Has any ever done free dining and airmiles combo?

[sheboz]

Just curious if any of you have thought about getting the minimum days for park pass (2 I think) an and 5 night stay to qualify for free dining? Then, use airmiles to buy the remaining park passes.

Would this be a "smart" way to spend airmiles.
How would one figure out the $$ to miles conversion?
We are two adults and two children. TIA!

 

[Ted in Halifax]

I think you would be paying a lot for your passes. The 2 day Free Dining pass would be expensive. $176 plus taxes for 2 days ... and then add what 3 days of airmiles ... not sure what those points are worth, but buying a 5 day pass without airmiles would be about $100 more per adult plus taxes.

I guess the question is ... are the airmiles you are using worth more than $400 .... ( 4 people x a proxy of $100 each)

I treat 150 airmiles as $20 .... because here he can use them to buy groceries. So if you could get 4 - 3 day passes for 3,000 points or less then I would do it ... otherwise, I'd save my airmiles for air travel.

How many airmiles will this idea cost you?

 

[sheboz]

According to airmiles .ca
2 adult 3 day passes = 4500 airmiles
2 children 3 day passes = 4200 airmiles

Seaworld Orlando is 575 airmiles each.

We fly out of Detroit. Can airmiles be converted over to Delta?

We plan on using airmiled to rent a car through National. Any other suggestions to use airmiles on a trip to Disney other than passes?

 

[CdnCarrie]

Book free dining with Marlin Travel and then pay it off with Marlin travel voucher. $100 = 800 Airmiles. We have done this several times.

 

[sheboz]

Great tip, Thank you!!!

950 airmiles = $ 100 with Marlin travel
950 airmiles = $ 100 with National rental US

So goin' to work the miles before our next trip in March 2013!!!

 

[dancin Disney style]

I am always collecting AM just to get park tickets. Several times now I have redeemed to get 7 day premium passes and them when I get to WDW I upgrade them to 10 day. These tickets last us through several trips. We feel that since we go yearly, or more, that there is no need to visit parks everyday we are there. We normally stay 10-12 days and will spend 2-3 days at a park and then 1-2 waterparks.

So over the last few years we have booked free dining with the minimum ticket and used our AM tickets. The FD tickets don't go to waste though because often there is one of us without an AM ticket. So that person will use some or all of the FD tickets. For example....3 years ago my oldest DD and my DH did not have AM passes. We decided that since our oldest would not be able to come back with use for several years that we would visit all 4 parks. DH and oldest DD each used 2 or those 2 day tickets....leaving youngest DD and myself to use our AM tickets. Last year we ended up with one 2 day ticket left over that I have put away for future use.

The way I look at it is this....the cost per person to eat over 10-12 days would be the same or a more as the approx $200 for the 2 day ticket. With that in mind I'm getting the bonus of 2 days entertainment. It works for me and I'm happy with it.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

The marlin travel idea works! Otherwise perhaps just airmiles for all tickets, then take a room only discount and pay cash for dining? Or Airmiles for passes, rent DVC point and buy dining plan through trough a DVC member.

Ted

 

[CdnCarrie]

Great tip, Thank you!!!

950 airmiles = $ 100 with Marlin travel
950 airmiles = $ 100 with National rental US

So goin' to work the miles before our next trip in March 2013!!!

They must have gone up since we last redeemed which was less than a year ago! Uggg. That sucks.