Checking Every Day?

My trip is in 25 days. Even with things not 100%, I would buy it immediately if it was available for my trip.

Free dining is the usual UK offer but for next year they offered us a credit instead - at a moderate for 2 weeks it’s $854, nothing like what value we’d get from free dining. Same amount whether we have 2 or 3 in the room, I didn’t check for other party sizes but I don’t think it changes - the max is $900+ at deluxes. I’m assuming from this that dining plans won’t be back, at least not till after next year.

No desire for dining plan at this time, for family trips anyway. My kids are Disney adults but often barely eat like littles. They are getting better with time, but I still don’t want to pay adult dining plan prices for them.

Solo or couples? might be worth it. But then again I’ve enjoyed eating what I want to eat and not forcing myself into a mold of certain dining experiences or even specific items within those experiences.

Is UK free dining like USA free dining, in that you pay rack rate for the room in order to get the “free” dining? In our case you really have to math it out (and it matters tremendously how many people - adults especially - are in your room!) to see if you’re getting a deal or getting raked (usually the latter)

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We don’t usually get room discounts.

So for you it’s always going to be a deal, then.
Interesting.

For the few weeks when they don’t offer free dining, they often have 2 nights free which I suppose might be a better deal if you’re staying deluxe. I’ve been looking at CSR for next summer and it works out at about £240 a night, 2 nights free there wouldn’t pay for a lot of food.

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Yes I think this is where I’d be personally,

I was just longingly browsing the restaurants’ pages this morning and saw the reference to Dining Plans, and it struck me: nobody seems to be pining for them. :thinking:

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I’m surprised that this page even still exists as it makes me long for the days of yore with talk of parades and dessert parties. But with Len giving it almost 100% certainty, I’m now waiting with bated breath…

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party/

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It’s not worth the cost for my family. We just don’t eat the amount needed to break even. And the fact that pre teens pay like adults doesn’t help.

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Fireworks & Dessert parties are a rip off too (Tomorrowland Terrace). I wont’ ever do one again but I know some ppl are waiting for them. Why are they a rip off… well only a certain number of ppl get to sit near the edge where you can actually see the fireworks and those seated in the back have to pay the same price to receive zero visibility, plus the desserts are poor… just not magical at all.

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Today is the first day since early 2020 that all Disney Parks around the world are open. DLP is doing an AP preview today.

Also, at WDW plexi dividers have been removed from the monorails, buses are loading every seat and allowing people to stand, and the Jungle cruise also removed dividers and is seating people even in the middle now.

I’ll be interested to see if the plexi gone from other rides today like FEA.

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I have been watching videos all morning!! I love all the characters!

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Ya, I agree and definitely am not checking for these. I was just a little surprised that they still have pages up for stuff that isn’t happening.

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Just one fool’s guess, but I think in the next 72-96 hours we are going to see a whole bunch of activity, news and re-openings announced. Some announced with great fanfare, others just quietly happening.

Dining Plans are going to come back. They are a good money maker for WDW. Anytime you can get people to prepay for something they might not actually completely use, it is a benefit to the seller. Instability in the labor pool and the market prices of food & beverage is the limitation right now. WDW cannot set the price for a dining plan till they are sure of their costs and can fully staff all restaurants to meet the demand.

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Agree

I still don’t think today’s mask change “go live” was arbitrarily chosen. I have been waiting with bated breath.

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Thanks for the review. I was debating whether or not to add it to my last trip. Based on the many YouTube videos I watched, I had the same impression you described (poor visibility, poor quality) but wasn’t sure.

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The ones in the plaza gardens get better reviews than the terrace ones.

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Ah! Good to know

The biggest benefit of the Minnie Vans for my family was the guarantee of two car seats. The driver also did a great job (both quickly and safely) of installing them. The car seats were Graco convertible seats as well, which could be used rear facing to a booster seat.

It made it very convenient for us to visit another resort for dining.

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