Working out if FD is for us

[BecBennett]

Just working out if free dining is a good discount for us. Can you tell me how much DDP is per person per night?

Don't know if I should be posting this here or in the dining plan forum...

 

[aussietravellers]

It's really a very personal thing that differs from family to family.

For us the 40% off deluxe and 42% AP discount was a much better deal for us. We are going to have TIW, so it's a better deal for us to get the % discount than the dining. We are not dessert eaters, so never eat the dessert on the dining plan and we like appertizers which are not included in the dining plan. So with paying OOP for our meals we can order what we like and not be restricted by the dining plan.

I think you will need to have a look at the different offers that are available for when you go and have a bit of a look at menus to see what you like to eat and if you are appertizer eaters (you can still have those on the DDP but you just have to pay OOP for them). It is such a complicated thing I spent ages going over all of the different options and then came up with the % was better for us. Also when we started to book with our TA in the USA, she emailed and said she had done sums and the % was better for us than the dining, I said, yes that's what I had worked out

 

[BecBennett]

Yeah I know, that's why I want to know how much the plan is per person per night, to work out which discount is better

Thanks

 

[aussietravellers]

Yeah I know, that's why I want to know how much the plan is per person per night, to work out which discount is better

Thanks

When are you going? I believe there are different prices for the DDP, there are peak prices and off peak prices.

2011 prices are

QS DP is $34.99 per night per adult or junior (ages 10-17), $11.99 per night for children (ages 3-9).

DDP
1/1/11 - 2/16/11, 2/27/11 - 3/10/11, 5/1/11 - 6/2/11, 8/14/10 -12/22/10 is $45.99 per night per adult or junior (ages 10-17), $11.99 per night for children (ages 3-9).

2/17/11 - 2/26/11, 3/11/11 - 4/30/11, 6/3/11 - 8/13/11, 12/23/11 - 12/31/11 is $47.99 per night per adult or junior (ages 10-17), $12.99 per night for children (ages 3-9).

DxDDP is $78.99 per night per adult or junior (ages 10-17), $21.99 per night for children (ages 3-9)

 

[BecBennett]

Thanks, that's exactly what I was after!

 

[2Tiggies]

You need to be ready for a heavy math session. There are so many variables. I have been doing some pricing on POP and WL, both with FD and with room discount (I know, they are very different resorts, but this is the toss up ). With WL it works out way better to take the discount and I come out ahead even if I pay for the DDP to be added.

With POP there was little difference between FD and room discount, but the FD offer was cheaper.

It depends on the room rate, number of adults/children per room, etc. If you have 4 adults (say 2 adults and 2 kids 10 or over) in a room, FD is probably a better deal as you are considering the dining plan costs for 4 people per night. The room rates are per night for the whole family.

For me, with one child and one adult, FD offers less of a saving, unless I go with a value in a lower season.

 

[floridascgirl]

I spent the morning doing "Disney Math" b/w the options of...

Room Only discount @ AKL + UT Tickets
or
Free Dining Package

I determined that the savings would be approx. $216.41 for our family. We decided against it b/c we don't care for the cancellation policy of a package and my DH prefers the flexibility of not being on a dining plan (whatever keeps him happy so I get my yearly "Disney Fix"). If the savings was more for us, we might reconsider.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I spent the morning doing "Disney Math" b/w the options of...

Room Only discount @ AKL + UT Tickets
or
Free Dining Package

I determined that the savings would be approx. $216.41 for our family. We decided against it b/c we don't care for the cancellation policy of a package and my DH prefers the flexibility of not being on a dining plan (whatever keeps him happy so I get my yearly "Disney Fix"). If the savings was more for us, we might reconsider.

Hi neighbor!
I try to skip the free dining also, unless it is my only option for a discount. I find that we end up spending $$ OOP on apps and extra TS meals anyways, my husband doesn't like dessert, sometimes I am too full for dessert, my DD can share a meal w/ me unless it is a buffet, sometimes I do not want an entree, etc....
In the end, we end up spending pretty much the same amount on meals OOP as we would spend on the dining plan, but we are able to eat how we want as opposed to being forced to eat the way the DDP wants us to.

Right now I have free dining for Dec, but I am hoping some availability comes open at one of our preferred resorts w/ the 40% GP or PIN offer closer to final payment time.

 

[floridascgirl]

Hi neighbor!
I try to skip the free dining also, unless it is my only option for a discount. I find that we end up spending $$ OOP on apps and extra TS meals anyways, my husband doesn't like dessert, sometimes I am too full for dessert, my DD can share a meal w/ me unless it is a buffet, sometimes I do not want an entree, etc....
In the end, we end up spending pretty much the same amount on meals OOP as we would spend on the dining plan, but we are able to eat how we want as opposed to being forced to eat the way the DDP wants us to.

Right now I have free dining for Dec, but I am hoping some availability comes open at one of our preferred resorts w/ the 40% GP or PIN offer closer to final payment time.

Hi to you, too!

 

[eeyoreland]

I spent the morning doing "Disney Math" b/w the options of...

Room Only discount @ AKL + UT Tickets
or
Free Dining Package

I determined that the savings would be approx. $216.41 for our family. We decided against it b/c we don't care for the cancellation policy of a package and my DH prefers the flexibility of not being on a dining plan (whatever keeps him happy so I get my yearly "Disney Fix"). If the savings was more for us, we might reconsider.

Thank goodness. I thought it was just me. I did all the math to figure out what the best deal was (room discount, FD or gift card). For us, we save more money with the room discount, staying at a deluxe. We like to eat some counter service and a few table service; don't want to eat at all one or the other. Plus, we usually go offsite one day. Now, just trying to decide if I should take the plunge and make the hotel reservations. That part doesn't bother me because I know I can cancel. It's the plane reservations I'm not ready to make. Can't cancel or change those if I change my mind. Well, you can, but not without penalities.