Has anyone heard of this offer yet?

[cowanfamily]

I came across this offer on another board. I wasn't sure if it had any validity to it or not. Has anyone heard of this yet?

"Hi my friends, we have our trip already booked for september with the FD, but i know that a lot of fellow disers are waiting for this big new, (THIS IS INTERNAL INFORMATION) ok, this is the NEW FREE DINING OFFER, it will be available for all in AUGUST 3 .

these are the dates and the conditions of the new offer

Bookings Between August 3, 2011 - December 17, 2011
Travel Dates
October 2, 2011 - October 8, 2011
October 23, 2011 - November 5, 2011
November 13, 2011 - November 19, 2011
November 27, 2011 - December 3, 2011
December 11, 2011 - December 17,

Free Quick Service Dining for values and regular dining for moderates deluxe and villas

Minimum Stay: 3 Nights – Maximum Stay: 14 Nigths.


THE CODE FOR THIS PROMOTION WILL BE FCX FOR VALUES WITH QUICK SERVICE DINING AND FCY FOR MODERATES DELUXE AND VILLAS WITH REGULAR DINING.

I know that this will make a lot of people very very happy and for that reason I share this will all of you.

Have a magical vacation and be ready for August 3"

 

[me_stitch]

so....if you use free dining it's like your on "food stamps". does that mean if you use a room discount it's like government housing? some people on here crack me up with their ignorance. I will be at Disney World from Sept. 29th through Oct. 9th, after doing the math (family of four plus my parents) I decided to use the free dining over the room discounts. I have 9 TS adr's, had I used a room discount I probably would've still had 5 or 6 TS adr's. 9 TS adr's with an 18% tip is still pretty spendy. Let's see, hotel room near Portland Airport the night before our trip $100, 4 plane tickets $1400, 10 nights at CSR with park hoppers $3400, rental car, Sea World, and a trip to Cape Canaveral/Daytona Beach $700, and $1500-$2000 for spending money and tips. Hmmm, I'll probably spend around $7000 on this trip, thank god for Disney Food Stamps.

 

[mickeyforlife]

I say Amen to the fact that Free Dining takes off $2000. on a family of 5's 10 night stay......Love to see it.

It's going to be great to modify and have the refund posted to our 2012 reservation.

Amen Amen it helps some of us to get to experience the magic that could not otherwise.

 

[ChrisM]

Amen Amen it helps some of us to get to experience the magic that could not otherwise.

Since we are all apparently just stroking our own self-interest here (which is exactly what those applauding free dining are doing) why is it somehow more offensive for others to be opposed to it? They are just voicing their self-interested preferences, exactly like you are.

Going to WDW isn't a right. And some people would prefer it remain a premium product and would be willing to pay a premium for it. Making it affordable for everyone runs contrary to those goals.

 

[notslim99]

Hopefully that will weed out some of those on "disney food stamps" :lookaroun and I'll actually be able to get a table. sorry if i ruffled some feathers with that.

This is the tackiest comment I have ever read on this site. I guess if it's ok to "ruffle feathers" on here, then I will too. Those "Disney food stamps" are not what is keeping you from getting a table at a Disney restaurant. ADR's (advanced dining reservations) can be made without the dining plan. If you actually thought ahead and planned a little bit, you would have no trouble securing a table at your favorite restaurant in the busiest seasons. I have never had trouble doing so, and that's without the dining plan.

So, I can only assume from your comment that you are a.) a snobby, arrogant, entitled person who would nitpick any restaurant you got into, or b.) too stupid to know how to make reservations at a restaurant.

My family and I plan to take advantage of the "Disney food stamps," and I guarantee you, we will not prevent you or anyone else from getting a table.

 

[JamieD]

Final point...tipping. Many on the dining plan simply do not understand that they should still be tipping the wait staff the same amount as if they were actually paying for the meal. If a meal would have been $50 without the discount, you should still be tipping based on that $50 figure.

I have worked the hospitality and restaurant industry for over ten years. This is one of the truest statements I've ever read on these boards. When you get a discount you are still suppose to tip on the total amount non discounted. Not sure if this should apply to the dining plan since your paying rack rates though.

I agree with tipping. However, it is a voluntary "thank you" for service that I deemed to be good. Disney adds 18% to parties of six or more at their $30 character breakfasts buffets, where you're really paying to see Mickey and the servers don't do much anyway. Although somewhat in-line with industry standands, it is just wrong.

 

[Fractal514]

I agree with tipping. However, it is a voluntary "thank you" for service that I deemed to be good. Disney adds 18% to parties of six or more at their $30 character breakfasts buffets, where you're really paying to see Mickey and the servers don't do much anyway. Although somewhat in-line with industry standands, it is just wrong.

I'm not gonna say that you are wrong in theory, but this type of logic is what leads to folks under tipping and creates the stigma associated with the DDP.

 

[bhg469]

I agree that the food and service has declined but does anyone believe that eliminating free table service plans will bring that food back to standards? Costs have been cut and Disney is obviously happy with what they are serving the customers. I for one prefer room discounts NU I also pay for dining plan on top of it. The only thing I can't stand is that 6 months out I can't tell if I want Italian or seafood on Thursday night. Adr system needs a Hughes overhaul.

 

[Fractal514]

I agree that the food and service has declined but does anyone believe that eliminating free table service plans will bring that food back to standards? Costs have been cut and Disney is obviously happy with what they are serving the customers. I for one prefer room discounts NU I also pay for dining plan on top of it. The only thing I can't stand is that 6 months out I can't tell if I want Italian or seafood on Thursday night. Adr system needs a Hughes overhaul.

But how could you possibly overhaul it? Folks who want to plan will be jumping up and down frothing at the mouth to get the ADRs booked asap. If you push it closer to the actual date, the only change it'll make is that it will make people even more crazed the day the ADRs open up. The only way to change the system would be to get rid of ARDs, and then you'd have even MORE people complaining the opposite direction that they hate having to wait in long lines just to get into dinner.

 

[bhg469]

But how could you possibly overhaul it? Folks who want to plan will be jumping up and down frothing at the mouth to get the ADRs booked asap. If you push it closer to the actual date, the only change it'll make is that it will make people even more crazed the day the ADRs open up. The only way to change the system would be to get rid of ARDs, and then you'd have even MORE people complaining the opposite direction that they hate having to wait in long lines just to get into dinner.

I hope with the elimination of free dining for table service will help. I just dislike having to book sooooo early. Just complaining I guess

 

[notslim99]

I hope with the elimination of free dining for table service will help. I just dislike having to book sooooo early. Just complaining I guess

This is based on the assumption that free dining plans are the main reason for being unable to secure ADR's. The reason we have to book so early is that there are more people than ever going to WDW. I promise you that there would be minimal, if any, effect on ADR availability if bi-annual free dining was scrapped.

 

[Club34]

You know I was kind of half joking with the disney food stamp thing as of course when discounts occur everyone takes advantage of them. If I were truly the "snob" you make me out to be then I would gladly refuse discounts and pay full price. I myself will be on the disney food stamps (DDP) in November and yes it will help my family gathering of 10 people. If they offer free dining, i'm sure our family coordinator will attempt to lock that in for us too. If so, great. Perhaps the comment was in poor taste but humor is in the ear of the beholder. But on that note, if i offended then please accept my humblest apologies.

I do feel though that since the advent of the DDP getting tables has become more difficult. If you were the type that would have been going burgers and hot dogs all trip (for whatever reason- taste and/or budget) with the DDP you are now likely to go to a table restaurant. its just that simple. I generally go to the world alone or as a couple during ultra low season. getting a table is generally never a problem, but on one trip le cellier was booked solid and i was like ? and the person at the door said DDP! oh well, time to adjust. i have found this occurring more and more and i actually have to make some ADRs even in january. its my problem. i adjust, but it was nicer before. I think this is a comment that has been echoed here before.

 

[MickeyPeace]

I don't ever roll on the floor laughing but that was worth it! :ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:
I've never heard the dining plan referred to in that way and it is perfect. I vote for it going away too so the food quality improves and ressies free up.

 

[boufa]

You know I was kind of half joking with the disney food stamp thing as of course when discounts occur everyone takes advantage of them. If I were truly the "snob" you make me out to be then I would gladly refuse discounts and pay full price. I myself will be on the disney food stamps (DDP) in November and yes it will help my family gathering of 10 people. If they offer free dining, i'm sure our family coordinator will attempt to lock that in for us too. If so, great. Perhaps the comment was in poor taste but humor is in the ear of the beholder. But on that note, if i offended then please accept my humblest apologies.

I do feel though that since the advent of the DDP getting tables has become more difficult. If you were the type that would have been going burgers and hot dogs all trip (for whatever reason- taste and/or budget) with the DDP you are now likely to go to a table restaurant. its just that simple. I generally go to the world alone or as a couple during ultra low season. getting a table is generally never a problem, but on one trip le cellier was booked solid and i was like ? and the person at the door said DDP! oh well, time to adjust. i have found this occurring more and more and i actually have to make some ADRs even in january. its my problem. i adjust, but it was nicer before. I think this is a comment that has been echoed here before.

I accept your apology, and understand sort of where you are coming from. The logic of all of this continues to confuse me. I see the 2 things (dining plan and free dining, as well as the drop in quality) and I can understand the leap that people are making that one must do with the other. But when you look beyond the dining portion of the parks the same things are going on. But somehow magically we have an excuse for it to occur with the dining.

Saying with absolute certainty that free and regular dining plans is the reason that dining went down is like blaming park hopper tickets for the reduction in the fantasmic schedule (which I know is no longer an issue).

Free dining is not a significant savings over other discounts (situations vary), there is no significant savings from the cost of the dining plan vs paying out of pocket. All of these things have been debated before. If we take them as true, then Disney is not losing money on the dining program and the reductions are pure profit enhancement.

Now the best VALUE in dining and the place where Disney gets the biggest loss to their bottom line is Tables in Wonderland. First you have AP users. They get a discount on the hotels (if they even need one) and they tend to be the repeat visitors, so in park spending is not as high as the first time or the every 3rd or 4th year guest. Their cost per day to get into the park is lower than the average cost per day of a regular ticketed guest. Then they get 20% all their sit down meals. Once they pass about $350 in meals it is all a loss to Disney. During an average week of sit down meals, a tables in wonderland card is a far bigger savings than the dining plan could ever be... why isn't that evil?

 

[notslim99]

But on that note, if i offended then please accept my humblest apologies.

I was offended, I'm not going to lie. I appreciate the apology, and I apologize for my rant as well.

I do feel though that since the advent of the DDP getting tables has become more difficult. If you were the type that would have been going burgers and hot dogs all trip (for whatever reason- taste and/or budget) with the DDP you are now likely to go to a table restaurant. its just that simple. I generally go to the world alone or as a couple during ultra low season. getting a table is generally never a problem, but on one trip le cellier was booked solid and i was like ? and the person at the door said DDP! oh well, time to adjust. i have found this occurring more and more and i actually have to make some ADRs even in january. its my problem. i adjust, but it was nicer before. I think this is a comment that has been echoed here before.

I'll agree to that somewhat and raise you this, what would be your estimate of the decrease in TS availability due to DDP customers? There is no arguing that TS restaurants are more crowded now, but can that solely be attributed to DDP folks, or could it be that there are simply more people travelling to WDW now than ever before?

 

[bhg469]

I don't ever roll on the floor laughing but that was worth it! :ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:
I've never heard the dining plan referred to in that way and it is perfect. I vote for it going away too so the food quality improves and ressies free up.

You're insane if you think the loss of free dining will change food quality for the better. Not enough people are wise to the drop off. People still go so Disney doesn't Ned to improve it.

 

[nc_disneyfreak]

arent you a funny one...

I don't ever roll on the floor laughing but that was worth it! :ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:
I've never heard the dining plan referred to in that way and it is perfect. I vote for it going away too so the food quality improves and ressies free up.

maybe when your rolling on the floor laughing youll choke on your “Grilled Texas Nilgai Antelope with Caramelized Apricots, Apricot Agri-doux, Glazed Couscous, Ginger Infused Apricot Puree, Asparagus Tips and Red Wine Jus....ill take my disney food stamps and a burger......the dining plan is paying for your food ahead of time...if it diminishes your uptight dining experience, then you can go to rodeo drive with the rest of the snobs.....if you cant get a "ressie" try planning better...

 

[Fractal514]

It just hit me exactly why the DDP in both free dining and paid form, have created the need for extreme ADRing.

If I am going to the park and paying out of pocket, I don't necessarily know what type of meal I would want and when. Maybe I've really hungry for a big breakfast, and then not so much for lunch and I graze for dinner. Maybe I get a hankering for Steak at noon and the seafood at dinner and hit up two sit down meals.

Conversely, if I'm on the DDP I don't really get to live that way. I know I'm going to eat at least one TS every day, on average, and rather than getting stuck with a place I might not like (MARAKESH!!!) I had better make some ADRs.

I had never thought of it this way, but I guess the DDP in all of it's forms, really does lead to a need for more advanced planning for everyone.

 

[olinecoach61]

to those who classify the free dining plan, or the dining plan in general as "disney food stamps" are morons...not everyone who wants to take thier family to WDW has loads of money to do so....So when the free dining plan comes out, it enables those of us who may not be able to go, the last push to actually get there. I love the free dining promotion, as it allowed me to take my family of four to WDW in april 2010....so if you want to push your "status" on everyone with a low class and pathetic comment like that, save it for someone who cares...like the rest of your volvo drivin' starbucks drinkin' haughty friends...
just my opinion

Very classy...

 

[drp4video]

the thing is, the free dining plan is not free. I am going in September when they have the free dining plan. There are two of us, myself and my daughter age 23. When I priced a week at POFQ resort with a room discount, then my tickets, I get a price. When I look at the package with the "free dining" plan, it is always about $400 more. You are paying for that plan, because they toss in Photo-memory books, photos and other things into the package, and I don't want those things. I actually spent less in that week on food, than what it costs to add the "free" dining plan, as we don't eat at table service every night..too much for us. And, I have the flexibility of eating off property as well.

 

[notslim99]

It just hit me exactly why the DDP in both free dining and paid form, have created the need for extreme ADRing.

If I am going to the park and paying out of pocket, I don't necessarily know what type of meal I would want and when. Maybe I've really hungry for a big breakfast, and then not so much for lunch and I graze for dinner. Maybe I get a hankering for Steak at noon and the seafood at dinner and hit up two sit down meals.

Conversely, if I'm on the DDP I don't really get to live that way. I know I'm going to eat at least one TS every day, on average, and rather than getting stuck with a place I might not like (MARAKESH!!!) I had better make some ADRs.

I had never thought of it this way, but I guess the DDP in all of it's forms, really does lead to a need for more advanced planning for everyone.

Again I ask, what is a good estimate of the decreased availability of TS ADR's that can be attributed to DDP? Also, I've planned three trips to WDW (one in March, one in July, and one in October,) and I haven't had the slightest issue with getting any restaurant that I want. For the March 2011 trip, we started planning in late January 2011. We got ADR's about 65-75 days out and got every single one. We also had our concierge (Gerry) at POFQ book us some ressies at Rose & Crown on the day we went to Epcot without a problem.