Who gets free dining?

[Lyndarella]

Does everyone get free dining when their reservation is for those certain dates and they purchase the right park passes, or are people selected for it?

[Rylee]

If Free Dining is offered to the general public this year, you MUST know the discount code and ask to have it applied, if calling to make your reservation, or book through a "special offer" link, if one is provided on the Disney site. The Free Dining discount is not automatically given just by being there within the dates.

Some people have already booked it through "bounceback" offers and others have received "pin codes" offering the free dining discount.

[Lyndarella]

How do I get the PIN? Are you saying I can find it on the official Disney site, and book from that? -- Thanks

[TDC Nala]

In order to apply the discount once it becomes available for you to book, you must book a full price room plus tickets package reservation. There are a couple of exceptions to the ticket purchase requirement when paying for the dining plan, but they do not apply to free dining.

A PIN (Personal Identification Number) must be offered to you personally by Disney. They do this via e-mail, sometimes by snail-mail postcards. Sometimes, when you call WDW to book a reservation, you can find out if you have a PIN attached to your name. There are several PIN offers going around right now, and not all of them are for free dining. You cannot book with a PIN unless you personally receive the offer.

There is a possibilty a free dining offer will be released sometime in March for the general public to book, with check-ins in mid-August through September. The number of free dining promotion packages available at each resort are limited, and might sell out.

[candielips]

Hopefully I do! :woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

[Rylee]

How do I get the PIN? Are you saying I can find it on the official Disney site, and book from that? -- Thanks

"Pins" are not a general public discount. People are randomly selected (or it seems to be random) to receive these discounts and they can only be used by that person.

However, if it is offered as a general public discount, it will be listed on the official Disney site. You can also watch for discounts codes to become available, here at the DIS, or check mousavers.

In years past, the free dining offer, good for travel from late Aug. - early Oct., has been released for booking in early to mid-April.

[TDC Nala]

Last year the public free dining release date for booking was March 26. There is a current rumor going around about March 1, which is not confirmed.