Dining plan

[Bondy007]

If correct, 2018 prices were $75.49/$27.76 for the Dining Plan (1TS / 1QS). At current exchange rate thats roughly £54/£20 (10+ / child).
For us, 2 adults and 1 child that roughly £128 / day for dining in Disney establishments. Now, depending on where you chose to eat that could be considered both good/bad value for money. But, if this was available I would be considering it as knowing we had paid upfront for food and booked restaurants to have dinner / breakfast is one less thing to think about. But thats just what we like and everyone is different.

[dx4100]

Originally Posted by sprocket

Free dining has never really existed and any decent TA would know this.

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I've done the maths so many times and I have always come to the conclusion it heavily subsides the food and drink - so not free - but big discount.

[sha9]

Firstly, I doubt the TA knows anything. In answer to your question though we’ve paid for it in the past and not paid for it. I would prefer to have it as I know then that food costs are covered. I’ve had free dining so many times that you can easily forget to factor in food!

[Gill H]

Originally Posted by sprocket

Free dining has never really existed and any decent TA would know this. Free dining is offered on inflated rack rates, so you end up paying somewhere. Some people prefer the free dining offer, other prefer the 20% discount and others the free nights offer.

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It's offered on rack rates, but those are not 'inflated'. It is the normal rack rate you pay whenever there is not an offer.

There are people on the Dibb who have tracked prices for years to prove this! I can't claim to be that dedicated though.

The thing which muddies the waters is that a couple of times a year, Disney have always had a price hike. So the prices go up a few times a year anyway. And a couple of years ago, this happened just before free DDP was announced - so it looked like they were raising the rack rate, just to be able to claim free DDP was a bargain. But in reality, you would be paying the same price for the room without free DDP, even after the offer finished.

I really can't see them offering free DDP for a year or two, unless they desperately need to get people back staying onsite. I would think with all those US guests who postponed their 2020 holiday, and all those coming for the 50th anniversary, they will have no trouble.

[sha9]

Originally Posted by Gill H

It's offered on rack rates, but those are not 'inflated'. It is the normal rack rate you pay whenever there is not an offer.

There are people on the Dibb who have tracked prices for years to prove this! I can't claim to be that dedicated though.

The thing which muddies the waters is that a couple of times a year, Disney have always had a price hike. So the prices go up a few times a year anyway. And a couple of years ago, this happened just before free DDP was announced - so it looked like they were raising the rack rate, just to be able to claim free DDP was a bargain. But in reality, you would be paying the same price for the room without free DDP, even after the offer finished.

I really can't see them offering free DDP for a year or two, unless they desperately need to get people back staying onsite. I would think with all those US guests who postponed their 2020 holiday, and all those coming for the 50th anniversary, they will have no trouble.

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Exactly. Although I get fed up arguing with people about free dining really being free you have summed it up well

[NewtoOrlando]

We have always had the dining plan when staying onsite but only ever do 5 days. In 2019 we had 5 days onsite but no dining plan, we looked into it and I think if you were going to make the most of the credits and want to eat onsite the whole time then it probably is worth it. We decided against it because we always have loads of credits left over, we're not huge eaters especially when it's hot, so paying as we go works well for us.

If you're planning on staying onsite the whole time I think it's worth it even if paying for it, so that you don't have to worry every day about paying for food.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by Gill H

It's offered on rack rates, but those are not 'inflated'. It is the normal rack rate you pay whenever there is not an offer.

There are people on the Dibb who have tracked prices for years to prove this! I can't claim to be that dedicated though.

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I respectfully disagree.

In 2019 our booking was for 10 nights at the Beach Club from the 24th July , and it cost us £4,040 (tickets were extra to this), and for this we also received the Dining Plan for 4 adults (well, 2 adults and 2 kids who are "Disney adults").

Rack rate for our stay was $448 per night - wdwinfo/disney-resor...e-calendar.htm (a few nights were slightly higher but I'll keep to $448 throughout for simplicity). This equates to $4,480 or, assuming an exchange rate of $1.25=£1, £3,584.

So, for paying c£500 over rack rate we received the Dining Plan for 4 for 10 nights, so $75 * 4 * 10 = $3000, or £2,400.

I haven't included tax in these numbers either, which skew the equation even more into the "it's not just rack rate pricing" direction.

Working it the other way round, ie subtracting the cost of the Dining Plan from what we paid for our accommodation, and you get £4,040 - £2,400 = £1,640.

Ten nights at the Beach Club for £1,040? Not any time in recent history and probably not ever!

[sha9]

Originally Posted by Bozza

I respectfully disagree.

In 2019 our booking was for 10 nights at the Beach Club from the 24th July , and it cost us £4,040 (tickets were extra to this), and in this we received the Dining Plan for 4 adults (well, 2 adults and 2 kids who are Disney adults).

Rack rate for our stay were $448 per night - wdwinfo/disney-resor...e-calendar.htm (a few nights were slightly higher but I'll keep to $448 throughout for simplicity). This equates to $4,480 or, assuming an exchange rate of $1.25=£1, £3,584.

So, for paying c£500 over rack rate we received the Dining Plan for 4 for 10 nights, so $75 * 4 * 10 = $3000, or £2,400.

I haven't included tax in these numbers either, which skew the equation even more into the "it's not just rack rate pricing" direction.

Working it the other way round, ie subtracting the cost of the Dining Plan from what we paid for our accommodation, and you get £4,040 - £3,000 = £1,040.

Ten nights at the Beach Club for £1,040? Not any time in recent history and probably not ever!

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You’re comparing a booking in ££ to the cost of a room in $$. How much was the room in ££ with no free dining? Then you can compare.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by sha9

You’re comparing a booking in ££ to the cost of a room in $$. How much was the room in ££ with no free dining? Then you can compare.

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Look at it the second way I quoted then...

£4,040 (accommodation) - £2,400 (DDP * 4 people * 10 nights) = £1,640.

I've never seen the Beach Club anywhere close to that.

[Bozza]

Just to add: there is clearly extra value in 'Free DDP" if you have 4, or even 5, people in your room since the room cost is fixed, and doesn't vary with the number of people sleeping in it, whilst you do receive greater value in terms of the DDP, since you get a batch of credits per occupant.