Free Dining

[marathonmommy]

Free dining is very expensive - here's why:

Decide to get 10 day non-expire tickets since we'll be back ($1200)
:

Wow! I'm sure you have already thought of it, but maybe you'd be better off with annual passes with the DVC discount since you will be back anyway. I just got prices on them. With the discount, the adult price is $314.18 and the child price is $267.32.

 

[Mary Anne]

The Beast that is very true. The "free" part is only if you were planning on going anyway.

We have no current active annual passes or tickets, so that's 4 adult premium passes approx $1400; airfare = 1000 I can't find anything for under $250 roundtrip the week before labor day; free room $600; so that's $3000 for free food. It came down to too expensive for free.

 

[AmyBeth68]

marathonmommy...wish I could make you feel better but I'm feeling the same way . Seems it would have cost me NEARLY the same to stay at Pop as it will cost me to stay at OKW and buy my own darn food .

So....I'm just focusing on the fact that we are staying at a DVC resort instead of a value. That's all I can do. AND the fact that maybe there aren't any rooms in the places I'd like to stay since we're going over the labor day weekend holiday. I sure wish they'd throw us loyal Disney DVC folks a bone here. Seems a bit unfair...but I guess that's life LOL!

Ugh .

 

[Mary Anne]

For those of you going and using your DVC points that have annual passes, have you ordered the DDE card. That will save you money on food if you eat in Disney.

 

[marathonmommy]

Mary Anne,
Do you just ask for this when ordering from DVC? Or can you also get it if you buy your passes at the parks? Does it work at all (or most) of the restaurants? Tell me more!

 

[AmyBeth68]

MaryAnne...you read my mind!!! I was just thinking about that DDE card...we haven't ordered it YET. But maybe the time is right. More details please . THANK YOU!!!

 

[Mary Anne]

Marathonmommy, here's some old information I have on the DDE, some of it may have changed slightly but it'll give you an idea. If you do a search on the DIS you'll get all kinds of current information.

Effective January 2005, the Disney Dining Experience, once available only to Florida residents, is open to anyone 21 years or older. The Disney Dining Experience is a discount dining program offering 20% off food and beverage at many Walt Disney World Resort hotel and theme park restaurants and lounges.

Membership Prices:

-
Annual/Seasonal Passholders $50.00
Renewals (for existing memberships received within 30 days of expiration date) $60.00


Disney's Dining Experience Benefits:

Members receive a 20% discount on all food and beverage (including alcohol) for up to 10 people at participating table-service Disney restaurants.
-- The discount applies to member's check only.
-- One Disney Dining card per table. Two cards cannot be combined.
-- Member must be present to receive discount.
-- Card must be presented when ordering.

1/2 price admission to Pleasure Island for card holder (hard-ticket admission excluded) and one guest.
-- The ticket will only be valid on the date of issuance.
-- The Guest must have their Disney Dining Experience Card to receive the discount.

Club Newsletter

Complimentary parking if the guest enters a theme park for a short period for the sole purpose of dining. The Guest should pay parking at the toll booth, then after dining, present their receipt and parking ticket at Guest Relations for a refund.

Exclusive invitations to Disney's Dining Experience events.

WDW-DINE (407- 939-3463) will book priority seatings for guests who are members of Disney's Dining Experience.

Theme park admission is required when dining in Theme Park restaurants.

Please remember that participating restaurants are subject to change. Guests will be notified of any changes in future newsletters.

Certain restrictions apply during holidays and special events, please check with the restaurant when you make your reservation.

Blockout Dates include major holidays: Mother's Day, Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years' Eve, New Years' Day

Disney's Dining Experience discount cannot be used in combination with any other discount.

MEMBERSHIP AND CARD INFORMATION
Membership is not available on property. Membership is only available by mail or phone.

-- By Mail: Disney's Dining Experience, Post Office Box 10000, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830.

-- By Phone: Call the Disney's Dining Experience office at (407) 566-5858 (option 3) Monday through Friday between 9:00am and 5:00pm.

Allow 4-6 weeks processing time to receive new cards and renewals. If you will not receive the DDE card before your trip to WDW, the DDE office can fax or email a confirmation letter for you to use on your trip.

DDE mailings are not forwarded. If you have a forwarding notice on your mail, all Disney's Dining Experience items will be returned to the DDE office.

Each DDE membership is issued 1 primary card and 1 spouse card. Both members must live at the same address and be 21 years of age or older.


PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS AND LOUNGES
(Valid January 1, 2005 until December 30, 2005)

The following is the THE CURRENT LIST WHEN THE PLAN FIRST STARTED LAST FALL. I UNDERSTAND A FEW OF THEM ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING THE CARD. YOU NEED TO VERIFY THAT FIRST WITH THEM WHEN YOU MAKE ANY ADR. Please remember participating restaurants are subject to change without notice.

Dining

Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
World Premiere Food Court (B, L, D)

Disney’s All-Star Music Resort
Intermission Food Court (B, L, D)

Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort
End Zone Food Court (B, L, D)

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Boma - Flavors of Africa (B, D)
Jiko - The Cooking Place (D)

Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Beaches and Cream Soda Shop (excludes takeout shop)
Cape May Cafe (B, D)
Martha's Vineyard Lounge
Riptide Lounge

Disney’s BoardWalk Resort
ESPN Club (L, D)
Flying Fish Café (D)
Spoodles (B, D)

Disney’s Osprey Ridge and Eagle Pines Golf Club
Sand Trap Bar & Grill

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Shutters at Old Port Royale (D)

Disney’s Contemporary Resort
California Grill (& Lounge) (D)
Chef Mickey’s (B, D)
Concourse Steakhouse (B, L, D)
Outer Rim (Lounge)

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Maya Grill

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Trail’s End Restaurant (B, L, D)
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue (9:30pm show only)

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
1900 Park Fare (B, D)
Cítricos (D)
Garden View Lounge (afternoon tea included)
Grand Floridian Cafe (B, L, D)
Mizner’s Lounge
Narcoossee’s (D)
Victoria & Albert’s (D - excluding Chef's Table)

Disney’s Old Key West Resort
Olivia’s Cafe

Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Kona Cafe
‘Ohana
Disney's Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (8:00pm show only)
Tambu Lounge

Pop Century Resort
Everything Pop Shopping and Dining Classic Concoctions


Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory (B, L, D)
Scat Cat’s Club

Disney’s Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Boatwright’s Dining Hall (B, D)
River Roost

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Marketplace
Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant (L, D)

DOWNTOWN DISNEY West Side:
Wolfgang Puck's Grand Cafe
Planet Hollywood (L, D)

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Artist Point (D)
Territory Lounge
Whispering Canyon Cafe (B, L, D)

Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Ale and Compass Lounge
Crew's Cup Lounge
Yacht Club Galley (B, L)
Yachtsman Steakhouse (D)

Epcot
Restaurant Akershus (Norway) (L, D)
L' Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante (Italy) (L,D)
Biergarten Restaurant (Germany) (L, D)
Bistro de Paris (France) (L,D)
Les Chef's de France Restaurant (France) (L,D)
Coral Reef - Living Seas (L,D)
The Garden Grill Restaurant - The Land (B, L, D)
Le Cellier Steakhouse (Canada) (L, D)
Restaurant Marrakesh (Morocco) (L, D)
Nine Dragons (China) (L,D)
Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room (United Kingdom) (L, D)
San Angel Inn (Mexico) (L, D)

Disney-MGM Studios
50’s Prime Time Cafe (L,D)
Tune-in Lounge (L, D)
Hollywood & Vine (D)
Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano (L, D)
Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant (L, D)
The Hollywood Brown Derby (L, D)

MAGIC KINGDOM Park
The Crystal Palace (B, L, D)
Cinderella’s Royal Table (B, L, D)
Liberty Tree Tavern
Plaza Restaurant (L, D, S)
Tony’s Town Square Restaurant (L, D)

DISNEY'S ANIMAL KINGDOM Theme Park
Tusker House Restaurant
Pizzafari
Flame Tree Barbecue (seasonal)
Restaurantosaurus

Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Official All-Star Cafe


Entertainment & Dancing:

DOWNTOWN DISNEY Pleasure Island
Half price admission to Pleasure Island Clubs for members and guest

Atlantic Dance Hall - Disney’s BoardWalk
Admission is free for members and guest

 

[Mary Anne]

Keep in mind the following rules for the DDE card:

you must have one ADULT annual pass in the group.
You must have the active pass or a voucher in had to order the DDE. (There are number on the pass/voucher that you have to give them)
DDE is good for 12 months from order, does not have to be the same 12 months as annual pass year.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Thanks MaryAnne, I really appreciate the info on DDE!!!

But gosh darn it two of the restaurants that we're eating at are NOT listed.....Rainforest and Blue Zoo.

Soooooo.....

Wait....neither of those restaurants are available for the free dining either. Hmmmmm.....that makes me feel a little better b/c we really wanted to eat at these on this trip. There...feeling a bit better now . Also noticed that the BEST restaurants require you to use 2 meals. Ha!

 

[vascubaguy]

Here's another positive for NOT having the "free dining". YOU WON'T GAIN 10-15 LBS!!! which could result in spending $500 on new clothes that fit.

It would be nice if DVC members were offered a little something every now and then. Maybe discounted tickets (non-AP) or availability to get the DDE free w/o the AP. Or free if you are DVC and have AP. I dunno.. just some thoughts.

BTW... what kind of food discounts do you get for being a DVC member? 10%?

 

[Figment56]

We were smart this year and ordered AP & DDE! We have made a couple ressies for dinner, but I think I will make more-lol-before we will leave. I don't usually like making plans so far out as we don't know where we will be at a certain time, but we may have to in order to get dinner ressies! We still love Disney but maybe just a little less crowded. I am just glad there are others who have the same opinion

 

[Figment56]

Would we be better off getting a room at value to get the free dining-wouldn't that be cheaper? Plus one less room for more people-LOL!

 

[Figment56]

Call me crazy, but we just booked a room at POP for the "free dining". Total came to $960. Includes 4 tickets (that expire)-okay, we will use these on first day, room and dining for 4. We would spend way more than that to eat dinner alone for 8 days! This includes lunch , snack and a sit-down dinner at nice restaurants. Made ressies for Cape May Cafe, Chef Mickeys, Liberty Tree Tavern, Le Cellier, O'Hanas, Concourse Steakhouse and Bomas. Oh-btw-we are still keeping our BCV ressie-too late to cancel without a penalty, so we keep both rooms! Two teens can stay at POP-LOL. DD just had 16th b-day and day after we had our ann. of 21 yrs! Maybe some time alone would be nice!

 

[Mary Anne]

I do not think you are one bit crazy..... I've been looking for air all day again..... I can get us there real cheap, I just can't get us home. just send that straight jacket on down to me.

 

[Figment56]

Such a deal I could not refuse! I think it will still be cheaper than paying for meals!

 

[Figment56]

Hope you can find some airfare! Even if it is a little more, would it still be worth it? Can you travel to any other airport? Good luck, I hope you can find some!

 

[akghutton]

We will be @ BWV and AKL in late August. We too go in late August after the Southern schools are back in session for the lower crowds.

I am hoping that they are reinstating the free dining promotion because the resorts didn't book up when the plan was first introduced. I can't imagine they will get a huge number of new reservations, especially because it is only 31 days away.

If anything I think that those people with existing reservations during the 8/21-10/4 time period, who missed out on the deal before, may take advantage of it now. But I don't think there will be a huge influx of new reservations...but maybe that's just my wishful thinking.

 

[magicmouse2]

I am so upset at this free dining that I am considering selling up my DVC.

 

[mamatojon]

I am so upset at this free dining that I am considering selling up my DVC.

I don't really understand comments like these. Disney has always given some sort of perks/discounts for travelling in times of lower attendance - lower room rates sometimes, and I think a few years back they were giving away 7 day hoppers for the price of four or something like that. The free dining comes with paying *full rack rate* for your room - they could have easily given discounted rooms and had you pay for your own meals (which is what they have done in the past) and the net result would be the same.

Plus, I keep seeing people comparing the costs and using something like POP as an example. Try rack rate at WL or something and see what the free dining package would cost you then, apples to apples.

 

[SueOKW]

Well, I'd rather stay at OKW than anywhere else! I have my DDE and maybe will only eat out once rather than 3 or 4 times so the sting isn't there!

I guess this means the parks will be busier in Sept, eh? dang...