Walt Disney World Free Dining Promotion coming soon?

[2goofycampers]

FD is available for cabins only. No campsites are included.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories...disney-updates+(Disney+Updates+-+wdwinfo.com)

 

[bama_ed]

Naturally.

 

[peg110]

It's almost "Laughable" the "Free Dining". Last time we were looking at it, you'd get a "Quick Serve" meal/person/day. That's it.

Our trip in August my DW wants to buy the DDP (1 TS, 1 QS, 1 Snack/person/day) but I am opposed to it. I just don't see us making it cost effective. She wants it because she knows it's paid for in advance. I don't because I know we can pay a lot less OOP then we would pay for the DDP and that's including Tips too.

 

[rajak73]

DW wants to buy the DDP

We looked into this our last trip and decided it was way too much food for us, TS everyday, we just don't eat that much anymore and decided we it would be cheaper to pay OOP. Just budgeted for what we wanted in food so in all reality, it was "paid in advance" by the budget.

 

[peg110]

We looked into this our last trip and decided it was way too much food for us, TS everyday, we just don't eat that much anymore and decided we it would be cheaper to pay OOP. Just budgeted for what we wanted in food so in all reality, it was "paid in advance" by the budget.

I am with you. ON all accounts. If you have the money in advance, of the trip, just set it aside for the trip, but my DW doesn't think that way.

I also agree that it's way too much food. We don't normally eat that many deserts but you paid for them, so you take them. (We usually would take the cookies because at least they keep/travel well). Also I don't drink a lot of soda, and often times my DW and I would share a drink (soda or not), so we would take the bottle of water as the other drink to take with us. While that's a way to make it more valuable, I'd rather not deal with it and just buy what we want, when we want it. Her concern I think is mostly about the TS that she does want. They are usually Character dining. It's much easier for her to make the ADR if the DDP is in place, otherwise you need to provide a CC. I think that is her concern (although she won't actually tell me that.)

I guess I just need to give her my CC to do it with. I will be the one making the payments 99% of the time anyway.

 

[rajak73]

We always ordered one soda and then one water and like you split the drink, actually we usually just ordered one meal unless we were really hungry and shared that also. (left more room for Mickey bars and other snacks, lol) also our last trip the only sit down meals we had were, Crystal palace breakfast, BOG for lunch another day and Germany at Epcot with 8 day tickets. We did do one more sit down with relatives but just booked that the day we showed up at Epcot.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Campsites are too inexpensive for Free Dining.
2) They can hold up to 10 people, so WDW would lose money if they offered FD.
3) Besides, the campground is too popular to have to force an inducement like FD.

 

[tiggerdad]

1) Campsites are too inexpensive for Free Dining.
2) They can hold up to 10 people, so WDW would lose money if they offered FD.
3) Besides, the campground is too popular to have to force an inducement like FD.

and MY food tastes better anyway...

 

[peg110]

Free Dining is Not Free anyway. There is always a catch/hook. It might be a "Savings" for some, but as TRS said (above) The Fort is too popular for it anyway.

 

[North of Mouse]

'Free' dining requires 'rack' rates on rooms, so there could be little, if any, savings versus a discount on rooms.
Number of people, ages, dining preferences, etc. make the difference in the 'worth' of the 'free' dining IMO.

Would be way too much food for us, as we don't eat desserts with meals, or drink many sodas - prefer a snack here and there while 'playing'!

Know some people that we've talked to just want it 'prepaid', and Disney takes advantage of that mindset very well!! Paying oop as we go doesn't bother us at all - we eat the same no matter.

As others have mentioned, the campground doesn't need incentives to fill up anyway, so why should Disney even offer a 'limited' (say 4) free dining to each site. We all pay 'rack rate' and 'still' have problems getting in on most dates.

 

[peg110]

Know some people that we've talked to just want it 'prepaid', and Disney takes advantage of that mindset very well!! Paying oop as we go doesn't bother us at all - we eat the same no matter.

That's my DW..... She just wants it Pre-paid. Me.... I am okay with OOP. I guess it's her way to not listen to me "Groan" about prices at every meal. With the DDP, it's one BIG groan versus many little ones.

Ah well... Life goes on and we will have an awesome time either way.

 

[Roobear77]

Her concern I think is mostly about the TS that she does want. They are usually Character dining. It's much easier for her to make the ADR if the DDP is in place, otherwise you need to provide a CC. I think that is her concern (although she won't actually tell me that.)

I guess I just need to give her my CC to do it with. I will be the one making the payments 99% of the time anyway.

Having the DDP doesn't change this. You still need to give a CC when reserving. If you don't show you get the $10/person fee charged but your credits stay untouched.

 

[peg110]

Having the DDP doesn't change this. You still need to give a CC when reserving. If you don't show you get the $10/person fee charged but your credits stay untouched.

The DW made the reservations and I thought that's what she said. Maybe it was only for those events that required "Payment in Full" like CRT or HDMR (which I believe required 2 TS credits).

We were well aware of the No Show fee. Trust me, if we were going to cancel, it was within the cancellation timeline. No need to spend money on things you DON'T do!

 

[ncdj2013]

'Free' dining requires 'rack' rates on rooms, so there could be little, if any, savings versus a discount on rooms.

The price of the regular dining plan (based on package I just reserved for hubby and I) if we can get it will be 3 times what the typical 20% discount will be on our room....so....big savings

 

[tiggerdad]

I get my big savings by staying at the Fort and doing most of my own cooking. This allows me to stay for more days allowing for down days to actually relax and have a vacation and avoid the crowded parks. Depending on the number of people going FD can add up to some good money, but I just can't stand the schedule of it. Having to make FPs in advance is ridiculous enough only to make it worse by having dinner reservations each day to build around too.

Not this guy

 

[DQPapa]

I get my big savings by staying at the Fort and doing most of my own cooking. This allows me to stay for more days allowing for down days to actually relax and have a vacation and avoid the crowded parks. Depending on the number of people going FD can add up to some good money, but I just can't stand the schedule of it. Having to make FPs in advance is ridiculous enough only to make it worse by having dinner reservations each day to build around too.

Not this guy

We like to mix it up , BBQ half of our meals at the campsite & the other half is a mixture of Disney counter service & sit down restaurants
Because it's less expensive & we enjoy cooking & socializing at the fort

 

[North of Mouse]

The price of the regular dining plan (based on package I just reserved for hubby and I) if we can get it will be 3 times what the typical 20% discount will be on our room....so....big savings

Guess it would depend on where you stay. I was looking at the rack rates for Moderate and Deluxe. Not sure how they price the Values, # of people, % off, or 'free' dining. Also, don't know where you are staying or per night rates.

 

[ncdj2013]

Guess it would depend on where you stay. I was looking at the rack rates for Moderate and Deluxe. Not sure how they price the Values, # of people, % off, or 'free' dining. Also, don't know where you are staying or per night rates.

For our package the cost of dining would be $1019 vs the typical 20% discount for a mod would be $381...so I'm definitely hoping for dining...

 

[rideswithchrist]

Last year when I looked into the DDP the agent tried to sell us, I looked at menu prices and the cost of bringing our own lunches in...it saved us around $200 NOT to choose the DDP and eat the same QS food.
That enabled us to still have 2 sit down meals during the stay, one at lunch and one at dinner. My kids love going out to eat but they were just as happy eating Fish N Chips at Epcot watching Illuminations as they would have been at Ashkerhaus.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

and MY food tastes better anyway...

Don't ya just love those gourmet PB&J eats.