Really confused about DDP

[sjw4870]

Two questions.....

#1 - If I have an AP - to take advantage of the DDP I must purchase a package that includes a room and tickets (of which I would already have). Is that right?

#2 - I've seen people talk about "free" dining - now, nothing in life seems to be truly "free" so how does this one work?

Thanks!

 

[marathonmommy]

Two questions.....

#1 - If I have an AP - to take advantage of the DDP I must purchase a package that includes a room and tickets (of which I would already have). Is that right?

#2 - I've seen people talk about "free" dining - now, nothing in life seems to be truly "free" so how does this one work?

Thanks!

#2 According to others, you have to pay rack rate for the room. You can't use your AP discount. Therefore, dining is "free".

 

[MissMichelle]

Two questions.....

#1 - If I have an AP - to take advantage of the DDP I must purchase a package that includes a room and tickets (of which I would already have). Is that right?

#2 - I've seen people talk about "free" dining - now, nothing in life seems to be truly "free" so how does this one work?

Thanks!

Yes if you are getting the dining plan you would have to get the tickets--same amount of days for everyone, which could be just 1 day base. Most find this is not worth it and use their AP discounts and pay out of pocket for food.

The *free dining* can be summed up as in "not paying for the dining plan". No, nothing in life is free....We are paying rack rate for rooms that would have probably been lowered and we would have all jumped over another great discount, but I happen to like the DDP and since it was offered *free* this trip I am getting to go for a second time this year.
This free dining offer was only valid to book by June 25th.

 

[Threeriversdisneyfan]

Two questions.....

#1 - If I have an AP - to take advantage of the DDP I must purchase a package that includes a room and tickets (of which I would already have). Is that right?

#2 - I've seen people talk about "free" dining - now, nothing in life seems to be truly "free" so how does this one work?

Thanks!

#1 Yes you are correct to get the DDP, must book atleast 3 nights at a WDW resort at rack rates and purchase atleast one day ticket, plus the DDP @$37.99 per adult and $11.99 per child (3-9) per day, however I think you can take the price of one day ticket adn use it toward next years AP.

#2 Free Dinning like I said is paying rack rates for your package, so you could not have got free dinning with any discuont codes, Disney doesn't want empty rooms, so I guess they sacrafice free food, I hopes you spend money elsewhere.

 

[bicker]

See below.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't believe that you have to pay rack rates for your hotel room if you're paying for the Dining Plan -- only if you're taking advantage of the free dining promotion. The Dining Plan can be added to any package, even discounted packages, as long as you're paying for the Dining Plan.

The dining plan can't be added to most discounted rooms. Even if you buy a pass you can't add a dining package to a room with an AP,CM, FL resident or even DVC discount. It can only be added to a AAA discounted room if a AAA TA books it and the number of packages that can be sold that way is limited.

 

[sjw4870]

Thanks for all the replies.....

I THINK I am catching on here.

So the "free" dining usually indicates that you are paying rack rate for a room. So to figure out if this is beneficial, I'd need to find out the rack rate versus a rate I could get using any discounts I may have. Then I'd have to compare the money saved on discounted room rate to the amount of "free" food I would get. Do I have this right?

Now, suppose I want the 'regular' DDP (as opposed to the "free" plan that isn't being offered now anyway). I understand I would need to book a package, so is there a fixed price per person added into package that puts you on the plan? If so, how much? I still think I am coming ahead using the AP rate - but want to obsessively try all options.

Thanks again for all the help!

 

[Threeriversdisneyfan]

Thanks for all the replies.....

I THINK I am catching on here.

So the "free" dining usually indicates that you are paying rack rate for a room. So to figure out if this is beneficial, I'd need to find out the rack rate versus a rate I could get using any discounts I may have. Then I'd have to compare the money saved on discounted room rate to the amount of "free" food I would get. Do I have this right?

Now, suppose I want the 'regular' DDP (as opposed to the "free" plan that isn't being offered now anyway). I understand I would need to book a package, so is there a fixed price per person added into package that puts you on the plan? If so, how much? I still think I am coming ahead using the AP rate - but want to obsessively try all options.

Thanks again for all the help!

Most of the people on other threads believe you are right (AP discount vs add on DDP), especially if you factor in the DDE card discount.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Call Disney, get a quote and you can see what works best for you.

 

[nowellsl]

For us it cost somewhere around $20 more per night (paying rack rate as opposed to using an AP or FL resident rate at a value). So for $20.00 per night we are getting the "free" dining. We also are bringing an extra adult which added $10.00 per night to the room and he is getting the free dining also (so $30 per night for 3 people for the "free" dining). We have AP's and plan on applying the cost of the 1 day ticket to renew our AP's when we get there, so we aren't losing anything on that.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I think Disney is being pretty generous by not making DDP guests buy tickets for each person in the room for the entire length of stay. That they allow guests to buy 1 day tickets is a big plus I think.

 

[bicker]

The dining plan can't be added to most discounted rooms. Even if you buy a pass you can't add a dining package to a room with an AP,CM, FL resident or even DVC discount. It can only be added to a AAA discounted room if a AAA TA books it and the number of packages that can be sold that way is limited.

Thanks for the correction; I'm not sure how I missed that nuance.

 

[crisi]

Free dining is a fall promotional offer. Most times dining is added for $40 an adult - but during certain time Disney will tack it on as a promotion.

 

[LizinSTL]

Thanks for all the replies.....

I THINK I am catching on here.

So the "free" dining usually indicates that you are paying rack rate for a room. So to figure out if this is beneficial, I'd need to find out the rack rate versus a rate I could get using any discounts I may have. Then I'd have to compare the money saved on discounted room rate to the amount of "free" food I would get. Do I have this right?

Now, suppose I want the 'regular' DDP (as opposed to the "free" plan that isn't being offered now anyway). I understand I would need to book a package, so is there a fixed price per person added into package that puts you on the plan? If so, how much? I still think I am coming ahead using the AP rate - but want to obsessively try all options.

Thanks again for all the help!

If you want to pay for dining, it's 37.99/adult and 10.99/child 3-9. You can bypass purchasing the park ticket(s) if you are staying on DVC points (owned or rented).

 

[HaleyB]

Thanks for all the replies.....

I THINK I am catching on here.

So the "free" dining usually indicates that you are paying rack rate for a room. So to figure out if this is beneficial, I'd need to find out the rack rate versus a rate I could get using any discounts I may have. Then I'd have to compare the money saved on discounted room rate to the amount of "free" food I would get. Do I have this right?

Now, suppose I want the 'regular' DDP (as opposed to the "free" plan that isn't being offered now anyway). I understand I would need to book a package, so is there a fixed price per person added into package that puts you on the plan? If so, how much? I still think I am coming ahead using the AP rate - but want to obsessively try all options.

Thanks again for all the help!

I think you are misunderstanding that the "Free" dining was a discount code offered that is no longer avaliable. Some people say it is not "free" because we paid full price for our rooms at a time of year when discounts are common. But it is not an option as it had to be booked by June.

There are currently two options for getting DDP. You can book a package and add it on (lowest price would be the AAA discount, which you must book through AAA). It would be $38 an adult per night $11 for a child aged 3-9.

The second way to buy the dining plan is with a DVC rental. You do not have to buy tickets. The price for the dining plan add on is the same.

You can not use an AP or FL or any other room/package discount and add on the dining plan. The ONLY discount that will let you do the add on is AAA.

 

[Pams]

The current discount available for everyone for aug - Sept 30 allows a room discount and an add on of dining.

 

[bicker]

Okay, so now I'm REALLY confused: Which is it? Can you get the Dining Plan with something other than the standard AAA discount, or not?

 

[HaleyB]

Okay, so now I'm REALLY confused: Which is it? Can you get the Dining Plan with something other than the standard AAA discount, or not?

Me too. If you can get it with a discounted room this is something new.
Going to resort boards to see if they have more info

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

The current discount available for everyone for aug - Sept 30 allows a room discount and an add on of dining.

Umm. I don't think this is true. I may stand corrected, but I think when you PURCHASE the DDP, you can get the discounted room when you book everything through AAA. For the FREE dining, you had to pay rack rate.

We have AP's but for our family, at POR, the AP discount is only $50. Our family of 5 definitely eats more than $50 a day if you count waters and snacks. And that would be for all CS meals. With a TS meal, it's a no brainer.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't know about the current promotion but the discount program that was offered last November-December did allow you to add dining, actually it was a different code. The price worked out to be a little less than booking a AAA package. You got a discount on the room but had to pay regular price for dining.

The general rule is only a AAA packaged booked through a AAA TA is the only way to get a discounted package with dining BUT SOME OF THE OFFERS MAY AND WILL VARY.