Who WON'T go this year W/O free dining.

[JimboJones123]

I know we have money set aside to sign right on if it is offered, but a trip is just out of the question without it. We may go to DL instead for a long weekend or go to Hershey instead. We just can't afford to have the $2K bill at the end of the trip when we go. Anybody else in the same boat.

Free Dining or Bust!

 

[Dagger]

I'm going regardless, but I am sick of the bill too... I have been looking into DVC but we just don't have the money right now.

I am pretty convinced (wishful), however, that if they don't do free DP, they'll give something free like the hopper or water parks, etc.

 

[JimboJones123]

I'm not trying to be whiny about it, but a 3 day trip in VERY EARLY Dec 2005 cost us the same ammount as an 11 day trip in Sept 2006 w/free dining. We also have a 3 yr old this year, so add another $250 for tix.

 

[Dagger]

That's a major difference. We were going to resort hop between a value and deluxe, but we are downgrading to a moderate to try and save.

We are going in Sept when daughter will have just turned 2 and then possibly again in summer of '08 before she turns 3, but we're probably going to skip it between 3-4 because I do not want to spend the same money that it costs for a 10 year old on a 3 year old... I think it's insane. Especially the dining plan thing!

Maybe I'll feel different when we get to that point. My first trip I remember to WDW is when I was 5 and I went 1 or 2 times before that... I kinda feel like if it can't really leave a memory, it shouldn't cost that much.

 

[New2WDW]

I know we have money set aside to sign right on if it is offered, but a trip is just out of the question without it. We may go to DL instead for a long weekend or go to Hershey instead. We just can't afford to have the $2K bill at the end of the trip when we go. Anybody else in the same boat.

Free Dining or Bust!

I am with you! The savings of the food bill allows us to go (like the past two years). Your comparison of seasons is right on, that is why we have to go Value Resort, Value Season, Value Meal!:ROFLOL:

 

[JimboJones123]

I am with you! The savings of the food bill allows us to go (like the past two years). Your comparison of seasons is right on, that is why we have to go Value Resort, Value Season, Value Meal!:ROFLOL:

Actually 1st week of December is Value Season. It's just that 4 days of paying for dining = about 7 nights in Value season. Esp if we eat sit down for 2 meals a day. We share alot on the DDP.

 

[New2WDW]

Actually 1st week of December is Value Season. It's just that 4 days of paying for dining = about 7 nights in Value season. Esp if we eat sit down for 2 meals a day. We share alot on the DDP.

I see! I helped some one recently figure costs while going down in Peak for three days and it was way more than a week for us in Value. Very crazy! But if you want to save $ you gotta be flexible!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

It will effect when we go. Right now we have a large (7-10 families) group going in the fall. We're booked at Shades of Green during October and fall breaks. If Disney offers free dining we'll go in September and stay at a moderate.

I broke down the prices and it really won't cost much more to do the October trip. In fact in some ways it will be easier because of the large room sizes at Shades of Green.

BUT if we get free dining we will eat MUCH better!:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:

 

[kennygman]

I'm holding out for the FREE dining in Sept. Without the 1K savings we won't be going back this year.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I NEED it! There really needs to be a rewards program for people who are frequent visitors to keep our costs down. We all have certainly thrown them enough business over the years. I wonder why a program like that isn't in place already?

 

[Dagger]

I NEED it! There really needs to be a rewards program for people who are frequent visitors to keep our costs down. We all have certainly thrown them enough business over the years. I wonder why a program like that isn't in place already?

I'm on board, although I think most people will reply "DVC" to this

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I'm a solo-traveler so saving $300 isn't gonna break the bank, I'm not even going during free-dining this year (if they have it)...I decided to go after Thanksgiving to see the Xmas decorations!

 

[Cindyrella]

I want to go at the end of August before school starts. I am really hoping for free dining! However, if they don't offer it, I have a backup plan. I have an AP, so I will book a Value with an AP discount and the purchase the DDE. Our DD turns 3 in June so we have to add that fact to the cost of the trip. I was really annoyed because I was at WDW on 1/1/07 and tried to book for Aug and they said it expired at 11:59 pm on 12/31.

 

[bears163]

wow alot of us are waiting to hear about the same thing for Sept. we are travleing with another family & they are waiting to hear what the offer will be in sept. we belong to DVC so it won't help us.

 

[slappy magoo]

I NEED it! There really needs to be a rewards program for people who are frequent visitors to keep our costs down. We all have certainly thrown them enough business over the years. I wonder why a program like that isn't in place already?

You see, this is where I was afraid the thread would go. It starts with someone wondering/wishing/hoping that an incredibly generous offer will be offered for a third straight year (certainly nothing wrong with wondering/wishing/hoping). It then de-volves into what people think they deserve because of all the money they "throw" at Disney.


If Disney offers a great promotion, awesome. But unless Walt was yo' daddy and put your name in the will, none of us "deserve" anything from WDW.

Finally, between what Dagger mentioned about DVC, the Magic Your Way ticket structure, AP discounts, and being able to get zero percent interest on vacation packages for various periods of time via the Disney/Chase Visa card, there are plenty of ways to help make a WDW vacation more affordable. There should be NO sense of entitlement just because of the money you've sepent at WDW in the past.

 

[davidpw97]

Free dining hasn't been offered that long, didn't any of you ever go to WDW prior to free dining?
I think people who truly love Disney will save money throughout the year if they have to in order to afford a great Disney vacation instead of hoping for handouts. There's more to Disney than good food and with smaller menus and less options dining at Disney isn't what it used to be anyway.

 

[mgraef]

I would just bite the bullet and either pay for the dining plan or bring a suitcase full of peanut butter and bread. I did that the first trip and while it was not that great for dining pleasure, I saved some bucks until I could afford the dining plan which I paid at full boat rate.

mg

 

[JimboJones123]

Free dining hasn't been offered that long, didn't any of you ever go to WDW prior to free dining?
I think people who truly love Disney will save money throughout the year if they have to in order to afford a great Disney vacation instead of hoping for handouts. There's more to Disney than good food and with smaller menus and less options dining at Disney isn't what it used to be anyway.

That's when we went on the 3-4 day trips. We would rather take a 10 day trip. Free dining let us do that. It wouldn't be worth it for a 3-4 day trip. We did too many and felt rushed. We just won't be able to go if it isn't Free Dining. Just wondering if anybody else is in the same boat. And we still packed lunches and had box cereal in the room even though there was free dining.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I'm on board, although I think most people will reply "DVC" to this

DVC is only a discount if you can drop massive amounts of cash up front. And I can only travel during holiday periods because I am a teacher. DVC might actually end up costing me as much as doing Disney the normal way. Frequent visitor could be defined as less than every year, or every year at a different park location. There should still be some consideration to the thought. Cruise lines and resports have similar programs without Timeshare components, why not Disney?

 

[JimboJones123]

You see, this is where I was afraid the thread would go. It starts with someone wondering/wishing/hoping that an incredibly generous offer will be offered for a third straight year (certainly nothing wrong with wondering/wishing/hoping). It then de-volves into what people think they deserve because of all the money they "throw" at Disney.


If Disney offers a great promotion, awesome. But unless Walt was yo' daddy and put your name in the will, none of us "deserve" anything from WDW.

Finally, between what Dagger mentioned about DVC, the Magic Your Way ticket structure, AP discounts, and being able to get zero percent interest on vacation packages for various periods of time via the Disney/Chase Visa card, there are plenty of ways to help make a WDW vacation more affordable. There should be NO sense of entitlement just because of the money you've sepent at WDW in the past.

The problem with a "rewards points" program is that the people who would need the rewards the most aren't the people spending $20-25K on their trips. It's like Comp rooms in Vegas. I don't gamble enough to ever get a Comp room. Disney wouldn't like to make an even larger class distinction. So they offer discounts across the board.