No free DDP from October boycott or not

[YorkshireT]

Boycotting is pointless, you aren’t booking anyway.

I’m afraid it’s cold hard cash. Why give away free dining when they cannot accommodate all the guests anyway ? They’d rather fill with Americans who come for 5 days, spend a fortune on add ons and trinkets, not to mention overpriced meals at $200+ a pop for a family, and are then are replaced with another high spending family.

I know we are still waiting to see, but wouldn’t surprise me if very limited availibility and/ or high prices for other times there is free dining on.

Many of us have been hacked off with Disney’s nickel and diming, taking things away, but from a business perspective offering free dining when they are full anyway makes no sense. I think they’ll cut it down further, but when a recession comes it will be back.

[DisneyYoda]

Gotta say free ddp is a biggie for us. We wouldn’t stay on property without it.

Food is a big fun part of our trips and the free ddp make the holiday that much more affordable. With the 8% a year disney price hikes this would be the final nail for us.

Not saying we wouldn’t visit Disney parks...we would just stay in a villa instead... and do onsite for Universal.

That said...the sun is still shining on us...and for 2020 we are upgrading to deluxe. If it’s our last hoorah so be it!

[Gillybean08]

We were torn between WDW onsite in late October or a California road trip so it's made our decision easy

[Spike1911]

October is now becoming one of the busiest times which is why free dining covers when it does. July and August have started to become slower months in particular for resort stays.

[myaquarium]

Originally Posted by cartwheel

Hi there, I understand you feel very strongly about this but just to say as someone who has been visiting Florida for 15+years (and never wanted to stay onsite) you are coming across as rather angry, condescending and defensive, it's not personal the Disney machine is just that and money talks..Hire a villa and you'll never look back!

See more...

I apologise if I have come over as angry condescending and defensive I am none of the above. As someone whose been to Disney for 25 years and stayed on and off site many times I was only putting an opinion over. It’s called debate. It’s what the I have always thought the site was about. I have noticed however over the last few years that if anyone goes against a Disney decision they are put in there place by condescending people. I have always contributed and offered any advice as well as I can. I have also taken advice which has benefitted our trips and many others.
I wish people would read my original post on this subject and maybe tell me were I am any of the above. Angry condescending etc. I was only putting an oppinion over. If the site has gone from a discussion board to a fan club that can’t criticise Disney decisions then that’s sad.

[Iluvholidays]

I agree that prices seem to keep going up and things keep getting excluded from the price however a couple things come to mind.

In general people who live in America etc do not and can not book there holidays so far in advance and perhaps there have been complaints that there is little availability later in the year by them as we book so far in advance. Perhaps book these dates on the American site when they release free dining.

The other thing I will point out is the prices in late October to the middle of December can be considerably lower so I’m guessing as they don’t need to offer the free dining plan they won’t! My October/November booking was £2400 less then my summer booking.

I wouldn’t boycott Disney for these months however I would rather book a nicer hotel off site if the dining plan is not included, it even makes the swan and dolphin more appealing as there location is better then most moderate hotels and they are priced the same!

[laurac1988]

Disney aren't offering it simply because they don't need to. It's a shame, and I do think it will put a lot of people off, but it is what it is.