Is "Free Dining Plan" false advertising?

[Disneychick13]

It’s not false advertising. There is full disclosure that you are paying rack rate for the room/tickets. It’s up to the individual to determine what “deal” works the best for them (and their families); some will find that free dining works best for them while some will find a room discount gives them their best deal. It is a really effective marketing ploy but it’s not false advertising.

 

[cableguynoe]

It isn't really a secret that free dining isn't really free. Did you believe that Disney was give you something for nothing?

I did.
We went to Disney in 2010, 11 and 12. This was before kids.
We got what I felt was truly free dining, and it included table service.
The thing is we were going to Disney anyway. Then they said, oh by the way, you qualify for free dining.
So i guess it was possible to get something for nothing, once upon a time.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Not false advertising at all.
There are requirements such as a non discounted room rate and a minimum number of days and ticket type etc.
Whether it makes sense to do or not will depend on your vacation style.
I've gotten free dining a number of times where it has worked out in my favor to do so.
These days I've changed my vacation style and it no longer saves me money like a room discount does.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

I did.
We went to Disney in 2010, 11 and 12. This was before kids.
We got what I felt was truly free dining, and it included table service.
The thing is we were going to Disney anyway. Then they said, oh by the way, you qualify for free dining.
So i guess it was possible to get something for nothing, once upon a time.

Key point here is it was back in 2010, 11, and 12. I also got free dining those 3 years (and in 06, 07, 08, 09, 14, 15, 16, 17, and twice in 18)
Things have changed.
Ticket prices have gone up.
The ticket type/days and length of stay requirements have changed.
Room rates have gone up by insane amounts (to me this is why the overall price with "free dining" has gone up so much because you pay rack rate).
The dining plans have also lost value along the way by getting rid of apps, QS no longer including dessert, and dropping a snack.

 

[Genie+]

If a time existed where ‘free dining’ was not false advertising, what has changed? Back then there were still other options that worked out better for some people. If that is the litmus test today, it would’ve failed back then as well. The only difference is in the likelihood a better option could be found today vs previous years.

 

[meremac]

I mean, the T & C are clearly laid out even in the screenshot you posted, OP. So not false advertising at all.

 

[HopperFan]

I did.
We went to Disney in 2010, 11 and 12. This was before kids.
We got what I felt was truly free dining, and it included table service.
The thing is we were going to Disney anyway. Then they said, oh by the way, you qualify for free dining.
So i guess it was possible to get something for nothing, once upon a time.

But you qualified by paying rack rate for your room. Now if you were always used to paying rack rate I suppose it was free for you.

I've been going the fall "free dining" time frame for 35 years and only once have I paid rack rate (without the dining plan). I did Free Dining for about 7 years. It is just a choice of which discount works best for you.

And you are right that in the olden days it was a much better value. You could stay Value and get the DDP that included 1 TS, 1 QS 1 Snack each day plus Refillable Mug. On top of that our Table Service included Appetizer, Entree, Dessert, Drink AND GRATUITIES. Over the years they slowly took away most of that. Then Value lost the full DDP, then moderate lost the full DDP. Math is needed to see if it is a value for your party.

 

[robinb]

So our trip was going to get scheduled for later in the year.
But I thought that if i could save $1500 on the dining plan for a family of 4, it might be worth it to make it happen sooner.

View attachment 873735

So I followed their link and am a click away from booking the Port Orleans from 9/7-9/15.
Price i'm getting is $5891.

I priced out the exact same thing on Costco without dining, and price is $4400!!! Are you kidding me?
I can add the dining plan to Costco at full price and pay about the same as Disney is charging me with "free dining".

I will add the the 1 difference is park hopper, which we don't care for. But you can't remove it from the Free Dining deal.

But really? These are their deals?

Also, as an added bonus I went back to Disney and priced out the same trip again, but this time no dining and selected 30% off rooms.
Now I'm at $4700. Still more expensive than Costco.

I realize Costco might get special pricing, but they are definitely not giving free dining!
I'm really disappointed in the false advertising!

Free dining is never "free". It is a discount and only if you plan on eating like you would without the dining plan. Sometimes it's a very good discount. Sometimes it's not a very good discount. In your case, you would have the QSDP at a moderate and not even the regular DDP.

How old are your kids? The QSDP is worth $57.01 per "adult" 10 and over and is worth $23.83 per "child" 9 and under per day.

2 A, 2 C = $107 per day = $856 per 8 day trip
3 A, 1 C = $140 per day = $1,120 per 8 day trip
4 A, 0 C = $228 per day = $1,824 per 8 day trip

So ... even the make up of your family would make a difference in the discount.

FWIW, the *sweet spot* for the DDP are families with children under 10 who plan on going to multiple character dining meals. If you choose not to go with "free dining" AND both of your kids are under 10 AND you plan on a LOT of character dining, you may want to still consider the regular DDP.

 

[MillauFr]

I did.
We went to Disney in 2010, 11 and 12. This was before kids.
We got what I felt was truly free dining, and it included table service.
The thing is we were going to Disney anyway. Then they said, oh by the way, you qualify for free dining.
So i guess it was possible to get something for nothing, once upon a time.

Yeah and back in 2014 we stayed at the Poly using the deal from the Magical Travel agent for $189 a night. Times have changed.

 

[Lewisc]

Not false advertising at all.

See below.

a time existed where ‘free dining’ was not false advertising, what has changed?

You didn't have discounted room rates available as an alternative to the dining promotion. You paid the exact same room rate with or without dining.

mean, the T & C are clearly laid out even in the screenshot you posted, OP. So not false advertising at all.

Compare free DME with "free" dining.

Advertising is misleading and deceptive when the fine print, the terms and conditions, change (contradict) the normal meaning of the big print.

Edited to add The first year Disney had to include free dining with some guests who booked AAA discounted rooms. The fine print didn't properly contradict the offet

 

[Genie+]

You didn't have discounted room rates available as an alternative to the dining promotion. You paid the exact same room rate with or without dining.

They had packages - room, tickets, flight and car rental. That could be better than free dining.

There’s also something less obvious about free dining - that’s where rack rates are jacked up certain dates and room categories that leaves plenty of cushion for discount or free dining. They’ll push people into those rooms/dates with something like free dining that were inflated more than others to begin with.

 

[hsmamato2]

If a time existed where ‘free dining’ was not false advertising, what has changed? Back then there were still other options that worked out better for some people. If that is the litmus test today, it would’ve failed back then as well. The only difference is in the likelihood a better option could be found today vs previous years.

What has changed? A lot- the level of room is now higher priced (by a LOT) the type of ticket and number of days you must buy is (a LOT) higher- and the food options are more limited. So you were always paying rack rate for a room/ticket, but the rack rate is (INCREDIBLY) high now,and the ticket prices are too. It has NEVER been "free". In my many trips, I think we mathed it out,and did DDP twice (and it was a slammin' good deal too) Most times it was cheaper for us to save on room/ticket options and buy as we go for food. But it's not deceptive advertising.

 

[Genie+]

It has NEVER been "free".

Agreed

 

[Figment Mom]

It's not false advertising, it's just a marketing ploy. It's clearly stated what you have to pay for to get the dining plan for free. But seeing the word "FREE" will draw plenty of people in.

 

[_19disnA]

Advertising can contain a certain amount of 'puffery' where it makes it seem like more than it really is. This is not false advertising. False advertising would be claiming you are selling a cure for cancer. While the dining is free, but your room rate isn't discounted................so you have to decide what TOTAL costs would be by pricing out the various options available.

 

[bluezy]

As others have said, there is no false advertising. "Free'' dining is really just a different room discount that might attract a different clientele because they will jump on anything that says "free" even if it's not the best discount. We've had free QS dining on 2 trips and only booked it because with 3 teenagers at the time, the amount we saved with free dining was more than what the room/package discount offered for those trips. Even then, we still had to work to make sure we used all of our meals and snacks (and both times we were scrambling to use meals the last 2 days and took home a big bag of Mickey rice krispie treats and other snacks. -- back in the days when the dining plan included 2 snacks). We also wasted a lot of food that was only ordered because it was part of the plan. We just don't eat enough to make the dining plans worth it for us. If we get "free" dining, we really have to work to make sure we use all of the credits in order to get the full value of the plan otherwise, the room/package discount would have been the better deal. We were just at Disney a few weeks ago. We did not get free dining so we took a package discount that saved us about $1,000 (7 nights in a LK suite at AoA). The dining plan would have cost us about $1,111, so even if free dining had been offered, I don't know if I would have taken it. Our total food/beverage costs for the week were $1,176 -- however, if we had taken free dining or paid for the dining plan, we still would have paid another $150 OOP because we purchase all of our water and snacks in the parks and the dining plan wouldn't have covered all of those.

You really have to look at all the details and requirements of Disney deals being offered for your travel dates. There's no one deal that work for everyone.

 

[Lewisc]

They had packages - room, tickets, flight and car rental. That could be better than free dining.

I'm almost 100% sure free dining was available with any package, including air, car etc which exceeded the minimum requirements.

It's not false advertising, it's just a marketing ploy.

It's deceptive and misleading. The terms and conditions contradict the normal meaning of free. Contrast that with free DME.

Disney's legal department feels it's not fraudulent. The terms and conditions weren't clear the 1st year. AAA miscounted rooms wound up getting free dining

 

[xtinewashere]

We got the disney+ subscriber free dining promo for a trip this August. We're a family of 5 with my kids all considered 'adults'. The free dining has always worked out better for us more so pre-2020 but even still now according to my math.

We're not big eaters and will probably not reserve buffets and character meals, but after my calculations if I took the room only discount and added in the cost of 1 QS meal per day per person that is our break even point. Taking the free DDP will allow us a decent TS meal for only the cost of tip and at least will bring some variety plus some healthier options to our meals. It'll also allow my Husband to order a steak and a beer without the guilt.

I was really struggling with this since I'm sure if I did get the room discount, cut back on tickets so no parkhoppers and was super careful with meals ie ordered snacks for our room and just limited the meals people order we'd possibly save a few hundred vs the DDP.. either way it's a bit of a mind shift. Hoping to do all my planning now so I can just live with my choice while on vacation.

 

[focusondisney]

We got the disney+ subscriber free dining promo for a trip this August. We're a family of 5 with my kids all considered 'adults'. The free dining has always worked out better for us more so pre-2020 but even still now according to my math.

We're not big eaters and will probably not reserve buffets and character meals, but after my calculations if I took the room only discount and added in the cost of 1 QS meal per day per person that is our break even point. Taking the free DDP will allow us a decent TS meal for only the cost of tip and at least will bring some variety plus some healthier options to our meals. It'll also allow my Husband to order a steak and a beer without the guilt.

I was really struggling with this since I'm sure if I did get the room discount, cut back on tickets so no parkhoppers and was super careful with meals ie ordered snacks for our room and just limited the meals people order we'd possibly save a few hundred vs the DDP.. either way it's a bit of a mind shift. Hoping to do all my planning now so I can just live with my choice while on vacation.

The room discount + 1 quick service meal a day equals what you’re paying for the free dining package? Unless you’re really stretching your budget, I think you made the right decision. And if it’s stretching the budget that much, maybe a shorter trip or off site would be better options. Will it really be enjoyable if you’re monitoring & worrying about everything ordered at every meal? Free dining seems to be the best value for family make ups like yours. I hope you’re ok with your decision & have a fun & relaxing vacation.

 

[xtinewashere]

The room discount + 1 quick service meal a day equals what you’re paying for the free dining package? Unless you’re really stretching your budget, I think you made the right decision. And if it’s stretching the budget that much, maybe a shorter trip or off site would be better options. Will it really be enjoyable if you’re monitoring & worrying about everything ordered at every meal? Free dining seems to be the best value for family make ups like yours. I hope you’re ok with your decision & have a fun & relaxing vacation.

ty yes- typing it out made me realize that the free dining it worth it in our case. honestly, i can get a little P/O with Hubby if he goes all out on the menu with 'but we're on vacation' while i'm nickeling and diming. (you can see who does the accounting in the household haha).

It is stretching our budget? yes,, always.. we should be 'done' with disney by now but we made the decision for one 'last' trip. the kids are getting older and will not want to travel with us anymore or at least to disney so we're making it work this year. We have the $$ and I've been wanting to renovate my kitchen forever but that can wait.

Thanks for your opinion.. it feels good knowing that we have made a good decision with the trip