Free dining on wdw travel company

[wayneg]

I've priced it up. Best price on WDW (SSR studio) is still £1k more than renting points for AKL (our favourite resort).

Granted that doesn't include food but we won't spend £1k in 2 weeks.

With that difference I might even treat us to a couple of nights back at the Floridian.

I also priced up AKL when looking at Beach Club, Free dining rate 2014 worked out about £240/nt compared to Room only rate 2013 about £128/nt. renting points would be even cheaper.

I'm looking at 9th - 23rd August.

I think it's just the 2 bed okw that is crazy now as some have been fixed. SSR 2 bed is now 5000 wheras 2 bed OKW is 7000.

Hopefully by tonight it'll be sorted although that's a lot of money!!!

Rack rate Aug 2013 = $628.00 + tax = $706.50 = £458 x14 = £6412
If they are quoting £7042 that has got to be full rack rate for 2014 you are correct.

 

[luke]

Think we've almost certainly decided next time we go we will stay offsite (and not even do a disney theme park!! Just a cruise and Orlando.

 

[Lucys dad]

When the recent deal offering the room only discounts on Disney UK was available just recently I did a dummy booking for 14 nights and park tickets starting the last week of May at WL and with the 30% room only discount deal it came in at £2700. If the normal pattern is followed, the room only discount deal for 2014 will come out at the end of this year after this current 'free' dining offer ends. Pricing the same 2 weeks at the end of May 2014 with the current 'free' dining comes it at £4551 for 2 adults and 1 child.

On these figures I will be better waiting ( and hoping ) on the room only discount deal at the end of the year for May 2014. There is no way we would spend the best part of £2000 on food.

Have used the free dining offer a few times in the past few years but the figures now do not seem to stack up for us.

 

[orangetiggs]

Complete orlando gave me 3542 for two bed villa without tickets and 2800 for one bed villa so i think disney prices are a little more

 

[higgy66]

Anyone considering the "free" dining offers check and double check your figures before booking. Could be worth waiting for a room only deal and paying for food.

Just been looking at the new prices.
A room at the Beach club next August is £296/nt (add tickets to get free DDP) less 3% Quidco = £287

This August same dates a room at the Beach club is £191 less 10.1% TCB = £180

Or renting points works out at around £120/nt (depending on price you pay per point)

I know prices will go up a little for the latter 2 prices for next year but the "free" dining looks to be priced into the room rate, especially if there is only 2 in a room.

That's really interesting and a very useful comparison

We love the beach club but looking at the prices and the fact we're now stuck to August it's just too much so we were looking at OKW again

However I might have to have a re-think and look at points and paying for meals.

Thanks Wayne - more ideas to consider

OT - Do you think budgeting £750 is unreasonable for direct flights in August?

 

[scoobydooby]

Check all deals against the cost of the actual dining plan. Which in 2014 is £40.99 per day per adult. For our family this is £164 (about) a day. As I have posted before, the more 'adults' (10 years plus) you have in the room, the better the deal. It also depends how you eat.

 

[wayneg]

OT - Do you think budgeting £750 is unreasonable for direct flights in August?

No-one can know. Not seen many under that this year but offers and errors come and go, just check multiple times a day til you are happy with the price.

 

[wayneg]

It also depends how you eat.

It does, even if we stay onsite again we will eat offsite, we have enjoyed DDP last few years but eating offsite again this trip made us realise how much we prefer offsite dining. If you prefer onsite dining then DDP might be the way to go.

 

[luke]

It does, even if we stay onsite again we will wat offsite, we have enjoyed DDP last few years but eating offsite again this trip made us realise how much we prefer offsite dining. If you prefer onsite dining then DDP might be the way to go.

I'm with you.
As I've said before our best two meals were the ones we had with you last trip at the Ale House and Cheesecake Factory

I'd much rather spend money on a true deluxe hotel (eyeing up the Waldorf/Hilton Bonnet Creek/Hyatt regency) and eat offsite next time and get our disney 'fix' on the cruiseline which again far surpasses anything wdw hotels offer

 

[Scrap_Vamp]

We are looking at OKW again. This visit will be me, Carl, his mum, my mum and dad, my younger brother, his wife and kids (the ones who didn't come for the wedding).

I think we will be booking a one bed villa and a two bed with free dining.

If it were just the two of us we would look at renting points but with such a large group we are aiming for simplicity in some things!

We will be looking for a 7 seater car but Carl's mum will split the cost for that and obviously will use Quidco for as much as possible.

The difficult part will be flights. Carl and I will fly out indirect with his mum but she then wants a direct flight back after two weeks, at which point we will do a couple of nights at HRH (Carl's parents are paying for us) before flying home indirect. Not sure how simple that will be to book!

 

[scoobydooby]

Website really glitchy. Has changed in last half hour. Added loads if hotels and the details of the freebies but is charging for them! An hour ago saw limited details but freebies not charged for. Cross now.....

 

[epcot.girl]

Booked!

 

[Disney Princesses LW]

We've booked too found a price was very happy with do went for it OKW 2 weeks in September can't wait x

 

[Rienchen]

What a price increase...

I'm comparing the first week in May, 10 nights at CSR just like we did in 2012.

2012 we paid £1534, for 2014 it's quoting me £1826, an increase of 19%

 

[Pootle]

It does, even if we stay onsite again we will eat offsite, we have enjoyed DDP last few years but eating offsite again this trip made us realise how much we prefer offsite dining. If you prefer onsite dining then DDP might be the way to go.

After 5 days of the dining plan (booked my first ever Disney package due to shortage of own points) DH and I both said we hope never to do it again!

And we didn't use all of our CS credits, or snacks and had fresh fruit, salads etc, but still found it far too challenging. At least we had the park passes removed from the KTTW card for future use

 

[wayneg]

What a price increase...

I'm comparing the first week in May, 10 nights at CSR just like we did in 2012.

2012 we paid £1534, for 2014 it's quoting me £1826, an increase of 19%

Since our first free DDP trip in 2009 the price for us has risen from £80/nt back then to £179/nt in 2014 (studio OKW)

Before our 2009 trip the deal included gratuity, they also used to include 3 courses. As the years have gone on they have removed benefits and kept increasing the price.

Its not good but they have not hidden the fact they want to remove free dining and discounts as soon as they can. Thankfully we enjoy offsite as much, we can still get somewhere decent to stay for about £35/nt and dine for about £60/day.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

Quite a few people on the Dibb seem to have saved quite a bit today booking through Complete Orlando. One chap was quoted £1100 cheaper from complete Orlando than from WDW travel company. Only difference was $200 gift card seemingly.

Might be worth checking out if anyone is desperate to book in the next couple of days x

 

[wayneg]

Quite a few people on the Dibb seem to have saved quite a bit today booking through Complete Orlando. One chap was quoted £1100 cheaper from complete Orlando than from WDW travel company. Only difference was $200 gift card seemingly.

Might be worth checking out if anyone is desperate to book in the next couple of days x

If the difference was £1100 I suspect its on a room which Disney have not finished loading the discounts yet.
For the quote I got they were £160/nt compared to Disney at £179/nt but the Disney booking would get discount when tickets added, 3% cashback & $200 giftcard. making it around the same on either site.

I also don't like CO's booking conditions, if you want to amend your booking they will charge you an admin fee of £35 fee (unless you increase your booking £500) Disney don't charge a fee unless you reduce the cost of your holiday.
Another problem I had with my CO booking was I couldn't book online dining ressies, I had to do them all by phone, I assume this has been sorted now.

 

[orangetiggs]

Complete orlando were 2000 cheaper than disney today for the same thing :-( hoping its glitches and its all sorted as would like to book with disney really

 

[amacspad]

I just looked at c/o and staying at CBR with the free qsd they are £225 cheaper but without the $200 gift card, I then noticed they are doing SS and OKW with the 42% off offer and free dining but it wouldn't give me the price so I have emailed them, I really shouldn't be looking yet as we fly out tomorrow!

Debs x