ATD Email just through about free dining cancellation

[Wishuponastar83]

Yes I’m not sure which tier the free dining started at but you definitely couldn’t get free dining with the standard garden view this time. We went in 2016 and 2018 and free dining was available for all rooms

[WeHeartOrlando]

I think the semantics of whether dining plans are free or not is besides the point here.

Yes you pay full price for the room so technically dining isn’t free as you could pay less for the room at other times.

Yes you can eat better food for cheaper offsite.

None of this matters right now because right now people have already paid full rack rate for the room and budgeted based on the fact they will not have food costs for the time they’re staying onsite.

That budget now needs to change because people now have food costs to factor in.

Many people don’t have transport to escape the Disney bubble to access cheaper off site food.

Additionally dining plans aren’t only about the food, they’re an experience in themselves, especially during festivals like Food and Wine where snack credits can be used to sample lots of different meals. Or character meals for table service plans.

This is why some people are unhappy with a 35% discount for something that is “free”.

Not to mention the loss of Ultimate park ticket perks; water parks, hopping etc.

Personally I know onsite with free dining isn’t the cheapest way to do Florida but we booked a free dining package for the experience and onsite perks (60day FPs, magic bands etc) as much as the “free” food.

[Moorlandman]

There won't be as many Brits at Disney without free dining. We all like our "free" food.

Last cash meal I paid for at Disney cost me £100 for sit down burger meal at Sci-Fi restaurant. Family of 4. Soon adds up

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by Moorlandman

There won't be as many Brits at Disney without free dining. We all like our "free" food.

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There won't be as many people at Disney, full stop.

They are having to reduce the number of people quite a bit. In terms of numbers, there will be far less Americans at Disney than normal compared to the reduction in the number of Brits.

[rsvdaz]

would anyone be able to email me an actual copy of this email and also the email they referred to sent last week - it would greatly help my situation with another TA

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by gjdjud

But that's not factoring in the fact the most people who have booked Disney with free dining are excited about eating at Disney. Yes you eat better and cheaper elsewhere but eating onsite is part of the experience for many. Many people don't have access to transport to eat offsite unless they spend extra on other forms transportation. Add that in and the discount doesn't look so good for a family of four with teenagers

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I know. I was just replying to the comment that without free DDP people wouldn't be able to afford to visit WDW. Which is incorrect.

Instead, it is correct to say that without free dining people won't be able to afford to stay and eat onsite at WDW.

The thing is, this year, most people are not going to be able to eat onsite - whether they have free dining or not. Even if Disney gave people an 80% discount or they kept their free dining then many of them would not be able to stay or eat onsite. The capacity is going to be significantly reduced so, unfortunately, some people are not going to able to eat onsite a lot of time I'm afraid.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by WeHeartOrlando

I think the semantics of whether dining plans are free or not is besides the point here.

Yes you pay full price for the room so technically dining isn’t free as you could pay less for the room at other times.

Yes you can eat better food for cheaper offsite.

None of this matters right now because right now people have already paid full rack rate for the room and budgeted based on the fact they will not have food costs for the time they’re staying onsite.

That budget now needs to change because people now have food costs to factor in.

Many people don’t have transport to escape the Disney bubble to access cheaper off site food.

Additionally dining plans aren’t only about the food, they’re an experience in themselves, especially during festivals like Food and Wine where snack credits can be used to sample lots of different meals. Or character meals for table service plans.

This is why some people are unhappy with a 35% discount for something that is “free”.

Not to mention the loss of Ultimate park ticket perks; water parks, hopping etc.

Personally I know onsite with free dining isn’t the cheapest way to do Florida but we booked a free dining package for the experience and onsite perks (60day FPs, magic bands etc) as much as the “free” food.

See more...

Yes, it means that some people won't be able to afford to go to Florida and stay onsite this year. They will have to cancel the onsite part of their holiday and, maybe, book an offsite hotel instead. Or change their plans in other ways. Or cancel their holiday altogether.

Which is what needs to happen. Because, as we already know, not everyone who had a booking this year can go and stay onsite I'm afraid. It was either this or randomly choose, say, 60% of people and cancel their booking and give 'em a refund.

And, yes, people aren't going to like that and they are going to be very disappointed. Just as people who were due to go on holiday in the last 2 or 3 months have also been very disappointed. We known that was going to be the case for a while now. There's a pandemic and it's changing everything and lots of people are disappointed because of a lot of different reasons. We knew that holidays were going to be affected, and will continue to be affected, for a few months.

It's sad but there's nothing Disney can do about that. I'm sure they would love to have everyone with a booking with free dining to stay at their hotels and use their free dining credits and be happy. But they can't provide that.

[WeHeartOrlando]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Yes, it means that some people won't be able to afford to go to Florida and stay onsite this year. They will have to cancel the onsite part of their holiday and, maybe, book an offsite hotel instead. Or change their plans in other ways. Or cancel their holiday altogether.

Which is what needs to happen. Because, as we already know, not everyone who had a booking this year can go and stay onsite I'm afraid. It was either this or randomly choose, say, 60% of people and cancel their booking and give 'em a refund.

And, yes, people aren't going to like that and they are going to be very disappointed. Just as people who were due to go on holiday in the last 2 or 3 months have also been very disappointed. We known that was going to be the case for a while now. There's a pandemic and it's changing everything and lots of people are disappointed because of a lot of different reasons. We knew that holidays were going to be affected, and will continue to be affected, for a few months.

It's sad but there's nothing Disney can do about that. I'm sure they would love to have everyone with a booking with free dining to stay at their hotels and use their free dining credits and be happy. But they can't provide that.

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Again that’s not the issue that people seem to have. Everyone understands that these are unprecedented circumstances and Disney are facing difficult choices.

However if they really wanted people to cancel this year’s booking they’d offer an incentive to book for 2021 or 22. They aren’t doing that, so far at least.

My points in my previous post were specifically pertaining to the debates around whether free dining is free or not.

[linnite]

Has everyone who had the ATD email had the same one regardless of where they are staying? And confirming their stay in the same accommodation? That would suggest that all resorts will be open soon.

In particular has anyone had an ATD email confirming their stay at Coronado Springs?

[Kev Harrison]

Originally Posted by Duwsh

Probably because for a lot of people the DDP is a reason they can afford to go to Disney World, or at least lessens the blow.

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It's cheaper to book offsite, eat offsite. Better standard food and mostly better lodging for less.