Free Dining at Disney World
by Lelah Kimball on 11/02/09 at 8:22 am
Does free dining actually save you any money? A look at what the true costs of Walt Disney World’s free dining offer. Is it for you?
America is in a recession. With the economy slumping, everyone everywhere is feeling it. Walt Disney World is no exception. Disney has been offer several deals. Some are open to everyone such as the Buy 4, Get 3 Free Deal. Other deals are sent via email or snail mail to people on Disney’s mailing lists. These deals include booking a stay and getting a $500 gift card or kids stay, play and eat for free. One deal is for free dining. This is Disney’s very popular way the last couple of years to book rooms during the slow fall months. There is no reason to not believe that this deal will be extended to the general public later this spring, as it has been in the past. But, is free dining really free? How much does free dining cost you?
2011 – 2012 Free Dining Offer is now here!!
The dining plan that Disney offers for free is the basic dining plan—one table service credit, one counter service credit, and one snack credit for each night of your stay. The first thing you should determine, regardless of the dining plan’s cost, is if the dining plan would even fit you. If you were to pay for the dining plan, would it be worth it? See Evaluating Disney’s Dining Plan to determine how well the dining plan will fit you. This is important because how much the dining plan saves you depends on what paying out of pocket for your snacks and meals would cost you. You need to know the value of the free dining—your out of pocket costs.
The next thing you must understand is that free dining is part of a package. You must purchase the room and tickets with the dining plan. Under the free dining plan, the room is at rack rate. Historically, during the free dining period, room only discounts are also offered, many times up to 40% off rack rates. To receive the room only discount, you do need to know the code, which can be found at Mouse Savers. Will the savings of the dining plan save you more than the discounted room only code? For those staying in value resorts, it might. For those staying in Disney Deluxe resorts, it almost never will. Larger traveling parties will have a greater chance of coming out ahead than smaller traveling parties.
If in comparing prices, you are coming out ahead with the dining plan. You then need to look at the cost of the tickets. Disney charges the highest price for tickets. Tickets can be purchased for less elsewhere. There are several discount ticket brokers. Maple Leaf Tickets and Undercover Tourist (which offers further discounts through the Mouse Savers newsletter) are two of the most popular. You may even be able to purchase directly through your company’s Human Resources department. Or your company may participate with Tickets at Work. If your company does not use Tickets at Work, as an individual you may sign up through The Mouse For Less. Using these purchasing avenues for tickets can save you a considerable amount of money, maybe 20%. Does the extra cost of the tickets still give you a lower bottom line than the cost of free dining? If so, Disney’s free dining deal is for you!
The above is an archive of an old free dining offer. The NEW, 2011 – 2012 Free Dining offer information can be found at Free Dining at Walt Disney World is Here Again.
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Michelle
Mar 16th, 2009
We love travelling to Disney World, and we did take advantage of the free dining experience in Aug 2007. I did my research, comparing prices with hotels, tickets and purchasing meals separately. Although we did breakfast in our room, with pop tarts, fruit and cereal, we saved money with the free dining plan. It was wonderful and it allowed us to go to restaurants we normally would not have gone to if we were paying on the spot. The last time we went, October 2008, we did not go at a time they were offering the free dining plan and we wished we had.
Lelah Kimball
Mar 16th, 2009
Very valid comments. Just note: (1) I do not say that the free dining plan, or paid a dining plan, is inherently bad. I just say it is not worth it to all; for some, if they ran the numbers they’d find it doesn’t save them much (if any) money and may cost some people money. (2) The dining plans have changed considerably since 2007. Tips were included in 2007 and are no longer included. Same with appetizers. In addition, the cost of the dining plan is also now higher, although for the purpose of this article, it is irrelevant. (3) Room prices have had a steeper rise in rack rates from 2008 to 2009 than in years past, which can greatly affect how the dining plan savings play against paying rack rate.
JEnnifer
Nov 27th, 2009
We just used free dining in October 2009. For each person in our party to go to parks, eat, and stay in resort it was less then 80.00 per person per day. That was well worth it!
kim Brown
Mar 20th, 2010
The greatest thing about the dining plan is that you can truly enjoy your vacation and go to the best restaraunts day after day with no guilt. Let the kids order whatever they want!! Everytime you eat, you get a receipt showing what the meal would have cost. If I really paid $70 at the food court for breakfast or $300 for dinner at Epcot family of 5), I would have felt totally ripped off and it would have dampened my vacation.