Free Dining trip wrecker?

[M5ward]

Disney is a business therefore nothing is FREE! Businesses do not give away anything without expecting to get something in return. Over the years since the advent of the DDP, the quality of and selection of foods has been affected. Yes, you will find something you like/love, that tastes wonderful to you, but the fact remains that the menus have changed...mostly not for the better.

 

[secretpantssam]

I love free dining! I always stay value, since I hardly spend any time awake in my room, I really don't care what it looks like! So in that case, I'm still getting a good deal.

And I never noticed anything taken away from the regular menus during the free dining period. The menus were the same during a trip in February. Also I think Disney is doing the free dining promotion to get people hooked on the Dining Plan. I would think they would want to put out all there great stuff so that way people fall in love with it and want to buy it next time.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I love free dining! I always stay value, since I hardly spend any time awake in my room, I really don't care what it looks like! So in that case, I'm still getting a good deal.

And I never noticed anything taken away from the regular menus during the free dining period. The menus were the same during a trip in February. Also I think Disney is doing the free dining promotion to get people hooked on the Dining Plan. I would think they would want to put out all there great stuff so that way people fall in love with it and want to buy it next time.

I'd agree with this.

It is a good deal to me too, even though it's not free, but it did get me hooked on the plan. Now I can't plan a trip without wanting to do the deluxe plan.

And I too didn't notice any major changes to the menus between my September and February trips. Some menus were identical, and the only ones that really changed at all were the more seasonal ones at the signature restaurants.

 

[mickey2000]

Disney is a business therefore nothing is FREE! Businesses do not give away anything without expecting to get something in return. Over the years since the advent of the DDP, the quality of and selection of foods has been affected. Yes, you will find something you like/love, that tastes wonderful to you, but the fact remains that the menus have changed...mostly not for the better.

How True !!! only those who have been going for years can see the drastic changes with the food $$$$ It is all about the money .....

I have been to ALL the resorts and currently I am very happy to be at POP (only a place to sleep) during free dining to make it a good deal.
I can share some horror stories about some of my stays. From dirty rooms at the GF, stained sheets (bleep) at CS, sheet of plywood under matress at BC, to no maid service at WL ....
In my eyes POP is a deal ....during free dining

 

[disneyfav4ever]

How True !!! only those who have been going for years can see the drastic changes with the food $$$$ It is all about the money .....

I have been to ALL the resorts and currently I am very happy to be at POP (only a place to sleep) during free dining to make it a good deal.
I can share some horror stories about some of my stays. From dirty rooms at the GF, stained sheets (bleep) at CS, sheet of plywood under matress at BC, to no maid service at WL ....
In my eyes POP is a deal ....

I've been to Disney eight times in the past ten years, and haven't noticed a change in the food offerings.

 

[mickey2000]

I've been to Disney eight times in the past ten years, and haven't noticed a change in the food offerings.

I'm not talking about menu changes just during free dining. I'm talking about changes that are made that are permanent . I have been eating at Epcot since its opening and have seen these changes which are called dumbing down the menus. Why do you think Alfredos left .... When I was in NY city they told me that they refused to make changes and didn't bother to renew thier contract $$

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm not talking about menu changes just during free dining. I'm talking about changes that are made that are permanent . I have been eating at Epcot since its opening and have seen these changes which are called dumbing down the menus. Why do you think Alfredos left .... When I was in NY city they told me that they refused to make changes and didn't bother to renew thier contract $$

I actually like Tutto Italia better then Alfredo's, so I don't see that as dumbing down, that was just a change, and IMO, it was for the better.

What about the Wave replacing the Concourse Steakhouse, or the new Cat Cora restaurant replacing Spoodles later this year? I don't see either of those as dumbing down either.

 

[mickey2000]

I actually like Tutto Italia better then Alfredo's, so I don't see that as dumbing down, that was just a change, and IMO, it was for the better.

What about the Wave replacing the Concourse Steakhouse, or the new Cat Cora restaurant replacing Spoodles later this year? I don't see either of those as dumbing down either.

When someone talks about dumbing down the menu, it usually will have less choices or cheaper items. It has nothing to do with opening a new restaurant ???

 

[disneyfav4ever]

When someone talks about dumbing down the menu, it usually will have less choices or cheaper items. It has nothing to do with opening a new restaurant ???

Then why mention Alfredo's?

 

[mickey2000]

Then why mention Alfredo's?

Because they told me in NYC that they refused to change thier menu or the quality of what was offered ...............

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Because they told me in NYC that they refused to change thier menu or the quality of what was offered ...............

And yet Tutto Italia is high quality.

ETA - I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree about this.

 

[avahoneybee]

1) Free dining is not free.
2) They should have kept Alfredos.

 

[mom2rtk]

Me too...I have already watched the UG crowd number climb from mostly 4's that week to 5/6.I am so hoping they don't go any higher.If I wanted Christmas week crowds I would go a week later

I went that exact week last year and it was GREAT! Had free dining too as a Disney Visa holder. It was the lull before the great Christmas rush. They were pouring into the resorts that day we were leaving!

And whether you are on free dining or not, the menu will be what it is.... no more, no less......... I had NO complaints!

 

[jwhtewolfd]

sheet of plywood under matress at BC

OT, but I was following along and wanted to comment on this. I'm sorry you list this as a horror story, but this was doctor prescribed and I actually HAD to sleep this way in college due to back spasms. It sounded crazy and uncomfortable at first, but that dorm room bed turned out to be the most comfortable bed I had ever slept on. I even had DBF go get a sheet of plywood cut to fit under our bed after I graduated and we moved into an apartment. But if you didn't request it they probably should have removed it when the previous occupant left.

To add to the discussion: We (me and DBF) stay at a value. We don't have APs, so we need tickets anyway. TS is important to us on vacation; counter service for dinner won't cut it for us New Orleans natives. Therefore, the free dining promotion is a good deal FOR US, as it's not really vacation for us without "eating out".

That being said, I think it's important for everyone to explore all the possibilities, decide what is important for you personally (deluxe resort? monorail access? TS every night?), and select the best value for your needs and desires.

Does the dining plan affect the quality of the food and menus? I don't really have the experience to say. I know most of the food and few restraunts I have tried have been pretty good quality for theme park dining. As long as the food is tasty, I'll be happy. If it happens to be exceptional, even better. And it seems like if something is not good or what you expected, they do their best to remedy the situation as long as you politely bring it to their attention.

 

[SnowWhite2]

It seems that all of the people who think free dining is actually free are those who paid full price for a room in September for a previous trip.

Disney provides some of the deepest room discounts in September because with hurricane season and the start of school, it is one of the slowest periods. Anyone who paid full rate rate in September would think they are getting a bargain with free dining added.

Those of us who have traveled in Sept and gotten great room rates don't think free dining is all that "free".

Obviously, the "free dining" promo is working since so many people feel that they are getting a good deal.

 

[bentleygirl22]

We have never been during free dining--too crowded and hard to get into restaurants.

That being said, I got a pin and booked free dining (not open to public--yet) for the week before Thanksgiving.

Will the menus be changed or dumbed down, so to speak, because of the FD? I really look forward to some good food when there, and am worried that the FD will ruin it.

They don't change the Menus .. Go enjoy the low crowds and Free food

 

[Lizzybear]

Well we travel from the UK and as far as restaurant food goes we much prefer what we're served anywhere in the US compared to here, BUT with that said i'm not under any illusion that WDW food is the best out there. When we went to California last year we ate a lot of independent places and had some of the best food we've ever eaten Food is a big part of our vacations so free dining at WDW is a great deal for us since we more than likely would eat at most of the same TS restaurants or equivalent places offsite.

 

[Don Disney]

It seems that all of the people who think free dining is actually free are those who paid full price for a room in September for a previous trip.

Disney provides some of the deepest room discounts in September because with hurricane season and the start of school, it is one of the slowest periods. Anyone who paid full rate rate in September would think they are getting a bargain with free dining added.

Those of us who have traveled in Sept and gotten great room rates don't think free dining is all that "free".

Obviously, the "free dining" promo is working since so many people feel that they are getting a good deal.

I keep seeing post's like this,and still don't get why "free-dining" isn't free.PLEASE tell me how to get our room at Pop for less than $82/night WITHOUT "free-dining",and also could you please show me how to feed our family of 4 for 10 days with the savings we would get with the"room discount"? I am definately not a mathematical genius,but I truly don't understand why so many folks insist the food ain't free? We refuse to pay for moderate or deluxe sleeping quarters-would rather use the money to fly instead of driving 12-15 hours each way. I just don't get it.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I keep seeing post's like this,and still don't get why "free-dining" isn't free.PLEASE tell me how to get our room at Pop for less than $82/night WITHOUT "free-dining",and also could you please show me how to feed our family of 4 for 10 days with the savings we would get with the"room discount"? I am definately not a mathematical genius,but I truly don't understand why so many folks insist the food ain't free? We refuse to pay for moderate or deluxe sleeping quarters-would rather use the money to fly instead of driving 12-15 hours each way. I just don't get it.

I'm not saying that a room discount would be a better deal then free dining, in your case, it probably is a better deal, but there are other discounts available all the time.

Take the 4/3 deal Disney offered earlier this year, I did the math, and it averaged out to about the same per night after I added the dining plan on, even without the food being free.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Right now there's an offer of $69 a night at Pop, to me, free dining would still be a better deal, but if I were to stay at Port Orleans, between the same offers, the room discount would be a better deal then free dining.

It really depends on where you're staying and how many people are in the room.