Free Dining Offer...

[stich1fan]

So why is it that DVC members can't use free dining. I understand you have to stay in a Disney hotel, so why don;t we qualify>?

It just does not make sense to me, should we not get free or discounted

Why is it a rule?

 

[Rob S.]

You can get "free" dining if you choose to pay the full cash price for a room.

 

[keaster]

Essentially, as DVC members, we have already prepaid for our accommodation. As such, there is no incentive for DVC to offer us free dining as we have pretty much already committed to going to Disney and there is no need to "lure" us in with free dining!

I personally don't enjoy the DDP, the one time we did it we found it was too much food and you really have to commit to using all the credits and ordering bigger meals than you usually would to feel like you got the value out of it.

 

[Sandisw]

Free dining is something offered to those booking a vacation through Disney. DVC is a timeshare and we are the owners of the villas--and therefore, we are not booking our reservations through Disney and thus the reason we don't qualify.

 

[chalee94]

So why is it that DVC members can't use free dining. I understand you have to stay in a Disney hotel, so why don;t we qualify>?

as stated, you not only have to stay at a disney hotel, you have to pay full rack rate (and give up any offered discounted hotel-only rates) to get the "free" dining.

DVC points stays are at a discounted rate. (if not, we are really bad at math to pay upfront for years of full-rack rate reservations.)

so DVC points stays, just like any other discounted rate, are not eligible for free dining.

 

[erionm]

Plus the required purchase of theme park admission as part of the package.

 

[gardenia]

(DVC Ownership + TIW dining discount of 20%) = MUCH better deal than (Full Rack Rate room + "Free" Dining). People on "free" dining would be wishing for DVC if they only knew.

 

[LisaS]

Free dining is a marketing program designed to fill rooms at full price during slower times at WDW. You pay full price but you get free food. Other marketing programs that Disney offers when they need to fill rooms include AP room discounts, the "Buy 4 stay 7" offer, PIN codes, etc.

DVC members do not need to be enticed to book a stay since we either use our points or we lose them. Giving DVC members free dining just because it is being offered to cash guests would be a giveaway with Disney getting nothing in return. The Mouse doesn't work that way.

Besides, DVC already offers discounts during slower times of the year. For example, you can save about 20% by going in Adventure Season (Jan, Sep or early Dec) instead of Dream Season (early Feb, anytime in May, early June or late Aug).

 

[disneynutz]

Free dining is a marketing program designed to fill rooms at full price during slower times at WDW. You pay full price but you get free food. Other marketing programs that Disney offers when they need to fill rooms include AP room discounts, the "Buy 4 stay 7" offer, PIN codes, etc.

DVC members do not need to be enticed to book a stay since we either use our points or we lose them. Giving DVC members free dining just because it is being offered to cash guests would be a giveaway with Disney getting nothing in return. The Mouse doesn't work that way.

Besides, DVC already offers discounts during slower times of the year. For example, you can save about 20% by going in Adventure Season (Jan, Sep or early Dec) instead of Dream Season (early Feb, anytime in May, early June or late Aug).

Great answer!

Bill

 

[Lynne M]

DVC members do not need to be enticed to book a stay since we either use our points or we lose them. Giving DVC members free dining just because it is being offered to cash guests would be a giveaway with Disney getting nothing in return. The Mouse doesn't work that way.

Right. The division of Disney that is offering free dining is not getting any money at all from DVC members when we stay at a Disney resort, and we're not even using rooms that they own. They've got no reason at all to give us free food. We don't do business with them.

Some people see discounts as a gift, and feel that members are being slighted because we don't get free dining. That's not the way it works, at Disney, or at any business. A discount is given in hopes that you'll spend money you weren't planning to spend, or spend more money than you were planning to spend.

The free dining deal is a prime example. Yes, you get some free meals, but it order to get them, you need to pay a completely ridiculous amount of money for your lodging, if you're staying in a villa. To me, it's not a good deal at all, but people see 'free' and think they're saving a bundle.

 

[Sammie]

To the OP, something else to remember is DVC slow times and Disney resort slow times are not necessarily the same. Some of the dates for Free Dining are some of the busier times for DVC.

Sadly one of those "slower" times is when we were going in October, guess it won't be so slow now.

Better get those ADRs made if you haven't already before Wed.

FREE Disney Dining Plan are available for travel dates
September 30 - October 4, 2012;
October 19 - November 1, 2012;
November 9 - November 15, 2012;
November 23 - November 29, 2012 and
December 10 - December 13, 2012.

 

[disneynutz]

Some people see discounts as a gift, and feel that members are being slighted because we don't get free dining. That's not the way it works, at Disney, or at any business. A discount is given in hopes that you'll spend money you weren't planning to spend, or spend more money than you were planning to spend.

DVC uses the same formula with a slightly different twist. We may save some money on rooms but we pre-paid so Disney gets the money now to improve their balance sheet. They have us locked in for as long as we own our contracts but to get out, we need to sell to someone who takes our place. They gain a automatic returning customer who buys admission, food, and I would guess more than the normal amount of Disney stuff because as owners, we feel like we are a part of Disney.

Bill

 

[joeyrose]

anytime i have a question about "why" disney does/doesn't do something, the answer is usually found in assessing how it maxmizes disney profit and/or minimizes disney risk.

 

[crisi]

anytime i have a question about "why" disney does/doesn't do something, the answer is usually found in assessing how it maxmizes disney profit and/or minimizes disney risk.

Which is, after all, its fiduciary responsibility as a corporation to their shareholders. Anything else could open them up to lawsuits from their shareholders.

 

[DebbieB]

Members can get free dining. Just pay full price for the room and buy at least a 2 day ticket, that's the rules of the promotion. Studios start at $345 plus tax in the fall, 1 bedrooms start at $470 plus tax.

I think if you compare, using points and paying for the dining plan is a better deal. 14 points for a studio, 27 for a 1 bedroom during the week (OKW & SSR). You can't expect to have your cake and eat it too - use 14 points and get free dining for everyone in the room. Using the $10 per point benchmark, you are only paying $140 for the room, less than half price.

 

[DougEMG]

If your really want free dining, rent out your points and then pay rack rate at a room. If that works out better for you go for it.

Full disclosure, I actually did this last summer. Could have done it again at Christmas, but the wife decided she preferred staying in a 1 bedroom without a dining plan over staying in a hotel room with a "free" dining plan.

 

[karrit2000]

If you want "free" dining that badly do what other members I've spoken with have & book yourself a room at one of the value resorts paying the full rack rate and purchasing a park ticket as required by the offer. Then go ahead & book yourself whatever DVC accomodations you choose for the same time period. According to them they check into the Value Resort to activate their free dining but they never set foot in the room they've booked. They then check themselves in to their DVC resort of choice and use the "free" dining plan they got by booking & paying for the value resort room they aren't using. This is a true story. I was shocked when I had a member tell me they actually did this because it was worth it & they believed they were saving money. But in those days a Value resort got you the regular dining plan when they still included the appetizer & gratuities. So if you were a party of 4 it really was cheaper than just buying the dining plan for your DVC stay. And originally you only needed to purchase a 1 day ticket. Personally If I'm paying for a room I'm darn well sleeping in it and saving my points for another trip.

 

[3DisneyKids]

(DVC Ownership + TIW dining discount of 20%) = MUCH better deal than (Full Rack Rate room + "Free" Dining). People on "free" dining would be wishing for DVC if they only knew.

Exactly.

Free Dining is anything BUT free. Staying at DVC and paying for the Dining Plan is a FAR cheaper way to go.

It's a marketing technique, plain and simple. Other times of year, guests have to pay for dining but they can get 25% (for example) off their room rate. And it all equals out plus or minus a bit.

DVC is still the best way to go.

And I don't care about all the free food in the World if it means I have to say in a traditional hotel room as opposed to my 1 or 2 BR villa with all that space and a washer/dryer, etc.

 

[3DisneyKids]

If you want "free" dining that badly do what other members I've spoken with have & book yourself a room at one of the value resorts paying the full rack rate and purchasing a park ticket as required by the offer. Then go ahead & book yourself whatever DVC accomodations you choose for the same time period. According to them they check into the Value Resort to activate their free dining but they never set foot in the room they've booked. They then check themselves in to their DVC resort of choice and use the "free" dining plan they got by booking & paying for the value resort room they aren't using. This is a true story. I was shocked when I had a member tell me they actually did this because it was worth it & they believed they were saving money. But in those days a Value resort got you the regular dining plan when they still included the appetizer & gratuities. So if you were a party of 4 it really was cheaper than just buying the dining plan for your DVC stay. And originally you only needed to purchase a 1 day ticket. Personally If I'm paying for a room I'm darn well sleeping in it and saving my points for another trip.

Yes, that was absolutely the case in like 2007 when there was a real slump. You could get a Value room for $49/night. And like you said, if you had 4 people in the room (and this was when the Dining Plan was truly a great deal and included tip, etc.)...then you were getting the Dining Plan for 4 for $49/day which was an incredible deal. So it was worth it to let the room sit empty.

 

[helenk]

I just priced a trip for my dates 9/30-10/5, 2 adults 1 child age 4, staying at a value and upgrading to the regular dining plan, only getting 2 day tickets (we already have APs) the cost would be $1326.84 .
I am happier to stay at the SSR, in a 1 bedroom and use my TIW to eat. I like one of the other posters do not care for the dining plan. You have to build your schedule around where you want to eat, so that you "get your monies worth" You really get too much food, I generally do not eat dessert, why would I want dessert at lunch and dinner.
I generally like to go with the flow, I make a few sit down reservations but most of my meals are counter service.
I'm happy with my accomodations with DVC, a nice size room, a balcony, washer and dryer and a full size kitchen if I want to cook.