Official Disney Vacation, Resort, and Dining Promotions and Savings

Late Summer Savings Disney World Room Only Discount For August 14 – October 1 2011

by josh on May 30, 2011

Offer Details:

For stays Aug. 14 – Oct. 1, 2011, weekday rates starting at:

•$69 for Disney Value Resorts
•$129 for Disney Moderate Resorts
•$189 for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort
•$209 for Disney’s Saratoga Springs and Disney’s Old Key West Resort

These are Sunday – Thursday rates. Weekend rates may be slightly higher.

Book by Aug. 13, 2011.

To book online, or when calling the Disney Reservation Center, please reference booking code “L29″ or “Late Summer Offer.”

As always, you can add tickets, dining, etc. to turn your reservation into a Package.

{ 0 comments }

Disney Offers Coupon for 30% Off Select Counter Service Meals Between December 19 and January 1

by josh on December 8, 2010

This was unexpected. Head over to the Official Disney Parks Blog for your chance to print coupons for 30% off your counter service bill with the purchase of any entree. The only catch is that you must dine before 12pm or between 3pm and 4:30pm. As the title states, the coupons are valid from December 19th through January 1st.

The list of participating restaurants includes:

Magic Kingdom Park

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Columbia Harbour House
Pinocchio Village Haus
Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant

Epcot

Electric Umbrella
Liberty Inn
Sunshine Seasons

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Backlot Express
ABC Commissary
Studio Catering Company

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Flame Tree Barbecue
Pizzafari
Restaurantosaurus
Tamu Tamu Refreshments

There are a variety of ways to get the coupon: Go to Official Disney Parks Blog and print out a voucher using the links provided, or there should be coupons in the Times Guide, at the bottom of select merchandise receipts, or at the bottom of receipts from select resort quick-service restaurants.

Since we’ve been using PDF files the last few days, I have also created a PDF file with two coupons per page so that you can waste less paper and print as many as you want. It looks like you’ll have to surrender your coupon each time you use it, so it makes sense to print extras just in case coupons aren’t as plentiful at the Parks as Disney is leading on. Also consider printing some extras to give to people who don’t have any idea this promotion is going on. It is the holidays after all!

Click here for the printable PDF with two vouchers per page.

It looks like this promotion was somewhat hastily put together considering the poor quality of the coupon image and the fact that they didn’t go through their usual proprietary coupon printer that limits the number of coupons you can print and adds scannable bar codes.

This may be an effort to get locals into the Parks. Attendance is down during cold spells like Orlando is currently experiencing.

{ 0 comments }

Disney World Book Early and Save Promotion for January Through April 2011

by josh on November 22, 2010

Disney released a new promotion today for stay dates of January 2, 2011 through April 16, 2011. This is a percent-off “room only” discount, meaning the percent savings is off the cost of the room only. You can still add the Disney Dining Plans or Magic Your Way theme park tickets, but those parts of the Package are not discounted. This promotion cannot be combined with any other savings or promotions, such as the Free Dining Offer, Florida Resident Discount, Gift Card Promotion, AAA savings, or anything else. All savings come off the full “rack rate” price of the resort room. You can view a chart of the rack rates for the various resorts here. The savings with this promotion are as follows:

Save 20% at Disney World Value Resorts and the Animal Kingdom Lodge if you book by 12/31/10; save 15% if you book between 1/1/11-2/13/11
Save 25% at Disney World Moderate Resorts and the Polynesian Resort if you book by 12/31/10; save 20% if you book between 1/1/11-2/13/11
Save 35% at the rest of the Disney Deluxe Resorts if you book by 12/31/10; save 30% if you book between 1/1/11-2/13/11
Save 35% at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts if you book by 12/31/10; save 30% if booked between 1/1/11-2/13/11

As you can see, the savings are slightly higher if you book by December 31st, 2010. Thus, the “book early and save” title. There are currently no blackout dates and you can book this promotion over President’s Day Weekend, Martin Luther King Weekend, Marathon Weekend, or any other dates between January 2nd and April 16th. If you have already booked a vacation package without a discount, call Disney or your travel agent and ask that they apply this promotion.

Note that some of these discounted dates are also valid for the Free Dining Promotion. I have written an extensive explanation comparing the Free Dining Promotion to Room-Only Discounts and the now-expired Gift Card Promotion. It will give you some additional insight into how you can save the most money on your Disney World vacation and the positive and negative aspects of the various promotions. See it here: http://www.easywdw.com/savings/disney-world-2010-2011-free-dining-promotion/

In short, Free Dining is the bigger savings in almost all scenarios if you are staying at a Value or Moderate Resort, depending on whether or not you will “take full advantage” of the Dining Plan. The Percent-Off Discount may be a better deal at the Deluxe resorts, but it depends on how much the room originally costs and how many people are on the reservation.

It is very easy to price out your vacation with the various offers and compare them. Simply go to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/, click on the offer links, and input your vacation details. Make sure that you are selecting the correct Magic Your Way ticket type and resort room type. Disney is tricky about adding Park Hopper and Water Parks & More automatically to Magic Your Way tickets depending on what type of package you are selecting. To compare the price of two Packages accurately, you need to make sure that the two packages are identical.

Overall, this is the same sort of promotion Disney has been running for the last couple of years. The savings can be significant if you choose to stay at a Deluxe or Villa Resort, but will also be small if you select a Value resort. For example, 20% off a Value Resort room in most of January would result in a savings of less than $20 per night. However, you can easily save $100 per night or more at one of the Deluxe Resorts.

The savings are also larger if you are the owner of a Disney World Annual Pass. For Annual Passholders, the savings are as follows:

Save 32% at the Disney World Value Resorts, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Polynesian Resort
Save 35% at the Disney World Moderate Resorts
Save 42% at the rest of the Disney World Deluxe Resorts
Save 42% at the Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

The stay dates with an Annual Pass are the same as for the general public – January 2, 2011 through April 16, 2011. The Disney Dining Plan can also be added.

{ 0 comments }

Florida Resident Disney World Room Only Discount Promotion

by josh on September 9, 2010

Disney announced a new promotion that is valid only for Florida residents. It is very similar to the Room-Only discount available to the general public, only the savings are an additional 2% and there may be room availability when a particular room type is “sold out” with another discount. The dates the discount is valid are October 3rd to November 23rd and November 27th to December 25th, 2010. You can extend your vacation into dates that are not included, but they will not be discounted. For example, if your stay was from November 21st to November 29th, you would receive the discount on all nights other than November 24th, 25th, and 26th. Magic Your Way tickets and the Disney Dining Plan can be added. Suites at the Deluxe resorts and 3-Bedroom Villas are excluded. Proof of Florida residency required at check-in to receive discounted pricing. Discount is available for booking up until December 25th, 2010. The savings are as follows:

Save 27% at Disney Value Resorts and Animal Kingdom Lodge
Save 32% at Disney Moderate Resorts and Grand Floridian Resort
Save 42% at all other Disney Deluxe Resorts
Save 42% at Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts

All discounts are taken off the full price rack rate cost per night. This promotion cannot be combined with any other promotion, including the Gift Card promotion or Free Dining promotion. If you are considering this promotion and the Free Dining promotion, make sure you read my analysis comparing the two, which outlines the circumstances when one of the promotions will be a bigger savings.

{ 0 comments }

Disney World 2010 2011 Gift Card Savings Promotion Explained

by josh on August 17, 2010

Promotional Title: Three Enchanting Experiences. Three Ways to Save. Get up to a $500 Disney Gift Card FREE

Discount Type: Gift Card

Who Can Book: Everyone

Book By: November 21, 2010

Stay Dates: October 3, 2010 to November 23, 2010; November 27, 2010 to December 25, 2010; January 1, 2011 to February 16, 2011

Dates Discount is Not Available: November 24, 2010 to November 26, 2010; December 26 to December 31, 2010

Other Restrictions: Suites at all resorts other than the All-Star Music are not included in this promotion. Campsites and 3-Bedroom Villas are also excluded.

How to Book: Call (407) 939-7918 and ask for code ZH9 or book online at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy11q1card&market=fy11q1card&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY11Q1CardGetDetails#important

Offer: Get up to a $500 Disney Gift Card FREE when you buy one of these 5-night/5-day room and ticket packages at select Disney Resort Hotels. Use the gift card to cover vacation expenses: dining at your choice of Walt Disney World restaurants, special event tickets, sports, recreation, tours and more—all this in addition to shopping! With your card in hand, the world is yours! Offer valid for arrivals on most nights 10/3-11/23/10, 11/27-12/25/10 and 1/1-2/16/11.

Explain This Promotion to Me….

The Gift Card promotion requires a minimum five night stay and at least a two-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket for each person on the reservation. You may extend the stay to more than five nights if you wish, but the gift card will not increase in value. You may also purchase Magic Your Way Base Tickets in any length beyond two days and add any ticket upgrades you wish. For example, you’re welcome to purchase six-day Magic Your Way tickets with the Park Hopper upgrade and you will satisfy the two day ticket minimum. If you are staying for ten or more nights, you may book two separate five-night vacations and receive two gift cards, but you will need to meet the ticket requirement for both stays and purchase a minimum two-day Base Ticket for each person on the reservation for each stay. In that scenario, you may also be required to switch rooms for the second reservation.

The Gift Card amount is based on the resort class and is only valid for stays at Disney-owned resorts. Guests staying at Value resorts receive a $200 gift card; guests staying at Moderate resorts receive a $300 gift card; and guests staying at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts receive a $500 gift card. This promotion is not combinable with any other promotions, including AAA discount, Free Dining, Percent-Off room code, or any other discounts. Disney never lets you “stack” discounts, so you will need to decide which offer will save you the most “real” money. I explain the three different major promotions and when this promotion is best below

What is the Potential Savings?

The savings is equal to the amount of the Disney gift card you receive – $200, $300, or $500 depending on your resort class. See http://www.disneygiftcard.com/where-to-use/ for a list of what you can use the gift card on. At Disney World, the gift card is basically as good as cash and can be used just about everywhere on property, including counter service and table service meals, gift shop purchases, ticket upgrades, and just about everything else. Some ice cream carts may not take gift cards, but it’s rare.

Is This The Best Deal Available?

Please see http://www.easywdw.com/savings/disney-world-2010-2011-free-dining-promotion/ for a complete explanation of the 2010 and 2011 Free Dining promotion.

The Gift Card offer may or may not be the best discount available, depending on when you’re going and what room category you select. Since the gift card requires a five night stay and doesn’t increase in value as you add more nights to your stay, you’re better off from a savings-per-night perspective to book exactly five nights. Every night after five means you’re saving less per night because the savings stretches over more nights. It’s much more likely that the Gift Card promotion will be a bigger savings at the Values or Moderates in a Standard or Preferred room during Value Season or at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. For example, a Standard Room with Standard View at the Caribbean Beach Resort costs $154 per night in Value Season in 2011. With the 30% savings code, you’re only saving $46 per night, or $230 over a five night vacation. You would receive a $300 Gift Card with the Gift Card promotion, which is $70 in additional savings. However, if your stay was seven nights, you would save $322 with the 30% off code and only the same $300 with the Gift Card promotion. Generally speaking, the lower the nightly rate, the more likely the Gift Card Promotion will be a bigger savings, provided you are only staying the five night minimum. Any additional nights makes the Percent-Off promotion more and more likely to be advantageous over the Gift Card promotion. Of course, if your stay starts on a day when the Free Dining promotion is valid, you’re probably saving more with that promotion over either the Gift Card or Percent-Off promotions at the Values and Moderates.

If you’re staying exactly five nights, the Gift Card promotion will be a better deal at the Value resorts if the average nightly cost of the resort room is $160 or less. The Percent-Off room code would save you 25% of $160 per night, or $40 per night. For five nights, you would save $200 ($40 * 5 nights) with the Percent-Off code or $200 in the form of the Gift Card. Any amount under $160 would have you coming out ahead with the Gift Card promotion, provided you will use the full amount of the gift card. For example, if the average per night room cost was $140, you would save $35 ($140 * .25) per night with the Percent-Off code or $175 on a five night stay. This is below the $200 potential savings with the Gift Card. For a seven night stay at a Value resort, the average cost of the resort room would need to be $114 or less to be a better deal with the Gift Card promotion. With the percent-off code, you would be saving $28.50 per night ($114 * .25), or $199.50 over seven nights. With the Gift Card promotion, you would save the same $200. If the resort room only cost an average of $100 over the seven nights, you would be saving just $25 per night with the Percent-Off promotion, or a total of $175 ($25 savings * seven nights) over seven nights. The $200 Gift Card promotion is clearly the larger potential savings.

If you’re staying exactly five nights at a Moderate resort, the Gift Card promotion is a bigger savings if the average resort room cost is $200 per night or less. At $200 per night, you would be saving $60 per night ($200 * .30), or $300 over a five night vacation. This is equal to the $300 gift card you would receive with the Gift Card promotion. Any amount under $200 and you’re potentially saving more with the Gift Card. For example, if the room cost only an average of $175 per night, you would be saving $52.50 per night with the Percent-Off code. Over five nights, that equals $262.50. The $300 Gift Card is the bigger savings. If you’re staying seven nights, there is no way the Gift Card promotion would be the bigger savings. You would need the average per night resort cost to be around $142 and the Moderates are never that cheap. The cheapest rate is $149 per night. At 30% off, the savings would be $44.70 per night, or $313 over seven nights. Since $313 is more than $300, it’s impossible to save more with the Gift Card amount on a seven night stay or longer stay at the Moderates.

At the Deluxes, the Gift Card promotion is more likely to be better at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where you only save 25% with the Percent-Off code, compared to 30% at the Grand Floridian and 40% off at the other Deluxes. At 40% off, the average cost of the Deluxe resort room would have to be $250 or less for the Gift Card promotion to be better, since $250 * .40 is $100 savings per night. Over five nights, you would be saving $500 with the Percent-Off code, which is equal to the Gift Card amount. Any amount over that and the Percent-Off code is better. For example, if the average cost per night is $300, you would save $120 per night with the Percent-Off code or $600 over five nights, which is far greater than the $500 Gift Card amount.

At the Animal Kingdom, the average cost per night would need to be $400 or less for the Gift Card promotion to be a better deal. At $400, the savings is $100 per night with the 25% Percent-Off promotion, or $500 on a five night stay; the same amount you would save with the Gift Card promotion. At $350 per night, the Percent-Off code would save you $87.50 per night or $437.50 over five nights. The Gift Card in the amount of $500 is obviously the bigger potential savings.

While figuring out which deal is the best in your situation may be confusing, Disney is well aware of which promotions will be the best deal for the majority of Disney guests. Availability is generally highest on whatever deal is less advantageous to the consumer. There may be plenty of availability on the Percent-Off promotion when the Gift Card promotion would save more money and vice versa. Disney doesn’t necessarily offer such a variety of promotions to help you maximize your savings. They want to get you excited about a Disney World vacation and work the numbers so it appears like you’re getting a “great deal” even though the savings may not be as great as you initially hoped.

It’s also very common for availability to be higher at the more expensive view types, which are generally less popular at the moment. This way, you are still saving 40%, but you end up spending more than you were expecting because there was availability at the more expensive water view and no availability at the less expensive standard view. This phenomenon increases occupancy rates at the Disney resorts by filling the less popular room types. The only reason a “water view” room is more expensive is because it’s either rarer or Disney thinks there will be greater demand for them. Since we are in a poor economy, people are much less likely to upgrade to a Woods View at the Wilderness Lodge because there really isn’t that much of a benefit to a view of trees. By offering 40% off these types of more expensive rooms (that are no more expensive for Disney to offer since they are the same size and offer the same amenities as others), Disney can make the consumer think they are getting a good deal while at the same time extracting more money and increasing occupancy.

You also have to take into consideration whether you want the Dining Plan or a gift card rather than a cash savings. While you might be able to “save” more money with Free Dining, if you aren’t going to take advantage of the Dining Plan then you might not really be “saving” the entire cost of the plan. If the savings is similar for both Free Dining and the percent-off room code then you will have to decide if you want the Dining Plan or would rather save the cash and pay for food out of pocket. The same is true for the Gift Card promotion. While it’s likely you’ll find a way to spend that $200-$500 during your vacation, it’s possible you will have some left over. You’re then left with a Disney gift card that’s only good on Disney merchandise at the Disney Store or you’ll have to wait for your next trip to a Disney resort.

This Sounds Like A Great Deal, What’s The Catch?

The only catch is that you will be giving the full value of the “savings” back to Disney in one form or another, considering the gift card is valid only at places like the Disney Store, Disneyland, and Disney World. With the Percent-Off code, the savings will be in cash. While you probably won’t have any problem using the full amount of the gift card during your trip, you might if you’re staying at a Deluxe resort and have also purchased the Disney Dining Plan. The most common use of the gift card would be counter service and table service meals. It might be hard for some people to spend $500 during their trip on Disney merchandise and other such items. If you’re concerned about spending the full amount, you may want to save Ticket Upgrades until you arrive at Disney World. You can add Park Hopper, Water Parks and More, or No Expiration once you arrive in Orlando and pick up your gift card and then use the gift card to pay for them.

Conclusion

The Gift Card promotion may be the biggest savings if your stay is exactly five nights and the room cost is low enough. It may also be the only discount you can apply to your trip if “availability” is unavailable at your preferred resort and your vacation doesn’t fall into one of the Free Dining promotion ranges. Flexibility is key if you want to have the potential to save the most money. Don’t be apprehensive about trying something “different.” It’s very possible you’ll love a resort you’ve never stayed at previously. Plenty of people love the All-Star Movies before they try the Pop Century or love the Beach Club Resort until they try the Polynesian. The opposite is also true. Finally, don’t assume that one discount will save you the most money just because other people are using it or the wording sounds the best at the Disney website. There is no discount that is the best in every situation. Enter your vacation information into each of the promotions at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile and compare the prices.

If you have a specific question about a reservation, feel free to post your dates, resort, and party information and I will have a look at what would be the best in your situation.

{ 1 comment }

Disney World 2010 2011 Room Only Discount Promotion Explained

by josh on August 17, 2010

Promotional Title: Three Enchanting Experiences. Three Ways to Save. Save at least 25% at select Disney Resort Hotels.

Discount Type: Percent-Off Room Only

Who Can Book: Everyone

Book By: November 21, 2010

Stay Dates: October 3, 2010 to November 23, 2010; November 27, 2010 to December 25, 2010; January 1, 2011 to February 16, 2011

Dates Discount is Not Available: November 24, 2010 to November 26, 2010; December 26 to December 31, 2010

Other Restrictions: Suites at all resorts other than the All-Star Music are not included in this promotion. 3-Bedroom Villas are also excluded.

How to Book: Call (407) 939-7918 and ask for code AK9 or book online at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy11q1room&market=fy11q1room&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY11Q1RoomGetDetails

Offer: Save at least 25% at Disney Resort Hotels for stays on limited and select nights October through February. With special fall and winter room rates, your family can experience the vacation you need for less than you’d expect.

Explain This Promotion to Me….

Percent-Off promotions like this are Disney’s most common discount offered. The savings is tiered based on what level of resort you select – Value, Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa. The promotion is referred to as a “room only” discount because the savings is calculated on only the cost of the resort room. You may add Magic Your Way Park Tickets, the Disney Dining Plan, or other optional add-ons, but they won’t be discounted with this promotion and they are optional, unlike other promotions that might require you to purchase Park Tickets. Like all other discounts, this one is not combinable with any other discount, including AAA discounts, Free Dining Promotion, Gift Card promotion, or any other discounts or promotions.

This year, the savings is 25% off the rack rate at Value resorts and the Animal Kingdom Lodge, 30% off at the Moderate Resorts and Grand Floridian Resort, and 40% off the other Deluxe Resorts and Deluxe Resort Villas.

What is the Potential Savings?

This is a classic example of “the more you spend, the more you save.” For a Standard Room during Value Season at a Value resort, the cost per night is just $82. With a 25% savings, you’re only saving about $20 per night. On the other end of the spectrum, a Contemporary Resort Tower Room with a Magic Kingdom View is $655 on New Year’s. With 40% off, you would save $262 on just that one night. The savings depends on how much the resort room costs and will be greater as the cost of the room increases.

Is This The Best Deal Available? What’s the Catch With Each Promotion?

I have gone into a lot of detail in my explanation of the Gift Card promotion and Free Dining promotion and I won’t bore you with those details again. If you would like a full explanation comparing this promotion to the other two major promotions, please read this section in both of those posts.

{ 0 comments }

Disney World 2010 2011 Free Dining Promotion Analysis

by josh on August 16, 2010

Promotional Title: Three Enchanting Experiences. Three Ways to Save. FREE Dining Plan on Select Dates.

Discount Type: Free Add-on

Who Can Book: This discount is open to everyone

Book By: December 20, 2010

Stay Dates:

The travel dates in 2010 are:

October 1 to October 5
October 22 to October 28
November 12 to November 18
November 27 to December 2
December 10 to December 21, 2010

In 2011, the travel dates are:

January 1 to January 5
January 9 to January 13
January 21 to February 3
February 11 to February 17
February 25 to March 3
May 27 to June 2
August 19 to September 29

Dates Discount is Not Available: The promotion is only valid for stays that begin on a night that is included in the dates above. As long as the first night of your stay falls into one of the ranges, you will receive Free Dining for the entirety of your stay. For example, if your vacation is February 16 to February 25, you would receive Free Dining for each night of your trip. However, if your dates were February 18 to February 25, you would not receive Free Dining for any part of your stay because none of those dates are within the valid promotional ranges. If a resort has “sold out” or is unavailable, keep calling back and check online each morning for availability. Rooms may become available through cancellations or an increased room allotment. You can always switch your resort by calling Disney or your travel agent. Generally, the quickest Value to fill up is the Pop Century followed by the All-Star Movies. The quickest Moderate to sell-out is the Port Orleans French Quarter. The last Value to sell-out is generally All-Star Sports and the last Moderate with availability is usually the Caribbean Beach.

Other Restrictions: Suites at all resorts other than the All-Star Music are not included in this promotion.

How to Book: Call (407) 939-7918 and ask for code NL7 or book online at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy11dine&market=fy11dine&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY11DineGetDetails

Offer: Buy one of these Magic Your Way room and ticket packages and get a FREE dining plan. Staying in the middle of the magic is the best way to experience Walt Disney World Resort. Visit when the lines at the theme parks may be shorter and enjoy this great offer!

Explain This Promotion to Me….

Disney’s “Free Dining” promotion is fairly easy to understand. First, you cannot use this promotion with any other discount or savings, including a percentage-off room discount, AAA discount, Annual Passholder discount, or any other savings. You must pay full price for the room and the tickets. Second, you must book a minimum stay of three consecutive nights and a minimum of a two day Magic Your Way base ticket. Like last year, guests staying at a Value Resort receive one day of the Quick Service Dining Plan “for free” for each person on the reservation for each night of the stay (i.e. if you book a five night stay then you will receive five days of “free dining” for each person on the reservation). Guests staying at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa resort receive one day of the Disney Dining Plan “for free” for each person on the reservation for each night of the stay. The Dining Plan may be used starting the day you check-in and expires at midnight on the day you check-out of the resort. All credits must be either used or forfeited at that time.

For 2010 dates, guests staying at Value Resorts may upgrade their Quick Service Dining Plan to the “regular” Disney Dining Plan for $10 per night for adults and $2 per night for kids ages 3-9 for 2010. In addition, they may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $40 per night for adults and $12 for kids ages 3-9. Be aware that you must upgrade all guests staying in the same room. Guests staying at Moderates, Deluxes, or Deluxe Villas, may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $30 per night for adults and $10 per night for kids ages 3-9. These costs represent the normal cost to upgrade the plans. You may also upgrade your Magic Your Way base ticket to a Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More, or No Expiration for the normal upgrade cost as well.

For 2011 dates, the prices are slightly more expensive because the Disney Dining Plans will have increased in price. Guests staying at Value Resorts may upgrade their Quick Service Dining Plan to the “regular” Disney Dining Plan for $11 per night for adults and $0 (no additional charge) per night for kids ages 3-9. In addition, they may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $44 per night for adults and $10 for kids ages 3-9. Be aware that you must upgrade all guests staying in the same room. Guests staying at Moderates, Deluxes, or Deluxe Villas, may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $33 per night for adults and $10 per night for kids ages 3-9. These costs represent the normal cost to upgrade the plans. You may also upgrade your Magic Your Way base ticket to a Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More, or No Expiration for the normal upgrade cost as well.

What is the Potential Savings?

For 2010 dates, the savings is equal to the cost of adding the Dining Plan to a Magic Your Way vacation package. For guests staying at a Value Resort, the savings is $32 per night for adults and $10 per night for kids ages 3-9. For guests staying at Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, the savings is $42 per night for adults and $12 per night for kids ages 3-9. For a party consisting of two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old, the savings would be $106 ($32 + $32 + $32 + $10) per night at a Value Resort and $138 ($42 + $42 + $42 + $12) per night at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa.

For 2011 dates, the savings is equal to the cost of adding the Dining Plan to a Magic Your Way vacation package. For guests staying at a Value Resort, the savings is $35 per night for adults and $12 per night for kids ages 3-9. For guests staying at Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, the savings is $46 per night for adults and $12 per night for kids ages 3-9. For a party consisting of two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old, the savings would be $117 ($35 + $35 + $35 + $12) per night at a Value Resort and $150 ($46 + $46 + $46 + $12) per night at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa.

Is This The Best Deal Available?

Generally speaking, Free Dining is almost always the best discount for guests staying at a Value or Moderate resort, at least as far as total savings is concerned. Depending on your party size and resort choice, the 40% off code may be better at a Deluxe, but that isn’t always true either. For example, if you were staying at the Beach Club in a Standard room from January 11 through January 17, the normal cost per night for a Standard Room with Water View is $420 for January 11, 12, and 13 and $450 per night for January 14, 15, and 16. At 40% off, the cost would be $252 per night for the first three nights and $270 for the last three nights. This represents a savings of $168 per night on the first three nights and $180 per night on the last three nights. According to our calculations above for the Free Dining Promotion, the party of two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old would save $150 per night or the cost of adding the Regular Disney Dining Plan. I n this scenario, you would save an additional $18-$30 per night with the 40% off code. However, if your party consists of four Disney-adults, you would be saving $184 per night with the Free Dining Plan ($46 per person per night for the Disney Dining Plan multiplied by four adults). In that situation, Free Dining is the larger potential savings by $16 per night for the first three nights and $4 per night for the last three nights. The “better” savings depends on how much the room costs and how many people are on the reservation.

The more expensive the room, the bigger the potential savings will be with the percent-off discount. In almost all scenarios, Free Dining is the bigger savings when staying at a Value or Moderate Resort. Other than the evening of January 1^st, the most you could hope to save per night at a Value resort would be about $80, and that’s only if you’re staying in the All-Star Music Family Suite. Otherwise, 25% off the highest rate saves only about $40 per night per room. At the Moderates, the most you could hope to save with 30% off is about $75 per night per room and that’s only if you book the most expensive room with availability, the Pirate Themed Room at the Caribbean Beach Resort with a Water View. Considering two adults save $70 per night with the Free Quick Service Dining Plan ($35 * 2 adults) at the Values or $92 per night at the Moderates ($46 * 2), the Free Dining savings will almost always be greater.

The Gift Card offer may also be better, but it depends on when you’re going and what room category you select. Since the gift card requires a five night stay and doesn’t increase in value as you add more nights to your stay, you’re better off from a savings per night perspective to book exactly five nights. Every night after five means you’re saving less per night because the savings stretches over more nights. It’s much more likely that the Gift Card promotion will be a bigger savings at the Values or Moderates in a Standard or Preferred room during Value Season. For example, a Standard Room with Standard View at the Caribbean Beach Resort costs $154 per night. With the 30% savings code, you’re only saving $46 per night, or $230 over a five night vacation. You would receive a $300 Gift Card with the Gift Card promotion, which is $70 in additional savings. However, if your stay was seven nights, you would save $322 with the 30% off code and only the same $300 with the Gift Card promotion. Generally speaking, the lower the nightly rate, the more likely the Gift Card Promotion will be a bigger savings, provided you are only staying the five night minimum. Any additional nights makes the Percent-Off promotion more and more likely to be advantageous over the Gift Card promotion. Of course, if your stay begins on a day when the Free Dining promotion is valid, you’re probably saving more with Free Dining over either of the other two promotions at the Values and Moderates.

You also have to take into consideration whether you want the Dining Plan or a Disney Gift Card over a cash savings. While you might be able to “save” more money with Free Dining, if you aren’t going to take advantage of the Dining Plan, you might not really be “saving” the entire cost of the plan. If the savings is similar for both Free Dining and the percent-off room code, you will have to decide if you want the Dining Plan or would rather save the cash and pay for food out of pocket. The same is true for the Gift Card promotion. While it’s likely you’ll find a way to spend that $200-$500 during your vacation, if you also pay for the Disney Dining Plan, you might not use the whole amount. You’re then left with a Disney gift card that’s only good on Disney merchandise at the Disney Store or you’ll have to wait for your next trip.

This Sounds Like A Great Deal, What’s The Catch?

There’s no catch, per se, but there are some caveats that go along with the Free Dining Promotion. First, Free Dining drastically increases the amount of reservations people make at the table service restaurants. This makes it virtually impossible to walk up to one of the top restaurants and get a table without a reservation at popular dinner times. You will need to make your dinner reservations as quickly as possible and ideally right now. If you’re having trouble finding places to eat for dinner, consider making a reservation for lunch. Many of the restaurants offer similar menus for both lunch and dinner, including:

Animal Kingdom: Yak & Yeti

Downtown Disney: Cap’N Jack’s (not recommended), Planet Hollywood, Wolfgang Puck Grand Café

Epcot: Le Cellier, Nine Dragons, Teppan Edo, Tokyo Dining, Via Napoli

Hollywood Studios: Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, Sci-Fi Diner

Magic Kingdom: Plaza Restaurant (although not a good “value” due to low prices)

You can click any of those highlighted links for my full reviews.

You might also consider exiting the Park to a nearby resort for a meal. The Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary resorts are easily reached via monorail from the Magic Kingdom. The Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk are only a five to ten minute walk from the International Gateway exit at Epcot or a short boat ride away from the Hollywood Studios entrance. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is only about five minutes away from the Animal Kingdom by bus as well. Resort restaurants are generally easier to reserve than Park restaurants, so give them a look if you can’t find anything. It will result in a loss of Park time, but it may also be a nice break from the crowds and an opportunity to see some of the beautiful resorts on Disney property.

Third, some visitors return from Free Dining swearing that the food, service, and menu change for the worse during Free Dining in order to cut costs. While it’s been shown that menus don’t change much specifically for Free Dining, it’s always possible that your server will be busier than usual and service will suffer because of it. Most problems guests run into with service aren’t the fault of the people you see, but rather the management that has spread the staff too thin. In general, the quality of food isn’t lowered either, but the increased pressure on the kitchen may erode quality a bit, especially as staff is pressured to get visitors in and out of the restaurant as quickly as possible.

Fourth, the months of August and September are known as “hurricane season” in Florida. Although Orlando is inland and doesn’t usually get hit hard by hurricanes, it’s always possible that one will disrupt your travel plans. You may want to consider adding insurance, either through Disney or a trusted third-party to protect yourself from airline cancellations or other problems. Even if there isn’t a hurricane, the weather in Florida in August and September is described by many as miserable. Humidity is routinely in the triple digits, highs are in the low 90′s, there are thunderstorms most afternoons, and the temperature is rarely under 70 degrees. On the plus side, crowds are usually lower in September because kids are back in school and the later you get into September the cooler the weather will be. Remember, as long as the first night of your vacation is October 2^nd or earlier, you will receive Free Dining for your entire stay, even if your dates are past the official end of the promotion. For example, if you booked a seven night stay starting October 1^st, then you would receive Free Dining for each night of your stay even though the promotion ends October 2md. You just need to check-in by the last day of the promotion.

Conclusion

The Free Dining promotion is probably Disney’s most popular annual discount. Visitors can save a tremendous amount of money, especially with a room full of four or five people. A family of four Disney-adults would represent a savings of about $184 per night at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort, or $920 over a five night trip. If you’re staying at a Value or Moderate , it is probably the “best” discount, as long as you plan to take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan and use all of the credits. Using the Disney Dining Plan, especially during the Free Dining promotion, means you will need to religiously plan your vacation down to the specific time you will be eating at a specific restaurant each day. There is very little room to “wing it” because of the demand for table-service reservations from everyone else who has Free Dining. Finally, don’t assume that the Free Dining Promotion will save your group more money. Enter your vacation information into each of the promotions at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile and compare the prices.

If you have a specific question about a reservation, feel free to post it in the comments and I will take a look at it.

{ 8 comments }

Three New Disney World Promotions for 2010 and 2011 Released

by josh on August 16, 2010

Disney announced three new promotions this morning. The first offer is a percent-off “room only” discount for October 3, 2010 – November 23, 2010; November 27, 2010 to December 25, 2010; and January 1, 2011 to February 16, 2011. The discount is 25% off the per night rack rate price at Disney World Value resorts, 30% off at Disney World Moderate Resorts, 25% to 40% at Disney World Deluxe Resorts, and 40% off Disney World Villa resorts. Rack rate calendars are available here. You may also add the Dining Plan or Magic Your Way tickets to this offer and make it into a package. The term “room only” is used because the discount is only off the cost of the room, not the whole package.

The second offer is for the Free Disney World Dining Plan when a Magic Your Way Package is purchased that includes a stay at a Disney-owned resort and Magic Your Way ticket purchase.

The travel dates in 2010 are:

October 1 to October 5
October 22 to October 28
November 12 to November 18
November 27 to December 2
December 10 to December 21, 2010

In 2011, the travel dates are:

January 1 to January 5
January 9 to January 13
January 21 to February 3
February 11 to February 17
February 25 to March 3
May 27 to June 2
August 19 to September 29

Guests staying at Disney Value resorts receive the Quick Service Dining Plan free. Guests staying at Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villa resorts receive the Regular Disney Dining Plan free. You may upgrade either plan for the difference in cost. For example, if you’re staying at a Value resort, you may upgrade to the Disney Dining Plan for $11 per person per night (the difference between $35 for the Quick Service and $46 for the Regular Plan) or to the Deluxe Dining Plan for $44 per person per night (the difference between $35 for the Quick Service and $79 for the Deluxe). Those prices are for 2011 dates. In 2010, the cost to upgrade would be $10 for the Regular Disney Dining Plan and $40 for the Deluxe Dining Plan. To receive Free Dining, you must book at least a three night stay and purchase a two day Magic Your Way Base Ticket for each person on the reservation. As long as the first night of your stay falls into one of the dates above, you will receive Free Dining for the length of your stay. For example, if you’re visiting from June 1st through June 10th, you will receive Free Dining for your entire stay because the first night is within the valid promotional dates. However, if your dates were June 3rd through June 10th, you would not receive Free Dining because your stay doesn’t begin on a date when the promotion is valid.

The third offer is for a Disney Gift Card valued up to $500 when you stay a minimum of five nights and purchase at least a two day Magic Your Way Base Ticket for each person on the reservation. The gift card amount depends on your resort level. A stay at a Value resort will result in a $200 Disney Gift Card, a stay at a Moderate will result in a $300 gift card, and a stay at a Deluxe or Deluxe Villa will result in a $500 Disney Gift Card. Disney Gift Cards can be used like a credit card within Disney World. They are valid on everything from merchandise, to ice cream treats, to waiter tips, to counter service meals, and everything in between.

All three promotions can be booked online now or you can call (407) 939-7926 and ask about each promotion. It’s easy to price out your dates with all three promotions by visiting http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy11q1card&market=fy11q1card&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY11Q1CardGetDetails, clicking “check availability” and inputting your dates and party information. As always, you cannot apply more than one discount to your reservation. For example, if you book Free Dining, you won’t be able to get the gift card as well.

I will be back later this morning with a full explanation of each offer.

{ 1 comment }

Disney World Summer Time Savings 40% Off Promotion Discount

by josh on June 14, 2010

Updated June 14, 2010

Promotional Title: Summertime Savings of up to 40% at Select Disney Resort Hotels

Discount Type: Percent-off room-only rate

Who Can Book: This discount is open to everyone

Book By: October 2, 2010

Stay Dates: August 15, 2010 to October 2, 2010

Dates Discount is Not Available None, but there are a limited number of rooms available at each resort that will qualify for this promotion. If a resort has “sold out” or is unavailable, keep calling back and check online each morning for availability. Rooms may become available through cancellations or an increased room allotment. You can always switch your resort by calling Disney or your travel agent, so you may want to book your second or third choice and try to switch to your first choice if and when it becomes available.

Other Restrictions: Most suites are unavailable with this discount and there is a limited selection of Club Level Concierge rooms. Unlike the Free Dining promotion, this discount only applies for the “Stay Dates” listed above, whether or not you check-in on or before October 2^nd. For example, if you check-in on September 29^th for a seven night stay, you will receive the discounted rate for September 30^th, October 1^st, and October 2^nd, but not for the rest of your stay.

How to Book: Call (407) 939-7918 and ask for code ID6 or book online at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3summerroom&market=fy10q3summerroom&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY10Q3SummerRoomGetDetails

Offer: Now you can save up to 40% at select Disney Resort hotels through October 2, 2010. From August 15^th to October 2^nd, save 30% off the room rate at select Value and Moderate Resorts and 40% off the room rate at select Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts.

Explain This Promotion to Me….

This is a “room only” discount with tiered savings of 30%-40% off the cost of the room, depending on your chosen resort class. The savings is off the full price of the resort room, which is known as the “rack rate.” This is the full cost of the room. To qualify for this promotion, you can’t use any other discounts, including AAA, Florida Resident, Annual Passholder, Free Dining, or any other discount. You may add Magic Your Way theme park tickets with any optional add-ons like Park Hopper or No Expiration and a Disney Dining Plan to this package at the standard rates.

What is the Potential Savings?

It depends on your chosen resort. I have prepared the chart below showing the regular rack rate, the reduced rate with this promotion, and the savings for each resort for dates between August 15th and September 30^th. The rates go up a bit for October 1^st and 2^ndbecause the season changes from Value to Regular. These are also weekday rates. The pre-discounted rate may go up $10 per night for weekend stays.

Disney Summertime Savings Value Resort Chart

Disney Summertime Savings Deluxe Resort Chart

Disney Summertime Savings Deluxe Villa Resort Chart

Is This The Best Deal Available?

This is where it can get tricky. There are three major promotions available during this time period – Free Dining, this offer, and the Kids Stay and Play Free offer. Luckily, it’s easy to price out your vacation with each of the offers by visiting http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile, clicking “get details,” clicking “check availability,” and then inputting your party size, resort choice, etc. You can open separate browser windows and check each offer in a different window as well.

As you can see from the chart, the greatest savings are found on Deluxe and Deluxe Villa stays. The savings on Value and Moderate resorts are more nominal. To figure out if this discount is better than the popular “Free Dining” promotion, simply calculate how much you would save per night with Free Dining and compare that with the savings per night from the chart. For example, at a Value resort, the savings per night is $32 per adult and $10 per child age 3-9. If you have two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old in your party, then your savings would be $106 per night ($32 * 2 adults, plus $32 for the 12-year old, plus $10 for the 7-year old). At a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa, the savings per night would be $42 per adult and $12 per child age 3-9. With the group above that would equate to a savings of $138 per night. For the Summer Time Savings to be a “better deal” than the Free Dining promotion, you would need to save more per night than the cost of adding the Dining Plan.

Also take into consideration whether you want the Disney Dining Plan or are willing to make the sacrifices to “maximize it.” Just because you would “save” $130 per night with Free Dining and only $110 per night with the 40% off discount, doesn’t necessarily make Free Dining a slam-dunk deal. If you aren’t interested in the Dining Plan or would spend less money paying for food out of pocket, then the $110 per night cash discount with the Summer Time Savings may be a better discount for you, even though the Free Dining promotion is theoretically more cost-advantageous.

This Sounds Like A Great Deal, What’s The Catch?

Second, the dates this promotion are valid are the same as the popular Free Dining promotion. Free Dining makes it virtually impossible to walk in to any sit-down restaurant at Disney World and get a table without a reservation. This means you will have to book all of your sit-down meals in advance, whether you add the Dinging Plan or not. You will want to book reservations as soon as possible and chances are many of the most popular restaurants are already virtually booked for the entire promotion for dinner. You may also run into some of the other problems visitors report after returning from Free Dining, including lower quality food, rushed service, and menu changes. You won’t receive better service or food simply because you’ve paid for the Dining Plan or are paying out of pocket.

Conclusion

The Summer Time Savings promotion can save visitors a lot of money. The discount is particularly outstanding for guests staying at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts. A party of two staying at the Contemporary Resort in a Tower Magic Kingdom View room for six nights would save about $1,056 off Value season rack rates, which are already the lowest Disney offers. For visitors staying at a Value or Moderate, the savings aren’t as substantial, and most people would be better off booking the Free Dining promotion if they expect to eat their meals on Disney property. Be sure to price out your vacation with each of the three major promotions by visiting this link http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile and entering your dates, resort, ticket preference, etc. If you can stand the heat and don’t mind eating Quick Service meals or dealing with huge crowds at the sit-down restaurants, then this promotion may be the best of the year for visitors staying at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts.

{ 0 comments }

Disney World Free Dining 2010 Promotion Savings Coupon

by josh on May 4, 2010

Promotional Title: A Delicious Deal: FREE Disney Dining!

Discount Type: Free Add-on

Who Can Book: This discount is open to everyone

Book By: August 14th, 2010

Stay Dates: August 15, 2010 to October 7, 2010; October 22 to October 28, 2010; November 12 to 18, 2010; November 27 to December 2, 2010; December 10 to 21, 2010

Dates Discount is Not Available None, but there are a limited number of rooms available at each resort that will qualify for this promotion. If a resort has “sold out” or is unavailable, keep calling back and check online each morning for availability. Rooms may become available through cancellations or an increased room allotment. You can always switch your resort by calling Disney or your travel agent. Generally, the quickest Value to fill up is the Pop Century followed by the All-Star Movies. The quickest Moderate to sell-out is the Port Orleans French Quarter. The last Value to sell-out is generally All-Star Sports and the last Moderate with availability is usually the Caribbean Beach.

Other Restrictions: Suites at all resorts other than the All-Star Music are not included in this promotion.

How to Book: Call (407) 939-7918 and ask for code TF5 or book online at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q4dine&market=fy10q4dine&int_CMP=ILP-WDW_ChoicePage_FY10Q3FreeDineGetDetails

Offer: Buy a 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way package that includes a room at a select Disney Resort hotel and theme park tickets and get a FREE dining plan for stays most nights August 15 through October 2, 2010. Receive the Disney Dining Plan for free with a reservation at a Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resort or receive the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan for free with a reservation at a Disney Value Resort.

Explain This Promotion to Me….

Disney’s “Free Dining” promotion is fairly easy to understand. First, you cannot use this promotion with any other discount or savings, including a percentage-off room discount, AAA discount, Annual Passholder discount, or any other savings. You must pay full price for the room and the tickets. Second, you must book a minimum stay of three consecutive nights and a minimum of a two day Magic Your Way base ticket. Like last year, guests staying at a Value Resort receive one day of the Quick Service Dining Plan “for free” for each person in the room for each night of the stay (i.e. if you book a five night stay then you will receive five days of “free dining” for each person on the reservation). Guests staying at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa resort receive one day of the Disney Dining Plan “for free” for each person in the room for each night of the stay. The Dining Plan may be used starting the day you check-in and expires at midnight on the day you check-out of the resort. All credits must be either used or forfeited at that time.

Guests staying at Value Resorts may upgrade their Quick Service Dining Plan to the “regular” Disney Dining Plan for $10 per night for adults and $2 per night for kids ages 3-9. In addition, they may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $40 per night for adults and $12 for kids ages 3-9. Be aware that you must upgrade all guests staying in the same room. Guests staying at Moderates, Deluxes, or Deluxe Villas, may upgrade to the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan for $30 per night for adults and $10 per night for kids ages 3-9. These costs represent the normal cost to upgrade the plans. You may also upgrade your Magic Your Way base ticket to a Park Hopper or Water Park Fun & More, or No Expiration for the normal upgrade cost as well.

What is the Potential Savings?

The savings is equal to the cost of adding the Dining Plan to a Magic Your Way vacation package. For guests staying at a Value Resort, the savings is $32 per night for adults and $10 per night for kids ages 3-9. For guests staying at Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts, the savings is $42 per night for adults and $12 per night for kids ages 3-9. For a party consisting of two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old, the savings would be $106 ($32 + $32 + $32 + $10) per night at a Value Resort and $138 ($42 + $42 + $42 + $12) per night at a Moderate, Deluxe, or Deluxe Villa.

Is This The Best Deal Available?

This is where it can get tricky. There are three major promotions available during this time period – Free Dining, the Percent-off Room Rate, and the Kids Stay and Play Free offer. Luckily, it’s easy to price out your vacation with each of the offers by visiting http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile, clicking “get details,” clicking “check availability,” and then inputting your party size, resort choice, etc. You can open separate browser windows and check each offer in a different window as well.

Generally speaking, Free Dining is almost always the best discount for guests staying at a Value or Moderate resort, at least as far as total savings is concerned. Depending on your party size and resort choice, the 40% off code may be better at a Deluxe, but that isn’t always true either. For example, if you were staying at the Beach Club in a Standard room then the normal cost per night is $340. At 40% off, the cost would be $204 per night, or a savings of $136 per night. According to our calculations above, the party of two adults, one 12-year old, and one 7-year old would save $138, which is $2 more per night. While this is almost too close to care about, other Deluxe resorts are an even bigger savings with the 40% off code. Let’s say you booked a Magic Kingdom View room at the Polynesian Resort, which has a cost per night of $510. With the 40% off code you would pay “only” $306 per night, which is a savings of $204 per night. This is a significant additional savings compared to the $138 saved with Free Dining. You also have to take into consideration whether you want the Dining Plan. While you might be able to “save” more money with Free Dining, if you aren’t going to take advantage of the Dining Plan then you might not really be “saving” the entire cost of the plan. If the savings is similar for both Free Dining and the percent-off room code then you will have to decide if you want the Dining Plan or would rather save the cash and pay for food out of pocket.

This Sounds Like A Great Deal, What’s The Catch?

There’s no catch per se, but there are some detractions. First, the time period that this discount is available is known as “hurricane season” in Florida. Although Orlando is inland and doesn’t usually get hit hard by hurricanes, it’s always possible that one will disrupt your travel plans. You may want to consider adding insurance, either through Disney or a trusted third-party to protect yourself from airline cancellations or other problems. Even if there isn’t a hurricane, the weather in Florida in August and September is described by many as miserable. Humidity is routinely in the triple digits, highs are in the low 90′s, there are thunderstorms most afternoons, and the temperature is rarely under 70 degrees. On the plus side, crowds are usually lower in September because kids are back in school and the later you get into September the cooler the weather will be. Remember, as long as the first night of your vacation is October 2^nd or earlier, you will receive Free Dining for your entire stay, even if your dates are past the official end of the promotion. For example, if you booked a seven night stay starting October 1^st, then you would receive Free Dining for each night of your stay even though the promotion ends October 2md. You just need to check-in by the last day of the promotion.

Second, Free Dining makes it virtually impossible to walk in to any sit-down restaurant at Disney World and get a table. This means you will have to book all of your sit-down meals in advance and virtually plan your vacation around where you will be eating each day. You will want to book reservations as soon as possible and chances are many of the most popular restaurants are already virtually booked at convenient dinner times for the entire promotion. If you’re having trouble finding places to eat for dinner, consider making a reservation for lunch. Many of the restaurants offer similar menus for both lunch and dinner, including:

Animal Kingdom: Yak & Yeti

Downtown Disney: Cap’N Jack’s (not recommended), Planet Hollywood, Wolfgang Puck Grand Café

Epcot: Le Cellier, Nine Dragons, Teppan Edo, Tokyo Dining

Hollywood Studios: Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, Sci-Fi Diner

Magic Kingdom: Plaza Restaurant (although not a good “value” due to low prices)

You can click any of those highlighted links for my full reviews.

Even though the menus may not be the same at other restaurants for lunch and dinner, there are still plenty of tasty items at the recommended restaurants for lunch. Lunch at a recommended restaurant will also beat an “expensive” dinner at the worst restaurants at Disney so don’t be fooled into thinking the most expensive restaurants are also the best. Be flexible and you should be able to get many great reservations, even if it means eating dinner at 3:40pm or 8:30pm. You might also consider exiting the Park to a nearby resort for a meal. The Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary resorts are easily reached via monorail from the Magic Kingdom. The Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Boardwalk are only a five to ten minute walk from the International Gateway exit at Epcot or a short boat ride away from the Hollywood Studios entrance. The Animal Kingdom Lodge is only about five minutes away from the Animal Kingdom by bus as well. Resort restaurants are generally easier to reserve than Park restaurants, so give them a look if you can’t find anything. It will result in a loss of Park time, but it may also be a nice break from the hot sun and an opportunity to see some of the beautiful resorts on Disney property.

Conclusion

The Free Dining promotion is probably Disney’s most popular annual discount. Visitors can save a tremendous amount of money, especially with a room full of four or five people. A family of four Disney-adults would represent a savings of about $168 per night, or $840 over a five night trip. If you’re staying at a Value or Moderate then it is probably the “best” discount, as long as you plan to take advantage of the Disney Dining Plan and use the credits. Using the Disney Dining Plan, especially during the Free Dining promotion, means you will need to religiously plan your vacation down to the specific time you will be eating at a specific restaurant each day. There is very little room to “wing it” because of the demand for table-service reservations from everyone else who has Free Dining. Finally, don’t assume that the Free Dining Promotion will save your group more money. Enter your vacation information into each of the promotions at http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/specialOfferDetails?name=Promo&promotionCode=fy10q3offerchoice&market=fy10q3offerchoice&int_CMP=WDW_Homepage_FY10Q3ChoiceGenericOfferTile and compare the prices.

Have fun and good luck.

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries

Official Disney Vacation, Resort, and Dining Promotions and Savings

Categories