Free Dining?

[sneezyone]

What is free dining and how do you sign up? we'll be staying at AKL the last week of September....any help would be greatly appreciated.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) You just don't sign-up.
2) When (and if) they are offered, they come out in April/May.
3) Then, you call and see if there are any available for your resort.
. . . not all resorts are alwaqys covered
. . . they are installed to get more bookings at resorts
. . . there are limited number of packages per resort
. . . they are first-come for availability
4) So, when they come out CALL IMMEDIATELY.

[Polynesian Dweller]

And free dining is anything but free. In exchange for free dining you will pay rack rate, that's the highest rate for the room that really no one ever pays. So, they actually get the money for the food that way but give the appearance of you not paying anything for dining. Its not really that great a deal.

[Pirate Granny]

I disagree with that comment...the value resorts are priced the same as you would pay anyway...so, if you stay there the dining is pretty free...and there was a bounce back offer last year, if you booked and put a deposit for 2008 Aug-Sep...which i did...HURRAY...good way to try out the meal plan.
:pirate:

[crazeedizneefinatic]

Yes, if they do offer it call immediately, it does sell out fast. Also if you are a Disney visa card holder you can purchase before the general public but also a limited amount of rooms are put aside.

I must disagree too about the comment about rack rates. Here is the example of last years deal for us. Now we stayed at a moderate. It was 4 of us at the CBR for 10 days 9 nights with an 8 day park hopper. We paid just $650 per person for hotel, park hoppers and food which totaled well over $1300! I am sure a value is much more of a savings but by the time we had our TA get us situated all the value resorts were sold out for free dining and that was 9:30 in the AM! Even this year with the appetizer gone and tip not covered anymore, I still think it worth taking advantage of. We booked last year (sept '07) for the bounceback program this coming sept/oct with free dining. You had to be there in person to do that. We are staying at POR for just $650 a person for 10 days 9 nights hotel, 8 day park hoppers and food. Cannot beat it! I also found that not pulling out the CC or cash as much as if we paid for food we spent less on souveniers. I have gone elsewhere and paid much more for much less.

[grego77]

And free dining is anything but free. In exchange for free dining you will pay rack rate, that's the highest rate for the room that really no one ever pays. So, they actually get the money for the food that way but give the appearance of you not paying anything for dining. Its not really that great a deal.

Sorry to say, but in my experience last year that statement is anything but true. I took my aunts to Coronado Springs last year in Sept during value season (I got cheapest price you can get for CS), and also got free dining, and got the whole trip (5 nights, 6 days, room, tix, and free dining) for UNDER 1,600 dollars. Best deal I've ever gotten at Disney.
DO IT! :mickey:

[sainter]

The EASIEST way is to reserve your room with Magical Journeys, If and when free dining comes out, they will take care of it for you! :thumbsup:

[lockedoutlogic]

I disagree with that comment...the value resorts are priced the same as you would pay anyway...so, if you stay there the dining is pretty free...and there was a bounce back offer last year, if you booked and put a deposit for 2008 Aug-Sep...which i did...HURRAY...good way to try out the meal plan.
:pirate:


this is incorrect.....

while not phrased quite right...when vacation packages are compliled....there is usually some area of the deal that is discounted from the retailer or wholesaler to make the bottomline more attractive and sell more units....

In the case of WDW...where they really don't have a problem selling packages....the discounted portion is the room night....

But on the free dining plan....the room night included in price is rack rate....or full walk in price for that particular time period

so while on a vacation package in August you don't have "free dining"...but you may be paying what equates to $40 dollars a night for your room at All-Star

On free dining...you get the meal plan...but now you're paying $90.00 a night...or whatever the rate happens to be.

IT still may be a "savings" with the dining plan included.....but it is not quite face value...they do compensate by charging more somewhere else

The classic disney version of the shell game....


I'm not so sure that "free" dining will even be offered anymore....as now the gratuity is not inlcuded at the sitdowns....which would effectively add around 200-300 dollars in out of pocket gratuities to a family of 4 staying for a week....

we'll see

but it is not...technically..."free"

[#1donaldfan]

Ok, Ok, Ok......we all know there is nothing free, EVER !!! So, let's just call it deeply discounted dinning.....DDD for short !!!

[Dakota Rose]

I'm not so sure that "free" dining will even be offered anymore....as now the gratuity is not inlcuded at the sitdowns....which would effectively add around 200-300 dollars in out of pocket gratuities to a family of 4 staying for a week....


That's some serious tipping. I must be a cheapskate! And in theory, they'd still spend that $ on gratuities if they ate 7 TS meals and didn't have the dining plan.

[pixiesmimi]

I disagree also. We stayed at CBR last August with free dining and got the room a lot cheaper than we would have normally.

I'm just wondering this year with the change in dining plans, if it will continue to be a good deal. I guess we will have to wait until someone reports on it to see. I will always go for the free dining to compensate some for being able to stay at a better resort.

[lockedoutlogic]

I disagree also. We stayed at CBR last August with free dining and got the room a lot cheaper than we would have normally.

I'm just wondering this year with the change in dining plans, if it will continue to be a good deal. I guess we will have to wait until someone reports on it to see. I will always go for the free dining to compensate some for being able to stay at a better resort.

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip....

But you weren't cut a deal on the room...unless you had a AAA rate or a travel agent rate or an airline employee rate...something like that

The deal with vacation packages is across the board...not case by case...it isn't like a flight....if you buy the same package as someone else...you will pay the same price

Which is rack rate under "free" dining.

[pixiesmimi]

I didn't mean we got a deal on the room because we had free dining, I just meant that the room was cheaper than it normally would be. Maybe it was just our package deal made it seem cheaper because of the free dining, but I don't think we paid the rack rate. I could be wrong. Anyway, we wouldn't have been able to stay in a moderate if we hadn't gotten the free dining, which made it so wonderful.

[Jeff G]

What is free dining and how do you sign up? we'll be staying at AKL the last week of September....any help would be greatly appreciated.


Here is an explanation and a little history. In 2005 WDW started offering this special to trips booked in Spring for the late August - late September travel time frame. The offer is that if you book a Magic Your Way plan with room and park tickets at the posted value season rate you then would receive a free upgrade to include the Magic Your Way with dining. The free dining promo is that each person registered to a room holding park tickets receives a voucher for one table service meal, one counter service meal and a snack for each night they are booked.

This promotion was a lot different from past WDW discounts. If you put a price on each meal the benefit is that you get a $20-30 diner, a $7-10 counter service and a snack $2-3 per person per day, for a family of four easily a $100 value/night. If you stay at a value resort that means a family of 4 could stay for a week on $1600 and eat most of the better restaurants each day with no additional cost (starting in 2008 you are responsible for the tip). If one were to get the old promotion at a value the rate was usually about $20 off the rack which makes this a great deal at the values. Two years ago we spent $2100 (Hotel, Park Tickets, Meals and $500 spending money) for an eight night trip on this plan at a value.

It hasn't been confirmed that this promotion will be back this year. When the promo is released there are only a select number of rooms available at each resort. I would suggest switching your reservation to Magical Journeys Travel, a Intercot sponsor. Once book with MJ's they watch for specials and should this be released they automatically switch you, should this offer not be available they still will watch for any promo. The best part is they charge the same as WDW direct.

In 2005 the offer was released the first week in June, 2006 the first week of April and 2007 the 2nd week of April. Last year the offer was first provided to Disney Visa holders on Monday and then later released to the general public Thursday. This past August & September WDW offered guests staying on grounds the option to book a trip for the same time frame in 2008, the bounce back program, with the free dining included. As of today no other dining offers out there.

The cheaper the hotel and the more in your party the better this deal is. Historic discounts for values was $20 per night, moderates $40 per night while some of the deluxe resorts saw discounts of $100+ per night. As you can see a couple staying at a deluxe would be better with a discounted room.

In my opinion if you plan to stay on WDW grounds with most or all of your meals there this is a good promotion for most.


while not phrased quite right...when vacation packages are compliled....there is usually some area of the deal that is discounted from the retailer or wholesaler to make the bottom line more attractive and sell more units....

WDW sticks to the rack rates, AAA is the only exception I'm aware of to the general public. When free dining comes out it is based on the rack rates and the only discount at the time. Occasionally they have released room only discounts during this same travel period but these don't come out for a few months after the dining is released and are very limited.





so while on a vacation package in August you don't have "free dining"...but you may be paying what equates to $40 dollars a night for your room at All-Star

Untrue, the rate is the same unless you have the AAA discount which isn't $40/night.



On free dining...you get the meal plan...but now you're paying $90.00 a night...or whatever the rate happens to be.

Where are you getting this from. I spoke to MJ and they don't have a discount like this?



I'm not so sure that "free" dining will even be offered anymore....as now the gratuity is not included at the sitdowns....which would effectively add around 200-300 dollars in out of pocket gratuities to a family of 4 staying for a week....

My largest bills on this plan for a family of four last year was $125 which included four appetizers (not included this year so I'm sure the bill will be less) which would equate to $22.50 assuming 18%. My average bill was closer to the $90-$100 which make the average tip $18x7 nights is $126.

If staying at a value or moderate and getting the traditional $20 -$40 room only discount I still think this is a great promotion.


but it is not...technically..."free"

It is free in the fact that you are not paying any more than most are paying for the same hotel and park tickets.

[lockedoutlogic]

Here is an explanation and a little history. In 2005 WDW started offering this special to trips booked in Spring for the late August - late September travel time frame. The offer is that if you book a Magic Your Way plan with room and park tickets at the posted value season rate you then would receive a free upgrade to include the Magic Your Way with dining. The free dining promo is that each person registered to a room holding park tickets receives a voucher for one table service meal, one counter service meal and a snack for each night they are booked.

This promotion was a lot different from past WDW discounts. If you put a price on each meal the benefit is that you get a $20-30 diner, a $7-10 counter service and a snack $2-3 per person per day, for a family of four easily a $100 value/night. If you stay at a value resort that means a family of 4 could stay for a week on $1600 and eat most of the better restaurants each day with no additional cost (starting in 2008 you are responsible for the tip). If one were to get the old promotion at a value the rate was usually about $20 off the rack which makes this a great deal at the values. Two years ago we spent $2100 (Hotel, Park Tickets, Meals and $500 spending money) for an eight night trip on this plan at a value.

It hasn't been confirmed that this promotion will be back this year. When the promo is released there are only a select number of rooms available at each resort. I would suggest switching your reservation to Magical Journeys Travel, a Intercot sponsor. Once book with MJ's they watch for specials and should this be released they automatically switch you, should this offer not be available they still will watch for any promo. The best part is they charge the same as WDW direct.

In 2005 the offer was released the first week in June, 2006 the first week of April and 2007 the 2nd week of April. Last year the offer was first provided to Disney Visa holders on Monday and then later released to the general public Thursday. This past August & September WDW offered guests staying on grounds the option to book a trip for the same time frame in 2008, the bounce back program, with the free dining included. As of today no other dining offers out there.

The cheaper the hotel and the more in your party the better this deal is. Historic discounts for values was $20 per night, moderates $40 per night while some of the deluxe resorts saw discounts of $100+ per night. As you can see a couple staying at a deluxe would be better with a discounted room.

In my opinion if you plan to stay on WDW grounds with most or all of your meals there this is a good promotion for most.



WDW sticks to the rack rates, AAA is the only exception I'm aware of to the general public. When free dining comes out it is based on the rack rates and the only discount at the time. Occasionally they have released room only discounts during this same travel period but these don't come out for a few months after the dining is released and are very limited.






Untrue, the rate is the same unless you have the AAA discount which isn't $40/night.




Where are you getting this from. I spoke to MJ and they don't have a discount like this?




My largest bills on this plan for a family of four last year was $125 which included four appetizers (not included this year so I'm sure the bill will be less) which would equate to $22.50 assuming 18%. My average bill was closer to the $90-$100 which make the average tip $18x7 nights is $126.

If staying at a value or moderate and getting the traditional $20 -$40 room only discount I still think this is a great promotion.



It is free in the fact that you are not paying any more than most are paying for the same hotel and park tickets.

Jeff G....

let me clarify....

The "rates" I quoted are approximated...If i gave the impression that i had crunched the numbers and was posting exacts...I apologize if that was misleading

Second, In wholesale packages....which are vacation units sold by both the "walt disney travel company" and through travel agencies such as AAA and Liberty/Go-go travel...they are packaged sold en mass to the travel agencies...who then sell them with a markup to the customers

The component...which is fairly consistent...that is discounted in WDW travel packages is the room rate.....
when a person checks in on a package....it "explodes" in the resort computer system...park goes to resorts....part now to cover the dining costs...parts go to recreation or other extras if you're on an advanced package...and the ticket revenue goes to park operations

This is all technical jargon...but the bottomline is the amount that doesn't match up to the retail cost is for the room....

hence your discount...which is hard to really emphasize because the park tickets included with the packages are overpriced and have a short shelf life

I spent two years at WDW resorts dealing exclusively with things such as this.....on the phone...in the system.....i was a full time trouble shooter.....so unless massive things have changed...which i don't believe....that's how it works

Magical Journeys...for the 100th time...is a Travel Agency.....they are on the outside looking in....they are not owned, operated, nor affiliated with disney....
Their knowledge is great and they serve a purpose to a certain clientele...but they are not privy to all the info...as they don't wear mickey mouse nametags

As far as the tipping goes....there is a range...you can do 18% and get in under $100.00 for 7 days...you can easily get into the $200.00 range if you go to pricier locations....

The point was that there is no "free" dining anymore...as the gratuities are now off the plan....you can choose to skip appetizers...but gratuities are mandatory....

And say you are a family of 5? 6? won't those tips escalate

I am waiting to see how they market the "free" promotion this year...if at all. Before you could walk into a sitdown...enjoy a full meal and leave without reaching for your cash or charge......now you cannot.

That was the point...for the record...I believe free dining would probably have ended in 07...but an economic recession would more than likely have them rethinking their strategy to keep the parks packed...they may even go back to the old DDP if things start to slack off...

[BelleCiavo]

And free dining is anything but free. In exchange for free dining you will pay rack rate, that's the highest rate for the room that really no one ever pays. So, they actually get the money for the food that way but give the appearance of you not paying anything for dining. Its not really that great a deal.

I say it depends. With me, my dh,2 teenage boys and a 6 yo it is way more than any discount we've gotten at the Poly since the Fairytale package of 2003. Rack is $340 - $166 (or so, free dining) = $174. And in previous years we often ate more than $39/$10 a day each so that could be figured in too.

[jszczur5]

And free dining is anything but free. In exchange for free dining you will pay rack rate, that's the highest rate for the room that really no one ever pays. So, they actually get the money for the food that way but give the appearance of you not paying anything for dining. Its not really that great a deal.

It's a great deal if you are staying at a Value resort. If you are staying at a Moderate or higher, it may not be as good a deal - you have to do your math before deciding. Again, if staying at POP or All Stars - it's a no-brainer.

[Tigger&Stitch]

And free dining is anything but free. In exchange for free dining you will pay rack rate, that's the highest rate for the room that really no one ever pays. So, they actually get the money for the food that way but give the appearance of you not paying anything for dining. Its not really that great a deal.

I've seen this argument before, and I'm wondering how often discounts are available to most people? I have heard of "coupon code" discount postcards, but they seem rare.

If a person doesn't have AAA, what other discounts out there would have a higher value than getting the dining package for "free"?

That's truly the only way to figure out if the package is a deal when vacationing in WDW in September.

[magicofdisney]

If a person doesn't have AAA, what other discounts out there would have a higher value than getting the dining package for "free"?

That's truly the only way to figure out if the package is a deal when vacationing in WDW in September.
Although no discounts are guaranteed, there are Passholder and FL resident discounts. The best deal we've had in a couple of years was just last month when we got a value room for $49 a night. I believe the rack rate was $82.

[Polynesian Dweller]

Ok, there is a lot of misunderstanding about rack rates. In value season at Disney, everything is discounted from rack rate. Note that the prices are all shown as less than peak. So, that's the discount from rack I'm talking about. So, since that's when 'Free Dining' is usually offered, and you are paying 'rack rate' you are therefore paying more than the value season price you would have paid without Free DIning.

So, Free Dining isn't free because you are paying more than value. So, take the difference between Peak and the value season price (or other discount) and that's what Free Dining is really costing you.

Now, rack rate may not be equal to Peak Season price, it may be higher (never less). I don't know exactly how Disney handles rack rates because as a former hotelier I can tell you that rack rate can be stated how you wish to state it. It may be that Peak Season price is less. Why, because when the hotelier is selling rooms to conventions etc. they can make Peak Season also appear to be a discount. A hotelier always wants to look like they are providing a deal and rack rate lets you do that.

Either way, Free Dining is costing you something and is not Free. Once its offered, check what season it is and then calculate the difference between Peak and that season (or your AAA etc. discount) and you will be able to calculate whether its worth it to you (or at least estimate).

[dizneeat]

Ok, there is a lot of misunderstanding about rack rates. In value season at Disney, everything is discounted from rack rate. Note that the prices are all shown as less than peak. So, that's the discount from rack I'm talking about. So, since that's when 'Free Dining' is usually offered, and you are paying 'rack rate' you are therefore paying more than the value season price you would have paid without Free DIning.

So, Free Dining isn't free because you are paying more than value.

Well, I don't know where you got that from, but we had free dining last summer and are going to have it again (bounceback) this year. What we have paid last year was value season rate, plus one day base ticket and we ate for over 1000$ for free. This year the total for 6 nights and the base ticket is exactly the same as if you would buy it without the dining plan online in value season!! No higher rates or holiday rates.
YES, the price of at least the one day ticket is an extra but we will use it towards the new AP, so I do NOT count that as extra!

[BelleCiavo]

Well, I don't know where you got that from, but we had free dining last summer and are going to have it again (bounceback) this year. What we have paid last year was value season rate, plus one day base ticket and we ate for over 1000$ for free. This year the total for 6 nights and the base ticket is exactly the same as if you would buy it without the dining plan online in value season!! No higher rates or holiday rates.
YES, the price of at least the one day ticket is an extra but we will use it towards the new AP, so I do NOT count that as extra!


Same here, we paid value season rates at the Cabins and got free dining.

[MickeyChick]

We just booked for late august and I'm hoping we squeak in for free dining. Traditionally, what are the dates?

[Jeff G]

Last year it was 8/26 - 9/22.

In 2006 it was 8/13 - 9/30
In 2005 it was 8/21 - 10/4

[magicofdisney]

Ok, there is a lot of misunderstanding about rack rates. In value season at Disney, everything is discounted from rack rate. Note that the prices are all shown as less than peak. So, that's the discount from rack I'm talking about. So, since that's when 'Free Dining' is usually offered, and you are paying 'rack rate' you are therefore paying more than the value season price you would have paid without Free DIning.
I think the misunderstanding is based on everyone assuming they know what rack rate means with Disney. My understanding is different from what you just explained. I can tell you that a value resort is $82 a night during value season (this year anyway) and that's what free diners pay. The alternate is to get a AAA or other discount on the room and not receive free dining.

[mook3y]

The EASIEST way is to reserve your room with Magical Journeys, If and when free dining comes out, they will take care of it for you! :thumbsup:

Definately!

They will get you the best deal possible and you don't have to worry about it! Last 2 years, when free dining came out in September, it was added to my package the morning it was offered.

Also, doesn't cost you any more to use them either.