Memory Maker Promo vs. Free Dining in Fall 2014

[jhaig]

I have heard several opinions about this new memory maker promotion for the fall of 2014. Is this THE promotion for September and what does this have to do with free dining? Does this mean that free dining is not coming this year? Or is this just a test by Disney to see if they need to offer free dining or not?

 

[wishtdream]

Hi

We booked a bounceback for free dining in Sept. when we were at DW last Aug. Some people are also receiving pins for fall. That makes me think they will have a public offer. In the past fall free dining has been announced late March or early April. Of course there are no real guarantees.
Good luck.

 

[jhaig]

Hi We booked a bounceback for free dining in Sept. when we were at DW last Aug. Some people are also receiving pins for fall. That makes me think they will have a public offer. In the past fall free dining has been announced late March or early April. Of course there are no real guarantees. Good luck.

What are the pin numbers for?

 

[wishtdream]

What are the pin numbers for?

pins are personalized discount offers sent to past guests to encourage them to book trips during certain dates. These offers are one time use and non transferable.

 

[jhaig]

pins are personalized discount offers sent to past guests to encourage them to book trips during certain dates. These offers are one time use and non transferable.

I should have been more specific. I know what PIN numbers are for, I just wondered what the current offer entailed.

 

[mgothel]

Yes! I'm curious what offer the pin is for.

 

[SPOERLX3]

I received a PIN email in October, November, December and January (I may have gotten on in February too) and at the same time, I think they were also offering FD promo on their website. They must have been really low in attendance during that time frame.
The PIN I received gave me a choice:

• Room discount (30% off Deluxe, 25% off Moderate or 20% off value) during most dates through September.
• Free Dining on most dates through March 5, 2014

It had to be booked by February 15, 2014.

I am sure hoping for a FD PIN that covers September
I have read all over the boards that there may not be as many free dining offers but a girl can wish

 

[oldtink]

I just got off the phone with my Travel Agent and the Memory Maker isn't even available free at all resorts. We are booked POFQ and we would have to pay if we wanted it while other resorts do get it free. So as far as promotions, it's a bit lacking.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I bet it'll be like the limited FD this spring was... Moderates get quickserve for free, Deluxe get full DP for free, and Values get the MM.

Disney warned the FD days were limited to TA's last year, looks like they're following through. Used to be values got QS, Mods were the full DP, and Deluxe got either the full DP or the Deluxe.

 

[newdeal]

the memory maker seems to just be a new name for photo pass cd...getting that for free would give me no incentive to book whatsoever. Hopefully others feel the same and will force Disneys hand to offer free dining

 

[Tropical Wilds]

the memory maker seems to just be a new name for photo pass cd...getting that for free would give me no incentive to book whatsoever. Hopefully others feel the same and will force Disneys hand to offer free dining

Memory Maker is digital downloads, not the CD. You'd have to pay for the CD.

Last year park attendance was at record highs, despite the lack of consistent, widely available Free Dining promotions. The first yearly projections, which include anticipated for bookings through July, show that attendance is again at an all time high. If anything Disney is learning they can offer FD less and still get people just as easily with room discounts, small family planning packages, and package incentives.

While I wouldn't go because they're offering MM and would be more apt to go with Free Dining, the simple fact is when most people plan to go to Disney, they do so when their schedules and finances align, regardless of what the promotion is during that timeframe. The number of people who say 180 or less out "the promotion is good, let's book and go" are getting fewer and fewer. Statistically, more than 65% of people going to Disney picked their dates around 10-18 months their actual departure date, and not included in that are the people who may or may not have a trip plan, but who always go at the same time of year because of extenuating circumstances. Like it doesn't matter how good the deal is, I know I'm not going in summer. But I do know I'll go in somewhere in October/November, regardless of the deal offered.

The statement most people make is "I hope they have free dining when I go/for my dates" not "I'll go to Disney if they have free dining."

 

[TNDisneyNut]

the memory maker seems to just be a new name for photo pass cd...getting that for free would give me no incentive to book whatsoever. Hopefully others feel the same and will force Disneys hand to offer free dining

I just booked this deal a couple weeks ago, or rather changed to it. It is the memory maker photo plan for free plus 25% off our AKLKV two bedroom villa. Im not sure which resorts if any this was limited to. If FD comes out, it will be a better value for us to book it with eight people, so we will rebook even if we have to change resorts.

 

[set1208]

Just last week I booked Sports through Disney directly for Sept 24-29, wishing for free dining but not depending on it. I was surprised to be offered the memory maker.

It looks like there is 4 days left to book the current promotion so I'll check back next week and hope to see a free dining offer for our dates.

 

[shafke]

I currently have the MM deal booked for a trip at then end of August.

There is another promo that runs through Aug 28 (25% off Moderate).


I priced this out and the MM promo is still cheaper for our trip. I think it included 15% off room. This is probably due to ticket price increase and two nights at full price. Out trip is til 8/31.

 

[dadofgoofy]

I think that the days of fall FD are coming to an end, unfortunately. With as many schools having expanded fall breaks these days, fall is filling up more that normal. Some schools in my state are also toying with the idea of not starting school again until after Labor day, while others are wanting to start at the end of July ad take fall break in Sept. If that is the start of a trend, FD may become extinct except for those offers given to foreign travelers.

 

[JACKNAG]

Wow free dining 7 days for people approx $1,400.00 or a free photo package approx $100 dollars , I'm torn which is a better value

 

[oldtink]

MM is not available free/promotion for all resort bookings. POFQ does NOT have MM offered currently as a free option. Our TA said that there were two other resorts where the Free offer did not apply. Currently the summer promotion is resort discount and the "unique offer code (old pin) is for 5+ day ticket, you get the park hopper for free. We got ours in the mail the other day but we are booked 9/16-22nd.

I had to call Disney to fix a problem with our friends package to link with ours since I am doing the planning for all of us. In the discussion, I mentioned that we finally got our first "offer" after all these years, but we can't use it because we are locked into the Sept trip. He just laughed and said, "Wait until mid April and you'll be just as happy." I asked our TA and she said that yes there is a promotion coming out next month but they don't know if it's another resort discount or FD. We are praying for the second because we are at POFQ which traditionally doesn't have the resort discount.

 

[SPOERLX3]

Disney's promo's and unique offers are sent out to fill rooms.
If there are current promo's and unique offers that are out there and there are already resorts excluded, it is a good sign that those resorts have a good percentage of their rooms already booked (by Disney standards) and those same resorts will, more than likely, be excluded from any other promo and unique offer that Disney puts out.

It is continually posted on the boards, by many Disboard members, that booking a package "hoping" for FD is the best way to block dates and exclude resorts. If there are resorts that are booked and dates that are filling up without a promotion or with one of the other promo's like MM, Disney has no reason to offer anything better, for those dates or those resorts, especially FD.

We can all probably agree, that Disney is doing everything possible to scale back on promo's and unique offers (especially FD) so why in the world would they offer a FD promo to a resort that is booking without it? or for dates that already have a good booking percentage.

If you watch the crowd predictor websites (touringplans, easywdw, undercovertourist, etc), they base their original predictions from historical data, then as rooms start booking up, they adjust their predictions. When September 2014 dates were first released they were all 1's & 2's, they are now mostly 3' & 4's.

Disney has historically offered FD in September trying to book rooms due to the economy, and now they are wanting to do away with FD. They have trained Disney lovers over the past few years (very well) to book the resorts in anticipation of FD. Disney may be winning at this game. I sure hope that I am wrong.

For my Disboard friends that have already booked and are hoping for FD, I would recommend that you have a backup resort preference and possibly some flexibility in your dates of travel, just in case.

pixie dust for September FD

 

[bksomody]

MM is not available free/promotion for all resort bookings. POFQ does NOT have MM offered currently as a free option. Our TA said that there were two other resorts where the Free offer did not apply. Currently the summer promotion is resort discount and the "unique offer code (old pin) is for 5+ day ticket, you get the park hopper for free. We got ours in the mail the other day but we are booked 9/16-22nd.

I had to call Disney to fix a problem with our friends package to link with ours since I am doing the planning for all of us. In the discussion, I mentioned that we finally got our first "offer" after all these years, but we can't use it because we are locked into the Sept trip. He just laughed and said, "Wait until mid April and you'll be just as happy." I asked our TA and she said that yes there is a promotion coming out next month but they don't know if it's another resort discount or FD. We are praying for the second because we are at POFQ which traditionally doesn't have the resort discount.

Would the Discount apply for early November?

 

[Leslieloody]

Wow free dining 7 days for people approx $1,400.00 or a free photo package approx $100 dollars , I'm torn which is a better value

I like your thinking...