Which deal saves you more -free dining or room discount %?

oceanmarina

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2004
Messages
1,922
Hi all,

I was wondering what people considered the better deal, free dining or discounted room rate?

For the past several years we have gotten the discounted room rate (30-35% for us since we have stayed in deluxe/villa properties). We always opt for the deluxe dining, so that being considered would free dining or discounted room rate be the way to go for us?

I have never booked a bounceback before but I am planning to do it when we check in the week after next, (I have read the current bounceback offer is for free dining).

Thanks for any feedback,
Marina;)
 
It really depends. We have 5 people, 4of which are considered adults. It's costs us $200+ per day to eat so in our case FD is always better. My parents are only 2, and FD was a little better for them at a mod, but at deluxe, a 30% would have been better by a little.
 
Hi all,

I was wondering what people considered the better deal, free dining or discounted room rate?

For the past several years we have gotten the discounted room rate (30-35% for us since we have stayed in deluxe/villa properties). We always opt for the deluxe dining, so that being considered would free dining or discounted room rate be the way to go for us?

I have never booked a bounceback before but I am planning to do it when we check in the week after next, (I have read the current bounceback offer is for free dining).

Thanks for any feedback,
Marina;)

As the pp said, it depends on several factors and you would have to run the numbers for your particular situation to see which one offers the biggest savings. We are a family of 4 (all adults) and we stay deluxe. Sometimes FD is the better deal for us and sometimes a room discount is better. Some people will say that a room discount is always better for a deluxe, but there are too many factors to consider to make that blanket statement, IMO. Depending on the time of year, resort/room type, number of people in the room and their ages, etc., FD can (and does) sometimes come out better over a room discount (especially if a resort is offered at a lower discount percentage). I suggest booking the BB for FD and if a room discount comes out later that proves to be a better deal for your individual situation, you can always book under the room discount and cancel the FD reservation :).
 
Hi all,

I was wondering what people considered the better deal, free dining or discounted room rate?

For the past several years we have gotten the discounted room rate (30-35% for us since we have stayed in deluxe/villa properties). We always opt for the deluxe dining, so that being considered would free dining or discounted room rate be the way to go for us?

I have never booked a bounceback before but I am planning to do it when we check in the week after next, (I have read the current bounceback offer is for free dining).

Thanks for any feedback,
Marina;)

Free dining is always a better deal than a room discount if you are staying in a moderate or value resort than in a deluxe resort.

A room discount is usually a better deal when there are only two people staying in a deluxe resort. But you have to crunch the numbers to make sure.

Three people or more in a deluxe resort could be either way.
 

We always stay value, are usually 4 to a room and we find the dining experiences an exciting and important part of our vacation.

That said, the free dining plan is definitely the better discount for us.
 
Free dining is always a better deal than a room discount if you are staying in a moderate or value resort than in a deluxe resort.

A room discount is usually a better deal when there are only two people staying in a deluxe resort. But you have to crunch the numbers to make sure.

Three people or more in a deluxe resort could be either way.

I don't think you can quite make that blanket statement with regard to the mods. Granted, as a family of 5, 2 adults, 1 child adult and 2 kids, the free dining has always worked in our favor over a room discount. However, "better deal" is highly subjective when you also consider that you are getting more food than you normally would order, you are probably eating more expensive food than you would normally order, and in my experience, every time I was leaving a "free" meal, I was still dropping a $20 on the table for gratuity.

On paper, a couple might save $50 a day by getting FD over RO discount at a moderate (assuming 20% discount) but if you factor in the tips and the hassle of having to book 180 days out and that you can eat a lot cheaper than the free dining cost, it isn't a slam dunk that it always makes sense to choose FD at mods over the RO discount.
 
Right now I am staying at All Star Sports, with the free dining for 6 days (with Table Service). Originally, my daughter was going to stay with me but now it's just me.

For that reason, I would have done better with the room discount, but it was too late to change.

It used to work for us when we had an annual pass and stayed for 14 days. I don't see myself doing that in the near future, so for me, it will be room discount. I think what messed it up for me is the continual hike of the Dining plan. I am seeing less and less savings.
 
We're doing free dining for 3 of us at CBR this Dec. When I ran the room only numbers, it came in at $300 less for the exact same 8d stay. Free dining!!:goodvibes
 
Room all the way
Dining doesn't come close for us but we don't do many sit down meals and typically get 30% plus discount code
 
You have to run the numbers...

I would say in general the more people in your room the better the FD discount looks, because for any people over 2 the additional room charge is minimal (maybe $25).

In our case, we (3 people) are staying at Deluxe Club Level room and the Dining portion is just below 20% of the Room. So if we can get a 20% or better room discount, that would be better than FD. But that is our situation. You have to run your own numbers.

In case you are not familiar with the process...here is one way to do it.
Use the online reservation system to find the room only portion (make sure you have the correct number of people specified), select No Tickets and then write down the cost of the room only (including tax). Now you have to put the tickets back to order the dining plan, so add tickets for your length of stay and write down the room and tickets cost. Now add the dining plan and see the increase from the room and tickets cost to find how much the dining plan adds. Now you can do all the analysis you want. Good Luck!
 
I use this quick method to check whats the best deal for me.

((Number of Guest in room X Price of DDP for 1 day) x ( Room Discount / 100 )

If the Daily price of the room is below the result, I'm getting a better deal on Free Dining. If it's higher, room discount is better.


Here's the logic behind it.

First part is to see the cost of DDP for everyone in the room.
Multiplied by the 100/room discount

Ex:
3 Adult in a room discounted at 30%
DDP is 60.04 per day

(3X60.04) x (100/30) = 600.40

This mean my room would have to cost 600.40 per night to get a saving equal to the price of DDP. If the price is higher per night I'm saving more with the Room discount. If it's lower I save more with DDP.
 
Free dining is always a better deal than a room discount if you are staying in a moderate or value resort than in a deluxe resort.

A room discount is usually a better deal when there are only two people staying in a deluxe resort. But you have to crunch the numbers to make sure.

Three people or more in a deluxe resort could be either way.

Came here to say this word for word.
 
FD for us. We have 4 adults staying at POP. A room only discount would be less than a $100 savings while we will eat way more than that using the QS plan.
 
I use this quick method to check whats the best deal for me.

((Number of Guest in room X Price of DDP for 1 day) x ( Room Discount / 100 )

If the Daily price of the room is below the result, I'm getting a better deal on Free Dining. If it's higher, room discount is better.


Here's the logic behind it.

First part is to see the cost of DDP for everyone in the room.
Multiplied by the room Discount/100

Ex:
3 Adult in a room discounted at 30%
DDP is 60.04 per day

(3X60.04) x (30/100) = 600.40

This mean my room would have to cost 600.40 per night to get a saving equal to the price of DDP. If the price is higher per night I'm saving more with the Room discount. If it's lower I save more with DDP.
:scratchin
3x60.04 = 180.12
30/100 = .3
180.12x .3 = 54.04
You lost me somewhere

No matter what the numbers are, as nooneshome stated, you must eat more then the savings for it to really be a savings. That's why everyone has to run their own numbers
 
:scratchin
3x60.04 = 180.12
30/100 = .3
180.12x .3 = 54.04
You lost me somewhere

No matter what the numbers are, as nooneshome stated, you must eat more then the savings for it to really be a savings. That's why everyone has to run their own numbers



My Bad I inversed 2 numbers.

3X60.04 = 180.12
100/30 = 3.3333
180.12X 3.333 = 600.04
 
I did the math for the trip we just finished... I always do, just in case somehow Free Dining comes up. (Though I'm not kidding anyone... it does NOT come up mid summer.)

For my family of 5 Disney adults, Free Dining would have saved $1775.

By Contrast, for 7 nights, we would have saved:
Yacht Club: 20%: $619, 25% $774, 30%: 928, 35% $1083 (We actually got 30%, then an additional 5%, so 34.5 %...pretty close to that last number)

Poly: 20%: $696, 25%: $870, 40% $1043, 35% $1218

Since family was staying at Caribbean Beach, I ran their numbers as well.
Family of 4 adults: Free dining saves $1642
Family of 2 adults, Free dining saves $823

For them, 20% = $108, 25%= $385, 30%= $460, 35%= $539
 
My Bad I inversed 2 numbers.

3X60.04 = 180.12
100/30 = 3.3333
180.12X 3.333 = 600.04

This method works well. Thanks...

But I would add that when you look at the room rate for comparison you need to include taxes (12.5% Yikes). The numbers that are shown before room selection on the Disney website are Avg/Night Excluding taxes, so multiply by 1.125 before you compare to get your actual room rate.

So for me. 3 adults at CR (CLub), I am paying 914.78 per night (including taxes) - this is a special trip for us, we don't always stay at this level.

If I use your formula for 20% room discount.

3x60.64= 181.92 (I think DDP is 60.64 per night per person for 2015)
100/20 = 5
181.92*5= $909.60

At $914.78/night 20% off room is slightly better than FD for my group.
The actual numbers are: DDP Cost = $1273.44
20% off room cost is $6403.5 x.20 = $1280.70

So FD is not always better, which is good because room discounts are more common than FD.
 
I use this quick method to check whats the best deal for me.

((Number of Guest in room X Price of DDP for 1 day) x ( Room Discount / 100 )

If the Daily price of the room is below the result, I'm getting a better deal on Free Dining. If it's higher, room discount is better.


Here's the logic behind it.

First part is to see the cost of DDP for everyone in the room.
Multiplied by the 100/room discount

Ex:
3 Adult in a room discounted at 30%
DDP is 60.04 per day

(3X60.04) x (100/30) = 600.40

This mean my room would have to cost 600.40 per night to get a saving equal to the price of DDP. If the price is higher per night I'm saving more with the Room discount. If it's lower I save more with DDP.


But what about factoring in kids? If you have 2 adults and 2 kids? Wouldn't you need to add the cost of the kid-portion of dining plan cost?
 
This method works well. Thanks...

But I would add that when you look at the room rate for comparison you need to include taxes (12.5% Yikes). The numbers that are shown before room selection on the Disney website are Avg/Night Excluding taxes, so multiply by 1.125 before you compare to get your actual room rate.

So for me. 3 adults at CR (CLub), I am paying 914.78 per night (including taxes) - this is a special trip for us, we don't always stay at this level.

If I use your formula for 20% room discount.

3x60.64= 181.92 (I think DDP is 60.64 per night per person for 2015)
100/20 = 5
181.92*5= $909.60

At $914.78/night 20% off room is slightly better than FD for my group.
The actual numbers are: DDP Cost = $1273.44
20% off room cost is $6403.5 x.20 = $1280.70

So FD is not always better, which is good because room discounts are more common than FD.
taxes, yes don't forget those - good point

I'll say it again for people running numbers take a look at your eating style
On paper you might save more with fd but that's only if you eat at sit down places and such where it adds up
My family maybe does one sit down/character meal in a five or sx day trip and prefs to eat and more quick service places to take advantage of ride time and such.
There is noooo way I will eat $60 a day so room discount is always better, yes I ran the numbers I keep receipts of everything for just this purpose. Last time I was around 40 average/day
 
I did the math for the trip we just finished... I always do, just in case somehow Free Dining comes up. (Though I'm not kidding anyone... it does NOT come up mid summer.)

For my family of 5 Disney adults, Free Dining would have saved $1775.

By Contrast, for 7 nights, we would have saved:
Yacht Club: 20%: $619, 25% $774, 30%: 928, 35% $1083 (We actually got 30%, then an additional 5%, so 34.5 %...pretty close to that last number)

Poly: 20%: $696, 25%: $870, 40% $1043, 35% $1218

Since family was staying at Caribbean Beach, I ran their numbers as well.
Family of 4 adults: Free dining saves $1642
Family of 2 adults, Free dining saves $823

For them, 20% = $108, 25%= $385, 30%= $460, 35%= $539
I understand what you are saying
HOWEVER

Free dining only saves $1775 (or the cost of the dining plan) if you wanted to eat $1775 worth of food entitlements or if you were going to get the dining plan anyhow.

So for instance, if you went to the Poly, but only would have spent $1100 on food, then the room discount of $1218 would actually save you money. (Granted you probably got less food, but then you also probably spent less on tips, saving even more money)

So while Free Dining is in fact "free" meaning that you get the DDP free, you really have to look at what you would have spent on food covered under the entitlements vs. the room discount.
 















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