Free Dining vs. AP discount??

[RFrank9504]

I'm wondering what is better free dining or AP discount...the system is being enhanced so I have to wait to see.
I have a feeling the Florida Resident AP discount is better since I wont have to buy a 2 day MYW ticket....has anyone booked this before? what was better?

 

[lucigo]

Ever since they increased it to a 2-day pass we have gone with the AP discount. Plus, we like to go with quantity over quality and stay at Pop, so that doesn't include the regular dining plan for "free" dining. Now that they have added the photobook I'm sure its even less of a good deal. That said, I haven't done the math for this time of year.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

It depends on your travel party for us 2 adults 2 children under 10 at a moderatate the AP dicount worked out better for us last year but primarily b/c we had a GAD ticket for one of our children. It wasn't much difference but we saved an extra $30-50.

Check out the discount codes and rates board for more info on current discounts.

 

[willowsnn3]

Not Florida resident here but we do have AP's.
Booked four nights in Sept at POP. 2 adults/1child, no tickets, regular ddp. Cost $826.13
Same trip/resort with free Q/S is 1001.70 an increase of $175.57
Same trip/resort with upgrade to
regular ddp is 1089.70 an increase of $263.57

Of course that is factoring in the minimum 2 day ticket for each of us which we don't need.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

$263 is not a bad price for two adult and one childrens 2 day ticket. You could upgrade them to an AP next time at full gate price if you use them just before you upgrade.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Not Florida resident here but we do have AP's.
Booked four nights in Sept at POP. 2 adults/1child, no tickets, regular ddp. Cost $826.13
Same trip/resort with free Q/S is 1001.70 an increase of $175.57
Same trip/resort with upgrade to
regular ddp is 1089.70 an increase of $263.57

Of course that is factoring in the minimum 2 day ticket for each of us which we don't need.

So add in the $265, the 2 day tickets for everyone at $470 (before tax prices from wdwinfo.com) then you are 'paying' for free dining a total of: $735
But you do have 2 day tickets to keep for later.

4 nights of DDP for 2A/1C is only: $416.

I'd keep the AP room discount and pay for DDP out of pocket.

The free dining promo also has a minimum 5 night requirement so any way you look at it it is not going to work for you.

 

[willowsnn3]

So add in the $265, the 2 day tickets for everyone at $470 (before tax prices from wdwinfo.com) then you are 'paying' for free dining a total of: $735
But you do have 2 day tickets to keep for later.

4 nights of DDP for 2A/1C is only: $416.

I'd keep the AP room discount and pay for DDP out of pocket.

The free dining promo also has a minimum 5 night requirement so any way you look at it it is not going to work for you.

Oh, we're keeping what we have, already booked & paid for, taking a short weekend in May while we are waiting, lol.

 

[RFrank9504]

It was actually $245.00 more to add FREE DINING so we kept it the AP rate.

 

[Mamu]

I think it depends on whats best for your family. While free dining is a great perk we always choose the discount. We usually stay deluxe and it just too much food and lose of park time. Plus the planning part of it, all those ADR. How do I know where I want to eat every meal. We do have a few ADR planned.

I did receive a AP Pin in my e-mail, while I've gotten pins before this was the 1st time receiving an AP pin. It was good up till the week of Christmas with some black-out dates.

We already had a reservation with a 35% off GP discount and the pin could be applied to that reservation. We have 2 rooms booked at BWI CL. Our total savings with this 40% off pin came to almost $2800. I can buy a lot of food with $2800.

I did the math and it was about even. If we chose FD I doubt we would have stayed CL, as much as we enjoy our CL stays don't think I would ever pay rack rate for a deluxe CL stay.

 

[mickeymaker2003]

So add in the $265, the 2 day tickets for everyone at $470 (before tax prices from wdwinfo.com) then you are 'paying' for free dining a total of: $735
But you do have 2 day tickets to keep for later.

4 nights of DDP for 2A/1C is only: $416.

I'd keep the AP room discount and pay for DDP out of pocket.

The free dining promo also has a minimum 5 night requirement so any way you look at it it is not going to work for you.

OP said the given prices already factored in the ticket purchase requirement, so the stated prices for "free" dining already include the purchase of the required ticket.

 

[newdeal]

If you stay at a value resort free dining is cheaper. Anyone who disagrees is not taking the value of the tickets into account. If you save the tickets and upgrade later you are further ahead with free dining. If you stay moderate or deluxe the ap discount is better

 

[willowsnn3]

If you stay at a value resort free dining is cheaper. Anyone who disagrees is not taking the value of the tickets into account. If you save the tickets and upgrade later you are further ahead with free dining. If you stay moderate or deluxe the ap discount is better

Maybe if each of us didn't already have 2 sets of 2 day tickets. We will use 1 set of them to renew our AP's in Sept. & still have another set each left so don't think we need more. With our AP discount and regular dining (not Q/S) our pkg is $826.13. With free dining the same pkg would have been $1089.70. And yes I could book 4 nights instead of the minimum 5night/6day pkg in the promo ad.