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

[DreamingoftheCastle]

I'm booked for CBR 11/18 through 11/24 in a standard room with a GC. I haven't been able to add FD yet. I did it last year. It's still early but I'm getting a little discouraged. Should I give it more time or change resorts and give up the GC? What do you think my odds would be for POP?

I was booked 11/19-11/25 standard room with the GC deal. I was successfully able to add FD and keep the GC, but only for 11/19-11/23. We decided we'd do a split stay and go somewhere else the last two nights. But I'm still checking daily to see if I can add those last two days.

 

[ustasmom]

My first time using quote function, so hope I didn't mess it up, LOL. But I think I heard that they can be used even after end of the following year, it's just that you'd have to pay the difference in ticket price if tickets went up (which of course they will.) But at least that way you would still get to use the tickets and not lose them if you couldn't get back before end of the next year. (If I understand that right)???

I was told that the tickets attached to the FD promotion expire at the end of next year. I have a couple 1 day PH passes in my account that used to have the 12/1/2030 date on them, but now that isn't there. I prefer to just upgrade them and let them sit that way as opposed to losing $1375 in tickets.

 

[Disneylover99]

I was told that the tickets attached to the FD promotion expire at the end of next year. I have a couple 1 day PH passes in my account that used to have the 12/1/2030 date on them, but now that isn't there. I prefer to just upgrade them and let them sit that way as opposed to losing $1375 in tickets.

While they do technically expire, you will not lose the value you paid for them. My guess is that you would need to bring them to Guest Services and pay the difference for new tickets. I'm not sure if they could do it over the phone.

 

[LauraJean]

I think i am going to give up trying to get FD for nov 25 or 26 start for 10 days at CBR and stick with the fd I have for dec ay CBR.
Flights are better for Nov with times and price.
There was no trouble getting it for our Dec dates. Nov not so much.

 

[Neeky78]

I feel like this is all such a letdown after all the build up and anticipation waiting for FD to come out.
RO discounts are much better, especially since I only need theme park tickets for my daughter/grandson. But hey, the dining is "FREE"
So now I can go back and forth a 1000 times whether to switch to RO at ASMovies (GS is obsessed with Buzz!) or stay at Pop with FD and bank our 2 unneeded park hopper tickets for the future. ASMovies and tickets for them is $1300 cheaper than Pop and I can't see any of us eating that much food in a week. If we do, then we got big problems.

It depends on your situation as to whether the free dining is a deal or not.

For us, it definitely is. We're 3 Disney adults who were going to be buying park hopper tickets with or without fd.
It's our first time to WDW so we want to experience a lot of the dining. I priced up how much it would cost us out of pocket for the TS meals, QS meals and snacks we would get using the fd plan on the trip, and even with paying for the upgrade from QS, the free dining put us ahead by over $600 hundred dollars for our 8 night trip.

I even scaled back a lot of the TS meals and priced it, and the best I could get was it would cost us $50 less over an 8 night holiday to pay out of pocket. But we would have missed most of the TS dining experiences we want to do.

With our room rack rate only being an average of $250 a night, free dining definitely works out better for us than a RO discount.

 

[pixie_mtl]

I think i am going to give up trying to get FD for nov 25 or 26 start for 10 days at CBR and stick with the fd I have for dec ay CBR.
Flights are better for Nov with times and price.
There was no trouble getting it for our Dec dates. Nov not so much.

I'm having a similar issue with Pop. I currently have it for nov 25 to dec 1 hoping more rooms will be added so I can add 3 more nights. But for your dates @CBR they are available right now

 

[bebec22]

I'm still trying to figure out how hard I should try to convince my DH for a quick 4 night trip in Aug to take advantage of some free dining. The package is such a great deal but flights are sooo expensive! They're almost as much as the FD package! What are the chances of them going down at all? We fly out of Providence.

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm still trying to figure out how hard I should try to convince my DH for a quick 4 night trip in Aug to take advantage of some free dining. The package is such a great deal but flights are sooo expensive! They're almost as much as the FD package! What are the chances of them going down at all? We fly out of Providence.

What are they right now for August? We are going in July out of Providence and got them for around $ 325 round trip.

 

[darwood730]

Yes, I did this 2yrs ago, just added an extra night with "room discount" but just keep in mind, you can't carry over any of the dining or snack credits over for that last day. We made that mistake

Thanks for the tip. I think we have decided to only take the free dining if it appears for our dates. I really don't want to change reservations and lose a day of dining.

 

[bebec22]

What are they right now for August? We are going in July out of Providence and got them for around $ 325 round trip.

$416 round trip $1,248 for the 3 of us (DD is a lap child). 4 night package at Pop with an upgrade to the DDP is $1,658. Kills me that flights are almost as much!

 

[VillainFavs]

What are they right now for August? We are going in July out of Providence and got them for around $ 325 round trip.

Feeling really lucky now! We're flying out of Providence in August and got $249 round trip! Actually, booked using points from opening up a SW card, so not really paying anything--but that was the cash rate when we booked!

 

[Michael Hunting]

Good day all, First time posting, but have been lurking since around page 200 something. First time trying to get FD, so this has been a great resource. Had a question, hoping someone may have some insight.

I currently hold a reservation at CBR for 9/30-10/12. I should get the GCs. I'm booked though a TA, and we have been trying to get rebooked for FD. Been told that my existing room would qualify when I rebook. The problem is, my dates have not opened up for rebooking, and I do not want to let mine go for fear of loosing the days. My days are not flexible. The question I have, is in doing research i have noticed that a standard room is open for each of the days if I search for shorter stays, but not one contiguous stay. They are all standard rooms, and on a call to Disney, they said rooms and buildings have not been assigned. Since there are 5 in my party, I should only be getting rooms that have the pull down bed.

Does anyone know if there is some other variation on the standard room that I cannot see, that would prevent the standard room showing up for the entire stay. It really has me scratching my head. Have chatted and called to talk to Disney, and still not gotten any real answer.

Just hoping for some insight to ease my sanity as I wait to try and get the offer.

thank you all for the info and entertainment

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

anyone have better luck getting FD if they call rather than check on line? or is it all the same?
Still unable to get Poly and I was up when the deal dropped.
Seriously discouraged right now
Can't change dates bc we have airline already and school starts 2 days after we get home.

 

[vanjust14]

I'm still trying to figure out how hard I should try to convince my DH for a quick 4 night trip in Aug to take advantage of some free dining. The package is such a great deal but flights are sooo expensive! They're almost as much as the FD package! What are the chances of them going down at all? We fly out of Providence.

I fly out of providence and am having the same issue! I don't know why they are so much. We used to be able to fly to Orlando for 99 or better one way. I moved our trip to September because of the flights but even then they aren't that great.

 

[vanjust14]

anyone have better luck getting FD if they call rather than check on line? or is it all the same?
Still unable to get Poly and I was up when the deal dropped.
Seriously discouraged right now
Can't change dates bc we have airline already and school starts 2 days after we get home.

Many people reported having better luck calling. However, when I called the cast member I spoke to said anything I was seeing was what she was seeing.

 

[vanjust14]

Feeling really lucky now! We're flying out of Providence in August and got $249 round trip! Actually, booked using points from opening up a SW card, so not really paying anything--but that was the cash rate when we booked!

That's actually a good price for Providence these days! I want to open a card and use points, but I'm afraid that by the time I get the points the flights will be even higher (going in Sept). How long did it take for you to get your points if you don't mind me asking? (I plan on charging the $1000 right away)

 

[darwood730]

Have you been to ASSp or Pop before? Is there a particular reason she wants to upgrade?

Personally, I would pay the money and upgrade because I love Pop, but if you've never been to either place, I'd stick with ASSp. There are plenty of people who prefer it over Pop.

I have never stayed at any of the All Stars, but POP is a nice place. You get the advantage of buses for only POP and you can walk over to Art of A. Their food court is very good.

 

[bebec22]

I fly out of providence and am having the same issue! I don't know why they are so much. We used to be able to fly to Orlando for 99 or better one way. I moved our trip to September because of the flights but even then they aren't that great.

Ugh, it's awful! I will only fly direct right now with my kids being so young so that doesn't help. There are some cheaper flights with layovers in Baltimore but I'd honestly rather not go than deal with that. I'm a teacher so my only option is Aug.

 

[bebec22]

Feeling really lucky now! We're flying out of Providence in August and got $249 round trip! Actually, booked using points from opening up a SW card, so not really paying anything--but that was the cash rate when we booked!

That's an awesome price! If I could get tickets for that price it would be a no-brainer!

 

[vanjust14]

Ugh, it's awful! I will only fly direct right now with my kids being so young so that doesn't help. There are some cheaper flights with layovers in Baltimore but I'd honestly rather not go than deal with that. I'm a teacher so my only option is Aug.

Totally agree...I will only do direct also, especially with the kids. My youngest will be 20 months so direct it is!