Please help what it the best way to work the free DDP?

[conachan14]

Hi I am holding out and waiting for the free dining. We are hoping to go as soon as it starts. But I just realized that the military tickets are good through the end of Sept, so I could actually buy those, but they are only good for 4 days this time. So what is the best option for us we are a family of 5 and will be stayingt at POR. We also are volunteering for a free day.

I think I read you have to at least purchase a 1 day ticket to get the free dining. So I am just trying to figure out what it the least expensive option. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[bumbershoot]

Free dining is part of a package, and you have to buy at least a 1 day ticket for each person in the room.

Some people just keep those 1 day tickets for a future trip, and do not use them at all, preferring to use the tickets they got elsewhere (for instance through UnderCover Tourist, or military tickets).

Many people getting the GAD ticket voucher will use that on their first day, then inside the park, they will upgrade to what they need. By doing that, they get the value of the one day ticket on the upgrade, making their total ticket about $70 cheaper (or whatever the one day cost is).

By using military tickets AND using the voucher for one day...while it might be cheaper out of your pocketbook than upgrading the voucher to a 5 day ticket (I assume that's how long your trip will be?), you are just tossing away the value of that voucher. And if you want to do free dining, then that's another one day ticket that you're actually paying for PLUS you are pretty much paying rack rate, with NO discount, for the rooms.

Would probably be better to really look at the prices...every year, it seems, I've priced out the free dining a couple months before it is announced...check out the prices of packages with and without normal dining, write out all the prices. Then once the free dining is announced, I check it...often it's the same cost. So it does seem free. BUT many people point out that there are often ways to get a cheaper room (AP discount, various deals or PINs, etc) that work out better than using the "free" dining.

 

[ohlas]

I called reservations and got the price of just a room with all the taxes.
then i made them put the kinda ticket on that i wanted then i minius the price of the room from the next new total to get price of tickets, then i made them put on dinning plan and miniused out the last total.

so basicly i wanted to know what each one really cost approx in the whole package...

If you know the total cost of the package and the cost of the parts of the package then you can say im getting a good deal...

free dinning seem the best deal out there if you can get it but its down to the math...well unless you are staying at deluxe and getting 40 percent off a night

 

[rdevine10]

Im not overly familiar with the military discounts, but it would seem it would depend on how old your kids are as to what would be the best price.

IF Disney considers them an adult, then Free Dining would likely be better.

IF they are under 10, then it seems a better rate for you to book the military room discount of 40% (which for 5 nights at POR would be just a tad over $500 in mid September, use your Military tickets for $99 per person (4 days of 1 park), and then your GAD for the 5th day. You can add the dining plan on OOP, and from what I read on mousesavers military does not have to buy the one day base ticket to do this.

HTH!

Robin

 

[worm761]

Military gets up to a 40% discount. If I were you, I would start pricing out how much each option would be. Maybe talk to a travel agent. They would get all the different options together for you and let you know what would be your cheapest option.

Also, from what I have read here, it depends on what level resort you stay at. The values get the Quick Service dining plan while the moderates and the deluxes get the regular dining plan. Of course, you could always upgrade from there. None of my emails from Disney has even mentioned free dining. Though I am hoping it does come out since I have some clients waiting for it.

 

[saimore]

Okay I am back again. We did not go to DL in 08. So this time is a sure thing.
My budget is $2000. We are a family of 6 2 adults, 4 children 9yo to be 10in May, 7, 5, and 2yo to be 3 in May. I booked to stay at All Star Movie for two days Sept.13-15. We will also be doing the GAD. Package includes Basic tickets for all with dining and two standard adjoining rooms. The quote is $1099. I have now six days to confirm. So need all the help I can get. Not sure of the ins and outs. We will be driving from Oklahoma. The gas we figure will be about $400round trip and to stay in a hotel at the half way point going and coming home. Cheap hotel about $50 each, so $100round trip. Food going and coming back sandwiches and bucket of chicken. So is this a good deal or Should we just plan to find something off the resort. This will be our first visit and probably our only visit for a long long time. I guess my question is: What would be the best way to do this and how? I have more questions but will wait, because answers may come in the responses.
Thanks
Mika

 

[worm761]

Okay I am back again. We did not go to DL in 08. So this time is a sure thing.
My budget is $2000. We are a family of 6 2 adults, 4 children 9yo to be 10in May, 7, 5, and 2yo to be 3 in May. I booked to stay at All Star Movie for two days Sept.13-15. We will also be doing the GAD. Package includes Basic tickets for all with dining and two standard adjoining rooms. The quote is $1099. I have now six days to confirm. So need all the help I can get. Not sure of the ins and outs. We will be driving from Oklahoma. The gas we figure will be about $400round trip and to stay in a hotel at the half way point going and coming home. Cheap hotel about $50 each, so $100round trip. Food going and coming back sandwiches and bucket of chicken. So is this a good deal or Should we just plan to find something off the resort. This will be our first visit and probably our only visit for a long long time. I guess my question is: What would be the best way to do this and how? I have more questions but will wait, because answers may come in the responses.
Thanks
Mika

You could probably do better offsite and buying food OOP. What kind of dining plan did you get? If you are going in September I would wait and see if they come out with free dining. Did you do this on your own or with a travel agent? Is it important to go in September? It would be cheaper for you to go in May when your oldest will still be a child and your youngest will be free. Two days is not a lot of time at Disney. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me. There are discounts out there, you just have to look for them. Good Luck!

 

[LisaNJ25]

Okay I am back again. We did not go to DL in 08. So this time is a sure thing.
My budget is $2000. We are a family of 6 2 adults, 4 children 9yo to be 10in May, 7, 5, and 2yo to be 3 in May. I booked to stay at All Star Movie for two days Sept.13-15. We will also be doing the GAD. Package includes Basic tickets for all with dining and two standard adjoining rooms. The quote is $1099. I have now six days to confirm. So need all the help I can get. Not sure of the ins and outs. We will be driving from Oklahoma. The gas we figure will be about $400round trip and to stay in a hotel at the half way point going and coming home. Cheap hotel about $50 each, so $100round trip. Food going and coming back sandwiches and bucket of chicken. So is this a good deal or Should we just plan to find something off the resort. This will be our first visit and probably our only visit for a long long time. I guess my question is: What would be the best way to do this and how? I have more questions but will wait, because answers may come in the responses.
Thanks
Mika

I would suggest offsite and the 4 day military tix and 1 gad tix but remember your 3 and 5yo are not eligible for the gad pass. You can also do 4 park days and take you gad vouchers for the fast passes.

We are a family of 6 also but our oldest isnt coming this year so we fit at POR,

 

[saimore]

I am trying to get shorter lines. Is May a busy time for the park? It seems like so much to consider the food stuff:where to eat, how much to spend, packing food for the park visit, to eat at which resturant if paying oop. Where to stay with our family of 6.
Maybe I am being lazy and just want to have fun.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I am trying to get shorter lines. Is May a busy time for the park? It seems like so much to consider the food stuff:where to eat, how much to spend, packing food for the park visit, to eat at which resturant if paying oop. Where to stay with our family of 6.
Maybe I am being lazy and just want to have fun.

Well if you go before your youngest turns 3 you can stay at port orleans riverside which would cut down on your hotel cost and 1 less park ticket. Also before your 9yo turns 10 and that would save on an adult ticket vs child tix.

Take your take and look around this site for budget ideas.. I also think you should stay for more than 2 days.. 4 the min especially after all of that driving.

 

[mrsklamc]

I called reservations and got the price of just a room with all the taxes.
then i made them put the kinda ticket on that i wanted then i minius the price of the room from the next new total to get price of tickets, then i made them put on dinning plan and miniused out the last total.

huh?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I called reservations and got the price of just a room with all the taxes.
then i made them put the kinda ticket on that i wanted then i minius the price of the room from the next new total to get price of tickets, then i made them put on dinning plan and miniused out the last total.

so basicly i wanted to know what each one really cost approx in the whole package...

Okay, but you know you could have gotten that information yourself, from Disney's own website as well as this one (www.wdwinfo.com), or even asked for the pricing the way you did, right? Or you could have even just asked for "room", then "room plus tickets", then "room plus tickets plus dining plan", instead of the seemingly convoluted and time-consuming way you did, right?

 

[kaytieeldr]

huh?

mte!

 

[worm761]

I am trying to get shorter lines. Is May a busy time for the park? It seems like so much to consider the food stuff:where to eat, how much to spend, packing food for the park visit, to eat at which resturant if paying oop. Where to stay with our family of 6.
Maybe I am being lazy and just want to have fun.

I try to go every May. We go towards the end of the month. We went over Memorial Day last year. They rode everything, I was pregnant so couldn't ride the big stuff. We didn't wait more than 20 minutes for anything. There are also discounts out right now for May. 25%-45% off depending on when or where. You can also add dining and tickets to those discounts. Disney does not usually do that but for some reason are. There is also the gift card promo going on in May. I too would suggest at least four days. Though I am not sure if $2000 is enough. Does that $2000 include ALL expenses? Travel, hotel there and back, food, and souvies?

 

[DVCBELLE]

I am trying to get shorter lines. Is May a busy time for the park? It seems like so much to consider the food stuff:where to eat, how much to spend, packing food for the park visit, to eat at which resturant if paying oop. Where to stay with our family of 6.
Maybe I am being lazy and just want to have fun.

Through lastminutetravel.com for May 2-7 (5 nights) which I would reccomend you stay with 4 days of driving!! You can stay at the Floridays Resort for $510.

Then you can do the Disney Give a Day and take $294 off the price of your tickets. Upgrade your tickets to 5-day passes and your cost for tickets will be $747.

Total price at WDW for 5 days will be $125 7.

Then you can budget for your food. Here's a trick I use when budgeting for a vacation - add your weekly food and gas budget and other normal expenses (entertainment, etc.) to your trip budget!!! You won't be spending that money that week and will be able to use it on vacation. That might be enough where you feel comfortable with the price you would be spending on vacation! In addition - any gift giving occasions between now and thet put the money in your trip fund!

 

[saimore]

Thank you all for your great suggestions again. I will keep you posted.
Mika

 

[poohfriend]

Thank you all for your great suggestions again. I will keep you posted.
Mika

Military room is 40% off and allows you to add the dining plan. Depending on where you stay, that 40% off may be less than the dining plan will save you. Kids 3 and over and 9 and under are like $12 a day... Adults are more like $43...so a free dining plan saves you $130/day (this assumes moderate or deluxe stay since it seems reasonable to believe that this year the value resorts will have quick-service dining rather than regular.) For your family we're also assuming you travel while before you oldest turns 10.

So, if you're saving more than $130 day on your two rooms, you're better off taking the military discount. Once your oldest is 10, you can make it more like $160/day for comparision.

Have you looked at Ft. Wilderness cabins? they sleep 6, have a fulll kitchen and are considered moderates...so if going on free dining they will have the regular dining plan.