Why does UK get free dining?

[Nero the dog]

There's a really easy way for disney to make it fair for all.
If guests who stay for 2 weeks a year spend more than those who go for a long weekend twice a year.
All they need to do is make the free dining offer dependant on a minimum 10 night stay and booked 6 months in advance.

I have to say. I am from the UK, and I am bringing the family over the pond this August. We are staying at Boardwalk, but I am still not getting free dining.

Why?

Because I am a DVC member. I made a choice to buy into it due to the restrictive prices the holiday companies charge you when you have to go in August due to the school breaks.

If I want to take advantage of free dining I have to book a complete package. All the companies including disney charge way more than I can possibly afford.

We were getting quotes of around £8,000
I know we have had to buy our points, but booking flights for 5 of us has meant this year will be less than £5,000 all in (including spending money)

I only need 1 more trip for DVC to have more than paid for itself.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I always thought Disney offering FD to the UK at a different time than the US was a good thing. FD is busy enough as it is, I don't want to know how busy it would be if both The US and the UK were trying to book it at the same time.

 

[ccgirl]

leahjade - please read as an earlier poster revealed that Canadian citizens to not get pin codes, the current one which is 40% off is worth more than the free dining. The Canadian deals also usually make there way here eventually. They are just offered to Canadians first so they can book their travel. I guess I don't see the big deal. Go to Disney and have a good time; or don't go....totally up to you.

 

[luke]

the current one which is 40% off is worth more than the free dining.

Except at the minute UK guests are getting 48% off and free (standard) DDP if they stay at OKW or SSR.

As others have said however, our airfare is massive, especially at the moment, cheap flights seem hard to come by and can sometimes involve multiple stops.

The length of stay also sums it up too. Although some do go to Orlando for a week, most see it as not worth anything less than 10 days, with a fortnight and upwards being most common

 

[TagsMissy]

leahjade - please read as an earlier poster revealed that Canadian citizens to not get pin codes, the current one which is 40% off is worth more than the free dining. The Canadian deals also usually make there way here eventually. They are just offered to Canadians first so they can book their travel. I guess I don't see the big deal. Go to Disney and have a good time; or don't go....totally up to you.

Canadians get pins... we don't get Disney Visas or Military Discounts, etc only offered to US... so should we be in an uproar? Not at all. It would be petty and childish if we did. Do I believe just because we are a military family we are *entitled* to a discount --- that never crossed my mind. Again would be rather childish to do so.

Did you meant to say people from the UK don't get pincodes?

 

[amacspad]

Luke, who is that offer with? Is it the UK Disney Site?

Debs

 

[TDC Nala]

UK citizens travel further, stay longer, and spend more $ than US citizens. Disney likes encouraging them to stay, eat and spend at Disney and not wander off to other Orlando area attractions (which they are more likely to do because they stay longer). Plus...Brits get NO free dining at value resorts. They have to stay at a deluxe to get the regular plan free for up to 21 nights. Imagine what an upgrade from quick service to basic is going to cost for 21 nights. However...I don't think they are even able to upgrade...to get basic dining free they have to book that deluxe.

 

[luke]

Luke, who is that offer with? Is it the UK Disney Site?

Debs

Yeah, we got 14 nights SSR with DDP and 14 day tickets for £1800 for August

 

[luke]

However...I don't think they are even able to upgrade...to get basic dining free they have to book that deluxe.

It's £7 (about $11?) per day per adult, and £3 ($4.50) per day per child

 

[amacspad]

Hi Luke, Wow, thats brill, Are the flights expensive at short notice? I've already booked for 14th May offsite this year so looking for good on site deals for 2011

 

[TDC Nala]

1800 pounds = about $2700

 

[TDC Nala]

Maybe it's deluxe they can't upgrade to. I thought I saw that British customers couldn't upgrade free dining.

 

[disneyag]

At the end of the day, Disney is a company in business to make money. Clearly, their marketing models have told them that offering free dining to our friends "across the pond" is a good thing. We get free dining here in the US, too, so why complain?

Also, when I travel in Europe and make purchases of clothing, liquor, etc, I get to receive a refund on the VAT taxes that EU residents are charged. My Irish sweater cost me $15 less than my cousin's because she's a resident of Ireland. This summer, I am traveling to London. I am getting a lower price on a couple of tours because I reside in the US--folks in London will pay more.

Not everything is "fair" all the time. I don't think Disney is being discriminating in trying to market the best way possible.

 

[luke]

Maybe it's deluxe they can't upgrade to. I thought I saw that British customers couldn't upgrade free dining.

Can upgrade to both regular and deluxe.

Upgrade from standard to deluxe is £20 per adult per day

 

[luke]

1800 pounds = about $2700

Yep.

Just tried booking the same trip (although not including dining and only a 10 day hopper) on the US site, and it comes to $5387 (not sure if that includes tax?)

 

[leahjade]

we got 14 nights SSR with DDP and 14 day tickets for £1800 for August

Wow, that's a MUCH better price than anything we Americans can get by a mile!

 

[amacspad]

I've just looked, £1375 Saratoga Springs FDD & Ult Tickets, wish I could cancel my booking for May and re book with Disney now fingers crossed for tomorrows rollover lottery!!

 

[leahjade]

Just tried booking the same trip (although not including dining and only a 10 day hopper) on the US site, and it comes to $5387 (not sure if that includes tax?)

And that's only for 10 day hoppers - it pays to be from another country where Disney is concerned! That more than makes up for the difference in flights.

 

[luke]

Wow, that's a MUCH better price than anything we Americans can get by a mile!

Yep, just got it as close on the US site as ours (added dining) and it's about $4000 more for you guys than us. Ok we spent about that much on flights and car hire, but you guys still have to get there somehow!!

It's a massive saving isn't it!

 

[luke]

I've just looked, £1375 Saratoga Springs FDD & Ult Tickets, wish I could cancel my booking for May and re book with Disney now fingers crossed for tomorrows rollover lottery!!

Get yourself hanging round on the UK boards! That's where I found out about the deal and booked it a few days later! Now just need to find a good price for Universal's Royal Pacific otherwise we're sleeping in the car for the first night