Why I think Disney has to do free dining again...

[Tink rules]

I think that they will find if they don't do the free dining that they are going to have a ton of people who have made reservations purely hoping that if they have the promotion, they will go, but they can cancel if the free dining doesn't happen.

Does Disney want to lose that many people during a down time?

 

[limabeanmom2003]

How many people do you think booked in hopes of free dining being offered? I can't imagine it would be tons of people, and I don't think they would all cancel.

 

[Tink rules]

I'm sure that there are people who are going to go at that time anyway...but the free dining got alot of repeat people who even took a quick trip they may not have planned on because of the money they could save.

I think that there's a large enough amount of people who have done the free dining and are waiting to see if it's coming out again.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

What do you guys think is a fair % of people that over the coure of the year dining plan or not cancel their ressies with only a month or two to go? Any comments?

 

[jamounger]

I certainly made my reservations hoping for free dining so i could make my ADR's. i was able to get a deal through AAA that works out the same after I made my reservations so I won't be cancelling. I probably would have cancelled during that time period and gone at a different time if I was having to pay full rates.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I took advantage of free dining the past 2 years and they have me hooked on the dining plan even if I have to pay...

I was expecting free dining to be offered again, but then the whole 40% "best weeks to visit Disney code came out". Another poster mentioned that WDW usually doesn't offer the same plan more than 2 years in a row. I have a feeling (and ONLY SPECULATING) that the 40% off code that is supposedly a pin rate will be offered as the discount this year to everyone. That opens up booking for ALL the slow weeks – not just Aug and Sept. They already have free dining offered to the UK visitors and as a "bounce back" promotion for Aug and Sept.

Free dining would still be cheaper for us at 2A and 3 Considered Adult Children by about $300 over the 40% off room rate, BUT we are not locked in to going during the time free dining is traditionally offered.

 

[donnajz]

I took advantage of the Free Dining in 2005 and am hoping it is offered again in 2007. If it's not, can anyone tell me more about the 40% Off Rate and is it also offered at the Value Resorts. We might not be able to go if there isn't some type of big savings offered.

 

[ktink]

I booked our trip in hopes of free dining but only in the fact that we'll be staying deluxe if free dining comes out. But if free dining doesn't come out we will stay at a value resort and pay for DDP. Our trip is paid for and the CMs that I've spoke to seem very hesitant about the free dining being offered again but go on to say that they won't know until the public knows. But they did assure me that we can change resorts and opt to pay for DDP which would mean WDW would owe me $. It's cheaper to stay at a value w/ DDP than to stay at AKL w/out the DDP. I'd rather eat nicer than sleep in a finer hotel.

 

[Tink rules]

That begs the question...

Are they losing more on room rates than dining? People are going to change to cheaper hotel rooms and may or may not do the dining plan.

It seems to me that they are putting out incentives, but making them harder to qualify for.

The 40% off wasn't well advertised so I wonder if they will offer it again.

I guess we'll see.

 

[lucincia]

If you look at the latest tourism figures for Florida, looks like the number is up, for domestic visitors that is. Numbers for international visitors are down, and that is where it is hurting, since international visitors bring in more money on average than domestic. This is why you see Disney focusing free dining options in UK and overseas. They also tried the bounceback deal late last year. Between the two, they may be able to fill in the gap of those people who booked but will cancel without public free dining code.

Then again, whenever we start guessing the next move by Disney's marketing department, we get headaches

 

[BroadwayGirl]

That begs the question...
<snip>The 40% off wasn't well advertised so I wonder if they will offer it again.

I guess we'll see.

Thats because the 40% offer is a PIN offer and only those to whom the PIN offer has been sent are supposed to be able to book it. Yes, there were some screw-ups and people without the offer were able to book it, but the 40% offer that has caused so much talk IS A PIN OFFER; therefore it stands to reason that it would not be well advertised.

As far as any other offers for the late summer, we'll all just have to wait and see what Disney's resort marketing department brings to the table.

 

[disneymom06]

Just an observation, but the August 2007 hours posted for Disney have closing times earlier than last year. Does that mean that they don't seem to have the same quantity of rooms booked that they had last year?

 

[damiel]

I am also waiting for free diningfor our planned trip in late Aug. I have not booked because I thought if they fill up then why offer any incentives? I am getting nervous about waiting much longer to book our trip. 40% off would be better than nothing. I also heard about some type of MMW ticket upgrades being offered. Anyone know anything about that?

 

[Ms_Maggs]

I took advantage of free dining the past 2 years and they have me hooked on the dining plan even if I have to pay...

When my husband was talking to a guest relations person, this was exactly what she said their goal was...2 years to get people hooked on the convenience and see the value in the program even if you had to pay. In her opinion (not fact) she didn't think it would be offered again because they had achieved that goal. But they didn't think it would be offered again last year so...all we can do is wait and hope!

My husband got hooked just like they wanted. He says it made the vacation more relaxing to not think about what everyone was ordering (or wasting!) or if we got our money's worth. We had a meal at The Coral Reef for 8 of us and it was close to $380. On the DDP (if we had been paying) it would have been $260 for the entire day's food. Once you've done the math you feel better about paying for the DDP. And to get 40% off the room and pay for the DDP doesn't feel *that* bad.

I sat down and worked out sample out of pocket meals and the difference at best is $40 less a day, but not eating half as well. And we want to eat at the CP, Boma and Chef Mickey's and those days would be breakeven. Other than packing our own food (which is hard when you're flying and not renting a car) and really watching every dime, I can't see it being a huge difference and not enjoyable. I'd rather work harder at home to make extra cash to pay for the DDP than work harder on vacation to save money.

That said...we are crossing every finger and toe that it will be free again this year!! Because we'd save another $580! That pays for our dog kennel expenses, ride to the airport, extra snacks and souvenirs!

 

[ajleone]

Just an observation, but the August 2007 hours posted for Disney have closing times earlier than last year. Does that mean that they don't seem to have the same quantity of rooms booked that they had last year?

At this point it isn't much of an indication of anything. Its essentially a first run.- As we get closer to Aug. you'll most likely see a change of park hours.

 

[dclfun]

I do know the last two year's timeframe with the free dining caused alot of guest service headaches due to people not being able to actually get a table service restaurant at their restaurant of choice and complaining about that fact. They then went to the deal that allowed you to get a gift or the snacks if you used a TS credit as a CS credit. I'd wager that they might limit the free dining offer to stave off another such nightmare by not having as many guests with free dining. I booked for this Sept. with the bounceback offer and received a survey card. (For some reason I always get a survey card but not a code/pin card. ) Anyway, the gist of the survey was to ask why I'd chosen this offer...did it mean I booked another trip that I wouldn't have taken otherwise, did I upgrade my resort choice, etc. I guess marketting will be looking at those surveys to see what motivated guests to choose this stay vs. another time frame and if they then chose a more costly resort.---Kathy

 

[corndog]

I think that they will find if they don't do the free dining that they are going to have a ton of people who have made reservations purely hoping that if they have the promotion, they will go, but they can cancel if the free dining doesn't happen.

Does Disney want to lose that many people during a down time?

This doesn't make much sense to me. Wouldn't you have to re-book if they did offer free dining? This sounds like buying a TV hoping it will go on sale. If I was hoping for free dining, I certainly wouldn't book in advance. All that does is reduce your chance of getting free dining.

I hope you're right though, because we don't want there to be free dining so we can get into the restaurants we want when we want.

 

[TheRatPack]

If it isn't offered this year we'll probably stay offsite so we have more food choices/cheaper options. We absolutely loved it 2 years ago, and missed it last year due to some schedule changes, but we'd make it happen this year if they offered it again.

I'd be happy if they let me have the 40% off code, but that isn't happening

 

[lillygator]

I think that they will find if they don't do the free dining that they are going to have a ton of people who have made reservations purely hoping that if they have the promotion, they will go, but they can cancel if the free dining doesn't happen.

Does Disney want to lose that many people during a down time?

Hmmm...why would people book, taking up rooms and ADR's only to cancel if they did not offer free dining? Hurts the rest of the folks that actually want to dine in those restaurants or stay at certain resorts...regardless of a "sale". And I think too, if everyone is booking, thus showing the resorts at a higher capacity for certain times of year....then why would they need to offer incentives?

I'm always ready for a discount or to save money....but the trips I plan are ones I am ready to take and pay for whether or not the discounts come out....

 

[ruthma]

Hmmm...why would people book, taking up rooms and ADR's only to cancel if they did not offer free dining? Hurts the rest of the folks that actually want to dine in those restaurants or stay at certain resorts...regardless of a "sale". And I think too, if everyone is booking, thus showing the resorts at a higher capacity for certain times of year....then why would they need to offer incentives?

I'm always ready for a discount or to save money....but the trips I plan are ones I am ready to take and pay for whether or not the discounts come out....

I agree with you....