Need help deciding on free dining

[RLGNC]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips in response to my question posted earlier about how to budget for meals. VERY helpful. Now on to how to use this info to decide if FD is the best way to go. We are currently booked at POR 8/4-8/10. It looks like I can change reservation to POR with FD for 8/14-8/20 for about $1000 more. When I used distripplanner (great tip, BTW) to figure meal costs, it came to about $977 (and this didn't include money we would spend to buy breakfast foods for room). So, am I thinking about this right that it would be about the same cost to go for FD? (Possibly less if I budgeted OOP costs too conservatively.) Benefit would be that with the DP we would get more TS meals (when I budgeted for OOP, I only did 2 TS meals, and the rest QS). Also, the POR room with FD would be a royal room, standard view (currently booked for regular room, garden view). Last thing, the biggest drawback if we change is the timing, as our current dates include my daughter's birthday and also the new dates would be the week right before school starts which could be hectic when we return.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Becky

 

[BigAlsGal]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips in response to my question posted earlier about how to budget for meals. VERY helpful. Now on to how to use this info to decide if FD is the best way to go. We are currently booked at POR 8/4-8/10. It looks like I can change reservation to POR with FD for 8/14-8/20 for about $1000 more. When I used distripplanner (great tip, BTW) to figure meal costs, it came to about $977 (and this didn't include money we would spend to buy breakfast foods for room). So, am I thinking about this right that it would be about the same cost to go for FD? (Possibly less if I budgeted OOP costs too conservatively.) Benefit would be that with the DP we would get more TS meals (when I budgeted for OOP, I only did 2 TS meals, and the rest QS). Also, the POR room with FD would be a royal room, standard view (currently booked for regular room, garden view). Last thing, the biggest drawback if we change is the timing, as our current dates include my daughter's birthday and also the new dates would be the week right before school starts which could be hectic when we return.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Becky

Remember more TS more tips you pay out. Plus I think being there during DD birthday would be awesome.

Royal rooms are nice. Not nice enough to change plans though. The headboard lights were a big disappointment for us. They only stay on like 15 seconds. You have to keep hitting the button. Lol

 

[Shanti]

I recommend keeping your plans, since the change would not save you money, would take away from the celebration of your daughter's birthday, and be more hectic due to school starting (it's already a downer to leave Disney- you don't want to magnify that with..."and we go back to school in 2 days...")

Free dining is often overrated. It's only a significant moneysaver in certain cases, and it doesn't look like it would be one in yours. Just because it's available, doesn't mean you should ditch solid plans to get it.

 

[DisMommyTX]

Book now, decide later! POR rooms sell out quickly. If you see your dates available, you need to book them immediately then cancel whichever you don't want after you decide for sure!

A few thoughts...

I loved the Royal room with my DD last month, so that would be a big plus for us.
Would your daughter rather spend her actual birthday with her family and friends at home? This might be a deciding factor, but it also might mean an additional expense for birthDAY plans.
Will your kids miss open house or meet the teacher type stuff the week before school starts?
Crowds will be lower the second week as more people will be in school, but this will be offset by the influx of people for free dining.
Restaurants will be much harder to book the week of free dining. As you are already inside the 180 day mark, I would check now to see if any of the meals you would want to book are still available for the 14-20.
Weather won't be any different. Stifling hot either week.

I love the idea of free dining, but we don't actually eat that much. Are the additional table-service meals things you actually want to do?
If the 'free dining' allows you to do additional experiences that you wanted to try but didn't because of cost, then go for it!
Your first plan allows you to grab a quick meal whenever you are hungry and get back to rides. Do you actually want to spend 2 hours a day at table-service meals scheduled months in advance, or would you prefer the spontaneity of your original plan?

 

[DWillowBay]

FD is not nearly as beneficial to us as is a good room discount. We aren't big eaters, but love certain TS experiences. I'd rather save big on a room and put the money toward a nice TS. To each his own. Sometimes having a dining plan (free or not) is worth the convenience of having it loaded on your magic band and not having to pull out a card each time. Things to think about.

 

[Indio]

We do our own dining plan. Keep your room discount and save up your meal money and put it on a Disney gift card before you leave. Then use that for all your dining. It will be prepaid same as DP/Free Dining and it will include tips. We usually budget $15 per person per day for counter service and $25 per person for each table service we want. We're not big eaters either and we don't usually go for steaks - my bunch are rib people! Sometimes we share meals also. Also, we tend to drink water at table service meals so we can use more of our budget for food. We've tried to justify the cost for the DP, but I haven't come up with a way for it to save us any money.

 

[snayak]

As others have mentioned - we don't eat nearly enough to make Free Dining worth it.

I'd keep the room only discount, budget $1000 for dining and see how it shakes out.

Worst case you spend $1000 and end up exactly where FD puts you, best case you spend less and have more money for souvenirs!

 

[mm1971]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips in response to my question posted earlier about how to budget for meals. VERY helpful. Now on to how to use this info to decide if FD is the best way to go. We are currently booked at POR 8/4-8/10. It looks like I can change reservation to POR with FD for 8/14-8/20 for about $1000 more. When I used distripplanner (great tip, BTW) to figure meal costs, it came to about $977 (and this didn't include money we would spend to buy breakfast foods for room). So, am I thinking about this right that it would be about the same cost to go for FD? (Possibly less if I budgeted OOP costs too conservatively.) Benefit would be that with the DP we would get more TS meals (when I budgeted for OOP, I only did 2 TS meals, and the rest QS). Also, the POR room with FD would be a royal room, standard view (currently booked for regular room, garden view). Last thing, the biggest drawback if we change is the timing, as our current dates include my daughter's birthday and also the new dates would be the week right before school starts which could be hectic when we return.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Becky

I would say that if the costs are similar and the savings minimal, there is no reason to change. It will be busy crowd wise on either of your dates. As one other poster said, you need to factor in the tips on those additional TS meals, probably another $100 or so based on what it costs for a TS meal. If the costs are really that close, I would go on your daughters birthday since that would mean more to her (I have taken 2 Daughter/Dad trips with my daughter and they were awesome). You may want to recalculate the meals costs with tips vs. the OOP. If teh DP is a significant savings, then I would switch (Can still get that birthday button). If not, I would keep the original plans.

We have done the week before school starts the last couple of years and I wouldn't let that be a significant factor. It's really easy to prepare for school before you leave on vacation and reduce any stress. Plus it gives you a vacation before the long school year.

 

[mousefan73]

I would book both ( only need a 200 deposit for FD) and maybe keep checking if FD with a garden opens up.. Here you will save a lot more.. RR vs garden for a week is 100s more.

We stayed once RR pool view and loved it.. but picked many due to guarentee of location. The room is cute. Now we love Bayou section.


This give you time to think and look for a cheaper room rate. Unless you want RR.


How old is your daughter?? Princess age still? With FD you get more TS and here you can splurge on CRT, akerhaus, chef mickeys etc.... OOP these cost at least 42 per adult for dinner. One issue would be getting ADRs at this point.

regardless if you are still thinking about it.. MAKE ADRS anyways for both trips... But cancel once you know.

Maybe it comes down to being able to get a cheaper room for FD ( saving money) and opening up more TS.. you only had 2 planned.. With FD you can go crazy and do all the character meals etc.. without killing your wallet.. ( for us the FD is a saving)

 

[RLGNC]

Thank you all so much. You guys are awesome! Leaning towards keeping current plan since I am happy with those and benefits of FD are not certain in our case.

Thanks again!

Becky

 

[Wood Nymph]

Thank you all so much. You guys are awesome! Leaning towards keeping current plan since I am happy with those and benefits of FD are not certain in our case.

Thanks again!

Becky

I was going to suggest that you keep your current reservation, too. You don't want to mess up anyone's birthday.

 

[pepperandchips]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips in response to my question posted earlier about how to budget for meals. VERY helpful. Now on to how to use this info to decide if FD is the best way to go. We are currently booked at POR 8/4-8/10. It looks like I can change reservation to POR with FD for 8/14-8/20 for about $1000 more. When I used distripplanner (great tip, BTW) to figure meal costs, it came to about $977 (and this didn't include money we would spend to buy breakfast foods for room). So, am I thinking about this right that it would be about the same cost to go for FD? (Possibly less if I budgeted OOP costs too conservatively.) Benefit would be that with the DP we would get more TS meals (when I budgeted for OOP, I only did 2 TS meals, and the rest QS). Also, the POR room with FD would be a royal room, standard view (currently booked for regular room, garden view). Last thing, the biggest drawback if we change is the timing, as our current dates include my daughter's birthday and also the new dates would be the week right before school starts which could be hectic when we return.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

Becky

The only thing I have to add that was not addressed above is that if you are already even slightly stressed about budget, the dining plan gives you a little breathing room while you are actually ON your trip. Yes, you can put the money on a Disney gift card (I have done something similar where I put the money in a specific checking account and only used that debit card for Disney dining) but the dining plan truly gives you the freedom to order what you like and not look at the prices. You may want to do the gift card thing anyway for tips.

It's a good feeling making Disney "all inclusive". You just have to decide if that "good feeling" is worth the cost. For me in a very similar situation to you, I will say yes, it is worth it for my peace of mind while on the trip to enjoy "free" (I know it's not) dining. Even if I have to rub my nickels together beforehand!

Whether you go on your daughter's birthday or after, I hope you have fun celebrating!!

 

[maltdizzy]

There seems to be little upside to changing. Your DD wouldn't get a birthday at WDW, and most of the "free dining" savings is gone from the $1K upcharge. You might be able to squeeze $300 in savings out of the free dining if you book some big ticket dinners...it doesn't seem it's worth the hassle.