We have DVC and Grandma wants to do free dining

[miamimama]

I was trying to figure out a way to get grandma down during free dining while we use our DVC and AP. She would, of course have to book a MYW package for the free dining - but would it make more sense for us to share a 1BR DVC with her, and forget about the free dining, even though she would still have to buy her park tickets? We would need to be near Grandma as she often needs a wheelchair. I'm thinking the free dining is not worth the hassle, but Grandma (born in depression era) likes the idea. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I was trying to figure out a way to get grandma down during free dining while we use our DVC and AP. She would, of course have to book a MYW package for the free dining - but would it make more sense for us to share a 1BR DVC with her, and forget about the free dining, even though she would still have to buy her park tickets? We would need to be near Grandma as she often needs a wheelchair. I'm thinking the free dining is not worth the hassle, but Grandma (born in depression era) likes the idea. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Grandma would have to have her own reservation that paid for the room at rack rate and included her tickets to get free dining. And if you wanted to stay with her, you'd have to do the same.

 

[Chuck S]

Explain to grandma that "Free Dining" really isn't "Free", when you consider the full rack rate cost of the room. Or, you could tell her the following. "Grandma, we are willing to share a one bedroom unit with you at Beach Club or Boardwalk, but in order to get "Free Dining" you'll have to stay in a cash room, and even a regular, non-DVC room at those resorts starts at $325 per night, plus tax = $365."

 

[Deb & Bill]

Explain to grandma that "Free Dining" really isn't "Free", when you consider the full rack rate cost of the room. Or, you could tell her the following. "Grandma, we are willing to share a one bedroom unit with you at Beach Club or Boardwalk, but in order to get "Free Dining" you'll have to stay in a cash room, and even a regular, non-DVC room at those resorts starts at $325 per night, plus tax = $365."

And she could pay you if she needed to for the ticket and dining ($39 a day).

 

[2Princes2Princesses]

I would just tell her that it would be $280 cheaper per day to stay with you and skip free dining at the BC or BW.

Even at a value, it would be somewhere between $60 and $120 per day more for her to do "free dining."

My dad was a depression era guy. Ugh..when I was younger, I thought if I heard the phrase "When I was your age, bread was 5 cents a loaf!!!" one more time, I would scream. Of course, now that he is gone, I wish I could hear it one more time.

 

[Brian Noble]

Here's a thought:

Tell grandma that you booked the "Free Dining" for her, and she'll be staying with you. But, because it's on "your account", you're the one who has to use your "free dining credits" to pay for everything.

Then, just pay for everything.

 

[wildernessDad]

Maybe she just wants someone to pay for her dining. I am doing that with my father in law this upcoming December.

 

[Califgirl]

No, I think Grandma wants the 'deal', and it's not a deal unless she's eating on Disney's dime. At least that's the way that my depression era parents would think of it. And they'd be horrified if they found out I was paying for their dining.

good luck to the OP. Perhaps you can think of another way to appeal to Grandma's frugalness? Telling her her 'accomodations are free' perhaps? Since no one is actually paying for them during the visit? DO keep encouraging her to have a good time while you are there, try not to let her freak out about how expensive things are. You are so luck to be able to spend this time with her and your family at WDW. I would give anything to get my parents to come on a WDW or DLR vacation with us. Enjoy!

 

[Lisa P.]

Get the actual prices, print them out and show them to her.

Option One - add together the out-of-pocket expenses:

• 1 Room Package w/"Free" Dining & MYW Pass at Value hotel for her
• Tip money for meals, if tips are not included w/her dining plan
• 1 "Room Only" at Value hotel for the 2 of you
• Reasonable budget for food for the 2 of you, w/DVC discounts, if any

Option Two - add together the out-of-pocket expenses:

• 2 Room Packages w/"Free" Dining & MYW Pass at Value hotel for the 3 of you
• Tip money for meals, if tips are not included w/everyone's dining plans

Option Three - add together the out-of-pocket expenses:

• Maint fees on points used for all 3 of you to stay in 1BR DVC condo
• Cost of MYW pass for her (you'd have AP's)
• Reasonable budget for food for the 3 of you, w/DVC discounts, if any

Due to the loss of privacy and very small size of the rooms, you're probably not interested in sharing a room together. And staying at different hotels would mean you'd all waste time meeting up each day, waiting for each other, stressing a bit if the buses are running late or full. You'd certainly relax more being able to go back to the resort together at the end of a tiring day. This doesn't even account for the greater ease of getting to 2 parks by boat and having better resort amenities at DVC than at a Value hotel.

But I'd expect you to find that Option Three actually carries a lower out-of-pocket expense for all of you in the end. Rack rates plus tips can easily equal or surpass DVC MFs plus dining reasonably with cash. Lots of people say that with the dining plan, they eat more than they ought to, just to get "value" out of a "free" plan, when the cost is just rolled into the rack rates to keep from having empty rooms in slowest season. Think of it as giving Mickey less of y'all's hard-earned money. It sounds like Grandma is value-conscious and if she saw this in dollars and cents, it would put the idea to rest. Give it a try. Get the price quotes. Can't hurt!