gotten completely out of hand. So I don't think it's right to hold the excessive tipping social standard against Disney either. It's no more work to bring someone a $50 steak than it is to bring them a $5 burger, so tipping based on anything more than the actual service that was offered is just silly, I will never understand where the percentage thing came from.

I hope that if your $5-$10 is under tipping that you don't revisit those restaurants. They will remember you, and I wouldn't count on your food being treated very carefully by the staff.

If you agree with the tipping percentage or not, it is well known, and really what you should do when you are out. Would you go into a store and say "I know I should pay $10 for this item, but your prices are high and I think it is only worth $5, so that is all I am giving you"?

The tip is part of the cost. If you can't afford it, you shouldn't be eating out at places that have wait staff.

 

[TheRatPack]

I've ran the numbers multiple times, each year....and free dining always comes out cheaper for our family of 7 (6 this year so of course I re-ran the numbers just to make sure LOL). We had a 30% off this year as well and free dining was still HUNDREDS less than using the room discount and paying for our dining.

I factor in tips and upgrading to the regular dining plan too.....still cheaper. I don't know that it'll always be cheaper as our children move out and our travel party gets smaller, but for now it works.

 

[mouselovenfamily]

For us free dining was a much better deal than the 30% room discount. We stayed at POR in March, Peak season so the room was $245 a night. Discount would have made it $171.50 a night. 5 adults with free dining was $225.00 per day to pay for dining. We spend so much more than our $225.00 per day on meals it was well worth it!!

 

[Cafeen]

I hope that if your $5-$10 is under tipping that you don't revisit those restaurants. They will remember you, and I wouldn't count on your food being treated very carefully by the staff.

If you agree with the tipping percentage or not, it is well known, and really what you should do when you are out. Would you go into a store and say "I know I should pay $10 for this item, but your prices are high and I think it is only worth $5, so that is all I am giving you"?

The tip is part of the cost. If you can't afford it, you shouldn't be eating out at places that have wait staff.

While stepping dangerously close to actual tipping discussions, one also has to remember that servers are automatically assumed to be tipped a certain percentage. This gets reported as income whether or not they actually receive it. As such, if you consistently tip under this percentage (I don't know the percent, but I think it's around 10-12%), you are literally taking money out of the pocket of the server.

Also remember that you don't just tip the server. You tip the host/hostess, the bussing staff, the people that bring the food out (if your server doesn't), and the cooking staff. It gets spread around.
---
As far as the marketing/sales aspect. That's what discounts, promotions, coupons, etc are all about. If they didn't feel the need to drive up sales (or drive up sales at certain times of the year), they wouldn't offer the discounts (either free dining plans or room discounts), and you'd just pay full price.

 

[meeshkamooshka]

While stepping dangerously close to actual tipping discussions, one also has to remember that servers are automatically assumed to be tipped a certain percentage. This gets reported as income whether or not they actually receive it. As such, if you consistently tip under this percentage (I don't know the percent, but I think it's around 10-12%), you are literally taking money out of the pocket of the server.

Also remember that you don't just tip the server. You tip the host/hostess, the bussing staff, the people that bring the food out (if your server doesn't), and the cooking staff. It gets spread around.
---
As far as the marketing/sales aspect. That's what discounts, promotions, coupons, etc are all about. If they didn't feel the need to drive up sales (or drive up sales at certain times of the year), they wouldn't offer the discounts (either free dining plans or room discounts), and you'd just pay full price.

I believe that the mandatory income you mention was a result of Waiters NOT claiming the tips they made ( they would especailly pocket cash tips - tax free )

a waiters salary is $2.13 an hr where I live...its varies on location, but as you can see it is based on the FACT that they get TIPS ( 15-20% )

many people may not realize this, especially ones that are poor/ low tippers

 

[meggiebeth]

Exactly, if someone is planning to pay OOP for some table service meals its a bit unfair to hold that against the dining plan.

I will add though, I refuse to leave a 15-20% tip on Disney's inflated food prices. I tip in the same range I do anywhere else, which is $5-10 for 2 adults and one child, regardless of the meals price. Tipping is one American tradition I think has gotten completely out of hand. So I don't think it's right to hold the excessive tipping social standard against Disney either. It's no more work to bring someone a $50 steak than it is to bring them a $5 burger, so tipping based on anything more than the actual service that was offered is just silly, I will never understand where the percentage thing came from.

Don't the servers get mad when you don't tip much? We tipped a server at Mama Melrose a measly $30 instead of the recommended $40. After she saw that she looked livid. She came out and questioned us on it. We are from England where tipping is not expected.

Is it fair that you have to tip someone even when the service isn't good? Do Americans do this? Or is it considered something you have to do?