Disney 2019 - Dining Plan

[Firekat]

Are any Disney resorts excluded from free DDP?

I know values only get 1 qs and that there are black out dates around Easter and Christmas.

But are any Disney hotels/villas excluded?

Was hoping on splashing out on a villa at poly (price dependant), but someone on a FB group said Villas at Poly aren't included - but think they were American so offer might not be the same?

I know we can't afford it if they are excluded from DDP.

[buzzbox]

In reality is the free Ddp a bit of a con, for eg at the moment rooms can be booked and you get free nights but once the free Ddp is released the free night offers are stopped or the rooms go up in price from what they were before the Ddp is offered, or am I being to sceptical.

[sha9]

Originally Posted by buzzbox

In reality is the free Ddp a bit of a con, for eg at the moment rooms can be booked and you get free nights but once the free Ddp is released the free night offers are stopped or the rooms go up in price from what they were before the Ddp is offered, or am I being to sceptical.

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It’s not a con. You just pay full price for the rooms. Every Disney room has a “rack rate”price. Sometimes there’s an offer on that reduces that price, sometimes the offer is free dining plan. It’s no different to any other company offering you either a discount or something free if you pay full price. I’m not sure why so many people are so cynical about the free dining offer. You book it or you don’t. It suits you or it doesn’t. Disney are not a charity they’re a business and they do free dining to entice people to book. Presumably it’s not a huge cost to them or they wouldn’t continue to do it.

[disney babe]

Originally Posted by sha9

It’s not a con. You just pay full price for the rooms. Every Disney room has a “rack rate”price. Sometimes there’s an offer on that reduces that price, sometimes the offer is free dining plan. It’s no different to any other company offering you either a discount or something free if you pay full price. I’m not sure why so many people are so cynical about the free dining offer. You book it or you don’t. It suits you or it doesn’t. Disney are not a charity they’re a business and they do free dining to entice people to book. Presumably it’s not a huge cost to them or they wouldn’t continue to do it.

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some rooms have reduced in price with free dining, in 2012 we got 40% off, 2013 think 35% off old key west, we always find free dining works out cheaper than free nights but depends on number of people in room as if only 2 then only 2x free dining, if 5 in room 5x free dining which has much higher value

[buzzbox]

So are you saying in reality it`s not really free then, they just take off the free nights offer and replace that with so called free Disney Dining, then once they finish the free Dining offer they replace it with another so called promotional offer, so basically there is not to much of a price difference whatever of these so called offers they put ou,t you may save a small amount here and there but overall its just a placebo effect by Disney to get people to book.

[loves2plan]

Originally Posted by buzzbox

So are you saying in reality it`s not really free then, they just take off the free nights offer and replace that with so called free Disney Dining, then once they finish the free Dining offer they replace it with another so called promotional offer, so basically there is not to much of a price difference whatever of these so called offers they put ou,t you may save a small amount here and there but overall its just a placebo effect by Disney to get people to book.

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No offer is really free, whether it's free nights or free dining. They've both been factored in to Disney's prices (in the same way that every promotional offer is). Disney offer you 3 prices:
Rack rate
Room discount/free nights - rack rate with a discount
Free dining - rack rate (or lower as there are some discounts too) plus a dining plan

It's all about what the best offer for each party is. Rack rate is never the best offer, so you have a choice of free nights or free dining - they don't combine them. For us, staying in moderate resorts as a family of 4, free dining is the best offer by a long way. For a couple, or people staying in deluxe resorts where the price per night is more, then free nights may work out better.

There's no con and people aren't stupid. Disney's rack rate prices are high to allow them to offer these promotions and we know that. It's just a case of costing and booking what is best for you.

Also, when the free nights offer finishes at the end of the month, that will be the last Disney offer for 2018. Prices will then revert to rack rate for the next 9 months. The free dining offer will be for 2019 holidays only and runs for about 7 months. So, because of how they're released for each holiday year, there's around 11 months of offers and 9 months of rack rate prices

There will be cheaper room rates available through third party hotel booking sites, but none of this discounts have ever matched free dining for us once we add food costs on. There's also the choice of renting DVC points and some people find that's a better option for deluxe resorts.

Also, if you think it's a con, why do you book the free dining deal?

[sha9]

The dining plans are free during the free dining offer. That’s just a fact. I’m not sure why people continue to say it’s “free” rather than it’s just free. It’s not a con, it’s a marketing ploy. Before it the rooms are full price and after it the rooms are full price. Then another offer comes along and when it ends the rooms are full price again. Why is it any different to any other sale? If people think they’re being conned don’t book it. If you want cheaper rooms wait until a room discount is offered.

[loves2plan]

Originally Posted by sha9

The dining plans are free during the free dining offer. That’s just a fact. I’m not sure why people continue to say it’s “free” rather than it’s just free. It’s not a con, it’s a marketing ploy. Before it the rooms are full price and after it the rooms are full price. Then another offer comes along and when it ends the rooms are full price again. Why is it any different to any other sale? If people think they’re being conned don’t book it. If you want cheaper rooms wait until a room discount is offered.

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Completely agree . You don't see people writing "free" nights, but it's just a different type of discount. One is where you get the discount in advance (free nights) but you need to take money for food, whereas the other is a delayed discount as you pay more in advance, but don't need to take money for food. Swings and roundabouts, but which one works out best varies a lot depending on the resort and number of people travelling.

[gazzastag]

Hi. Just jumping on this as I'm unsure of the price I'm seeing now. For April 27th 2019 at the Disney beach resort it works out at £4662 for 14 nights. 3 of us. Is that a full rack rate price. Waiting for DP to be offered but should I expect a higher price than what I'm seeing now. Can I book the room now at that price then would they add DP on? Cheers.

[sha9]

Originally Posted by gazzastag

Hi. Just jumping on this as I'm unsure of the price I'm seeing now. For April 27th 2019 at the Disney beach resort it works out at £4662 for 14 nights. 3 of us. Is that a full rack rate price. Waiting for DP to be offered but should I expect a higher price than what I'm seeing now. Can I book the room now at that price then would they add DP on? Cheers.

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For 2019 it will be full price. I would wait to book until the offer is released to get any add ons such as the gift card. The price may also drop slightly as it occasionally does for some resorts.