Regarding free dining as a hot topic: the 'hot' part comes when folks debate if it 'really' is 'free dining.' Obviously, you have to buya package - not free - to get this discount. The folks who dislike this discount usually compare it to the room rate discounts that are *typically* offered at the same time. (free dining is typically offeed August/September) Compared to the room rate discount, free dining is LESS of a discount off RACK RATES at the deluxe resorts (and falls in between at the mods). The size of the free dining discount depends onthe make up of your party. It's about $40 per day per adult. If you've only got one adult, then it's only $40 off your room - not a big deal. If you've got two adults and two juniors (kids 10 - 17), then it's $160/day!
Our family of four: two adults, two teens:
BC with water view, Nov 8 for six nights,
DDP, 7day MYW tickets with hopping and waterparks
rack rate: $5,500.
Same thing no dining: $4,540 ($960 difference)
SAme options and resort but with free dining offer $4540
Same options, including DDP, but using current room discount offer: $4751 ($124/day)
same options as above, room discount, no dining, and getting tickets via Disney (you could save a little buying tickets froma broker):$3791
Same family, dates at ASSp standard room:
rack: $3073 (with DDP), $ 2833(with QS DDP)
rack no dining: $2113
free dining offer:$2353 (DDP), $2113 (QS DDP - free)*
same otions w/room discount:$2863 (reg DDP) $2623 (QS DDP)
same options, room discount, no DDP: $1903
*the discount you get is equal in value to the QS DDP at a value, you are paying the difference in price between the two plans.
So the current room only discount for BC, in this case would be $750.
Using Free dining :$960 - the cost of free dining. (Often these numbers are reversed,and the room only discount is bigger)
At the values, the current free dining off is for the price of QS DDP (the aug/sept offer was for th regular DDP, so a bigger discount).
So the difference is $720, using free dining offer.
The current room only discount is $210 at a value.
One more bit to chew on - when you pick different offers, the default add ons change as well. We have to be careful to compare EXACTLY the same packages components to each other. Disney also famously adds on travel insurance to some packages, but not others. I forgot to look for that! When you call by phone, they tend to tack it on automatically.
Anyhow, lots of folks who complain about the freeness of free dining don't look at the details. They often compare a free dining package against one with no dining plan. The $1903 offer against the $2353 offer. They maybe offer something like, "I can feed my family of four for 6 days at WDW for $450." But you really can't. That's only $75 per day.
$75 = 4 breakfast platters at ASSp (no drinks), four double burgers at Pecos Bills (also no drinks). That leaves about $15 for dinner/snacks. You'd have to split two counter service meals among four people to make that work, or get your teenagers kid's meals.