Free Eating will quickly be accessible to e book for summer time and early fall 2024 at Walt Disney World. For this low cost, that you must select one of the best lodge to maximise your worth and total expertise. This put up covers one of the best resorts for Free Eating, each from high quality and value-maximization views. (Up to date January 2, 2024.)
Free Eating is Walt Disney World’s hottest promotion of the 12 months, and for good cause. Whereas we frequently warning visitors to do the maths as a result of Free Eating is NOT all the time one of the best low cost (there’s no such factor as a free lunch!), it could actually save households some huge cash. It’s because it’s important to pay full worth in your lodge room and buy a non-discounted park ticket. This implies you forfeit a possible room solely low cost and you’ll’t buy low cost Walt Disney World tickets.
Due to that, many visitors fail to understand {that a} room-only low cost at a dearer lodge is likely to be a greater low cost for them. For instance, a few mild eaters staying on the Grand Floridian are unquestionably a lot better off with a room-only low cost than they’re with Free Eating. It’s all the time necessary to crunch the numbers and never simply be lured in by the advertising energy of “free.” It isn’t really free!
That can assist you leverage the low cost that Free Eating will supply, we’ve give you this record of one of the best lodge choices for maximizing the worth of the Free Eating promotion. Observe that Average Resorts solely obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan, so that you would possibly need to improve to a Deluxe (or improve your Eating Plan at decrease tier resorts) if you’d like the complete Disney Eating Plan. Moreover, a number of resorts are more likely to have very restricted availability, so that they aren’t really helpful right here.
Let’s check out our high picks!
All All Star Resorts
The entire ballgame right here is reserving the most affordable resort and room in every class. That’s actually it. The extra you spend in your resort, the extra doubtless you might be to be higher off with a room-only low cost, as that gives a percentage-off financial savings in your lodging. In contrast, Free Eating has a flat worth that solely varies based mostly on occasion measurement and resort tier (Worth/Average vs. Deluxe/Villas).
As such, Free Eating outperforms if you decrease the rack charge of your lodging. And there’s no higher means to try this than by reserving the All Star Resorts! Many longtime Walt Disney World followers will flip their noses up on the All Stars, and I’m right here to let you know that they’re very unsuitable. Now I do know an opinion can’t technically be unsuitable, however lots of them are working based mostly on outdated views.
For these on a decent finances who’re apprehensive about “settling” for the discount basement resorts at Walt Disney World, worry not. To place your thoughts comfortable, try: Are Walt Disney World’s Least expensive Accommodations Truly Good?! Spoiler alert: the reply to that’s an emphatic YES.
I’m not simply speaking an enormous recreation right here, both. The 2 resorts at which I’ve stayed greater than anyplace else within the final 2 years have been Coronado Springs and All Star Sports activities. I’ve been very pleasantly shocked by All Star Sports activities–the brand new rooms are nice, transportation has been environment friendly, and I haven’t had any issues with unruly sports activities teams (that final half received’t be a problem in late summer time and early fall, anyway).
Pop Century
That is our high total decide throughout all resort classes as a result of it provides one of the best intersection of goal worth and subjective high quality. Though the All Stars are the target #1 decide, I’d personally nonetheless splurge on Pop Century if this have been my massive household trip and I had the room in my finances.
It’s no secret that we’re enormous followers of the worth for cash that it provides, going as far as to (spoiler alert) award it the #1 slot on our goal record of All Walt Disney World Resort Accommodations Ranked From Worst to Greatest. (Earlier than the hate mail continues to pile in over these controversial picks, needless to say value counts. No, we don’t assume Pop is healthier than the Poly should you’re paying for our keep. But it surely’s not possible for us to miss the huge value chasm!)
There are a few benefits Pop Century provides. First, Pop Century is a sentimental favourite of ours with enjoyable lodging and the worth can’t be beat. Second, the nonetheless comparatively recently-redesigned rooms are nice, enhancing performance with a space-saving (albeit barely minimalist) design.
Lastly, Pop Century is the one “pure” Worth Resort providing Skyliner entry to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. That is particularly enormous for Early Entry, because the Skyliner provides the Worldwide Gateway benefit at EPCOT of faster entry to Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After. Identical goes for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which suggests you may beat virtually everybody to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Slinky Canine Sprint. Lastly, regardless that Pop Century doesn’t have a desk service restaurant, it’s a 5-minute “flight” from Caribbean Seaside, and a scrumptious dinner deal at Sebastian’s Bistro!
Given all of those upsides, Pop Century is our high decide for the Worth Resort tier for these keen to splurge just a bit. To every their very own, however I’d construct this improve into my finances over Lightning Lanes. When you’re getting the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan at Pop Century versus the usual Disney Eating Plan by default, it’s nonetheless supply.
Coronado Springs & Gran Destino Tower
The most effective choices for 2024 Free Eating is Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs, and the resort itself. In our full Gran Destino Tower Evaluate, one of many issues we reward is eating. (It’s additionally an upscale resort on the Average tier, so there are two issues going for it.)
The target facet of that is that the outer buildings at Coronado Springs are sometimes among the many most cost-effective choices within the Average Resort tier. So should you’re not snug “settling” for a Worth Resort, that is the most suitable choice for minimizing your lodging value and maximizing your worth.
Then there’s the subjective facet. In our full Coronado Springs evaluation we described it as having nice rooms. Normally, the facilities at Coronado Springs are nicer than different Moderates, doubtless due to the conference crowd to which it caters. Along with the nicer rooms and total high quality, Coronado Springs is an efficient alternative throughout the Free Eating promotion due to its eating choices, together with the meals courtroom, which is among the finest makes use of of counter service Disney Eating Plan credit.
That signifies that it has the costliest entrees, so that you get essentially the most bang in your buck out of these credit. Even should you aren’t straight paying for the Disney Eating Plan throughout Free Eating, you’re not directly paying for it, and it’s good to get mileage out of these credit.
Caribbean Seaside
This all the time used to high our record, however truthfully, it’s more durable to justify for 2024 Free Eating. For the reason that promo was final supplied, the rack charges at Caribbean Seaside have elevated greater than another Walt Disney World lodge, to the purpose that it’s now the costliest Average Resort, on common.
Take into accout, you’re solely getting the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan at all the Worth and Average Resorts, so by reserving Caribbean Seaside, you’re primarily paying essentially the most for lodging whereas getting the least by way of the Free Eating tier. It’s primarily the precise reverse of what you need to do, and the worst solution to min-max value and worth.
Nonetheless…we love Caribbean Seaside and it’s actually laborious to not embrace it on this record from a purely subjective perspective. We’ve been over this numerous occasions, however the resort actually is just like the “Poor Particular person’s Polynesian.” (Properly not a lot poor on condition that it’s actually costly, however “Higher Center Class Particular person’s Poly” doesn’t have fairly the identical ring to it.) Suffice to say, you get so much on the Poly that’s usually solely discovered at Deluxe Resorts–there’s a cause why rack charges are so excessive, and that’s as a result of the resort is de facto good.
One of many different massive causes we love Caribbean Seaside is its eating choices (Spyglass Grill, Sebastian’s Bistro, Centertown Market, and Banana Cabana), that are way more formidable than they have been the final time Free Eating was supplied. And naturally, eating is an enormous a part of the Free Eating expertise!
Not solely that, however you even have all the superlative eating places at Disney’s Riviera Resort inside a brief stroll. Add to that all the pieces inside a 15 minute Skyliner commute, and you’ve got over a dozen restaurant choices simply accessible to Caribbean Seaside–and that’s simply what’s outdoors the theme parks.
Oh, and did we point out the Skyliner? This gondola transportation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot is a large promoting level for all the similar causes it’s a terrific choice from Pop Century. Non-bus transportation at a non-Deluxe Resort is uncommon, which is what makes Caribbean Seaside and Pop Century such sturdy suggestions even at their increased worth factors.
Animal Kingdom Lodge/Wilderness Lodge
When it comes to one of the best worth in your cash throughout Free Eating, you both need to select the least costly Worth or Average Resorts, Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. With out query, these are your finest selections for getting essentially the most mileage out of the Free Eating low cost.
These two resorts are sometimes lumped collectively by way of theming, regardless that they’re much extra distinct from each other than, say, BoardWalk Inn and Seaside Membership. We aren’t lumping them collectively resulting from a misunderstanding of theming or location, however as an alternative as a result of they’re the most affordable of the Deluxe Resorts and two of the best-themed resorts at Walt Disney World. When it comes to worth maximization when profiting from the promotion, that places them in a particular class.
As a consequence of Average Resorts solely receiving the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan, these two lodges supply among the finest per particular person worth throughout Free Eating if in case you have a celebration of 4. Though these resorts will value greater than a Worth or Average Resort, they arrive near recouping the fee distinction by advantage of the per particular person worth of the usual Disney Eating Plan (as in comparison with the Fast Service DDP).
On high of that, you benefit from the luxurious of staying in two of the best-themed resorts at Walt Disney World. The the reason why you may want a Deluxe Resort over a Average Resort–even within the absence of Free Eating–ought to be pretty self-evident. In case not, they’ve inside hallways, bigger and higher rooms, and are simply typically nicer. For all that we talked up Caribbean Seaside because the “Poor Particular person’s Poly,” it’s nonetheless not on the identical degree and also you’re making quite a lot of sacrifices to remain there.
In different phrases, if the rack charge value of Caribbean Seaside Resort is $306 per evening and the price of Animal Kingdom Lodge is $441 per evening (an precise instance from mid-September 2024!), we’d select AKL even on the increased worth. The worth of the higher model of the Disney Eating Plan will virtually fully bridge the hole, and to the extent that it doesn’t, the nicer lodging will.
So, which to decide on? We love each, however that doesn’t allow you to a lot in deciding between the 2. Check out our Animal Kingdom vs. Wilderness Lodge head-to-head that will help you decide which is best for you. We’re enormous followers of Wilderness Lodge–it’s my #1 resort at Walt Disney World–however that’s largely throughout the Christmas season, which isn’t pertinent for 2024 Free Eating (but).
Past that, we’d suggest Animal Kingdom Lodge if you wish to benefit from its superior eating choices (The Mara, Boma, and Sanaa are all extremely really helpful when on the Disney Eating Plan; we love Jiko, however because it’s a 2-credit Signature Restaurant, we don’t suggest it on the Disney Eating Plan). Moreover, there are Superior New Rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Talking of latest rooms, the Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge are residence to our new #1 rooms in all of Walt Disney World. The issue, although, is that there’s extremely restricted stock of these put aside for Free Eating, so that they’ll be practically not possible to e book. Which brings us to the ultimate bonus entry…
BONUS: Previous Key West & Saratoga Springs Resorts
These are actual wildcards. In a vacuum, Previous Key West and Saratoga Springs Resorts are each cheaper than the aforementioned lodges. Their nightly charges for the lowest-tier of studios (normal rooms) are cheaper than the most affordable rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge or Wilderness Lodge for nearly each single evening from July via September 2024. In the event you’re simply looking out single dates, you must see that.
The issue is that, in follow, that is usually not the case. Since Previous Key West (OKW) and Saratoga Springs (SSR) are Disney Trip Membership resorts, there isn’t quite a lot of room stock put aside from the ‘lodge facet’ of Walt Disney World to e book (the complete clarification is extra sophisticated, however that’s all you really want to know).
As such, should you’re trying to find a weeklong trip, there’s probability you received’t see the most affordable rooms at both Saratoga Springs or Previous Key West. Heck, there’s a good probability you received’t see something underneath $1,000 per evening (these are the multi-bedroom choices). However perhaps you’ll get fortunate, and there can be one thing on the lowest worth factors.
DVC diehards are going to hate me for this, however truthfully, I’d nonetheless pay extra to e book the lodges. We love each OKW and SSR, however they’re very a lot acquired tastes constructed for repeat guests. In the event you’re an rare customer or Walt Disney World first-timer, we don’t suggest them. They’re very a lot, “if it’s important to ask, they aren’t for you” kinds of resorts, in our view.
Everybody goes to have their very own favorites for the Free Eating promotion. This record relies completely on our willpower of “finest worth,” taking our preferences under consideration, as effectively. We really feel you may’t actually go unsuitable with any of those selections, however should you want different eligible resorts, don’t hesitate to e book these on our account.
In the event you want personalised assist with planning any side of your trip, or need somebody to look at for the Free Eating promotion for you and e book it as soon as it’s accessible—we suggest contacting a no price “Licensed Disney Trip Planner” (Disney’s time period for a journey agent) to get a quote and that will help you plan. They get their fee from Disney, so not one of the approved (key phrase) planners will cost you for reserving their journey and serving to. Right here’s one such really helpful Licensed Disney Trip Planner.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about resorts on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Evaluations web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces that you must know!
Your Ideas
What do you assume? Which is your favourite lodge to e book throughout the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion? Are you a fan of Free Eating or do you typically go for a room-only low cost? When you’ve got any questions or further ideas, please share them within the feedback!
