Resort choice w/ free dining???

[ktink]

Ok, I'm wondering, has anyone upgraded their resort due to the free dining? I'm thinking w/ the extra $$ why not go deluxe? I've only stayed value so I'm really thinking about AKL. What's your thoughts on that?

 

[RedRuby]

Ok, I'm wondering, has anyone upgraded their resort due to the free dining? I'm thinking w/ the extra $$ why not go deluxe? I've only stayed value so I'm really thinking about AKL. What's your thoughts on that?

We went the opposite way - from thinking of WL or CR, to POP, plus a car for part of our stay. We just can't justify the extra bucks for staying at a deluxe, and we figure we'd want/need a car for a moderate anyway, so the bald comparison blew us away. My husband is NOT keen on a WDW trip so we're starting cheap and small at POP. Will wait on the blow-out deluxe 'til everyone's a little older (my nearly 3 yo daughters will like POP just fine, we're the ones who will notice!)

I can see how the thinking works, though - if you had already budgetted for the meal plan which is now free, why not convert that money to hotel charges? The overall cost is the same but the accomodations, amenities and transportation are better. That thinking didn't work for me because I was budgetting against AAA and AP rates which can't be combined to my knowledge with the free meal code. AAA can book it, but the rates are the same as rack rates.

 

[LglBlonde]

Ok, I'm wondering, has anyone upgraded their resort due to the free dining? I'm thinking w/ the extra $$ why not go deluxe? I've only stayed value so I'm really thinking about AKL. What's your thoughts on that?

We compared 6 nts at a moderate with a King bed reservation compared to 5 nts at WL Standard (can request a King, but not reserve/guarantee with Standard room) and the 6 nts at a moderate was $100 cheaper, so we opted for the extra night. If for some reason we did not have *time* for the extra nt I would have done WL. But paying rack rate, it was hard to justify. I hope we'll stay at WL at some point in the future on a code rate.

 

[Tomandtammy]

I was jsut sitting her ethis morning thinking the exact same thing if we are saving 1000 or so that would pay for AKL! Still not sure what to do

 

[ktink]

Well my TA called this morning and we got CSR which was our first resort choice but AKL sure does look good but my DH wants to save the $$$ and have it as mad money. We'll probably stay put but I intend to do some research on AKL.

 

[NCombs]

Sounds like Disney had a good marketing plan! They can offer guests a savings in one area and then get them to spend it somewhere else.

I think it is a good idea if it works for you. If you had the $$ budgeted and can afford it, the AKL would be a wonderful experience.

I hope you have a great time.

 

[lisatradingspaces]

Sounds like Disney had a good marketing plan! They can offer guests a savings in one area and then get them to spend it somewhere else.
QUOTE]

This is how it always is! We had to pay a little more for the package with free dining than an AP rate would have been which is fine because we would have spent more on food than the increase. So that works out.

BUT, now we are looking at the fancy restaurants since they are "free" but we need two sit downs each for them. Our plan is to put the kids in the Sandcastle club where they are fed dinner and then go enjoy some signature dining by ourselves. The Sandcastle club is going to cost us $20 an hour and there is a minimum amount of hours you have to pay for, can't remember off the top of my head....but anyway, now we'll be paying for babysitting which we hadn't intended on instead of the food. That's not saving money! But what hubby pointed out is that we will be spending what we would have anyway, but we'll be getting much more for our money than we would have.

Lisa

 

[NCombs]

Sounds like Disney had a good marketing plan! They can offer guests a savings in one area and then get them to spend it somewhere else.
QUOTE]

This is how it always is! We had to pay a little more for the package with free dining than an AP rate would have been which is fine because we would have spent more on food than the increase. So that works out.

BUT, now we are looking at the fancy restaurants since they are "free" but we need two sit downs each for them. Our plan is to put the kids in the Sandcastle club where they are fed dinner and then go enjoy some signature dining by ourselves. The Sandcastle club is going to cost us $20 an hour and there is a minimum amount of hours you have to pay for, can't remember off the top of my head....but anyway, now we'll be paying for babysitting which we hadn't intended on instead of the food. That's not saving money! But what hubby pointed out is that we will be spending what we would have anyway, but we'll be getting much more for our money than we would have.

Lisa

It's always great to get more for your money!!

 

[zipDdoodah]

I think AKL would be a wonderful choice. I have CR booked right now for our free dining plan hoping to get one of the newly rehabbed rooms, but I am seriously considering AKL myself. I've been wanting to try AKL for some time now, so I see where you're coming from. I think you'd have a great time at AKL. Good luck!

 

[bizeemom4]

We were thinking Yacht Club with an AP discount before the package came out yesterday. We booked All Star Music. If I'm paying rack rate, I'm paying the LEAST amount I need to in order to get all that free food!

 

[colleen costello]

I am a big coupon-cutter, and I am thinking about this another way. It seems to me that the "free dining plan" is like a coupon... You get something for free with a purchase. The dining plan has a set value and that value does not change no matter which resort you stay at. If you assign a monetary value to the dining plan and then calculate what your savings is when dividing into the cost of the room, I think the BIGGEST SAVINGS would be to those staying at a Value resort. In effect, for only $100 per night (is that rack rate at a value?) you are getting a dining plan worth $35 per adult and $10 per child, per day. Saving $90 per day may not seem so great if you are shelling out $300 for Poly!

This is like when you have a fifty-cent coupon and the store doubles it. If you buy a small product, you will get it virtually free!

I am also a big fan of the Disney resorts and a firm believer in the "stay in the nicest you can possibly afford" idea, so if you had budgeted for a meal plan and are now "saving" that cost, I am ALL FOR upgrading your room! Some decisions involve more than math!

 

[bizeemom4]

I am a big coupon-cutter, and I am thinking about this another way. It seems to me that the "free dining plan" is like a coupon... You get something for free with a purchase. The dining plan has a set value and that value does not change no matter which resort you stay at. If you assign a monetary value to the dining plan and then calculate what your savings is when dividing into the cost of the room, I think the BIGGEST SAVINGS would be to those staying at a Value resort. In effect, for only $100 per night (is that rack rate at a value?) you are getting a dining plan worth $35 per adult and $10 per child, per day. Saving $90 per day may not seem so great if you are shelling out $300 for Poly!

This is like when you have a fifty-cent coupon and the store doubles it. If you buy a small product, you will get it virtually free!

I am also a big fan of the Disney resorts and a firm believer in the "stay in the nicest you can possibly afford" idea, so if you had budgeted for a meal plan and are now "saving" that cost, I am ALL FOR upgrading your room! Some decisions involve more than math!

Yeah, what she said. LOL. Excellent verbiage!!!!

The values are $77 a night for the duration of this promo. We have 6 people so we always have to get 2 rooms. So we are spending $154 a night vs. $700 a night for a standard room at GF! It also costs us at least $1000 to eat at Disney for a week. So this is like a Triple Coupon with a BOGO rebate. How's that?

 

[bigtinkfun]

Count me among those whose first thought was: Wow! I can upgrade my resort!

I called right away and managed to change my ressie from POP to POR. That's two whole letters of the alphabet up!

I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait!

 

[ktink]

I know I'm really torn between AKL and CSR because both have exclusive transportation (no sharing) and both have a sit down restaurant, but I think I would prefer Boma over Maya Grill but I like the fact that AKL's pool is zero entry but CSR's water slide is awesome and the pool theming seems to be better to our tastes. But then the theming of both resorts are wonderful and I'm thinking I should just leave well enough alone and save the $$$. But then I think well the deluxe upgrade is paid for due to the free dining. What's a girl to do???

 

[MNmom]

Yes! Yes!!

We had a split stay at POP/POLY GVC for 3nights each.......and now we have 6nights at the POLY GVC It is costing us about 200.00 more but now we have dining and concierge AND we don't have to move resorts!!!!

To be perfectly honest I think we will miss not having 2 bathrooms/2 tvs/2 rooms at the POP but I guess we will just have to live with it. Now we will all be in one room

 

[hannah03]

I REALLY wanted to upgrade, but the FREE DINING PLAN is the ONLY reason we can even go so soon!!! We haven't even saved a dime for our vacation yet But we'll be able to pay off our vacation by August and then SAVE, SAVE, SAVE till we leave in October for spending $$$$.

 

[Tomandtammy]

Count me among those whose first thought was: Wow! I can upgrade my resort!

I called right away and managed to change my ressie from POP to POR. That's two whole letters of the alphabet up!

I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait!

ME TOO just did it today going from POP to POR River side, aug 21- Aug 31 I cant wait!

 

[vanyel]

We had originally planned on staying at AKL but moved our ressie to CSR due to some unexpected expenses and a dose of practicality. Then we got the pin for free dining several weeks ago and reconsidered. Decided to stay at CSR and do some fun extras like tours, La Nouba and some souveniers.

So we're still spending the money at wdw, only on extras rather than the resort. Every once in a while, especially as I read these threads, I get a twinge that says, "why not upgrade" but my practical side takes over and reminds me of what we can do with that extra money.

 

[ktink]

I think we've decided to stay put at CSR, the water slide and pool are what my kids are really excited about and I think CSR has alot to offer. So the plan for us now is to take advantage of the free dining and just have mad $$ while in WDW that we would've had to spent on the dining package. I'm so thankful for the DIS because the people here are awesome and I wouldn't have known about the free dining other wise. My TA was very skeptical at first but when she called back to verify she was very appreciative.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

I know, the practical side of me says if I booked a value with the dining, the room was practically "free", actually more than free since there are four of us...... okay part of the tickets were free too! But the lavish side of me (which usually wins) reminded me that if we were unhappy during the stay, then any money at all spent was a waste, and booked a deluxe. But at least I went for one of the cheaper deluxes, WL.