So I ran some numbers Free Dining vs. % off code...

[chocovrdmicears]

Warning...this post may be of zero interest to unless your are an obsessed Disney Math dork like myself.

I spent a few hours (yes, sad, i know) running some numbers comparing Free Dining (hoping it will return in 2010) vs. potential 40% off code.
Some general stats for comparison. We are a family of 4 (2A, 2C (7yrs & 8yrs). We will be getting 5 day park hopper tix, and the dining plan.
Our resorts choices are Deluxe or POP...(we don't like mods).
We are going at the end of August for 7 nights.
Now in my mind I was convinced that if I don't get a 40% off code, we would go to POP with Free Dining, which I assumed would be the best value. But my first choice is to try the Beach Club.

So here is what I came up with. Please keep in mind that these are really general numbers and I will round up.

Free Dining Estimates:

Poly: $4002
Beach Club: $3805
AKL: $3096
POP: $1799

40% off Deluxe / 20% off Value:
Poly: $3608
Beach Club: $3490
AKL: $3064
POP: $2420

The difference between the 2 promotions:

Poly: $4002 vs. $ 3608 - difference= $394
BC: $3805 vs. $3490 - difference= $315
AKL: $3096 vs. $3063 - difference= $33
Pop: $1799 vs. $2420 - difference= $621 (for Free Dining)

I was sort of surprised at how little the difference is between the free dining vs. the 40% off was. AKL is almost the same! Now obviously it will vary based on WHEN you are staying, how many in your party, what category of room (mine were all std rooms except AKL was a pool view). But I thought it was kind of interesting to see the side by side comparisons. If we get the PIN I will probably book the Beach Club (I may still do that even if we don't). At the very least if we do finally decide on a Deluxe I can book AKL for the same.

 

[Native NYer]

I was doing the same Disney math as you! We're a group of 5 (3 adults and 2 children ages 6 and 2 at the time of travel) and were trying to figure out if the 40% PIN I received was a better discount than free dining. It was about the same. We booked 8 nights at the Poly, with 10 day park hoppers and deluxe dining with the 40% PIN and used the PIN to book 2 nights room-only at the GF. We saved a lot of money on the rooms, especially the GF.

I wonder if free dining is going to be released again. I was kind of surprised that the 4/3 deal wasn't extended. Who knows what Disney will do next.

 

[MBKELmom]

Interesting. If its any consolation, I am a math nerd too and have ran various numbers on numerous occasions. I am so wishing for the FD but will be happy with my PIN too. At least it is still "saving" kwim

 

[marcielm]

I would LOVE a free dining PIN for March... or a "adults stay at kids' prices" PIN. Both of those would save me a little more money than my current 30% off.
Trust me... I've done the Disney Math... I am a nerd.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Interesting. If its any consolation, I am a math nerd too and have ran various numbers on numerous occasions. I am so wishing for the FD but will be happy with my PIN too. At least it is still "saving" kwim

LOL! With 5 kids I would imagine that Free Dining would be the best deal for you. Here's hoping for FD!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I would LOVE a free dining PIN for March... or a "adults stay at kids' prices" PIN. Both of those would save me a little more money than my current 30% off.
Trust me... I've done the Disney Math... I am a nerd.

Marcie,
I have seen many of your posts...I sort of suspected you to be a Disney Math nerd...and one that has great info as well...very helpful.

 

[marcielm]

Choco-ears... it's all about saving a dime.

I wish so many people knew/understood how cheap you can do Disney. My stoopid BIL fussed the other day when something was said about money "Aren't y'all going to Disney AGAIN??? That's not a cheap vacation". Yeah... but this is cheap, and we save money all year to do it. I priced out a cruise for our family for 4 nights on Carnival (not even a cruiseline I want to use!) and it was more expensive than our 5 night stay at Disney.

edited for spelling... because I can't.

 

[MBKELmom]

I would LOVE a free dining PIN for March... or a "adults stay at kids' prices" PIN. Both of those would save me a little more money than my current 30% off.
Trust me... I've done the Disney Math... I am a nerd.

Marcie- is your 30% off a value? My PIN is only 20% off the values...

And I am j/w...but did you frequent the worldcrossing (momsonline) boards at one time. I vaguely remember a Marcie from Houston on there several years back....

 

[swald91]

You definitely have to play around with numbers...I've found for our party that free dining is better than 30% discount-but the 40 & 45% discount vs. free dining at CL is better for us....

 

[marcielm]

Marcie- is your 30% off a value? My PIN is only 20% off the values...

And I am j/w...but did you frequent the worldcrossing (momsonline) boards at one time. I vaguely remember a Marcie from Houston on there several years back....

My PIN is for 30% off the value... it is the one that expires at the first of June, not the year long PIN (that one is 20%).

I've never been on the worldcrossing boards. I do visit a few others, but that one is new to me! I know a few other "Marcies" here in the Houston area, so I can only imagine how many of us there actually are! Can you believe I had NEVER met another Marcie until I went to college... and I grew up in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. In college I knew 2 others. Here in Houston I've met at least 3 more... two of which have the same middle name as me as well.

 

[MBKELmom]

My PIN is for 30% off the value... it is the one that expires at the first of June, not the year long PIN (that one is 20%).

I've never been on the worldcrossing boards. I do visit a few others, but that one is new to me! I know a few other "Marcies" here in the Houston area, so I can only imagine how many of us there actually are! Can you believe I had NEVER met another Marcie until I went to college... and I grew up in the Dallas/Ft Worth area. In college I knew 2 others. Here in Houston I've met at least 3 more... two of which have the same middle name as me as well.

LOL - that is OK. Believe it or not, I'd never known another Darlene in my whole life (well except for my cousin that my mom named me after).Then I got married and this woman moved here that has my same FIRST and LAST name. Eeek. To top it off, I ended up having her g/daughter in my class last year. Pain in the booty, let me tell ya.

 

[marciemouse]

Too funny! I just randomly clicked to this post and MY name is also Marcie! Not too common, but I married into a family with two other Marcies! At least we all spell our names differently, so we can at least be distinguished from one another on paper!

 

[marcielm]

LOL - that is OK. Believe it or not, I'd never known another Darlene in my whole life (well except for my cousin that my mom named me after).Then I got married and this woman moved here that has my same FIRST and LAST name. Eeek. To top it off, I ended up having her g/daughter in my class last year. Pain in the booty, let me tell ya.

Definitely a pain in the booty!!

 

[marcielm]

Too funny! I just randomly clicked to this post and MY name is also Marcie! Not too common, but I married into a family with two other Marcies! At least we all spell our names differently, so we can at least be distinguished from one another on paper!

I bet that's a good thing at Christmas-time when the gifts get handed out!

Personally, I'm glad to see you spell yours "the right way". My mom was going to spell mine Marcy, and my dad corrected her just before she finished the birth certificate. I think he got the spelling from reading "Peanuts" too much in the paper.

 

[danceintherain]

I'm a Disney math nerd too! I have so many Disney spreadsheets on my computers it's pretty sad.

One thing you may want to consider is that the Free Dining that was offered for the end of last year only gave the QSDP to people staying at Value resorts, you could pay to upgrade to the regular DP, but it's something to consider. Who knows if they'll change it for regular Free Dining this year, but it's a possibility. Also, it wouldn't change your savings by THAT much.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

I'm a Disney math nerd too! I have so many Disney spreadsheets on my computers it's pretty sad.

One thing you may want to consider is that the Free Dining that was offered for the end of last year only gave the QSDP to people staying at Value resorts, you could pay to upgrade to the regular DP, but it's something to consider. Who knows if they'll change it for regular Free Dining this year, but it's a possibility. Also, it wouldn't change your savings by THAT much.

hmmm. I forgot to take that into consideration. I would be really sad if they only offered the QS for Free Dining this year.
Remind me please, was the extended Free Dining offer QS at Values and Regular Dining at Mods and Deluxes? Or was it free QS at all levels?

 

[marcielm]

hmmm. I forgot to take that into consideration. I would be really sad if they only offered the QS for Free Dining this year.
Remind me please, was the extended Free Dining offer QS at Values and Regular Dining at Mods and Deluxes? Or was it free QS at all levels?

It was during the extended FD offer that the values got the QS plans. The mods & deluxe both got the DDP. During the "regular" free dining all resort levels had the DDP for free.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

It was during the extended FD offer that the values got the QS plans. The mods & deluxe both got the DDP. During the "regular" free dining all resort levels had the DDP for free.

Thank you. It would be great if a. they offered free dining again and b. that they keep it the regular plan. Let us hope the Disney Gods are listening.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

I love running the numbers for different resorts and possibilities too - right now have a pin code good through next December, but the gift card looks mighty good - have nit run the the numbers for BC yet with the gift card, vs pin code...should do that tonight....and then should just book something before everything is sold out!!

 

[StuckInKS]

hmmm. I forgot to take that into consideration. I would be really sad if they only offered the QS for Free Dining this year.

Something to consider ... over at the UK site, they are offering DDP for this fall only for deluxe. Value and Mod only get QSDP. Our deal usually varies from theirs and it may have always been offered this way on the UK site, but it is something to consider.