Not so "FREE" Dining

This time it didn't work for us math wise, but last time we had our family of six Disney adults staying at all stars family suite and we got the table service dining plan free. That was a big savings with four teenagers!
 
We actually got free dining from a bounce back offer last year. We had 8 returning, so two rooms, and it was very affordable, as the bounce back offer was very inexpensive, and then they threw in free dining and made it very affordable.

I have never done Free Dining during the offered time frame, as my wife is a HS teacher, so we usually can not go when they offer it. :(
 
I would recommend pricing your vacations out both ways. I currently have a reservation in Aug book on the summer offer at a value (All Star Sports) and once completed pricing it out using the same Dining plan and ticket package my existing offer was about 200 less than the "Free" dining offer. Free is not always free.

YMMV i suppose, but seems there is a point where the rack rate drives up the cost.
I agree, my RO deal was cheaper even when I add the dining plan. My prices only increased after I added the parkhopper. So for me I would only be getting a deal on the park hopper if I did the free dining deal vs the RO deal. confusing?!
 
The way that I compare "free" dining with other discounts is a little different. I don't consider the DDP to be a good value at all so there is no way I would add the DDP to another discount since I would NEVER pay list price for it anyway.

I compare the price of the resort without dining at the various discounts and then with "free" dining. I'll then ask myself, "Can I feed my family for 3 for that amount? So, for instance we have a reservation at All Star Sports from 8/13-8/20. The AP room only rate is $690 and the "free" dining rate is $1817. If I subtract the value of the 2-day PH from the "free" dining quote ($275 each, we'll use them later) I get $992. Obviously, the AP room only rate is less than the "free" dining rate even when I subtract out the PHs because it does include food. I now need to figure out how much I'm paying for that food so I subtract the AP room only rate from the "free" dining rate and I get $302. I now ask myself, can I feed 3 Disney Adults for 7 days for $302? Heck no! That's $14 per person per day, so for the cost of ONE QS meal I'm getting 2 QS meals and 2 snacks and a mug.
 


I let my AP lapse and priced out both Free Dining and Enchanted Escapes (solo at Pop Century, 9/23-30, Dining Plan and a 10 day PH that I will upgrade to a new AP) and Free Dining was $20 cheaper, even with the upgrade from QSDP. That's just for one person.
 
I found a great place to see exactly the savings for FD in a great little chart - http://**************.net/2015/03/31/the-best-ever-free-dining-faq-in-the-history-of-the-world-2/
 
it didn't work out for us math wise last year but this year, we would save tons. we are huge foodies. honestly, i think i only go to eat popcorn:::drinking1

3 adults and 1 child with 2 days park hoppers at POP for 4 nights is $1474.

the park hoppers alone would've been $1,090.58. we are getting a hell of a deal!
 


it didn't work out for us math wise last year but this year, we would save tons. we are huge foodies. honestly, i think i only go to eat popcorn:::drinking1

3 adults and 1 child with 2 days park hoppers at POP for 4 nights is $1474.

the park hoppers alone would've been $1,090.58. we are getting a hell of a deal!


Not that I'm doubting it's a good deal, but how did you manage this? If your total is $1474 and $1090 of that is the tickets, that only leaves you $384 for the room for four nights. Pop is cheap, but it's not less than $100/night at rack rate! Just doesn't add up and I'm wondering if I missed something!
 
For our trip, it cost us $45. That is for 2 adults.

So, was long as we plan on spending over $45 on counter service and snacks for two people over 7 days, we will save money.

Oh, and I will have most of an annual pass paid for, that I won't use for a couple of years. Since we have DVC, and we have plans to buy them for our next trip, it will actually save us money. (I will buy the pass at 2017 prices to use in 2020.
 
I' sorry, 2 adults and 1 child.
when you buy the tickets separately, the hoppers alone cost $814. the room would've been $524. that puts my total at $1338 without cost of food.
1474 - 1338 = $136....i can spend $136 in an hour at Epcot. definitely winning
 
It worked out great for us as a party of 4 at BW. The price we got there was the same as the std rate w/DP at POR. We already accepted the price we were gonna pay at POR so it seemed relatively like a great deal moving up to a deluxe.

Maybe my logic is flawed cause I am comp a std non-disc price to a special FD offer, but I feel like I can justify it, so let me live in my world :earboy2:
 
Free Dining has worked out for us because we were already going. We are paying more but we are changing from the standard pop to a suite at music. My son is a teenager and for 9 nights in a standard with us. It might be pushing it. So 40 more a night is worth it to my family. But it is not near free. It just gives you a deal depending on what you need or want.
 
I think it worked for us. We are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge with DP for a family of 4 all on the adult menu. With airfare we paid almost $1000 less than the last time we went when we stayed at POP Century and also had the DP free for a family of 4 with 2 children at the time.
 
I think it worked for us. We are staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge with DP for a family of 4 all on the adult menu. With airfare we paid almost $1000 less than the last time we went when we stayed at POP Century and also had the DP free for a family of 4 with 2 children at the time.
Airfare has no bearing on whether or not free dining is a good deal for you, since that has nothing to do with Disney. The only comparison you can make is if you were going the same dates, staying at AKL, and getting the dining plan, and now you're getting it for free, or if it came out cheaper for you to add the free dining than it was for paying for just your room and tickets without a dining package.
 
I get that airfare can't really be factored in. I was just stating that on our last trip we stayed at Pop Century for the same amount of time got our airfare, hotel, park tickets and no food plan for $1000.00 MORE than staying at Animal Kingdom lodge, airfare, park tickes AND food. But every family is different and has to weigh their options and do what works for them.
 
I had a discounted room booked for ASM, but canceled it in favor of free dining. Losing our room discount cost me about $200, adding park hopping I won't be using cost about the same, and upgrading from QS to the regular dining plan was another $200. We were planning to pay OOP for Cinderella's Royal Table, BOG (twice), Akershus, & 'Ohana, but those which would have cost about the same as adding free dining are now covered by it. That means what we're actually getting for free is twelve (4 meals x 3 people) QS meals, TS dinners at Hollywood & Vine (HS) and Tuskers (Animal Kingdom), 36 snacks, refillable mugs, and the piece of mind of not calculating in my accountant head the cost/benefit of every meal purchase while on vacation. I put the same trip in my shopping cart with the room discount paying for regular dining and it was $500 more.
 
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I just priced my room again with the fall discount. I am actually saving more then I thought I would.

I did the math and I am saving $531.60 exactly!!!! WOOT, WOOT!!!!! :rainbow:
 
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POFQ is so rarely ever included in these free dining deals and that's the only resort my DH is open to staying in... he fell in love with it and doesn't want to be disappointed anywhere else...
As well as, we are pretty locked into visiting in January which is NOT a typical Free Dining season. *sigh*

I have to keep my eyes out for different promotions as this one really does not suit our Family of Three who love a Moderate Resort... ;)
 
POFQ is so rarely ever included in these free dining deals and that's the only resort my DH is open to staying in... he fell in love with it and doesn't want to be disappointed anywhere else...
As well as, we are pretty locked into visiting in January which is NOT a typical Free Dining season. *sigh*

I have to keep my eyes out for different promotions as this one really does not suit our Family of Three who love a Moderate Resort... ;)


Have you thought about renting DVC points? we also go in Jan and always rent. deluxe hotels end up being cheaper than moderate.
 

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