Earlier this week, Disney announced a unique promotion for guests staying at a value resort during the summer months.  Guests staying at a value resort, based on availability, to get a free quick service meal per person per night of their stay (for stays May 29-June 30, 2016 and July 5-August 13, 2016.

On the surface, this does not seem like a great promotion.  A free quick service….so what.  It’s a not a room discount or even free dining.  Note: Keep in mind, this is NOT a free dining promotion.  It is just ONE free quick service meal.  All other snacks and meals must be paid for via room charge, Disney Dining Plan, cash or credit card.  But, let’s take a closer look at the deal and see how it measures up.

Let’s see what an average quick service meal will run per person and use the Boulangerie Patisserie in France Pavilion of EPCOT as an example.

Jambon Beurre – $7.50

Mousse au Chocolate (for dessert) – $4.50

A soda to drink – $3.50

Total – $15.50 per adult

Kids ages 3-9 must order of the kids menu to claim credit for the free meal:

Boulangerie Patisserie does not have a kids menu but an average quick service kids meal will cost about half of an adult meal.  So, we will call the kids meal $7.25 per child.

For one night, a family of four (two adults, two kids) will be able to roughly, on average, save $45.50 per night of their stay.  Another requirement to be eligible for the discount is a minimum four (4) night stay.

$45.50 x 4 nights = $182

$45.50 x 5 nights = $227.50

$45.50 x 6 nights = $273

As you can see, the savings can pile up.  Let’s compare it to a current discount and see how it stacks up.

Right now, there is a room-only discount during the spring for select nights in March, April, May, and June.  The discount is 15% off in March and April and 20% in May and June.  Taking a look at May and June makes better sense since it lines up better with the free Quick Service promotion.

A standard room at Pop Century during May/June room-only discount is $143 per night before the discount and $114.40 per night after the discount.  That’s $28.60 per night of the stay.  Our average “guess” of the free quick service meal is $45.50/night for four hypothetical family of four.  Right away, for a standard room, our family would come out ahead.

For a preferred view, the savings goes to $31.60 per night.  For a preferred pool view, the savings is $33.20 per night.

Under all these scenarios, the Free Quick Service Meal Promotion comes out ahead in a head-to-head battle with a room-only discount.

For a couple looking to get away for a few days, it’s a closer call.  The Quick Service Meal Promotion gives a savings of $31/night.  They would come out head on just a standard room but the room-only discount for a preferred or pool-view room gives a slightly better deal.

If there was a 20% room discount later in the summer, the Free Quick Service Meal Promotion still would come out ahead because the standard room rates in August are still $143 at Pop Century.  So the room-only discounted amount would be the same.  The discounted rates at the All-Star family of resorts is similar to the Pop Century discounts.  So, the Free Quick Service Meal Promotion for our hypothetical family of four is the better deal when compared to current room-only discounts.

The room-only discount percentage would need to be 32% (higher than the current discount rate for deluxe resorts) to become a better deal than the newly announced promotion.

To book this new Free Quick Service Meal Promotion, contact me at dadfordisney@gmail.com for a no-obligation fee-free quote today!

If you are travel plans are outside the promotion dates or take you to a Disney destination other than Walt Disney World, look no further than Fairytale Journeys by Tim Brooks.  I can help you plan your future Disney vacation.  Again, contact me at dadfordisney@gmail.com for a no-obligation fee-free quote.

Thanks for reading!