******Official 2017 Free Dining Plan Watch, Wait, and Dream

[Neeky78]

If disney don't honor the gift card with FD..
Than why do we need to book CBR with FD. and stay in construction zone. they couldn't have offered 75 for smaller distractions.
We can book an another resort like CBR or POQR.
CM clearly told me that this compensation for staying in the resort while constructions. Any future discounts can be applied if available

The $75 gc is not a promotion or discount, it's compensation. There's no way they will make you choose between that and FD, because as you said, why would you stay at CBR then? FD is worth more than the $75.
I'm confident they'll let you modify a CBR booking to include FD and won't remove the gc so long as your original booking was made before the cut off, which was last Sunday.

 

[Tom P.]

You know, if I were Disney, I'd read threads like this and release free dining at 6:33 p.m. on a Thursday just to confuse everyone.

 

[Rusty2rules]

Ugh, same. I've mentally anchored myself in at an "ideal" price on SW or we will drive. Why am I so frugal cheap?

Nothing frugal or cheap about it as far as I'm concerned. I'm driving from Oklahoma. 19 hours. Would it be nice to get there in 3-1/2 hours? Sure. Am I willing to pay $400+ per ticket to do it? No. I don't mind driving. I get to see the countryside. Sit in my comfy car. Stop when I want to stop. Eat where I want to eat. No TSA. No hoping I don't miss my flight and worrying about my bags making it. I can buy as much stuff as I want to bring home and not worry about fitting it into my bag or having some neanderthal loading/throwing my luggage around. No finding/paying for a rental car or waiting for and getting herded onto a bus. I'm actually planning on having a couple of meals with family and friends along the way. Nope, I'll drive.

Okay, small rant here. You know what really grinds me about the airlines? Take Spirit for example. Right in their promo video. "Gas is our largest expense." Really? I have to assume that's pretty close to the truth for other airlines. How much have gas prices dropped in the last couple of years? And how much have airfares come down? Oh, wait... No, if driving is an option, I'm driving.

 

[pkelly6]

You know, if I were Disney, I'd read threads like this and release free dining at 6:33 p.m. on a Thursday just to confuse everyone.

 

[Taylor F.]

You know, if I were Disney, I'd read threads like this and release free dining at 6:33 p.m. on a Thursday just to confuse everyone.

I'd be thrilled. But at the same time my three month old wakes at 4:30am to eat so I wouldn't really be struggling to 4am book. Haha.


Will I really have to be up at 4am if I want FD at Standard Poly room?

 

[pghmom]

I'm prepared for no double-dipping of the GC and FD too. If we can't, we'll switch resorts because FD pencils out better for us and I'd rather not stay at a resort with massive construction if there's no financial incentive. Either way, I win. FD at WDW? Yes please!

Same. If this is the case, we will eat more than the amount of the gift card throughout the week, so why would I stay somewhere and put up with all of the construction noise, etc. vs. stay elsewhere? We'll switch to a value and upgrade the DP.

 

[Tom P.]

I'd be thrilled. But at the same time my three month old wakes at 4:30am to eat so I wouldn't really be struggling to 4am book. Haha.


Will I really have to be up at 4am if I want FD at Standard Poly room?

Is it absolutely necessary to book at 4 a.m. to get FD? No. In 2015 we managed to get it several weeks after the initial drop when more availability was added. Is it best to book at 4 a.m. on the day it drops? Definitely. That's the best chance of getting what you want.

 

[Taylor F.]

Is it absolutely necessary to book at 4 a.m. to get FD? No. In 2015 we managed to get it several weeks after the initial drop when more availability was added. Is it best to book at 4 a.m. on the day it drops? Definitely. That's the best chance of getting what you want.

Ahh pooperscooper. Ok. 4am it will be. Lort. Maybe I'll book it and force myself to go to the gym.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

The $75 gc is not a promotion or discount, it's compensation. There's no way they will make you choose between that and FD, because as you said, why would you stay at CBR then? FD is worth more than the $75.
I'm confident they'll let you modify a CBR booking to include FD and won't remove the gc so long as your original booking was made before the cut off, which was last Sunday.

When the promotion for the GC at CBR was available last week I put a package together for the current room offer and it had also included the GC, so double dipping was possible for a % off room offer, FD on the other hand I'm not so sure, just because it's FD but it wasn't actually part of a package it was compensation from the resort itself, I'm not even staying there but I hope everyone that is does get a good deal like that!!!

 

[vicb224]

The $75 gc is not a promotion or discount, it's compensation. There's no way they will make you choose between that and FD, because as you said, why would you stay at CBR then? FD is worth more than the $75.
I'm confident they'll let you modify a CBR booking to include FD and won't remove the gc so long as your original booking was made before the cut off, which was last Sunday.

100% agree

 

[Azjenn]

EST

Oh this is much better for me I'm west coast so thats 1am my time so I would actually get a few hours sleep

 

[vicb224]

Last year, I did get up at 4am and book 2 rooms, at CSR, got the FD- 42 days before the trip we wanted to add a room, and they let me!! Same people in the party, just another room for more space. But I was shocked.

 

[VillainFavs]

The $75 gc is not a promotion or discount, it's compensation. There's no way they will make you choose between that and FD, because as you said, why would you stay at CBR then? FD is worth more than the $75.
I'm confident they'll let you modify a CBR booking to include FD and won't remove the gc so long as your original booking was made before the cut off, which was last Sunday.

But just because of this, don't be surprised if they just don't include CBR in the FD promotion! Which will make the fight for FD at other mods even tougher!

 

[pghmom]

But just because of this, don't be surprised if they just don't include CBR in the FD promotion! Which will make the fight for FD at other mods even tougher!

Not necessarily, though. I think there are a few different types of people currently booked at CBR and hoping to stack the $75 compensation for the construction nuisance with the FD promotion. Like you said, some will be scrambling for FD @ the other mods. Others (like myself) will move to a value for FD.

 

[VillainFavs]

Not necessarily, though. I think there are a few different types of people currently booked at CBR and hoping to stack the $75 compensation for the construction nuisance with the FD promotion. Like you said, some will be scrambling for FD @ the other mods. Others (like myself) will move to a value for FD.

What I meant is if they exclude CBR entirely, that's that many less mod rooms available for FD. POFQ is almost always excluded. That would just leave CSR and POR. CSR is under construction so cut back on rooms there as well.

Just seems like in general, moderate rooms may be very hard to come by this year!

 

[Abbey Albright]

Ok thanks. Is it guest services at CBR?

Mine was guest services after speaking with the main Disney number.

 

[pghmom]

What I meant is if they exclude CBR entirely, that's that many less mod rooms available for FD. POFQ is almost always excluded. That would just leave CSR and POR. CSR is under construction so cut back on rooms there as well.

Just seems like in general, moderate rooms may be very hard to come by this year!

You're probably right! I'd be curious to know the profit margins for each of the resort categories (value, mod, deluxe) when it comes to FD. I'm sure there is a business reason ($) for these decisions.

 

[PirateD]

I can't remember if it was exactly 4am in 2015 but it was very, very early (well before 6am) also on a Monday morning since I checked when I had my coffee (usually 5:30am) and the offers were up but that year waited until my TA was in the office after 9:30am to book through her. I narrowly got the FD deal at POP and then had problems later with my TA & the booking. Last year, I opted to book it directly online just as soon as I saw the offer.

That's what I'm trying to figure out too because I'm afraid that once I get one room what if I don't get a second one so I'm wondering if I can just stick one name on there to save time and then add the names later. Just secure the rooms and then sort the rest out later or do I have to put all the names in at booking time.

I'm following along just to see what FD is like this year. I'm hoping that we can get it in 2018.

I did book FD in 2015 for 10 of us at POP. We needed 4 rooms. I was so nervous that I wouldn't be able to get them all. We had word the night before it was supposed to drop so I had 2 laptops/devices ready to go. I woke up around 1:00 PST and found that FD had gone live. I booked two rooms under my MDE on one device. I don't remember all of the steps but I do remember that it was not an extra step to put a different name on the second room. It would have been more steps to book the room under a different MDE though, so I stayed logged in and just entered the other name (my brother and family). I was logged into my parents' MDE on the other device and booked their room and then my sister's and her family on their MDE. I made sure that all of our MDE's were linked and ready to go. I also made sure that I had my credit card added to both accounts. I just used my card for all of the rooms and got reimbursed. That helped to save some steps too.

It worked and I was able to get all 4 rooms. I think it helped that we were booking at POP as I think they had more availability than some of the moderate resorts. I hope my experience helps! Good luck!

ETA: If your accounts are linked previously, I think all you have to do is click on the names and not enter each of them in. At least it was the case when I booked.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

What I meant is if they exclude CBR entirely, that's that many less mod rooms available for FD. POFQ is almost always excluded. That would just leave CSR and POR. CSR is under construction so cut back on rooms there as well.

Just seems like in general, moderate rooms may be very hard to come by this year!

Does anyone know what they are actually doing at CBR right now or by the end of this year, from what I've heard it was the food court and pool this year and nothing to do with the rooms? Just curious...

 

[The Dirty Steve]

In the past, this site has been a sign of things to come....