Free Dining. Any clues if/when it will be released this year?

[LeaversOnTour]

So, we have been to Disney the last 4 years and had the extra benefit of free dining.

We really want to go back this year, but before we actually book anything wondered if the free dining is likely to be released any time soon.

It makes such a difference to us, esp as this year there will be 6 of us. Yet another addition to family being born in July.

 

[darthtatty]

Everyone is expecting details to be released on the 25th of this month

Im included in that

so fingers crossed, they offer us something nice.xx

Oops noticed you meant this year,so excited about booking for next year I didnt notice.
dont think theyll be anything else offered.
Congratulations on your new family member being born in July.x

 

[LeaversOnTour]

Does the AOA resort offer the free dining?

We are limited to which resorts we can stay at due to our party size, and that we all have to share a room.

 

[klangkat]

If things stay the same as they have been, then no AoA (along with the other values) will not offer Free Dining. It's usually QSDP at the Moderates and DDP at the Deluxes and the Villas - OKW and SSR

 

[MrRomance]

So, we have been to Disney the last 4 years and had the extra benefit of free dining.

We really want to go back this year, but before we actually book anything wondered if the free dining is likely to be released any time soon.

It makes such a difference to us, esp as this year there will be 6 of us. Yet another addition to family being born in July.

Just to clarify, do you want travel this year or book this year to travel next year?

If you want to travel this year, then I'm sorry you've missed the boat on free dining. If you want to book this year to travel next year, then the rumour is that free dining for 2014 holidays will be released at the end of the month (supposedly the 25th).

 

[wilma-bride]

As MrRomance quite rightly says, if you are looking for free dining for this year, you have msised the chance as far as booking through a UK TA. There may still be an opportunity for free dining to be offered through the US WDW site, however these offers are usually only released a few weeks before.

Free dining is not normally offered for Art of Animation though and I would be surprised if there are many dates released (if any) for free dining through the US site as I have read that Disney have seriously cut down on offers this year.

 

[dixonsontour]

I'm waiting to see what if any offers us disney offer this year. If not we are offsite

 

[Gazzzwilliams]

I was also looking to book this year and I'm gutted to hear I have missed the chance on disney dining, .
It's strange because I'm sure (i could be wrong) disney released a free dinning offer around July/August 2012 for stays from September 2012 leading on to 2013.
I thought they might do something similar this year.

 

[wilma-bride]

I was also looking to book this year and I'm gutted to hear I have missed the chance on disney dining, .
It's strange because I'm sure (i could be wrong) disney released a free dinning offer around July/August 2012 for stays from September 2012 leading on to 2013.
I thought they might do something similar this year.

The only further releases of free dining would have been by booking through Disney US. The UK Travel Agents all release the free dining packages the year before and you have to book by a dertain date in order to get it. I think last year it was November, for this year.

 

[LeaversOnTour]

We were looking at going over Christmas and New year, So we may just be able to get away with it if we do a split stay. Probably, we would look at 3 weeks.

We just really want to know what our options are, we have always travelled in Jan/Feb but our eldest starts school in September and we arent sure how "strict" it is with regards to holidays during school time.

 

[wayneg]

We were looking at going over Christmas and New year, So we may just be able to get away with it if we do a split stay. Probably, we would look at 3 weeks.

We just really want to know what our options are, we have always travelled in Jan/Feb but our eldest starts school in September and we arent sure how "strict" it is with regards to holidays during school time.

They don't need to offer free dining to anyone over the Xmas/NY period, the parks/resorts are packed solid without any deals.

eg 2012 US dates offered August 25 through September 29, 2012
UK 2012 dates 1 Jan-26 Feb, 1 May-17 Jun, 1 Aug-18 Nov 2012

 

[MrRomance]

We were looking at going over Christmas and New year, So we may just be able to get away with it if we do a split stay. Probably, we would look at 3 weeks.

We just really want to know what our options are, we have always travelled in Jan/Feb but our eldest starts school in September and we arent sure how "strict" it is with regards to holidays during school time.

Christmas and New Year are excluded from free dining and if the usual pattern holds, the AoA would not be included anyway. Free dining is mainly offered to fill rooms outside of peak times. Christmas and New Year are the highest attendance times.

 

[LeaversOnTour]

Sorry, maybe i should have been clearer LOL. Our total stay would be over xmas and new year, but prob from about 22nd Dec to 8th Jan - We would prob do the first part on I drive / Villa and then move to disney.

Was thinking 5 days at AOA, appreciate that dining prob wouldnt be availlable over new year, and then move to OKW or Saratoga. All of course "jiggable".

I really want to stay in a villa this year for at least part of our stay, but its trying to sell it to Hubbie, doesnt actually work out much cheaper when you take into account food, car hire etc. But with 4 kids the extra room is value enough for me

 

[wayneg]

Hopefully we will know the dates for next years free dining soon.

Downside for you would be you wouldn't be able to go into Disney until you check in for your free dining/ticket package, that would be 1st Jan if last years dates are to go by. So from 22nd Dec to 31st you would be without Disney tickets.

Some have said they have been able to get their tickets upto 3 days before checking in, others said its not possible at all.

 

[mackay_j]

US site will most likely be your friend for booking for Xmas this year - but you will need to do all the booking in the spanish zone or your be kicked back to the uk site.
The big difference in US booking is that you only have to arrive by the end date and then the offer will be vailid for your whole stay.


HISTORY FOR free dining
2009 until 21-12 //2010 until 21-12 // 2011 until 17-12

HISTORY FOR Room discounts 30- 35% off mods

2009? (i didn't take note) // 2010 until 31/12// 2011 until 23-12// 2012 until22/12
US discounts cannot be combined so you have to select the best for you.

Here is what we do - We book from the last date to get the best deal even if we cant get there until a day or so later. In 2010 we booked the free dining from 21-12 through to 31st but we did not arrive until the 22nd- we just phoned them on the 21st and explained that we had been delayed on route- we still had to pay for the night but worth it .

 

[scoobydooby]

Just to note there has been free dining at Xmas. We had it Dec 17th to 31st 2010. I was told then so long as you arrived before the last day of the offer, which we must have done, you got free dining for the length of your stay. That's not to say it will happen again and we did book that holiday way in advance when the offers first came out.