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

[darrengs]

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.

But you will still need to eat. For $7.26 more a day you can have 1 QS, 1 TS, 1 snack and refillable mug (per person). Even with paying tips out of pocket, IMO you are still way ahead with free dining.

 

[Aerinha]

Solo traveller. The CM flat out told me room discount was better for me than FD. Too bad there weren't discounts left at any Epcot hotel for my week. But I did get free dining, which is only saving me money because it is free. It would have cost me $360 and when I added up everything I would use it on, I would have over paid by $92-$150 depending on if I was trying to spend it all vs. ordering as I normally would...which is why I will always pay oop unless it is free dining.