Do people make so many ADRs when there ISN'T free dining?

[Tinkerbella16]

We have always had free dining so we always made adr's for each day. This year, we are going during Jersey Week and there will be no FD but I still got the DDP and made reservations for each day. I am bringing my god-daughter for her 1st trip, so having some character meals and other favorite places will make her trip even magical. I love the experiences at each restaurant and the convenience of the DDP is great!

 

[jkl2000]

Free dining has nothing to do with our amount of ADR's. We go where we want, when we want. Having a nice table service meal is a delight during a crazy Disney 3-parks-a-day-lets-park-hop-til-we-drop schedule we are on! And we won't even talk about how the Free Dining isn't really free.

Hmm, I need to hear this. It's free to those of us who don't have it, isn't it?

 

[sxeensweet]

Hmm, I need to hear this. It's free to those of us who don't have it, isn't it?

Lol true but what they mean is if you choose Free Dining you pay FULL rack rates on rooms instead of taking a discount on the room. I know for me and the DH a room discount always saved us more money than taking free dining. We would always stay in Deluxe or Deluxe Villas so usually we would double what we save than what the free dining saves us. Say we saved $1500-$1800 on the room discount and dining for just the 2 of us was $800 (a few years ago it was) we came out alot better even now at $1000 it would hve still been a large savings over taking Free dining. Even staying in cheaper rooms always do the math and compare what a room discount would give you. Their saying its not really free b/c who pays full rack rates normally kinda thing. Hope I did not confuse anyone. Lol

 

[jkl2000]

I see. I'm already paying rack rate for October, free dining would be free dining, to me!

But I see what you're saying. I'm pretty sure I'd never again visit WDW during the hottest and least expensive times of year, so I'd probably ALWAYS benefit from free dining. I need one of those pins, or for them to announce those dates in october for free dining...

 

[sxeensweet]

I see. I'm already paying rack rate for October, free dining would be free dining, to me!

But I see what you're saying. I'm pretty sure I'd never again visit WDW during the hottest and least expensive times of year, so I'd probably ALWAYS benefit from free dining. I need one of those pins, or for them to announce those dates in october for free dining...

Did you look if they had a room discount for Oct yet? Keep a look out for that too. We always go in the slower times as well and the room discount like I mentioned was better for us when we go in the fall. We never go durning hot or busy months. ususlly we go sometime Oct-Dec avoiding of course Thanksgiving and Christmas! Lol check it can't hurt esp if they don't get free dining there will be room discounts available so you wouldn't have to pay full rack rate regardless. Usually every year there is fall/late fall room discounts up to 35% depending on room catagory as to how much you get.

 

[jkl2000]

Haven't heard anything about Fall discounts, only the August/September discounts.

 

[sxeensweet]

Haven't heard anything about Fall discounts, only the August/September discounts.

They usually come out late July or Aug for fall/late fall. Keep an eye out . I used to book then watch out to switch ressies once they came out. The waiting process sucked! Lol. Now thankfully we just joined DVC so I don't have to worry about getting any type of discount to come out to determine where we could afford to stay. Lol

 

[Ariel484]

We've only been going to Disney since 2009, so free dining has always been a *thing*...so by now we're conditioned to have our ADRs set. I like it though because I'm a crazy planner and the sit-down meals are one of the aspects of our trips that we look forward to the most.

Haven't heard anything about Fall discounts, only the August/September discounts.

I'm hopeful that they'll start releasing more discounts during the first week of July...but we're going in November and I wouldn't be surprised if discounts for our dates don't pop up until last August (if at all). Fingers crossed!

 

[SMPTE MOUSE]

Dining reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just opened up! If you are going to WDW for Christmas in 2013 you better make your reservations today through this weekend!

If you have questions about Disney World or need help just Like
www.facebook.com/WDWXperts

This page is new and looking for fans and admins to assist. Spread the word.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

 

[SMPTE MOUSE]

Just letting everyone know that dining reservations for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just opened up! If you are going to WDW for Christmas in 2013 you better make your reservations today through this weekend!

If you have questions about Disney World or need help just Like
www.facebook.com/WDWXperts

This page is new and looking for fans and admins to assist. Spread the word.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!

 

[luv]

I think there are more reservations during free dining, but people make them all the time. For some, eating is a big part of the fun! They don't want to miss out on the places they've decided to try!

 

[DJMoore2011]

Also I want to mention what our game plan is for our next trip, we have a list of restaurants we want to tray or go back to but we have no set dates as for times we have a pretty big window where I can adjust my daughter's meds for the day. But there is still a cut off there. We figure we will visit whichever park that we have a sit down for that day. This way we are not leaving on park, rushing to the buses and rushing through to another park to get to our reservation. If it's Ohona or Chef Mickey then we will pick which ever park is closet that day unless it's really late then we will just head back to our room. We ate most breakfasts in our room,unless it was a character breakfast.

And yes it is fun to go over menus and go "oh that sound yummy we need to put that on the list" or I will tell Dear Hubby "yeah I've heard not so great things about that on WDWMagic" or "You will not believe what I read on WDWMagic about_______" and we go look and see if it's something we want to do.

 

[Dwarful]

We used to have ADR's one sit down per day. We have had free dining before and we've paid for it out of pocket. Next month we are going for two weeks. This trip we are doing one sit down every other day. For us...it just seems that quality in food (and in some locations service) has declined, variety has declined and costs have gone up not making it worth the cost or trouble to eat up so much time. Last year we waited over two hours for one sit down and that was with an ADR. We would have cancelled and left except it was my husband's 40th bday and we had ordered a specialty cake as a surprise for his bday. IF we had free dining this trip we would use the ADR's but might use some signature locations. This trip we had a resort % off discount but with a family of 5 'adults' the cost of dining would have been a bigger savings.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

We don't just visit Disney for the attractions and shows. We visit for the food as well. We book at least 1 sit down meal per day. We've only done free dining once, last fall. Otherwise we're never using free dining. We do have a Tables in Wonderland card and that saves us 20% off sit down meals. Some people don't like taking so much time to sit down and eat. We enjoy it. And there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone tours Disney differently.

 

[mouselover321]

Usually we get the free dining plan, but this year it's not available to us. We still made ADRs for everyday and we are paying for it.

 

[LucyK]

We've never had FD and we always book at least a TS meal a day, I need to eat real food and not sandwiches at least once a day. It's also a great way to unwind and discuss our day so far and what else we'd like to accomplish. We manly book late lunches (2pm, 3pm) or adjust our dinner ADR to see parades or fireworks (we had THE most perfect table this year for Illuminations at Rose and Crown and the food was amazing as well). I can't see myself going to Disney and not partaking on the food and atmosphere.

So Free Dining or no Free Dining we'll have a table service meal and just relax for an hour, an hour and a half.

 

[alissafalco]

We're going to WDW in October. Since so far there's no free dining for October, I've made very few ADRs. Even if we get free dining, I probably won't add many ADRs. I just don't think we're going to want to sit down at a table service restaurant every day, especially not at a pre-designated time and if it's not free. I think counter service will fit in a lot more easily and be more flexible. Also, we're really not that interested in character interaction, which I know is a big draw for some.

I'm just wondering, if it weren't for all the free dining people are getting right now, would people (in general) be making so many ADRs? It seems odd to me, with all the strategies and tactics for how to "accomplish" as much as possible each day, that so many people are willing to spend so much time sitting in restaurants. So I'm thinking it's the fact that people have these free dining plans that's making people book so many ADRs. Also, I guess a lot of people purchase dining plans, but for the reasons I gave above, I know a dining plan wouldn't be worth it for us. If we DO get free dining, I'll probably end up using a lot of table service points for counter service meals, which is actually fine by me (assuming that's allowed) as it will still be a big savings.

I guess (since I haven't been there since 2000) I'm still getting my mind around the fact that WDW has gone from "the worst thing there is the food" to "be sure to make your ADRs 180 days out." From my two previous visits to WDW I don't remember eating a single thing aside from terrible hamburgers. I remember at least one terrible vegi-burger too. I don't think they even had all the "snack" places, ice cream, Dole Whip, etc. back then. Meals were something you had to do occasionally so you didn't starve. I'm feeling a little guilty about having made so few ADRs, but ultimately think when we're there things will be too "fluid" to make it to restaurants at specific times very often.

I'm not at all putting down the Disney dining experience as it is now. Also, if we get more "experienced" like so many of you are, then we'll probably be able to relax and focus on sitting down and enjoying a meal more than dealing with all the newness (to us) of FastPasses, Child Swap, etc. which right now seems like it will be time-consuming enough.

Do what's best for you. If you'd rather not spend any time at a table service meal there is nothing wrong with that. I see what you're saying. When were there last Sept. we had 1 TS meal scheduled every day and I always felt like we were rushing to get to our reservation on time. However, I do love taking the break of sitting and relaxing in the air condition for a nice meal. To answer your question, yes people to book more restaurants because of the free dining.