Is free dining really free???

[fla4fun]

I have to agree with the previous poster who did the math for deluxe and value. My reservation is for a 1BR at VWL in September. I currently have an AAA discount and hoping for an AP discount. I didn't see any availability online for the package w/free dining for my room type and resort, but I checked it at a couple other DVC resorts. As a solo traveler, the room only discount works out better for me than the free dining. If I were staying at a resort with a lower rate, it probably would have made a difference. But I booked this as a special treat for me, and I wasn't willing to change to a value to make the deal make sense for me financially. It's a great deal for some, and not for others - you just have to do the math first.

 

[4eyedbuzzard]

Of course it isn't free, its included in the price you pay. They say theres no such thing as a free lunch, and there isn't. Its an offer, a special call it whatever you like but you will still pay for it.

It's only offered during the slowest time of the year to boost sales. And quite honestly it kind of proves just how much profit there is in Disney's prices. I guarantee you they still make a profit offering "free dining".

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Yep, I agree, there is no such thing as a 'Free Lunch" however I feel that we are still saving a significant amount of money and gaining convenience and variety as well.

We will be giving up a $25 a day discount at a Value resort and you might consider the fact that we also have to buy one day tickets which would add about another $10 a day for a total of $35.l(We have AP's and have so many one day tickets that it would take another lifetime to turn them ALL into upgraded tickets)

Yes, we could eat at DW on that amount but it would mean vastly different choices and eating off site. Not having to drive all over the place and getting to try new places make it worth it for us. Your mileage may vary.

I do think that the Moderates and other resort folks get the short end of the straw though. I think they should get more TS or something as they are giving up a much larger discount. JMO

Slightly Goofy

 

[bumbershoot]

Before the promo started, I went through and found a resort and figured out the price of a certain stay. Found a rate that I thought was OK (since it was *barely* over what we'll be paying at Disneyland OFF property, and for MORE days, I definitely thought it was OK!).

Then the day, or maybe a day after, it started, I went back through, using the correct links, and got the SAME price with the free dining.

I don't think I would ever pay for the dining plan (though it certainly is better than what Disneyland offers as a plan!), just b/c vegetarian food isn't that spendy, and we just don't eat enough food at one sitting to justify the cost, but if it's being handed to me, I'd take it.

Anyway, for the stay I was looking into, it was free, b/c the cost was the same as a few days before, without the dining.

 

[MJMcBride]

Here's an article on the topic from Mouse Extra. It was written by dbm20th who was talking about an article from MGMStudios.org(a great site)

http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/05/04/in-defence-of-disneys-free-dining-offer/#comments

http://www.mgmstudios.org/column/weekly28.html

 

[eeyoregon]

You are paying the full price for rooms instead of getting discounted room rates.

But who minds when "full" price is only $82 a night on property ?! I can't stay at a hotel on our coast for that amount per night PLUS I have to buy our food at the beach. You just have to love FREE dining !!

 

[kelscross]

Even though we're paying rack rate at the Poly..the free DDP is saving us more money than the AP discounts we have received in the past. The most I've saved is 80-100 bucks per night at the Poly. We have always have one sit down meal per day...usually character meals even when we paid for dining outright (this is the first time we've even had the DDP free or not). The free DDP is saving us $1200 bucks for an 8 night stay. I spent alot of time crunching numbers from previous trips...My mother keeps all of our receipts for her scrapbooking and we would spend that much on food outright.

I think the best deal we ever had was the stay 7 nights for the price of 4 back in 2003. That was a good deal.

 

[eeyoregon]

We ate $1900 worth of food so, based on that, we saved $1650. Gotta love Free Dining and going back for more 9/21!!

This will be our 1st FREE dining trip and I am going to save every receipt and add it up in the end. My friend and her teenage daughter went last year during the promo and just with the receipts that she thought to save, they ate $850 worth of food in 7 days!!

I am taking my two teenage sons and am thrilled about this offer because as a single mom we have NEVER been able to eat table service during out trips to the World so it will be like a whole new experience. I have ADR's coming out my eyeballs We already have park tickets (purchased the 1 day MYW's as required) and got $82 a night for the room so how can you go wrong?? Bring on the food!

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't think most people who visit disney qualify for significant discounts on their rooms. AAA, sure but beyond that.... Free dining is free. It's a promotion. You pay rack rates on the rooms but at values and moderates that's not out of line with other tourist areas for hotel rooms- heck, I pay $100/night for a motel room in St. Louis near Six Flags in the summer...I'd much prefer to pay that as the rack rate at Pop Century!

People who qualify for significant discounts on rooms are FL residents or AP holders or frequent visitors. People who go to disney once every year or two, live 1000 miles or more away, are visiting for 7 days or less, dont' qualify for those discounts. Free dining is a great deal- especially if you are staying at a value or a moderate. I guess it can become questionable at a deluxe with fewer than 4 adults depending on if you are able to secure a room discount (even with just a AAA). Do the math but saving $100/night or more on food for a family of 2A/2C isn't something to sneeze at no matter how you look at it. You gotta eat at Disney!

I didn't say most people who visit Disney, I said most DISers...there's a difference. The normal, run of the mill WDW visitor doesn't even realize there are ways to save money on their rooms. But, like I said...there are going to be cases where free dining does save people money. But, I also think they are going to have to change their plans..perhaps move from the Polynesian to POP or such. If you go to WDW, get free dining, then usually, and I say usually, you will either spend longer in WDW or you will say...'what the heck..I've save 'x dollars' with free dining, we can afford to buy that terrific souvenier.' Disney is getting your money, one way or another.
But...if you are able to downsize your resort...go from the GF(where you got a good rate with a code/AP, whatever) to POP(rack rates), get free dining, and not buy a ton of stuff, then sure, you're going to save some money.

 

[rentayenta]

I was sent a PIN and the difference between using the PIN for a package discount or "free" dining was substantial for the same resort and tickets. So, dining might not be "free" but it is well worth it for my family of 5.