What a better deal?

[mommykds]

AP rate for moderate at value season for 9 days , cost of AP for 2 adults & 3 kids , cost of DDE ($50) & food (approx $1000)

OR

The new free dining, paying rack at moderate ($149 w/ tax for 9 nights) , & 7 day park hoppers for 2 adults & 3 kids?

I am sitting here adding up what I think would be better but I am confused . I haven't gotten my AP yet & since budgeting is priority i am looking for the less expensicve route. The free dining seems to look cheaper than getting an AP..anyone decide to do the free dining instead of getting an AP?

 

[threeboysmom]

Well, the dining plan alone is $100/day for your family x 8 nights = a savings of $800!! Would you save that much using an AP for a room discount? I don't think so, but I could be wrong... I would think that the dining plan would be a bigger savings. What was your AP rate at the moderate vs. the $149 rack rate?

 

[lmhall2000]

Somehow the savings don't work out to be $800...because the dining per child per day is only $10...but here's what it breaks down for us...

5 in our family...2 adults...3 children ages 6,7,10

cost for Poly using AP discount for 7 nights was $1780 something....
Park hopper tickets for 4 in my family worked out to be around $900 with me paying for AP pass $420 for it...(I couldn't bring myself to buy a kids AP and try and book it..but if you do you might save an extra $75 or so)

So that total comes to $3100 without food or the DDE card...

I just booked 7 nights at Poly with plus park tickets and free dining for
$3750...that's including taxes...I know we'd spend more than $600 on food/gratuities...so it's probably a better deal to do the package deal...more on the side of convenience of having not to buy the AP (which we'd never use again in a year) not buying the DDE, and having it all in one bundle...

Hope this helps!!!
Tara

 

[mommykds]

Hi Kimberly,

the Ap for POR is $89 per night. My original price was $1344, after with AP it's 893 all with tax. That's $451 savings. We'd also get the DDE card for $50 but it gets you 20% off all food. I guesses $100 per day for food with 20% off that's $180 saved on food. We are planning on going aug 2006 too so I thought the Ap was better to save $ instead of buying two 7 day hoppers?

 

[threeboysmom]

I do come up with $100/day for 2 adults ($35 x 2) + 3 children ($10 x 3) = $100. Am I doing something wrong? Unless your children are under 3 and are free??

 

[Conkozan]

This was a note from an agent I received:

If a family is going deluxe and going to spend MORE than $70 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

If a family is going mod and going to spend MORE than $45 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

If a family is going value and going to spend MORE than $15 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

Definitely a better value in the mod and value categories.

 

[HaleyB]

the Ap for POR is $89 per night. My original price was $1344, after with AP it's 893 all with tax. That's $451 savings. We'd also get the DDE card for $50 but it gets you 20% off all food. I guesses $100 per day for food with 20% off that's $180 saved on food. We are planning on going aug 2006 too so I thought the Ap was better to save $ instead of buying two 7 day hoppers?

OK so
Ap= 893+50+710 (80x9days)=$1653 with food

or $1344 with free food (and more of it)

You save $309

If you already have an AP you need to factor that in (if it is activated) or save it for next trip if not.

Either way it looks to me like you save money, based on the way you would have spent on food. This is a better way to look at it than the price of the free dining plan because it is based on what you would have spent IRL on food so is real savings. The bonus is you will get to try more TS meals (I doubt you thought you could feed a family of 5 at a TS place for $100, if you did your food budget was low and you are saving even more)

 

[HaleyB]

If you want to know the value of the DDP for your family it is $125 a night. You have a 10 year old, so 3 people at $35 and two 3-9 year olds at $10 each a night.

 

[mommykds]

OK so
Ap= 893+50+710 (80x9days)=$1653 with food

or $1344 with free food (and more of it)

You save $309

If you already have an AP you need to factor that in (if it is activated) or save it for next trip if not.

Either way it looks to me like you save money, based on the way you would have spent on food. This is a better way to look at it than the price of the free dining plan because it is based on what you would have spent IRL on food so is real savings. The bonus is you will get to try more TS meals (I doubt you thought you could feed a family of 5 at a TS place for $100, if you did your food budget was low and you are saving even more)

Thanks!
I do not have an AP yet. I'd like to try more TS places too...

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

I do come up with $100/day for 2 adults ($35 x 2) + 3 children ($10 x 3) = $100. Am I doing something wrong? Unless your children are under 3 and are free??

Ages 10+ pay $35 per night....

 

[mommykds]

This was a note from an agent I received:

If a family is going deluxe and going to spend MORE than $70 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

If a family is going mod and going to spend MORE than $45 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

If a family is going value and going to spend MORE than $15 a day on food the free dining is cheaper in the big picture than the AP.

Definitely a better value in the mod and value categories.

Wow! I am at POR so sounds like a good deal..thanks for everyones responses so far.

 

[mommykds]

Ok I am booked on the free dining package! Thanks!

 

[headoflife]

Just an FYI, I believe you can upgrade your MYW passes to an AP at Guest relations and recieve credit for the amount you paod for the passes. Then you could use them for your next trip in 2006.

 

[HaleyB]

Just an FYI, I believe you can upgrade your MYW passes to an AP at Guest relations and recieve credit for the amount you paod for the passes. Then you could use them for your next trip in 2006.

That is brilliant. Too bad there is no way I will get DH to go for it... but Brilliant. Wait. If I had the MYW no expire, use half on the next trip then go back in a year could I still upgrade it or do they backdate them to date of first use?

I think they backdate them. Oh well. I need to get off these boards I have already saved us into the poorhouse with the extra/unplanned trip in October.