Is Free Dining really free? Post your results.

[emmabelle]

I had the free dining bounceback for POR for July 4th week, I booked it back in September. When we stayed again in December, I changed it to room only bounceback discount, still at POR. I found that I could do a RO discount a little cheaper since I had six adults in 3 rooms. I really didn't need hoppers and my daughter and son's gf never ate their fair share of food 2 summers ago, with the CS dining plan. Ended up with a lot of snacks to take home from leftover credits. I also figured my grown children might kick in and actually pay for some of the food if it isn't already included in a package.

 

[Tissa]

I booked a Garden wing Deluxe room at the Contemporary for free dining. July 8-13th. The RO discount would have been $78 a night. 2 adults on the dining plan $150 a night. My biggest budget buster is always food and drink costs, so this works for us.

 

[1911]

just looking at pop for 8 nights plus 6 day hoppers under the sun/fun rate is $2760.00. The free dining option with same tickets is $3050.00,so 290 dollars for the dining isn't too bad.

 

[HopperFan]

I had the free dining bounceback for POR for July 4th week, I booked it back in September. When we stayed again in December, I changed it to room only bounceback discount, still at POR. I found that I could do a RO discount a little cheaper since I had six adults in 3 rooms. I really didn't need hoppers and my daughter and son's gf never ate their fair share of food 2 summers ago, with the CS dining plan. Ended up with a lot of snacks to take home from leftover credits. I also figured my grown children might kick in and actually pay for some of the food if it isn't already included in a package.

Monday we were eating lunch and family next to us says ....
"Okay we leave today and we have 47 snack credits we need to use up" ....... YIKES.

We call it Complimentary Dining since it's not free.

When we started it was Appetizer, Entree, Drink, Dessert, Tips included.
And full plan was offered at values.
Slowly they dropped what they were providing.
Each change made it harder and harder to make it work.
Once we were at two and we had to pay to upgrade ...
We tried QSDP at Value.
Long trip and by day 4 we were over it.
That was the end for us.

It is much cheaper to take a RO discount -
not be forced to buy tickets we don't need
and eat in a way we don't normally eat.

 

[Kimrlav]

For my party, consisting of two-adults there was not much of a difference between Free Dining and Sun & Fun room discount for my reservation. I booked BWI standard view for 6 nights in September (second-third week of the month) for 2 adults with 7-day park hopper tickets with an upgrade from the regular dining plan to Deluxe dining - Total Cost $4315.00. The difference was about $30.00 savings with the Free Dining offer. My mother is elderly and likes the convenience of being able to eat at sit-down restaurants. We enjoy dining at Signature restaurants, so the upgrade works for our vacation style at Disney. Star Wars is not a big draw for us, so it seems like the perfect time to go to Disney. Hoping Mickey and Minnie's Railway is open, or the new restaurant at the Riveria Resort.

 

[kandb]

Our family used to go when FREE dining was really free dining, so NO we don't consider it a good deal. I am a bargain hunter and find much better deals and we stay in deluxes.

 

[kandb]

Also, I wouldn't worry about the pool. To small children, a pool is a pool.

 

[Lewisc]

So, Disney just announced two new promotions; Free Dining and Resort Discounts. Wondering if anybody has taken the time to compare the cost of a room (same resort, same category, same dates) under each of the discounts.

If so, please tell us how much each was. To be accurate, don't try to estimate how much you would have spent for food under the room discount program. This post is to see if free dining really is free. Thanks!

Free dining isn't really free if you have the option of booking a discounted package. It's basically discounted dining.
You need to project your food costs to determine which discount, free dining or % savings, works out better.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I calculated our split stay of BF and Poly, with either free dining or room only discount. Room only discount averaged about $550 less per resort (so a total of about 1100). Free dining packages cost about as much as that (tickets included for each one for a 9 day ticket). I think they were so close that I rather go for the room discount, than have to be pressured about what I pick for breakfast lunch and dinner. Also for us we have a 2 year old, so a 2 year old does not quality for free dining (but sometimes we do purchase a meal for the 2yo anyway). I looked back at our expenses for our trip last April and we spent about 1100 on food (snacks included). We did a lot of sit downs, character meals, etc. We are a bit wasteful I might add, we buy what we want when we want, we don't budget on vacation. So I rather have the $ in my pocket for room discount up front, then not have to worry what we eat and what we have credit or not for, etc.

 

[siren0119]

We had booked 5 days/4 nights at ASMusic through Priceline and just planned on buying park tickets through a discounter and paying OOP for dining. We looked at renting an AirBNB/VRBO for 5 days before our ASMu stay and getting 6 day non-hopper tickets to be able to spend more time in the parks. The total cost for what we were looking at was just over $4K for 2 adults and 2 juniors.

I looked at the numbers and it saved us $500 to book the Free Dining promo for 5 days/4 nights on the front end of our trip and upgrade to the regular Dining Plan over booking the above plan. Not only will the 4 TS credits cover the most expensive character dining experiences we wanted, but I was able to get 7 day PH instead of 6 day non-hoppers. We will just front-load the more $$ character dining and plan less expensive meals during our OOP time. More park time, more value, and more Mouse

 

[mamamelody2]

POP standard room 2 adults 8/29-9/7 9 day hoppers

Free dining $2513.80

Sun & Fun room and ticket $2270.80, add QSDP and it's $3215.70 (We would NEVER buy a dining plan. We absolutely would not get our money's worth out of it as we share meals, etc.)

Free dining is obviously the better discount for us, but no, it is not FREE. We will be 2 adults eating at Disney for 10 days for $243. That's a great deal!

 

[mamamelody2]

Last year we also had a free dining trip. DH, me, 16yo DS and 12 yo DS. Stayed at All Star Sports.
It was pretty much the same thing as this year. Room only discount was about $250. So with the free dining offer, 4 people ate for 9 days at Disney for $250. That's pretty amazing!

 

[Nyalims]

All Star Music standard room for 2 adults with 6 day Park Hoppers for FD (Sept 24th-Sept 30th)- $2282.62 --We're splitting the cost evenly so the balance is $1041.31 each.
If we had done the Room Only discount it was $897.12 ($448 each) plus Undercover Tourist tickets were around $460, so it's a difference of $235. We definitely think we would have spent more paying OOP for food. Another friend is hoping to join our trip so it'll be even cheaper for each of us if she does.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Monday we were eating lunch and family next to us says ....
"Okay we leave today and we have 47 snack credits we need to use up" ....... YIKES.

We call it Complimentary Dining since it's not free.

When we started it was Appetizer, Entree, Drink, Dessert, Tips included.
And full plan was offered at values.
Slowly they dropped what they were providing.
Each change made it harder and harder to make it work.
Once we were at two and we had to pay to upgrade ...
We tried QSDP at Value.
Long trip and by day 4 we were over it.
That was the end for us.

It is much cheaper to take a RO discount -
not be forced to buy tickets we don't need
and eat in a way we don't normally eat.

My thoughts exactly. And RIP to the DDP back when it was amazing.
One trip I tracked our food costs with us eating how we want to eat. I compared that to what I would've paid for the DDP eating how they want me to eat. I came out $800 ahead...before even factoring in tips. I haven't done the DDP since...thats been many many years now.

 

[HopperFan]

My thoughts exactly. And RIP to the DDP back when it was amazing.
One trip I tracked our food costs with us eating how we want to eat. I compared that to what I would've paid for the DDP eating how they want me to eat. I came out $800 ahead...before even factoring in tips. I haven't done the DDP since...thats been many many years now.

Our long trip with the QS plan I tracked everything and how much it cost. I had planned ahead and worked hard to maximize our credits. In the end it was literally within dollars of what the plan would cost to purchase. If I had paid for it I would have broken even based on all the items we had .......... but just like you say ............. it had me eating in a way I wouldn't. Back then you got desserts, we don't want or need dessert at most meals and Disney had very little variety in them back then. We didn't need the mug because we are park people and we don't drink lots of soda. We didn't even need all the sodas because I prefer water. So we would be paying for LOTS of things we normally would not have ordered.

Now with the two snacks and two alcoholic drinks each meal I might get better value BUT then the price went up too. We are able to eat what we want and be full for much less without it. That is a general opinion of the DDP if you are paying. I think when there are four people in a room you might get value from the Free Dining but we don't since we don't want tickets and I'd want the full DDP so the costs now are adding up.

 

[emmabelle]

Monday we were eating lunch and family next to us says ....
"Okay we leave today and we have 47 snack credits we need to use up" ....... YIKES.

we had like 22 to burn and I thought that was bad.

 

[MillauFr]

We like to go in late August. We prefer the 50-60% off of rack rate discount our travel agent offers at the Poly rather than using the free dining discount.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Free dining worked for us in this case. We are booked on a bounceback 6/29-7/6 in a 2BR at OKW, so we aren't eligible for the regular free dining anyway. I couldn't find availability at OKW with the new room only discount, so I used SSR for comparison because the rack rates are the same.

6/29-7/6 2 BR OKW
6 Disney adults (4 adults and two teens)
6 day PH Plus
Free dining
8821.06

6/29-7/6 2 BR SSR
Room only discount with 6 day PHP 7320.42
Room only discount with 6 day PHP and DDP 10,038.00

The bounceback saved $1200 over booking with the RO and DDP. We don't usually purchase the dining plan, but I know we will eat more than $1500 worth of food that is covered by the plan in a week. Just our dinner at Boma will be over $300

I can’t get over the prices ... for those 2 resorts. Wow!

Glad you are happy cause that’s what counts, enjoy!!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I can’t get over the prices ... for those 2 resorts. Wow!

Glad you are happy cause that’s what counts, enjoy!!

I know We have to go July 4 week since that is the only time that works for everyone, and we either need a 2 BR or three separate rooms, but I like the villa so we can all hang out together. The tickets are a substantial part of that cost, as usual. I'm sure it will be a few years before we go back at these prices, so we will make the most of it!

And I originally wanted to stay at Kidani or BLT for the three bathrooms, but I would have had to cut the trip shorter to stay within budget.

 

[emmabelle]

I know We have to go July 4 week since that is the only time that works for everyone, and we either need a 2 BR or three separate rooms, but I like the villa so we can all hang out together. The tickets are a substantial part of that cost, as usual. I'm sure it will be a few years before we go back at these prices, so we will make the most of it!

And I originally wanted to stay at Kidani or BLT for the three bathrooms, but I would have had to cut the trip shorter to stay within budget.

I feel your pain. Going the same week for the same reasons. We have 3 rooms at POR for $3060 for 5 nights. Wish I could put my DD and DS in one room with their significant others but that wouldn’t fly. They would just say they didn’t want to go. This trip is obviously more important to me than them.