Free Dining Discussion (And a Whole Lot More) - Part 4

[Kat016]

Greetings from a very cold place. They cancelled work today because of the ice and snow, so I'm just sitting here trying to pass the time.

My kids had a 2 hr delay for a dusting...a little premature in the delay. I wish they would have waited until morning to make a decision.

 

[ALD85]

Greetings from a very cold place. They cancelled work today because of the ice and snow, so I'm just sitting here trying to pass the time.

Nothing like a work snow day! Do you by chance recall the black out dates for January? Is MLK day/week blacked out?

 

[black562]

Nothing like a work snow day! Do you by chance recall the black out dates for January? Is MLK day/week blacked out?

I can dig them up here in a few.

The only thing that bothers me about the whole mid-March thing is that the current promo doesn't run out until March 31st. That's about the only thing that gives me pause about it all.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

My kids had a 2 hr delay for a dusting...a little premature in the delay. I wish they would have waited until morning to make a decision.

I laughed out loud when I woke up and saw the dusting this morning. They almost never call the night before, figures they did this time. Oh well, the kids were happy an it won't eat up our summer....

 

[Kat016]

I laughed out loud when I woke up and saw the dusting this morning. They almost never call the night before, figures they did this time. Oh well, the kids were happy an it won't eat up our summer....

Ours has a few times but it was usually as it was actively snowing. It wasn't doing squat when they called last night.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Our weathermen actually reported yesterday that the storm had gone south and we wouldn't be getting snow, as they originally predicted 6-8". I was shocked that they got it right, even if it wasn't until 24 hours prior.

 

[Kat016]

Walt Disney World, on Pinterest, just reprinted one of my pins....lol

 

[pinkcheezit]

I saw nothing aside from mid-March being mentioned and it certainly would be early to do a free dining promo for September...especially since they haven't brought promos into August yet.

Unless they do something spectacular, the next round of promos should cover into August, and the September offer (free dining) should come down the road.

Wasn't free dining released in March two years ago?

 

[AJ1983]

So a couple of things for this Friday morning.

First, the next round of discounts "MAY" be coming soon, in what's looking like either March 13 or 17. Should be some room discounts and hopefully more....but unclear at the moment on how far out they will go.

Second, I just realized that we've never really done a round robin in here. That could be a fun way to kill some time. Introduce yourself. Married? Kids? How did you first become a Disney fanatic? What do you do for a living? Things like that....

Does that sound like fun?

Hi there! I'm engaged to be married to my wonderful DFi this coming October, and we are spending our honeymoon at the DarkSide and WDW. No kids yet, but hopefully after the wedding

I guess I've always loved all things Disney! I grew up watching The Wonderful World of Disney, which aired a different Disney film every Sunday evening. And I constantly rented the VHS tapes, and received them as birthday/Christmas gifts. My grandparents went to DisneyWorld when I was two so I was always aware that a park existed where you could get on rides and see Mickey Mouse, and I ALWAYS wanted to go there. We went for the first time when I was 8, and I didn't return until i was 23. I went this past May, it was DFi's first trip, and he LOVED it! We intend on many more vacations there in the future, and we can't wait to bring kids there.

 

[scard192]

Our weathermen actually reported yesterday that the storm had gone south and we wouldn't be getting snow, as they originally predicted 6-8". I was shocked that they got it right, even if it wasn't until 24 hours prior.

after talking about a storm for yesterday since last Wednesday, it went south of New England and we got nothing for a change So ready for Spring or at least "seasonable" temps; it's 2 degrees here right now, its March come on 40 degree weather!

 

[black562]

Wasn't free dining released in March two years ago?

It was; however, at that time the industry was down a lot and they were throwing lots of things against the wall.

Here's the history of when free dining was released to the public:

2005 - June 2
2006 - April 1
2007 - April 9
2008 - April 7
2009 - March 30
2010 - May 3
2011 - May 2
2012 - March 5
2013 - May 9

As you can see, only once has been early March. The trend is late April for Visa holders and a few days into May for the public. I don't anticipate that changing this year either. The current promos only run through mid-June and expire on March 31, and the memory maker promo that runs into September also expires on April 20.

Given that time frame, I anticipate a free dining promo to roll between May 1-8.

They are clearly using the Memory Maker package to see if that can pull as much interest as Free Dining, which the general consensus is no. Ultimately, they want to do away with Free Dining, but have to find something that does at least as well...hence some of the new package promos we've seen.

 

[CritterToronto]

Given that time frame, I anticipate a free dining promo to roll between May 1-8.

Historically, a free dining promo launching in the spring would be just for fall dates? Or do they normally cover dates right from the day the promo is launched? What I'm getting at, is what is the likelihood that a FD promo roll out in May would also include dates in that same month of May?

Thanks folks.

-
CritterToronto

 

[v.t.]

This is my 4th time to type this post, hopefully it will stick.

I'm Vicky, married to DH for 20 years, 3 boys (15,15,12). SAHM that volunteers in the schools and community quite a bit. My first trip to WDW was in 5th grade. That was the year DM returned to teaching full time and she surprised us (Dad didn't even know) at Christmas with a spring break trip. I will never forget how excited I was when we opened the present and how excited she was to give it to us. We returned several times in high school and college but DH and I decided not to go until naps and strollers were a thing of the past. We have been 3 times in the last 5 years. I would be happy going every other year and even happier with FD! My favorite part of the trip is eating food I didn't have to cook!
DH and I are thinking of going for F&W this fall and then a big blow out June of '16 when the kids go with band.

 

[v.t.]

Since weather is a topic on this board as well, here is what happened in Texas this weekend. Saturday was beautiful, the temperature was 82. Sunday, in the afternoon, the temperature was 28 and sleeting. Monday morning it was 9 with a wind chill of -5. UGH!!!!!!

 

[tjknitz]

Historically, a free dining promo launching in the spring would be just for fall dates? Or do they normally cover dates right from the day the promo is launched? What I'm getting at, is what is the likelihood that a FD promo roll out in May would also include dates in that same month of May?

Thanks folks.

-
CritterToronto

Usually FD is offered in May for stays mid/late August til the end of September. I do not recall FD being offered for May (unless maybe by a PIN??)

For stays in October/November with FD - I believe that promo usually comes out in the summer (August or so).

 

[black562]

Historically, a free dining promo launching in the spring would be just for fall dates? Or do they normally cover dates right from the day the promo is launched? What I'm getting at, is what is the likelihood that a FD promo roll out in May would also include dates in that same month of May?

Oh no...that ship has sailed. The best hope for free dining is September, and I don't expect there will be anymore. Even if there were, we are well past any May offerings, outside of PIN offers of course.

 

[DexLabDeeDee]

Coming out of lurking to say "Hello!"

My name is Jenna. I am 33 and married to my high school sweetheart. We don't have any kids and my DH is just so-so about Disney (boo!) so I go to Disney with my parents and sisters instead.

My parents and sisters and I got Disney obsessed when we were all in college and my middle sister was down playing softball for Spring Break. Though we went as kids and had a good time, Disney was WAY better as an adult. I definitely appreciated it more!

We are currently booked for Sept at Kidani AKL, our first Deluxe stay . Sorry to say that we are part of the problem in that we booked with the MM promotion and so hopefully, we don't tip the scales towards going away with free dining! My DDad could not wait to book for some reason . I tried to tell him that we needed to wait but he wasn't having any of that and I got tired of his pestering! (First world problems, I know! )

 

[Javin917]

Hi! My name is Jade and I made my DH into a Disney fan when I took him for his first trip in 2003. We have now taken our almost 3 year old son 3 times and are planning on his fourth trip this fall. It is just so much fun to see his reaction to everything! He has such a blast!

This brings me to my question...we stayed at POFQ last trip and are hooked. And now that my son will no longer be free, FD saves us a ton more money than a RO discount ever would. It's sounding like FD will only be offered in September and I know POFQ was excluded from the Oct-Dec offer last year. Is it included in the September offer? If I plan for mid September (week of 9/20) do we have a shot of getting POFQ? I'd rather go in October but would choose FD in September over RO in October.

That probably could've been said much shorter but I never seem to manage that! Thanks so much!!

 

[Camaro305]

Wasn't free dining released in March two years ago?

Yes, it was, for check ins 8/25/12 to 9/29/12. In May, 2013 free dining was released for check ins 9/2/13 to 9/25/13.

 

[mouserrificmom]

They are clearly using the Memory Maker package to see if that can pull as much interest as Free Dining, which the general consensus is no. Ultimately, they want to do away with Free Dining, but have to find something that does at least as well...hence some of the new package promos we've seen.

teehee - it amuses me that they would think free a Memory Maker package (to the tune of saving $149) would attract those wishing for a Free Dining package! For our family, that translates to THOUSANDS of dollars. I never really thought of them as using that to entice the free dining crowd, more of a push for people to try the memory maker and decide they can't live without it and then purchase it for their next trip

I agree that they are trying to scale back and test the waters to see what compromises they can make to wean us all off of what has become expected as far as the Free Dining is concerned. I suspect we will see the stay/play/dine increase during times when free dining was traditionally offered.

Of course, I would LOVE to see them continue with the free dining, particularly as the youngest of my 3 children will move into the "Adult" pricing category on her next birthday! We traditionally travel let Sept/early Oct, which I think may stay constant, but am hoping for an early December trip next go 'round to experience Christmastime at Disney . . . so I am holding out hope that they keep it going a while longer For our family, that produces a discount that no room only offer has ever come close to . . .