Disney Free Dining gone by 2020

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There have always been resort discounts since we started going in the early 90s. Free dining started in 2006 because: travel was still down from 9/11. In 2004, 4 hurricaine s hit Florida in 6 weeks in August & September. This kept many people away in fall of 2005. Disney introduced free dining for late August & September in 2006 to get people back during that time. It worked so they added other dates too. Disney announced they were going to "wean" the public off discounts several years ago. Now the economy has rebounded, schools have changed their break schedules spreading crowds out thru the year, travel is way up, hurricaines have only hit Florida what, once in 10 years? I was actually surprised Disney offered free dining this year.

Well Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 closed the parks just not as long as Irma did in September 2017.

I haven't looked at the predictions though for hurricanes this year though I suppose I should considering we're going to Jamaica in late August. We were totally fine hunkering down in WDW during Irma. I'm not sure I would even chance it in Jamaica if a hurricane was going to hit there or near there.

 

[focusondisney]

Well Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 closed the parks just not as long as Irma did in September 2017.

I haven't looked at the predictions though for hurricanes this year though I suppose I should considering we're going to Jamaica in late August. We were totally fine hunkering down in WDW during Irma. I'm not sure I would even chance it in Jamaica if a hurricane was going to hit there or near there.

Yes, but from Oct 2005 (hurricaine Wilma) & Sept 2016 (hurricaine Hermine) there were no hurricaines that made landfall in Florida. So people were more more comfortable traveling to Disney in the fall. That's all I was pointing out.

But yea, I think you would be much safer in Disney World than Jamaica during a hurricaine!

 

[DisneyFansInNYC]

We love the room discounts much better. I feel with free dining the restaurants don't have to work hard to keep you coming.

 

[JimmyBean42]

We love the room discounts much better. I feel with free dining the restaurants don't have to work hard to keep you coming.

Well the restaurants don't know if you are on free dining or if you paid for the DDP. So if they aren't working hard, then that's just them and their quality, you'd get the same service whether FD is offered or not.

 

[disney-inspired]

We love the room discounts much better. I feel with free dining the restaurants don't have to work hard to keep you coming.

They still have to work for their tips and they have no clue if your dining is paid or free.

 

[DisLiss]

I've really disliked the changes the Free Dining has brought to WDW, so I am pleased to hear people speculate that that it will be gone soon. I'm hoping it will be gone by our next trip, which is not until 2020, but which would fall within typical free dining times.

 

[disney-inspired]

I was going through my watched threads and I found this one...well you were right but not for the reasons provided LOL

 

[sugliac]

I think that free dining was never as good a deal people think. I do hope they bring back the dining plan because it's fun to stay at Disney "all inclusive" and not think about that stuff.

 

[disney-inspired]

I think that free dining was never as good a deal people think. I do hope they bring back the dining plan because it's fun to stay at Disney "all inclusive" and not think about that stuff.

I think it was a good deal if you had several non-paying people in your room (i.e. your own kids) where as if you were only two adults, the room discount would be better.

 

[sugliac]

I think it was a good deal if you had several non-paying people in your room (i.e. your own kids) where as if you were only two adults, the room discount would be better.

Yes totally. I am biased I don't have kids.

 

[sugliac]

I think it was a good deal if you had several non-paying people in your room (i.e. your own kids) where as if you were only two adults, the room discount would be better.

I usually prefer to stay at Swan and Dolphin based on price and location. Now more than ever I can't believe that people pay some of the crazy on-site prices for lackluster rooms/beds/amenities.

 

[annadreamsofdisneyworld]

I loved free dining and hope it returns next year. We saved $1000 with free dining in 2019. We stayed at Pop, where the room discount isn't much. We are a group of 2 parents and 2 kids.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I think that free dining was never as good a deal people think. I do hope they bring back the dining plan because it's fun to stay at Disney "all inclusive" and not think about that stuff.

Its a great deal if you stay mod or value and are a family of 4. No room discount gives you enough off to feed 4 people a day.

 

[Moliphino]

I think it was a good deal if you had several non-paying people in your room (i.e. your own kids) where as if you were only two adults, the room discount would be better.

The room discount wasn't usually better if you were at a Value resort. It's the lowest percentage off the lowest price room, you'd maybe get $40 off/night where the QS plan was $55/person/night in 2020.

 

[tguz]

I love free dining! Wish they had it for ur Dec trip. Even with just two people staying Value it was worth it. The room discount would not have covered two adults eating 2 meals each plus 2 snacks each.

 

[Orion Nebula]

I won't go back until the dining plan returns. I had it every trip until the last and it dampened my experience. And I still feel this way even though after adding it up I saved money by not doing it (albeit got a lot less food). The main problem was that I was hyper vigilant of what my family was ordering. I never really looked at menu prices before and when my kids wanted steak I cringed a few times. Prior to this trip I didn't care what anyone got. We also skipped out on a lot of snacks / treats due to the prices. My kids didn't end up getting what they wanted (neither did my wife and I). There were a few times when I wanted to try somethings out (flower garden fest) but I didn't once again due to adding up costs. It actually was fairly miserable having to worry about that stuff in general.

 

[Moliphino]

I won't go back until the dining plan returns. I had it every trip until the last and it dampened my experience. And I still feel this way even though after adding it up I saved money by not doing it (albeit got a lot less food). The main problem was that I was hyper vigilant of what my family was ordering. I never really looked at menu prices before and when my kids wanted steak I cringed a few times. Prior to this trip I didn't care what anyone got. We also skipped out on a lot of snacks / treats due to the prices. My kids didn't end up getting what they wanted (neither did my wife and I). There were a few times when I wanted to try somethings out (flower garden fest) but I didn't once again due to adding up costs. It actually was fairly miserable having to worry about that stuff in general.

Just gotta fully embrace this

 

[ChipnDale79]

I think that free dining was never as good a deal people think. I do hope they bring back the dining plan because it's fun to stay at Disney "all inclusive" and not think about that stuff.

saved us 1500 for a family of 4. it was a great deal for us, you arent getting a room discount worth that much at a value, which is were we normally stay.

 

[Orion Nebula]

saved us 1500 for a family of 4. it was a great deal for us, you arent getting a room discount worth that much at a value, which is were we normally stay.

Wow, I have never seen that much savings before. Reading through some of the blogs where the idea was tested I was seeing numbers like 200-300 dollars. And in some narrowed down park by park totals only 25-75 bucks. But it does rely heavily on which places you choose, including the character dining experiences. Disney tourist blog I think saved like 200 but were using wonderland.

1,500... wow

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

Did the math a few time and the dining plan doesn’t save us enough money to buy the package. I usually have an AP so I booked room discount, got a discount on most table service and bought my husband’s ticket thru my brother in-law who works DOD. I’ll buy gift cards at Target with red card 5%discount to pay for food