Gratuity & FD

[VickiVM]

I realized something that I hadn't thought of - when you decide between FD or another room only discount, don't forget to factor in this year you have to pay gratuity OOP. Or am I missing something?

Choosing the more expensive TS can also mean $$$ in gratuity depending on the size of your party and the entree's you order. When I was 'presenting my case' to DH, I didn't think to inlcude an estimation of gratuity costs.

Alas, it looks like it won't matter anyway as our trip is firmly set for Aug 10th.

 

[G&J's Mom]

You are exactly right. With a big family or with a more expensive TS, the gratuity could be up there. You are still getting the food free, but with having to factor in the tip OOP, the savings is not as great. Having the tip included was indeed SWEET!!!

Denise

 

[VickiVM]

I was reading another post where the diff. between 40% room only and FD was less than $200 - figure in gratuity and that savings is even less. Plus you have a more liberal cancellation policy with room only, and can shop for tickets from a broker at a small savings.

 

[tinaluis]

But the 40% code is on the room only and people who book with this code will still need to pay to eat. Or am I missing something here?

 

[CarolA]

But the 40% code is on the room only and people who book with this code will still need to pay to eat. Or am I missing something here?

Yes, but.... I think the one thiing that gets overlooked on this board is are you letting FD drive your vacation? For example, I would not normally eat a TS meal each day. So do I change my vacation stlyle becaue it's "Free" or do I go with a discount which will probably come out about the same price if I do my normal dining? If you do eat like this every day or want to then it's probably a good deal, but "Free" doesn't always make it a good deal. I mean if you feel like your whole vacation is now centered around "getting value" for the DDP it might become a drag. (Posters have actually posted that LOL!)

 

[eam]

Yes, but.... I think the one thiing that gets overlooked on this board is are you letting FD drive your vacation? For example, I would not normally eat a TS meal each day. So do I change my vacation stlyle becaue it's "Free" or do I go with a discount which will probably come out about the same price if I do my normal dining? If you do eat like this every day or want to then it's probably a good deal, but "Free" doesn't always make it a good deal. I mean if you feel like your whole vacation is now centered around "getting value" for the DDP it might become a drag. (Posters have actually posted that LOL!)

WDW Dining is a big part of the vacation experience for us! We don't normally eat a TS meal each day either, but hey, I am on vacation.

 

[penjen]

We have done free dining the past 2 years. I told DH about the free dining but the tip not included this year. He pause a moment and said "Yup, still worth it".

 

[VickiVM]

But the 40% code is on the room only and people who book with this code will still need to pay to eat. Or am I missing something here?

I have a 20% AAA for room only and factored in cost of meals based on our eating habits - not on an apples to apples comparative w/FD. The savings is approx $350-$400 in favor of FD. But if I had a 40% off room only discount code those savings would probably be wiped out after I figured in gratuity.

My main point - if you're still mulling over the cost savings between keeping a room only discount vs. FD, don't forget to factor in cost of gratuity.

 

[vellamint]

I realized a few years back that since we go during some of the hottest days of the year that my family really, really needs a nice cool place to sit and eat....gone are our days of wandering from counter service to counter service trying to see what everyone preferred or where we could find a seat..

Without free dining we would be there anyway, eating in at least one sitdown restaurant anyway (maybe not LeCellier etc though) ....we are 6 adults and I have a 30% off code right now but I still think free dining wins out even if I add in the tips.

Although honestly I feel like I need to be a mathematician to figure this all out.

We are staying at the ASMU Family Suites for a daily total rate of $145 (this includes taxes). Rack rate is $207....if someone can figure out for me that it would be cheaper to keep this rate and pay for meals please feel free to post it and let me know but I think free dining wins for us.

 

[VickiVM]

I realized a few years back that since we go during some of the hottest days of the year that my family really, really needs a nice cool place to sit and eat....gone are our days of wandering from counter service to counter service trying to see what everyone preferred or where we could find a seat..

Without free dining we would be there anyway, eating in at least one sitdown restaurant anyway (maybe not LeCellier etc though) ....we are 6 adults and I have a 30% off code right now but I still think free dining wins out even if I add in the tips.

Although honestly I feel like I need to be a mathematician to figure this all out.

We are staying at the ASMU Family Suites for a daily total rate of $145 (this includes taxes). Rack rate is $207....if someone can figure out for me that it would be cheaper to keep this rate and pay for meals please feel free to post it and let me know but I think free dining wins for us.

You have to kind of do your own personal homework to know the real answer. If you did not have free dining, where would your family eat everyday? How much do you all typically eat? I have a 14, 12 and 10 yr, old and truthfully, even though my two youngest (girls) have to purchase adults meals w/FD, they would not even eat 1/2 of an entree. They often share meals. So based on our own eating habits, I estimate $600 for 6 days plus cost of basic food stuff to keep in our rooms for snacks and breakfast.

Real cost of DDP of us $189.95/day for the five of. We would never in real life eat that much food.

 

[vellamint]

You have to kind of do your own personal homework to know the real answer. If you did not have free dining, where would your family eat everyday? How much do you all typically eat? I have a 14, 12 and 10 yr, old and truthfully, even though my two youngest (girls) have to purchase adults meals w/FD, they would not even eat 1/2 of an entree. They often share meals. So based on our own eating habits, I estimate $600 for 6 days plus cost of basic food stuff to keep in our rooms for snacks and breakfast.

Real cost of DDP of us $189.95/day for the five of. We would never in real life eat that much food.

We DO like to sit and eat and my DO eat a lot!! One meal would set us back at least $150. By the time you add on a counter service lunch for another $70 or so.....it makes sense for us. But we stay at the value resorts....it might be different if we stayed at a deluxe.

I think I just asked the question because I really dont want to give up the family suite at the rate I managed to get but will probably have to in order to get the free dining.

 

[VickiVM]

We DO like to sit and eat and my DO eat a lot!! One meal would set us back at least $150. By the time you add on a counter service lunch for another $70 or so.....it makes sense for us. But we stay at the value resorts....it might be different if we stayed at a deluxe.

I think I just asked the question because I really dont want to give up the family suite at the rate I managed to get but will probably have to in order to get the free dining.

OOO - maybe if you get free dining and give up your suite, I can get it w/AAA discount! Right now we have two rooms at ASMU with 20% AAA, but would rather have the suite but it was not available with the discount.

 

[tinaluis]

IWe are staying at the ASMU Family Suites for a daily total rate of $145 (this includes taxes). Rack rate is $207....if someone can figure out for me that it would be cheaper to keep this rate and pay for meals please feel free to post it and let me know but I think free dining wins for us.

In the past free dining promotions, the ASMu Family Suites and the Jr. Suites at CSR have been EXCLUDED. Not sure if that will be the case this year, but I wanted to mention it to you just in case.

EDIT: I should have read all of the posts before responding. It seems that you already know that the suites may be excluded.

 

[EnnEss]

I have a 20% AAA for room only and factored in cost of meals based on our eating habits - not on an apples to apples comparative w/FD. The savings is approx $350-$400 in favor of FD. But if I had a 40% off room only discount code those savings would probably be wiped out after I figured in gratuity.

My main point - if you're still mulling over the cost savings between keeping a room only discount vs. FD, don't forget to factor in cost of gratuity.

There is a time cost as well with FD. We got it and made all our adrs and our vacation had to center around them, its just how it is. No way I would do TS everyday at disney again simply because of the extreme lack of spontaniety. Without it we eat a lot of CS when we feel like it and are a lot happier. With no appy and tip the savings aren't what they were anyways.

This year we went at a time without FD and got a discount code. It'll be barely more expensive, the weather is a lot better and we can still do 1 or 2 favorite ts's without a problem.

Dining is probably the best marketing WDW has done in a long time. Packing restaraunts (long waits, little choice in where you go) and homogenizing food then selling it as a deal. When its not free it probably saves very few money as I doubt even 10 percent did TS every day prior to it.

 

[vellamint]

In the past free dining promotions, the ASMu Family Suites and the Jr. Suites at CSR have been EXCLUDED. Not sure if that will be the case this year, but I wanted to mention it to you just in case.

EDIT: I should have read all of the posts before responding. It seems that you already know that the suites may be excluded.

I know it has but a girl can hope cant she

 

[vellamint]

In the past free dining promotions, the ASMu Family Suites and the Jr. Suites at CSR have been EXCLUDED. Not sure if that will be the case this year, but I wanted to mention it to you just in case.

EDIT: I should have read all of the posts before responding. It seems that you already know that the suites may be excluded.

OOO - maybe if you get free dining and give up your suite, I can get it w/AAA discount! Right now we have two rooms at ASMU with 20% AAA, but would rather have the suite but it was not available with the discount.

I hope if I have to give it up you can have it lol!

 

[brighteyes]

Yes, but.... I think the one thiing that gets overlooked on this board is are you letting FD drive your vacation? For example, I would not normally eat a TS meal each day. So do I change my vacation stlyle becaue it's "Free" or do I go with a discount which will probably come out about the same price if I do my normal dining? If you do eat like this every day or want to then it's probably a good deal, but "Free" doesn't always make it a good deal. I mean if you feel like your whole vacation is now centered around "getting value" for the DDP it might become a drag. (Posters have actually posted that LOL!)

I agree that if you are running around trying to get the best value out of the DDP if you would not normally eat like this then it becomes a drag.

Last summer my DS and I were on the dining plan. After all was added I came in about 100.00 more paying for the dp then had I paid out of pocket. So the dp was not really beneficial to us. We did alot of character meals, usually breakfast and sometimes my DS did not eat, or eat much at the TS restaurants. So really we did not come out ahead. But we picked the restaurants where we wanted to eat and I did not force DS to eat to get my money's worth. But it was worth it in convenience alone.

Now if we go for the Free DDP we would not want a TS every day, maybe every other day. So my question is, if we go during Free DDP are we still allotted one snack, TS, and CS each day? If so, we may just pay OOP for food.

I thought that since I am not paying for the DDP I don't have to have a TS everyday to get my money's worth and would end up using more CS in my trip, but am realizing this is not the way it works. Hmmm...now I may be better to go with my 20% discount and pay OOP for food.

Stephanie