Stick with FD?

[olik8smom]

I figured it out, going to stick with FD, but don't know how to delete the thread.

Anyway, in case anyone else is trying to decide, I ended up looking at each restaurant's menu and adding it all up (some averaging went into the non-buffet, non all-you-care-to-eat restaurants). Anyway I came up with about $663, which would mean we would need to spend less than $162 total, for all CS meals for the 4 of us for the week, to make giving up FD worth it. That would be spending only about $23 a day for all for of us for CS lunches/dinners plus snacks.
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Now that a room only discount has been offered for the week we'll be in WDW, I'm trying to figure out if we'd be better keeping FD or switching.

We're staying at the Poly, so with the discount we would pay $825 less if we switch to the room only discount.

So my question is, based on my ADRs which are for 2 adults, 2 kids (7yo and 4 yo) and a 2yo(not on dining plan) would we be better off sticking with FD? WWYD?

We'll be there for 7 days...
Tusker House- b'fast
Crystal Palace- b'fast
O'hana- b'fast and dinner
Chefs de France- dinner
Kona- dinner
Ackershus- dinner


Planning on CS for dinner on days we have b'fast ADRs and for lunch on days we have dinner ADRs.

Thanks!

 

[sharonabe]

Are you staying 7 nights? Remember the DDP is based on the number of nights you stay and not the days your plan to play.

Anyway, if you made your TS choices based on where you really want to eat while you're there, then you'll do better with the free DDP (if you're staying 7 nights).

If you made your choices based on the fact you need to use 7 TS credits, but could do fewer TS meals, you'll do better with the room discount.

 

[olik8smom]

Are you staying 7 nights? Remember the DDP is based on the number of nights you stay and not the days your plan to play.

Anyway, if you made your TS choices based on where you really want to eat while you're there, then you'll do better with the free DDP (if you're staying 7 nights).

If you made your choices based on the fact you need to use 7 TS credits, but could do fewer TS meals, you'll do better with the room discount.

Thanks. Honestly it started off trying to fill 7 day ADRs, but now, it's worked out so well for us that I wouldn't want to let any of them go.

 

[daraddg]

I actually wrote to a TA earlier today about wether I should switch from FD to RO and she said she has found the majority of her clients have faired much better with FD,when I crunched my numbers on the disney site the RO discount was actually $500 more than what I have now to do the same trip so you may want to try that too and see what the diff would be.

 

[chartle]

I figured it out, going to stick with FD, but don't know how to delete the thread.

No need to delete the thread just because you figured it out.

Others can learn from your conclusion. In fact if everyone did what you did a lot more people would realize that Free Dining isn't at all Free and they have to do the math to see whats the better deal.

 

[RedfromNL]

I was faced with the same puzzle. But I'm going with just my husband, no kids. And based on how we eat for us it made more sense to go for the room discount. I also looked at the menus, picking the more expensive items, adding taxes/tips etc etc.

Even then it still came out much cheaper than with free dining.
My guess is we'll save between 800-1000 dollars, depending on how much and where we ultimately decide to eat.

But when doing these sums always put 10% extra on spending! That way you won't get a nasty surprise because you forget to count that extra drink or ice-creams or something. I don't know the american/english expression but translating the dutch one: Don't calculate yourself rich!