Help!Room only vs Free Dining?

[MinnieTink]

Not sure what to do... We are hoping to stay @ the BC in August. After doing my 'homework'... Room only discount + tix will be about $1150 less than paying rack rate for the room, same tix, and adding the dining (during Free dining). We have gone without doing the dining plan and spent a lot of money on food and that was eating plenty of QS and just a few TS. I'm just not sure what to do.

 

[aceys_h0ney]

It just depends how much you think you would spend on dining if you pay for it out of pocket or pay for the plan out of pocket which is a better choice. Most say the 40% off deluxe is better then the free dining.

 

[STITCH826]

I guess it would depend on what time in August you would like to go. No one is sure if FD will be offered. And if it is, they might change it this year like making you purchase one day base ticket for every night you are there. No one knows, unfortunately. I know we had used the room only discount last year to stay at the Poly, and yes, we did spend a lot of money on food. I just asked yesterday how much the regular dining plan is approximately, so I could figure out how much I would be saving. Regular dining plan is $45 per person 10+ and $15 for ages 3-9, Quick service is $35 per ages 10+ and was told approx $12 ages 3-9.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

A 40% off room discount code is almost always a better discount than the free dining discount when you are staying at a deluxe resort.

If you are staying at a moderate or value resort, then the free dining is usually a better discount.

 

[marcielm]

You can still add the DDP to your room only + tix and see if it is cheaper than the rack rate price to get free dining. Another option might be to add the QSDP, and then just do 2 TS meals paid OOP.

A pp mentioned the per day pricing for the dining plans. This is good info to know so you can determine if you will be saving more on the room only discount. Often, people report a better deal at a deluxe on the room only discount over the free dining... but it all depends on the number of Disney "adults" you have on your ressie (people age 10+).

 

[MinnieTink]

Wait? I can add DDP to a room only + tix reservation? If I did the room only discount, I was thinking of getting tix thru UT. Can I add dining to a room only with the 40 discount?

 

[marcielm]

Wait? I can add DDP to a room only + tix reservation? If I did the room only discount, I was thinking of getting tix thru UT. Can I add dining to a room only with the 40 discount?

You can do room only, add tix through Disney, and then the DDP. I didn't think about you picking up the tix via UT. It becomes a "package" but you still get the 40% off the room-only portion of the package.

 

[CanadianGuy]

You can't do the DDP without an official Disney package which includes tickets.

Only exceptions are DVC guests staying on points and annual passholders.

 

[milmore104]

I think it's a better deal for w/ the 40% off pin code. That is if you are staying longer and at a deluxe w/ the 40% off. The DDP would be $850 for my family. Meaning we would save $850 if free dining came out. But w/ our 40% pin code we save $1200 on our room. So we opted for that discount and added the DXDDP to our ressies.

Now my brother is coming w/ us but only wanted to stay @ POP w/ the 25% discount. They only saved $300 on their room and are hoping for Free Dining as it would be a bigger discount for them!

It all depends on where you stay. Good Luck!

 

[CarolB]

I don't think you can add the ddp on the current offer - at least not on-line. If you have an AP, you can (but those discounts only go to June 3 - URGH).
I have only found free dining to be a better deal when staying at a value.

 

[collcass]

I don't think you can add the ddp on the current offer - at least not on-line. If you have an AP, you can (but those discounts only go to June 3 - URGH).
I have only found free dining to be a better deal when staying at a value.

if you price out the room only using the "winter - Summer % off" you do have the option to add tickets and dining plan on the screen that shows you the rooom selection.

We are in the same boat. I am taking my four kids in late August while my husband attends a convention out in CA. They really want the BC. Crunching the #s last night, we still come out ahead using the 40% and adding onto that

 

[CarolB]

if you price out the room only using the "winter - Summer % off" you do have the option to add tickets and dining plan on the screen that shows you the room selection.

Thank you for that suggestion. Since I didn't really need tickets, I skipped that option. With this offer, you can add a one day only ticket per person (if that's all you need) and add DDP. Have to reconsider this one......In consideration of no AP offers, that is

 

[Mrs D]

I don't think you can add the ddp on the current offer - at least not on-line. If you have an AP, you can (but those discounts only go to June 3 - URGH).
I have only found free dining to be a better deal when staying at a value.

I booked my friends trip (they leave next week). She has the 25% off room only discount and was able to add her tickets and the dining plan as well.

 

[MinnieTink]

More number crunching.... For room (w/ discount) and UT tix plus our projected food budget (about $150/day eating more QS than TS) is VERY close to rack rate free dining package. And we would be eating better meals.

 

[Sandisw]

More number crunching.... For room (w/ discount) and UT tix plus our projected food budget (about $150/day eating more QS than TS) is VERY close to rack rate free dining package. And we would be eating better meals.

Have you called Disney to find out what it would be to turn your room only reservation into a package with tix and the regular DDP?

You still get the room only discount with these type packages. If, to do this, it would be less than the amount for free dining, it works out to be a better deal.

 

[Mrs D]

More number crunching.... For room (w/ discount) and UT tix plus our projected food budget (about $150/day eating more QS than TS) is VERY close to rack rate free dining package. And we would be eating better meals.

That would seal the deal for me. Better food almost the same price.. SOLD!

 

[MinnieTink]

We are 4 Disney adults and one child. If four of us are 45 per day and one is 15 per day, I come up with $1365 for 7 days.

BC w/ discount, UT tix, and our approx 1100 food budget is $3800+'change'
BC w/ discount, adding tix and DDP on website (using week of Aug 7) is $4300+ 'change'
BC w/ FD package (if offered) will be about $3800+'change'

I guess the Dining discount is as good for us because we have 4 "adults".

Thanks for the suggestions and crunching the numbers with me!

 

[collcass]

No problem......I was happy when I realized yesterday that tix & ddp could be added

 

[MinnieTink]

I should have done this before but I ran the numbers on the site and dining for us is actually $1406. It is a better deal even at a Deluxe for us. (rm only approx $1100)

 

[clowe247]

Free dining is always a better option for us. All 5 of us considered adult on the dining plan. FD saves us $1000. We usually get 2 rms at pop. We come to go to the parks, not lay around at the resort. So pop is the best choice for us. This is the first time going with QS at value resort, so we will be upgrading to reg dining. We love the resort and epcot resteraunts the best.

Come on WDW give us Free dining so we can come and play!!!!!!!!