Why does UK get free dining?

[leahjade]

Why do visitors from the UK get the free dining, yet it's not offered to US citizens? Maybe we ought to complain to Disney about offering foreigners better deals than Americans?

 

[CanadianGuy]

Why do visitors from the UK get the free dining, yet it's not offered to US citizens? Maybe we ought to complain to Disney about offering foreigners better deals than Americans?

UK deals are offered months and months in advance and on far more restrictive terms than the US deals.

For example... once you lock into a deal - no switching. That would KILL most of us flip-floppers and switchers here on these boards.

Adding your nephew to the trip anytime after booking? There's a fee for that.

Gonna cancel? There's a REALLY big fee for that.

And... the UK offers are typically offered MONTHS and MONTHS before the same offers made in the US.

Why do they do that? Because flights from the UK can run upwards of $2000 to $3000 per person. Disney puts the offers out sooner so folks can arrange their vacation and get the best deal possible on those very expensive flights. Imagine that.. almost $10,000 just to GET to Orlando in some cases. Before you have even stepped on Disney property and spent a dime on resorts, tickets, food, souvenirs etc.

And UK guests typically stay 3 weeks or a month and spend a LOT more money than you and I do on our shorter trips. A LOT more. WAY WAY more.

The revenue per guest from the UK is RIDICULOUS when compared to North American guests.

Recently, the UK and EU guests have dropped dramatically.

The numbers have gone into the basement because of the economy in general and the pounding the EURO and British pound sterling have been taking on currency markets. Suddenly their money isn't at a 2 to 1 rate against the U.S. dollar.. but after conversion it's more like 1.25 to 1 ..

So Disney is still trying to get them to come and spend their $$$ with cheaper trips and yes - free dining that has been extended.

So.. in short... while the grass may appear greener.. trust me you do NOT want the restrictive terms and booking requirements the UK guests MUST deal with .. nor do you want the ridiculous transportation costs to even get to Florida in the first place.

This is nothing new .. Disney offers different packages for different geographic areas to encourage attendance. Back when the Canadian dollar was severely down vs. the US dollar.. Disney offered a Canadian Dollar is equal to the US dollar which was like a 25 or 30% discount off everything. They didn't offer that to US guests and everyone complained.

Why didn't they offer it to US guests? They didn't "need" to.. same deal with the UK offers being out months before the US offers.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Why do visitors from the UK get the free dining, yet it's not offered to US citizens? Maybe we ought to complain to Disney about offering foreigners better deals than Americans?

Or maybe we could really show them and just stay home if we don't like how Disney does business...

 

[beachgrl001]

UK deals are offered months and months in advance and on far more restrictive terms than the US deals.

For example... once you lock into a deal - no switching. That would KILL most of us flip-floppers and switchers here on these boards.

Adding your nephew to the trip anytime after booking? There's a fee for that.

Gonna cancel? There's a REALLY big fee for that.

And... the UK offers are typically offered MONTHS and MONTHS before the same offers made in the US.

Why do they do that? Because flights from the UK can run upwards of $2000 to $3000 per person. Disney puts the offers out sooner so folks can arrange their vacation and get the best deal possible on those very expensive flights. Imagine that.. almost $10,000 just to GET to Orlando in some cases. Before you have even stepped on Disney property and spent a dime on resorts, tickets, food, souvenirs etc.

And UK guests typically stay 3 weeks or a month and spend a LOT more money than you and I do on our shorter trips. A LOT more. WAY WAY more.

wow no way would I like to have those tearms! It was interesting to see how it works over there though, thanks Knox for your plethora of information, you will definately need a vacation after all these FD threads!

 

[Tinker74]

Iam in the UK....You guys in the US are sooo lucky to not have the travelling costs we have...Iam sure we'd all give up free dining in a second if we only we could DRIVE to disney!!

Trust me...don't begrudge us free dining..you have it WAY better!...The dining plan is peanuts to what it costs us per person to even get across the atlantic.

Our airfare this August is aprox $6000...

 

[leahjade]

I would love those terms if I had free dining. I'm not a flip flopper and I don't make reservations HOPING for a discount. I like to plan my vacations 6 months ahead, and I stick to them. I have friends from Hawaii who pay huge sums for airfare yet still don't get the UK offers. Also, maybe a typcial UK visitor spends more than a typical American however if you're talking numbers - free dining may cause a large number of Americans to take advantage of the deal.

 

[MJ6987]

Hi,
I'm from the UK and I booked 2 weeks in October at POR with free dining. I booked it last October - a year in advance and at that time there were only a few Economy seats left on the plane. However, on the flip side we cannot get "pin codes" which you get for 40% off - worth more than free dining. And, like said above, we have to pay about $500-1000 per person for flights just to get there!

Plus, I'm sure you'll get the free dining offers soon?

Matthew

 

[Huff]

A quick check on British Airways roundtrip from London to Orlando first week of September is £626BP = $957US.

That seems really high. I flew from Phoenix to London two years ago for $400US.

 

[MJ6987]

A quick check on British Airways roundtrip from London to Orlando first week of September is £626BP = $957US.

That seems really high. I flew from Phoenix to London two years ago for $400US.

Yeah, to be honest my $500-1000 may have been a bit low. To get the $500 level you would need to fly indirect (e.g. via New York or Philadelphia) to get anywhere near that - the direct flights to Orlando are inflated - supply and demand!

 

[leahjade]

My friend's flight from Hawaii is over $900 yet she gets no free dining - how about a break for US citizens!

 

[CanadianGuy]

A quick check on British Airways roundtrip from London to Orlando first week of September is £626BP = $957US.

That seems really high. I flew from Phoenix to London two years ago for $400US.

Yeah.. Flights FROM the US are priced differently that flights TO the US.. seriously.

And again - since the cost of transportation can frequently exceed the value of entire trips for US guests, Disney does offer a few breaks to UK and EU guests.

I did mention they tend to stay for 14 nights MINIMUM right?

And once again - if anyone is upset at any aspect of how Disney conducts its business I strongly encourage anyone on the boards to let them know:

Walt Disney World Guest Communications
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

The Brittish Pound and the Euro are worth more than the dollar. They get longer "holiday" times and stay over here for a while. Why wouldn't Disney want their business?

I'm just lucky that I can afford and have the ability to go, regardless if I get a PIN or promo. We're lucky to have it so close, we really don't have anything to complain about.

 

[TagsMissy]

Move to the UK then you can get the deal sooner otherwise just wait. If you have a Disney visa aren't they already offering free dining...

Wait I am in Canada.. I should have a temper tanty -- I am not in the UK though I am a Commonweath Member NOR am I eligible for Free Dining from the Disney Visa. I DEMAND IT NOW. Oh and don't get my started on Military Discounts --- no other military personnel are deserving of discounts other than those in the US--- shall I be up in arms over that? IT'S NOT FAIR --- oh wah suck it up buttercup



Problem with society these days -- want want want... demand demand demand... the feeling of self deservence sometimes astounds me.

Sometimes you are eligible for a deal, sometimes you aren't. Life isn't always fair; some of us need to learn that lesson at some point in life.

Btw round trip from honolulu to mco in september which typically has free dining is currently coming up at $662 Canadian including all taxes, which costs about the same from where I am from in Canada.

 

[CanadianGuy]

$662 is a freakin bargain.

From my end of Canada the CHEAPEST and unfortunately REALLY in-direct flight.. is over $700 US!

And Im not eligible for F/D either.. Wahhh.. (kidding)

 

[TagsMissy]

yeah we often drive south, pay for a hotel and parking to save on flights from Seattle.

 

[lmountford]

I am in the UK and haven't taken advantage of free dining with Disney UK because it requires the purchase of a five day minimum ticket and for this year only, all three of us are annual pass holders. So I figured that if I waited alongside my US cousins something more useful might become available . Did I mention I'm still waiting

Should I write to disney and ask them why they are persecuting little old annual pass holding me or should I just accept that Disney is entitled to make its own decisions, based on profitability, which will sometimes benefit me and sometimes not

Please excuse the over abundance of emoticons I think the wait is getting to me....

 

[doccoc2002]

I have never looked into it but does the US get great deals way in advance for Disneyland Paris or other over the pond places.

 

[Tinker74]

I have never looked into it but does the US get great deals way in advance for Disneyland Paris or other over the pond places.

Disneyland Paris is WAY more expensive than disney world!!...Anyone who can't afford disney without free dining should not price up Paris!!...

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

I know there are lots of pros and cons to both sides of this argument but i think the point to all us this is if free dinning is going to be offered it should be across the board no matter whether you live in the UK or the US.... Yes your flights are higher in price and I get that i really do but just as you have to save for trips we in the US do to.. And I am sorry here in the US we dont have as many holidays and time off as you in the UK do and thats the truth.... But thats besides the point offers should be made across the board for everyone not leaving a majority to sit here and wonder ....

 

[Tinker74]

The Brittish Pound and the Euro are worth more than the dollar. They get longer "holiday" times and stay over here for a while. Why wouldn't Disney want their business?

I'm just lucky that I can afford and have the ability to go, regardless if I get a PIN or promo. We're lucky to have it so close, we really don't have anything to complain about.

Thats a great attitude!...Some people should count their blessings and quit moaning about not getting pins or free dining. Hey I'd love a pin..but i wont get one....Thats life..I'll still go to disney though..with my aP ..so no free food either..Oh well..None of us should feel entitled..Disney isn't a charity who should help the citizens of america..

Its a buisness folks...if you can't afford it ..don't go!..We save hard for our flights and don't except codes or pins to enable us.