No regrets

[4luv2cdisney]

Free dining came out today. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of "jealousy" that I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the offer this year (as it was the usual deal we took advantage of for our trips.)

I couldn't fight the urge to price out "my trips" based on previous travel habits.

For fun, I compared my imaginary trips to my DVC trip that I actually have booked.
(Using the price per point based on initial purchase + MFs, 1/2 of our AP costs, and the QSDP OOP)

POR - Not available for FD, but IF it was, it would be over $1K more than my DVC trip.

POP - About $100 more than my DVC trip.

and if I was actually to pay cash for my DVC trip (not that I would)

BWV - About $4200 more, OR
About $3600 more when adjusted for the change in dining plan.
(I would never pay for either of these options!)

So, we'll get to stay at BWV for less than the price of POP. In reality, we will probably not pay for the DP but I used it for comparison purposes. We could be super cheap and save more $ or more likely mix in some table service and spend a little more (but eat better).

PS - I bought DIRECT.

YMMV.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Only "problem" I see as well as others is that buying into DVC and it doesn't matter if its direct or resale is that in the long term we dont save money we actually spend more money. We go to disney more often than we perhaps else would. Not that its a problem well maybe a "luxury problem" but most owners go more often and then whatever saving you thought you had compared to renting directly with disney is gone.

On the positive side you have gotten a lot more trips with DVC in nicer rooms compared to renting.

On another note we have done the deluxe Plan and its been way too much food for us. I dont think the value of the other plans are quite as good as the deluxe.

Now we do the deluxe for the first day only(split stay) and then we have the mugs for LOT.

If you go often enough you could buy the TIW card that will give you some savings also on alcohol.

 

[tinks624]

Only "problem" I see as well as others is that buying into DVC and it doesn't matter if its direct or resale is that in the long term we dont save money we actually spend more money. We go to disney more often than we perhaps else would. Not that its a problem well maybe a "luxury problem" but most owners go more often and then whatever saving you thought you had compared to renting directly with disney is gone.

On the positive side you have gotten a lot more trips with DVC in nicer rooms compared to renting.

On another note we have done the deluxe Plan and its been way too much food for us. I dont think the value of the other plans are quite as good as the deluxe.

Now we do the deluxe for the first day only(split stay) and then we have the mugs for LOT.

If you go often enough you could buy the TIW card that will give you some savings also on alcohol.

Wow! That is smart! I never thought of buying DDP for one day for the mugs and a nice dinner ! Love it!

 

[Cyberc1978]

Wow! That is smart! I never thought of buying DDP for one day for the mugs and a nice dinner ! Love it!

Yes but have in mind you have to do a split stay to get it for 1 day only.

 

[igrsod]

Free dining came out today. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of "jealousy" that I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the offer this year (as it was the usual deal we took advantage of for our trips.)

I couldn't fight the urge to price out "my trips" based on previous travel habits.

For fun, I compared my imaginary trips to my DVC trip that I actually have booked.
(Using the price per point based on initial purchase + MFs, 1/2 of our AP costs, and the QSDP OOP)

POR - Not available for FD, but IF it was, it would be over $1K more than my DVC trip.

POP - About $100 more than my DVC trip.

and if I was actually to pay cash for my DVC trip (not that I would)

BWV - About $4200 more, OR
About $3600 more when adjusted for the change in dining plan.
(I would never pay for either of these options!)

So, we'll get to stay at BWV for less than the price of POP. In reality, we will probably not pay for the DP but I used it for comparison purposes. We could be super cheap and save more $ or more likely mix in some table service and spend a little more (but eat better).

PS - I bought DIRECT.

YMMV.

I did the exact same exercise and smiled when I saw how much more we are saving over free dining using our DVC points and paying OOP for food. No regrets at all.... wish we had done it sooner.

 

[Marionnette]

Free dining came out today. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of "jealousy" that I wouldn't be able to take advantage of the offer this year (as it was the usual deal we took advantage of for our trips.)

I couldn't fight the urge to price out "my trips" based on previous travel habits.

For fun, I compared my imaginary trips to my DVC trip that I actually have booked.
(Using the price per point based on initial purchase + MFs, 1/2 of our AP costs, and the QSDP OOP)

POR - Not available for FD, but IF it was, it would be over $1K more than my DVC trip.

POP - About $100 more than my DVC trip.

and if I was actually to pay cash for my DVC trip (not that I would)

BWV - About $4200 more, OR
About $3600 more when adjusted for the change in dining plan.
(I would never pay for either of these options!)

So, we'll get to stay at BWV for less than the price of POP. In reality, we will probably not pay for the DP but I used it for comparison purposes. We could be super cheap and save more $ or more likely mix in some table service and spend a little more (but eat better).

PS - I bought DIRECT.

YMMV.

One of the reasons we purchased DVC was because we didn't want to deal with chasing down discounts every time we considered taking a trip. Now we deal with the 11-month booking craziness but we've never looked back longingly at the *free* dining frenzy.

I actually added the DxDP to a 2-night stay that preceded our week in a GV last year. Even with signature dining and TS breakfasts, we had to scramble to use the last of the credits. We ended up getting sandwiches and pastries at the Boardwalk Bakery to take to the GV to eat later in the week. However, the refillable mugs were nice. We're doing a similar trip this coming fall but we're staying in a THV following 2 nights at AKV. There will be 5 of us in the AKV villa but 8 of us in the THV. I have to crunch the numbers but I'm not sure that I can get it to work, even with sharing the plan between the 8 of us.

 

[igrsod]

Yes but have in mind you have to do a split stay to get it for 1 day only.

The way the bookings seem to go for us, we end up with a night or two at one resort and the rest at another... so this strategy is exactly what we are doing.... 2 days of dining plan on the first reservation and then OOP for the second longer reservation.

 

[rg35]

I'm curious about "free" dining. We know that it's not really free because Disney is not a charity. I have never priced a Disney cash trip, because i have only ever stayed on DVC points (either through my grandparents when they purchased OKW early on, or over the last several years under my own ownership), so I don't really know how these deals are priced out.

Is "free" dining built into the package price to make people think they're getting something for nothing? I priced out a room at AKV (our home resort) and park tickets (6 day park hopper) from undercovertourist and it was nearly $2200 cheaper than the dining package offer. So yeah, I know that the $2000 savings would be going towards out of pocket meals if not on the dining plan, but it's still not "free" dining based on the breakdown of tickets and a room on a-la-carte basis.

8/25-9/01

Room only 2br AKV kidani standard view: $5994.94
Park Tickets: Undercover tourist 6 day park hopper (2 adult, 3 children): ~$2,300
Total: $7628,75

Free dining package: $10,492.24

 

[4luv2cdisney]

RE: Dining Plan

I'm still crunching numbers, too.

We have our "base" 5 nights booked - 2 studios, 5 people.

However, I have 1 night at beginning and 1 night at end of reservation booked for only 1 studio. I did this because I don't have flights yet and I didn't have enough points to book all 7 nights in 2 rooms for "flexibility". If I needed to shift our dates, I'd waitlist and hope, but we ***could**** stay 5 in a studio (in an emergency) for 1 night.

I may keep the first and last night either way if we have early / late flights, just to have the room available to us without actually sleeping in it - though I still don't know how to get that to work as a 1st night option. We've done it lots of times as a last night option just so we don't have to be room-less all day with a late night flight. And now, I don't know how that would work if we got a dining plan since the occupancy would change.

Ugh.

Anyway, I have a major spreadsheet going as far as how I could stretch dining options if I decide to not go 100 percent OOP for food. 2 rooms, some on dining plan, some not, varied # of days..... my head hurts. I'm really leaning toward 100% OOP this trip and seeing how we do. That way, at least we'll know for next time what works for us. We've had dining plan more often than not, but always "free".

 

[Marionnette]

I'm curious about "free" dining. We know that it's not really free because Disney is not a charity. I have never priced a Disney cash trip, because i have only ever stayed on DVC points (either through my grandparents when they purchased OKW early on, or over the last several years under my own ownership), so I don't really know how these deals are priced out.

Is "free" dining built into the package price to make people think they're getting something for nothing? I priced out a room at AKV (our home resort) and park tickets (6 day park hopper) from undercovertourist and it was nearly $2200 cheaper than the dining package offer. So yeah, I know that the $2000 savings would be going towards out of pocket meals if not on the dining plan, but it's still not "free" dining based on the breakdown of tickets and a room on a-la-carte basis.

8/25-9/01

Room only 2br AKV kidani standard view: $5994.94
Park Tickets: Undercover tourist 6 day park hopper (2 adult, 3 children): ~$2,300
Total: $7628,75

Free dining package: $10,492.24

This year's offer is QSDP at the Value Resorts and Moderate Resorts, DDP at the Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas. It's good for all occupants for the entire length of stay. A minimum 4-day ticket with either hopping or hopping plus must be purchased for each guest and the room is at rack rate.

At the beginning, the dining plans were a pretty sweet deal because they included gratuities and an appetizer. When it was *free* and you only had to purchase a 1-day ticket to get it, I could make the numbers work in our favor. And for some people, it still works. With all of the discounts for AP holders and DVC members, the dining plans rarely come out as being any kind of money-saver for us.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I'm curious about "free" dining. We know that it's not really free because Disney is not a charity. I have never priced a Disney cash trip, because i have only ever stayed on DVC points (either through my grandparents when they purchased OKW early on, or over the last several years under my own ownership), so I don't really know how these deals are priced out.

Is "free" dining built into the package price to make people think they're getting something for nothing? I priced out a room at AKV (our home resort) and park tickets (6 day park hopper) from undercovertourist and it was nearly $2200 cheaper than the dining package offer. So yeah, I know that the $2000 savings would be going towards out of pocket meals if not on the dining plan, but it's still not "free" dining based on the breakdown of tickets and a room on a-la-carte basis.

8/25-9/01

Room only 2br AKV kidani standard view: $5994.94
Park Tickets: Undercover tourist 6 day park hopper (2 adult, 3 children): ~$2,300
Total: $7628,75

Free dining package: $10,492.24

Free dining is in lieu of any room discount they may be offering. You pay rack rate for the room, have to buy whatever minimum ticket they are requiring, and dining plan is included at no additional charge.

So, on such an expensive room (AKV 2 bed) for a relatively small party (2 A, 3 Ch) it will never be a good value. A room discount will net you a much better price.

Free dining for people like us that had 4 disney adults in a value or mod (cheap room, "large" party) is almost always the best discount you're going to find direct with Disney.

Simply put, for a family of 4 disney adults, it's a savings of $210 / night at a value or mod. or $302 / night Deluxe or Villas. Compare it to any room or ticket or dining discounts you could otherwise obtain and you have to factor in your eating habits.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

This year's offer is QSDP at the Value Resorts and Moderate Resorts, DDP at the Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Villas. It's good for all occupants for the entire length of stay. A minimum 4-day ticket with either hopping or hopping plus must be purchased for each guest and the room is at rack rate.

At the beginning, the dining plans were a pretty sweet deal because they included gratuities and an appetizer. When it was *free* and you only had to purchase a 1-day ticket to get it, I could make the numbers work in our favor. And for some people, it still works. With all of the discounts for AP holders and DVC members, the dining plans rarely come out as being any kind of money-saver for us.

Yep, the free dining "value" has gone down every trip we've taken it seems.... plus they are really limiting dates and resorts that used to be included. When they went to QS for mods is what killed it for us. We were simply getting priced out of Disney.

It's still a good deal for the "right' people, but not us anymore.

 

[tinks624]

Yes but have in mind you have to do a split stay to get it for 1 day only.

So, I plan on doing a split stay next year, if I stay at one resort 3 days I would have to purchase 3 days of ddp correct? Then the next 4 days just pay as you go. Or would I be able to purchase just one day during my 3 day stay? I feel like I’m overthinking this

 

[Debbie Jean]

So, I plan on doing a split stay next year, if I stay at one resort 3 days I would have to purchase 3 days of ddp correct? Then the next 4 days just pay as you go. Or would I be able to purchase just one day during my 3 day stay? I feel like I’m overthinking this

Always length of stay so 3 days mandatory and for everyone listed on the reservation.

 

[bumbershoot]

Only "problem" I see as well as others is that buying into DVC and it doesn't matter if its direct or resale is that in the long term we dont save money we actually spend more money. We go to disney more often than we perhaps else would.

160 points only go so far.


Stating this for anyone who doesn’t know...you can just buy the mug at your resort and it’s still good for length of stay (onsite, not just at the resort where you bought it). For those who want the mug but don’t feel buying the dining plan for x days would work, there is that option.

 

[ScubaCat]

Free dining for people like us that had 4 disney adults in a value or mod (cheap room, "large" party) is almost always the best discount you're going to find direct with Disney.

That's the only way I can see it being at all advantageous, IMHO. If you have multiple children age 10-17 who you don't mind squeezing into one room with, they get the adult dining plan included. Other than that, it's a wash at best. You're giving up often 30-35% room discounts which can be stacked with Orbitz or travelocity coupons, AND the pre-increase ticket prices from undercovertourist.com (about $40 less per 5-day PH just this year), AND locking yourself into a far more restrictive MYW package. It's a win/win for disney, especially how people just go insane over it. This year, a 4-day park hopper is the minimum ticket. Pretty soon you'll basically have to camp out in a tent in the parking lot just to get "free dining" (for an increased parking and resort fee, no doubt.)

 

[4luv2cdisney]

That's the only way I can see it being at all advantageous, IMHO. If you have multiple children age 10-17 who you don't mind squeezing into one room with, they get the adult dining plan included. Other than that, it's a wash at best. You're giving up often 30-35% room discounts which can be stacked with Orbitz or travelocity coupons, AND the pre-increase ticket prices from undercovertourist.com (about $40 less per 5-day PH just this year), AND locking yourself into a far more restrictive MYW package. It's a win/win for disney, especially how people just go insane over it. This year, a 4-day park hopper is the minimum ticket. Pretty soon you'll basically have to camp out in a tent in the parking lot just to get "free dining" (for an increased parking and resort fee, no doubt.)

I know!! It was an extremely good deal for us for awhile. Mods had reg dp, kids were "adults" but not really (didn't feel squeezed in) and you only had to buy 1-2 day base ticket and could upgrade (or not) or use for another time or transfer them to a family member....

Now, kids really are adults, one with a boyfriend coming with us, mods only get QSDP, low availability on dates and resorts.....DVC here I come!

But now I'm trying to figure out how to keep my food costs manageable. I'm used to booking wherever and ordering whatever. Now I'm studying charts of which restaurant takes which discount at which mealtime. It's like my brain needs to be reprogrammed! I've been on here all morning and am so overwhelmed. ADR booking date is fast approaching!!!

Oh, and the realization that the mugs cost $22 each now!!!! I just read (on an old thread somewhere) that you can sometimes get discounts on the mugs depending on where you buy and with what discount you try to use. But it's fuzzy at best.

It's fine... I'll probably just wing it. I used to love deal hunting. Now I'm old and tired. And I've got to save some energy to re-learn fastpasses and park plans and....everything else! lol

 

[ScubaCat]

I know!! It was an extremely good deal for us for awhile. Mods had reg dp, kids were "adults" but not really (didn't feel squeezed in) and you only had to buy 1-2 day base ticket and could upgrade (or not) or use for another time or transfer them to a family member....

Now, kids really are adults, one with a boyfriend coming with us, mods only get QSDP, low availability on dates and resorts.....DVC here I come!

But now I'm trying to figure out how to keep my food costs manageable. I'm used to booking wherever and ordering whatever. Now I'm studying charts of which restaurant takes which discount at which mealtime. It's like my brain needs to be reprogrammed! I've been on here all morning and am so overwhelmed. ADR booking date is fast approaching!!!

Oh, and the realization that the mugs cost $22 each now!!!! I just read (on an old thread somewhere) that you can sometimes get discounts on the mugs depending on where you buy and with what discount you try to use. But it's fuzzy at best.

It's fine... I'll probably just wing it. I used to love deal hunting. Now I'm old and tired. And I've got to save some energy to re-learn fastpasses and park plans and....everything else! lol

Getting even crazier, the dining plan itself used to be a lot cheaper than paying OOP for the meals. They used to advertise you could save 30% on the DDP and 40% on DxDP. The idea was to guarantee you'll eat on property. Now if you save 15% you're lucky, and that's if you don't accidentally waste a credit. There was no QSDP back in the day, either, so EVERYONE got a table service credit with free dining.

But, once again, people camped out online all night long for "free dining" so they'll continue to offer it, no matter how lousy of a deal it actually is. It's more of a psychological victory at this point than real tangible savings.

Remember, you get 10% off with your DVC card (assuming you have one and didn't buy only resale recently). I find TIW to be worth it for us as long as we get at least 2 trips out of it.

 

[DougEMG]

Back before we owned DVC, we always went with the free dining package; when it include apps and tip; staying in a moderate. When we looked at DVC we compared it to that free dining package and determined that DVC was the equivalent to always getting the free dining discount whenever we went, so no more having to chase discounts or buy more food than we really wanted to eat. So for us, I would take a DVC stay any day of the week over a free dining discount.

 

[ScubaCat]

Back before we owned DVC, we always went with the free dining package; when it include apps and tip; staying in a moderate. When we looked at DVC we compared it to that free dining package and determined that DVC was the equivalent to always getting the free dining discount whenever we went, so no more having to chase discounts or buy more food than we really wanted to eat. So for us, I would take a DVC stay any day of the week over a free dining discount.

Makes sense. (Only issue with including tips is you could end up with worse service, but that's a totally separate topic.) Also, now that we can buy the dining plan as an independent add-on to a DVC reservation, we can use the gold AP and add the dining plan if and when we want.