Free Dining 2013

[black562]

I almost didn't recognize you. You're not a tall building.

 

[MackenzieFL]

We plan to go Sept 22 through 29th. We go every Sept for at least 3/4 days. Want to catch MNSSHP & the 1st day of the EF&WF.

This is the first time we're doing a vacation package or moderate resort or FD. We live within an hour so often we go for day trips or because we love tent camping so much we just stay at Ft. Wilderness or even a value resort overnight but it's not even a big deal when we had APs to just drive home and go back the next day.

We're not big eaters (diabetic on both sides) so we don't usually worry about dining, we share QS meals, but when I found out character meals are included I have to admit I was like :

We haven't had APs in over a year now so we wanted to splurge for a full week at a mod resort & park tickets but with character meals my head is about to pop, I can't wait to surprise the kids.

 

[black562]

We plan to go Sept 22 through 29th. We go every Sept for at least 3/4 days. Want to catch MNSSHP & the 1st day of the EF&WF.

This is the first time we're doing a vacation package or moderate resort or FD. We live within an hour so often we go for day trips or because we love tent camping so much we just stay at Ft. Wilderness or even a value resort overnight but it's not even a big deal when we had APs to just drive home and go back the next day.

We're not big eaters (diabetic on both sides) so we don't usually worry about dining, we share QS meals, but when I found out character meals are included I have to admit I was like :

We haven't had APs in over a year now so we wanted to splurge for a full week at a mod resort & park tickets but with character meals my head is about to pop, I can't wait to surprise the kids.

I start getting so excited when the booking happens. I'm just ready to book my rooms and start planning the details. I always stay outside Disney the first couple nights I get to town, to run around and see Orlando. I drive down too, and always try to book something at the halfway point...15 hour drive used to be easy, but not as much anymore...plus I can leave from work and get a head-start.

 

[Malibustyle23]

I start getting so excited when the booking happens. I'm just ready to book my rooms and start planning the details. I always stay outside Disney the first couple nights I get to town, to run around and see Orlando. I drive down too, and always try to book something at the halfway point...15 hour drive used to be easy, but not as much anymore...plus I can leave from work and get a head-start.

Where are you coming from?

If fd comes out next week we can set our plans in stone but will need to drive for the first time ever. Nervous about the drive but super excited it may actually happen!

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Just wanted to say thanks to Black, 411 and everyone else for the drama-free info and opinions... personally, I fall in the hoping-for-October-FD camp. Anyway... thanks for the enjoyable, friendly and informative posts here

 

[plutospalforever]

I start getting so excited when the booking happens. I'm just ready to book my rooms and start planning the details. I always stay outside Disney the first couple nights I get to town, to run around and see Orlando. I drive down too, and always try to book something at the halfway point...15 hour drive used to be easy, but not as much anymore...plus I can leave from work and get a head-start.

We drive too! We drive 13 hrs to Macon, GA and the next day get to WDW around 3pm. Still plenty of time to enjoy the parks. See this is why I joined Dis, to be with people who love Disney as much as me.

 

[laceyinwonderland]

Our trip is booked, and our days fall in free dining! Yay! Time taken off work, adrs made, its all good to go. But now its looking like hubby cant come and doesnt know if/when we can r/s to fit his work. So, do I take the kids alone? DD5 and DD16months at the time. I took first DD alone when she was 2 and we had a fantastic time. And im thinking, if I do take them alone, is FD really a big deal? Our last trip, even on FD, DD drank strawberry milk and maybe ate a few chicken nuggest the whole trip. Should I forget FD and do Contemp for convience and hope for room discount? Ayii yi yi! And a few more questions, a.) if we do still stay at pofq and get FD, do I need to redo all my adrs and change them from 4 to 3, or do we just show up with one less person. We have an adr for CRT, how does that even work with FD when you've already paid? b.) I know with FD, everyone in your party has to have the same thing, tickets etc... If I could even talk my mom into coming to hang out at the hotel and maybe keep the baby half days, she wouldnt be interested/able to stand the heat in september. Could I leave her off the ressie, but get an extra room key when we got there? Sorry this is a huge post with lots of random questions, but im excited, bummed, stressed, and hopefully if ya'll can help me, maybe I can get some peace of mind!

 

[MackenzieFL]

I start getting so excited when the booking happens. I'm just ready to book my rooms and start planning the details. I always stay outside Disney the first couple nights I get to town, to run around and see Orlando. I drive down too, and always try to book something at the halfway point...15 hour drive used to be easy, but not as much anymore...plus I can leave from work and get a head-start.

That makes sense. If I had to drive that long I'd need a break before walking onto Disney property, too. Orlando has so much fun stuff to offer, too.

 

[black562]

We drive too! We drive 13 hrs to Macon, GA and the next day get to WDW around 3pm. Still plenty of time to enjoy the parks. See this is why I joined Dis, to be with people who love Disney as much as me.

I have always enjoyed that drive....and I have many traditions that I must do, such as always stopping at the Florida welcome center for the little cup of orange juice and loading up on brochures.

Sometimes it's the little things...

 

[black562]

Our trip is booked, and our days fall in free dining! Yay! Time taken off work, adrs made, its all good to go. But now its looking like hubby cant come and doesnt know if/when we can r/s to fit his work. So, do I take the kids alone? DD5 and DD16months at the time. I took first DD alone when she was 2 and we had a fantastic time. And im thinking, if I do take them alone, is FD really a big deal? Our last trip, even on FD, DD drank strawberry milk and maybe ate a few chicken nuggest the whole trip. Should I forget FD and do Contemp for convience and hope for room discount? Ayii yi yi! And a few more questions, a.) if we do still stay at pofq and get FD, do I need to redo all my adrs and change them from 4 to 3, or do we just show up with one less person. We have an adr for CRT, how does that even work with FD when you've already paid? b.) I know with FD, everyone in your party has to have the same thing, tickets etc... If I could even talk my mom into coming to hang out at the hotel and maybe keep the baby half days, she wouldnt be interested/able to stand the heat in september. Could I leave her off the ressie, but get an extra room key when we got there? Sorry this is a huge post with lots of random questions, but im excited, bummed, stressed, and hopefully if ya'll can help me, maybe I can get some peace of mind!

Hate to hear he can't make it, but yes it's not a problem to modify a reservation, especially since you'll be calling anyway. If you've already paid, they will just refund the portion, along with what you paid for the person you're dropping off the reservation. Definitely tell them you're down to 3 when you call, because there are charges that will fall off your bill I'm sure. If you took your mom, I think I'd put her on there in his place just to be on the safe side, plus you'd get free dining for her too and would only have to get a two day ticket for her if she isn't going to the parks...who knows, she may want to one day here or there.

 

[Tarheel Mom]

I don't think they are completely phasing out free dining yet. Free dining has been nothing but a strike of pure genius for WDW to fill the parks and resorts during historically low crowd periods. Anything is possible and Disney could end all FD discounts after, September, but I don't think we are there yet. I think if there Oct - Dec FD discounts this year they will be:

Oct 1-6
Oct 20 - Nov 1
Nov 10-21
Nov 30 - Dec 5
Dec 14-19

Those are my guesstimates for FD and room only for today

Oh, 411, I so hope your dates come to pass. We hope to arrive Nov 20th and will stay until the 30th ~ FD would mean a LOT to us. I'm not good at the waiting game so it will be a very long two or three months until we find out if those dates are covered. As always, thanks for your insight!

 

[black562]

Oh, 411, I so hope your dates come to pass. We hope to arrive Nov 20th and will stay until the 30th ~ FD would mean a LOT to us. I'm not good at the waiting game so it will be a very long two or three months until we find out if those dates are covered. As always, thanks for your insight!

Have some pixie dust

 

[TheDisney411]

Wow I took a nap and 411 went on a roll.

Just trying to catch up/keep up between baseball games this afternoon and evening

 

[TheDisney411]

I know, I just threw it out there. In fact, for the summer offer that came out on Tuesday, the visa folks got a real long kickstart there, much more than the three days normally offered.

Just wonder how many CMs will tell people (including myself), when they call in for free dining, that they have no idea what they're talking about? I always seem to get that CM who is like "free dining, we have never done free dining before, why would you think we would do that?" Then I reply "umm, check with your system or supervisor"....long pause...."oh yea, I see it right here".

I shared it because I was kind of surprised myself when I went back throughout info, I had completely forgot about the weird DV release date for this room only discounts last fall.

And there is always a post from someone saying they called about the FD discount and a CM will tell them they aren't aware of that - it never fails!! Can you imagine if FD release day was your first day of work for Disney reservations?!?! Lol!

 

[TheDisney411]

I don't think I could eat that much. I do good to eat what's offered now, with the exception that I usually do order an appetizer because I love soup. By the end of dinner I usually walk out like a penguin.

We LOVE Disney dining and we all have our favorite places that we MUST eat at while at WDW, but my kids and husband made me swear we would never do the deluxe plan again ;-)

 

[TheDisney411]

Hi everyone!! I am joining in even though we are coming in October....(21-26th to be exact) Staying at AOA Nemo. I cannot wait to see what happens on May 6th Those poor CMs.

Just curious....Do you think any CMs stop by DIS and see what we are all saying? lol

Thanks for all the good info!!

There are a lot of CMs on the Disboards

 

[TheDisney411]

I know I am beating a dead horse here, but we arrive the 28th. Do you think Disney is ending FD on the 25th because of Food and Wine? (wondering what your opinion is about that) I am happy about your FD prediction picking up again on the 1st...I'm just gonna have to wait and see and run the numbers (if all predictions come through)

It could pick back up on September 28, but they must be expecting pretty big crowds for the first weekend of the F & W Festival.

 

[black562]

We LOVE Disney dining and we all have our favorite places that we MUST eat at while at WDW, but my kids and husband made me swear we would never do the deluxe plan again ;-)

I would think all my time would be spent eating.

 

[TheDisney411]

Is there a reason in particular that you think FD (if it is even offered, of course) will pick up on the 20th of October instead of the 18th? With the exception of 2011 where free dining started back up on a Saturday, 2010 and 2012 both started on a Friday. The 18th is our check in day and we are going either way, but I'm just curious as to why you think it won't be until the 20th. I know the bounceback offer starts on the 20th, but they don't usually mirror the free dining dates. Any thoughts??

Well, I think the second and third weeks are going to be booked pretty solid. I think a lot of people will be exiting/checking out on October 19, so I think they will need more incentive to fill rooms starting on the 20th, possibly starting on the 19th. I think there will still be a lot of folks still in the resorts on the 18th. That's just my speculation, I would love to be wrong, and for your sake, I hope I am

 

[TheDisney411]

Just wanted to say thanks to Black, 411 and everyone else for the drama-free info and opinions... personally, I fall in the hoping-for-October-FD camp. Anyway... thanks for the enjoyable, friendly and informative posts here

Me too! I like being able to share info, predictions and talk on a friendly thread