Free Dining Seems Way Better Than Any Pin Code

[Gr8t Fan]

So that would bring it down to just and entree and a drink? I would definitely not bother with it at that point.

That's how we feel too. We don't always get dessert, and when we do we usually share 1-2 between the six of us at a TS and grab a fruit cup or grapes for a snack later in the day at CS, but not having that option decreases the value significantly.

 

[DisneyJB]

Over on the News & Rumors board here on the DIS several UK posters have said that the printed brochures for 2011 have removed the dessert at all levels -- QS, DDP and DxDDP, and removed the refillable mugs from the QSDP (and also maybe the DxDDP -- but not 100% sure on that one) while only decreasing the price by about $1.

Also, it is rumored that LeCellier will be changing over to a 2 TS location along with some other WS restaurants.

That's too bad about the changes, assuming that they happen as rumored. I can sort of understand why they don't include appetizers or tips any more, but the dessert is a shame. I'm not surprised that Le Cellier would become two TS credits, and can imagine that places like Chez de France and the Italian restaurant might also fall into the same category.

 

[deerhart]

off our standard view deluxe room the 40% saves us between $150-$160 a night (including the tax savings). The dining plan only costs us $138 a day (2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child). Therefore 40% off is better.

 

[twoplustwins]

For us, the Kids Stay/Play Free promo saves us the most money. We did the Free Dining last year because the twins were two and still free.

 

[Melodious]

I agree that the suitability of any discount depends on who's in your party, when you would like to go, and where you would like to stay or eat. My mom and I wanted to go in November. It's possible, free dining will be offered then, but what we wanted was the room only PIN code so that we could stay at the GF for the first time. If we had to wait and see if there would be a general public room-only code, we might not have gotten the room with the view we wanted. Plus we wouldn't neccessarily get the full discount from the free dining plan because we don't want to eat the way the plan is set up (believe me we priced out our meals a million different times).

Without the PIN code, we would never have gotten to stay where we really wanted

 

[tiger4me2]

For us a % off is better than free dining as we always stay at deluxe's. If we are going down & get a BB & it is a free dining & that the only time we go to Disney then we take it. I think it all depends on where you stay & how many people in your goodvibes

We got 40% off BWI Club Level & it was far better than free dining

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

For just the two of us, staying at a deluxe, the 40% off is almost double the discount of free dining. Believe me, I figured it out both ways....

I have be cramN on this pin code verses free DP It is just me and my 4yr old son we always do Pop but I am interested in maybe staying at the AKL with the 40% off. I am currently booked at the Pop for Sept with the free QS but upgraded to the Deluxe DP for 6nights 7 day base tickets it is only 1383. When I looked at the AKL with the 40% and just the regular DP its a tab bit over 1800 could you please tell me how your party of 2 got a better deal at a deluxe!

 

[beth_cam]

I have be cramN on this pin code verses free DP It is just me and my 4yr old son we always do Pop but I am interested in maybe staying at the AKL with the 40% off. I am currently booked at the Pop for Sept with the free QS but upgraded to the Deluxe DP for 6nights 7 day base tickets it is only 1383. When I looked at the AKL with the 40% and just the regular DP its a tab bit over 1800 could you please tell me how your party of 2 got a better deal at a deluxe!

The poster you quoted is comparing the 40% discount at a delux resort to the free dining discount at that same resort using the exact same package - all tickets, dining and room category being the same - and saying that the savings off rack rate for them is twice as much if they use 40% than if they use free dining. In that case 40% off at the absolute cheapest delux hotel would amount to a savings of $108 of of rack rate, where as with free dining the savings would only be 84 (2 adults) off the rack rate. Now that's the cheapest room. For the savings with a 40% room to be double that of that same party's free dining, the discount would have to be 168/night which would mean the rack rate would only have to be about 420. There are many rooms out there that cost that much. And if that party of two happened to be 1 adult 1 child, the free dining would only be saving them 54/night meaning that even 40% off a the cheapest delux room is double.

 

[terbethk]

For us it was probably better that we took the % off, because we're just not interested in the dining.
First of all, I'm waaaayyy too picky to eat anyting most ts restaurants serve. I'm completely content eating burgers, chicken, pizza, etc.. for most of my trip.
Second of all, we would probably spend more tipping and such at ts restaurants than we normally pay for our meals. When we went for four days once, we saved all of our receipts, and we only spent $60 on food for the both of us for all four days.
It just wouldn't make sense for us to get on the dining plan (maaaybe the qsdp) when I won't even eat most of the food offered.
Dining just isn't a huge draw for me.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

The poster you quoted is comparing the 40% discount at a delux resort to the free dining discount at that same resort using the exact same package - all tickets, dining and room category being the same - and saying that the savings off rack rate for them is twice as much if they use 40% than if they use free dining. In that case 40% off at the absolute cheapest delux hotel would amount to a savings of $108 of of rack rate, where as with free dining the savings would only be 84 (2 adults) off the rack rate. Now that's the cheapest room. For the savings with a 40% room to be double that of that same party's free dining, the discount would have to be 168/night which would mean the rack rate would only have to be about 420. There are many rooms out there that cost that much. And if that party of two happened to be 1 adult 1 child, the free dining would only be saving them 54/night meaning that even 40% off a the cheapest delux room is double.

Thanks a million I understand ,I knew I wasnt crazy with my math again thanks!


O I have Another question my BFF amd I travel 2gether when we go 2 WDW he got the monster pin for 40% off any resort for the week we plan on going Dec 12th -18th I got a pin for the photo session and speed racer thingy his discount is more to are liking, if we book with his pin code and he decides that he cant go (he just got a promotion) will I be able to keep the reservation for me and my son (his God Son)?

 

[fla4fun]

You really have to do the math on all the current offers to see which one saves your family the most. Every family is going to be different.

For me, since my trips are almost always solo, it's very rare that a package of any kind trumps a room only discount. Since September is peak hurricane season, I like to book a villa so I at least have a kitchenette if I'm confined to the room for a day or two. I booked a 45% bounceback for September when I was there in January, and 45% off a villa, for one person, is definitely the better discount for me. But there were a couple times I booked packages last year, particularly the 4/3 deal, because it worked out better overall, or was offered during different dates, than the room only discounts.

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

For us the 40% off PIN is way better than free dining. It is just two of us traveling, staying deluxe so the PIN saves us about $160 per night which is much more than the cost of the ddp for two people.

 

[sunsetbeachgal]

We will be staying at a value resort, and if free quick service dining is announced for November, I think it is a very good deal. We have two rooms, total four adults and one child. Currently have the PIN applied which saves about $40 per night for the two rooms in total, and I don't think there is any way we could get two meals and snacks for five people each day for $40!

 

[luvdisney00]

We are a family of 5 with 4 Disney adults and Free Dining is the best deal. This year we are at a mod, but even at a deluxe the FD works out the best. I guess Every family is different.

 

[GinCar]

We are a family of 5 with 4 Disney adults and Free Dining is the best deal. This year we are at a mod, but even at a deluxe the FD works out the best. I guess Every family is different.

We have the exact same Disney family. Free Dining always works best for us, even in a deluxe.
I guess we could do it a little bit less if we only ate counter service and shared, brought snacks from home, etc.
Since we ALWAYS do the dining plan, no matter what, it really is the best deal for a large family.

 

[Missytara]

I would say that free dining doesn't work for those of us who travel solo.

The room discount is way better for me, because I am paying almost double occupancy for the room.

I just got a 40% off pin code today and was able to get a savings of $286.00 and added dining. If I hadn't added dining, I would have saved $525.00. With the cost of dining for one, free dining would have been much less of a savings.

Much, much better deal in my opinion.

 

[Mamu]

I had 2 rooms booked at Sugarloaf Lodge got the 20-30-40 code in the mail it was applied to my booking at a savings of over $2100. We have AP so the FD would have cost us more in the long run.

I'm more then happy with this code.

 

[kittycat9]

Even if they offered us free deluxe dining (which is what we purchased as part of our package) it doesn't come close to beating the 40% we saved on our room. So no, free dining is not a deal for our family (2 adults & 1 child on DxDDP). You have to do the math and go with whatever option works best for your family. We're thrilled with our 40% room savings.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We are traveling as a group of 5 adults... and we are not at all interested in sit down meals. We just don't want the hassle of HAVING to be in a certain place at a certain time. I have done the math and planned and replanned... I think we would eat too much and be very frustrated in the scheduling. I figured the best we could do was break even with the QSDP... and if that is the case I don't think it's worth the hassle to have to keep track of everything.

To each their own.

 

[cuches]

For us, if we are going value or moderate free dining is a better deal. Only slightly better at a moderate. Since we are going deluxe this time the 40% off PIN is a much better deal. If we didn't have it we wouldn't be staying deluxe!

Another thing to think about is that the DDP is not for everyone. Therefore making the PIN codes very popular and the reason lots of people try so hard to get them!

Some people just don't like all those ADR's and being tied to them on vacation, or worrying about using all their credits to get their money's worth.

The DDP used to be a great deal for us. But now that I have a child that is considered an adult by WDW but still orders off the children's menu, we can eat cheaper paying OOP, therefore making a room discount even more appealing to us.

I couldn't agree with you more. Before my DD came along we could do ressies and not worry but now it is so hard to plan meals with her, it is just better to wing it and not be tied to so many ressies. Last year I made 2 a day and it really stressed us all out to make them all and for what? None of the meals were that great and in fact some were horrible (Crystal Palace was gross....mushy nursing home food) I also remember getting stressed out that all the places we wanted to eat in were booked all day...frustrating! We have so much more fun when we are care free and eat CS meals. The room discount is so much better for our situation. I am sure money wise some find the free DP better but if you don't care about the restaraunts or like to skip meals it doesn't make sense. I live just outside NYC and have access to some of the best restaurants in the world, so going to disney is definitely NOT about the food for us!