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

[Susan Doeberl]

We were looking at 14 nights Nov 25-Dec 9. Got music FD right at drop but I have not seen anything else for these dates in the value range. Moderates had very little as well (seen nothing for CBR or CSR). Really though, there was nothing for CBR or CSR for months even before the FD drop. We were not really thrilled about music so ended up taking a standard room at AKL. This added a lot of cost to the trip (especially with the Canadian exchange rate) but it did give us the full DDP. We are excited about the trip but I do wonder what the future holds for this promotion. Seems really limited this year compared to other years...

From what I have read it appears that a lot of people have multiple reservations and are holding out for better ones. If anyone is doing this please make up your mind and cancel the extra ones. It is really not fair for others who are trying to book.

 

[pixie_mtl]

From what I have read it appears that a lot of people have multiple reservations and are holding out for better ones. If anyone is doing this please make up your mind and cancel the extra ones. It is really not fair for others who are trying to book.

That's a few $200 if they are doing that not even courtesy hold. I think Disney's booking system has a glitch. The last few days I logged in on their website and was able fo tind standard rooms at Pop for November 25 to 30. This was about 10 pm and again around for 4 am and 5 am. Tested it again this morning around 6 am and there were standard rooms at Pop but all prefered rooms sold out... hmmm really??! Usually standard rooms are the first to go... Right before replying to this post, I checked again: nada, nothing, rien available at Pop. I notice the same for rooms at CBR for the same time frame. It just makes me wonder if Disney's booking system has a glitch

 

[Elsaalltheway]

That's a few $200 if they are doing that not even courtesy hold. I think Disney's booking system has a glitch. The last few days I logged in on their website and was able fo tind standard rooms at Pop for November 25 to 30. This was about 10 pm and again around for 4 am and 5 am. Tested it again this morning around 6 am and there were standard rooms at Pop but all prefered rooms sold out... hmmm really??! Usually standard rooms are the first to go... Right before replying to this post, I checked again: nada, nothing, rien available at Pop. I notice the same for rooms at CBR for the same time frame. It just makes me wonder if Disney's booking system has a glitch

200 is nothing but a savings account to some people. If I'm booking a 3k vacation and have six reservations, I'll cancel five and get back 1k. Then just shift that over to the cost of the vacation. I think that is what some people do, or they put it on their credit card and if they cancel within the month they don't even have to pay it back.

 

[DisTXMom]

A CM on the phone told me that accounting goes through these reservations and if they see what looks like duplicate reservations (same guests/dates), they can flag it as a duplicate and they can call you and tell you to choose while they cancel one of them or that they can even cancel them without calling. Now, I have held two reservations for a short period of time while we decide resort, etc, so don't know if this review is happening on a timely basis, but that's what I was told last week. If that is truly the case, you'd think duplicates would pop up at some point as they get sorted out.

 

[my2lovedisney]

Has anyone had luck recently getting a room they preferred over one they had to chose for free dining? I'm currently booked at AKL in a studio at kidani but I'd prefer to be at Jambo or CSR..just curious if anyone has seen rooms become available..I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Greg36]

Has anyone had luck recently getting a room they preferred over one they had to chose for free dining? I'm currently booked at AKL in a studio at kidani but I'd prefer to be at Jambo or CSR..just curious if anyone has seen rooms become available..I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I have been checking my dates online a few times a day at different times and I have seen very little change. No change at all at the value or moderate level. Little changes at the deluxe level, mostly in room types...

 

[Disney Ron]

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.

We live 10 minutes from PVD and are flying JetBlue non stop both ways 9/26-10/4 for $99 each way. The four of us are under $800!!!

 

[sjs314]

Has anyone had luck recently getting a room they preferred over one they had to chose for free dining? I'm currently booked at AKL in a studio at kidani but I'd prefer to be at Jambo or CSR..just curious if anyone has seen rooms become available..I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I also check every day and see very little change in room availability in the Deluxe category plus I MYSElf. have bookeD THEN cancelled (3) room reservations which I never saw return to FD inventory

 

[my2lovedisney]

I also check every day and see very little change in room availability in the Deluxe category plus I MYSElf. have bookeD THEN cancelled (3) room reservations which I never saw return to FD inventory

Hmmm that's interesting...I wonder if an agent would see it if someone called in?

 

[Dashzap]

I also check every day and see very little change in room availability in the Deluxe category plus I MYSElf. have bookeD THEN cancelled (3) room reservations which I never saw return to FD inventory

Don't you think there are so many people making reservations at once that your cancelled reservations may have been snapped right up?

 

[ustasmom]

I am strolling through September and late November and I am not seeing much available at all. And the VISA offer has even less (if that is even possible.)

 

[Lisa J]

Praying for POP Thanksgiving week 11/18-11/24. I hope they release more rooms. I haven't seen any values lately. And I check 80 times a day.

 

[mdraz]

I just cancelled a family suite at music 11/25-12/01 with fd

 

[DizFanSLD]

I managed to modify my existing reservation for WL when the free dining dropped. I would keep checking daily it might open up. I noticed you said WL is your fave resort, I've never been there but my husband has his heart set on it. Could you tell me what you like about it? I'm having trouble getting on board with it because it is not really my style.

Sorry for my slow reply - RL has been super busy!

I love the theming at WL; it hits just the right balance for me. It is not quite as intense as the theming at Poly or GF, not that they aren't amazing, but it is just a notch or two less intense. But it has much more atmosphere to me than the Contemporary. The lobby has this sort of magnificent sense of presence, with so many details and Disney touches. One of the subtle things that makes it for me, however, is the music. The lobby music is mostly made up of movie scores, and I am a huge fan of movie music. I love to hang out and just listen and pick out my favorites. You can listen at DCot of you want - they have the music loop available.

The lobby also always smells yummy, thanks to the fantastic food at Whispering Canyon (bottomless milkshakes - oh my!) and the fire is always going in the fireplace. Chip and Dale are in the shower (decorative tiles!) and they are my favorite characters. The flickering lamps on all the walkway that are so lovely at night. The Golden Spike room in the lobby of the villas. Beautiful views of the lake and being able to catch the boat to the Magic Kingdom, which DH says is like the first ride of the day.

I guess it just hits exactly the right sweet spot for me between grand and cozy. Plus, it was the first Deluxe I ever stayed at, so it kinda set the expectation for what I think they ought to be like. BTW, I am not AT ALL the woodsy type - My idea of roughing it is a hotel that only has basic cable! It isn't that I am all about Log construction and plaid, in fact if I were picking a resort that fit me and my style, it would be the Beach Club. But somehow at WDW, there's just that something about the WL that makes me happy through and through.

I love any and every trip to WDW, and I regularly stay at all three resort levels, but when I am at WL, I feel like I am at home.

 

[sjs314]

Don't you think there are so many people making reservations at once that your cancelled reservations may have been snapped right up?

Anything is possible

 

[markpenske]

From what I have read it appears that a lot of people have multiple reservations and are holding out for better ones. If anyone is doing this please make up your mind and cancel the extra ones. It is really not fair for others who are trying to book.

THANK YOU!

 

[markpenske]

Last year we had the free dining package at a moderate. It cost us $3650. The same package this year is over $6000. So, we decided to go with a value and upgrade the dining. There is nothing available for our dates....And, I was up at 4:00am on drop day.

 

[markpenske]

I remember the first time we went on the free dining. We stayed at a value resort, we got the "regular dining plan" for free. It included Tip and appetizers at each table service. And, some of the signatures like LeCell. were included for 1 credit.

 

[littlebittyhouse]

I remember the first time we went on the free dining. We stayed at a value resort, we got the "regular dining plan" for free. It included Tip and appetizers at each table service. Any, some of the signatures like LeCell. were included for 1 credit.

Same!

 

[VillainFavs]

I remember the first time we went on the free dining. We stayed at a value resort, we got the "regular dining plan" for free. It included Tip and appetizers at each table service. And, some of the signatures like LeCell. were included for 1 credit.

Yep, 2007. Boy, were we spoiled!