Whatever happened to (free dining quest)...

[Snurk71]

Since free dining appears to be almost a year round thing now, whatever happened to the "scam" where a person would be staying at one resort and also book a value room at say Pop, buy a 1 day ticket in order to qaulify for the free dining, and then leave the room empty all week - but have free dining on that room? I don't remember if it was people staying at deluxes doing this, or DVC. But I remember reading people getting some decent saving calculations doing this.

I think I've read that DDP removed the appetizer from the TS meal, which reduced the value a bit. But I didn't know if Disney made any other changes - like requiring MYW tickets for the entire stay or something else to discourage this. I don't remember reading about this recently.

Thanks

 

[WalterYensid]

Value resorts do not come with the regular dining plan anymore under the free dining plan. Value Resorts now come with Quick Service Dining.

 

[Dean]

While I haven't done it, I think to characterize it as a scam is inappropriate. They set the rules and we see how to follow them. However, it rarely saves any money or at least enough to justify buying the extra tickets and fooling with this. For four adults you've got to come in around $160 including tax a day to justify it. At that price it gives you a free one day ticket for each person. I looked at the option for an upcoming trip and staying at a value, paying the add on for the 3rd and 4th adults, it was some $300 more total than the DDP alone would be. Add to that, we have 2 separate rooms and all may not be there for the entire time. Thus it'll be cheaper to buy it for one room and not the other and pay OOP for those that are only there part of the time.

 

[DebbieB]

Since free dining appears to be almost a year round thing now, whatever happened to the "scam" where a person would be staying at one resort and also book a value room at say Pop, buy a 1 day ticket in order to qaulify for the free dining, and then leave the room empty all week - but have free dining on that room? I don't remember if it was people staying at deluxes doing this, or DVC. But I remember reading people getting some decent saving calculations doing this.

Thanks

The plan to book a resort and not stay there just to get the free dining really only works with a value room. A value room is $82 plus tax. If you have 2 adults and 2 kids over 10, buying the dining plan would be about $160 so you can make out booking a value for the free dining. A moderate room would be $149 plus tax so you would not save anything.

Value resorts do not come with the regular dining plan anymore under the free dining plan. Value Resorts now come with Quick Service Dining.

That was for the Oct-Dec free dining, the Aug-Sept offered regular dining for the value resorts. For Oct-Dec, you could upgrade to the regular plan for $10 per day per adult. From what I read on other posts, the bounceback for late summer next year is again the regular plan for value resorts.