2013 Free Dining Watch

[disneymom1229]

subbing!!

[robmag]

Subbing..

[jwgm2012]

Originally Posted by Zipears Fan

To those who are going regardless of whether Disney offers FD, you may not care as much about this post. But just a friendly reminder to the folks who are already booked but still hoping for FD (and to avoid confusion or disappointment):

Assuming Disney offers a FD promo this year, being booked DOES NOT guarantee you free dining during the time and location of your stay.

Even if you'd qualify during the time of your stay, CMs essentially cancel your current ressies and re-schedule you for the FD promo. It is very possible that you may have to switch to a different resort altogether for the FD.

This is what happened to us last summer...

Originally Posted by aaarcher86

That's inaccurate.

If you have a room only reservation, yes, Disney would cancel and rebook you.

If you already have a package booked with dining or even just tickets and no dining, they can simply add the promo onto your current reservation. It does not guarantee that you won't have to switch room types/resorts... but they don't have to cancel and rebook your whole reservation.

You can't turn a room only into a package and you can not turn a package into a room only.

Originally Posted by Zipears Fan

I'm afraid that is untrue. For example, let's say you have booked a s/p/d package, then FD is released, and the time during your stay qualifies.

There are a set number of blocks of rooms at select resorts that Disney deems qualify for FD. Once that block is filled, the game is over. Under your theory, a guest would not need to worry about that block filling up if Disney merely needed to add the promo to your account. In reality, they have to cancel the reservation and place you in an open "block" of FD promo-qualifying spaces.

We were already booked last year for a trip in June when the FD promo came in. I called and basically had to make a new reservation.

Yes, they'll honor the FD and try to keep your current accomodations HOWEVER, like Zip mentioned if the room blocks for that promo are already sold out, you do end up having to pick a different place which could possibly mean upgrading.

Our prior reservation was canceled all together and the new one with promo was booked AND I had to pay all new deposits (we had 2 rooms).

Maybe this was just a fluke, but yes, I had to make a whole new reservation, had previous deposits refunded (2 weeks later) and paid new deposits for our new reservations to take advantage of the FD. Because FD wasn't available at POR we had to move to CSR and into a preferred room.

Just sharing that in a way, everyone is right.

[smitch425]

Originally Posted by jwgm2012

This is what happened to us last summer...






We were already booked last year for a trip in June when the FD promo came in. I called and basically had to make a new reservation.

Yes, they'll honor the FD and try to keep your current accomodations HOWEVER, like Zip mentioned if the room blocks for that promo are already sold out, you do end up having to pick a different place which could possibly mean upgrading.

Our prior reservation was canceled all together and the new one with promo was booked AND I had to pay all new deposits (we had 2 rooms).

Maybe this was just a fluke, but yes, I had to make a whole new reservation, had previous deposits refunded (2 weeks later) and paid new deposits for our new reservations to take advantage of the FD. Because FD wasn't available at POR we had to move to CSR and into a preferred room.

Just sharing that in a way, everyone is right.

Did you have a package reservation booked originally or was it a room only reservation?

[micknpluto]

I just booked for sept. the cm told me to add the dining plan now and once (or if) fd is released when I call back all they have to do is change the 4 digit code.

[aaarcher86]

Originally Posted by jwgm2012

This is what happened to us last summer...






We were already booked last year for a trip in June when the FD promo came in. I called and basically had to make a new reservation.

Yes, they'll honor the FD and try to keep your current accomodations HOWEVER, like Zip mentioned if the room blocks for that promo are already sold out, you do end up having to pick a different place which could possibly mean upgrading.

Our prior reservation was canceled all together and the new one with promo was booked AND I had to pay all new deposits (we had 2 rooms).

Maybe this was just a fluke, but yes, I had to make a whole new reservation, had previous deposits refunded (2 weeks later) and paid new deposits for our new reservations to take advantage of the FD. Because FD wasn't available at POR we had to move to CSR and into a preferred room.

Just sharing that in a way, everyone is right.

You had to cancel and rebook because you had a room only reservation and needed a package. That's also why they needed to refund you the deposits and requested new ones on the new bookings - they can't transfer money between the two different types of bookings.

If you already had a package and added free dining you still may be forced to move it around, but you don't have to cancel to do that either. The post stating that you have to cancel and rebook because the block of rooms is filled is inaccurate.

[pauly's girl]

Originally Posted by aaarcher86

You had to cancel and rebook because you had a room only reservation and needed a package. That's also why they needed to refund you the deposits and requested new ones on the new bookings - they can't transfer money between the two different types of bookings.

If you already had a package and added free dining you still may be forced to move it around, but you don't have to cancel to do that either. The post stating that you have to cancel and rebook because the block of rooms is filled is inaccurate.

aaarcher86 is correct! I have had FD on three seperate trips, each of which had been booked with a package prior to the discount being released. Everytime all I had to do was call and ask them to add the discount. I have gotten lucky in the fact that I have always called early enough to be able to stay where my ressie was already booked. If you book a package now you will not have to make a whole new reservation!!

[Zipears Fan]

I think we are getting in the way of the semantics of all this... I said "ESSENTIALLY cancel", aaarcher says modify. Tomato tomaahhhhto.

The spirit in which I posted this was to inform the UNINFORMED of the possibility one might not get exactly what they originally bargained for (i.e., different dates, different resort, etc.). To those who have corrected me - you are clearly well aware of what exactly happens administratively. My message was not intended for you. That is all.

And in the end, this may all be for not as there currently is no such promo to date.

TO CLARIFY: I think aaarcher and I are saying the same thing, just differently, but I want to clarify something. I do not mean to suggest that Disney must cancel your reservation and then the GUEST must rebook. Not at all. What happens is Disney CMs will do this for you at the time you add the FD. The reason why you may be at a different resort is because the blocks fill up. I know this is correct because I have spoken directly with a CM on this.

[DisneyBliss7]

I'm a little confused....We have a family suite booked at AoA for Sept.28-Oct.5th 2013. I'm waiting and hoping for FD I do NOT have a DDP package booked right now, just the room. Should I add a DDP package now and call Disney when and if FD comes available during our stay? We are a larger family and trying not to break the bank going on this trip so we want to stay in a value and upgrade from QS to DDPP. Is there a better chance of not needing to switch my resort if I already have the DDP booked then if I didn't? Thanks for any info

[aaarcher86]

Originally Posted by Zipears Fan

I think we are getting in the way of the semantics of all this... I said "ESSENTIALLY cancel", aaarcher says modify. Tomato tomaahhhhto.

The spirit in which I posted this was to inform the UNINFORMED of the possibility one might not get exactly what they originally bargained for (i.e., different dates, different resort, etc.). To those who have corrected me - you are clearly well aware of what exactly happens administratively. My message was not intended for you. That is all.

And in the end, this may all be for not as there currently is no such promo to date.

TO CLARIFY: I think aaarcher and I are saying the same thing, just differently, but I want to clarify something. I do not mean to suggest that Disney must cancel your reservation and then the GUEST must rebook. Not at all. What happens is Disney CMs will do this for you at the time you add the FD. The reason why you may be at a different resort is because the blocks fill up. I know this is correct because I have spoken directly with a CM on this.

I do think the basis of what we are both saying is correct - but since cancelling and modifying are entirely different and have different procedures the correction was needed. As a PP had happen to them, if they cancel and rebook someone they'll have to refund deposits and they'll request new ones which is probably not something someone is expecting when they see people all the time say they just toss the discount onto their reservation, ESPECIALLY those that are uninformed which are the ones you were trying to reach. The refunding/new deposit will happen regardless if the CM on the phone is doing the legwork or the actual guest.

The block of rooms for each discount is accurate and something that is pretty stressed on this thread.

Originally Posted by DisneyBliss7

I'm a little confused....We have a family suite booked at AoA for Sept.28-Oct.5th 2013. I'm waiting and hoping for FD I do NOT have a DDP package booked right now, just the room. Should I add a DDP package now and call Disney when and if FD comes available during our stay? We are a larger family and trying not to break the bank going on this trip so we want to stay in a value and upgrade from QS to DDPP. Is there a better chance of not needing to switch my resort if I already have the DDP booked then if I didn't? Thanks for any info

Do you have a room only reservation, or do you have a package without the dining plan added? There's a difference. A room only = JUST a room. You can have a package without the dining plan = resort/ticket combo.

If you have a room only your reservation number will be about 11 digits long. If you have a package (regardless if dining is on there or not) it will be a 6 letter/number combo.

If you have a package (even without the dp added) you can add the FD discount to that. There is no better chance when adding FD of anything if you already have something booked. It ends up being pretty negligible. If the room type you have booked is filled with the promo it won't matter if you've already got it booked or not.

[pepper881]

subbing..... keeping my fingers crossed for free dining Aug 27th - Sept 2nd!!..... are there any resorts thatthey usually block alot of rooms out from getting free dining we are staying at POR ... any thoughts on our chances??

[aaarcher86]

Originally Posted by pepper881

subbing..... keeping my fingers crossed for free dining Aug 27th - Sept 2nd!!..... are there any resorts thatthey usually block alot of rooms out from getting free dining we are staying at POR ... any thoughts on our chances??

POR should be fine. POFQ has a few rooms, but since it is a smaller resort there typically aren't too many.

[spidet1964]

Holding out for Sept 2nd through 7th myself.

[faindrops27]

Originally Posted by Goofy41

Yes we missed out on the lastest offer for free dining due to Sandy. I'm hoping that something is offered in the near future. I'm going in Apr for a quick 5 day trip w/my neice and her DD's 1st ever trip to ALL the parks. She visited MK last yr as part of her Disney Cruise option....

Why did you miss out because of Sandy? Were you supposed to go and had to cancel so you could not get the bounceback free dining offer?

Sandy was devastating I hope your trip is wonderful.

[anijac1412]

Originally Posted by Thorb73

We've been to CSR in late August 2011 and had free dining! Hoping for free dining this year again!

That's good news! Thanks!