Free Dining Offer is cheaper than Room Discount Offer

[TwoAtDisney]

...unless I did something wrong.

3/4 - 3/10/12 (6 nites) - POFQ garden room
Went to Disney site -
$1,332 for room with free dining offer.
$1,265 for room with "Special Offer" discount.

Taking the "Special Offer" room discount leaves us $67 for food vs the Free Dining offer!

Note: Prices above are without park tickets.

So, we booked Free Dining. Even though it is too much food for us, we would definitely spend more than $67 OOP for those 6 days.

Just found this interesting & thought I would share.

Julie

 

[worm761]

It all depends on the dynamics of your family.

And you aren't comparing apples to apples. You have to buy tickets to get the free dining plan. So to truly compare the cost you need to add the cost of tickets and OOP dining to your room only reservation with the discount. You compared a room only discount room with no tickets and no food to a free dining package with food and tickets. JMHO though.

 

[havoc315]

...unless I did something wrong.

3/4 - 3/10/12 (6 nites) - POFQ garden room
Went to Disney site -
$1,332 for room with free dining offer.
$1,265 for room with "Special Offer" discount.

I don't quite get what offer you applied. Free dining offer requires paying full price for the room and tickets.

What was the "special offer" that only knocked $67 off the entire price?

Were tickets included in bor?

And did you previously book free dining? I don't believe there is a current free dining offer.

 

[sharonabe]

It sounds like the room discount was not available for all nights of your stay. The discount for POFQ is 20% through the 8th and 15% for the last night. The math doesn't add up to that which seems to say you're not getting the discount for all nights.

However, a quick search for some of the other moderates offering the discount (CSR and CBR have a 25%-20%) shows a savings of over $250 for 6 nights. Can the two of you eat for that amount? Probably not. But along with your "free dining" you need to add in the cost of tips and the difference between full price tickets and any discount tickets you could find.

 

[mommyrosa2]

After doing my math, I too think that free dining would be cheaper than my 30% room only discount. Reading some posts & what some folks are saying, something is not adding up. Here's my scenario:
In Aug. 9 days, 2 adults/2teens (Disney adults). Beach club garden vw room with 9 day park hoppers= 3701 plus chg (includes 30% discount). If free dining was offered, full room rate plus 9 day park hoppers = 4701 plus chg. Based on just the table services we want to eat at (all dinners), there's no way the 1,000 difference would cover them and we'd still need lunches and breakfast items. With my figures, I would think free dining would be a better deal....what am I missing??

 

[havoc315]

After doing my math, I too think that free dining would be cheaper than my 30% room only discount. Reading some posts & what some folks are saying, something is not adding up. Here's my scenario:
In Aug. 9 days, 2 adults/2teens (Disney adults). Beach club garden vw room with 9 day park hoppers= 3701 plus chg (includes 30% discount). If free dining was offered, full room rate plus 9 day park hoppers = 4701 plus chg. Based on just the table services we want to eat at (all dinners), there's no way the 1,000 difference would cover them and we'd still need lunches and breakfast items. With my figures, I would think free dining would be a better deal....what am I missing??

For deluxe resorts, the room discount is usually better UNLESS you have more than 2 adults in the room. "Free dining" for 4 "adults" will usually trump the room discount, unless you do club level.
If you were just 2 adults-- then you would be better off with the room discount.

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

Where is free dining being offered?

 

[mommyrosa2]

duplicate

 

[mommyrosa2]

For deluxe resorts, the room discount is usually better UNLESS you have more than 2 adults in the room. "Free dining" for 4 "adults" will usually trump the room discount, unless you do club level.
If you were just 2 adults-- then you would be better off with the room discount.

Got it... for a minute there I thought I was going crazy...thank you!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Where is free dining being offered?

There are no current free dining offers or promos. The last FD promo/offer Disney had out, had to be booked by December 17, 2011.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

OP, if you are staying at a value resort or a moderate resort, generally, a free dining discount is going to be greater than a room only discount.

 

[MamaJen]

Does anyone know when they will be offering the FD again?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Does anyone know when they will be offering the FD again?

Here are the historic FD offers and release dates:

Free Dining Discounts were Released in the Spring of the Year Offered
August 21 – October 4, 2005
August 13 – September 30, 2006
August 26 – September 22, 2007
August 30 – September 27, 2008

March 30, 2009
Free Dining released for travel from August 16 – October 3, 2009

July 27, 2009
Free Dining (First Time for quick service at values, free Disney Dining at moderate and deluxe resorts) for travel from October 4 – December 17, 2009

May 3, 2010
Free Dining released for travel from August 15 – October 2, 2010.

July 6, 2010
Disney extended the Free Dining offer for travel through early fall 2011. Many dates were blacked out:

Aug. 15 – Oct. 7, 2010
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28, 2010
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18, 2010
Nov. 27 – Dec. 2, 2010
Dec. 10 – Dec. 21, 2010

January 1 - 5
January 9 - 13
January 21 - Feb 3
February 11 - 17
February 25 - March 3
May 27 - June 2
August 19 - September 29

March 2011
Free Dining Discount released for August 28 - September 24, 2011

August 3, 2011
Free Dining Discounts released for dates through early Spring 2012
October 1 – October 6, 2011
October 22 – November 3, 2011
November 12 – November 17, 2011
November 26 – December 1, 2011
December 10 – December 15, 2011
January 8 – January 12, 2012
January 21 – February 2, 2012
February 11 – February 16, 2012
March 3 – March 8, 2012
March 24 – March 29, 2012

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

There are no current free dining offers or promos. The last FD promo/offer Disney had out, had to be booked by December 17, 2011.

Well that is what I thought too, but the OP says "the Free Dining offer", and I was wondering what offer?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Well that is what I thought too, but the OP says "the Free Dining offer", and I was wondering what offer?

I assumed the OP was talking about the annual free dining promo, in general, not that there was anything current. That's just how I read it, but maybe the OP did think they could still book the offer that expired in December, since it included 2012 dates. Just guessing . . . .

 

[Disney*Dreamer]

I assumed the OP was talking about the annual free dining promo, in general, not that there was anything current. That's just how I read it, but maybe the OP did think they could still book the offer that expired in December, since it included 2012 dates. Just guessing . . . .

Yes, you are probably right, I didn't even think about that. Shoot, I was hoping that there was an offer out there that I missed. The only pin I have gotten recently is a room only discount and it isn't even as good as the one being offered to the public.