help with free dining

[halld6479]

if you are a DVC member and disney is offering free dining how in the world can you end up with free dining and still stay in your resort? I don't understand this "buy a base ticket for 1 day thing" if you only purchase a 1 day ticket how does that end up covering you stay at your resort?

 

[Chuck S]

Stays on DVC points are not eligible for free dining. Free dining requires a stay in a full rack rate room for a minimum number of days, and a ticket purchase. It is a promotion to sell cash rooms that otherwise would remain empty. Since DVC point rooms are, in fact, basically pre-paid until the end of the contract, Disney Resorts division has no real stake in whether a member room on points is filled or not.

 

[CraftyMouse]

if you are a DVC member and disney is offering free dining how in the world can you end up with free dining and still stay in your resort? I don't understand this "buy a base ticket for 1 day thing" if you only purchase a 1 day ticket how does that end up covering you stay at your resort?

The only way to end up with "free" dining and still stay in your DVC resort is to book a qualifying package at one of the WDW resorts but not stay there.

As ChuckS said, "free" dining is not available to those staying on DVC points. It is also not available to anyone who has reserved a room at a discount (AP discount, AAA discount, etc.). It is a promotion meant to sell unsold rooms. Disney is still making money off of the guests with "free" dining as they are paying rack rate for their room. DVC members pay far less (over the life of the membership) than rack rate for our accommodations so "free" dining is not available to us.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think you might be confusing the information given by some folks who still stay in a value resort just to get "free" dining. If they do that and have an AP, they must by one day of ticket media in order to get the "free" dining. I still put it in quotes, because I still don't think it's "free"!

 

[hellerjw]

I think what you are referring to is the reported practice of booking lodging at a value resort (while staying at a DVC resort) during the free dining promotion period, adding a 1 day ticket to take advantage of the free dining promotion and never staying at the value resort.

If you would be traveling with 3 or 4 adults this may save you some money over purchasing the dining plan alone, it may not.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have always questioned that practice, but IF I wanted to give a nice gift to a friend, I might just do that. They get my unused value room, and I'd get the "free" dining. Nope, I don't see myself doing that either. I just don't see any value in it at all.