The Death of Free Dining?

[Zipears Fan]

My few thoughts: (1) Disney has added restaurants in its parks over the years bc of the increased popularity of the DP - therefore, DP is not going away. (2) A free DP promo will never go away if Disney needs to fill rooms. Period. (3) Yes, the quality did go down bc of the DP. Having said that, I believe that a majority of Disney goers prefer convenience to quality (esp families of 4+) and therefore the quality will not increase. If you want quality, go to V&A, FF, Cali Grill, etc.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Hopefully. The plan is a complete racket. Free dining is no bargain for anyone. I scratch my head when people say they can't go unless fd is offered..

THIS is what always makes me scratch my head. We are a family of four Disney "adults". We don't stay deluxe. And you want to say FD is not a good deal for us. Let's do the math....

If I want to stay at a moderate resort it's, for argument's sake, approximately $200 a night. The usual room discount is about 25% for a moderate. So that will save me approximately $50 a night. Now, please explain to me how I am to feed my family of four on $50 a day at Disney! $12.50 per person for a whole day's worth of food????? Then let's say I'm really, really careful--we drink water, no snacks, QS only, etc. Maybe, just maybe I can feed all four of us for $100 a day. So discounted room is $150 + $100 for food = $250 per day.

Now, if I pay the $200 and get free dining. I get a snack, a QS, and a TS meal for the day AND it's $50 cheaper than the room discount plus food. Even if I add in the required tax/tip on the TS, it's still cheaper and I'm getting a better dining experience.

Please, please, please explain how FD is "no bargain for anyone".

 

[christyk2002]

I'm confused about this "pin" that people are saying they get to be able to use free dining. Is this something that is emailed to you as a previous disney goer or maybe just DVC people get one? Help! Thanks

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm confused about this "pin" that people are saying they get to be able to use free dining. Is this something that is emailed to you as a previous disney goer or maybe just DVC people get one? Help! Thanks

It's entirely random. Some say that registering on the Disney site and saving some vacation offers will trigger an offer, but that's no guarantee. I have tried. And never gotten one.

 

[Vidia2]

I'm confused about this "pin" that people are saying they get to be able to use free dining. Is this something that is emailed to you as a previous disney goer or maybe just DVC people get one? Help! Thanks

From what I've observed, it's sometimes sent via email or via a postcard through regular mail. The emails that we've gotten have come from "Disney Destinations". They seem random but I'm sure Disney has a system for who gets them. It seems as though UK guests may get offers a bit earlier than US.

Also, there are offers that go out to Disney Visa card holders a bit earlier than the general public offer via email.

I'm not sure that DVC members are even eligible for free dining as Disney already has their money.

Edited to add: I've always associated getting on the Disney Destinations" email list with ordering the Disney trip planning DVD's as I believe those come from DDs as well. Again, that's just the email address that our PIN codes have come from.

 

[rileyroo120]

It's far too early to be releasing the fall discount. I waited and waited last year to get free dining for our Halloween trip, and it didn't become available until late July or early August. I find it highly unlikely that will be the only discount for fall.

 

[Vidia2]

It's far too early to be releasing the fall discount. I waited and waited last year to get free dining for our Halloween trip, and it didn't become available until late July or early August. I find it highly unlikely that will be the only discount for fall.

Our experiences are consistent with that. Email has arrived as early as mid July. Public offering has usually come out in August. We've booked our trip and fully expect if to be offered.

 

[elaine amj]

Same here! 4 Disney adults (one had JUST turned 10 and the other 13) and one Disney kid (age 7), "stuffed" (as one poster told me once LOL) into POR room, with free dining for 4 nights and 3-day park tickets...all for the *non* great deal of $2100. I've scratched my head over this, too, and have yet to price out a vacation where we can eat whatever we want (I am the queen of sharing and skipping meals) and be on-site for less than $2100. My DH already said that he LOVED Ohana, but for over $200 for our family to eat there, there is NO WAY we will do it again if we don't have free dining!

THIS is what always makes me scratch my head. We are a family of four Disney "adults". We don't stay deluxe. And you want to say FD is not a good deal for us. Let's do the math.... If I want to stay at a moderate resort it's, for argument's sake, approximately $200 a night. The usual room discount is about 25% for a moderate. So that will save me approximately $50 a night. Now, please explain to me how I am to feed my family of four on $50 a day at Disney! $12.50 per person for a whole day's worth of food????? Then let's say I'm really, really careful--we drink water, no snacks, QS only, etc. Maybe, just maybe I can feed all four of us for $100 a day. So discounted room is $150 + $100 for food = $250 per day. Now, if I pay the $200 and get free dining. I get a snack, a QS, and a TS meal for the day AND it's $50 cheaper than the room discount plus food. Even if I add in the required tax/tip on the TS, it's still cheaper and I'm getting a better dining experience. Please, please, please explain how FD is "no bargain for anyone".

We are a family of 4 and stay in value. Free dining upgraded to DDP is the most ridiculously amazing deal for us and is what draws us back to WDW. Plus my kids are now Disney adults.

We havent been watching for deals for the last year or so though...not likely to be back until 2015 at least. Kids want to go to Disneyland this year or next year.

 

[rileyroo120]

Does anyone know how to remove old tickers? My ticker is from last yr

 

[ToddyLu]

Go to your User CP, then signature. When the code thingy (

 

[fishhunter]

My family will be checking in on 12/19 this year and I'm really hoping free dining will be offered at that time. As you all know, that time of the year is expensive anyway and the free dining REALLY helps. I realize no one knows for sure, but what are your guesses about free dining being offered sometime between 12/19 and 12/29? Thanks...

 

[Lindaland]

THIS is what always makes me scratch my head. We are a family of four Disney "adults". We don't stay deluxe. And you want to say FD is not a good deal for us. Let's do the math....

If I want to stay at a moderate resort it's, for argument's sake, approximately $200 a night. The usual room discount is about 25% for a moderate. So that will save me approximately $50 a night. Now, please explain to me how I am to feed my family of four on $50 a day at Disney! $12.50 per person for a whole day's worth of food????? Then let's say I'm really, really careful--we drink water, no snacks, QS only, etc. Maybe, just maybe I can feed all four of us for $100 a day. So discounted room is $150 + $100 for food = $250 per day.

Now, if I pay the $200 and get free dining. I get a snack, a QS, and a TS meal for the day AND it's $50 cheaper than the room discount plus food. Even if I add in the required tax/tip on the TS, it's still cheaper and I'm getting a better dining experience.

Please, please, please explain how FD is "no bargain for anyone".

This was even a good deal for us being a party of 2 adults. I did not want to just have QS meals while there and if you factor in a few nice TS meals over a 6 night stay, it gets way more pricey. We were also able to use the snack credits at F&W!!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

This was even a good deal for us being a party of 2 adults. I did not want to just have QS meals while there and if you factor in a few nice TS meals over a 6 night stay, it gets way more pricey. We were also able to use the snack credits at F&W!!

I'm amazed at how often I see the blanket statement that "Free dining is a ripoff. Anyone who uses it is a sucker. It's never a good deal for anyone." So I always try to give my example and ask for an explanation of how it's not a good deal for our family.

No one ever responds.....

 

[McKelly]

My family will be checking in on 12/19 this year and I'm really hoping free dining will be offered at that time. As you all know, that time of the year is expensive anyway and the free dining REALLY helps. I realize no one knows for sure, but what are your guesses about free dining being offered sometime between 12/19 and 12/29? Thanks...

I am hoping for it for this time of year as well, but I am not holding my breath. My guess is it will end on 12/17. We are checking in on the 20th, so that's my hope, but again, not holding my breath. Right now, I am holding a reservation at the Swan for less than a value as my no Free Dining back up.

 

[trixiemuffin]

I'm amazed at how often I see the blanket statement that "Free dining is a ripoff. Anyone who uses it is a sucker. It's never a good deal for anyone." So I always try to give my example and ask for an explanation of how it's not a good deal for our family.

No one ever responds.....

Oh my gosh, I totally agree! The value of the food FAR exceeds any room discount at a value or moderate for our family of 4.

 

[SPOERLX3]

My family will be checking in on 12/19 this year and I'm really hoping free dining will be offered at that time. As you all know, that time of the year is expensive anyway and the free dining REALLY helps. I realize no one knows for sure, but what are your guesses about free dining being offered sometime between 12/19 and 12/29? Thanks...

Here is the website for historical data on promo's.
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/
Last year they offered it thru 12/22 so as long as you check in prior to the last day that FD is offered, it will cover your entire trip. I had never seen it offered that late in December prior to last year.
Prior to last year, the FD ended earlier in December.
I love Disney in December
Pixie Dust for you that it will be available for you!

 

[SPOERLX3]

I'm amazed at how often I see the blanket statement that "Free dining is a ripoff. Anyone who uses it is a sucker. It's never a good deal for anyone." So I always try to give my example and ask for an explanation of how it's not a good deal for our family.

No one ever responds.....

I agree 100%!
FD, for us, is the best savings. After pricing out with room discount vs. FD, FD always is the best value.

 

[mulan1123]

I agree 100%!
FD, for us, is the best savings. After pricing out with room discount vs. FD, FD always is the best value.

Mt friend and I priced it out and the FD is a bonus because we stayed a POR and the FD (QS, snack and TS) was worth about $500 pp vs saving about $300 pp with hotel discount.

 

[KungFoomF]

If I had a dollar for every time someone predicted or suspected the end of free dining I'd have enough money to... afford the Disney dining plan.

The free dining discount is a great win for Disney. I am not sure why they'd ever do away with it. Even at the best of times there are going to be periods during a year in which they cannot sell out their rooms. Kids go back to school, hurricane seasons keep people away, etc. The free dining play fills in a lot of rooms.

Also, for what its worth, the free dining discount is the best discount of the year, provided you are traveling with 4 or more people in your party. Obviously the more people the more value.

 

[QueenQueso]

I agree 100%!
FD, for us, is the best savings. After pricing out with room discount vs. FD, FD always is the best value.

I also agree. We went for the first time this past Sept and did FD. When we originally booked with a TA (which I will never do again...), I had only done some minimal research myself on Disney's own website, priced out our vacation, then went there to book. I didn't find this website until about a month after we booked (still like a year until our trip) and it was weeks after that when I came across the first mention of FD. I had initially wanted the DP, but after seeing how much it cost vs the menu prices listed online, I decided to cancel it, for an estimated savings of a couple hundred dollars.

When the FD promo was released, I traded in our two AoA LM rooms and no DP for a FW cabin with the regular DP (AoA would've had the QS plan) and even with the upgrades, we still saved money. I can't remember the dollar amounts now, but for us is was DEFINATELY the better deal. (And maybe we're terribly deprived here in the Greater Cincinnati area, but we had no complaints whatsoever about the quality of food at WDW.)