Free Dining and DVC

[ccigliano]

Shouldn't DVC members get some kind of discount when free dining is offered. In reality we paid for our vacations upfront and so shouldn't we get a perk like free dining. If not free, then perhaps 50% off. Just wondering if others felt this way and should we start speaking up at the annual DVC meeting in December (?).

 

[Muushka]

In all seriousness, as much as I would love to bug DVC for more perks, I cannot add this to the list. Those who do free dining have to jump thru a few hoops to get it. If you really want the free dining, then jump thru those same hoops and you've got it! We are choosing to do the free dining this Sept/Oct, but this will probably be the last year we will do it.
Too many hoops.

 

[tjkraz]

We can already take advantage of the free dining offer...by paying full rack rate for rooms and tickets just like any other WDW guest.

Disney has very specific financial reasons for the offer--they're getting full rack rate for rooms plus a mandatory ticket purchase and a guaranteed 5 night stay. DVC already enables us to get our rooms for a fraction of the price, to buy the dining plan for as short a stay as one night, and has omitted any ticket purchase requirements.

Obviously we all love to get discounts and freebies and I'm not going to argue against some additional benefit for DVC members. But I certainly don't feel entitled to it.

 

[LisaS]

Shouldn't DVC members get some kind of discount when free dining is offered. In reality we paid for our vacations upfront and so shouldn't we get a perk like free dining. If not free, then perhaps 50% off. Just wondering if others felt this way and should we start speaking up at the annual DVC meeting in December (?).

Free dining isn't really free, it's a trade off because you have to pay rack rate for the room to get it.

 

[cobbler]

Well I wouldn't want free dining. I don't want to have to pay rack rate for the room (reason why I bought DVC), and travel during the 4-5 weeks that it "might" be offered. I would rather have the flexibility of staying when I want

 

[DebbieB]

Free dining is not a "perk". It's a promotional package offered by CRO. Pay rack rate for a room, buy a MYW pass and get dining included. You may want to compare the deals to see what works best for you. For example, a studio at OKW is $314 during value season, incl tax, plus you have to buy a pass to get the free dining. With DVC, it would only be 8 points during the week (choice or adventure season). A 2 bedroom would be $579 vs 22 points during the week.

 

[ccigliano]

I see all your points and now are on your side. I don't need no stinkin free dining.
Thanks for all your input - everyone.

 

[Muushka]

I see all your points and now are on your side. I don't need no stinkin free dining.
Thanks for all your input - everyone.

ccigliano, you are a quick study!

 

[MinnieGirl33]

Have to remember DVC is a seperate business unit from parks & resorts. DVC has to pay for any perks we receive.

Plenty of other ways I'd like to see my MF's spent other than free or a deeper discount on dining.

 

[alldiz]

I'm very excited about "free dining"...
I'll have the best of both worlds....

I'm staying at BCV for 3 nights before promo starts...
Then going to POFQ for 5 nights....

Buying a 1 day ticket....with water parks....
That will give me 4 days on that ticket
3 days in a water park or disney quest....plus 1 day hopper anywhere....

Boy I hope they dont switch it to a 3 day pass this year...I'll have an AP..
It will cramp my plans
Kerri

 

[amy1976]

We are staying DVC during the free dining promo. What hoops do you have to jump thru to get it?

 

[crisi]

We are staying DVC during the free dining promo. What hoops do you have to jump thru to get it?

You can't if you are staying on DVC on points. alldiz is breaking the stay into two - getting free dining during the POR portion.

You can book a trip on cash during the free dining at a CRO resort and bank your points or rent them.

 

[Starr W.]

They are going nuts over at the resort board, you can book free dining trips now if you are a Disney Visa holder(need the code). Some of them have been on hold for 1+ hrs(sounds like calling MS 11 months out from Xmas).

 

[akghutton]

We will be staying at our second home, BWV, from 9/23-10/1. Although our dates do not fall in the free dining dates, apparently people can check-in on the 22nd, the last day of the promotion, and the free dining will carry through their entire stay. Being DVC members, I never even considered free dining when making our trip plans. I thought we would try September for the low points and low crowds. Now I am concerned about the crowds. On the resort boards, lots of folks are making their plans with a check-in on the 22nd.

For those DVC'ers, who have been to WDW during the free dining dates, how were the crowds? We have our ADRs all set, so I am not concerned about TS restaurants. I am just wondering how free dining will effect a usually low crowd season in the parks. We normally go the last week in August or in October, so we are curious about what to expect in comparsion to those times of year.

Thank you for any and all replies.

 

[cobbler]

We went during free dining in October 05, the first year they offered it. Crowds were a lot busier than I have expirenced. We usually travel the week after Thanksgiving. They were manageable but still quite busy. TS places were packed to the gills and if you didn't have ADR's there was no way on this planet you were going to eat at any TS. Not even walk-ups, odd times or small parties. We saw numerous people turned away.

We didn't go during that time last year, just shortly after it ended. I heard it was very busy down there. In '05 we checked in 2 days before free dining ended, last year it was 2 weeks after it had ended and the crowds when we went after free dining last year were smaller than during free dining. Which is really odd since F/W was well underway.

So . . . I don't know if that helps but it is a good thing you have all your ADR's

 

[Muushka]

We will be staying at our second home, BWV, from 9/23-10/1. Although our dates do not fall in the free dining dates, apparently people can check-in on the 22nd, the last day of the promotion, and the free dining will carry through their entire stay. Being DVC members, I never even considered free dining when making our trip plans. I thought we would try September for the low points and low crowds. Now I am concerned about the crowds. On the resort boards, lots of folks are making their plans with a check-in on the 22nd.

For those DVC'ers, who have been to WDW during the free dining dates, how were the crowds? We have our ADRs all set, so I am not concerned about TS restaurants. I am just wondering how free dining will effect a usually low crowd season in the parks. We normally go the last week in August or in October, so we are curious about what to expect in comparsion to those times of year.

Thank you for any and all replies.

We went during free dining last year about the same time you are planning this year. I thought the crowds were light and pretty easy to deal with. I think because it is before F&W helps. This year we arrive 9/29. I expect it to be a bit busier than last year.

 

[byoung]

We are staying DVC during the free dining promo. What hoops do you have to jump thru to get it?

Jump all you want no free dining for you.

 

[amy1976]

Too bad Oh well I still saved a TON of money staying DVC! I guess you can't have it all

 

[TenThousandVolts]

What hoops do you have to jump thru to get it

hoop 1: pay rack rate for your room (at a resort that has free dining available for your dates)
hoop 2: buy a myw ticket (minimum 1 day) for everyone in your party.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

For those DVC'ers, who have been to WDW during the free dining dates, how were the crowds? We have our ADRs all set, so I am not concerned about TS restaurants. I am just wondering how free dining will effect a usually low crowd season in the parks. We normally go the last week in August or in October, so we are curious about what to expect in comparsion to those times of year.

Thank you for any and all replies.

We stayed at BWV in Sept. 05 during the free dining period (we stayed using points, not paying cash for our villa can you even imagine??!!). Anyway - We made sure we had all of our ADRs and didn't think the crowds were any than our prior September trip. We were just glad we had ADRs. One night we didn't have an ADR for dinner and didn't have too many choices at the last minute with concierge.