Is free dining worth it if you have to pay rack rate for room?

[mommykds]

We received the FD pin in the mail last weekend. We did not have a trip booked at the time.

For our family of 5 (2 A, & 3 kids who are Disney adults) the free dining is a better savings than a room discount. We booked POR & paying rack is less than what we allocated for food, alot less. It does depend on your family & which level of resort you choose. If we had gone with deluxe then the % off the room would have been better, but of course more expensive overall.

 

[mickeystoontown]

While I didn't get the free dining pin, I did book when the free dining promotion was open to the public. Had we booked without free dining (or any other sort of discount), our trip would have cost $4,186.72. With free dining, our trip cost only $2,715.04! That's a savings of almost $1,500.00 which is a huge chunk of change in my book.

My mother who is going with us and wanted a room of her own also booked under free dining but the savings to her isn't as substantial as to my family. If she were to cancel and book under the Late Spring/Early Summer travel promo out now, she would save an additional $30 something but she said it's not worth it to change her existing reservation.

 

[Amy&Dan]

While I didn't get the free dining pin, I did book when the free dining promotion was open to the public. Had we booked without free dining (or any other sort of discount), our trip would have cost $4,186.72. With free dining, our trip cost only $2,715.04! That's a savings of almost $1,500.00 which is a huge chunk of change in my book.

My mother who is going with us and wanted a room of her own also booked under free dining but the savings to her isn't as substantial as to my family. If she were to cancel and book under the Late Spring/Early Summer travel promo out now, she would save an additional $30 something but she said it's not worth it to change her existing reservation.

Lisa, that is a great deal and similar to what we got for fd for our June trip(but its the cs but I am not complaining). And yippee that your mom is going for this trip!

For values and mods, if you have three or more people, its almost always going to be your best deal. If you are two people esp if one of them is a child, a room discount is your better deal.

Basically you have to take the cost of the dining plan for each person times the number of nights and compare it to the amount your room discount gives you.

OP: I hope you get the pin or they offer a general offer for you, with your group I think you'd come out very nicely.

Good luck!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Lisa, that is a great deal and similar to what we got for fd for our June trip(but its the cs but I am not complaining). And yippee that your mom is going for this trip!

For values and mods, if you have three or more people, its almost always going to be your best deal. If you are two people esp if one of them is a child, a room discount is your better deal.

Basically you have to take the cost of the dining plan for each person times the number of nights and compare it to the amount your room discount gives you.

OP: I hope you get the pin or they offer a general offer for you, with your group I think you'd come out very nicely.

Good luck!

I was super excited when they offered free dining for our travel dates. I've never ever had a promotion that saved us so much money.

Even though Mama would save more money with the current promotion, the difference in the cost wasn't enough to warrant a modification.

We are arriving a couple of days before free dining and have booked a room at Port Orleans Riverside using the Late Spring/Early Summer promotion. The price without the discount would have been $394. The price with the promotion (and which I booked under) is $295. We'll use the savings to buy our quick service meals for those first two days.

 

[ccgirl]

Just wondering.........I've been wishing and hoping for a FD pin and have not received it. I got to thinking more about it and was wondering if I am just getting caught up in the thrill of the chase for an FD pin.

We will be at WDW Easter week: 4/23 - 4/27. Rack rate for Pop Century for 3 adults and 1 16 yr. old is $164/night! I'm sorry....I love the Disney resorts and all....but that is ridiculous!

If I were to get a pin....Do you think it is even worth it to stay on site for free dining? What do you think?

You have to do the math. Usually in a value resort, the "free" dining is always a better deal. The QSDP is $34.99 per night per adult if you pay cash for it. For the 3 of you that would be over $100 a night. Even with 40% off the room would be approx $100 a night and 40% off at a value is hard to come by. That would "save" you approx. $64 a day. Could the three of you eat two counter service meals (with desserts), and 2 snacks a day for under $64? Don't forget, you also each get the refillable mug ($13 each). 25% is the usualy discount on values. Using that number you would have to eat all of that for $41 a day to make the room discount more valuable.

 

[BigDaddyWill]

Talked to our TA today and we can save a bunch but we have to give up a preferred room at POP for a standard...just know that there are some limitations to these offers.

Will

 

[Octoberbabiesrus]

I got a flyer today with lady and tramp on it. TECHNICALLY... it was for my father in law whom I paid for to go to Disney in 09 with us. But its the same last name and sent to my addy, so....


I called to ask what the difference in price would be. I had the kids stay n play free deal, but opted to use the pin. I upgraded to the plus so it would be like what I already have.

The difference? 12 bucks in my favor.

 

[pigletto]

For me this time it wasn't worth it. A few things made this decison for me. We had always always booked at a mod with free dining and it was a substantial savings.
However, we're using the current public discount for 35% off our room at a mod. We also signed up for a Disney educational program and saved over 700 on the tickets we wanted

So.. 850 for the tickets
and 1183 for the room for 8 nights was 2033.

The same with free dining would have been 3203.

That's 1200 for food for 8 days. We eat breakfast in the room every morning anyway (cereal and the like). With the way we eat we will come out quite a bit ahead eating out of pocket.
So this time free dining just didn't make sense for us.

 

[ccgirl]

Talked to our TA today and we can save a bunch but we have to give up a preferred room at POP for a standard...just know that there are some limitations to these offers.

Will

It's not that there's limitations. There are only so many rooms set aside for the discount. It is likely that all of the preferred rooms at POP that were set aside for this have already been taken.

 

[bjscheel]

I've told myself it's okay that I didn't get a FD pin. We save about $320 with our room discount. Yes, QSDP for our family would cost more than that. However, we are eating breakfast in the room and want 3 TS meals. That leaves us 8 CS meals if we eat three meals a day. That won't cost drastically more than my $320 savings. If we got free QSDP, I would feel like I should cancel my TS reservations so that I can fully utilize the free meals. If I upgraded to DDP, I would have to have 6 TS and I don't want that many. So I am cheering myself with the freedom we will have to configure our meals the way we want- sharing, CS kids meals for DD12 if she wants, adult meals for DD9 if she wants, not having dessert with every meal...

I plan on buying Disney gift cards to pay for our meals, so we still have the convenience of just handing over a card. However, I am considering waiting till the current promos expire 3/27 in case public free dining is next. Then I will make my final decision!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Personally I think Free Dining is a better deal at the Value or Moderate Resorts if you had to pay the rack rate for your room. However I don't think Free Dining is a good deal for the Deluxe Resorts because their rack rates are a lot more per night with Free Dining, especially at the Monorail Resorts or Epcot Resorts.

 

[ccgirl]

I've told myself it's okay that I didn't get a FD pin. We save about $320 with our room discount. Yes, QSDP for our family would cost more than that. However, we are eating breakfast in the room and want 3 TS meals. That leaves us 8 CS meals if we eat three meals a day. That won't cost drastically more than my $320 savings. If we got free QSDP, I would feel like I should cancel my TS reservations so that I can fully utilize the free meals. If I upgraded to DDP, I would have to have 6 TS and I don't want that many. So I am cheering myself with the freedom we will have to configure our meals the way we want- sharing, CS kids meals for DD12 if she wants, adult meals for DD9 if she wants, not having dessert with every meal...

I plan on buying Disney gift cards to pay for our meals, so we still have the convenience of just handing over a card. However, I am considering waiting till the current promos expire 3/27 in case public free dining is next. Then I will make my final decision!

Sound slike a great plan!

 

[mousiemom]

for us free dining is the best deal. we received the pin in the mail last week and i have it on my refrigerator cause we need one for oct or dec. my neighbors who also go to disney every yr received one via email and reg mail too. we've been for the past 4 decembers with free dining. these were all public offers.

 

[woody5]

I got the FD PIN that included the dining plan at the moderates. The rack rate for the room is $190. We are a family of four adults (by Disney anyway). The cost of the DDP would be just under $200 per day in July. That is an awesome deal for us. We have paid for the dining plan many times and enjoy having it. There is more than enough food for the entire trip. The only out of pocket we have is on extra water throughout the week.

 

[texasteacher35]

You save the most using the FD versus a room discount ONLY if you stay moderate or value. I am sure others already stated this...but I have run the numbers a hundred times...(I'm a math teacher) LOL and if you want to stay Deluxe, you are better of to have the room discount...because it is usually a larger percentage, aka 30-45% off rack rate, versus the price of buying the dining plan...When we got free dining in 2009, we stayed at CBR because it was the best deal for us...last year 2010, both trips, we payed fro dining because my AP room rate was atleast 40-40% off the deluxe room rates at both YC and CR Tower...so that was more of a substantial savings! HTH

 

[MarthaJr.]

Keep checking my mailbox, email and calling everyday....and still no PIN!

We have 3 options:
Option #1: If I get the PIN we will stay at POP for 5 nights (165/night)
Purchase 1 day ticket with WP add on for each
Kids will go to US to do the WWHP one day while DH and I
lounge and monorail resort hop
Then we're off to St. Pete Beach for 3 nights.

Option #2: If no PIN... Stay at Hilton DTD ($89/night) for 1 night to get extra
magic hours
Purchase 1 day Tix for WDW with WP add-on
Kids go to US 1 day to see WWHP while DH and I
lounge and monorail resort hop.
Stay at the Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista for 3 nights
($40/night) plus food costs and then onto St. Pete
Beach for 4 nights.

Option #3: If no PIN...Stay at Clarion 4 nights ($40/night)
Purchase tix for 1 day at TL
Kids go to US to see WWHP while DH and I resort hop
Off to St. Pete Beach for 4 nights.

At this point I think it will be a great vacation, although option #3 will probably be less expensive overall.

 

[t1c2u]

I had the dinning plan at Pop last summer, and yes it is defiantly worth it! We had the one sit down, one snack and won QS. We had more food than we needed! We saved our snacks for breakfast (muffin) and then we always saved deserts from QS for a afternoon snack!

 

[Q-man]

Depends on property, level of dining plan, number of people in your party, and time of year.

We stayed at the GF last October- 6 nights including Columbus wkd, park view, 3 adults(DD is 12) and 1 kid. The 40% off room and deluxe dining out of our pocket was ~$300 dollars better than full rate room with free dining.

Crunch the numbers and see which is better for your situation.

 

[Rustyroo]

MarthaJr - I keep calling for pin too and we don't have one yet either. We are going in October.

It must be a Wisconsin thing We live in Oconomowoc.

 

[MarthaJr.]

MarthaJr - I keep calling for pin too and we don't have one yet either. We are going in October.

It must be a Wisconsin thing We live in Oconomowoc.

Rustyroo---I think they know us Wisconsinites will pay anything to get out of the cold and gray to enjoy some warmth and sunshine!