Free Dining 2013

[TheDisney411]

This is my first time booking a Disney vacation. I have been reading the boards for a few weeks trying to figure everything out. But we are planning on going to WDW Sept. 22-26 so we would be able to do the FD, I believe? Also, I haven't booked our vacation yet. Should I just wait until next week and call to book our Magic Your Way package and tell them I want FD at that time? I think we are going to do Value room but upgrade the Dining plan because we want to do some character meals. Do you think this is a good idea? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Yes, as long as you check in by the last day of a FD promo you can have the discount applied to your entire stay, up to 14 nights.

Yes, just wait to call and book your FD package when the offer opens.

I would highly suggest going ahead and making your Advance Dining Reservations, many of the character meals and popular restaurants will already have limited availability or even possibly no availability. You don't have to have a resort reservation to make ADRs, so I would do a search now and see what is available on the WDW dining site. ADRs open 180 days before check in, so your ADR window has been open since March.

 

[GastonTheGreat]

Any updates on the last week of August? I have come to terms with that fact that free dining won't be offered but any updates on a room discount?

 

[MackenzieFL]

We are also a family of 5 where only one of our kids is still a 'kid' in Disney pricing - no matter how I slice it, POR always comes out the least expensive. Even when splitting rooms with my parents - with the upgrade cost of 4 adults, the difference between the two are too negligible to make a difference.

Same with us-- there are 5 of us and even the suite at the ASM resort costs more than PORS.

I realize it's not an option for everyone, but for us tent camping at Ft. Wilderness has been the most economical way to do it-- only about $55 per night/up to 10 people. But we have always been big on tent camping for over 20 years, we have the equipment, we have the routine down, we make ourselves very comfortable, and we live 1 hour away so it's not far to lug everything. For some people tent camping in FL is not a vacation though, especially if you're flying or don't have all the equipment because you have to rent/buy stuff and it ends up more expensive.

But if we're going to go to a resort with the 5 of us, PORS and ASM are the only ones that fit our annual vacation budget.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

So I was thinking the chances for free dining are so slim for our dates in November, being Sept is so limited. So if they do offer it, maybe I would upgrade to WL over saving a ton of money, like many people on here do. Then I looked to see what the difference in price would be. Sticker shock set in, when I realized even saving $1650 with free dining, it would cost us more to stay at WL w/ free dining than at CBR at full price. Am I figuring something wrong or is it just that people figure on paying full price, so they don't mind upgrading and not saving any money?

 

[MackenzieFL]

As the FD date approaches, I get the feeling that people think there will only be about 500 FD offers available and then everyone else will be paying for dining. Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't Disney alott FD for many people...not just a few? I have gotten FD every year for 10 years and never felt under the gun. I understand that it is best to call early, but will calling at 7:16 instead of 7:14 really shut you out? Also, many people book with TAs that do not open till 9 or 10, so will all those people get shut out as well.....I'm thinking not.

I am hoping to get FD and hoping there is plenty to go around, but it sounds like people are going into panick mode. Good luck to all and everyone enjoy your trip.....FD or not.

I'm just nervous because:

1) I never had it before
2) I didn't expect it when I planned the trip
3) because I have no option but a room for 5 at PORS, already booked a room, and was planning on doing QS mixed with in room PBJ sandwiches, cereal and snacks.

So until I clinch my FD deal at PORS, I will be on edge because it's gotten me too excited now. Since our room options are so limited, i worry.

 

[Disneyfam4life]

This may have already been asked. What are the chances of the FD coming out the week after Thanksgiving? Our trip is booked and paid for Nov-29th thru Dec-7th. I'm sooooo counting on the FD.

 

[TheDisney411]

This may have already been asked. What are the chances of the FD coming out the week after Thanksgiving? Our trip is booked and paid for Nov-29th thru Dec-7th. I'm sooooo counting on the FD.

http://distickers.com/ticker/

I'm still on the camp that believes there will still be free dining in October - December, 2013. Those FD dates aren't usually released until July, sometimes August each year. If free dining is released for that timeframe I think the approximate dates will be:

Oct 1-5 or 6 and Oct 19 or 20 - Nov 1 or 2
Nov 10-21 and Nov 29 or 30 - Dec 5 or 6
Dec 14-19

 

[scard192]

For many resorts, they will have FD rooms available for a long time, but resorts like POFQ, POR, and AoA, they will sell out their FD allotment of certain room types much faster.

Makes me nervous for FD or S/P/D for October (if released). We are booked now a POFQ and really want to stay there. POR is our second choice. Hope we don't end up at CBR, its such a big resort. But we will be @ WDW in October no matter where we end up staying.

 

[scard192]

I'm still on the camp that believes there will still be free dining in October - December, 2013. Those FD dates aren't usually released until July, sometimes August each year. If free dining is released for that timeframe I think the approximate dates will be:

Oct 1-5 or 6 and Oct 19 or 20 - Nov 1 or 2
Nov 10-21 and Nov 29 or 30 - Dec 5 or 6
Dec 14-19

I like this camp:
Oct 19 or 20

 

[HBGdancermom]

In North Carolina here, too - Holly Springs (near Raleigh). Wish I lived closer to The Mouse, but probably just as well that I don't - would probably be signing over my paycheck to Disney!

Too funny! We are in Cary!!

 

[black562]

I like this camp:
Oct 19 or 20

We all do.

 

[Dannek]

Hi folks.

I just found this board and wanted to say thanks to all of the great people who help by answering questions and providing information..

I am planning my first vacation to Disney World in September (8th-14th) and that led me to these boards and this post. I had a question about the FD plan.

If I'm understanding it correctly, you can book your room now and as long as it's at least 3 nights and you pair it with at least a 2 day park ticket for each person then you can upgrade the reservation to the FD plan after it launches.

It seems that many people from what I've read are waiting until the 6th or the 9th to book their reservations assuming those are the first dates to call in for the FD plan with and without the Disney Visa Card.

Is there a reason to wait until those dates to call and make reservations?
I would think that most people would just make their reservations now and add the FD plan on afterward to assure they get the rooms that they would like... Am I missing something?

Thanks much.

 

[Sylkie31]

Too funny! We are in Cary!!

I pass through Cary every day on my way to & from work. I'll be sure to wave as I go by this evening.

 

[Disneyfam4life]

I'm still on the camp that believes there will still be free dining in October - December, 2013. Those FD dates aren't usually released until July, sometimes August each year. If free dining is released for that timeframe I think the approximate dates will be:

Oct 1-5 or 6 and Oct 19 or 20 - Nov 1 or 2
Nov 10-21 and Nov 29 or 30 - Dec 5 or 6
Dec 14-19

Awesome!! Fingers crossed. Thanks!!

 

[lilchief27]

I'm still on the camp that believes there will still be free dining in October - December, 2013. Those FD dates aren't usually released until July, sometimes August each year. If free dining is released for that timeframe I think the approximate dates will be:

Oct 1-5 or 6 and Oct 19 or 20 - Nov 1 or 2
Nov 10-21 and Nov 29 or 30 - Dec 5 or 6
Dec 14-19

I would be a happy camper if that pans out! I just wish they would release the FD codes earlier than July or Aug. My trip-plan'g self doesn't like waiting that close to October to book . That's one detail I don't like dangling!

 

[black562]

Hi folks.

Is there a reason to wait until those dates to call and make reservations?
I would think that most people would just make their reservations now and add the FD plan on afterward to assure they get the rooms that they would like... Am I missing something?

Thanks much.

Holding a room doesn't guarantee anything. If the room has no availability, it doesn't matter if you have it booked or not, then you'd just have to change rooms or resorts anyway. So it's just easier to call and see what's available.

Now granted, if you call the first day you should have no problem except for maybe AOA, so it shouldn't be a worry....remember last year folks were still booking moderate rooms in July.

 

[HBGdancermom]

I like this camp:
Oct 19 or 20

Me Too!!!

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I am hoping and praying you are right Disney411!!!! We are at CBR, so I don't think they will sell out too quickly. We love it there, but I know so many think it is too spread out.

 

[Patrickprincess]

I would have to assume that the resorts have high occupancy rates that last weekend because of the Food & Wine festival and they didn't feel like they needed to offer an incentive like FD to fill those rooms, as they usually do. Just a guess

I changed my dates and got free dinning back in November for sept 20-27 I live in the us and I do not have a Disney vista.

 

[TheDisney411]

Hi folks.

I just found this board and wanted to say thanks to all of the great people who help by answering questions and providing information..

I am planning my first vacation to Disney World in September (8th-14th) and that led me to these boards and this post. I had a question about the FD plan.

If I'm understanding it correctly, you can book your room now and as long as it's at least 3 nights and you pair it with at least a 2 day park ticket for each person then you can upgrade the reservation to the FD plan after it launches.

It seems that many people from what I've read are waiting until the 6th or the 9th to book their reservations assuming those are the first dates to call in for the FD plan with and without the Disney Visa Card.

Is there a reason to wait until those dates to call and make reservations?
I would think that most people would just make their reservations now and add the FD plan on afterward to assure they get the rooms that they would like... Am I missing something?

Thanks much.

All of the information you have here is correct, except that booking a resort package today will "save" you a Free Dining room. Each resort is only allotted so many Free Dining rooms/discounts per promotion. For example, if Port Orleans has 100 standard rooms allotted for the FD promo and you are the 101th person to call, they would not be able to apply the FD discount to your existing reservation. You would not "lose" your Port Orleans standard room, but to take advantage of the FD promo/discount you would possibly have to change room categories or resorts to receive the discount. As others have said, if you call in the first days of the promo, it probably won't be an issue, but it's always best to have a back up room category and/or resort, just in case.