FREE DINING UPDATE- RUMOR and SPECULATION / Update Page 80 !

[serene56]

Devils advocate here, since I've only ever stayed on-site, but aren't most offsite (decent) hotels the same price as on-site in the value season? I really don't think $82/night is that unreasonable.

for us-- we have 4 rooms at pop-- which costs about 2400. for the room only. I am sure we could rent a 3 bedroom condo for a lot cheaper then that.

If it was only the two of us-- yes staying on site would be worth it-- even without the dining.

 

[mwatson011]

Devils advocate here, since I've only ever stayed on-site, but aren't most offsite (decent) hotels the same price as on-site in the value season? I really don't think $82/night is that unreasonable.

I agree, it's pretty reasonable. However, staying offsite allows more space, a refrigerator, and many of the offsite hotels offer free breakfast. This would prevent having to either eat every meal on Disney property or getting really creative for non-cooked, non-refrigerated meals.

 

[zamboniman333]

Can't wait to see what happens. Thank you for the thoughts and for starting this Thread!

 

[mking624]

Disney may be looking to fill summer rooms as the attendance in September is definatly up in the last few years. The first year we went in September was 2006 and we had no need for fast passes and rides were a walk-on. Half an hour before Spectromagic we got a prime space on main street no problem.

Fast forward to September 2009 - we needed to use fast pass and at Spectromagic we arrived an hour in advance and struggled to get a space.

I think they will play the waiting game and see how bookings go before releasing free dining and if they do FD I think it will be QS to the values as they must be losing money on some of those bookings. They might go for less numbers better profit tactic.

Actually, attendance at WDW during the 4th quarter (which includes September) was down by 4% last year, though I agree that time period has seen an overall increase since the first year FD started. The 3rd quarter last year (which would be part of the summer months, the other part belonging to the 4th quarter) saw no increase or decrease.

 

[sdmom]

I think that a buy 4 get 3 (or similar deal) that DOES include the dining plan could be a real viable possibility.

Dude! that would be AWESOME!!!!!

 

[dawgsgirl]

I have always thought Disney would do away with Free Dining at some point. In 2004, 3 hurricanes hit Orlando. Very unusual. But it freaked people out and no one wanted to book for hurricane season in 2005. So, Free Dining was born. Although it has been a big hit, all those hurricanes have faded from tourists' memory. Maybe this will be the year Disney changes up and offers something different. It's fun guessing what they will do!!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Thanks for your informed viewpoint Knox!

I too think scenario #1 is plausable. I think they're going to try to push a Kids stay play and Dine or a 4/3 deal in lieu of FD. Either way, I think length of stay tickets will be involvd, which pretty much closes out passholders. But we could all be wrong!

I appreciate your insight!

 

[Melanie230]

Does Universal Studios have a dining plan?

If they do, then Universal could be a plan B for some. (If the fall discount is bad)

Yes they do. All you can eat throughout the day at select places for $24.99 (I think that price is right)

https://secure.universalstudios.com...oryGroupExternalID=UO&CategoryExternalID=UOMD

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Another thought on the business side of things is that Disney is going to have to fight even harder to gets folks onsite to combat Harry Potter opening at Universal.

 

[sunny45]

It depends on the size of your party. If you have more than four it pushes you up to more expensive options within Disney - 2 rooms or much pricier rooms. We got a very nice Suite with two rooms on International Drive - to get a comparable place at Disney would cost at least twice as much as we paid there. We looked into two rooms at a value but they would not guarantee we'd end up in adjoining rooms.

There are some very nice suite hotels with 2 full bedrooms and full kitchens for $200 less than our 2 rooms at POP. The difference would be the rental car we would need to get from the airport and back and out to eat. The hotels offer pretty decent and frequent transportation to Disney too. We could eat offsite and save tons of money on food if FD isn't available. We could never have that type of accommodation at Disney without breaking the bank.

POP cannot guarantee us adjoining rooms either but our DD's are 27 & 24 and it's not really that important that they are adjoining, but I just hope they are at least close.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

That is the thing about the whole 4th quarter scenerio that makes no sense to me Aug 15TH-Sept 30Th is 4TH quarter, right? But yet no offers? It makes no sense what so ever.

The buy 4 get 3 with dining included would make me much happier than the basic 4/3, but it seems like that would be giving a bit too much. You are talking about free hotel, tickets and dining. Doesn't sound likely. But I hope it does happen.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

If they kill off the FD it will change our travel plans in future.

For this year we booked BB FD so we're set for September. But if FD looks like it's gone the way of the dodo we'll go back to visiting WDW in January and skip September all together. So they'll still get our $$ but at a different time of year.

 

[Port Orleans fan]

Yes they do. All you can eat throughout the day at select places for $24.99 (I think that price is right)

Really? Wow!

Now you've got me very curious. It's just too bad that the universal website can be very confusing to navigate through. I guess that's why I have a TA.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers!

 

[Melanie230]

Another thought on the business side of things is that Disney is going to have to fight even harder to gets folks onsite to combat Harry Potter opening at Universal.

Yes they are. We have already booked our stay at Hard Rock Hotel in October and I hear that attendance is already up over last year at US/IOA/WWoHP. I hope Disney offers free dining...if they do..we will switch vacation plans. Our tickets to Universal do not expire. So we can hold onto those until we decide to head down again.

 

[TammiDZ]

I didn't read through all the posts, but I hope for those who need the discount, that it's now something lame, like a free upgrade to hopper and water parks on your tickets.

I got my 35% off room for July and I'm pretty happy with that. Free dining would probably save me another $350, so it's not a deal breaker, but it would be nice! I really don't want to go in August anyway, I like July for some reason, not that it's anyless sweltering there. lol

Did you really just wish a lame promotion on us? That is just absolutely wrong.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I agree, it's pretty reasonable. However, staying offsite allows more space, a refrigerator, and many of the offsite hotels offer free breakfast. This would prevent having to either eat every meal on Disney property or getting really creative for non-cooked, non-refrigerated meals.

I would gladly trade a fridge for gas money, car rental (or cab fare, or city bus fare), free breakfast etc. Proximity is very important to me. We pack non-perishables to eat for breakfast and snacks. Shoot, when my family went when I was younger, we'd eat 1 meal per day and the rest of the time it was PB&J. I wouldn't trade it!

I guess the room size doesn't bother be as I have a really small house. I try not to think about closeness as long as I have my side of the bed at night! Shoot, for no more than we are in our room anyway, I'd rather be close. We are mainly there to sleep and shower.

 

[Melanie230]

Really? Wow!

Now you've got me very curious. It's just too bad that the universal website can be very confusing to navigate through. I guess that's why I have a TA.

Thanks for the info.

Cheers!

The price is $23.99 per day for adults and $11.99 for kids 9 and under. All you can eat at both parks at select locations inside each park.

https://secure.universalstudios.com...oryGroupExternalID=UO&CategoryExternalID=UOMD

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

I'm going to WDW Labor Day weekend with 3 of my friends, a girls weekend, no husbands, no kids! We are planning to stay at a value and only book 1 day/1park tickets because I have an AP. My friends will be upgrading their tickets once we are there. We were certainly hoping for, perhaps even counting on, free dining, as I have been every Sept except '07 since FD promo started. We have already booked our airfare, so no matter what, we are going that weekend.

A kids free discount wouldn't help us, nor would a 4/3 or 5/2 help us, since we are only staying 3 nights. Being able to pay for 3 nights at a value and only pay for 1d/1pk tickets and get the DDP was always such a great deal, it won't surprise me if Disney changes it some, maybe like requiring a length of stay ticket purchase and only quick service dining for the values. I'd rather see that, still a discount that can apply to anyone than discounts that only apply to families with young children or people staying a whole week.

Now we wait......

 

[clanmcculloch]

I didn't read through all the posts, but I hope for those who need the discount, that it's now something lame, like a free upgrade to hopper and water parks on your tickets.

Did you really just wish a lame promotion on us? That is just absolutely wrong.

I had to reread emmabelle's post several times as well thinking exactly what you did. It finally hit me that she likely has a typo in there. I'm guessing it should read: "I hope for those who need the discount, that it's not something lame, like a free upgrade to hopper and water parks on your tickets." Isn't it amazing the difference a single character can make? I know I'm guilty of innocent typos myself and I read her as a nice person so I really do suspect it was an innocent typo.

 

[emmabelle]

Well, for us that would be better than the 4/3 or kids play and eat free ...

I guess I thought that because I already have leftover tickets from last summer because we were one day short on our tickets at the time, so we bought 6 day hoppers instead of buying one day tickets.