what's the big deal about free dining????

[LegoMom3]

The big deal is that it is an excellent excuse for an additional trip to Disney World, !! The weather does not matter to us as we don’t do the parks hard core anymore. As a matter of fact we have trips planned for the last week of July and the second week of December (my favorite vacation time!)

BTW…It would be nice if I could get some of those 20%-40% pin codes, but unfortunately, I have NEVER gotten one.

Same here. The best discount I've ever been able to figure is 15% off our room through AAA. So in our case that just doesn't do much compared to eating for free! I hear all the time about postcards and e-mails with codes to the tune of 40% off, but I've never gotten one.

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[planplan]

some of the myw package discounts are better than the pin code offers that come out.

 

[Gillian]

It's clear that the value of free dining depends on the makeup of your family, the price of your resort and the other discounts available to you. That's why robinb's chart is so great! Did she post the link here?

Of course, if you are campers you get none of the freebies so any discount is better than nothing.

some of the myw package discounts are better than the pin code offers that come out.

It seems lately there have been more pin codes and fewer general public discounts. Those 30 & 40% off codes are fantastic, especially if you stay at a deluxe resort!

 

[motherof4]

We are a family of 6 me DH, DS 12 and Dtwins 10 and DD8, the twins turned 10 this year so 5 of us are considered adults, we are staying at POP 2 rooms standard view, 5 day passes with waterparks and free dinning! $3144.56 if we had to pay for package without the dinning being free it would be $4644.08! That is a savings of $1500.00, no discount I have ever seen has given us that much of a savings! Yes we are going in September (end of), and we usually enjoy Dec./Jan., but temps are cooler and we have never been able to enjoy the waterparks, we went last October and experienced the waterparks for the first time, we all loved them! So we are excited about returning this year in september and taking advantage of the waterpark option! We enjoy the food and look forward to eating at some of the nicer reataurants where we don't have to dictate to the kids what they can or can't eat, it's all part of the magic! The best thing of all is our favourite hard ticket event MNSSHP is scheduled for 2 days that week, can't get any better than that!

 

[herewegodisney]

I priced it out and it's only a savings of $200 compared to my last years trip with the dining paid for. I understand if sept was the time of year you wanted to go but to go in nov. when it's cooler for $200 more is well worth the money to me. i guess i hope everyone knows that there are other great deals out there also to be watched for!!!!

This has me thinking. We're 2 adults, a child, and a "baby" and staying 8 nights in a value resort during free dining and 7 day base tickets costs about $500 less compared to a trip during value season with an assumed 20% AAA discount and paying out-of-pocket for the DDP.

That's a lot of money! But September is hot, hot, hot. So I'm considering a January trip and skipping the DDP. By eating mostly counter service and maybe 3 TS meals the difference might be closer to $350 for us.

 

[mafibisha]

For me the price difference is negligible since my kids are both under 3 so they eat "free" with us (actually my 2 YO does as our infant will still be nursing/bottle feeding) if we pay out of pocket for the DDP. That's how it's only less than $100 difference for me with the same exact plans (both have dining for November and for September) but the discounts are applied differently (September would be FD and November/December would be out of pocket DDP but AAA discount applied). If we had gone with older kids or other adults in our party, then I bet the FD promo would net us bigger price differences. I was there during those hot humid months and it was hard enough on me.

To me, the confort of my young children and heat sesitive wife and having that Xmasy ambience during that time of year is worth the extra ~$100, plus I still get to eat using the DDP!

We feel the same. WDW is so smart finding a way filling the parks in the awful heat. But who wants to eat when you're sweating to death? Theres no way we want to fight crowds due to freebies. Food is good but not worth the heacache!

My sister and family went last year and pigged out big time, mostly on CS since they didn't want to wait for TS even with their ressies they were kept waiting - in the heat.
BUt yeah, WDW found a great way to make sure they keep the crowds coming. Happy for those who really need to save but wish you luck dealing with the heat. And hoping for no hurricanes, too.

 

[Gillian]

This has me thinking. We're 2 adults, a child, and a "baby" and staying 8 nights in a value resort during free dining and 7 day base tickets costs about $500 less compared to a trip during value season with an assumed 20% AAA discount and paying out-of-pocket for the DDP.

That's a lot of money! But September is hot, hot, hot. So I'm considering a January trip and skipping the DDP. By eating mostly counter service and maybe 3 TS meals the difference might be closer to $350 for us.

You may find a different deal in January. December is good too.

We've done the (old) dining plan twice with younger kids and I think next time we're ready to skip it. CS has good food & good variety, and we can hit the TS restaurants we really like without worrying about credits. Next time I want a date night at Jiko, and with the dining plan that's really hard to do. 1 character meal is really enough. Last time we did 3 and it gets old plus it's time consuming.

 

[farhana]

can someone enlighten me on what free dining is? do u get to eat anywhere you want? in teh parks also or only at your resort? do u get to order anything u want or do u have to stay within a particular menu?

 

[JLKennedy]

We feel the same. WDW is so smart finding a way filling the parks in the awful heat. But who wants to eat when you're sweating to death? Theres no way we want to fight crowds due to freebies. Food is good but not worth the heacache!

My sister and family went last year and pigged out big time, mostly on CS since they didn't want to wait for TS even with their ressies they were kept waiting - in the heat.
BUt yeah, WDW found a great way to make sure they keep the crowds coming. Happy for those who really need to save but wish you luck dealing with the heat. And hoping for no hurricanes, too.

The real difference is when your children are actually in school. It becomes more dreadful for them to miss a lesson than dealing with the temperatures. Besides, if I want to be cool, I'll simply wait here in NJ and the cool temps will come, when I think Florida, I don't think cool...I think, warm, hot, semi-tropical.

We'll go this year and miss the 1st full week of school (b/c I goofed with where Labor Day fell this year, danged Leap Year), otherwise anytime from school, IMO, is just unacceptable. Our son isn't in school, so it doesn't matter, but my soon to be 4th grader cannot miss school, not for vacation, not for cheerleading, only for a true illness.

We'll be at the WL from 9/6-9/13 on the Deluxe plan.

2A
2C (9 and 3)
Deluxe dining for 7 nights
Park hopper tickets only
WL woodsview w/ bunks
AAA package rate: $4083
discounted dining: $3725
so we're only saving $358, but saving $358 none the less. We aren't getting free dining, so that's the big deal for us. We keep the resort we want, going during a time that will allow our daughter to miss the least amount of school as possible without compromising "crowd levels" and we get the dining package we were paying for, at the basic dining price. A true no-brainer for us.

Taking your kid out of school will only work for so long. Any parent here that has an older child that missed 1 day of school for a stomach virus, can attest to how much they need to make up, and there really isn't "much" that Disney can teach a 10 year old.

Do what works for you & your family.

 

[jennyf2]

My DD and I always hit WDW the last week of August thru Labor Day! Great way to end the summer, rates are great, hot as you know what, but always save $400 with FREE dining! So for us, it's well worth it...and now it's a family tradition!

It looks like you will be there the same time as us. We have always gone in early summer or the 2nd week of September-- never been there during Labor Day--how are the crowds??

 

[choirfarm]

8 nights pop, hopper and dining plan 2 adults and 2 kids,6 and 7, standard room, mid november 2007, $2248, this year sept during free dining, $2050 exact same stuff...

So how much was the room per night, how much tickets, how much hotel? I'm trying to figure out how much this plan you got would be for me, dh and children ages 13, 11 and 6.

Christine

 

[LegoMom3]

can someone enlighten me on what free dining is? do u get to eat anywhere you want? in teh parks also or only at your resort? do u get to order anything u want or do u have to stay within a particular menu?

Here you go:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneypackages.htm

In a nutshell, the basic Dining Plan gives you one sit-down, table-service restaurant, one counter-service restaurant, and one snack credit, per person per night of your stay. Most Disney restaurants participate, although not all. I don't think there are any restrictions on the menus, other than child vs. adult.


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[TarzansKat]

You know, I actually happen to be one of the crazy people who thought September was one of the best times of year to go to Disney!

This was prior to free dining, and before DH and I had DS. We would go down in mid September and just enjoy ourselves. I like that fact that it's hot in Florida. That's why I'm going there. I live in New England, so come September we're heading into fall. Going to Florida in September gets me a little extension on my summer, and makes my vacation all that much more special before we head into our nasty winters and the holiday craziness.

Free dining, for me, is a bonus! And I don't mind staying at a value, and getting a room for under $100 a night, and making our trips more budget-minded. That, to me, is a reasonable hotel rate, considering some other trips we've taken due to family obligations, like weddings and the like. Sure, I would love to stay in a Deluxe with an Annual Passholder code like we used to, but like I said, now we have DS. Our budget is different, and the overall feeling of our trips are different. I can't afford to buy an Annual Pass just for a discount code when we only take one trip per year. And I have never been one of the lucky few who receive a 40% postcard/email.

But you know what? I love our trips. They are more family-minded, and Pop is a family resort to me. We have a great time there, and DS loves it. To me, I am paying for a package, and never having to worry about how much cash to bring down for food. It's all included. And regardless of whether or not people think it's really "free", to me, it is. Because it's a time of year I enjoy going anyway. Even with gratuity not being included, I'm still making out. And that makes me

 

[disney_momma21]

You know, I actually happen to be one of the crazy people who thought September was one of the best times of year to go to Disney!

This was prior to free dining, and before DH and I had DS. We would go down in mid September and just enjoy ourselves. I like that fact that it's hot in Florida. That's why I'm going there. I live in New England, so come September we're heading into fall. Going to Florida in September gets me a little extension on my summer, and makes my vacation all that much more special before we head into our nasty winters and the holiday craziness.

I agree with you. Our family loves going in September. We go regardless if we get free dining or not. We just like the less amount of people that are there during September and the weather is so nice. We are from Oregon so we only have 2 months out of the year with warm weather and sunshine. When September is here in Oregon it's pouring down rain! We like being able to get a few extra weeks of summer in there.

Free dining for us this upcoming trip is saving our group a total of $2380!! That's a lot of money saved! Granted, if I ever did get a 30% or a 40% off PIN I would definitely use that instead of the free dining offer and I would apply it to a deluxe!

But I have yet to get one....Rats!!!

Each family is different and unique in what they like and don't like that's what makes each family special.

 

[TarzansKat]

I agree with you. Our family loves going in September. We go regardless if we get free dining or not. We just like the less amount of people that are there during September and the weather is so nice. We are from Oregon so we only have 2 months out of the year with warm weather and sunshine. When September is here in Oregon it's pouring down rain! We like being able to get a few extra weeks of summer in there.

Free dining for us this upcoming trip is saving our group a total of $2380!! That's a lot of money saved! Granted, if I ever did get a 30% or a 40% off PIN I would definitely use that instead of the free dining offer and I would apply it to a deluxe!

But I have yet to get one....Rats!!!

Each family is different and unique in what they like and don't like that's what makes each family special.

Thanks for chiming in! I was beginning to think I was the only one.

If I ever got a 30 or 40% off code, I would definitely use it for a deluxe. I would love, love, love to be on the monorail line while DS is still using a stroller. Since that's only in my dreams, I'll happily "settle" for free dining.

And congrats on your son turning three! My DS is three as well. May I wish you good luck! He's my little peanut, but we can have some tough days!

 

[disney_momma21]

Thanks for chiming in! I was beginning to think I was the only one.

If I ever got a 30 or 40% off code, I would definitely use it for a deluxe. I would love, love, love to be on the monorail line while DS is still using a stroller. Since that's only in my dreams, I'll happily "settle" for free dining.

And congrats on your son turning three! My DS is three as well. May I wish you good luck! He's my little peanut, but we can have some tough days!

Same here!! It seems like he is always getting into some type of mischief the little rascal. On the really hard days I tell myself, 15 more years, and then he's off to college then on the great days we are having I sadly say, "No, only 15 more years left! Stay my baby forever!

The up's and down's of parenting!

 

[goinback]

For us, Fd saved us $1619.50!!!! We would have done the dining plan anytime we went, so this is huge for us! And it's vale season to boot!

 

[quigonator]

Where do I find a list of resturants there are to choose from? Dose it include character dining?

 

[quigonator]

Is this still available?

 

[goinback]

Where do I find a list of resturants there are to choose from? Dose it include character dining?

You can go to Disneyworld.com and click on Dining . I think it is in the upper righthand corner of the main page. Also, free dining is available for booking until June 22 I believe. I will check for sure and post again!