Free Dining Just Released!

[SuzanneA]

Free Dining has just been released for late August- September, November, and some weeks in December!

 

[circus4u]

Actually, it was released early yesterday morning; as I understand it, most of the rooms were gone in a couple hours yesterday morning.

 

[disney world dreamer]

you're a bit late to the game but welcome and may the odds be ever in your favor for getting FD.
i booked my FD discount package monday morning at about 6am.
i believe it went live at 4am monday morning.

 

[SuzanneA]

I tried some bookings in August and December and had a lot of choices. So their is some availability- not Beach or Yacht but the values, a few moderates, and Wilderness Lodge was all available a few minutes ago when I looked. Thanks for letting me know it was yesterday- somehow it wasn't showing until midnight tonight on my end.

EDIT to add: I've tried multiple online bookings and do see plenty of availability with quite a few choices in each category- maybe some more rooms were added?

 

[rteetz]

I tried some bookings in August and December and had a lot of choices. So their is some availability- not Beach or Yacht but the values, a few moderates, and Wilderness Lodge was all available a few minutes ago when I looked. Thanks for letting me know it was yesterday- somehow it wasn't showing until midnight tonight on my end.

EDIT to add: I've tried multiple online bookings and do see plenty of availability with quite a few choices in each category- maybe some more rooms were added?

There may be availability at the resort itself but that doesn't mean free dining has availability, they only allow a certain amount of rooms for free dining.

 

[stashbin]

There may be availability at the resort itself but that doesn't mean free dining has availability, they only allow a certain amount of rooms for free dining.

Exactly! Still trying to add FD to our reserved rooms at Pop for November.

 

[rteetz]

Exactly! Still trying to add FD to our reserved rooms at Pop for November.

And you may not be able to. Free dining was very limited and they only are allowing it for certain numbers. Even travel agents have had huge problems. I don't know if you did or not so I don't want to call you out but for people who book rooms before the discount is announced defeats the purpose. Disney does discounts based on availability, if they have a good amount of rooms booked they are going to offer a much smaller discount than they would if they had less rooms booked.

 

[monorailrabbit]

And you may not be able to. Free dining was very limited and they only are allowing it for certain numbers. Even travel agents have had huge problems. I don't know if you did or not so I don't want to call you out but for people who book rooms before the discount is announced defeats the purpose. Disney does discounts based on availability, if they have a good amount of rooms booked they are going to offer a much smaller discount than they would if they had less rooms booked.

It was kind of a mess Monday! I brought my laptop into work with me after getting up and trying to book at 6am. We finally were able to get FD but wow what a headache!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I never look too much at free dining...and I saw it on Facebook early yesterday...

Behind the curve on the greatest of all Things ever, there

...though it does look like they didn't can the full dining plan for the moderates...so that makes it still a decent deal.

Don't book AoA suites...no way, Jose

 

[citcatt1]

I was originally booked at pop century and when the free dining came out i was trying to call disney to modify my reservation i couldnt get through and was trying for hours. I panicked and booked another reservation on the computer while i was on hold at all star music with free dining. I was on hold for 2 1/2 hours!!!! When i finally got through she couldnt add the dining to my pop century reservation so i kept the all star music. (thank god i did that!) The person that modified my reservation told me the long wait was probably due to the travel agents that are modifying up to 8 reservations at once!!!!

 

[rteetz]

I was originally booked at pop century and when the free dining came out i was trying to call disney to modify my reservation i couldnt get through and was trying for hours. I panicked and booked another reservation on the computer while i was on hold at all star music with free dining. I was on hold for 2 1/2 hours!!!! When i finally got through she couldnt add the dining to my pop century reservation so i kept the all star music. (thank god i did that!) The person that modified my reservation told me the long wait was probably due to the travel agents that are modifying up to 8 reservations at once!!!!

Well that's what TAs are paid to do really. TAs also only have a certain time limit to get reservations done at one time I think it's 90 minutes and if you don't get everything done in that time frame you are hung up on and forced to call back.

 

[SuzanneA]

There may be availability at the resort itself but that doesn't mean free dining has availability, they only allow a certain amount of rooms for free dining.

Thanks- I was booking (and did book) the free dining promo last night- not just checking resort availability or other offers. It just happened to be around 12 am last night- my guess is that other people's holds were falling off- when we went a few weeks ago I booked 4 rooms and Disney held the reservations for me so the others could call in with their payment. And this afternoon- there is pretty much no availability for free dining.. I think a good tip is to check online around midnight to see if any other holds have been dropped.

 

[citcatt1]

Well that's what TAs are paid to do really. TAs also only have a certain time limit to get reservations done at one time I think it's 90 minutes and if you don't get everything done in that time frame you are hung up on and forced to call back.

Omg... That would be horrible i was having an anxiety attack being on hold for that long...if they hung up on me i dont know what i would have done. I felt like i was trying to win a contest just trying to get through!!!

 

[Jesskamb]

I've been checking several times early every morning and just had a SUPER great deal pop up for CBR on the dates I want. I was originally booked at Coronado and got CBR + FD for $31 less a freakin' night. It seriously feels like magic and I keep looking at my reservation to make sure I didn't miss something, lol. So, just keep checking! You never know.

 

[stashbin]

And you may not be able to. Free dining was very limited and they only are allowing it for certain numbers. Even travel agents have had huge problems. I don't know if you did or not so I don't want to call you out but for people who book rooms before the discount is announced defeats the purpose. Disney does discounts based on availability, if they have a good amount of rooms booked they are going to offer a much smaller discount than they would if they had less rooms booked.

We did not book in advance. We never do. But I do have an update.... we were able to get free dining at Pop for our travel dates this morning!!! We are so thankful!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I've been checking several times early every morning and just had a SUPER great deal pop up for CBR on the dates I want. I was originally booked at Coronado and got CBR + FD for $31 less a freakin' night. It seriously feels like magic and I keep looking at my reservation to make sure I didn't miss something, lol. So, just keep checking! You never know.

You got the free dining...the room at Caribbean must have carried a lower rate than the one at Coronado...otherwise it would be the same price