Free Dinning - not again!

[jessica52877]

I too am a two time free grubber! I must say neither year have I had the trip planned. We usually go for weekends only and because of it last year we went for a week, we are doing the same this year. We got to try lots of restaurants we would usually never go to and because of that, in January when we went we booked Chef Mickey's to the tune of $150! Something we would never do, and boy it sure wasn't as good as when we ate for free! But they go more money from us that way, usually we would have grabbed counter service or lunch at ts. So I do think it works in disney's favor.

I did make several ADR the morning of last year, but also when I booked my trip had trouble at certain places and called several times and ate at all odd times. When I booked saturday I pretty much had whatever I wanted, no issues.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Good points. (well ok, except for this one:"Disney will always do what is best for Disney..." Oh boy is that one debatable! )

True. But I guess I meant, it will always do what it "thinks" makes them the most money.........maybe I'm wrong, but if they lost money last year doing this, I don't think they would have done it again.

 

[Aristomommy]

Last year we visited WDW during free dining deal. We had APs and did not get the plan, but the restaurants were so busy. First at the 90 day mark, very limited times were available as times were being released after the 90 day mark. The earliest available at Bomas was 8pm for dinner at 90 days, but a few weeks later other times became available. Then the rest of the week Bomas was booked every night we tried to get in. They were so busy they refused walk ins. This year our week at WDW falls into free dining again, but I will take advantage of it and make all ADRs right away. Lesson learned.

 

[k5thbeatle]

True. But I guess I meant, it will always do what it "thinks" makes them the most money.........maybe I'm wrong, but if they lost money last year doing this, I don't think they would have done it again.

Your probably right on(right on man ) though if they follow suit with most corporate plans of this nature it is probably a plan laid out over a few years. That being said they probably at least didn't take a bath on the deal last year as for sure if that happened it would be discontinued.

My only point was really that, in terms of business, free offers usually do not provide for the business gains one hopes for.

 

[k5thbeatle]

One last point some may not be thinking about. Many have said they were going and are spending $XXX due to the free dining offer. Well what if some say, "Hey September has all these free diners so let's NOT go during this time." For every person the free dining draws maybe there is one that will decide not to go...or maybe there are two or three??? That's also why I believe this free dining thing will go for a few years to get a range of data that is not based on just one month. Too many variables to rely on a positive or negative result from just one month.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

though if they follow suit with most corporate plans of this nature it is probably a plan laid out over a few years.

Yea. Disney, if you're listening, I really feel this SHOULD be done over a few years......... I mean, how else are you going to know if it really works or not. And I really think next August would be a good time again.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

Yea. Disney, if you're listening, I really feel this SHOULD be done over a few years......... I mean, how else are you going to know if it really works or not. And I really think next August would be a good time again.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Hi loriandmatt! I am sure you will get tons of posts about this, but yes, you too can get the free grub! You just need to purchase a package with a one day base ticket for everyone in your party. You then get free dining plan for the length of your stay. You can use your base ticket one day, then use your AP, or add no exp. to the ticket and use it at another time. This is what I did since I have 7 days left on my 10 day pass. Now go forth and get thee some free grub!

You don't need to add the no expiration to your ticket. Tickets expire 14 days AFTER 1st use - if you never use your 1 day pass, it doesn't expire.

 

[LakeAriel]

Yea. Disney, if you're listening, I really feel this SHOULD be done over a few years......... I mean, how else are you going to know if it really works or not. And I really think next August would be a good time again.

 

[tictoc]

Simba's Mom--I also have AP's but I always do the dining plan as well. For the price of a one-day base ticket per person, I am getting 10 days worth of food! For us the tickets were less than $200.00 but the meal plan is valued at more than $900.00! Those tickets never expire either. I have several saved up and when I take my next trip after my AP expires I am going to use those saved up tickets. I will just renew my AP later. I have done one trip with the free dining plan and an AP and I have booked the second. It is also really easy to just use that room key and let the credits subtract! Chin up though you can still get into a lot of places walk up. I did last year.

 

[DeterminedOne]

When I heard about free dining I was depressed for days. We're traveling on the Premium plan which means lots of dining. I kept the fingers crossed that they wouldn't offer free dining during our trip. I don't want to deal with crowded restaurants and poor service because of it. We don't want to change the package or the travel dates because it would be too much trouble at this point. To make me feel better I've been reminding myself that some of the restaurants we're dining at aren't on the dining plan. Also, we're dining at most of the signature restaurants that are two TS credits on the dining plan. I'll keep the fingers crossed that most people using free dining won't utilize very many signature credits.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Thanks for replying-I hadn't thought of that! Just because you have to buy a 1 day ticket doesn't mean you have to use it. And right now I'm facing the exact scenario you describe. We're going the very first week of May this year, which is a couple weeks than usual. I have to buy an AP, but if I had some of those one day tickets saved up, I could use them so that I could buy the AP later and ultimately get more use out of it (possibly 3 trips instead of 2).

 

[tictoc]

Good thinking--always try to squeeze in more trips. You will love the dining plan. It makes life easier. It will also be great to get free food. Splurge and do the Hoopty Doo or some really expensive restaurant!

 

[KittyKitty]

One thing I thought of is that this will bring in 1st timers and stay on the property. And we all know that you can't go just 1 Time!!!( at least for most of us).

So maybe this is a way for entry level guests to get the addiction.

 

[k5thbeatle]

One thing I thought of is that this will bring in 1st timers and stay on the property. And we all know that you can't go just 1 Time!!!( at least for most of us).

So maybe this is a way for entry level guests to get the addiction.

Maybe? And I would have thought this too but (and not trying to berate anyone ) this actually goes against what has been experienced in the business world. Maybe Disney has some magic Pixey dust that we don't know about?

Forget the "free" deal, I believe the whole concept of the "Dining Plan" as it currently exists will ultimately fail (and indeed is currently in the process of failing).

 

[CuteKatCar]

We weren't even thinking of going to WDW because of construction we are doing on our house.... and along comes free dining.

I'm not calling us "free grubbers" because I (the mom) and DD13 have been dying to go back to the GF. We're more like "dumb idiots". However, if we don't do it now, with free dining, we may never get back there again. (and I swear I'm gonna start saving for college as soon as we get back ).

Anna

 

[Luv2Roam]

Some may call them free grubbers. I call them savvy guests!
The DDP is not for everyone, but I think it is a heck of a deal and if I was not a local I would be booking a trip for it too! Good marketing tool!

 

[lustergirl]

I think the people at Disney are brilliant!! Our original trip was booked for christmas time this year. When I heard of the free dining being offered again I jumped on the chance at changed my ressie to September. Last September we enjoyed the free dining as well, saving us over 900 dollars. Call it what you will but I don't think the dining plan is failing. After experiencing the free dining plan there alot of people out there (myself included) that are willing to pay for the plan on their next trip. I think this was Disney's idea to begin with- enticing people to purchase the plan after they have enjoyed the free dining one, coupled with the fact the free dining plan is a great way to boost their slower occupancy rates during the dreaded hurricane season. I don't think Disney is losing out on anything. Our trip still cost us 1700 dollars and imagine what other vacationers are paying for their trips- probably alot more if you want to stay in the mods or deluxes as some will. The food costs for Disney are probably very minimal compared to what they are actually making on offering the free dining plan.
When it comes right down to it I don't think people are "grubbers" as one suggests just trying to save a dollar or two-the American way, lol.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I wouldn't go anywhere and insist on paying the highest dollar possible! Spending less on resort (and in this case food) meant spending more on pins n' stuff!

 

[Allensfan]

But for us...the Free dining plan is not a great savings. We had already booked our trip for Sept and paid for the dining plan. We got a great discount through AAA and we were ready to roll. Along came the free dining, and I had to give back my AAA room discount in order to get the dining. So I gave back the $400.00 bucks and got $550 in free dining. So really not a huge savings. We are staying at AKL and if we had picked a more expensive hotel or room, that we got a bigger savings on, then we would have saved money by taking the room discount and not the free dining. So it is not always as free as it seems. Just another point of view.