Updated Chart: Discount Codes verses Free Dining -- Updated 3/22/08

[robinb]

Hi everyone! With the Free Dining fervor coming to a head, I came up with a chart which room compares discount codes with the discount of free dining. Take a look at it to see how your current discount stacks up to free dining for your family .

Since there seemed to be many questions about the previous chart, so I updated it to include actual rack rates from Value season. I skipped club level and DVC villas/resorts, but there are instructions on the first page on how to look up the info yourself.

Another thing I added is an analysis depending on whether you were going to buy the DDP anyway. The additional cost of the DDP reduces the savings from possible discount codes. The most interesting chart is the 40% off chart and seeing how many instances the 40% PIN code (if you're lucky enough to have it) would work out better than the free dining, even after you would pay the DDP anyway.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW%20Dining/2008FDDPConpare.htm

I will be happy to answer any questions, but I would like to do so here and not by PM. If you have a question, then others are sure to have the same one!

 

[Aliceacc]

As a math teacher, I salute and thank you!!!

I already did the math for our family (since I got the 40% PIN and we're going in mid August... the free dining possibility is remote, but still there.) For us the difference was something like $30.

But you've made it so much easier for a great number of people to determine what's best for their families.

Kudos!!!

 

[robinb]

As a math teacher, I salute and thank you!!!

I already did the math for our family (since I got the 40% PIN and we're going in mid August... the free dining possibility is remote, but still there.) For us the difference was something like $30.

But you've made it so much easier for a great number of people to determine what's best for their families.

Kudos!!!

Thank you .

While the numbers are cut and dried, I could not factor in intangibles like convenience and use of the DDP (booking more expensive restaurants, for instance). For some people a small increase would be worth it to book the free DDP anyway. For others it's not. So, each family still has to take those intangibles into account when they use the chart. Have fun everyone!

 

[Harmonysmomma]

Does the free dining go thru Nov?

 

[Aliceacc]

It hasn't been announced yet, so no one is 100% sure it will even exist.

But everything points towards September, with possibly a bit of August thrown in.

 

[Bete]

Without looking at the numbers you can easily say the cheaper the room rate and the more people that you squeeze into the same room the better off the dining package becomes. That said it still depends on how well you use your package in terms of not leaving credits behind and losing out on them. Also, if you have picky eaters or a wide variety of tastes among your group the plan may not work out for you. Finally, you need to want to spend the time at a TS restaurant.

With gratuity not included and the lack of an appetizer on the basic plan I'm personally not going to do the basic plan. Someday, I may try the deluxe plan once; so, I can go to all the signature restaurants using the dining plan. Also, I like getting the extra meal, if you want it and the appetizers being included. Getting the drink mug is a good bonus, too.

 

[aimeeg]

Can you please help me? I suck at math and am lost.

I booked a trip for DD and I during "free dining." We do not have a discount at all. I was planning on calling and adding the free dining code.

We are staying at a Value with base tickets and basic dining. If I could not get free dining I was planning on either A- calling AAA and book my package through them or B- switch to a AAA rate room and buy my park tickets through Undercover Tourist.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Gah - I am a total LOSS at math, I have been looking at your chart, actually looked at it on another link, but I'm embarassed to admit, I can't make any sense of it at all....
Here is what I am looking at reserving:
POR - 6 days 5 nights Aug 21 - 26
1 room with 5 people (DH and I, DS 11, DD8 and DS5)
1 room with 2 people (my parents - well one of the kids will likely bunk in with them but for planning purposes, easier to keep it seperate)

The rates I have for that have the room alone rate as $839 for each room, so for the both rooms that would total $1678. Even with a 40% code, that would only save me $671.20 vs. the DDP which would cost $1050 for the 7 of us. So I am assuming that the (free hopefully!!)DDP is the better value for us. As I said though, math is my WEAKENSS, I have been going crazy with the calculator trying to figure this mess out, so if there is something I am not seeing, or doing wrong, PLEASE, someone let me know!!! I assume that the 40% code would be more beneficial for a deluxe, or a longer stay, I guess, and if I were to get 40% off we might be able to look at a deluxe, but for now, just hoping for free dining

 

[DisneyMom5]

I couldn't tell from my mailing if the discount was to be applied to packages or just rooms? I know user experience may vary, but it was the "dvd coming" mailing.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Ooooohhhhhh I had no idea that the discount might potentially apply to a package!!! Our package total is $3224 for the 7 of us ($4652 with flights in) so 40% off of that would be a whopping $1289 savings (or $1860 if it applied to the flights too) which would be AMAZING!!! Not that I have or have any hope really of actually getting the 40% off code, but still, a girl can dream, right

 

[robinb]

Gah - I am a total LOSS at math, I have been looking at your chart, actually looked at it on another link, but I'm embarassed to admit, I can't make any sense of it at all....
Here is what I am looking at reserving:
POR - 6 days 5 nights Aug 21 - 26
1 room with 5 people (DH and I, DS 11, DD8 and DS5)
1 room with 2 people (my parents - well one of the kids will likely bunk in with them but for planning purposes, easier to keep it seperate)

The rates I have for that have the room alone rate as $839 for each room, so for the both rooms that would total $1678. Even with a 40% code, that would only save me $671.20 vs. the DDP which would cost $1050 for the 7 of us. So I am assuming that the (free hopefully!!)DDP is the better value for us. As I said though, math is my WEAKENSS, I have been going crazy with the calculator trying to figure this mess out, so if there is something I am not seeing, or doing wrong, PLEASE, someone let me know!!! I assume that the 40% code would be more beneficial for a deluxe, or a longer stay, I guess, and if I were to get 40% off we might be able to look at a deluxe, but for now, just hoping for free dining

My chart is a per night per room and room only (no passes, etc). I think that's where you're getting confused and ahead of yourself by trying to look at your whole 5 days Go back to one night. If one night is better one way or another than so is 5 days, KWIM? The cost of the park passes will be the SAME so they are not included in the calculation. In addition, you really DON'T need math to use my chart. You just need to know the number of people you have in your party and the rack rate of the resort you're interested in staying at. Look up rack rates over on Mousesavers (http://www.mousesavers.com/roomrates2008.html) and the chart takes care of all the math for you .

If we look at your parents room of 2 adults and 1 child, and find that number of guests on the chart on the left we see that the free dining discount is about $87 per night. Follow over to the right and you'll see that under the 40% discount it says that if the rack rate is BELOW $194 per night then the free dining is a better bargain than the 40% discount.

Are you still with me? Let's move onto your room. If we look at your room of 3 adults and 1 child the discount is $125 per night. Follow over to the right and you'll see that under the 40% discount it says that if the rack rate is BELOW $279 per night then the free dining will be the better discount.

In your case, you will be staying at POR which (according to Mousesavers) has a rack rate of $149. $149 is less than both the $194 "break even" point for your parents room and the $279 "break even" point for your room. So ... even if you were to score a 40% discount the free DDP would be better for your family.

I hope that helps .

 

[robinb]

As for code discounts, I believe that the discount is always taken from the room and that the package components of dining and park passes are not discounted. So, if you happen to score a 40% discount it will be on the ROOM ONLY and not on the DDP and the park passes.

My chart compares room rates only.

 

[Aliceacc]

Again, as a gross generalization: If you're staying at a value, the odds are high that free dining is a much better deal, even if you do happen to get that 40% off PIN. (since 40% off a value room rate is less than the $80 that dinig would cost per day.)

That's really all you have to do: add up the cost of dining ($40 per day for adults, $10 for kids between 3 & 9).

Compare it to your nightly room rate x .40 (for a 40% pin, or whatever number applies to your discount.)

Whichever is higher is the better discount.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Good chart Robin!

This may be silly question but did you add the gratuities on the TS meals?
For a family of 2 adults and 2 kids you' could payout an additional $20.00 a day.

 

[n2mm]

You did a good job! I'm sure it will be very helpful and used alot.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Thanks - and thanks for the breakdown, that makes good sense....now all I need to do is wait with fingers crossed for free dining!!!!

 

[robinb]

Again, as a gross generalization: If you're staying at a value, the odds are high that free dining is a much better deal, even if you do happen to get that 40% off PIN. (since 40% off a value room rate is less than the $80 that dinig would cost per day.)

That's really all you have to do: add up the cost of dining ($40 per day for adults, $10 for kids between 3 & 9).

Compare it to your nightly room rate x .40 (for a 40% pin, or whatever number applies to your discount.)

Whichever is higher is the better discount.

That is essentially what I did . The only difference is that the discount of 40% also includes a bonus discount of the tax of 12% you don't have to pay on that on that 40%. For instance if you have a discount of 40% on a rack rate of $100, you would save $40 off the rate so your total with taxes is $60 + $7.20 (taxes) = $67.20. If you pay the rack rate you would pay $100 + $12 (taxes) = $112. The true difference in price is $44.80 and not just the original $40 .

 

[esdras]

Good chart Robin!

This may be silly question but did you add the gratuities on the TS meals?
For a family of 2 adults and 2 kids you' could payout an additional $20.00 a day.

The gratuity question is somewhat more difficult.

For example, if Free Dining saves you more than the 40%, you will be inclined to take the deal, book some nicer ADR's for higher end restaurants to get a really good value for your TS meals, and therefore wind up spending more on tips. However, if you know that the 40% is a better deal and you PAY for your DDP anyway since you like the plan and want to dine at those higher end TS restaurants, the tip will remain basically the same. In other words, if you managed to get the CM's to convert your 40% to a package for the purpose of using the DDP, you are in exactly the same situation as a person who saved a similar amount of money initially on the Free Dining Package. You have your package with room cost, tickets and Dining Plan - the tips are now just one of the added expenses of your vacation.

On the other hand, if you have saved substantially by using a 40% room discount, and really don't care about where you eat, you might be able to keep your costs lower by avoiding TS throughout your stay. If, for example, you used the 40% on a deluxe resort (which is where the 40% reaps its greatest reward), you can decide to make use of only the CS restaurants at the parks and your resort. They don't require tips, and if you spend less than what the DDP and tips would cost for your group, you have come out ahead in terms of money spent.

That, however, is a decision for each family to make. For us, we simply can't afford a deluxe resort (even if we had the 40%, which we don't). We like the values, so the Free Dining is a better deal for us anyway. However, we also like experiencing the higher end TS resaurants - we're foodies (okay, my wife and I are - but the kids still find stuff they'll eat).

Even if we had the 40% and could swing a deluxe, we would likely buy the DDP, simply because we would still want to go to some of the better TS restaurants, and the moment you want to do that, the DDP is well worth the added cost - even with paying the tip this year.

So, treat the questions in a kind of binary manner:

1. Do you have both discounts available to you?
Yes - move to next question 2
No - then it doesn't matter really

2. Which one is better for you?
Free Dining - go to question 4
40% - go to question 3

3. Is eating at really nice TS resaurants important to you?
No - then you're likely better off eating CS paying OOP, or food you brought. No more questions for you!
Yes - Then you probably want to consider buying the DDP as it should still save you more than eating at those places OOP, regardless of the tip. Go to question 4.

4. How much are you willing to spend on tips?
Okay, no binary here - simply consider where you want to eat, balancing how much "bang for the buck" you are getting from the DDP (paid or free) vs. how much you will have to fork out for the tips. That's an inidividual choice. Give Disney a call, and here's hoping that you can get the ADR's you want the most!

 

[mom2mykids]

I remember last year in August I think it was a discount came out. Some pople switched their ressies from the free dining to the discount because it ended up being a better deal for them, mostly it was groups of 4 or less. For us we are a family of 5 and the discount wasn't as great as the free dining. Any one remember that discussion?

 

[snowmouse]

My problem with my ddp is that everyone in my clan is a 'disney adult', but several of us (4 or 5 of 11) would probably prefer to eat off of the kids menu or skip dinner for a CS. If they did this, are the DP credits useable in a sort of 'transferable' way? For example if some skip out and others go to asignature mrestaurant can we use their credits? And what if a friend joins us for dinner not on the DP, can we use our credits for them?