What Free ddp should be....

[caroline1851]

As much as i'm hoping there's free dining in 2008 and get in on it, i think free ddp should just be for CS and no TS. I think that would be more fair for those paying oop or paying for the ddp and trying to get reservations. It still would be a good deal because it would be free!

 

[lucincia]

People keep forgetting that when you get free DDP, you have to pay rack rate on the rooms. So it's not exactly free. We never used DDP before since it does not match our travel times - but don't know why people get so up in arms about it.

It's like complaining about why Disney let so many people into the parks each day. They should limit the number to the first 200 people so there are no wait times in lines!

 

[webshark3]

People keep forgetting that when you get free DDP, you have to pay rack rate on the rooms. So it's not exactly free.

Yep, this is where you need to take calculated risks, as well as manage your budgeting. Free Dining was offered for out timeframe in Feb, and quickly booked up. The room-only discounts came out more recently. The room discount was about $40 a night. Not a bad deal, but when I calculated what we would spend under "normal" eating habits (NOT rack rate DDP items), the DDP still came out ahead. That, and we already had all our ADRs set, so the free dining made more sense anyway. I'd never pay for the DDP, but for free in MY case, it made sense. Everyone will have a different take on it, and there is no right or wrong answer.

I do think that if free DDP was CS only, it would get really unpopular really quick. I'd DEFINITELY take the risk and wait for a room discount.

 

[lucincia]

I think for people staying at values, free DDP most likely is the better of the two deals - free DDP or room discount. As you go to moderates or deluxe, it will be more worthwhile to go after room discounts than free DDP. This depends on the number of people going too.

Lot's of factors

 

[honeymo78]

free ddp is a promotion to get people to come to disney during hurricane season, there is also a room discount code often offered around this time - giving them less than the normal DDP would be akin to providing people who take the room discount with something less than a full room (30% discount means less of a room?). I'm not sure how your suggestion is in any way fair - it's making people who take advantage of a discount into second class citizens. My package has never been discounted - its not an option for what I purchase. However I don't begrudge anyone who was able to save money on their package and say its not fair that my room category may sell out or that they will take advantage of the same features that I had to pay full price for.

You need to make ADRs whether you paid for the DDP, got free DDP, pay cash, stay offsite, live locally, etc. Aug/Sept is not a "slow" season for disney b/c they offer incentives for people to travel at this time. And if you have free DDP you don't have any advantage in getting ADRs over anyone else travelling at this time of the year.

 

[TDC Nala]

Everybody, dining "free" or not dining "free", has the same amount of time in which to book reservations (onsite guests have a little bit more time than offsite guests). Why could guests not just be made aware that they have to make reservations?

 

[ginnibobb]

 

[kaytieeldr]

What are you eating there, ginnibob? Is that some new brand of popcorn?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

As much as i'm hoping there's free dining in 2008 and get in on it, i think free ddp should just be for CS and no TS. I think that would be more fair for those paying oop or paying for the ddp and trying to get reservations. It still would be a good deal because it would be free!

Are you kidding? You must be. Only CS should be free with DDP? Give me a break.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Everybody, dining "free" or not dining "free", has the same amount of time in which to book reservations (onsite guests have a little bit more time than offsite guests). Why could guests not just be made aware that they have to make reservations?

I couldn't agree more. Everyone has to make advance ADRs whether you are on the Dining Plan or not.

 

[ginnibobb]

What are you eating there, ginnibob? Is that some new brand of popcorn?

I prefer to sit back and watch the show with a nice hot pizza

 

[cymbaldiva]

Wicked cool smiley! We'll be at POP in a couple of days too -hope to see ya there!

 

[disney_family_1247]

We visit WDW every single year. We tried out the free dining last year and are doing it again this year. We can afford to go without the plan, but I know lots of people who can't. This may be some families' one chance to experience something my kids get to do all the time. I'd bet they would feel humiliated if they knew that people with more money think that they shouldn't be allowed to "take up" all of the reservations .

 

[tasha99]

That's just silly. Free dining is no different from other promotions--percents off, 7 days for the price of 4 etc. Why should people using free dining get less value because some people can't learn to plan their vacations out?

 

[Ricmiclvsthemouse]

If the free dining plan participants were to only receive CS meals, then the same people who complain about the TS ressies filling up will soon be complaining that it's too crowded at Flame Tree BBQ and they can't get their ribs, or their kid (who is also on free dining, if you want to be technical ) can't get their Happy Meal in a timely fashion at Restaurantosaurus, etc., etc.

It seems very simple to me that free dining is simply another discount offered. If someone is upset about the free dining, then I have to assume that they never take advantage of any type of discount, any time, any where. Not only would that be hard to do in real life--"I will not buy that gallon of milk, it's on sale! Only poor people will be buying milk this week. We will have to go to another store where it is not on sale!"--it's silly. A penny saved is a penny earned and is another penny to go into the 401k.

Ok, that's my one cent. (I know, the saying is 'my two cents', but I'm having a sale this week!)

Thanks for listening!

Only 13 days til WDW and FREE DINING!

 

[caroline1851]

Are you kidding? You must be. Only CS should be free with DDP? Give me a break.

It was just a thought. Aren't we allowed to just voice an opinion without a nasty response? I don't understand why people on this site aren't just simply nice and helpful instead of sarcastic, nasty and just waiting to "flame" someone. Isn't wdw the happy place?

 

[ginnibobb]

I think the bottom line is even if the Free DP did not include TS meals the people on the free plan would probably still be paying oop for TS meals because the CS credits are most likely not enough food for most people and most people will still want a nice sit down meal at the better restaurants. So in essence it's still gonna be the same amount of people needing TS meals, just more oop than free, which means ADR's still need to made far enough in advance to assure you eat where you want at the time you want. Just my opinion.

 

[lustergirl]

if the table service meals weren't included in the free dining plan I bet people would be willing to pay for them and this includes making adr's when they are suppose to. It all boils down to someone being mad because they can't get into a certain restaurant because they think they entitled to something to a "free diner" took. No the "free diner" probably did their homework and called at the appropriate time to made that dinner ressie. I know I spend alot of money on my disney vacations and along with that comes doing my homework as well by making my ressies at the proper time.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

It was just a thought. Aren't we allowed to just voice an opinion without a nasty response? I don't understand why people on this site aren't just simply nice and helpful instead of sarcastic, nasty and just waiting to "flame" someone. Isn't wdw the happy place?

What a strange response to my question. Because I kind of thought your post wasn't nice either and you must be joking. I guess you werent.

 

[Kiddeokee]

DBF and I could have gone with the "free dining" promotion, and even discussed it... but I said no because I did not want to go in September. I wanted to go in October..

On our trip... Dining is apx $780 for the 2 of us. We waited until we got a code before booking our trip... and our discount was apx. $600.

It is not a big difference in the discount for us... but we are just 2 people/no kids. I am glad we are going later.

Its simply a form of discount that disney offers. No need to treat those with "free dining" any differently than anyone else.