Free dining 2015?

[emmamomma]

There is a separate free dining offer for Canadians - the first day it becomes available is August 15/15yes we are canadian but i dont use the .ca site. It is always redirects me to the disney.com site
Same dates, Resorts & blackouts.

Accessible on the Canadian version of the main site.

I'm guessing that the OP is from Canada.

edit... Just clicked on the posts member - and yes... Canadian.

 

[emmamomma]

I called the myDisneyexperience line because of conflucting info i have with the site and my email confirmation. I was transferred to the reservations line so it took total 4 minutes to get through. I asked though if there was space left because i have a friend going around the same time, the CM said there isnt too much left in the free dining and that it was limited and restrictive to begin with.

 

[Smiling72]

So how long ago did you get a room at POR. My TA keeps says there are no longer any moderates available for the free dining promo?!?!?

Our reservation is at Animal Kingdom, pool view, bunk bed room, not POR. The CM told me that POR was not part of the "free dinning promo". I finally got it booked between 4pm - 5pm. Hope you are able to get what you want...

 

[Smiling72]

I called the myDisneyexperience line because of conflucting info i have with the site and my email confirmation. I was transferred to the reservations line so it took total 4 minutes to get through. I asked though if there was space left because i have a friend going around the same time, the CM said there isnt too much left in the free dining and that it was limited and restrictive to begin with.

OMGosh.....SO restrictive!! It seemed like almost none of the resorts were part of the "free dining promo"!!!! I was surprised!! Opinions??

 

[PeterDisfan]

There is a separate free dining offer for Canadians - the first day it becomes available is August 15/15
Same dates, Resorts & blackouts.

Accessible on the Canadian version of the main site.

I'm guessing that the OP is from Canada.

edit... Just clicked on the posts member - and yes... Canadian.

Thanks.. Onceuponatime.. Something new I learned today..

 

[DisBuckMan]

In the "offer details", it plainly states that POR Riverside is excluded from Oct 25-Dec 21. So, I would guess that it was available in late August to Oct 2, but not after. Long gone now, I would imagine.

 

[emmamomma]

I just tried to get it again and i was still able to get a king room free dining at PoR

 

[DisBuckMan]

I just tried to get it again and i was still able to get a king room free dining at PoR

You are Canadian and your deals are different from our deals.

 

[ParkHoppers]

Seems like there are more and more restrictions on the free DDP. I wonder if Disney is going to no longer offer the free DDP in the near future. I know Disney has used it in the past to fill rooms in off times but with the big growth in DVC I am thinking they are now filling those off times rooms because DVC members seem to like the off times. Does anyone have any opinions on the free DDP going away would be a good thing. I have heard here in the past some mention the quality of the food at Disney restaurants would be better without the free DDP. Can,t remember the reasoning but maybe someone here will.

 

[emmamomma]

I doubt the DDP is going anywhere. It is how disney makes the vacation "all inclusive"
Maybe the quality would be better without it but for sure the prices will be more competitive!

 

[ParkHoppers]

I doubt the DDP is going anywhere. It is how disney makes the vacation "all inclusive"
Maybe the quality would be better without it but for sure the prices will be more competitive!

Sorry I meant to say Disney get rid of the Free DDP. I edited my post.

 

[WDWstu]

Your missing a ton of variables in this statement..... Like how many ppl in each room , what ages, how long the stay. And the free is based on the rate per room. 2 ppl staying deluxe will not save as much as 5 ppl in a moderate. And how do you know exactly what your eating-how much it will cost -and how much you will save?

I was comparing apples to apples. My friend has the same exact number of people going that I have (family of 4) and the same ages as well. I base the cost of my meals on the past 10 trips I have made plus we reviewed the menus yesterday for every meal we were having and figured out what we would spend. So unless we wanted an upgraded room at CBR and the park hopper pass anyway, to pay more to get those things to get free dining doesn't make financial sense for me. All I am saying is that before anyone jumps on board to get free dining, make sure you compare what it would cost you to book without getting free dining and then check the menus and see how much you would actually spend. Free dining has become very restrictive this year. You have a lot fewer options and a lot of those options might cost you much more money to get. Now will my friend get to do 2 more table meals than me? Sure. But I'd rather save that money and stay at the resort I want to then get 2 more table meals. Everyone should do the comparison, you might be surprised to find out, you could save money by not doing Free Dining. With all the restrictions it has become very expensive.

As an update, my friend ran the numbers last night and actually just canceled his free dining package because it was cheaper to not do it.

 

[lhandthesquid]

so if our trip is planned for 10/21- 10/25 we are out of luck, correct?

Correct. In the same boat. Two different CMs said that we are checking out on a day that one of the weeks starts.

 

[gem21]

We had already booked our trip, wanting to stay at CBR (we are three adults, so going moderate from value+upgrading to DDP isn't a huge difference, and then we get Queen bed). We always do PH and this year are also doing WP&M so that addition didn't affect us at all. We had standard room originally, but I figured I would probably have to change to a water view for the discount. When FD was announced, there was only Pirate Rooms available which are a no-go here (too far and no doubles). Only thing left for moderates was POR - Royal Rooms which have been on my bucket list, so we took that! Even with the upgraded room we still saved close to 1400$

 

[WDWstu]

The reason Free Dining is so insanely popular is cuz it works for a lot of ppl. Yes yes yes you pay "" rack rates but u also get the comfort of knowing that you have a unpredictable expense taken care of. It can often be depending on the room & resort to get up to 50% savings. But if it doesn't work for you and your friend then so be it. I'm sure it was scooped up 10 min after your friend cancelled his.

Absolutely. I don't disagree with you. If you eat in a lot of restaurants and getting dessert each time then this could be helpful. But if you have to buy an upgraded room and get the park hopper when you normally wouldn't do that, you will pay a lot more to get free dining so it is not really Free. I always stay in a standard room and never get the hopper pass. So those 2 things alone would hike up my costs 800 dollars. For a standard room at POR for 8 nights and tickets for 7 days it would be 3100. To get Free dining, I would have to get the Royal upgrade plus the park hopper and now it is 3900 for 8 days. So its like 800 dollars more to get dining. We looked at the menus last night and made some ajudstments. We would spend 900 on dining (I did not account for price increases in my earlier post) not including tips and alcohol which you have to pay anyway with free dining. So the "free dining" is really only a 100 dollar savings since I have to pay 800 more to get it. That's all I was saying. I know some people don't realize this. So I was just pointing it out to make sure you compare the costs of the Free Dining package. I hate that they added the park hopper requirement now. That's an extra 300 dollars for something I don't use. And it doesn't cost them anything - its a convenience charge. Really it will just help them offset some of the free dining cost.

 

[paulcav3]

We had already booked our trip, wanting to stay at CBR (we are three adults, so going moderate from value+upgrading to DDP isn't a huge difference, and then we get Queen bed). We always do PH and this year are also doing WP&M so that addition didn't affect us at all. We had standard room originally, but I figured I would probably have to change to a water view for the discount. When FD was announced, there was only Pirate Rooms available which are a no-go here (too far and no doubles). Only thing left for moderates was POR - Royal Rooms which have been on my bucket list, so we took that! Even with the upgraded room we still saved close to 1400$

I was able to call in this morning and switch from POR Royal to a standard at CBR, so they're out there , it just may not be worth the work to get it.

 

[WDWstu]

Totally agree. Disney attracts the family with 2 or more kids and gives a great deal to em. But now a days they are filling more of the resorts to capacity so they can jack up the price buy adding the extras. It's still a good deal but just not a great one. I suggest you keep trying to get a cheaper room . You might get lucky.

It is hard to believe that I got Free Dining at POR in a standard room for 2900 in 2013. Now it would cost me 3900! With the price increases they've had the past 2 years it is still a bit of a discount, but I wouldn't call it free. Sure you don't actually pay for your meals, but compared to other options, it is not free. Just taking money from your left pocket and putting it in your right. So what you have to ask yourself is in the big picture for the couple hundred dollars you save, are you still getting the vacation you want since you are still spending a lot of money. I booked both options and will decide this week what I want. The free dining is 200 cheaper but I don't get to stay in the room I want, i miss the food and wine festival, and I don't get the restaurants I wanted to go to. I can pay a couple hundred more and get those things. The variable will be if we wanted to have dessert at a restaurant, I would now as opposed to not spending the money. But again, is that better than being at the Food and Wine Festival? Not sure.

 

[romitaz]

Absolutely. I don't disagree with you. If you eat in a lot of restaurants and getting dessert each time then this could be helpful. But if you have to buy an upgraded room and get the park hopper when you normally wouldn't do that, you will pay a lot more to get free dining so it is not really Free. I always stay in a standard room and never get the hopper pass. So those 2 things alone would hike up my costs 800 dollars. For a standard room at POR for 8 nights and tickets for 7 days it would be 3100. To get Free dining, I would have to get the Royal upgrade plus the park hopper and now it is 3900 for 8 days. So its like 800 dollars more to get dining. We looked at the menus last night and made some ajudstments. We would spend 900 on dining (I did not account for price increases in my earlier post) not including tips and alcohol which you have to pay anyway with free dining. So the "free dining" is really only a 100 dollar savings since I have to pay 800 more to get it. That's all I was saying. I know some people don't realize this. So I was just pointing it out to make sure you compare the costs of the Free Dining package. I hate that they added the park hopper requirement now. That's an extra 300 dollars for something I don't use. And it doesn't cost them anything - its a convenience charge. Really it will just help them offset some of the free dining cost.

As with anything, individual mileage will vary. We always do park hopper and stay in preferred rooms. I already paid for our trip before free dining came out. We added a day to our reservations and still got a $580 refund when we switched to the free dining offer. For us, it was absolutely worth it.

 

[WDWstu]

As with anything, individual mileage will vary. We always do park hopper and stay in preferred rooms. I already paid for our trip before free dining came out. We added a day to our reservations and still got a $580 refund when we switched to the free dining offer. For us, it was absolutely worth it.

Good deal if you would have paid for those extras anyway, then taking the free dining is a no brainer!

 

[WDWstu]

You gotta weigh out those variables- we never only use the room to sleep so for us any room will do. Sure it's nice to have a balcony and a better theam but we are willing to cut corners there. Also food is wine is great would do that anyday!! Btw you can substitute any dessert for a bottle of water. Also try booking a bounce back offer before you leave. That gives you a much wider choice for free dining. Good luck

Great tip on the bottle of water! I didn't know that. I also didn't realize you could book a free dining reservation with the back bounce back. I'll have to check into that when we go.