VERY CONFUSED! Help!!

[weesignlanguage]

Hi!! I have planned and gone on several free dining trips in the past. I have a friend wanting to go on her first free dining trip and we were trying to find out "if" they extend free dining through December as before, whether a trip in September or November would be a big difference in costs.

I have always been under the assumption that the free dining package is basically the rack rate for hotel room plus tax and tickets to park and they tack on the dining plan for free. I know that if you upgrade from the quick service (they will be staying at a value hotel) to regular dining plan, then you pay the difference in cost between the two plans which for their family of 2 adults and a 4 year old should be $110.00 for 5 nights.

So here is the question:

I went online and got the free dining quote thru the disney website for a trip 9/22-27 w/ 6 day park hoppers and a standard value room plus the upgrade to the regular dining plan. The total was $1628.42.

But when I broke it down for her by room rate plus tax (non discounted of course) plus cost of 6 day ph tixs, there was a discrepancy. The total when broken down when including the room, tixs and $110 upgrade to regular dining gave me a total of $1534.23. That is close to $100.00 difference from the actual free dining quote I was given above.

I only noticed this and went back and added up September's break down of costs after I began "guesstimating" what Free dining would cost in November and noticed that even though the room rate was higher, the total if free dining is offered was still cheaper than September. Makes NO sense!!

What am I missing?? Is there a fee charged for FD that I didn't know about?? HELP!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[vicki_c]

The new free dining offer requires the purchase of a Photobook which costs $90.90.

 

[weesignlanguage]

After I posted this, I stumbled across the other thread about the photobooks. What a disappointment! UGH! I am always a part of a photopass share and if I want a photobook, I can order one of snapfish for way cheaper than 100.00 bucks!

Do you think that free dining is still the best offer out there or is there a better deal to look for now??

 

[BebopBaloo]

Given that a single TS meal can cost $100 for 2 adults...I'd say that the free dining is still a great deal. It really just depends on how much time your friend wants to spend experiencing different dining locations, versus lounging at a resort that she could use a room only discount on.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

After I posted this, I stumbled across the other thread about the photobooks. What a disappointment! UGH! I am always a part of a photopass share and if I want a photobook, I can order one of snapfish for way cheaper than 100.00 bucks!

Do you think that free dining is still the best offer out there or is there a better deal to look for now??

They aren't going to get a better discount than free dining if they are staying at a value resort, even with the automatic photobook upcharge.