Is free Dining a thing of the past?

[mitchk]

I was checking out the promos they had out for last year, as well as this year, and it looks like they have not offered free QS for over a year now. I'm going in Nov. and was hoping to get free QS, but it looks like all they do now is a certain % off your room rate. So are we never gonna see free dining again?

 

[bluejasmine]

I just went in March and we got free QS. But it does seem to be offered less and less over the past few years.

Did you have a personal PIN?

 

[GoofGoof]

I think the days of walk ups w/o ADRS (with some exceptions) is gone even w/o the DDP! The restaurants have become so popular with the coming of these forums! LOL

I think that is probably true, but without DDP a lot of people wouldn't do 3 or 4 character meals a week. They are pretty overpriced when paying out of pocket. I also think some or most people would tend to do less sit down meals without DDP. I know I did less (then again I was younger and poor so that could have something to do with it too)

I think the issue is not just lack of availability of ADRs due to DDP. The DDP in general requires restaurants to offer food in specific price buckets. Before DDP even counter service restaurants could offer more unique items at a slightly higher price. With DDP all the restaurants need to have reasonably close to the same price food. Otherwise forums and sites like this one would be calling out these "great values". there are already sites and blogs dedicated in part to maximizing the value of DDP. The offerings were reduced and made more "generic" to comply with this. Even worse for sit down meals. Signatures can offer higher end dishes, but regular 1 credit restaurants can't offer items that are too pricey since they are accepted by the DDP. The other issue is so many people have now prepaid for their food that the restaurants don't need to offer unique items or good values to compete. When you are getting booked up months in advance there is no need to offer unique items or try very hard to draw customers.

 

[bluejasmine]

So.. take it for what its worth but a CM told someone that she has worked there for 5 yrs and every year right before they come out with very popular discounts they let them know they will be working long hours.
They were just told to plan on long hours the week of May 5th! Hopefully that means good things for those of us waiting for FD! My fingers and toes will be crossed! I sure will save a lot of clients from cancelling their trips as well as be able to make OUR anniversary trip!

 

[Nemo14]

Isn't that when tickets go on sale for MNSSHP and MVMCP?

 

[Alison1975]

Good point. The value of free DDP is much greater at a value resort vs a deluxe. It's also a better deal the more people you have in a room. QS DDP for 4 adults costs more per day than a room at a value. I thnk the room discounts can get higher too at the more expensive resorts.

It would cost me about $1,000 for the week to buy the basic DDP for a family of 4. If I wanted to stay at CR in a MK view room in May for a week I would have to pay $4,600 for my room if I paid rack rate (I know that sounds insane, but I pulled it from the Disney website). If my room discount exceeds 20% then it's a better deal than free dining. If its less, free dining saves me money. Of course if someone is dropping $4,600 on just their hotel room maybe they wouldn't care that much about how much money they can save

best value is 5 people at PORS with Free dining..which is what we have for Sept.. 15nights ( 14 of them with FD).. going to be an epic trip!

 

[captainkidd]

I hope free dining is a thing of the past.

 

[ddbowdoin]

I agree with you but we are in the minority...

It really all depends on the individual... since I have no children my wife and I would gladly see a room discount over free dining. She's small, doesn't eat much and so for us it just doesn't make sense.

BUT, if we had a family of four I could certainly see the savings.

 

[Violet]

I'm confused...looking at Mousesavers...So it says for late August/September free dining, it was released in March last year. For Oct, Nov and Dec, it was released in July...

So are people waiting for the Oct, Nov, Dec?

 

[draybook]

No, I would imagine that most of us are waiting for September. I think that IF they offer it this year, it will only be for that month. After that, I think it's done for good.....pending the attendance results when they stop offering it versus people who won't go without it.

 

[Violet]

No, I would imagine that most of us are waiting for September. I think that IF they offer it this year, it will only be for that month. After that, I think it's done for good.....pending the attendance results when they stop offering it versus people who won't go without it.

Thanks, that makes sense

 

[Mr.Skunkape]

So.. take it for what its worth but a CM told someone that she has worked there for 5 yrs and every year right before they come out with very popular discounts they let them know they will be working long hours.
They were just told to plan on long hours the week of May 5th! Hopefully that means good things for those of us waiting for FD! My fingers and toes will be crossed! I sure will save a lot of clients from cancelling their trips as well as be able to make OUR anniversary trip!

Maybe thats the day the will release the new ticket price increases and lots of people will be buying tickets before the increase in prices. I think June is the normal month increase take effect.

 

[bluejasmine]

Their actually have been mumblings of the release date for some type of fall discount for Aug/Sept being one of three dates. April 25, May 9th or May 16th.

I just don't see WDW getting rid of FD totally... While they are definitely scaling back discounts, don't be fooled they aren't loosing money on FD..

 

[mitchk]

I'm confused...looking at Mousesavers...So it says for late August/September free dining, it was released in March last year. For Oct, Nov and Dec, it was released in July...

So are people waiting for the Oct, Nov, Dec?

That's the whole point, it should have been put out for sept. already. I'm going in nov. so let's see what happens in July, I'm guessing nothing.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Their actually have been mumblings of the release date for some type of fall discount for Aug/Sept being one of three dates. April 25, May 9th or May 16th.

I've just read May 9 for travel dates for only 3 weeks in September

 

[draybook]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=48198846

It's all but official it seems.

 

[wdwstateofmind]

There's no such thing as a free lunch!

 

[mitchk]

To answer the original question...

Dear Lord, I hope so. Look, there IS no "Free" anything. "Free" Dinning is just a scam that forces prices up for anyone that actually pays for anything, and forces quality DOWN for everyone. It's the WDW restaurant equivalent of your local Hospital - anyone that actually has money is paying for everyone that doesn't.

Never mind

 

[disneydad1000]

I heard The Free Dining will be announced on May 9th,it will be from Sept 2-Sept 25.Thats the imformation that I found from another fansite, now how true that is I guess we'll find out on the 9th

 

[JTT]

Free Dining is to fill expected rooms and restaurants at a time when they are historically not at 100% capacity.

At my sons school, we give tuition assistance. It's better to have a kid paying half price than have an empty chair in the class room.
For Disney It's better to have someone at the park and the resort with Free Dining than one less person at WDW.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I heard The Free Dining will be announced on May 9th,it will be from Sept 2-Sept 25.Thats the imformation that I found from another fansite, now how true that is I guess we'll find out on the 9th

I'm guessing my supervisor uses said site b/c he came by yesterday to inform me that free dining was about to come out for my dates. Too bad b/c I want a room discount.