How much would free dining really save me??

[su_A_ve]

Are we saving money? You bet... Here're my numbers. Based on a late Dec rez, on a mod, standard view, and a typical Disney family (2A, 1J, 1C), 6 nights, 6 day hopper, no water, no insurance.

RACK Rate (no dining) - $2489
Fall Package (no dining) - $2250
QXZ Code (basic dining) - $2300

Adding dining to either the Fall package or RACK Rate would be an additional $744 (3x $38, 1x $10)

As you can see, with QXZ I'm saving $189 just on the room, and I'm even getting free dining on top of that. Or, another way to see it, is for $50 more, we feed everyone for 6 days.

Just on character breakfast would have cost us more than those savings. This will be the first time we are doing dining. We drive, so usually we would go off property for dinner or mostly counter service, except one character breakfast.

Now, yes, it's a pain to have to dine with table service every day. But even if we just do quick service we save a bundle. We'll do mostly character breakfasts...

 

[antmaril]

Maybe you have already done this, but I would call Disney and get a quote for your dates with the Disney Visa offer. I think I got free dining and a 20% discount (I'm saving $2800 with 4 adults). If you check this out let us know what they say!

Oh yes, I checked the Disney Visa Free Dining offer. A standard room at the Yacht Club was rack rate ($325) per night - dining was "free".

 

[friendofgusgus]

Am I reading this offer correctly? $63 a day per person which includes room, food and tickets? $126 for my dh and myself a day???

Over Christmas!!!??? If I book in later in the days I could stay for the holidays???

Slightly Goofy

Ooh, I hate to put a pin in your Mickey balloon but the free dining quote bases the room rate on the idea that 4 people are staying in the room. Once they divide the room rate by 4, it's a very small piece of the package. Plus, the included tickets are only base tickets - no park hopping, which adds another $50 per person.

Also, the free dining and the room discounts do not apply over the holidays - they are peak season, defined by Disney as the time when everything costs more...

Sorry - I wish I had better news!

 

[rt2dz]

People should really consider how they travel and whether or not they will really utilize the free dining plan. People are completely forgetting that not all with the free dining is free. Tips are not included. Plus, you get a LOT of food and spend a lot of time in restaurants. We have done free dining three times, and after the last time, we decided it is not worth it to us. We do not eat that much food! And for us, having to have everything decided as to where we will eat every day takes away from some of our fun. Granted, if there are places we REALLY want to eat (not too many anymore) we make ADRs. But to us, the flexibility, the additional room discount and the more time we have by simply doing counter service really make a difference to us enough to avoid the free dining plan. Just something to think about!!

And to whomever it was that only budgeted $60 a day for food, was that per person or total?

I could not agree more.

When considering getting the dining plan for each trip I first make ADRS. I then use the menus at All Ears to decide on what we will eat at a la carte places and what tips would be everywhere. I find out which, if any, restaurants aren't on the dining plan in our plans and if we'll run out of dining credits for TS restaurants that are signature. Basically, I figure out the true cost of dining plan v. no dining plan (we have a DDE card so I figure that in on the costs).

I have yet to "save" money on the dining plan, even if free. It might save me money if I naturally would eat the way the plan can be used. But, the way we do eat, it costs us money, even if free (no room only discount).