'Free DDP' the cost to us in our package...

[DLPDreams]

I know there has been debate on here about whether the 'free' dining plan is actually free and whether it is worth it. This can depend heavily on circumstances - party no, meals planned etc. But I just posted this on someone else's post and thought people might find it interesting....

Currently, the WDTC offer is no dining plan (unless you pay) but free nights depending on stay etc.

We are staying at OKW in a 2 bed which is showing no availability now for our August dates. But, I was able to get a price for SSR which is the same price band. For 2 bed for our dates, it is now just over £700 cheaper with the 'room discount'. However, the way I look at it is, I am sure the 6 of us will spend over £120 pp on food over the 18 nights we are there. So, for us, I think the DDP has worked. When I think what we'd have to pay OOP for the meals we are doing, I shudder. Having said that, I am sure we wouldn't be doing as many as we are if we did not have the DDP, but I'd think we'd be doing at least 10 or so over the 18 nights with it being our first visit! And of course there are the tips to consider, but we'd have these whether paying OOP or not!

Just thought someone might find the figures interesting....

 

[chmurf]

I'm very intrigued by your figures

I'm curious, so I just priced 14 nights at SSR in a 2 bedrooms, for 6 (4A+2C)

the current deals offers 4 free nights valued at £1949
the DDP for that stay is valued at £2743

The OKW/SSR FD deal offered a 35% discount on accomodation on top of free DDP.

35% of 14 nights make almost 5 nights free (current deal is max. 4 nights free)

Could you please share the figures (price you booked at) and dates.
Because from where I stand, the 35% off accomodation we got is already better than the current free nights deal, and we had FD on top of that.

for example, we paid £4111 for 3 disney adults, 19 nights OKW studio, 21 days tickets incl. Free DDP
if I were to book now under the free nights deal, the same stay would cost £4233 without any food. So not worth it at all, because we'd pay more even before starting to pay for food.

I'm quite puzzled and I'd like to understand where I missed something, if I missed anything.

 

[Minniesgal]

The reason we prefer a room discount to free dining is free dining locks you into Disney meals. On an 18 night stay I'd hate to be stuck with Disney dining for 19 nights. Much prefer to have some snack meals in the room and eat at least half offsite. If you cost like that room discount comes way ahead.

 

[disneyholic family]

I'm very intrigued by your figures

I'm curious, so I just priced 14 nights at SSR in a 2 bedrooms, for 6 (4A+2C)

the current deals offers 4 free nights valued at £1949
the DDP for that stay is valued at £2743

The OKW/SSR FD deal offered a 35% discount on accomodation on top of free DDP.

35% of 14 nights make almost 5 nights free (current deal is max. 4 nights free)

Could you please share the figures (price you booked at) and dates.
Because from where I stand, the 35% off accomodation we got is already better than the current free nights deal, and we had FD on top of that.

for example, we paid £4111 for 3 disney adults, 19 nights OKW studio, 21 days tickets incl. Free DDP
if I were to book now under the free nights deal, the same stay would cost £4233 without any food. So not worth it at all, because we'd pay more even before starting to pay for food.

I'm quite puzzled and I'd like to understand where I missed something, if I missed anything.

i'm wondering if the tickets are the difference.
the free dining package includes tickets in the pricing, whereas the discounted room only rate doesn't include tickets in the price.

so maybe she forgot to subtract the tickets from the free dining package price?

 

[DLPDreams]

ETA - the prices have changed since I last looked, it was about £700 cheaper at the time as I recall speaking to my Mum about it - it could have been a week ago or so, so is it possible it could have changed?? However....

Here are our prices:
We paid
6460.02 Accom (inc free DDP)
1894 tix
8354

New price inc free nights:
7059 Accom
1810 tix
8869

A difference of £514.98 more at today's price?!?

Actually, I am wondering if the initial quote which was £700 cheaper was for a 1 bed? That would explain it I expect!

But still, the figures show that prices aren't always loaded to pay for 'free dining'!

 

[DLPDreams]

The reason we prefer a room discount to free dining is free dining locks you into Disney meals. On an 18 night stay I'd hate to be stuck with Disney dining for 19 nights. Much prefer to have some snack meals in the room and eat at least half offsite. If you cost like that room discount comes way ahead.

Agreed it's not for everyone and it is quite tying (I can tell that just from trying to organise ADRs). But on the revised figures I've just got tonight, the free dining offer was actually cheaper than the current free nights offer where you still have to buy food ! I think it is possibly to do with the fact that OKW is so heavily discounted during the free dining offer as chmurf says . I know some of the other resorts don't have this discount alongside!

For us, it really was a no brainer to book early and get free dining!

 

[Laurafoster]

We booked for my MIL/FIL this year. We are DVC members so chose to stay at SSR as that's where we could get them the best deal. We booked a while ago when the free dining offer was on. We booked the Accommodation, 14 night tickets and therefore got the Free dining. We personally don't like the free dining so I had planned that if there was a significant reduction in the price that we would cancel and rebook.

They paid -
£2480 - Accommodation
£550 - tickets
£3030 Total


Current Prices -
£2520 - Accommodation
£550 - Tickets
£3070 - Total

So the free dining has effectively cost £40. Which really muddled my plans.

 

[Sam1]

We've not booked for this year because we're moving house next week, but I did look at the prices while the free dining was on and then again when the new offer came.

I was looking at the Beach Club and for us, three disney adults and one child, free dining would've worked out better. That's only if we planned to eat most of our meals within Disney. If we didn't want to tie ourselves in, the offer they have now would've been better. It really depends on whether or not you're going to want to eat most of your meals within Disney or not. We would, so free dining would've been better.

I think when it comes to the OKW and SSR discount plus free dining, the free dining really is free.

 

[Tony Toon]

We booked in Sept 2014 to go in July this year. A 28 day holiday of which 10 days are at SSR

Accommodation £1870 (with free DDP)
Tickets £638
Total £2508

Current price
Accommodation £2104 (with 2 free nights)
Tickets £610
Total £2714

Difference - £206

So we're getting the Disney part of our holiday including dining for quite a bit less than we would do booking now without food. We'll have plenty of time to eat out elsewhere on the remaining 18 days of our holiday off site. We're happy!

Mrs TT

 

[chmurf]

Issue #1 : car or no car
No car means no offsite meal (or walk or Lynx it to crossroads, which is an option but a tedious one) so no saving on food

Issue #2 : number of guests
Room discount is a one time discount. Free dining grows with the number of guests

From past calculations at deluxes 30% discount works better than FD for a solo traveller or 2 adults or 1A+2C
FD comes ahead for 3 adults or more

But everyone has to do the maths for their own party

Never take a saving for granted.
There is much hype about free dining and most guests will see it as the ultimate deal, but sometimes it's not as good as other deals
And with free DDP you'll pay for tips it can easily reach $5pp per meal, a buffet at cici's crossroads with coupon, or a meal at McD barely costs more

Let's also talk about Free dining at a deluxe villa with a full kitchen. Of course not everyone wants to cook during their vacations, but havi g a kitchen and shopping for groceries sure helps keep the dining prices down (we even shopped at walmart one year and made ourselves sandwiches some days at pop century )

There are many ways to save, and FD is just one way to do it and it may not work for everyone
Sopping around is required if you look for the best price or value for moneymoney
Jumping on the FD deal first thing in April is tempting.
Also consider that US free dining usually has qsdp at values which make it an even better deal than our FD if you can live with 10 days tickets orif you have AP and purchase the minimum length of tickets required to qualify