Pouring cold water over the DDP flaming.

[Elliesmommy]

<This is me. I am tired and sad from reading posts complaining about DDP participants "ruining" WDW.

WDW has to deal with a struggling economy as well and played around with the "free" DDP only to find that it is helping WDW stay busy.

A busy WDW keeps people employed and that is something very important to our economy.

January is my favorite time to go to WDW and it just happened to be during "free" DDP. Personally, I bought into the whole "free" dining knowing that it was not exactly free. I could have saved a little cash on a discounted room, but opted to pay rack rates for the free DDP. After pulling out a calculator, I think that everything will pretty much even out in the end.

I like the idea that meals are essentially pre-paid. It is one less stress off my shoulders because I know I don't have to worry about having the extra money for food. It just works for me right now.

I think that Disney does not hide the fact that there are other promotions going on, because they list many current promotions on their website. People can pick and choose what is best for their situation.

Now the people that chose the DDP option need a place to spend their points so yeah, we will be keeping the restaurants busy.

This is a WDW option and only WDW should be flamed if you have a problem with it. Not the customers.

Where is your magic?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

 

[DG-12]

Thank You!

Sometimes I think people forget how lucky they are to even have a disney trip. Dana

 

[3pletprincesses]

I like free dinning because I don't have to worry about $$$. that being said, if free dining wasn't offered, I would still go regardless. I don't think that me paying rack rate for my room and getting "free dining" is worse then someone getting a pin or doing the room discount and paying for meals. We each pick what is better for family.

 

[sunshineNJ]

I think it VERY nice to be given a choice of room discount or free dining. I have done free dining at a moderate and I have had 40% off code at a deluxe. I feel very lucky to have had those discounts. Where else could you go and not have to buy any food? I think there both great deals and I think most of the Disney food is excellent!!! I'm going again this Aug with free dining and feel very lucky that it's being offered. Disney's park tickets are v ery high so at least this discount helps offset that.

 

[5fromsc]

I love that we are getting the "free" dinning. If we did not have it, I know we would end up trying to go back to the room and eat or just eat snacks, with a couple of cs meals. Now it is all paid for, dh can't complain about if we are spending to much money or can't do all those character dinning. I know we would not be doing 5 TS meals if we did not have this.

 

[summerlady]

My family and I loved FD during our last trip, maybe we're not gourmets but we all enjoyed every bite. When I booked our trip for November back in the Spring, I had a PIN for a 35% room discount at POFQ which saved us about $340, whereas FD, which was offered in July, saved us $840. When I got home and totaled our dining receipts, we would have spent almost $1100 over 5 nights. Even considering tips for TS meals and paying rack rate, I'd say that FD was the best choice for us. My only objection is that sometimes we were way too well-fed. Only 4 snack credits left at the end and I used them for treats from the gift shop for our plane trip home.

 

[weswife]

Hi,

I agree FD saves my family of 5 $$$$!!!!! We can save $$$$ with a pin as well! The math I did works out to about the same for us!

PS We love the DP, because its one less worry! My family enjoys using the card and the choices! We would never go to Disney without the DP! The DP works for my family!

 

[MHSweb79]

I don't think that me paying rack rate for my room and getting "free dining" is worse then someone getting a pin or doing the room discount and paying for meals. We each pick what is better for family.

Exactly.

The fact that so many people think free dining is actually "free" is more a testament to the Disney marketing geniuses than people actually getting free food. You pay more for your room, so the food is paid for in that way. Now, clearly you are getting a discount over paying separately for the DDP, but Disney does the math - they wouldn't offer the program if it didn't bring in big $$$$ overall. Plus, in my experience most entrees are RIDICULOUSLY overpriced. You are served a $10-Applebee's quality meal for a price tag of $24.95, so you are not getting $24.95 worth of food for "free" at all.

I'm pretty tired of the posters here who suscribe to some kind of guest caste system - the free diners being the lowest of the low classes. It's not true and yeah, it gets offensive.

 

[Jessica14]

I totally agree with everyone! I didn't know I was "ruining" WDW for others by getting FD! This is only my second trip to Disney with my family and we are thrilled to be able to try many different restaurants that FD is allowing us to do. We never could have gone to 6 TS meals if we didn't. Actually, we ended up saving about $250 more than the room discount. Also my daughter is a picky, small eater and I won't feel so bad now if she won't eat. She'll definately use the room, but food is a whole other matter.

No one should bash anyone for their choices. To each his own!
Jessica

 

[maxiesmom]

Great post!

I like that Disney gives us a variety of discounts to choose from. And for me, it is all about running the numbers.

For my next trip I had planned to stay at the Beach Club with the 40% off Monster pin. Then the Free Dining promo came out. I figured out I could stay at the All Star Music with the Free Dining package for what I was paying for just the discounted room at the Beach Club! For me, that was a no brainer and I switched to the Music.

We all can pick and choose what works best for us. And I think that is great!

 

[WDWisTheBest]

One more vote here for the Free Dining promotion. Thanks to the OP for posting.

 

[fd1972uk]

My family and I loved FD during our last trip,

Awwww shucks, thanks, I can't even remember meeting you????



I haven't been to Orlando since all this sort of option has been available, but if we end up staying in-resort then hoping to tag this into our stay. Although I actually want to stay in Movies Resort, but know that I'd need to pay for it.


FD

 

[summerlady]

Awwww shucks, thanks, I can't even remember meeting you????



I haven't been to Orlando since all this sort of option has been available, but if we end up staying in-resort then hoping to tag this into our stay. Although I actually want to stay in Movies Resort, but know that I'd need to pay for it.


FD

 

[Nohal]

We love the free dining and have been doing it in September every year since it started. I would never have paid the price for the table service meals and would have just gotten counter service. We stay at a value and feel it is well worth the price of rack rates for the room. I like that my meals are all prepaid so that is less cash to carry around and I don't have to be counting my pennies. We already booked for next September at ASMo and have upgraded to the regular DDP.

 

[Disneyadore]

Who cares about "free" dining?
All of us that use the DDP are doomed to go to hell. Free or paid for.
For myself and my family I know the devil himself has a special place for us in "The Burnt Toast" section because we have the Deluxe dining plan AND Club Level perks
I just don't get this whole complaing attitude. If you don"t like one of the plans pay for you meals but shut op and stop complaing about those that pay for it or get it "Free".

 

[Sunday]

Thanks for posting OP.

We are only going this year (well, January 2011) because of the free dining. I would rather get the free dining than the room discount because it works out as a bigger discount because we love to eat, and eat a lot!

I was THRILLED with the program when we went last December. It was so convenient, the food was very good (with very few exceptions) and it was good for our family and our personal situation.

I don't like being labelled as some low-down "can't afford to go to Disney" type just because we take advantage of this amazing promotion.

 

[ice cube]

I don't think when others say FD is ruining Disney that they mean anything derogatory towards the people who do if fact use it. I think they mean that the food quality has gone south and yes you can blame it on the economy but even if times were good I still believe that it would go south anyway.If anyone who gets in these discussions owned a business or had to deal with stockholders you know nothing if free and if you give stuff away something must suffer....."quality".....We personally don't do FD because we like to stay deluxe and when you do the numbers it doesn't work. I don't believe in flaming someone for their choice I just wish they would finally do away with it.People are going to go to Disney whether there is free dining or not.If that makes or breaks the trip then you really didn't want to go...Think about all the money you waste everyday outside of the house..cigs,cup of coffee,inpulse buying...just my take on it...

 

[loganpaulsmom]

I love this thread!! I am someone who doesn't get why there is SO much negativity on this board about Disney.. The fact is, Disney is an amusement park and their primary goal is to make money. That being said, whether you have free dining or not, the ddp is a great way to feel like you are almost at an all inclusive resort. I love the fact that I don't have to pay for my meals. I wish that I got free dining in May, but I got a pin code instead..

 

[justakrazymom]

"free" dinning is the only reason this group of 7 can go.. for us it's a win win.. I know exactly how much we will spend save a VERY few souvenirs. I've waited 10 years to make a new plan and by the time we go almost 11.. if Disney didn't offer "free" dining we would probably have to wait 2-4 more years before we could go ..