"Free" DDP ???

[lilclerk]

We always stay at the Values, and have yet to find a price low enough to pry us loose/get us to upgrade....bed, shower and toilet; room is nothing more to us.

I'm with you. We've been pricing out our trip for next year and were considering bumping up to a moderate, but IMO, the price difference is just too huge for not a huge jump in amenities.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

I'm with you. We've been pricing out our trip for next year and were considering bumping up to a moderate, but, IMO, the price difference is just too huge for not a huge jump in amenities.

We can't get past the numerous options/souvenirs the difference in price would buy. And, we don't really use the amenities. We're with ya...

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Those peeps are saying if you get "free dining", you will have to pay full price (no discount) for the room. Most peeps book their package and receive some sort of discount on the room rate(s). I think (and am sure I will be corrected) they are saying you can get a room discount, PAY for dining, and come out the same as free dining and paying full price for the room.

I can tell you this:

Last December it WAS just under $400 Cheaper to use the Free Dining Promo than the Room discount Promo; all else in the package equal.
6 days/ 7 nights, Pop Century, DDP, Park Hopper, etc.....identical benes, but cheaper when booked with FRee Dining vs. Room Discount.

Now that was comparing two different discount offers.....and couldn't tell you what happens when considering pins....

Y'know what... I think maybe you're right as that would make sense (i.e. choosing free dining over a room discount would mean you're not getting a discount on the room and therefore are paying more for it). Looking back at my numbers now that I'm somewhere I can, I swear to you people, I put together a value room & 4-day PH ticket package online and then called with my pin and did the EXACT SAME room & ticket package plus my DDP Pin and it came out to be over $200 less somehow. No idea why/how but it did. I'm certainly not complaining. LOL

 

[draybook]

I won't bother arguing either side, but Free Dining works great for us. I've done the math and it works in our favor, even when compared with non-FD room discounts.

 

[Monty]

Everybody has different values of what is important to them. Some love the dining plans, free or not because they're "convenient" or help with budgeting. Some have larger groups where the free dining is a better deal than room discounts [the more people in your room, the less value per person the room discount brings]. Some are just swayed by Disney calling it "free".

In reality, Disney makes more than adequate profits whichever route guests choose. If you get free dining, you're paying rack rate for the room. If you get room discounts, you're paying OOP for food. The variance for Disney is how much their profit margin fluctuates, not that they lose money. The other advantage for Disney is that their various "offers" can attract guests to less popular times and any guest is more profit than no guest.

I personally never use the dining plans, they aren't worth it to me. First, I rarely stay at Value Resorts and "free" dining with me on my own or with my son doesn't save as much at Mods or Deluxe as the room discount does. At a Value, it's about break-even for us, but forces me to eat based on what credits I have rather than what I want to eat. Second, I/we really don't eat in a pattern that makes the plans a value.

There are people who save more using the plans and even more again when they're "free", but not me. There are others who are happy to lose a bit for the "convenience" of pre-paying for everything or budgeting, again, not me.

 

[bethymouse]

I'm with you. We've been pricing out our trip for next year and were considering bumping up to a moderate, but IMO, the price difference is just too huge for not a huge jump in amenities.

Prices for 2014 are outrageous!

 

[bethymouse]

I compare both free dining w/ 30% off hotel rates. It all depends on where and when you stay. The dates aren't quite as limited as they used to be. Either way, you do save at least some $$$ when booking either free dining or % off room rate. I have compared the cost using the non-discounted rates, and there is somewhat of a savings. But, it definitely is not FREE.

 

[Bparso87]

I run a restaurant a I very busy restaurant. Food cost for most places I worked food cost % is from 24-28%. So it is more then you expect. You have food loss, back door cost, waste, and some places have employee food where they pay half off r free food for employees. But with that there is plenty of room to make money with free dinning. TS have very low labor cost bc of servers. Also as Disney being a corporation they get paid be the Disney company not the restaurant. So the high prices everywhere else will pay for the places that are in the red.

 

[jkl2000]

$230 for 3 steaks /i would expect the whole dang cow for that price

But a 28oz steak is pretty huge - much larger than a normal portion, isn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with it...