The free quick service dining plan going extinct?

[mayshamp]

I've been taking the kids to Disney World every year for 5 years now, and I've never had trouble getting free dining when I wanted it. Not this year. Right now is May 2017, about 2 weeks after the free dining was announced in April, and I haven't been able to find free dining rooms at the Pop Century or All Star resorts. This has never happened before. In fact, I can't even find rooms without a discount in September. That's how booked up everything is. In the past, I normally book my trips in June for September, and there were plenty of free dining to go around.
Why is free dining so booked up now? For one thing, the dates are far more restricted. October no longer is qualified because Halloween is now a big holiday in Disney World with their night MK parties. (I commend Disney for that; it is a smart business idea.) November has just a couple of days open. So, September is booked solid.
Lucky for me, I got my free dining on the second day it was announced. I don't normally book in April, but I felt nervous this year seeing how no free quick service dining was available on the Disney Website even on the first day of free dining announcement.
Thinking from Disney's point of view, why give a sale when the item is mostly out of stock? It doesn't improve your business when only a lucky few get a killer of a deal when the rest of the people are not allowed to hand you money. Furthermore, the free quick service dining in itself is a big money loser. The free quick service dining plan for a family of 4 easily costs more per day than the hotel room itself. Disney is still making some money from the park tickets, and it's a good idea to fill up the hotel rooms. However, in the way the moderate hotels now getting downgraded to free quick service, I would imagine that the value hotels will no longer get free dining in the future, but rather discounted dining, say 50% off perhaps. That way, disney will be able to offer more rooms and dining plans to more people, which is not good for me but makes better business sense for Disney.
I love Disney World and I want them to thrive. However, I am thinking that this may be the last year I get to enjoy my free quick service dining plan.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've been taking the kids to Disney World every year for 5 years now, and I've never had trouble getting free dining when I wanted it. Not this year. Right now is May 2017, about 2 weeks after the free dining was announced in April, and I haven't been able to find free dining rooms at the Pop Century or All Star resorts. This has never happened before. In fact, I can't even find rooms without a discount in September. That's how booked up everything is. In the past, I normally book my trips in June for September, and there were plenty of free dining to go around.
Why is free dining so booked up now? For one thing, the dates are far more restricted. October no longer is qualified because Halloween is now a big holiday in Disney World with their night MK parties. (I commend Disney for that; it is a smart business idea.) November has just a couple of days open. So, September is booked solid.
Lucky for me, I got my free dining on the second day it was announced. I don't normally book in April, but I felt nervous this year seeing how no free quick service dining was available on the Disney Website even on the first day of free dining announcement.
Thinking from Disney's point of view, why give a sale when the item is mostly out of stock? It doesn't improve your business when only a lucky few get a killer of a deal when the rest of the people are not allowed to hand you money. Furthermore, the free quick service dining in itself is a big money loser. The free quick service dining plan for a family of 4 easily costs more per day than the hotel room itself. Disney is still making some money from the park tickets, and it's a good idea to fill up the hotel rooms. However, in the way the moderate hotels now getting downgraded to free quick service, I would imagine that the value hotels will no longer get free dining in the future, but rather discounted dining, say 50% off perhaps. That way, disney will be able to offer more rooms and dining plans to more people, which is not good for me but makes better business sense for Disney.
I love Disney World and I want them to thrive. However, I am thinking that this may be the last year I get to enjoy my free quick service dining plan.

Are you just looking at value resorts? I imagine with the mods cutting back to quick service, the value resorts were in high demand for free dining this year. That was a pretty substantial change this year, and I imagine it had an impact on who was booking where.

With the total price of a Disney vacation rising so much lately, I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the lowest priced rooms have the greatest availability issues.

I'd sure love to know how bookings are looking at the mod and deluxe resorts.

 

[rteetz]

Disney doesn't like the free dining discount. Every year Disney makes it harder or increases the requirements. Disney also made the mods have quick service this year. There are numerous rooms out of service at CSR and CBR. The Pop is also getting a refurb meaning rooms are out of service there.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

All coupons end...that's the simplest way to put it.

The parks are now being counted on to bring in high yield/low cost revenues...it's only gonna get worse.

 

[Rusty2rules]

On the FD thread there was a ton of talk about people switching from a moderate resort to a value (Pop was mentioned quite often) if the rumor of QS being offered at the mods was true and then upgrading to the DDP with the room savings. That, coupled with what I have to assume was a reduction in the number of rooms available for FD, would probably explain the lack of rooms available at Pop. I'm just happy I booked my room back in February, and I'm really happy my TA was able to snag FD for me.

And yes, I think FD will be nothing but a fond memory in the not so distant future.

 

[ponyboy]

Furthermore, the free quick service dining in itself is a big money loser. The free quick service dining plan for a family of 4 easily costs more per day than the hotel room itself.

Quick service dining would have an extremely low cost for Disney which is more than made up for through the sale of the entrance ticket. An individual QS meal might have a real cost of $2. Free dining as a whole is a cheap way for them to fill rooms and get people in the parks.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

But...they don't need to fill rooms
Much and don't want "budget conscious" travelers....

Don't believe me...they've been saying it for years...

 

[mayshamp]

Are you just looking at value resorts? I imagine with the mods cutting back to quick service, the value resorts were in high demand for free dining this year. That was a pretty substantial change this year, and I imagine it had an impact on who was booking where.

With the total price of a Disney vacation rising so much lately, I wouldn't be shocked at all to see the lowest priced rooms have the greatest availability issues.

I'd sure love to know how bookings are looking at the mod and deluxe resorts.

Yes, I'm only looking at the value resorts. The moderate and deluxe resorts have plenty of free dining to go around. I am mainly talking about the free quick service dining at the value resorts. The moderate resorts are also only allowed free quick service, but they should be OK.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yes, I'm only looking at the value resorts. The moderate and deluxe resorts have plenty of free dining to go around. I am mainly talking about the free quick service dining at the value resorts. The moderate resorts are also only allowed free quick service, but they should be OK.

It's just excess inventory offered...and based on what's gone on with price increases, it makes sense you can get deluxe and moderate and not value. I can't see that trend switching until there is a travel recession of somekind.

 

[Lee Matthews]

Give it a year or two and free dining will be completely phased out.

 

[mom2rtk]

Yes, I'm only looking at the value resorts. The moderate and deluxe resorts have plenty of free dining to go around. I am mainly talking about the free quick service dining at the value resorts. The moderate resorts are also only allowed free quick service, but they should be OK.

That's because free dining at a value resort is still a decent value. And it shows people are doing the math and are still seeking out the few values that are left.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Give it a year or two and free dining will be completely phased out.

Give it a year or two and free dining will be completely phased out.

The ddp itself will be replaced at some point. Notice how no package/policy lasts for more than about 10 years...

...we're there

 

[Craig Brunetti]

My prediction is that next year, Value resorts will get the single quick service meal (like the summer savoury deal this year) only as part of free dining while the mods get the full quick service dining. I think Disney wanted to push people towards value from mods (due to lower inventory on mods due to construction). Next year I think they may want to differentiate Value and Moderate FD plans and reducing the Value resorts deal seems like a logical step.

I would say that if you have the opportunity, book a bounce back offer this fall if you are thinking of going back to Disney in fall 2018.

 

[k8Davies]

Give it a year or two and free dining will be completely phased out.

Think it's going this way.

I'm based in the UK and our Free Dining came out a bit earlier than yours, but I did notice that on Value Resorts the free dining option was just a free breakfast at that resort,Where as last few years it was the QS option.

They are offering the QS option on Moderates and the free Dining plan on the Deluxe

 

[lockedoutlogic]

To pay rack rate to get one quick service per person at a value...or two at a $300 moderate...is frankly insane. You would have to split hairs to find ANY value whatsoever...

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

That's because free dining at a value resort is still a decent value. And it shows people are doing the math and are still seeking out the few values that are left.

Yep.

I booked a trip with a friend. We are staying at Sports, with free dining.

Now, I have an annual pass, so I am using my ticket that comes with the package for my next annual pass.

Otherwise we are spending $45 per person, for all of our quick service meals/snacks/mug.

So, yes we are saving money because we are definitely going to eat at least $45 each in quick service meals.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Disney doesn't like the free dining discount. Every year Disney makes it harder or increases the requirements. Disney also made the mods have quick service this year. There are numerous rooms out of service at CSR and CBR. The Pop is also getting a refurb meaning rooms are out of service there.

I find the opposite to be true for the times we travel. In the last couple of years, Disney has made it easier for us to take advantage of FD. Used to be that you couldn't book FD for thanksgiving week without arriving the Thursday before. Now we can arrive the weekend before Thanksgiving. Same with Mardi Gras week when it is offered.

 

[Disneylover99]

To pay rack rate to get one quick service per person at a value...or two at a $300 moderate...is frankly insane. You would have to split hairs to find ANY value whatsoever...

If you do the math, it's still a better deal then a 20% discount off your room at a Value or Moderate when you're a family with four Disney adults.

 

[Craig Brunetti]

To pay rack rate to get one quick service per person at a value...or two at a $300 moderate...is frankly insane. You would have to split hairs to find ANY value whatsoever...

Except that Disney already has a one quick service meal deal for Value resorts - summer savoury deal that ran for visits I think June-August this year. This fall free dining has moderate with Quick Service dining.

Every year Disney has made it less attractive for free dining. I see Quick Service at mods this year following that trend. Similarly, perhaps next year scaling back the FD promo at Value resorts might be the next step.

 

[mom2rtk]

Except that Disney already has a one quick service meal deal for Value resorts - summer savoury deal that ran for visits I think June-August this year. This fall free dining has moderate with Quick Service dining.

Every year Disney has made it less attractive for free dining. I see Quick Service at mods this year following that trend. Similarly, perhaps next year scaling back the FD promo at Value resorts might be the next step.

Or maybe they'll have trouble filling moderate and deluxe rooms during hurricane season this year and will have to add more back to the promo next year.

All we know so far is that value resorts have been very popular during this year's deal. If bookings are down in the more expensive rooms, something will have to give.