Nothings FREE with free dining???

I´kinda confused about the free dining.
We are gonna stay at wdw in the beginning of September.
2 adults.

I see that Animal Kingdom Lounge has this great rate @ 150$ night:thumbsup2,with pool view.
So when i book 6 night,the total cost are about 1021$ Inc,all taxes.
If i book this with 7 day magic your way tickets,the add for two persons will be little over 500,inc tax. for the tickets.

So,Question: Now my total cost are 1530$. This include :
6 nights. AKL,pool view and 7 day MYW tickets.
--------
If i book this with FREE dining, the cost will be 2190$.
(i do see that Disney change the nightly cost from 150 a night,to, 250 a night,when you book without this free dining package,but,,,,you can book the 150 a night price an any hotel web cite,for hotel only[/URL])

So,again, can someone please let me know whats so great with this free-dining,that everyones talking about.
I can´t find anything free in this, just an 700$ add,for 6 days of dining for two people.

Your room, tickets and dining plan when booked with the 'free dining' promotion are $2190.

Your room, tickets and dining plan when booked with the 40% off promotion and PAYING for dining is $2117.86.

So you actually save more money by booking the 40% off promo.

I get what the op is saying, free dining ISN'T really free. It's somewhat deceptive. What we all know, and what we're sharing with the op, is that for ANY 'deal' you have to do the math. Compare apples to apples. See which is less expensive, sometimes the 'free' deal is NOT the best one...and the op is right that this isn't 'right'.
 
Ok. Thanks.
And the rack rate in sept are 144$ & 150 at AKL with the bad view rooms. Click on the expedia link above. There you find the 144 & 150 rate.
And there are NO web site that can sell discounted Disney Hotels, so that means that it´s 144 & 150$ rack rate.

This is wrong. The rack rate is usually the highest published rate for a room. The rack rate at AKL is NOT $144/$150. As others have stated, you have to pick which promo offer you want, but you can't have both.
 
Look at it this way....

Disney is going to get their money from you (or at least most of it) one way or another.

They're either going to charge you full price for the room and give you free food or they'll give you a discount on your room but your on your own for food.

Only you know if the "free" food is less than or greater than the $100 extra you're paying for the room.
 
Your room, tickets and dining plan when booked with the 'free dining' promotion are $2190.

Your room, tickets and dining plan when booked with the 40% off promotion and PAYING for dining is $2117.86.

So you actually save more money by booking the 40% off promo.

I get what the op is saying, free dining ISN'T really free. It's somewhat deceptive. What we all know, and what we're sharing with the op, is that for ANY 'deal' you have to do the math. Compare apples to apples. See which is less expensive, sometimes the 'free' deal is NOT the best one...and the op is right that this isn't 'right'.

I don't understand the last statment that this isn't right. Why isn't it right? It's a promotion. There's nothing misleading in the name as the dining plan is included at no extra cost. Disney is also offering other promotions as well which may be better for some people (the OP for example). They don't actually have to offer any promotions at all (though if they want to fill rooms during value season and a weak economy then it's a very good idea). They're not telling people they have to choose the more expensive promotion. What's not right about it?
 


I get what the op is saying, free dining ISN'T really free.
Well, technically that's right. The 'headline' for the promotion does just day free dining. But the text - which a reasonable person would be expected to read and understand before booking this package - states "Book a Walt Disney World vacation package that includes a 5-night, 6-day stay at a Walt Disney World resort and a 6-day park ticket, and receive the Dining Plan for free! " (emphasis mine).
 
I don't understand the last statment that this isn't right. Why isn't it right? It's a promotion. There's nothing misleading in the name as the dining plan is included at no extra cost. Disney is also offering other promotions as well which may be better for some people (the OP for example). They don't actually have to offer any promotions at all (though if they want to fill rooms during value season and a weak economy then it's a very good idea). They're not telling people they have to choose the more expensive promotion. What's not right about it?

It's misleading, particularly to someone like the OP who is from another country. Many, many people I'm sure (those not on the Dis) will book the 'free' dining promo not realizing that this may be costing them MORE.

Lots of companies do this. It is what it is. But I understand and agree with the op's frustration.
 
I beg to differ - there is definitely IS such a thing as FREE DINING and it is THE BEST DEAL my family has ever gotten. However, it is not the deal that is best for each family - there is the point. I have paid $90 per night for a value room (best discount I could have gotten on that room at the time is $15 per night) - and gotten the dining for FREE saving my family of 2 adults and 2 children almost $100 per night! WOO-HOO!

Now I agree that the smaller the number of people in the room, ESPECIALLY if you want to stay in a deluxe it is usually NOT A GOOD DEAL for your family - however, it IS still free. It's just that another discount is likely going to save you more.

And you're already saving $100 per night on that room with that rate - Disney can't give everyone that AND free dining...well, I guess they could but likely not the best business decision.


The OP is right. Free should mean free in Norway and in the old USA. It is a marketing ploy that most of you have fully bought into. If it was truely free dining for resort guests, then it would be a perk like EMH. EMH does not require you to book at a higher rate. Take the deals I get for Vegas, for instance. I get a VERY discounted room, 2 for 1 show tickets, and free buffet offers for much LESS than rack rates. They don't bump the price back UP to "cover" the so-called "free" meals and show tickets. So, the OP is 100% correct. FREE dining costs you money, anyway you slice it. It might be a great deal. It might be less than you'd pay in teh parks. It might even be less than driving yourself out to Bob Evans and McD's every day, but it is not FREE. They say FREE, and it is not FREE. Just saying, no such thing as a free lunch at Diz! :hippie:
 


The concept of free with purchase is all over the place in retail. Quite frequently there are better deals if you watch your sales because when there's a buy one get on free deal the full priced item is more than the same for frequent sale price plus the free item. The onus is ALWAYS on the consumer to look at this. It's not up to the business to tell you this. It's standard marketting practices. The item is still free as long as you satisfy the other terms of the offer.

Disney isn't saying that you get the dining plan for free without you having to satisfy any terms. They're very clear about the offer. On the Special Offers page, they line up all three deals side by side. It's very clear that there are other offers available. They make it very easy to price out all 3 offers if you want to take the few minutes needed to do so. How is Disney doing anything wrong?

It is ALWAYS up to the consumer to ensure that he is getting the best deal for him. OP chose to look on a site NOT operated by Disney. Disney makes it easy when you go through them.
 
The OP is not including the price of the PAID dining plan in their figures. You need to do apples to apples. Your original quote does not include dining and as others have said you can not stack discounts. You either get room discount or free dining. For my family free dining was the better overall deal.

This is what I was going to post. The comparison is not for identical trips - OP needs to add the cost of food to the discounted room plus tix price before comparing to the free dining price.
 
The OP is right. Free should mean free in Norway and in the old USA. It is a marketing ploy that most of you have fully bought into. If it was truely free dining for resort guests, then it would be a perk like EMH. EMH does not require you to book at a higher rate. Take the deals I get for Vegas, for instance. I get a VERY discounted room, 2 for 1 show tickets, and free buffet offers for much LESS than rack rates. They don't bump the price back UP to "cover" the so-called "free" meals and show tickets. So, the OP is 100% correct. FREE dining costs you money, anyway you slice it. It might be a great deal. It might be less than you'd pay in teh parks. It might even be less than driving yourself out to Bob Evans and McD's every day, but it is not FREE. They say FREE, and it is not FREE. Just saying, no such thing as a free lunch at Diz! :hippie:

EMH isn't a free perk. EMH requires you to stay at a Disney hotel AND hold a park pass. If it were "free" it would be offered to everyone. Free Dining requires you to book a room at rack rate.

TANSTAFL and caveat emptor. Disney is a business - there isn't anything you are going to get from them other than a few marketing materials for "free."
 
To the OP poster ... this is what happens when you question almight Diz Corp on this fans board. They get defended to the hilt, and you get slammed for questioning them. Thou shalt not question Diz!! I fully understand where the OP from Norway got confused and disappointed. To him (and many non-DizBoard folks) free means free. It shocks a bunch of folks to see their so-called free dining will cost them $700 more than their room and tickets. That ain't FREE!!!
 
The OP is right. Free should mean free in Norway and in the old USA. It is a marketing ploy that most of you have fully bought into. If it was truely free dining for resort guests, then it would be a perk like EMH. EMH does not require you to book at a higher rate. Take the deals I get for Vegas, for instance. I get a VERY discounted room, 2 for 1 show tickets, and free buffet offers for much LESS than rack rates. They don't bump the price back UP to "cover" the so-called "free" meals and show tickets. So, the OP is 100% correct. FREE dining costs you money, anyway you slice it. It might be a great deal. It might be less than you'd pay in teh parks. It might even be less than driving yourself out to Bob Evans and McD's every day, but it is not FREE. They say FREE, and it is not FREE. Just saying, no such thing as a free lunch at Diz! :hippie:

You're mis-stating something. Disney is NOT bumping prices for free dining. What they're doing is offering a discount to those who do not choose free dining. They're telling people to choose which deal is best for them.

Dining is an optional component of a package. People need to buy food. The "perk" that Disney offers regarding dining for staying onsite is the ability to purchase a dining plan. Giving something that you'd normally pay for for free is not a perk, it's a discount. Room discounts are also discounts.

Let me explain this again. Disney has rack rate rooms. We'll use the OP's room as an example. Rack rate is $250. When he applies the 40% discount to the rack rate the room becomes $144 but that doesn't include dining which would cost an additional $42/pp which means $228/night for his party. When he applies free dining to the rack rate the room remains at $250/night. $228 is better than $250 so the OP is better off with a room discount. Notice that the rack rate didn't change when the dining was added with free dining. It was added FOR FREE. Again, this doesn't mean it's the best deal, just that it was free.

Here's a different example that may help you understand. If you go to a store and see shirts marked buy 2 get one free, that's effectively a 33.3% discount on each but you have to buy 3 shirts to get that 33.3% discount. If the shirts go on sale for 40% off then this is a better deal. It's a bigger discount plus you're not required to buy 3 in order to get the discount. The first deal gives you something free though. This isn't misleading or misrepresenting anything. It's up to the consumer to figure out his own best deal.

If you like the deals in vegas then go to vegas. Disney chooses their deals that work for them. When going to WDW you're limitted to the deals they offer.
 
EMH isn't a free perk. EMH requires you to stay at a Disney hotel AND hold a park pass. If it were "free" it would be offered to everyone. Free Dining requires you to book a room at rack rate.

TANSTAFL and caveat emptor. Disney is a business - there isn't anything you are going to get from them other than a few marketing materials for "free."

I don't read you. Even in your explanation it is indeed a free perk. You have a room and ticket, you get EMH hours FREE (no additional charge). Diz busses are the same sort of thing. There is no package for EMH and bus use... you stay there and have a ticket, you have it. So, a person sees a 30 second spot in TV saying FREE dining, they think it is in that same realm. You can have a room and ticket and think dining is free, NO SUCH LUCK. It is $700 more or so. Classic bait and switch. Low-ball marketing ploy. I don't care if EVERYONE does it. Doe snot make it clean or nice.
 
I don't read you. Even in your explanation it is indeed a free perk. You have a room and ticket, you get EMH hours FREE (no additional charge). Diz busses are the same sort of thing. There is no package for EMH and bus use... you stay there and have a ticket, you have it. So, a person sees a 30 second spot in TV saying FREE dining, they think it is in that same realm. You can have a room and ticket and think dining is free, NO SUCH LUCK. It is $700 more or so. Classic bait and switch. Low-ball marketing ploy. I don't care if EVERYONE does it. Doe snot make it clean or nice.

And if you have a rack rate for a room during the "free dining" promotion - it becomes a free perk. You can skip the package components and not buy tickets at all - just get a hotel room at Disney for the golf - and EMH isn't a free perk. Just like you can not get a dining plan.
 
You're mis-stating something. Disney is NOT bumping prices for free dining. What they're doing is offering a discount to those who do not choose free dining. They're telling people to choose which deal is best for them.

Dining is an optional component of a package. People need to buy food. The "perk" that Disney offers regarding dining for staying onsite is the ability to purchase a dining plan. Giving something that you'd normally pay for for free is not a perk, it's a discount. Room discounts are also discounts.

Let me explain this again. Disney has rack rate rooms. We'll use the OP's room as an example. Rack rate is $250. When he applies the 40% discount to the rack rate the room becomes $144 but that doesn't include dining which would cost an additional $42/pp which means $228/night for his party. When he applies free dining to the rack rate the room remains at $250/night. $228 is better than $250 so the OP is better off with a room discount. Notice that the rack rate didn't change when the dining was added with free dining. It was added FOR FREE. Again, this doesn't mean it's the best deal, just that it was free.

Here's a different example that may help you understand. If you go to a store and see shirts marked buy 2 get one free, that's effectively a 33.3% discount on each but you have to buy 3 shirts to get that 33.3% discount. If the shirts go on sale for 40% off then this is a better deal. It's a bigger discount plus you're not required to buy 3 in order to get the discount. The first deal gives you something free though. This isn't misleading or misrepresenting anything. It's up to the consumer to figure out his own best deal.

If you like the deals in vegas then go to vegas. Disney chooses their deals that work for them. When going to WDW you're limitted to the deals they offer.

I understand the math. I understand the ploy. I am simply saying I also understand where the OP and TONS of other folks are mislead and disappointed. They plaster FREE dining on ads. Folks see what room rates they can get and think they can FINALLY afford that trip with those rates. Then .. not so fast. It is a bait and switch. It is underhanded. It is marketing 101. I am a Dizzer, but I know the game...
 
I don't read you. Even in your explanation it is indeed a free perk. You have a room and ticket, you get EMH hours FREE (no additional charge). Diz busses are the same sort of thing. There is no package for EMH and bus use... you stay there and have a ticket, you have it. So, a person sees a 30 second spot in TV saying FREE dining, they think it is in that same realm. You can have a room and ticket and think dining is free, NO SUCH LUCK. It is $700 more or so. Classic bait and switch. Low-ball marketing ploy. I don't care if EVERYONE does it. Doe snot make it clean or nice.

It in no way is bait and switch. This person is getting the dining added to a full price package for no extra cost. The fact that this person did NOT take a few minutes to ask if this is the best deal or to go the WDW website to see that this isn't the only deal is his own fault. It's not $700 more than rack rate. This person just didn't take advantage of a different offer which would have been better for him.

Bait and switch is when a company advertises one thing and then delivers something else. Disney in no way says that this is the best deal for everybody. They deliver exactly what is advertised. Again, it may not be the best deal for everybody but it's still exactly what was advertised.

What ever happened to people taking responsibility for themselves? Why are consumers not resposible for finding the deal that's best for them? If you're unable to figure it out for yourself, the CM on the phone at CRO will price out all the deals for you or you could even get a TA to do it for you.
 
And if you have a rack rate for a room during the "free dining" promotion - it becomes a free perk. You can skip the package components and not buy tickets at all - just get a hotel room at Disney for the golf - and EMH isn't a free perk. Just like you can not get a dining plan.

OK. I never even considered someone staying on property and NOT doing to the parks. Not a golfer. So, you got me on that one... but you see my point, right? ;)
 
I heard that podcast,and it made total sense- to OP- it's only 'free' b/c you're paying full price (i.e. more than normal 'sale'rates) for everything else. And then your food bill is included with your total. but most of us don't eat huge expensive meals 2x a day every day we're visiting Disney,unless we get the dining plan.
So in your case, I'd say get the cheaper room,and get your food your own way! I haven't checked,but possibly paying out of your pocket for the dining plan,with such a great room rate would be a better deal for you.
Or even NO meal plan, and just eating wherever you feel like it.......
figure it this way-
cost of package with 'free' dining or
cost of discounted rooms,you pay extra for the dining plan or
cost of discounted rooms,you pay oop for all meals
then decide which you like best.
Nothing is ever free.
we checked out the 'free' deal too,decided we couldn't afford that much 'free':rotfl: and we'll go when it's cheaper /a better deal for our family.
 
I understand the math. I understand the ploy. I am simply saying I also understand where the OP and TONS of other folks are mislead and disappointed. They plaster FREE dining on ads. Folks see what room rates they can get and think they can FINALLY afford that trip with those rates. Then .. not so fast. It is a bait and switch. It is underhanded. It is marketing 101. I am a Dizzer, but I know the game...

Of course it's marketting 101. Disney is a business and good marketting is part of business. How is that bait and switch? The price doesn't get increased after the dining plan is added. It is EXACTLY what is advertised which is the complete opposite of bait and switch.

I still want to know what happened to personal responsibility. Businesses aren't going to scream "we can save you even more money than the discount we're already offering" from rooftops. The website makes it easy to see other deals and CMs are CRO will also go over other discounts if consumers take just a few minutes to ask.
 

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