I think that if you have an AP you can get FD as long as you book the room and at least a 2 day ticket. Others have said they just use the tickets once their AP runs out. Do you have to get a ticket for each person that is staying in the room? It is me, my DH, DD (4) and our 2 yr old son. Would I have to get tickets for all 3 of us in order to qualify for FD (should it ever appear this year)? Thanks!
Historically, FD offers require at least a 2 day ticket for everyone in the room 3 years old and up, 3 night minimum stay and rack rate for the room. If you have an AP you can use the 2 day ticket towards your AP renewal or save it for a future trip when you no longer have an AP.
Free dining is not really a good deal - you have to pay rack rate for your room to get it. If you live in Florida, a room-only discount is a better deal, especially if your kids are small and not big eaters. And get yourself a "Tables in Wonderland" discount card at Florida resident rate and you can get 20% most dining locations for a full year.
You can also get a ticketless package with an AP and get the dining plan and a room discount. This is the route that I usually go if I already have an AP.
FREE dining requires at least a 2 day ticket. No exceptions. You would need to purchase tickets for everyone except the 2 year old if you wanted free dining. If you're paying for the dining you can book a ticketless package with dining. No discount on the dining but you can get a discount on the room, and no ticket purchase necessary.
