Is FREE Dining, Really FREE?

[Alexander]

This has been discussed on the DVC boards several times as most of us don't pay cash for our rooms; how would it ever be worthwhile for a member to pay cash and get free dining....In the long run, it is primarily only "free" if you are staying at a value or moderate resort. Those resorts do not always see the large discounted room rates that the deluxes sometimes have. Therefore, paying rack rate and getting the dining plan for "free" is a pretty good deal. However, as the OP pointed out paying rack rates for the deluxe resorts instead of the promotional rates, it usually doesn't work out as well.

 

[Alexander]

Now...the rub for me is that the free dining is only in August/September....frankly a totally miserable time to be in Florida's dripping heat. And let's not forget about the crowds too.....read the boards a while and you'll realize that getting an ADR for even the unpopular restaurants is about as easy as winning the Lottery. And let's not forget that all those ADRs which equal capacity filled restaurants also mean very long lines for the rides and shows and just standing around.

The ones I really feel sorry for though, are the ones going during free dining but NOT getting free dining. Maybe they didn't know about the promotion, or they didn't get in on it before it ended....or the free dining rooms were all sold out.....whatever reason, they're going to have endure all the negatives of free dining season and still pay for their meals.

The timing isn't an accident on the part of Disney! The end of August and beginning of September are historically slow times. Therefore, in order to get attendance back up, they began the free dining plan during these times. Obviously it worked because they have repeated the program.

DS and I were in WDW at the beginning of Sept. after a cruise last year. We did not have free dining because we stayed at the BCV. We did pay for the dining plan, but it was very frustrating because there weren't any ADRs anywhere between the Epcot resorts, Epcot Park or MGM. I have to totally agree that the free dining plan is a pain in the rear for those who do pay for it and can't get a table anywhere! It puts a lot of people in the table service restaurants that normally probably wouldn't pay out of pocket for them. Absolutely no disrespect intended, but I know when we stayed at the value resorts on cash, we infrequently ate at restaurants in which one meal equaled or surpassed the cost of staying one night in the hotel!

 

[disneyin2008]

I have chosen this route. I have a DVC room, a DDE card, and an AP. I do NOT need free dining.

I'm eating at signature restaurants and those that don't take the dining plan.

Yeah, I guess the few places that don't take the dining plan will probably be easy to get into....but the signature restaurants I would think would be the ones that people with free dining would try to book first.....there are a lot of threads about "maximizing your dining plan" by eating at the most expensive places and eating the most expensive menu item.....so when it's free dining I would imagine that practice continues, maybe with a little more gusto even, lol.

I've been doing the math and for us, since we don't tend to eat desserts, nor do we typically choose steaks instead going for something that sets a restaurant apart from others, I'm finding that the AP/DDE route will come out cheaper over the course of our stay than buying the dining plan. There will be a few meals that we'll pay more for than the daily rate of the plan, but there are more days that we'll be paying a lot less than the plan. I'm kinda looking forward to returning from our trip and seeing how accurately we chose what we might want to eat. We also tend to not eat a lot when we're busy....so I'm hoping that will continue on vacation. I have one kid that would forget to eat for days if we didn't have family meals to tie her down, lol. So we're likely to share many CS meals during the day which of course will also be a savings.

 

[disneyin2008]

The timing isn't an accident on the part of Disney! The end of August and beginning of September are historically slow times. Therefore, in order to get attendance back up, they began the free dining plan during these times. Obviously it worked because they have repeated the program.

Yeah, I figured they had a reason for it. Soooo, how come they don't offer the free dining in January when it's supposedly the slowest time of the year. THAT I would go for in a heartbeat!

 

[TDC Nala]

Yeah, I guess the few places that don't take the dining plan will probably be easy to get into....but the signature restaurants I would think would be the ones that people with free dining would try to book first.....there are a lot of threads about "maximizing your dining plan" by eating at the most expensive places and eating the most expensive menu item.....so when it's free dining I would imagine that practice continues, maybe with a little more gusto even, lol.

I wouldn't think so because the signature restaurants are two credits. Those who want to maximize the free dining are going to stick to one-credit restaurants and order expensive items off those menus rather than paying extra for some meals so they can double up credits for signatures.

The ones who will book the signatures are the ones who paid a bit extra to upgrade to deluxe dining.

I have an ADR for the signature restaurant I want, so I'm not worried.

I think the biggest reason for offering free dining in September was hurricane season. The first year for free dining was 2005. In 2004, three hurricanes hit WDW and people were afraid to visit during peak hurricane season. Now, not only will they chance it for free food, they'll pay rack rate for the rooms. And the subsequent hurricane seasons haven't affected WDW much.

 

[webray]

LOL, you are right.
Free dining isn't really free.

 

[gshumaker]

Nothing is truely free but this site will tell you which is the better deal for you depending on the % discount at each level of resort vice FREE DDP.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/2008FDDPConpare.htm

The bottom line is FREE DDP makes more sense at Values vice Deluxe if you do the math.

 

[WDisnut]

DDP is free during late Aug-sept. but with tip not included I'd say its not free anymore..... and your paying a rack room rate.

 

[Lovin Mickey]

I don't think anyone mentioned this yet. We are booked Sept. 20-27 at AKL. We used AAA so got 20% off then also got "free dining". I think that is a pretty good deal as we got a room discount and "free dining".
.

 

[mbanks21]

I don't think anyone mentioned this yet. We are booked Sept. 20-27 at AKL. We used AAA so got 20% off then also got "free dining". I think that is a pretty good deal as we got a room discount and "free dining".
.

No you didnt. You cant get free dining with any kind of room discount. You got a AAA package with the parking pass and other AAA perks but no discount on the room

 

[mbanks21]

and Im sorry but if anyone says free dining isnt free because you have to pay tips is an idiot. 1- you dont HAVE to tip. 2- even if you dont have the DDP you still are supposed to tip. It has nothing to do with DDP

 

[LisaInNc]

This will be our third year going during free dining. The first year it was a budget hotel with 4 people the dining was indeed free. The following year it was a moderate wit 2 people, I did not use the free dining because it was going to cost me more.

This year we are 5 people at a moderate and it is definately saving us money.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Since the DDP is only "free" with no other discounts, I think where you stay, and what other discounts are available have a big factor on the value of the "free" DDP.

Since I always stay at the value resorts, and I spend a lot of money on TS meals, the discounted deluxe DDP is a great deal for me. If I satyed at a more expensive resort, like the GF, and got an AP discount, the DDP deal probably wouldn't be as good.

It also probably depends on how many people are in the room too. I travel solo, so with the deal on the DDP I'm saving $40 or so from the regular cost of the plan, but on the resort I would only save $12 a night, (I think that's what the room discount was last year.) If I had stayed at the GF and say gotten $100 discount a night that would've been a better deal then the dining plan. But if the room was filled to max occupancy with four adults, for a dining plan savings of $160, and the room discount, (still at the GF,) wouldn't of been a good value then, since more people means more food. I hope that makes sense.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

and Im sorry but if anyone says free dining isnt free because you have to pay tips is an idiot. 1- you dont HAVE to tip. 2- even if you dont have the DDP you still are supposed to tip. It has nothing to do with DDP

That is correct, you don't "have" to tip. I would never not tip, and I will still be giving 20% or so, (unless the service is horrible,) even without it being included on the plan. But no one can force you to leave a tip, unless you're a party of six or more, or it's included in the price, or is automatically added on, like with the DDE.

 

[mbanks21]

That is correct, you don't "have" to tip. I would never not tip, and I will still be giving 20% or so, (unless the service is horrible,) even without it being included on the plan. But no one can force you to leave a tip, unless you're a party of six or more, or it's included in the price, or is automatically added on, like with the DDE.

exactly. and even if youre NOT on the ddp with a party of 6+ they still add the tip for you

 

[Rylee]

YES, it is really FREE! Free dining means exactly that... you can have the basic Dining Plan for no cost.

However, the money saved by using the Free Dining offer will vary depending on the number of people in your party...

Example -
2 adults = approx. $80 per night.
2 adults, 2 children (ages 3-9) = approx. $100 per night.
2 adults, 1 child (over 10) and 1 child (age 3-9) = approx. $130 per night.

So, the free dining offer savings will vary per family.
Room discounts are a fixed savings, depending on resort and room choice and time of travel.

Since you are only allowed to apply one (1) discount, factors to consider...

number of people in your party
resort and room choice
availability of other discounts and money saved
how your family likes to or would normally dine while at WDW.

A 40% discount off a deluxe resort may be a greater savings for some families.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The ones who will book the signatures are the ones who paid a bit extra to upgrade to deluxe dining.

I agree with this, when I went last time with the basic DDP, I used most of my credits on one TS meals, so I could have one TS meal a day. This time I have the deluxe plan, and I am eating at all the signature restaurants.

 

[lisaanddenny]

I guess it all depends........are your dates flexible? Do you have a code? If your plans are set on going in the timeframe of the free dining......yeap its free............especially for families.....if your solo, a code might be your way to go, but a family of 4, not including infants, it is quite free. We used free dining in 05 and 07, 16 of us whet the first time and 14 of us went the second time......we would normally not of ate where we ate with the free dining, i.e. lobster tails, filet mignon, all the character meals and etc..........Capt Jack's bill was $400 and included the tip, so yes it is free, that was just one meal! Tony's Town Square was $400, that was our second dinner, Coral Reef was $400+, that was only meal #3, The Hoopdee Doo was not cheap, that came out to be $300+ for 6 of us, Donald's Breakfast at AK was $300+, this doesn't even include our other meal for the day or our snacks...............this year the tip is not included, I tip 10% for buffets and 15% for sitdowns, ALL DEPENDING ON GOOD SERVICE.....................I never feel obligated to tip if someone is downright ignorant or never found...........and yes, I was a waitress on several occasions............so I do know what it takes........

 

[Disney_Angel]

Nothing is truely free but this site will tell you which is the better deal for you depending on the % discount at each level of resort vice FREE DDP.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/2008FDDPConpare.htm

The bottom line is FREE DDP makes more sense at Values vice Deluxe if you do the math.

Thanx! We are considering the Poly for next trip. We fell in love with it when visiting last September for the Luau and
Lilo and Stitche's Ohana's best friends beakfast.

 

[Aliceacc]

Free dining is free. You don't pay for it.

Whether or not it's a bargain depends on what you're comparing it to. For our six night say at the Poly during value season, with a 40% off PIN, it would have saved us a total of $6. (rack rate on the rooms vs 40% off.) To be honest, I just checked it out of curiosity; we're all back in school for the start of free dining so it wouldn't apply to us either way.

Somewhere here there's a chart comparing PIN/AAA discounts with free dining. Free dining is almost always a better deal, particularly if you're staying at a Value or Moderate resort, but you need to do the math.