"Free" dining offer a joke

[disneyjanet]

The AAA discount is 20% off the room rate, not the package. Also, Disney did not jack up the prices before the FD discount was released. The room and package prices have been the same rate the entire year.

Thanks Princess Tiffany for clarifying exactly what the AAA discount is I couldn't quite remember myself. I was not suggesting that disney jacked up the prices as I think that most people know that as you said they have been the same all year. I was mearly wondering if perhaps the op had booked with AAA and didn't realize that they had applied a discount to their room and thought that they were paying rack rate so were horrified to find the rate went up with free dining and thought that disney was trying to pull a fast one on them. I'm hoping that maybe the op can turn this frustration into pleasant surprise and joy that the had a discount they didn't know about that works out better for them than the free dining special .

Janet

 

[PrincessTrisha]

The AAA discount is 20% off the room rate, not the package.

The AAA rate is 10% off a deluxe resort room rate during Regular Season and 15% off a deluxe resort room rate during value season.

 

[GoofyKidd]

Thanks Princess Tiffany for clarifying exactly what the AAA discount is I couldn't quite remember myself. I was not suggesting that disney jacked up the prices as I think that most people know that as you said they have been the same all year. I was mearly wondering if perhaps the op had booked with AAA and didn't realize that they had applied a discount to their room and thought that they were paying rack rate so were horrified to find the rate went up with free dining and thought that disney was trying to pull a fast one on them. I'm hoping that maybe the op can turn this frustration into pleasant surprise and joy that the had a discount they didn't know about that works out better for them than the free dining special .

Janet

Thank you for your understanding-you are correct in your assumptions. I thought I was getting a AAA discount, but did not think it was substantial enough to deem the free dining offer no good for us.

 

[disneychick0412]

That's the priceless thing about the DDP!!! If not on the DDP, I'd get the cheapest thing on the menu or try to split meals. The DDP gets me FILET!!!!!

Me too!!! Who wants to worry about getting the cheapest thing on the menu on vacation??? I like not having to worry about the prices or forking over the cash for every meal!!

 

[mbanks21]

Correct me if Im wrong but you cant do free DDP if you book a land and sea package since thats done through DCL and not WDTC

 

[VAN]

Addressing my comments to the original post:

As with any offer that Disney makes, you need to crunch the numbers based on your own circumstances. Free dining is a deal for most people staying at a Value resort vs using a room-only discount code.

HOWEVER, the entire scenario changes if you are in a Deluxe resort ... in most cases you would save more using a room-only discount code and paying for the dining vs the "free dining" code.

Do the math ... do the math ... do the math. Don't get bogged down by the word "free". By accepting the "free dining" you are forgoing the discount on your room.

 

[dinatwin]

I didn't read all 6 pages but I wanted to add I am booked in the GF and had the dinning plan then I got a pin code and called and I saved 700 bucks. So for me it worked great! I have a family if 5

 

[1stvisit0909]

We had booked a stay at the value resort with the free DDP...and then we got a pin code to upgrade for free to Old Key West. So it worked out that we got a great deal.

 

[Angielynne]

We are staying at the Wl as well and are using the FREE dining. It is saving us a ton.

When I originally booked our trip for sep 25-oct 3rd, there was no free dining offer. We booked a standard view room at the WL without bunk beds and did the DDP for our 8 nights there with 4 people. About 2 weeks after we booked it, I got the email from Disney Visa for free dining. I called that same day monents after I opened the email and was able to get an almost $900 credit towards my balance...it saved me a bunch!!!

the reason they were able to do that was because I didn't have any other discounted rates and because there were WL standard rooms left in the free dining package.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Hi-first post.
We got a pin number via email that offered free dining. We were looking at going to the beach here in NC for the week of 9/13-money is tight and we thought that would be the cheapest way to get away.
Instead, we got a 5 night stay at ASM, 5 days of one day one park passes, and free dining for two adults and one child, all for $1138.
I look at it this way-
$82 per night x 5 nights hotel plus taxes/fees
5 Days of single park admission @ $250 per day
at full price I'm at almost $1700 and I haven't eaten as much as a single turkey leg.
So for around $225 per day we eat, sleep, and play. This won't be a top shelf Disney experience but it's still 5 days at WDW in a year where my income is down 50%. We are about 9 1/2 hours away so we will drive straight thru, and we are actually kind of excited about seeing how cheaply we can do this. We are going to get as many character dining experiences as we can for our little girl and treat those as special attractions-then we will work around whatever adr's we can get and be flexible with the other meal credits.
I can't find a way to complain about this-I'll let you know after we get back how things worked out.

Good for you! One thing alot of people don't realize when you say I'm giong to Disney is that it can be cheaper than many other vacation destinations, espically when your meals are covered. FD is not the only reason we are going this year but it weighed heavily on our decision, as meals OOP would have been more and this is a budget trip year. We have a blast trying to maximize the dining plan and see how much 'free' food we can get. Have fun and enjoy your trip!

 

[kristenrice]

I just booked a trip for me and my BFF for 5 nights in October.

When considering whether or not we wanted the DDP, we thought about where we would eat. Since it is my birthday trip, I really did not want to stick to just CS meals. We're staying at Pop so it would be all CS if we chose free dining.

I have an AP and a TIW card so the 1-day park ticket would not help me on this trip. I contacted a TA and got a rate quote for both the free dining and the AP rate. Here's what happened...

"Free Dining" for 5 nights at Pop for 2 people: $755.26
5 nights at Pop with AP discount: $388

So, in our scenario, it would cost us another $367 to get counter-service-only dining. We are light eaters anyways (did the DDP last year and wasted a lot of food) so we decided to split appetizers, entrees and desserts. Right now, we have 5 TS meals planned: Dinners at Boma and Big River Grille, Lunches at LeCellier and Sanaa, and Breakfast at Trail's End. We also plan on eating 4 breakfasts at Everything POP and a dinner at Cosmic Rays. We looked at the menu and figured out what we would order that would not be too excessive. All of those meals (10 total) come to about $260 total. That is still almost $100 LESS than what it would cost us to add the "free" dining.

With the AP, we can still pay for the dining plan, but why should we? It would cost $400 to get the same meals we are already getting, plus 10 snacks. Plus, it would be WAY more food than we'd actually eat, so why pay more for something that will just go to waste?

Everyone has to look at their own individual situation and decide what they need and what they want. In some cases, particularly at the values, the free dining is the better deal. In our case, the AP discount was the better choice.

 

[1rockinmama]

Our very first trip was in Sept. of last year it was DH, myself, and DD (almost 2) and my Dad. We stayed at POP for 5n/6d with 2 rooms, park hopped, no water parks, and had free dining of 1tsm, 1qsm, 1s per night per person. Our trip was just over $1900 (before gratuity and toys) so if you break it down like this $82x2=164x6=$984 for rooms, $283x3=$849 for tickets which adds up to $1833 before taxes. So our 'free dining' was FREE.

I have a QUESTION though!
We're thinking of going again the week before Christmas like we did last year. Last year they offered the free dining at that time and got a great deal staying at ASM. Though this year I'm reading you must stay at a moderate resort to get the Basic Meal Plan b/c if you stay at a value you only get the Quick Service plan. Does anyone know what the price addition is if you stay at a value but upgrade to the basic if we stay Dec. 12-17th? I can't seem to figure it out thru the Disney Website. Thanks in advance dis-ers!

 

[kristenrice]

Oops! It posted twice!

 

[1rockinmama]

Our very first trip was in Sept. of last year it was DH, myself, and DD (almost 2) and my Dad. We stayed at POP for 5n/6d with 2 rooms, park hopped, no water parks, and had free dining of 1tsm, 1qsm, 1s per night per person. Our trip was just over $1900 (before gratuity and toys) so if you break it down like this $82x2=164x6=$984 for rooms, $283x3=$849 for tickets which adds up to $1833 before taxes. So our 'free dining' was FREE.

I have a QUESTION though!
We're thinking of going again the week before Christmas like we did last year. Last year they offered the free dining at that time and got a great deal staying at ASM. Though this year I'm reading you must stay at a moderate resort to get the Basic Meal Plan b/c if you stay at a value you only get the Quick Service plan. Does anyone know what the price addition is if you stay at a value but upgrade to the basic if we stay Dec. 12-17th? I can't seem to figure it out thru the Disney Website. Thanks in advance dis-ers!

Well, after some digging I answered my own question.
For DH, DD (2) and myself to stay at a ASmusic for 5n/6d with free dinning and upgrade to DDP it was only $100 more making it $1045. AND for my dad to stay next door in adjoining room and upgrade to DDP it was only $50 more making his $754. When I figured the basic DDP to be $482 we save $332 on meals. So I consider it free and am gonna discuss with husband and dad tonight. Now I just have to figure out WHAT I can ride at that time as I'll be almost 7 months pregnant.

 

[amshowers]

Free dining isn't really a good deal unless you stay at a value. You can get a better deal if you use a code and pay oop of pocket for dining plan fo any other room catergory. This is our first year going during free dining and since my inlaws are joining us and need 2 rooms, we decided to stay value. We have never stayed value because we are a family of 5, but this is a great deal for those who can only afford a value resort. It seems to me that with free dining being offered to value resorts, Disney is sprinkling a little pixie dust to those families that may not otherwise been able to afford a Disney vacation.

 

[aubriee]

Free dining isn't really a good deal unless you stay at a value. You can get a better deal if you use a code and pay oop of pocket for dining plan fo any other room catergory. This is our first year going during free dining and since my inlaws are joining us and need 2 rooms, we decided to stay value. We have never stayed value because we are a family of 5, but this is a great deal for those who can only afford a value resort. It seems to me that with free dining being offered to value resorts, Disney is sprinkling a little pixie dust to those families that may not otherwise been able to afford a Disney vacation.

Not necessarily. In a moderate it will depend on how many people are in the room. For my Sept/Oct trip I am traveling solo and staying at CSR, so yes the AP discount easily beat the free dining offer.

However, for my Dec trip I am traveling with two other adults (both of whom need park tickets). Even having to pay rack rate for the room and having to buy a one day park ticket for myself (that I don't need), free dining beat both the 40% PIN code I had and also the AP discount. We'll upgrade their one day tickets to 9 day hoppers when we get down there and just put mine up to use at a later date. The $960.00 we saved on the DDP beat both of the other discounts, even if you take into consideration the one day park ticket I didn't need. For the same price I had the AP discount, I got three one day tickets ($240.00 value) and still saved around $100.00 off what I was previously paying. So for three adults in a moderate, free dining was the better deal.

 

[jdads2]

Seems you're comparing apples to oranges. I did a search for a POFQ room with no dining when I added the dining there was no change in price. There are only so many rooms open to the discounts no matter if they're for free dining or cheap rates. That is why you were charged more, you paid for a better room.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

curious -what did the OP end up doing, did she try to rebook directly through Disney? and cancel her res with AAA. If so, did she get apples to apples and was there an actual discount?

 

[Missytara]

It amazes me how people just don't understand how this whole package thing works.

But hey, they did their job - they could advertise the free dining and you took it, hook, line and sinker.....need I say more - you didn't read the fine print.

I book my trip immediately when I come home from the previous year. I get a good rate because I book a year early.

True, I contemplated canceling my package and re-booking under the free dining, IF IT WORKED OUT, but it didn't work because now you are paying the new prices for the park tickets and a more expensive room rate. It stands to reason it is going to be more - Disney is honoring the old tickets prices under the original package. So I kept my original package.

Not really rocket science (my apologies to any rocket scientists out there!) LOL.

It just amazes me how nutty people get over these deals....

 

[jdads2]

It amazes me how people just don't understand how this whole package thing works.

But hey, they did their job - they could advertise the free dining and you took it, hook, line and sinker.....need I say more - you didn't read the fine print.

I book my trip immediately when I come home from the previous year. I get a good rate because I book a year early.

True, I contemplated canceling my package and re-booking under the free dining, IF IT WORKED OUT, but it didn't work because now you are paying the new prices for the park tickets and a more expensive room rate. It stands to reason it is going to be more - Disney is honoring the old tickets prices under the original package. So I kept my original package.

Not really rocket science (my apologies to any rocket scientists out there!) LOL.

It just amazes me how nutty people get over these deals....

You are very lucky to be able to know your schedule a year in advance. Some people have to schedule their vacations on a seniority basis and can't always get the dates they want even six months in advance. I wasn't able to book my vacation for my next two trips, coming up in Sept and Oct, until last week.

I did all that crazy "rocket science" math and because I want to hit the pricier restaurants the second trip it made sense to get the dining package. Room cost me $30 more a night but that doesn't come close to 1 meal at Le cellier or Tutto Italia.

The first trip is a cheap one. I got a good deal on the room and we're just doing some CS meals. The dining plan wasn't cost effective nor, more importantly, we're not hitting the best restaurants.

Sorry if I get a little nutty over the deals, my rocket science classes ended a very long time ago.