Will Free Dinning free up DVC reservations?

[lucyem]

Free dining - never. The dining plan does not work at all for our family.

 

[DizBub]

No. We actually had 5 nights at CBR with free dining booked for months. We also have a 2 BR at BCV for the next 7 nights. Thought this was a great idea to take advantage of the free food, use the 5 day MYW tickets throughout the 12 days and we would be conserving points.

After thinking about it and doing the math, I cancelled the cash ressie. Compared to what the 5 days of "free dining" at a moderate resort would have cost, we will be at AKV Savanna View studio on points for those 5 days, get 2 APs and a TWI card AND will get the dining plan for the last 5 days at BCV. Breaking even.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

I think it might potentially affect the renters. It might be cheaper to switch to a hotel room with free dining instead of renting points.

 

[Lynne M]

I would really like to believe that free dining will pull some members in and free up some rooms. I am really surprised lately at the lack of availability lately. We had to go into to Jan to get any place to stay for over 3 nites.

I don't think you'll see many members canceling for free dining. I wouldn't. It's only a good deal if you stay value or maybe moderate, and I bought DVC so I wouldn't have to stay value or moderate anymore.

You'll occasionally see members take an extra trip during free dining, but I don't recall hearing about people giving up a planned DVC trip to do a cash free dining trip instead.

 

[keishashadow]

We've cancelled DVC trip for FDP offer in Dec two years ago & banked the points for bonus trip that year.

I did book POFQ this go around, but ran the numbers & realized that if coming in on 10/1 (the 40th year anniversary date which i'm hoping they decide to do something to recognize@ MK) I'd need to book a room only & hope they'd manage to link the rooms. I was told there were no guarantees and since we're already moving over to Universal for HHN that trip I refuse to consider moving more than once in a week.

If the days had worked out, we'd have been happy to stay mod or value vs our current resort as it's just not one we personally (fyi I'm sure it's a lovely resort & I hope to be pleasantly surprised if it's where we land in October) want to visit/spend the points upon within our DVC membership.

I called MS yesterday to switch my waitlist to 7 days prior and asked the CM if he had noticed any such activity (cancellations) and he said he didn't even know there was a FDP offer.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I think it might potentially affect the renters. It might be cheaper to switch to a hotel room with free dining instead of renting points.

But renting is usually a no refund deal.

 

[bgraham34]

A dvc member in my building just told me at lunch that they cancelled their DVC trip in Dec and did the free dining. They transferred their points to someone for 11 a point. They are staying at CBR. So some people will do it.

 

[DougEMG]

Had a 2 week trip booked for Dec at OKW and last night booked CSR for the same 2 weeks, made all my dining reservations and listed the points I was going to use for rent.

 

[hakepb]

So... Basically FD is making other times of the year harder to book when some members conserve points and use CRO during FD..

 

[photobob]

Thanks for the FD heads up, I saw that it is happening during out upcoming trip so I quickly made some ADR's before they get gone!