Anyone here hoping for FD when it drops (soon?)

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

I ventured over to the resorts and restaurant boards today and noticed it's highly anticipated that Free Dining will be announced soon. Since I'm not planning a trip I haven't been paying close attention to the deals lately (or lack of?? lol).

Any of you trying to snag it as soon as it comes out? Or do you figure you're better off with your Canadian resident discount tickets (or free airmiles tickets) and room only? Or off site? Sheesh, Disney math can be so stressful!!

We had free dining our first two trips and it was fabulous, but the value just doesn't seem to be there as much with only the QS at Values and Mods, and having to pay full price for the tickets with park hopper (which we never use). Plus we like to be less scheduled and cannot eat as much as the plan gives you.

Although with our dollar being so low, free dining could really help keep your trip within budget.

Anyways, for those of you that the Disney math works out best for you to get the Free Dining Promo, and you're travelling during those times - I hope you're able to snag that coveted ressie when they come out. Good luck!

I did the math over on the resort discount forum.
What I committed to for Sep back in January, 5 nights Pop preferred, Cdn discout tickets with hoppers (which we dont use) (added as package not actually bought 100% refundable)
vs. What I will pay rebooking with free dining promo

Turns out if we cancel the Hoppers and take room only discount we save $30 ($15 each) over what we would pay by rebooking and doing free dining.

If we do the free dining we save a very little bit. If we were bringing my kids again? (17 and 15) the free dining woukd have worked out in our favor

If we can do the free dining we will as we do save a bit roughly $100 from our original purchase.

But it also means I will not stress if we dont get it. While the few extra bucks are better in my pocket for tips etc for me this time it’s not a huge savings

Its all in the math!

 

[nicky89]

I am hoping to get the FD for our trip in september. We have done it before. It is only my mother and I and we will be stayig at POP. We always get PH regardless and it is definitely a bigger discount to get FD than room discount. We have done the regular DDP before and it was so much food. Being there only for a few days this times we are more than ok with getting the QSdp. either way we always end up coming home with a huge bag full of disney snacks at the end of the trip! Plus, not having to think of budget and conversion when there would be really nice.

 

[Average Joes]

I did some free dining calculations when I bought the Canadian tickets to decide the trip for three Disney adults (one 10 year old) and a 7 year old. It was at most about $1,100 USD more to stay at AKL standard DVC rental for 9 nights compared to a split stay of 5 nights at POP and 4 nights at POR with free regular QS. Both with hopper and water park. I used an on-line food calculator based on where we would eat to know the extra food costs. AKL was about $122 more a night. I could not handle the uncertainty of getting two free QS for September as opposed to something less which would have meant I was better off with AKL. Although that $1,100 would be nice.

It was about $700 more at the POP/POR split stay vs AKL when not factoring in food.

 

[gskywalker]

Yup, 8(4 real adults, 3 disney adults, 1 kid) of us aiming to go to Pop for 10 nights, 8 day PH. Flights already booked so hopefully we will get it. Pop is first choice, will go with an All Star if we have to. Free Dining is always great for us and a much bigger saver than room discounts or CDN Tickets. Before they required park hoppers we had saved the money and didn't get them, but having had them the one free dining we had to, we really enjoyed it enough that we would probably pay for it either way. I really want the dining plan because I am a finance guy and I know I would analyze every food expense if it was out of pocket and wouldn't get what I want to eat while I was there a lot of the time, instead just getting whatever was cheapest.

 

[JLCDisMom]

This may not change your mind about which discount to go with, but if you modify your reservation and keep the same reservation #, you won't have to pay the parking fees. If you aren't able to modify your res. to get free dining, and have to book a whole new res, then you would have to pay the parking fees.

 

[Deanie1]

When we went Nov 2017, I managed to get 5 days of QSDP while staying at Pop. There was just the two of us but I did tha math and it was pretty well at the break even point between FD and the Canadian ticket deal. I opted for the ticket deal to give us more flexibility. We were able to go to USF at the beginning of our trip and then eat wherever and whatever we wanted. We had oatmeal in the room and often just one CS or TS each day. As it turned out, my sister got sick and hardly ate a thing for 2 days. We saved money by taking the ticket deal.

 

[Jennny]

I’m really kicking myself now for not buying the Canadian ticket deal when it was available

 

[AngelDisney]

I’m really kicking myself now for not buying the Canadian ticket deal when it was available

I understand the feeling!

 

[Sue M]

Partly we just don't want to carry so much cash and partly we want to have gift cards set aside specifically just for dining. I plan to take the same amount we we would pay for the dining plan and put that amount on gift cards. We have used the dining plan the last 3 years and so I now have an idea of how we eat at Disney. My little 2 don't eat very much and my oldest can't usually finish Disney portions either. I think it will be helpful for you to get it for your first trip because that's one thing you won't have to worry about. After this trip you will have a better idea how your family eats at disney.

We have done the same thing. A few years ago we stopped using the DDP. I put the cost of DDP on gift cards and used it only for dining. We ate what we wanted and always had quite a bit of cash left on card.
I still load a GC for dining simply because it’s easier than using cash, and safer than using a credit or debit card.

When we first started using DDP you got much more bang for your buck! Tips were included and Appie at TS meal.
With the DDP price increases, and getting less, it’s not the deal it once was. And for us, add to the fact we don’t drink soda, and are happier with water for meals, don’t want dessert after lunch and dinner plus snack daily but with DDP the price for all that is built in.

 

[Sue M]

I ventured over to the resorts and restaurant boards today and noticed it's highly anticipated that Free Dining will be announced soon. Since I'm not planning a trip I haven't been paying close attention to the deals lately (or lack of?? lol).

Any of you trying to snag it as soon as it comes out? Or do you figure you're better off with your Canadian resident discount tickets (or free airmiles tickets) and room only? Or off site? Sheesh, Disney math can be so stressful!!

We had free dining our first two trips and it was fabulous, but the value just doesn't seem to be there as much with only the QS at Values and Mods, and having to pay full price for the tickets with park hopper (which we never use). Plus we like to be less scheduled and cannot eat as much as the plan gives you.

Although with our dollar being so low, free dining could really help keep your trip within budget.

Anyways, for those of you that the Disney math works out best for you to get the Free Dining Promo, and you're travelling during those times - I hope you're able to snag that coveted ressie when they come out. Good luck!

Nope! Not me! Free dining isn’t free, and now with downgrade to the free dining to quick service for value and moderate resorts it’s not much of a deal when you have to pay rack rate. Free dining was never a good deal for us at Deluxe. Room discount was always better. At a moderate when they had regular DDP it was marginal if we saved because most trips was just 2 of us. We had to work at it, picking most expensive restaurants, and ordering the more expensive entrees to realize any savings.
I miss the old days when the DDP was a good deal.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

We have done the same thing. A few years ago we stopped using the DDP. I put the cost of DDP on gift cards and used it only for dining. We ate what we wanted and always had quite a bit of cash left on card.
I still load a GC for dining simply because it’s easier than using cash, and safer than using a credit or debit card.

When we first started using DDP you got much more bang for your buck! Tips were included and Appie at TS meal.
With the DDP price increases, and getting less, it’s not the deal it once was. And for us, add to the fact we don’t drink soda, and are happier with water for meals, don’t want dessert after lunch and dinner plus snack daily but with DDP the price for all that is built in.

We don't eat dessert after lunch or dinner either, too full, LOL. My kids sometimes order the dessert and eat maybe 1 bite. There are always so many appetizers we want to try and are looking forward to having that option this time.

 

[alohamom]

We have done the same thing. A few years ago we stopped using the DDP. I put the cost of DDP on gift cards and used it only for dining. We ate what we wanted and always had quite a bit of cash left on card.
I still load a GC for dining simply because it’s easier than using cash, and safer than using a credit or debit card.

I am loving this gift card for dining strategy! @Sue M that is a great idea to put the cost of the DDP onto a gift card, especially if you go on a regular basis and would use any remaining balance on a return trip.

 

[Ahmne]

Looks like it's dropping tomorrow! I'm hoping the rumors of Canadian dates being Aug 2-19 are true as out trip fits into these dates.

 

[a*lil*bit*goofy]

Looks like it's dropping tomorrow! I'm hoping the rumors of Canadian dates being Aug 2-19 are true as out trip fits into these dates.

Hopefully in addition to the other dates as we areive 29aug

 

[Ahmne]

Hopefully in addition to the other dates as we areive 29aug

You should be fine! August 20th through September are included. Canadians usually get a little extra time Iin August that Americans don't get.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Good luck tomorrow morning!

 

[2010_Bride]

It was announced this morning at 5am - GO! GO! GO!

 

[gskywalker]

I got my two standard rooms at Pop this morning.