True Cost of 'Free" Dining

[SlightlyGoofy]

I finally have the true cost of 'free' dining. Now that the codes for Sept have come out I can do the math.

For me, since we are staying at a Value Resort,it is $16 a day. Still seems like it is still great deal even if not quite 'free'.

I was paying $80 a day with the Free Dining Plan and since the September code is $64 that is how I am coming up with that figure. (for you math experts out there, yes, I know that the difference in room taxes would skew the numbers but life is too short for me to suffer through getting it quite that perfectly)

Slightly Goofy

 

[ReallyFunMom]

Similar math gets me at $40 per day for the free dining plan at a mod. Still a good deal. Course DH will also argue theres some cost to giving up a very nice 2 bedroom condo you can get for a little less than the $99 moderate rate and there is the requirement of buying 4 MYW tickets we would not have purchased with a room only plan.

 

[punkin]

It makes a lot of sense at the values and some sense at the mods (it depends on how many people in a room-you can really make out if you have 5 over the age of 3 at POR) but it makes absolutely no sense at the deluxes. You would do much better with a code.

 

[novdisneydreams]

Can someone please tell me what the codes are and where you get them????????????????? Thanks !

 

[alicenwonder99]

It makes a lot of sense at the values and some sense at the mods (it depends on how many people in a room-you can really make out if you have 5 over the age of 3 at POR) but it makes absolutely no sense at the deluxes. You would do much better with a code.

We're staying at CR. Rack rate is $250 a night, and there are 5 of us on the free-DDP. To use the code, it would drop our resort stay to $180 a night, but we would be paying $125 a day for the DDP, so that would bump it back up to $305 a night.

I guess if we were paying for food OOP, we could probably get cheaper options for the meals. Like eating CS twice a day, instead of a TS. But with 5 people eating, it will be close to $125 for food/drinks/snacks for the whole day.

Mary

 

[Lewisc]

It makes a lot of sense at the values and some sense at the mods (it depends on how many people in a room-you can really make out if you have 5 over the age of 3 at POR) but it makes absolutely no sense at the deluxes. You would do much better with a code.

I'll agree the old 40-45% discount codes would have been better but the more recent discounts for the deluxe hotels have been something like a flat $75/night discount. "Free" dining is slightly better, even for just 2 adults.

Some guests staying in the more expensive view rooms in some of the deluxe resorts found booking with a AAA discount and paying for dining worked out cheaper than "free" dining.

 

[punkin]

We're staying at CR. Rack rate is $250 a night, and there are 5 of us on the free-DDP. To use the code, it would drop our resort stay to $180 a night, but we would be paying $125 a day for the DDP, so that would bump it back up to $305 a night.

I guess if we were paying for food OOP, we could probably get cheaper options for the meals. Like eating CS twice a day, instead of a TS. But with 5 people eating, it will be close to $125 for food/drinks/snacks for the whole day.

Mary

I guess, I would just pay OOP and eat a LOT less food. One of the problems I have with DDP is that I cannot physically eat so much and would have to share food. It really bothers me to throw food out.

What I should have said was that a deluxe would not work for us. I t would make more sense for us to pay OOP and a code rate.

 

[DizGeek]

Last year, I paid $79 per night at Pop. So if you consider that with a coupon code, you can sometimes get Pop for $59 (if you get that coupon mailed to you)

So 4 people ate like kings for $20 per day...$5 each! Nice deal.

 

[alicenwonder99]

I guess, I would just pay OOP and eat a LOT less food. One of the problems I have with DDP is that I cannot physically eat so much and would have to share food. It really bothers me to throw food out.

What I should have said was that a deluxe would not work for us. I t would make more sense for us to pay OOP and a code rate.

Yeah, we threw alot of food out last year on the DDP. Our problem is that my young children eat like birds. They don't feast on a huge meal that will satiate them for the whole day. They NEED to eat 3-5 times a day. So, we are a family that eats 3 meals a day at WDW, with a snack at least once a day. So, the DDP is PERFECT for us. And yes, it would be cheaper for the kids to share meals, but I laugh at that!!!! The children can never agree on the same food, so it's just easier and makes for a more enjoyable vacation if the kids get their own meals.

Mary

 

[mlwear]

I'll agree the old 40-45% discount codes would have been better but the more recent discounts for the deluxe hotels have been something like a flat $75/night discount. "Free" dining is slightly better, even for just 2 adults.

Some guests staying in the more expensive view rooms in some of the deluxe resorts found booking with a AAA discount and paying for dining worked out cheaper than "free" dining.

This is what I have determined after I paid off the trip at the 45 day mark. I should have done the math earlier, but thought I was getting a bargain. We made two reservations so we could get "free" dining the second half of our trip which begins Aug. 13. First half (Poly LVC) we are using AAA and got a discount on our package, which included DP that isn't free. Second half (AKL CL), we bought one day tickets, so we could have a package (giving up our multi-day ticket discount--we did buy extra days with our original package), plus our AAA discount and we also have some unusual circumstances with MIL staying that I calculate as costing us more because of free dining (long story, I will save you the elaboration unless you want it), I started to do the math and realized my error. Maybe we came close to our AAA discount, I don't think I want to know for sure. Just tossing it up to lesson learned at this point.

It does get annoying to me, personally, to read threads that basically say "what are you complaining about, it's not like you paid for the food" or "you're getting your meals for free". No, for us, the way I see it we paid for it just not in the typical way. And, yes, I know, I get it, my own fault.

BTW, thanks to the OP, I have thought of starting a thread like this for a while.

 

[bstnsprts]

Similar math gets me at $40 per day for the free dining plan at a mod. Still a good deal. Course DH will also argue theres some cost to giving up a very nice 2 bedroom condo you can get for a little less than the $99 moderate rate and there is the requirement of buying 4 MYW tickets we would not have purchased with a room only plan.

With it being off season best bet was to book free dining at a value, then check sky auction for a two bedroom condo. For less than the cost of upgrading to a moderate you can get your condo plus pay for a car. In September I will have a two bedroom at Celebration World Resort, my Pop Century room, as well as a suv for less than the cost of a moderate. We'll use The Pop Century room for rest and swimming during the day, and at night and in the morning we will have the added comfort of two bedrooms and two baths five minutes away at Celebration World Resort.

 

[punkin]

With it being off season best bet was to book free dining at a value, then check sky auction for a two bedroom condo. For less than the cost of upgrading to a moderate you can get your condo plus pay for a car. In September I will have a two bedroom at Celebration World Resort, my Pop Century room, as well as a suv for less than the cost of a moderate. We'll use The Pop Century room for rest and swimming during the day, and at night and in the morning we will have the added comfort of two bedrooms and two baths five minutes away at Celebration World Resort.

What a marvelous idea.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

I finally have the true cost of 'free' dining. Now that the codes for Sept have come out I can do the math.

For me, since we are staying at a Value Resort,it is $16 a day. Still seems like it is still great deal even if not quite 'free'.

I was paying $80 a day with the Free Dining Plan and since the September code is $64 that is how I am coming up with that figure. (for you math experts out there, yes, I know that the difference in room taxes would skew the numbers but life is too short for me to suffer through getting it quite that perfectly)

Slightly Goofy

Here's mine as close as I can get it..........we had planned to be off-site:

12/13 nights in two bed. condo (app.)$1000
Groceries 200
Tickets,we have AP’s 0
Food in parks (some TS meals) 350
____________________________________
Total $ 1550


10 nights on site w/free dining…… $1879
two nights off site (this way we are still getting 11 days in the parks which is what we had planned on if we were in the condo off-site $120
_____________________________________
Total $ 1999

BUT, deduct from this the one day ticket we will have to use in the future……………………………… - $324
______________________________________
That equals…………… $1675

Total "cost" of Free dining $125 for 10 nts/11 days

Still, a REALLY good deal. And believe me, if I would be cooking, it wouldn't be meals like we are getting at Le Cellier. Not on vacation!

But, for us(family of 5), the REAL cost is being in one room at POR with no private jacuzzi in my room. Oh, yeah, and the two bathrooms and three tv's. But our family has never gone when the parks have been open so late, so I just see us there to sleep and change clothes.

It will be an adventure that will be talked about for years by our family, that's for sure.

 

[punkin]

Here are my figures:

DDP for 1.5 rooms (we are going with another family and are splitting the cost of a third room for the kids) for 7 nights w/ 5 day park hoppers for 4 people is approximately $2000.

Gas for the trip down is approximately $200

The new tires I am putting on my minivan to make sure we don't get stuck in North Carolina again is about $300 (I could have put this repair off for another 6 months at least if not for the trip)

Food on the way down and back is approximately $100

Boarding for the dog (I am assuming we will have a dog by then, see my community board thread). I have no idea, but I imagine it will be hefty.

Without the DDP:

Stay home and do the FREE Smithsonian museums practically in my backyard: $15 for the week for Metrocards.

Looks like the DDP is MUCH cheaper.

I majored in DisneyMath in college.

 

[ReallyFunMom]

With it being off season best bet was to book free dining at a value, then check sky auction for a two bedroom condo. For less than the cost of upgrading to a moderate you can get your condo plus pay for a car. In September I will have a two bedroom at Celebration World Resort, my Pop Century room, as well as a suv for less than the cost of a moderate. We'll use The Pop Century room for rest and swimming during the day, and at night and in the morning we will have the added comfort of two bedrooms and two baths five minutes away at Celebration World Resort.

You are GOOD! I've never done these sorts of things but now is the time to try...

 

[indigoxtreme]

Can someone please tell me what the codes are and where you get them????????????????? Thanks !

http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#special

 

[ElizabethB]

We could have gotten AP rates, but decided the free dining was a better deal for us -- two adults and two kids. I did the calculations and, of course staying at a value resort was the best deal.

Using AP rates (not the current code rates), the real cost of "free" dining for us for 6 nights was:

$522 if we stayed at a deluxe
$250 if we stayed at a moderate; and
$45 if we stayed at a value.

We thought staying at a deluxe cut into the value of the free dining too much. We didn't want to stay at a value. So, we went with a moderate. I didn't think to try sky auction and book a value just for the free dining. But, that's quite a cheap two bedroom condo if you can get that plus a car for the difference between moderate and value (about $205).

We wanted to stay on site, though. We are renting a car, so we probably could have done better than we did.

Oh well. Costs $100 to cancel now, so that would eat up some of the value in changing to an All Star and trying for an off-site condo.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Here are my figures:

DDP for 1.5 rooms (we are going with another family and are splitting the cost of a third room for the kids) for 7 nights w/ 5 day park hoppers for 4 people is approximately $2000.

Gas for the trip down is approximately $200

The new tires I am putting on my minivan to make sure we don't get stuck in North Carolina again is about $300 (I could have put this repair off for another 6 months at least if not for the trip)

Food on the way down and back is approximately $100

Boarding for the dog (I am assuming we will have a dog by then, see my community board thread). I have no idea, but I imagine it will be hefty.

Without the DDP:

Stay home and do the FREE Smithsonian museums practically in my backyard: $15 for the week for Metrocards.

Looks like the DDP is MUCH cheaper.

I majored in DisneyMath in college.

Clearly, the BEST deal of anyone on this thread! Way to go!

 

[wdwobsessed]

OK so tell me if I am wrong but I think with the "flat" rate I am still working out better with the DDP.

I am not to my 45 days yet ... but don't think I will change.

We have 4A 1C staying at a deluxe I would get $75 per day off with the new code.

I'm getting what $150+ off per day with the free DP? (4A & 1C)

A family of 5 big eaters would easily spend well over $75 at 1TS meal.

So it works out much better for us still ... even at a deluxe!

Or am I doing something wrong?

WDWO

 

[pooch]

how is the free dining not a good deal for the Deluxes? Let me say, first, that we are not FL residents nor do we have AP's.

Our original package was with a AAA discount for 3 adults & 1 Jr:

2 nights room only WL standard: $ 444.36 OOP for food
7 night package w/6 day PH & DDP 3569.30

Total $4,013.66 plus 2 days food

New Package:

9 night WL standard w/8 day PH
& free dining $3,326.71

Difference $689.95 w/all days on DDP & 2 extra park
days.

The new code is for $70 per night off the deluxes but the dining plan would cost $152.00. That's a savings of $82 per night times 9 nights or $738!!!

How is this not a good deal??? What am I missing? or maybe I don't want to know. I'm so happy feeling like I'm saving so much!!!