So confused! (long, sorry!)

[maxiesmom]

We have a trip planned for March with Free Dining, and now we get a room only disount pin code in the mail. So now I have to figure out which is the better deal for us, the Free Dining or the room only. Please help me make heads or tails of it. I want someone to tell me if my math is ok, or if I am mucking something up.

First off, we have 2 rooms booked, with 2 Adults 1 Child in each room. We have one night room only at the Movies, and 5 nights at CSR with 4 day passes for a total of 2104.69 each room. The children are only children as far as the rooms go. They would be adults for the passes. Plus, to add to the confusion we need to upgrade 4 out of the 6 passes to 6 day passes, as 2people are coming in later than the rest. From what I can tell that would be less than $20 a ticket.

With me so far?

Now, with the pin we could stay the whole time at CSR for $817 each room. And the upgraded cost for tickets for each room (having 2 6 day passes and 1 4 day) would be $766.90 if we got them thru mousesavers. Total cost would be $1583.90 each room, for a savings of $520.79.

Am I missing something? Do you think $520.79 is enough for 6 days worth of food for 3 people? Right now we have a bunch of character meals booked that we would have to cancel, because I am sure that would not be in the budget savings-wise.

Thoughts?

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

We have a trip planned for March with Free Dining, and now we get a room only disount pin code in the mail. So now I have to figure out which is the better deal for us, the Free Dining or the room only. Please help me make heads or tails of it. I want someone to tell me if my math is ok, or if I am mucking something up.

First off, we have 2 rooms booked, with 2 Adults 1 Child in each room. We have one night room only at the Movies, and 5 nights at CSR with 4 day passes for a total of 2104.69 each room. The children are only children as far as the rooms go. They would be adults for the passes. Plus, to add to the confusion we need to upgrade 4 out of the 6 passes to 6 day passes, as 2people are coming in later than the rest. From what I can tell that would be less than $20 a ticket.

With me so far?

Now, with the pin we could stay the whole time at CSR for $817 each room. And the upgraded cost for tickets for each room (having 2 6 day passes and 1 4 day) would be $766.90 if we got them thru mousesavers. Total cost would be $1583.90 each room, for a savings of $520.79.

Am I missing something? Do you think $520.79 is enough for 6 days worth of food for 3 people? Right now we have a bunch of character meals booked that we would have to cancel, because I am sure that would not be in the budget savings-wise.

Thoughts?

$520.79 for 6 days = $86.80 per day / 3 people = $28.93 per person/day. No way can I eat for that much per day

 

[maxiesmom]

$520.79 for 6 days = $86.80 per day / 3 people = $28.93 per person/day. No way can I eat for that much per day

Thank you! I knew someone on here could clarify things for me.

 

[padawans]

The only way you eat for that amount of money would be to do only cs. I think I would stick with the free dining. The charachter meals are expensive.

 

[Missyrose]

Right now we have a bunch of character meals booked that we would have to cancel, because I am sure that would not be in the budget savings-wise.

Thoughts?

That's the decision you have to make: What type of vacation do you want? You can save a few hundred dollars on the room and scrimp on your meals (like PP said, to keep your daily spending to $28 per day per person, you'd likely have to ONLY use CS). Or you can do the free dining deal and keep your character meals. Not an easy decision to make. I personally would keep the free dining if that meant you got to enjoy some TS meals. They're a nice break from the parks and the character meals have great interaction with the characters.

 

[Sandisw]

First, do you want to eat a TS meal every single day? If so, then you will probably do a bit better sticking with free dining?

However, if you prefer to have the flexibility of eating only a few, then I think it is possible to do 6 days with 3 people. I have gone to Disney and feed a family of 5 for 6 days for less than $700 so it can be done.

Of course, we only ate one TS meal, and I am a snacker vs. a full meal person so one CS and several small snacks throughout the day worked for me and one of my DD's.

Remember, the more TS meals you do, you do have to add in the cost of tips--so be sure to take that in to consideration.

We have done things both ways and the one part of the dining plan I don't like is that we are not huge dessert eaters so while it may provide some savings, it is savings on things we wouldn't order anyway.

 

[Amy&Dan]

If it were me, I'd stick with the free dining since to eat for $28 a day, even only cs would be tough at WDW.

I would however, use that room discount code to upgrade to CSR for your room only night vs Movies. Nicer resort and then you don't have to move resorts.

Good luck!

 

[amytheobald]

Well if the kids won't be kids for tickets they won't be for dining either, so I would stick with free dining!!

 

[AJA]

Free dining saves you a lot since everyone in your party would be considered disney adults and paying the full price for dining!