"free" dining more expensive

[Strmchsr]

You know, I've always known "free" dining was a gimmick, but I hadn't broken down the hard numbers. I saw the guys over at another Disney fan site actually broke it all down. Based on 2 adult, 2 kids for 4 nights in a deluxe resort it is actually $91.68 cheaper to pay for the dining plan than get the "free" dining promotion because you pay rack rate for the room. At a moderate you save $21 dollars with the "free" dining over buying the plan. Where you save is the value resort. This scenario would save about $170 at a value resort. Interesting to see the actual numbers broken down like that.

[Dsnygirl]

You know Chris, I did those same numbers when we were debating about the free dining for October... and came to the same conclusion, with this added tidbit.

Having done the dining plan once, we found that for us, it was a lot of food, and a lot of time dining. But we ate it all, b/c we'd paid for it.

If you take the time to check out the menus where you want to eat, and the prices, you can actually control the cost of what you eat to a number far lower than the cost of the dining plan. Now, of course, "free dining" is still free, but with all the specials out there, most rooms this fall are not at rack rate, so if you choose to take the room discount instead of the "free dining" and then just control where and what you eat, you can do far better than paying rack rate for your room and getting your meals for free.

We figured that we saved $1500 on our room rate this fall (had an AP discount, which is similar to the general public discount and the Disney Visa discount), and our food will cost about $900. So, "free dining" would have cost us an extra $600 on our room!!

So, we absolutely stuck with our room discount this time!

[phillydan]

We did the numbers also and the room discount worked out better than the free dining this time around.

[CanadianWDWFan]

We also did the number crunching thing. In the end since we have AP's, we got the Tables in Wonderland card which gives 20% off everything at TS restaurants. And ate how we wanted to eat.

[Dsnygirl]

We also did the number crunching thing. In the end since we have AP's, we got the Tables in Wonderland card which gives 20% off everything at TS restaurants. And ate how we wanted to eat.

Ooops... forgot to mention that our food bill will be lighter b/c we, too, got the TiW card... best $$ we've spent!!

[fupresti]

W did it for our trip coming up next week. Here are the stats.

2 Adults
Studio Room at Boardwalk Villas for 8 nights
Standard Dining Plan
8-Day Tickers with Park Hopper

When I booked the trip under free dining, it was roughly $3500.00 total. When I switched to the 40% off room rate with the dining plan, it dropped to under $3100.00. I saved almost $400.00.

[E-OR]

I thought that I had it all figured out but now you really got me thinking. We are doing the free dining this time and plan to do the bounce back staying next year at AKL. I guess that as the time gets closer to out next trip I should really price out the price of the room if a discount is offered w/dining plan, no dining plan and eating at a sit down restaurant paying for it, etc... I have not heard of the TiW card. What is this, how does it work, how much, and how do you get it?

[gueli]

Ok so I know I am looking at 'standard' rates (as posted at the wdw site). 7 nights moderate resort (POFQ), 2 adults 1 child (under 10), mon nov 30th to mon dec 7th.
Cost with dinning plan (magic your way & parkhopping only) $2600
cost without 2000 (round off).
Now I had gotten 40% pin, but it didn't seem to drop our number less than if we took the dinning plan ? (It would have only saved us 300-400 as opposed to about $600)...

if you could present the numbers- does this only make sense if you are not getting the dinning plan anyway (DD loves princess dinning) ?

If you used the numbers/times above, how much would room rate have cost ?
Thanks for the help...

[mudpuppysmom]

People see/hear the word FREE and lose all mind control! They think they are really getting something and whats more.....for people who are going for the "once in a lifetime trip" (not peeps like us!) they see that and tell all their friends how "cheap" they got their trip for.

An example.....a friend of mine recently told me that she and her fam are going over Thanksgiving......that's all great I tell her, trying not to be too pessimestic. I told her how she needs to use FP and needs to be realistic in her goals of what to see/do, b/c they will not be able to do/see it all in one trip (something she was surprised about); then I asked her if she got the dining plan and she told me yes, but they have not made any ressies yet -- in fact, they have not even discussed any places to dine! I've tried to point out that they may be eating chicken nuggets on turkey day and frozen slushes instead of a nice dessert.......she got the free dining and just thought it was a given that you can eat wherever/whenever.

I'm glad to have friends like you guys to help point me in the right direction when needed for things like this!

[jenperich]

Hello all-

I'm not sure I understand what you're all saying. We "lost our mind" when we saw free dining, and took it for our 1st anniversary trip because we thoroughly enjoyed eating out at all of the GREAT Disney restaurants. I thought we were getting a great deal...and really we are because of all of our Visa Disney rewards.

However, are you all saying that we can pay for the dining plan and get a room discount, we'll save money? Or would we get a room discount and pay for all of our food OOP? I'm confused. Thanks for any information you can give me.

[magicofdisney]

Maybe it's because we always stay at values anyway, but I've known almost from the beginning that this "free dining" offer was only a value at the value resorts.

This will be our 3rd year doing "free dining" for a family of 6 plus a grandma and aunt. We're using two value rooms for our party, paying rack rate.

With a FL resident or AP discount, we could save about $24 a night per room, $48 for the 2 rooms. Over 5 nights that savings is $240.

The dining plan cost approximately $236 a day for all 8 of us, or $1180 for the 5 nights.

Granted we would not eat nearly as many TS were we not on the DDP. Additionally we'd eat less meals on-site. So, essentially it's costing us $240 for an $1180 DDP.

[lighteningqueen]

Same for us. Staying at POP for the first time and saving 720.00 for the 2 of us for 9 nights for the free dining. maybe in the future we will stay at a Mod or Deluxe, but saving money is the only way we can go this year with this economy and on our self employed business. So yea... I love it this is the first break we have had coming to the world. i have never recieved a pin code or anything in my emails. So Thank You disney or otherwise it would be several years before we could ahve returned.

[hel5165]

My husband and I are booked at Pop for 9/23 - 9/30. We don't usually get the dining plan but free is for me.
We have a one day park pass, 7 nts at Pop and we paid $810 which comes to about $58/day pp.
If anyone can find a cheaper deal please let me know.

[Strmchsr]

However, are you all saying that we can pay for the dining plan and get a room discount, we'll save money? Or would we get a room discount and pay for all of our food OOP? I'm confused. Thanks for any information you can give me.

Yes, that's exactly right. This is actually why I use Magical Journeys because Wendy crunches all the numbers and helps find the best deal. But, when you do the math you actually can pay for the dining plan yourself and take a room discount instead of the "free" dining promotion and come out better. Others are making the point (and I agree with this too) that you can save even more money by taking a room discount, not getting the DDP, and paying OOP for your food because, in general, most folks do not eat the amount of food given on the DDP so if you ordered a la carte you might end up spending less than the cost of the DDP.

[Dsnygirl]

You also need to take into consideration that which free dining plan you are getting depends on what level of resort you are staying at for some of the offers, too. Value resorts are being given the new "counter sic" plan, which is less savings than those staying at mod, who are getting the regular dining plan & table svc meals included.

I agree that the meal savings are greater at a value resort, as the percentage off a lower room rate is far less than when you compare it to the percentage taken off the price of a mod or deluxe room... So the situation varies, depending on your resort & meal preference.

But in general, for most people staying mod level or higher, if you're not committed to sitting down to two or three meals/day & like to mix up how you eat a bit, taking a room discount and going on your own for your meals will save you far more.

(i'm typing this from my phone, as my comp. is out of commission temporarily...when I am back up & running, I will give you guys some of the 'hard numbers' we've run. Too much to do typing this way! )

[magicofdisney]

This is the only time of year we use the DDP. Any other time we pay OOP for our meals so this gives us an opportunity to enjoy Disney more thorougly. Like I mentioned earlier, our 5 nights with the "free dining" is costing us about $240. There's no way we could eat a la carte for a group of 8 on $240 and have the same level of enjoyment. Just food for thought.

You also need to take into consideration that which free dining plan you are getting depends on what level of resort you are staying at for some of the offers, too. Value resorts are being given the new "counter sic" plan, which is less savings than those staying at mod, who are getting the regular dining plan & table svc meals included.

The promo we're a part of isn't based on resort level. I've heard about that, but with this offer we get the regular DDP whether we stay value, mod or deluxe. We happen to choose value to get the biggest bang for our buck.

[SurferStitch]

Yup, I did the whole number crunching thing with Excel, and came up with exactly the same conclusion for free dining vs. OOP. I even posted it here a couple years ago. I've always known that the only true deal was staying in a value, and that the mod was a wash, and deluxe was a loss.

We've always done better with AP room-only discounts and getting the DDE with the 20% dining discount. I also include an estimate for snacks and any CS meals when I do the number crunching, so it is a true comparison. We don't eat any different off the DDP than on it. We always do a TS dinner each night, and usually a TS breakfast. Lunch is CS or TS. Also, I don't have to think about credits. That was kind of a pain the one time we did do the DDP (which at the time WAS a good deal for us).

[Disney Doll]

I have been saying that for years and with all the free dining frenzy I was beginning to think I was the one who had miscalculated. You have to admit though that it's a pretty good deal for Disney. People think they are getting a super bargain and so I'm sure it has worked to boost numbers for September.

[ToraTory]

While it's true that you save the most money by staying at a value you do save money at the moderates. For example, for I booked:

1. 11/14 - 11/22 (8 nights)
2. 2 adults at POFQ
3. 9 day base ticket
4. regular dining plan

Prices:

1. regular price no special: $2,670.64
2. fall special (but added the tickets and dining) $2,2121.68
3. free dining: $2,030.64

Sure looks like I saved money to me

Yes, we would have ordered the dining plan regardless of the special. For us we find the dining plan the way to go. We know ahead of time how much we spent and we don't have to worry about pulling out the wallet every meal. I guess since we are adults without kids, meal time is part of the adventure for us.

If someone can show me how to get the room, tickets and dining cheaper than this I would most curious.

-- tory

[tink'72]

We also did the number crunching thing. In the end since we have AP's, we got the Tables in Wonderland card which gives 20% off everything at TS restaurants. And ate how we wanted to eat.

This thread got me thinking, so I went home and did the numbers and since we are AP holders it would be less expensive for us to purchase the Tables in Wonderland card. We would end up saving about 300.00 and eat how we want to eat.