The free quick service dining plan going extinct?

[lockedoutlogic]

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.

You can put 4 adults in a room at POP? I shoulda known that I guess...

It's still a pittance (frankly) for room that has risen 100% in price in a decade...it's just not a good time to consume disney product.

Perhaps the worst time...if we're honest

 

[lockedoutlogic]

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.

You are incorrect...disney hates all discounts...including this one.

 

[Q-man]

You can put 4 adults in a room at POP? I shoulda known that I guess...

It's still a pittance (frankly) for room that has risen 100% in price in a decade...it's just not a good time to consume disney product.

Perhaps the worst time...if we're honest

If you're over 9 Disney counts you as an adult for dining.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If you're over 9 Disney counts you as an adult for dining.

Oh right...that...

I suppose "academically speaking"..

 

[mom2rtk]

You can put 4 adults in a room at POP? I shoulda known that I guess...

It's still a pittance (frankly) for room that has risen 100% in price in a decade...it's just not a good time to consume disney product.

Perhaps the worst time...if we're honest

Yes, it's a pittance. But if someone wants to stay onsite, it's the best deal they're going to find. That's why the value resorts are booked full for free dining.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Yes, it's a pittance. But if someone wants to stay onsite, it's the best deal they're going to find. That's why the value resorts are booked full for free dining.

...drinking the sand

 

[mom2rtk]

...drinking the sand

I'm about as far from a Disney apologist as you will find here. But sometimes there really are just so many choices. Sure you can choose not to go. And you can choose to stay offsite. But that's not what I'm talking about. For those staying onsite, that's the best deal you'll find. Denying reality doesn't suddenly make new options appear.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm about as far from a Disney apologist as you will find here. But sometimes there really are just so many choices. Sure you can choose not to go. And you can choose to stay offsite. But that's not what I'm talking about. For those staying onsite, that's the best deal you'll find. Denying reality doesn't suddenly make new options appear.

I'm not really disputing that...people will take the best they can get.

Just a sad state of affairs...to me

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm not really disputing that...people will take the best they can get.

Just a sad state of affairs...to me

Oh, I can agree with that. People assume the value resorts are all booked up because they were fooled into thinking it was a great deal. Sometimes it really just is because it's the best they could do and they aren't ready to stop going.

I do think that next year there will be much less excitement over the release of free dining. I'm sure they lost some fans with this latest move.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

You are incorrect...disney hates all discounts...including this one.

How can I be incorrect, the dates it is offered are right there in black and white. It wasn't offered Thanksgiving week in years past, it is this year. I didn't say that Disney liked it, but that they have made it available where it wasn't before, thus making it easier for us to take advantage of. That much is fact.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

How can I be incorrect, the dates it is offered are right there in black and white. It wasn't offered Thanksgiving week in years past, it is this year. I didn't say that Disney liked it, but that they have made it available where it wasn't before, thus making it easier for us to take advantage of. That much is fact.

Because bookings are light...I could've gotten dvc at quite a few spots for thanksgiving...after the window opened up.

Because bookings are lighter than usual.

Sane with the promos...but that died doesn't mean they like offering promos

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Because bookings are light...I could've gotten dvc at quite a few spots for thanksgiving...after the window opened up.

Because bookings are lighter than usual.

Sane with the promos...but that died doesn't mean they like offering promos

Again, Didn't say they LIKED it, just that is was available where is wasn't before, which is true.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Again, Didn't say they LIKED it, just that is was available where is wasn't before, which is true.

Ok...I reread it...you're just saying the calendar has worked out better for you?

I see that...got thrown off by "disney has made it easier..."

No, they just feel like they're being screwed by customers and have to give money away by spreading promotions...they WILL have their revenge

 

[dlavender]

I think they are nearing the end of the "phase out".

Step 1 Add Park Hoppers
Step 2 Force Preferred Room
Step 3 Reduce Value Offer to QS
Step 4 Reduce Mod Offer to QS
Step 5 Most likely next year reduce Value to 1 meal only
Step 6 Free mug only? Que the "My family can't drink for less than $17 pp per day" defense
Step 7 Values Excluded
Step 8 Gone

So perhaps 3-4 years left.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think they are nearing the end of the "phase out".

Step 1 Add Park Hoppers
Step 2 Force Preferred Room
Step 3 Reduce Value Offer to QS
Step 4 Reduce Mod Offer to QS
Step 5 Most likely next year reduce Value to 1 meal only
Step 6 Free mug only? Que the "My family can't drink for less than $17 pp per day" defense
Step 7 Values Excluded
Step 8 Gone

So perhaps 3-4 years left.

You make a pretty strong case...all that stuff has happened.

But this isn't rocket science...
They had a depression era promo to fill rooms, as the need drop and the prices rose - they turned the screws, the changes have brought it closer and closer to retail...so when they yank it mom and dad will look at the bottomline and find - shockingly - that the price is the same (let's book, kids!!! Wishes, magic, dreams, wonder!!)

 

[KimBean]

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.

For my dates Moderates were never available even before free dining. I got my free dining the first 5 minutes. I have been looking for someone else and never have seen any value resort for check in 11/25-11/27 for longer than 7 days after that first 5 minutes after it dropped.

I just don't think much was ever put out there. If you want to stay Deluxe sure. You still have plenty to choose from.

I also think two big things changed this year from years past. TA's were somehow more successful and modifying an existing ressie was more available then in the past.

I feel very lucky to have gotten what I did and don't ever expect to get it again

 

[KimBean]

I think they are nearing the end of the "phase out".

Step 1 Add Park Hoppers
Step 2 Force Preferred Room
Step 3 Reduce Value Offer to QS
Step 4 Reduce Mod Offer to QS
Step 5 Most likely next year reduce Value to 1 meal only
Step 6 Free mug only? Que the "My family can't drink for less than $17 pp per day" defense
Step 7 Values Excluded
Step 8 Gone

So perhaps 3-4 years left.

What does free mug only mean?

 

[Q-man]

You make a pretty strong case...all that stuff has happened.

But this isn't rocket science...
They had a depression era promo to fill rooms, as the need drop and the prices rose - they turned the screws, the changes have brought it closer and closer to retail...so when they yank it mom and dad will look at the bottomline and find - shockingly - that the price is the same (let's book, kids!!! Wishes, magic, dreams, wonder!!)

Bingo these were promos created during the Great Recession that are being phased out.

 

[onetoescape]

I was looking over the numbers for us going back next year with the "free dining" and it worked out considerably dearer around £1500 (give or take when passes are included) staying at budget or moderate and upgrading to the full DDP. Staying onsite in Disney I dont see the appeal of just a quick service one. So we decided to stay at universal instead and use Uber for transport and touch wood looks cheaper than the hire car. We both love Disney but the price increases and Universal pushing themselves make Universal resorts look more appealing. Back onto the main thrust of the post its economics the free dining is popular so they will try and nickle and dime it until there's a big drop off and then replace it with something new or roll it back to get the numbers back. Disney is a business so they are out to make money so they will try and get as much money out of us and save as much as they can while still staying true to its brand.

 

[mom2rtk]

Bingo these were promos created during the Great Recession that are being phased out.

The recession might be over. But hurricane season is never going away.

Besides, my own theory is that they have increased room rates to a high enough level that they can continue to sustain reasonably large discounts. They might hope to keep those high rates and phase out the discounts regardless, but they still have 30K rooms to keep full every night.