We are skipping free dining

[spacemtn1971]

after all of the discussion and complications with people using the plan and after friends found a cm who actually would not let them have a sprite because the dining plan only covered coke we have decided to stick with a room only reservation with aaa discount.

that way we can get a dole whip and even go to taco bell at the crossroads if we want to. the way our girls eat we would have too much food anyway.

i do wish that disney would realize that some children are not keen on chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. some kids really do like "real food" making a kid order off the childrens menu would be fine if there was really something for them to eat which was remotely healthy.

there is still no better place to be than in the World!

have a disney day

 

[2d_star_to_the_right]

we too are skipping the plan and going with a room only rate wtih AAA discount. For much the same reasons- we bring a great deal of food and if I want to order something not on the plan- I don't want to feel limited by the fact that I prepaid for something different!

 

[glass-slipper]

after all of the discussion and complications with people using the plan and after friends found a cm who actually would not let them have a sprite because the dining plan only covered coke ...

that's just totally ridiculous!

 

[vascubaguy]

I'm not sure I'd pass it up if it was "free", although I wouldn't plan a special trip just for the "free" dining plan.

That said, no one ever said you had to order everything. You could easily split meals, or go to signature restaurants that require 2 TS instead of 1. You could easily go over to taco bell for an early lunch.

Oh, and that could make for a lot of character breakfasts!

We really enjoyed the plan, even though we had to pay for ours. It was definately worth it in our book.

Oh, and about that sprite thing, I would guess there's probably more to it than them just asking for a sprite and being told no. We had no problems whatsoever in ordering drinks. The only exception were the speciality drinks (which some of them were just sprite with syrup added!) but we just paid the little extra for those if we wanted them.

 

[tcarr5]

that's just totally ridiculous!

especially since sprite is a coca-cola product

 

[grimley1968]

Oh, and about that sprite thing, I would guess there's probably more to it than them just asking for a sprite and being told no. We had no problems whatsoever in ordering drinks. The only exception were the speciality drinks (which some of them were just sprite with syrup added!) but we just paid the little extra for those if we wanted them.

I tend to believe this, which is first hand information and makes sense, over the word of a friend of the OP's who couldn't get a Sprite. I believe there's a "rest of the story" we don't know.

Why turn down free food? If there are restrictions on what you can get, I can't blame Disney, since they're giving it away to people. Just pay for what the plan doesn't cover out of your pocket. You still come out ahead that way.

I'm quite sure there is other stuff on the kids menus besides mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. I believe you're over-simplifying things a bit. You talk about that not being remotely healthy, yet you would prefer to eat those healthy foods at Taco Bell?

 

[vascubaguy]

I tend to believe this, which is first hand information and makes sense, over the word of a friend of the OP's who couldn't get a Sprite. I believe there's a "rest of the story" we don't know.

Why turn down free food? If there are restrictions on what you can get, I can't blame Disney, since they're giving it away to people. Just pay for what the plan doesn't cover out of your pocket. You still come out ahead that way.

I'm quite sure there is other stuff on the kids menus besides mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. I believe you're over-simplifying things a bit. You talk about that not being remotely healthy, yet you would prefer to eat those healthy foods at Taco Bell?

There are definately other things on the kids menus. My nephew had everything from steak, grilled chicken, pasta, to chicken nuggets! He never had the mac 'n cheese. And he really enjoyed the food at Boma and 'Ohana! Steak, pork, chicken, shrimp, (all the same stuff we had)! Except he had to order the chocolate mousse. He had the "chocolate moose" at Le Cellier and wanted to order it everywhere we went after that.

I can see skipping the dining plan if you are deciding to stay off-site instead to save money on the accomodations, but if you are staying on-property (at a non-DVC resort of course)... I'd go for it in a heartbeat.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

I would never give up something free if it is truly free. The savings with my AAA rate vs free dining was only $100.00 (it was actually slightly less than the even 100) and I know for a fact we would spend many x that for food - so I say dining vs. AAA discount. I have no problems ordering what I want where I want & if it is not covered by the FREE plan then I will pay OOP - still going to save a bundle with what it does cover. I never expected to get the add ons like shrimp to a steak dinner w/o it being my appetizer or paying the additional fee OOP and plan on still sharing and giving my kids the dessert or appetizers. I have read some ridiculous instances like the sprite vs. coke and will be carrying my dining plan brochure to correct the CM and ask for a manager if necessary. I do not anticipate many issues and will handle them as/if they occur. Like someone else said prior - I probably wouldn't book a plan just to get the dining and may not even pay for the dining plan in the future but with what you will be spending on food for the majority of us it is way more savings to take a "free" food plan vs the small savings on the room (maybe depending on where you are staying the AAA rate would be more of a discount but I compared this for our trip before booking it - even the TA said we were way better off giving up their rate.) Ran the numbers and Dining plan was a way better option for us - we planned on spending at least 1000.00 on food - now we can budget much less for extra food if wanted - like my DH root beer floats and at 1 a day thats only 35.00 extra dollars for the trip. So even with the occassional outside the plan snack/meal we'll spend a couple hundred if that on food vs. the tally I had before this special promotion.

 

[Lewisc]

after all of the discussion and complications with people using the plan and after friends found a cm who actually would not let them have a sprite because the dining plan only covered coke we have decided to stick with a room only reservation with aaa discount.

that way we can get a dole whip and even go to taco bell at the crossroads if we want to. the way our girls eat we would have too much food anyway.

i do wish that disney would realize that some children are not keen on chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. some kids really do like "real food" making a kid order off the childrens menu would be fine if there was really something for them to eat which was remotely healthy.

there is still no better place to be than in the World!

have a disney day

Children who have adult tastes will probably get a better meal at Boma than relying on the mac cheese and chicken finger children menus that many restaurants seem to feature.

The snack option description in the brochure specifically includes sprite and for CS/TS meals the wording is a single serving non-alchoholic drink. That should also include sprite.

Either your friend had an ill-informed CM, the only sprite that was available was the wrong size bottle or your friend assumed the plan only covered coke and never actually asked for Sprite.

 

[shellybaxter]

Free food isn't really free if you can get the room with a AAA discount. You have to pay rack rate for the room, have to purchase your tickets from Disney (instead of a discount company like Mapleleaf) and have to put everyone one on the plan that is staying in your room. The combination of the rack room cost and the no discounted tickets and not being able to use your APs for anyone if someone has one, would make the "free dinning" kind of expensive.

I can see why someone would choose to decline. As an AP holder with DDE I would MUCH rather eat where I want (all TS if I want and no CS), order what I want(sometimes an app sometimes not, sometimes a dessert, and sometimes just an app and dessert and no entree) get 20% off everything (including alcohol and specialty drinks, dessert samplers, and highest price meals and add ons) and not worry about following the "plan".

Shelly

 

[msmayor]

Free food isn't really free if you can get the room with a AAA discount. You have to pay rack rate for the room, have to purchase your tickets from Disney (instead of a discount company like Mapleleaf) and have to put everyone one on the plan that is staying in your room. The combination of the rack room cost and the no discounted tickets and not being able to use your APs for anyone if someone has one, would make the "free dinning" kind of expensive.

I can see why someone would choose to decline. As an AP holder with DDE I would MUCH rather eat where I want (all TS if I want and no CS), order what I want(sometimes an app sometimes not, sometimes a dessert, and sometimes just an app and dessert and no entree) get 20% off everything (including alcohol and specialty drinks, dessert samplers, and highest price meals and add ons) and not worry about following the "plan".

Shelly

You're right, in that with the multitude of discounts that are available depending on whether you have an AP, AAA, etc. etc. and considering the ages of those in your party, the 'free dining' may not be that much of a great deal.

For my family, which consists of hubby and I plus our two kids ages 11 and 14, its a huge deal. I would imagine anyone with kids who are considered 'adults' in Disney's eyes would also find this plan a huge deal...

Had I been required to pay for it, it would have added $1300 to our package. Because our kids are 'adults', we don't ever need to worry about kids menus (although my understanding is that even those over 9 can still order off that menu). I gave up my $250 room discount but gained much, much more.

 

[goldz]

Why would you give up the free dining? It's free. The AAA discount will save you some money, but food for the entire trip? I'd reconsider if I were you.

 

[WDWBetsy]

Why would you give up the free dining? It's free. The AAA discount will save you some money, but food for the entire trip? I'd reconsider if I were you.

I agree - I would definitely give up a $100-$300 AAA discount and take a $490 dining plan for 2. The savings is even greater for more than 2 adults. Too bad the free dining isn't available when I'm going!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

I dont get it. The dining plan is free. Why not just take it and use whatever you can out of it. You didnt pay anything for it so what does it matter if you dont eat all the food? The AAA room discount wont save as much as the cost of food.

 

[maxaroni]

I'm not quite sure I understand the logic to pass it up...it's free. We had a AAA discount and paying for the dining plan. The dining plan became free, we cancelled, re-booked and are still saving $765.00. I have read the posts on the situations and complaints with the dining plan but this is vacation, we'll go, have fun and eat for virtually nothing. We are expecting to need to put out some money for something we want that's not covered but that's it. Now, if you are at Disney for 1 wk and only use the meal plan 4 meals...who cares, it was free. It's 4 meals, you didn't pay for.

 

[calgarygary]

As far as spending big $ for tickets you do not need, that is not necessary. I believe you would still come out ahead by paying rack rate, getting 1 day of passes to qualify for the free dining for your entire stay (which you would not have to use but could save for future use) and then using your AP for visiting the parks. Plus, if there is something that you want to pay OOP that the plan doesn't offer, you would still have the AP discount.

 

[PattnFmly]

I look at it as a great perk for my family. Because it's free, we'll eat what works for us with the plan and come out more ahead than if we were paying. Besides, what works best for my family is buffets. DH is the pickiest eater I've ever met in my life. We do buffets for HIM. Who cares what the cost vs savings is on this trip, the food was free, I have no cost. (And I don't have to cook or do dishes!)

 

[bevemjake]

You have to do what makes you happy.

Personally I can't understand giving up the option of a free dining plan. Even if you didn't use if for every meal I'm sure you could still make up the $ you save by using AAA. I can't imagine passing on that deal.

 

[spacemtn1971]

my only point was how complicated the plan appears to be based on what you can and cannot get. i agree that it is great if you are 4 adults but with four year old twins with the appetite that varies from day to day and sometime just likes the pintos and cheese at taco bell (which isnt health food i know but at least it has protein!)

if we lose the aaa rate it amounts to $160.00 plus full price for tix which we can get for $175 less than full price we have now paid $335 for "free food". granted we will probably eat more than that amount but it may be at jungle jims (great peanut butter burger) or cici's (i know not everybody likes them but our girls love the pasta and breadsticks and its cheap)

i am not telling anyone else to forgo the "free dining plan". all i was saying was that based on circumstances and concern about information which is readily available on this board and information about how servers pushed my friends to order food that they did not want, even bringing it inspite of refusing it (in a doggie bag) and Yes, after specifically asking for a 20oz sprite at a stand in frontierland and being told that the plan only covered coke (I know that this is not the norm but it did happen)...

based on this we have decided to enjoy our vacation and not use the package.

then again i suppose you could ask why i am sharing...i'm not sure but i thought somebody else might benefit from a different point of view on the dining plan.

what a wonderful world.... walt disney world that is!

 

[puddleduck]

We are going in Dec. and right now are paying for the dining plan. After I added up all the different types of discounts and compared them to paying rack rate and the dining plan, for our family the dining plan always came out cheaper. When adding up total costs w/out plan, I even left out several ts meals, and it still came out being more than paying for the dining plan. We are a family of 5 (2 adults, 1 child, 2 under 3). There is no way I could feed all of us for under $80/day and that's with limited ts, maybe a character meal a buffet and a reg. ts meal. My plan is for me and dh to both order apps. that all 5 of us can share. I will use the child's credit to order the 2 youngest a meal to share, my oldest and I can share my food (he has adult tastes so do big deal, only we might be fighting over the surf and turf at Le Cellier). We will have plenty of food (even w/out the famed "child's appetizer). For cs we will all split between 2 adult and 1 child meal, maybe ordering an additional child's meal for $5. I imagine for most days we will eat for less than $90/day for 5 people. If we were to forgo the dining plan We would pay (after taxes and tips) about $70 for dinner at Crystal Palace, and that's not having to pay for the 2 youngest. Counter service meals for all of us would run atleast $30. Some days we may break even, but we still will come out ahead.That's the cheap day. The Le Cellier day we could easily spend $200 for the day total. I also like not having to budget my trip or looking (for the most part) at menu prices before I order. As for AP rates, if you aren't planning to go back w/in a year, the extra cost of the AP plus the cost of the DDE card outweigh any savings we would get on the hotel. I have crunched the numbers. the AAA discount isn't enough after you factor in what we would spend for food either.