Irritated already!

[jtwibih]

I've been saying for a while on a number of other threads that November is going to be BUSY this year. Hell, I read on another thread that last week was close to July busy. ADRs and FPs are moving at rates that I have never seen. We went in July and didn't have the trouble getting ressies or FPs that I had on getting ready for this trip. I think alot of that is probably due to the number of offsite guests during the summer. Either way if you are going in November, plan like it's summer time. I know that's probably an exaggeration but we are going to treat it this way.

 

[RoryRose]

Having to or choosing to?

Either one.

 

[nkereina]

People do get dining for free. We were just there and I paid $99 for a room at All Star Sports and ate free. My next door neighbors paid the same $99 for their room, but had to pay to eat. They paid for food and we didn't. So we got our food for free.

Well, no. You both paid rack rate for your rooms. Luckily its value season so the rates aren't bad. You were fortunate enough to be booked under free dining, and your neighbor was unfortunate enough to not look into the Fall room only discount that was offered.

Anyone who has a free dining promotion is paying rack rate for their room and in some instances - typically deluxe or cash DVC reservations - they would actually save MORE by taking a room discount since the rooms are so pricey. Free dining is a marketing ploy that no one sees through until they do the math.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, no. You both paid rack rate for your rooms. Luckily its value season so the rates aren't bad. You were fortunate enough to be booked under free dining, and your neighbor was unfortunate enough to not look into the Fall room only discount that was offered.

Anyone who has a free dining promotion is paying rack rate for their room and in some instances - typically deluxe or cash DVC reservations - they would actually save MORE by taking a room discount since the rooms are so pricey. Free dining is a marketing ploy that no one sees through until they do the math.

They don't tend to offer Free Dining during peak season anyway, right? Since it's meant to fill rooms during slower park times?

The truth is there is no one size fits all answer. For some, it's a far better discount that what is offered on room only, especially as the percentage off room rates has diminished in recent years.

 

[Alesia]

People do get dining for free. We were just there and I paid $99 for a room at All Star Sports and ate free. My next door neighbors paid the same $99 for their room, but had to pay to eat. They paid for food and we didn't. So we got our food for free.

But your neighbor probably could have gotten a discount that would have saved them just as much, if not more than the CS plan costs.

 

[mom2rtk]

But your neighbor probably could have gotten a discount that would have saved them just as much, if not more than the CS plan costs.

Not staying at a value resort. The percentage discounts are generally fairly small off of a much smaller amount.

It's not even close. If the room is $125, then a room only discount of 25% is $31.

The quick service dining plan is $42 per night per person. With only 2 people in the room, that's a "discount" of $82.

Of course you can eat more cheaply than $82/Day for 2 people, but it's going to cost more than $31.

 

[disnut1149]

But your neighbor probably could have gotten a discount that would have saved them just as much, if not more than the CS plan costs.

No, the discount wouldn't have been better. On a value, it was only like $15.00. Their family of 4 couldn't eat all day on $15.00. Maybe if they were staying at a Deluxe, the room discount would've been better. A moderate and you come out about even. The fact is that we only paid $99. a night and didn't have to pay for our food. Our bill at Wolfgang Puck was $75.00. We couldn't get that big of a discount on a value resort.

 

[smitch425]

But your neighbor probably could have gotten a discount that would have saved them just as much, if not more than the CS plan costs.

In an all star? Highly unlikely. For our family, FD at a value saves our family several hundred dollars more than a room offer. When choosing the best discount, you have to take into account the following...

1. Resort level/room type
2. Number of people in your party, as well as their ages
3. How you like to eat (lots of desserts, whether you like to split meals, etc)
4. If you can get a deal on tickets elsewhere
5. If there are multiple offers to choose from (sometimes there isn't)

It's different for everyone. Free dining IS free, as in you do not physically pay for the food right there in the moment. You just don't get a discount on the other components of the package in order to get that free food.

 

[Disneylover99]

But your neighbor probably could have gotten a discount that would have saved them just as much, if not more than the CS plan costs.

Impossible.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

We are doing 11-13 to 11-18 and this has been the toughest trip we've had out of 20+ trips in the last 15 years for making reservations. I was online last night at 12:01am to make fastpasses and couldn't get 7DMT either for the day we wanted. Anna & Elsa was gone too, but we were'nt really looking for that. The dinning reservations have been the big problem. I booked pretty close to 180 days and still only have our second choices for several night.

This week has been a historically low attendance week and i'm kinda worried it's going to be really busy.

I logged on at midnight (11 our time) last night & got 7DMT twice during our 11/13-11/19 stay (11/17 & 11/19 if I remember). I got every fast pass we wanted. We do not have free dining & did not book any ADRs.

 

[nkereina]

They don't tend to offer Free Dining during peak season anyway, right? Since it's meant to fill rooms during slower park times?

Correct. But free dining is offered during Value, Value 2, Regular, Regular 2, and Fall seasons. Value being the cheapest, which is where PP lucked out with their $99 All Star Sports rate. But for someone staying at the Poly in a standard room during Regular 2 season, they are paying a rack rate of $585/night. Chances are, 20-30% off their room will bode better for them than free dining. Each individual needs to do the math. Point being, free dining isn't always the best option so OP need not be bitter towards free dining holders.

 

[dfb]

I have a trip planned for Nov 11th-Nov17th. I DID NOT get free dining because I booked it back in May. Anyway, fast passes opened up Sat morning. I got online to pick then at 7:30am and 7DM was already gone and so were Anna and Elsa Meet and Greet. I'm angry! I am paying for my food and can't get what I want, but the people not paying get want they want! Seems like a flawed system to me! Do you think calling Disney will help, or is it a waste of time????

I would call! A friend of mine had the same scenario about three years ago. Reserved a room early in the year no free DP at the time. Later in the year the Free dining plan was offered he called and they gave it to him. I don't know if it'll hold true for you today but it's worth a try.

As far as the FP's go, keep looking for them early in the mornings. People that hoard the FP's swap out some as they get closer to trip time. I had the same thing happen in Jan. (crowd level 2 time frame) although I got 7DMT, there were no A&E availability 1 second after midnight. I checked when I had opportunity a few times and got them. I hope you do get your FPs but if not take solace in the idea that they were both somewhat disappointing. That's my opinion of course. So no big loss. I would not stand in a long line for either!

I feel your frustration about FP+. I preferred FP- much more and for me, I could manage a trip much better with legacy. That being said FP+ does have some merit you just have to learn how to work it!

 

[mom2rtk]

Correct. But free dining is offered during Value, Value 2, Regular, Regular 2, and Fall seasons. Value being the cheapest, which is where PP lucked out with their $99 All Star Sports rate. But for someone staying at the Poly in a standard room during Regular 2 season, they are paying a rack rate of $585/night. Chances are, 20-30% off their room will bode better for them than free dining. Each individual needs to do the math. Point being, free dining isn't always the best option so OP need not be bitter towards free dining holders.

The PP wasn't talking about someone staying in a deluxe resort.

And I didn't say they only offer FD in the value season, only that they don't offer it in peak season.

And I agree that the calculus varies for each family depending on how many in their group and where they are staying. But for the example the PP put out there, it was a slam dunk far better deal.

 

[Lisaloo]

Oh boy. You might want to work on your expectations before November.

 

[nkereina]

The PP wasn't talking about someone staying in a deluxe resort.

No. The PP erroneously said that it was false that free dining isn't really free. All I did was point out that yes the food is free, but the room is at rack rate. In PP's case, it was a good deal in value season at All Star Sports. But that's not the case for everyone and some people are blinded by the ruse of free dining and may ultimately pay more because they don't know any better. I wasn't saying PP didn't get a good deal. Just correcting a false blanket statement.

 

[minniemous]

I am also wondering if you are aware that there is ONLY 10 FP per hour for A&E so if you were looking for a higher number that what was still there it will show as none left-- breakfing it down to looking for 1-2 at a time and overlap your times? But booking on a Saturday at 7:30 people already has 7.5 hours ahead of you looking and booking. Did you book your last day first?

That is what I was going to say... you really need to stay up to 12am the night before if there are hard to get fast passes you need.

 

[DisDadDVC]

I would call! A friend of mine had the same scenario about three years ago. Reserved a room early in the year no free DP at the time. Later in the year the Free dining plan was offered he called and they gave it to him. I don't know if it'll hold true for you today but it's worth a try.

As far as the FP's go, keep looking for them early in the mornings. People that hoard the FP's swap out some as they get closer to trip time. I had the same thing happen in Jan. (crowd level 2 time frame) although I got 7DMT, there were no A&E availability 1 second after midnight. I checked when I had opportunity a few times and got them. I hope you do get your FPs but if not take solace in the idea that they were both somewhat disappointing. That's my opinion of course. So no big loss. I would not stand in a long line for either!

I feel your frustration about FP+. I preferred FP- much more and for me, I could manage a trip much better with legacy. That being said FP+ does have some merit you just have to learn how to work it!

How do you "hoard" FPs? Do you mean "book"?

 

[Lisaloo]

How do you "hoard" FPs? Do you mean "book"?

I'm wondering the same thing. Hoarding ADRs is real, but fastpasses?

 

[mom2rtk]

No. The PP erroneously said that it was false that free dining isn't really free. All I did was point out that yes the food is free, but the room is at rack rate. In PP's case, it was a good deal in value season at All Star Sports. But that's not the case for everyone and some people are blinded by the ruse of free dining and may ultimately pay more because they don't know any better. I wasn't saying PP didn't get a good deal. Just correcting a false blanket statement.

LOL, it was still free.

 

[subtchr]

LOL, it was still free.

But the point is that unless there are ZERO room discounts available, it is true that it is not free. It costs the difference between rack rate and a discounted rate at whatever resort you choose.

That may be a minimal amount, on a value resort, making FD a great deal. But there is still a "cost".