2015 FREE DINING THREAD _ All Questions HERE!!

[Aubrav]

Ok, am I the only one not saving money with this deal. I know an AoA suite is not the cheap route for a room but DH insists so its best for our family. With this I knew we would be upgrading our dining plan, the required PHs were a bit of a surprise. At 4:30 this morning, I didn't realize this is an extra almost $1000 , but I've run DP calculators and estimated what we would spend OOP or staying with a friend off site, renting a van and buying food OOP and it all comes up about the same. If it had been just up to me a moderate would have made the most budget sense in this case... Anyway, still very excited to do it all but I just wish I could say it was such a great deal. Ok time to stop over analyzing and start celebrating the magic

A "great deal" doesn't always mean money. As you said, you could stay off-property for the same price meaning that you are getting quite the upgrade to stay on property instead (no cooking, no driving, various other perks vs. staying off property). So you would have saved money with a mod, but your husband and your family will be very happy with the AoA suite. I think that means you got a great deal when you factor in value.

 

[BT61474]

So we made our reservation for POR back January for 11/8-11/14. We told ourselves that if the free DP wasn't available during our stay we'd still stay there and pay the extra. We had honeymooned there back in 2001 and fell in love with it!! When we made our reservations we got our air fare for $292 per ticket. I've been looking at it and now the tickets have gone way up.

I'm kind of a noob at this but does it really save that much to wait and hope to get the FD? Sure you save a lot at Disney, but in our case we'd be spending more on airfare. I guess it would just depend on your situation. Our final total at POR, QS dining plan, and airfare for the 4 of us was $4,500. Now we're kind of hoping for a room discount to come out put still sticking to the plan if it doesn't.

 

[G719]

The first thread is probably locked because it was nearing the page limit.

 

[disneydoll87]

What did they tell you?

We have the WL booked for a standard room in sept with WP&M option. The cast member said there was nothing available. I'm assuming standard rooms at the Deluxe Resorts aren't included? If I upgrade my view to a courtyard or bunk view(if it was available) I would end up spending more with the free dining anyway. Kind of a catch22 situation I guess.

I'm just pretty bummed because I was anticipating this being an easy discount to add to my package. Does anyone know if they send out pin codes even if you have a vacation booked already? Thats how I got free dining last year and it was so much easier than this year!

 

[G719]

Is there anyone having issues modifying an existing reservation through MDE? Mine just keeps putting me into this loop after I click 'modify' and takes me back to the reservation screen. I have tried 3 different browsers on two computers. Same thing.

All disney systems have been glitchy all day.

 

[disneydoll87]

After reviewing all of the options today, I am very glad that our BB offer is the best one for us by far. If we went with the free dining offer for the same dates with the new offer it would cost $750 more than our BB offer cost, only difference being our tickets don't have the park hopper or water park. Gladly will save $750 to not have those included. Looking forward to POP Sept 27-Oct 8

Hubby and I wish we did the BB offer for free dining when we were checking out last year. Good call!

 

[yeitmamaof5]

Thank you! That's what I did. Now just to tell my TA who wasn't able to get me a reservation.

Your TA can still get credit for your reservation. Once your other one is cancelled out, just transfer your new reservation with free dining back to her and she'll still get credit for it! This happened to my friend last year whose TA was sitting for HOURS on the phone, and she went on and saw a package that she could book, and booked it. She then transferred the reservation to her TA so that she could get credit.

 

[Rivermonster]

It was me I was trying to stick the thread, and i merged a couple other threads in, but bad mod did not pay attention and one of the threads was older than this one. And new boards = how do i do that again!?!?!

So Sorry to cause confustion...slinking away from the keyboard now

I'm just relieved to know I didn't do anything wrong after I saw the "you don't have access" pop-up! Lol, I was like, shoot, I didn't think I posted anything even remotely offensive

Thanks for being a moderator

 

[Funfire240]

We have the WL booked for a standard room in sept with WP&M option. The cast member said there was nothing available. I'm assuming standard rooms at the Deluxe Resorts aren't included? If I upgrade my view to a courtyard or bunk view(if it was available) I would end up spending more with the free dining anyway. Kind of a catch22 situation I guess.

I'm just pretty bummed because I was anticipating this being an easy discount to add to my package. Does anyone know if they send out pin codes even if you have a vacation booked already? Thats how I got free dining last year and it was so much easier than this year!

They only allow a number of rooms - just because you have a reservation doesn't mean you will automatically get the promotion. Some levels may have not been included at all because there were enough rooms booked at rack rate.

 

[smitch425]

It was me I was trying to stick the thread, and i merged a couple other threads in, but bad mod did not pay attention and one of the threads was older than this one. And new boards = how do i do that again!?!?!

So Sorry to cause confustion...slinking away from the keyboard now

No worries! Trust me when I say that moments of confusion are happening world wide today, especially in this thread! Lol!

 

[disneydoll87]

They only allow a number of rooms - just because you have a reservation doesn't mean you will automatically get the promotion. Some levels may have not been included at all because there were enough rooms booked at rack rate.

Maybe I will wait for a room discount

 

[stitchfan75]

So....
WE GOT IT!!!
I had to change our reservation a bit with my TA and it raised the cost but I keep telling myself that it is worth it. So our new reservation:
9/26-10/3
ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE!!!!! (Standard View)
Free Regular Dining

I was sitting with my TA while he looked and everything was gone for our dates except CBR Pirate Rooms and Junior Suites at Coronado. I'm sure more will show up as people start dumping reservations but I think I'm happy with this even though it blew our budget out the window!

 

[Grumpyhaus]

More magic just happened on the phone... 3rd time calling today... All the dead air hold times lol

If anyone has an Annual Pass you will save leaps and bounds over Free Dining by using Paid Passholder Dining with the new late summer discounted room only rate if your travel falls within the dates required for the new RO promotion

Originally Had CSR 4 day PH + FD = $1685

Changed it to CSR MYW AP Room only with Paid Passholder Dining and it went down to 1145

On a Whim I just called again and based on your stellar reviews went with

MYW Preferred Room POP (late summer discount) with Paid Passholder Dining Package (1-1-1 standard dining)
and now I am all the way down to $995 for my entire trip plus dining.. I've saved almost 700 dollars today with all your help and didn't even end up getting FD.

This is what it looks like in case your CM isn't aware...

 

[Camaro305]

Since I modified my res from a package, to a room only, followed by the package, do I need to link them or just let them know upon checkin that I have a package starting the next day?

 

[disneydoll87]

If I go online to MDE and there is nothing available for my dates and resort, should I even bother calling? I already have a package booked at WL, but I would have to upgrade my room by $300+.

I had the same situation. I called, and after a 2.5 hour wait I was told the free dining would only increase the cost of my vacation (bc of having to switch to a room with a better view) I'm going to keep checking back over the next few weeks to see if any standard rooms at the WL are eligible for free dining. We are going in September too.

 

[smitch425]

More magic just happened on the phone... 3rd time calling today... All the dead air hold times lol

If anyone has an Annual Pass you will save leaps and bounds over FD right now with the new late summer discounted room rate plus free standard dining

Originally Had CSR 4 day PH + FD = $1685

Changed it to CSR MYW AP Room only and it went down to 1145

On a Whim I just called again and based on your stellar reviews went with

MYW Preferred Room POP (late summer discount) with Passholder Dining Package (1-1-1 standard dining)
and now I am all the way down to $995 for my entire trip plus dining.. I've saved almost 700 dollars today with all your help and didn't even end up getting FD.

This is what it looks like in case your CM isn't aware...

You mean PAID dining, right?

 

[Grumpyhaus]

You mean PAID dining, right?

Yes... Paid dining saved me much more than Free dining because of AP and the new late summer RO discounts

Edit: ahh I see what you mean at the top there.. Edited my original.

 

[Emr410]

I tried to modify my POR reservation at 6:00 am today. For 45 minutes I kept getting a payment error even though it said I didn't need additional payment. I tried making an additional payment and that didn't do anything either. I watched a few room types become unavailable even when it said it was holding my option for 10 minutes, so I changed computers and browsers and was finally able to book the last available option, a river room. It was for more than I was hoping, but I am glad to have gotten the promotion!!

 

[smitch425]

Yes... Paid dining saved me much more than Free dining because of AP and the new late summer RO discounts

You wrote the room discount + free dining. Didn't want people to freak out. You know...more than they are already. Lol!

 

[petrymom]

Congratulations! I am afraid of going to a deluxe because I may not want to go back to the moderates - plus you got club level which I hear is awesome. Hope you have a fabulous Familymoon!

Thank you..... this is a worry of mine.... it's a first visit for dh and my 2 step ds's.... it's going to be hard to go back tk a mod.....