Is Free Dining really free? Post your results.

[OKW Lover]

So, Disney just announced two new promotions; Free Dining and Resort Discounts. Wondering if anybody has taken the time to compare the cost of a room (same resort, same category, same dates) under each of the discounts.

If so, please tell us how much each was. To be accurate, don't try to estimate how much you would have spent for food under the room discount program. This post is to see if free dining really is free. Thanks!

 

[LoveToGoToDisneyWorld]

Booked the Contemporary for 8 nights at $6700 with free dining. The total to purchase the room + tickets + the standard dining package is $9350.

 

[Lynne M]

Moving this to the Discount Codes and Rates board.

 

[TJA]

I've compared the GF and the Poly for late August. The difference/savings depends on how much the Room Discount is. The GF is 30% off. The Poly is 15% off. Here's my scratchpad below:

GF LV, 5 nights, August 26-31.
1) Free Dining Promo: $5,519.72 ("free" DDP and 6-day hoppers).
2) Room Discount: $5,991.00 (DDP and 6-day hoppers).
3) Room Discount: $4,481.24 (No DDP and yes 6-day hoppers).

With those GF numbers, my family would opt for #3, the Room Discount without DDP.

Poly LV, 5 nights, August 26-31.
1) Free Dining Promo: $5,680.58 ("free" DDP and 6-day hoppers).
2) Room Discount: $6,646.98 (DDP and 6-day hoppers).
3) Room Discount: $5,137.22 (No DDP and yes 6-day hoppers).

With those Poly numbers, my family would opt for #1, the Free Dining Promo.

 

[Marionnette]

CR was $5011 with *free* dining. Same room, same ticket and same dining plan with the room discount was $5001. So, the answer would be NO.

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

We owed $4600 on our reservation for 8 nights at Pop with middle dining plan (booked with 25% off room discount code). We switched to free dining, upgraded to middle dining plan, and saved $1000.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

This is the first time I've found FD to NOT work as much in my favor so I'm keeping what I have.

First I'll tell you what FD worked out to be...
July 22-26 4N/5D, arriving in the morning and leaving in the evening.
2 adults
Contemporary theme park view
4 day PH
DDP
$3,862
Add on $80 for a couple extra QS meals per person because we will be there for pretty much 5 full days and we'll only have 4 days worth of QS and 3 days of TS as we'd do a sig.
Add another $50 for tips at the TS meals.
Total: $3,992

Current BB offer that's booked is 30% off RO
July 22-26 4N/5D, arriving in the morning and leaving in the evening.
2 adults
Contemporary theme park view
Club level
3 day PH
paying OOP for QS meals only and taking advantage of CL lounge
$3,543
Add in $240 for QS meals on 3 of the 5 days (arrival and departure day we will take full advantage of CL lounge)
Total: $3,783

We were considering CL FP but since it would be an additional appox $324 on top of that we may ore may not but we have nearly 3 months to decide for sure.

We are also only buying QS meals vs having the regular DDP however we feel with the CL lounge we are getting TS style food.

So sticking with what we currently have we are spending $209 less than FD.
And if we splurge for CL FP we'd be spending $115 more than if we got FD but with FD we wouldn't be staying CL at all.

 

[Mrspeaks]

For us the value of what we get with FD is better than a room discount. I think it depends on how many people are in the room and do you want to do table service. We have a party of 4 - two daughters. We enjoy a lot of character meals and this makes it a great value for us. The amount we save on that is more than a room discount. You do pay tax and gratuity, so you are charged at the table service, but you would be paying that anyway if you were paying out of pocket. My girls often eat two bites of their dinner, knowing I didn’t pay for that two bites is also awesome. I don’t get frustrated that I paid $30 for them to meet Cinderella at the GF and they only are a couple fries and a bite of a corn dog nugget! We love free dining.

 

[Disneylover99]

Aug. 17-31st, both offers in comparison are for Pop Century Standard room, 10 day park hopper tickets, quick service dining, family of four Disney adults

Room discount equals $29 off of rack rate per night, plus we can get the discounted 10 day Canadian ticket offer.
Total price = $6671.22

Total price free dining = $4563.16

Free dining saves us $2103.06 American. That’s a huge savings with our dollar!

I’d also just like to point out that free dining for us really is free dining. We don’t find it necessary to supplement with TS dinners or buy any food or drink out of pocket.

 

[Paulines]

@Mrspeaks, I’m pretty certain that tax is included with DDP. You are correct in that gratuity is not.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Free dining worked for us in this case. We are booked on a bounceback 6/29-7/6 in a 2BR at OKW, so we aren't eligible for the regular free dining anyway. I couldn't find availability at OKW with the new room only discount, so I used SSR for comparison because the rack rates are the same.

6/29-7/6 2 BR OKW
6 Disney adults (4 adults and two teens)
6 day PH Plus
Free dining
8821.06

6/29-7/6 2 BR SSR
Room only discount with 6 day PHP 7320.42
Room only discount with 6 day PHP and DDP 10,038.00

The bounceback saved $1200 over booking with the RO and DDP. We don't usually purchase the dining plan, but I know we will eat more than $1500 worth of food that is covered by the plan in a week. Just our dinner at Boma will be over $300

 

[Wendy12]

6 nights at Yacht Club in July, family of 4 (2 adults, 12 y.o., 9 y.o.), 7-day park hopper plus tickets, DDP
FD offer: $5256
30% off room offer: $6030 (with DDP) $4503 (without dining plan)

 

[Tiggerlover91]

6/29-7/6 2 BR OKW
6 Disney adults (4 adults and two teens)
6 day PH Plus
Free dining
8821.06

6/29-7/6 2 BR SSR
Room only discount with 6 day PHP 7320.42
Room only discount with 6 day PHP and DDP 10,038.00

Just our dinner at Boma will be over $300

I about dropped my phone. Those prices make me check my glasses .

 

[Moliphino]

I went with the room only because I'm kinda tired of the DDP, but I did price it out just to see.

Pop 9/21-29 for 2 adults, 9 day PH, upgraded to regular DDP was $2878, I believe.

Room only discount is $1130.43.
2x 9 day PH through Undercover Tourist should be $1,002.56. No dining plan, since we don't want it, so total before food is $2132.99.
If we bought the regular dining plan it would add $1207.84 and free dining would definitely be the better deal, I just don't want to deal with that much food again.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I about dropped my phone. Those prices make me check my glasses .

Hahaha - that is the same response I got from DH That's why we haven't been in three years - it is expensive to go with six people now that we include older DD's boyfriend and a friend for younger DD.

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

I ran the numbers for Pop Std Pool from 7/29 - 8/10 for 2 Disney Adults:
Free Dining = $3444.47 (Includes 10 day PH and QS dining)
Regular Package/No Dining = $3444.47 (Includes 10 day PH)
Sun N Fun = $4246.01 (Added 10 day PH and QS dining)
Regular Package w/ Dining = $4704.33

So, when comparing the Free Dining package to a regular package, yes, Free Dining is actually Free. But, when comparing Free Dining to Sun N Fun, dining will cost you more on the Sun N Fun. It kind of makes sense that the package will save you money when buying all three components as a package. Going with room only is designed to save you money on just the room and adding on tickets and dining may or may not save you money.

To further break it down:
Sun N Fun room only = $1833.30
10 day PH Undercover Tourist = $1049.90
Leaving only $561.27 cash for food for the same $3444.47 budget. This makes the Free Dining even more desirable. I may have to rethink my June vacation and check out August!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Hahaha - that is the same response I got from DH That's why we haven't been in three years - it is expensive to go with six people now that we include older DD's boyfriend and a friend for younger DD.

Tell those two to go on their own Disney trip!!! Or fork out some of their own money!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DIS_MERI]

I have Yacht Club 3 adults/2 disney adults from 8/29-9/2 on free dining with 4 day tickets, $4679.49
Yacht club isn't available for RO for the same dates, but BWV is within $2 per night and it is $4051.98 for the same time.
So it isn't totally free, but $125.50 a night for standard dining plan for 5 disney adults is a pretty good deal!
We often get the dining plan when we stay DVC, so it is a substantial savings for us.

I had a bounceback FD offer for the same dates at contemporary that I plan to modify to December as soon as the call times go down (I was on hold for 3.5 hours last night without talking to a person....). I don't know if regular free dining will be offered for December this year because of SWGE, so it seems a decent risk to modify now and then if we decide we don't want it, we can cancel it later.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Tell those two to go on their own Disney trip!!! Or fork out some of their own money!!!!!!!!!!

Those days are coming! Then DH and I can go and stay Club Level

 

[Chrelaine]

I double checked for us today. 7 nights 8/24 - 8/31. Standard room at Boardwalk. 2 Adults, 1 child. 5 day PH tickets
With FD = 5048.29
With Sun/Fun Discount and adding DP = 5234.82
With no DP = 3982.13

Not a huge savings but we're going with it. I'll be interested to see how the plan works now that adults can have an adult beverage with meals. It should help our out of pocket, I hope. (We could go with out the DP but I have found that we would spend more than the $1066 difference out of pocket anyway, so we are better off taking it. That could differ for others).