Really?

[FloFlo71]

Really... What is up with the free dining plan! Why is everyone so gaga over this? I don't see the big fuss over it! I understand its has that free title! But you have to pay full price for the room! And what type of dining plan is it? is it QS or DDP or DXDP???
I guess with me getting military discounts that It don't matter if I got free dining or not! Personally all the ppl talking about Disney restaurant going downhill makes me think again about doing the dining plan!

In the UK we get 42% discount for Saratoga Springs and Old Key West with free dining for certain dates aswell. In Aug I am paying approx $3682 for 15 nights, 3 adults in a studio at SSR with free Dining plan and 14 days unlimited tickets for Disney parks and water parks.

We couldn't afford to eat in all the restaurants we would like to without free dining.

 

[crazycatlady]

I have crunched discount numbers until the cows come home, and FD saves my family a lot more than any other discount. I have two teenagers, so it is really like feeding four adult appetites. Between meals, snacks and drinks, I would need to budget at least $100 a day for food, and that would be mostly eating at counter service restaurants or off-site. Not to mention the freedom to walk into an expensive restaurant and get whatever you want, no matter the price, is fun! Our family almost never gets dessert at a restaurant and it is a big treat to know that they are included in the price. Plus, it enables you to go on vacation without bringing huge amounts of cash along.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

For our family of 4 (2A & 2C), who love staying at POP, there is no better discount then Free Dining.
I have run the numbers on % off rooms, kids stay and play free, etc...and we save the most money with the Free Dining. That is why we go *gaga* over it.

 

[DaniB]

I figure if there wasn't a free dining discount out now but the kids stay and play and the up to 40% off the room discount that it would be close to the same discount!

I don't know if you meant it this way OP. However I read the above with the impression that you are thinking you can *combine* both discounts to get close to the same discount free dining offers.

Just in case you thought that, you cannot. You have to pick 1 discount. It would be lovely to combine discounts though!

 

[JMarieVeith]

For us, the dining plan is a must. Paying full price for food would be outrageous. Who wants to leave the park and eat somewhere more affordable and then come back to save money? Who wants to eat sandwiches and chips for a week in their hotel? It's a vacation! Enjoy!

I, for one, do not think the restaurants are bad. They are as good or better than anywhere we eat out at home. Last time we went, we loved Chef Mickey, Tusker House, and the Grand Floridian Cafe. Tusker House had this amazing beef. It was so tender and seasoned perfectly. I never had beef that tasted like that before. One place I di dnot like was the place in Norway at Epcot. We went to see the princesses, but the food was pretty weird and not satisfying. Over all, the dining plan is a great deal. Once your trip is paid for, you know that meals are included, and that gives you some piece of mind.

 

[stargazertechie]

Who wants to eat sandwiches and chips for a week in their hotel? It's a vacation! Enjoy!

That would be us. We chose to brown bag it on two vacations last year, which afforded us the opportunity to go to WDW 3x last year, for a total of 29 days, the last trip with DxDP.

 

[disneycrazy2004]

It's a great discount, plain and simple. For anyone staying at a Value or Moderate Resort or anyone with a larger family, there isn't EVER a bigger discount. We are a family of 6, the free dining discount saves us about $1,200.00. I don't know what's so hard to understand about people being excited over a huge savings on their vacation. The Quick Service Plan is offered to Value Resort with free dining and the Basic Dining Plan is offered to Moderate and Deluxe resorts. Also, you can may the modest price difference and upgrade to one of the other plans. Not everyone can take advantage of a deep military discount - the majority can no. With a family our size and having to have 2 rooms, free dining saves us more than the military discount anyway.

As for food quality, we have been going to Disney for many years, pre and post the Disney Dining Plan, and the food is good. The food and restaurants were good before the dining plan and they are good now. I can honestly say we have never had a bad meal at WDW - ever. Of course, any place can have an off night or not be able to live up to some costumers unrealistic expectations, but overall Disney has great food and food service. The great dining experiences are part of the reason we go back each year.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

That would be us. We chose to brown bag it on two vacations last year, which afforded us the opportunity to go to WDW 3x last year, for a total of 29 days, the last trip with DxDP.