Free Dining or Florida Resident ??

[Chula4205]

HI !! Im was wondering if I could get some suggestions / advice for my upcoming Disney trip from you guys.

I am a Florida Resident who lives overseas. I am planning my vacation for September, when it will be value season. I have been doing a lot of research and the info out here is overwhelming and I hope you guys that have more experience and knowledge can help me.

My question is if it is better for me , since I am a Florida Resident, to use that discount for my tickets and hotel and just buy a Tables In Wonderland card and pay for my food or to book a my tickets and room via SWV or Dreams Unlimited for the free dining. I feel as if I might do better if I book everything myself, but Im not sure.

Any help would be appreciated>

 

[Happy99]

If they are giving you rack rates maybe there aren't any discounts for your travel dates for the Florida resident option. Disney doesn't offer florida resident discounts for the entire year and sometimes they don't offer any

with value and moderate resorts I find that the free dining offer is better than Florida resident rate

 

[hydrotony]

Yes, the options are many.

First, Free Dining isn't. You must pay full price for the room and buy park tickets for each person in the room for most days of the reservation. There are no discount room rates when getting Free Dining.

Florida residents sometimes get about 30% off room rates. There are no requirements to buy tickets to parks. You decide how many days you want. You didn't say if you were buying an annual pass, if so, you get discounts on rooms and dining with that. Usually 10% dining, more on rooms.

Tables in Wonderland is a good discount method. If you spend more than $400 or so in dining and alcoholic drinks, you will save money. The TIW holder can pay the entire bill and get the discount.

Everything changes all the time, a Disney World-centric travel agent is a good method.

 

[Joan1]

Can you gives us more information? how many people, how old are the kids, how long you plan on staying, etc.

All of this really will help in answering your question

For example if you are four people with 2 adults and 2 children age 10 an older staying at a value or moderate hotel the free dining plan is the better offer. If you are five people staying at a moderate resort with the kids all being 10 and older the free dining IS definitely the better deal.

If you are staying at the deluxe higher priced hotels than numbers have to be compared to see which works best

The Tables in wonderland card for florida residents is $100, I believe and you have to take that into considering which works best.

You mentioned going during free dining currently the only discount available for that time is the free dniing. NO other discuont is currently available and it has to be booked before some time mid May. I don't think the Florida resident discounts will be available before the free dining offer is over meaning if you wait and you decide the free dining is for you it will no longer be available if it is past the date it can be reserved for

Annual passes are good if you plan on being in the parks more than 10 days and plan on returning within a year. If this doesn't fit what you plan on doing then it isn't the best option because the annual pass cost is much higher than regular park tickets