Expert needed! Best guess for Free Dining Weeks in Nov?

[wdwmaw]

Typically the second and third week of October are blocked out for discounts. My educated guess is would be that October 7 - 20 will be blacked out for discounts this October.

You guessing a check in of 6th or 7th would still be OK? I was guessing we would need to check in before the 4th for possible free dining, to fit previous years.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Are the October blackouts because of fall breaks? Our schools don't get a fall break, so I have no idea when those usually hit.

 

[TheDisney411]

You guessing a check in of 6th or 7th would still be OK? I was guessing we would need to check in before the 4th for possible free dining, to fit previous years.

I think the black outs would start on October 6, maybe 7, so possible check in might have to be by the 5th to cover your entire trip.

 

[TheDisney411]

Are the October blackouts because of fall breaks? Our schools don't get a fall break, so I have no idea when those usually hit.

Lots of school fall breaks during that time frame along with a number of corporate conventions and a large golf tournament.

 

[babydoll65]

I moved my dates to November 10-16 because they offered fd on veteran's day last year. I have the option to move up 1 more day just in case. Jersey week people will be leaving by veteran's day,the marathon ends on the 8th and the last day of food/wine is on the 10th. Don't understand why they just didn't let food/wine last one more day.

 

[skier_pete]

My opinion, free dining in November (IF it happens) will start between the 8th and 10th of November and will continue through arrival dates of November 22nd.

The 4th-8th is jersey week, which they normally do not have FD for. The 9th is also the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon.

We are arriving the 9th, so hoping for FD starting on Saturday.

 

[babydoll65]

My opinion, free dining in November (IF it happens) will start between the 8th and 10th of November and will continue through arrival dates of November 22nd.

The 4th-8th is jersey week, which they normally do not have FD for. The 9th is also the Wine and Dine 1/2 marathon.

We are arriving the 9th, so hoping for FD starting on Saturday.

I'm thinking the same way you are. Now it just needs to happen maybe I've put too much thought into this but I wanted to avoid Jersey week and the 1/2 marathon that's why im arriving just before veteran's day which is not considered a major holiday for disney.

 

[bas71873]

Also, a lot of people don't even realize that as long as your check in date falls within the FD promo dates, even if its the last day of the offer, you can have the FD discount applied to your entire stay, up to 14 nights. When you take that into account, virtually the while month can - technically- be covered by a FD promo.

I thought I read recently on the DIS somewhere that this is no longer the case. I could be way off, but I could have sworn I read that. I'm paying attention to Nov too. Might be shifting my dates after I book our flights.

 

[babydoll65]

As far as I know, it still stands that as long as you check-in durring the free dining offer you would get it for your entire stay up to 14 days

 

[TheDisney411]

I thought I read recently on the DIS somewhere that this is no longer the case. I could be way off, but I could have sworn I read that. I'm paying attention to Nov too. Might be shifting my dates after I book our flights.

No, this is still the policy for free dining promos.

 

[tinkerbella16]

I am just not expecting it so I won't be disappointed either way. We are going 11/6-11/12.. if FD comes out then GREAT! As long as our check in date falls within the FD dates, we are good IF it happens at all. But I will be happy with just a room discount at this point, if that is all that comes out for November. Anything is better than nothing.

 

[davedmaine]

I am just not expecting it so I won't be disappointed either way. We are going 11/6-11/12.. if FD comes out then GREAT! As long as our check in date falls within the FD dates, we are good IF it happens at all. But I will be happy with just a room discount at this point, if that is all that comes out for November. Anything is better than nothing.

You'd be better off with a room discount

 

[bluejasmine]

You'd be better off with a room discount

That would depend on where they are staying & how many in their party.. There are many times FD saves more. I did the math staying at POFQ or POR party of just two & with a 20% discount we save close to $300 with FD we save $778.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[TheDisney411]

You'd be better off with a room discount

Highly doubtful, as they are staying at a moderate resort. A room only discount is generally only going to be better if you are staying at a deluxe and if the majority of your children are under 10.

 

[tinkerbella16]

That would depend on where they are staying & how many in their party.. There are many times FD saves more. I did the math staying at POFQ or POR party of just two & with a 20% discount we save close to $300 with FD we save $778.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Well I already know that POFQ does not get good room only discounts.. they have been 5% off because they have no problem filling the resort since it is so small. POR (where we are staying) will get the better discount for that. I do think I will save much more with FD though.

 

[Shaden]

There really is no universal answer to the FD vs Room Discount.

Although generally, FD will be better.

IF you are planning to get Disney Dining plan, then FD is pretty much always better.

The only way it wouldn't be, is if your savings on your room per day are great then the 50/55$ per day per person that Dining costs.

So if its a 30% discount, if you room is 300/day, and you have 2 people, you are still better off with the free dining. Increase beyond 2 people, and FD will be better.

Now, that all depends on how well the Dining plan works for you, even though we have the DP booked for our next trip, I know it doesn't work well for us, but my wife likes to know its all taken care of ahead of time.

For us, we are better off getting APs, and a TIW card. We often split a QS meal for lunch, and often don't get the most expensive thing on the menu for dinner, which you basically have to do in order to get your monies worth.

So, there are combinations of Room discount, food discount or OOP food, that actually can save you more money then Free Dining, BUT, as a general rule, FD seems to work out best for most people.

 

[bas71873]

There really is no universal answer to the FD vs Room Discount.

Although generally, FD will be better.

IF you are planning to get Disney Dining plan, then FD is pretty much always better.

The only way it wouldn't be, is if your savings on your room per day are great then the 50/55$ per day per person that Dining costs.

So if its a 30% discount, if you room is 300/day, and you have 2 people, you are still better off with the free dining. Increase beyond 2 people, and FD will be better.

Now, that all depends on how well the Dining plan works for you, even though we have the DP booked for our next trip, I know it doesn't work well for us, but my wife likes to know its all taken care of ahead of time.

For us, we are better off getting APs, and a TIW card. We often split a QS meal for lunch, and often don't get the most expensive thing on the menu for dinner, which you basically have to do in order to get your monies worth.

So, there are combinations of Room discount, food discount or OOP food, that actually can save you more money then Free Dining, BUT, as a general rule, FD seems to work out best for most people.

I'm kind of like this too. We've done the DDP and the QSDP and I swore that the next time we go we will no NO dining plan at all because it's always just too much food, but there is something about having it all paid for before you go . So, for us, IF FD is offered when we go in December, we'll take it over a room discount (esp since I'm switching my ressie to POFQ....I think)