Free Dining, why do some NOT like it?

[Moomduck1]

Another reason why I'm hoping for a room only discount code is because we are going to WDW because my husband has a conference at one of the Downtown Disney hotels. We would rather stay at one of the "Disney" hotels. His company will reimburse him the rate of the official conference hotel. Right now, that's about half the rate of a deluxe hotel. If a good code comes out, like 40% off, then we can stay at the Deluxe hotel and just pay the difference, which won't be that much. If there isn't a good discount, we will have to stay at a Moderate. Which is fine, we were just hoping for a Deluxe. Also, he can't submit a receipt that has a package on it, with park tickets on it for reimbursement. It has to just have a hotel rate.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I totally understand why some people don't like it. DVC owners, AP holders, Villa lovers, and even deluxe resort guests do not benefit from the offer.

I don't buy the food is worse. I think the quality would have gone down anyway. Disney often practices the take away approach. Look at the FD offers through the years...used to include tip and appetizers, used to be regular dining at values, etc. That's just the Disney way.

Free Dining is great if you have more than two people in your room. It's great for families. Especially the family who have "adult" Disney children. My kids have to get adult portios now, with adult prices. Plus I love getting beverages included, especially when you could get two beverages at breakfast (I think that's gone now, right?). It is so nice ending the agruments over menu choices. It's wonderful to tell the kids to order anything they would like off the menu.

We are a family who orders what we want to eat, not what is the greatest value. I think it's silly to eat a dessert just because it's free (or with the plan) if you are full. I also think it's silly to order the most expensive meal just because it's the greatest value on the plan.

 

[sugarray]

I agree with what HalloweenQueen has to say.

We decided to try the DP this trip. I looked at the menus and added up what we would eat and our cost was only $100 less than the DP and that DID NOT include lunch, only dinner.

We eat what we want also, not what is cheapest. Even more so on vacation. It is not worth it to me to go off site to eat, we are there for the Disney experience not to have to make time to drive off site.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

We're AP holders, DVC members and military... we never come out ahead.

 

[sugarray]

I didn't realize it was only $25 to upgrade my son to the adult dining plan but I priced it out and it really is only $25. If I call customer service, can they change his age? What would I say? I want to change my sons age or I want to upgrade him to the adult plan???? Do they frown on this?

I checked on this too, and you have to then pay adult prices for your room and prices. The CM I talked to also said they are not able to eat from the Kid's menu then.

 

[Dorisk3]

Our room discount saved us $1500, free dining would only save us $900. It really depends on where you stay. This year I racked up the points on my Disney visa and will use that gift card to pay for food. I'm happy to be going without the dining plan this year, I want to try more snacks and not be throwing out all those cs desserts. Finally I booked places that were not good "values" on the dining plan and won't obsess about ordering the most expensive thing on the menu unless I really want to get it.

 

[carebee21]

I checked on this too, and you have to then pay adult prices for your room and prices. The CM I talked to also said they are not able to eat from the Kid's menu then.

I called and the first guy I spoke to was a jerk. I said that we got the free dining vacation this morning but after looking over the menus, I think my son would be more happy with the adult plan. Is there any way to upgrade from the kids to the adults? He said, No, a child is a child until the age of ten. Plus, why would you want to. The kids menu has the exact thing as the adults. I said no it doesn't and then he said, well if you're asking me to change your sons age to ten, that's fraud and we can't do that. I said that's not what I asked you to do, I was just asking if there's a way to upgrade. I then hung up and tried again.

I said the same exact thing to the next very helpful CM. He said, sure we can upgrade him, but you have to pay for an adult park ticket instead of a child's ticket. I said that was fine. He ran the prices and said the price difference was only $20 and some change and he said, wow, that's low, let me just make sure I did everything right. He then verified the price difference between an adult and child's 7 day ticket was $20 and redid my package and that was it.

 

[lustergirl]

I have enjoyed the free dining promos for years when my two sons used to go on the trips with us. Yes we were paying rack rate for the room but I never looked at that way. We would pay rack rate regardless and just get our food bill covered which used to save us something like 1,200 dollars. So with this yes I would love to save money on the food bill.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

We have had free dining the past 2 trips we have gone (the past 2 years) However, this year we are in a black out period (sept 27) and are not able to get free dining. It would have saved us $317 more than the discount we have now, so not the END of the world. Would have been nice to save some more money. Regardless, we are going. But why is it some don't like free dining? Are there any perks between sept 27-Oct 2 when fd starts that we will see around the parks (less of a crowd perhaps?)

My husband and I do not choose the free dining because we compared the meal plans and what was covered to what we like to do. That being said, we prefer more of the sit down meals like you find in the World Showcase over the quick service meals. It also seems most of the sit down meals included in the plan cover appetizer, entree, and dessert, that would be too much food for us. Also, it covers 3 meals/day and while at WDW we typically only eat 2 meals/day.Then there are the snacks. Sure we get the afternoon ice, Mickey Ears for me, and the evening tubs of popcorn (not every night) but we wouldn't utilize all the snacks included. For example, we'll eat a bigger breakfast at Ohana, grab a snack for lunch, and have a sit down dinner in the World Showcase. So, I guess for us it would just be too much food and we prefer to just do it on our own. Now, if we had kids, than yes, it probably would be worth being on a dining plan.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

Free dining is a discount equal to the "value" of the DDP (or QSPD at Values) for your particular family. It is not the best discount for everyone. For instance, a couple staying at a Deluxe resort will get a better deal with other room only or package discounts.

Other folks feel that the DDP is too much food, it includes food that they don't normally eat (like CS desserts *ick*) or doesn't include food they do eat (like appetizers). Some folks already have a dining discount in the form of the Tables in Wonderland card and others prefer to eat offsite. Lastly, many people (including those who utilize the discount) feel that the DDP (esp "free") has dumbed down TS selections and has adversely effected the quality of the food served at WDW.

Yep, that's what my husband and I did. We got 40% off our stay at the Polynesian. For us the DDP is not worth it for what/how much/and when we eat.

 

[luvmyprincesses]

My DS8 would flip if we made him order from the kids menu. Plus this trip we're not doing any TS meals; just food kiosks at Food & Wine Festival.

A room-only discount will allow us to stay at a Deluxe. FD wouldn't save us anything at all.

Lots of perfectly valid reasons why it works for some and not for others.

You can have him considered 10 years old, thus adult menu, if you wanted to. We did it several times when our girls were at that in between ages. You just have to tell them he is 10 at time of ressies.

 

[connorsmom911]

Three words...Food and Wine!

I have a trip booked to celebrate my 40th during F&W festival. Not only would I not save any money because I already have a great room only discount, and I have leftover tickets (although my mom needs to buy hers), how could I possibly eat all the meals included in the dining plan AND have any room left over to eat around the world at the F&W festival?!?

The few times I have done the dining plan, I found it was too much food (although I didn't do signature restaurants), and where I usually travel when they offer room-only discounts, the free dining usually winds up costing more for me.

 

[mom2rtk]

It makes them feel superior to point out how stupid we all are to fall for that free dining trick from Disney marketing.

Honestly, anyone who would generalize about a discount like this is just not thinking clearly. It depends on 1) what level resort you're staying at 2) how many in your party 3) the age of those in your party and 4) how many table service meals you will likely buy in the absence of the dining plan.

Would I prefer it the old way where even value resorts got the regular plan? Sure. Would I prefer that they still covered appetizers and tips? Absolutely. But it's still the best discount you will get when staying at a value resort. Go ahead and call me stupid for taking them up on it.

 

[brucec32]

I can shove food in my mouth and stay home and save the $$$$. I'd rather have the discount on the room price. It isn't about eating for me.

 

[LlamaMamaof2]

Here is how this was a good deal for me. We were already planning to go and had airfare booked and paid for, just waiting for the deals. Pop Century is $95 Sun- Thurs, and $105 Fri/Sat. I booked 7 nights. There are 4 of us, 2 adults and 2 kids. The quick service dining plan is $94 a day!! That is a way better deal for a family of 4 at a value than a room discount. I would not have bought the dining plan as it isn't normally the way we would eat. I plan to use the snacks for some breakfast items and meals at the resort getting fruit as desserts.
I will say that last time we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and used a 40% off, which would probably had been better than free dining to us. Can't wait till October!!

 

[crostorfer]

We always stay deluxe, free dining isn't the better deal for us, but if you stay value and have a couple of kids, it's probably a good deal for you. I just can't deal with tour groups and chanting teenagers while I'm eating my Mickey waffles, LOL.

 

[mom2rtk]

I can shove food in my mouth and stay home and save the $$$$. I'd rather have the discount on the room price. It isn't about eating for me.

It's not so much about the eating for me........ it's about the NOT COOKING!

 

[Asellus]

It's not so much about the eating for me........ it's about the NOT COOKING!

I agree....I don't want to cook on vacation....not even throwing a frozen pizza in the oven.

I like free dining....I'd rather stay in a cheaper hotel and get the food included then spend a lot more on the hotel.....In the end I'm going back to the hotel to sleep....I'm not looking for fancy amenities. (2 yrs ago I stayed in a Marriott villa and had a jacuzzi .....in a 6 day period I only used it once)

 

[mom2rtk]

I agree....I don't want to cook on vacation....

I like free dining....I'd rather stay in a cheaper hotel and get the food included then spend a lot more on the hotel.....In the end I'm going back to the hotel to sleep....I'm not looking for fancy amenities. (2 yrs ago I stayed in a Marriott villa and had a jacuzzi .....in a 6 day period I only used it once)

Me either! Add in the part where someone comes in and makes my bed and leaves clean towels......... I'm in hog heaven. Don't care one bit if I lay my head down on a value bed at night.

 

[Sheaboys]

For us Free Dining is a must. We are a family of 7, with small children, ages 2-13. We have done free dining in the past when we were a family of 5, loved it. I loved knowing I had some where to sit every evening right around 6-7pm, knowing I was going to get a hot, nice meal, served to me and cleaned up by someone else.

With kids, at least mine, they welcome that down time, just to sit as a family and eat, talk about the day and what to do next.

When it comes to the quick service meals, we shared alot, to spread the credits to breakfast as well. Sit downs, we each ate our own, well as much as we could.

We don't stay at deluxe, we would and plan on staying at the cabins, if by chance we move to deluxe/villa, I would purchase the plan just for the fact, it is paid for and all planned out.