Is free dining a good deal with our Canadian dollar exchange rate

[cottontail]

Hi: Has anyone figured out whether free dining is still a good deal based on our low dollar.

 

[Disneylover99]

For us, FD becomes an even better deal because of our dollar. I can maybe save $25 per day with a room discount at Pop. But I can't feed my family of four for $25 a day. Food is expensive, and you gotta eat. Right?

 

[xlxo]

I can't believe how much the loonie oil ruble has improved.... keep on going!

• https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CADUSD=X&t=1y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=
• https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=USDCAD=X&t=1y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=

 

[minnie mum]

Hi: Has anyone figured out whether free dining is still a good deal based on our low dollar.

Depends. Almost always when FD is offered they also offer a RO discount. You need to do the math to see which discount is better for you. And you need to take into account how your family normally eats. The dollar difference is the same, whether you're looking at food or accommodations.

At value resorts a RO discount usually runs around 10% off, or FD will get you the QSDP ( BUT, you have to add the PH option to your tickets- an extra $60/PP) If you want the full DDP you also have to add on the price difference between these plans. Even with those added costs, the FD will usually save you more money.

At a deluxe resort, the RO discount can be up around 30%. This will usually be a better deal than FD unless you have a larger family who eat a lot or who want to do character dinners every day.

At the mods, it's a toss up. Discounts on rooms can be up to 25% off, and FD includes the DDP. Here is where you need to know your dining habits well. If you would normally order food such that you would max out all of your dining credits, and have a family of 4 or 5, then FD might save you more money. For our family, who aren't big eaters and sometimes share meals, who don't eat desserts twice a day, and don't order fountain drinks at every meal, the FD isn't as good a deal as the RO discount.

 

[alc571]

The dollar doesn't really matter. If Free Dining was a good deal for you at par, then it's still going to be a good deal for you. For us, picky eaters who prefer to snack, a good Room-Only discount works out better. We stay at a moderate, where we've saved up to 30% depending on the deal (PIN, Bounceback) and I can definitely save more that way than paying full rack-rate for a room, plus the extra cost of hoppers, to get "free" dining.

 

[CandiceF]

We have three children and stay at a moderate resort, for us free dining is always a better deal even with adding park hoppers. We always do almost all character meals or buffets because our children are still young enough to love them!

 

[minnie56]

I'm just not convinced that the room reverting to rack rate on a FD offer at the end of the day adds up to the mega savings everyone thinks. JMO
I've done it maybe 50x with and at least that without ...and I have never been blown away by the savings

 

[disneyfan123]

I can't believe how much the loonie oil ruble has improved.... keep on going!

• https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CADUSD=X&t=1y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=
• https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=USDCAD=X&t=1y&l=on&z=l&q=l&c=

Wow...I just moved $1000 CDN, which came out to $750 USD, on the weekend, now it would be $760. That's not much of a difference, but I've been putting money away for the last few months for our trip in January, because all the forecasts said the dollar was going to crash. I'm out a few hundred dollars now, had I just waited to move it all now. What happened to those $0.59 prognostications?

 

[Aladora]

What happened to those $0.59 prognostications?

Shhhhh! Don't tempt fate!

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Well the last time we had FD the % off RO offer was 20% on a mod which at the time worked out to $50/day. Definitely 5 people in a room, 4 being Disney adults, Free Dining was a way better deal. Couldn't even have one counter service meal for all of us for the $50 we would have saved with the room only discount.

Depending on your family and where you stay, FD could definitely be better, especially with the exchange rate.

 

[mort1331]

It always comes down to the ages and numbers in the room. |You have to factor in where most likely you will be eating as well. For our family of 4 3 considered adults and one child it does. My little adult doesnt eat much but likes variety and we like the buffet, so that is easier for us. That being the case the DP works for us. If it were just 2 adults, then I would question the savings.

 

[TML2012]

Wow...I just moved $1000 CDN, which came out to $750 USD, on the weekend, now it would be $760. That's not much of a difference, but I've been putting money away for the last few months for our trip in January, because all the forecasts said the dollar was going to crash. I'm out a few hundred dollars now, had I just waited to move it all now. What happened to those $0.59 prognostications?

I am in the same boat too.