2010 Fall Dining for DVISA Is Out (See FIRST page)'

[gibbersome]

eagerly awaiting for the word

The Disney Visa Card holders will be the first to know.

CanadianGuy, thanks for giving us the low down! Do you expect further confirmation or more details in the next couple of weeks? Or is this as much as your sources are willing to divulge until the official word comes out.

 

[CanadianGuy]

you would make a great journalist, not giving up your sources...

I did mention I work in "radio" right? Ahem.

Ok, I'm not a journalist. But .. I work near them.. ?

I've never stayed at either one (nor have much of a desire to), so I wasn't completely sure. Thanks for the clarification!

I have not yet stayed at either.. which is partly (along with Disney's handling of sports teams at their value resorts) ... why I'm going to give 'em a spin this June.

Can't WAIT!

 

[gsroselli]

Ok -

All sources agree, there will be less inventory than we're probably used to so more likelihood of folks having to change resorts and/or possibly dates to get it. Just as suspected QSDP for the values, Reg DP for the mod and deluxe resorts.

First of all: Thanks a lot CG!!!
Then, just a quick question: at what time does Disney open the online reservation system with new offers?
I need to know that because, since it will be short inventory, I have to book the first day, early in the morning, before work.-
Thanks in advance
Sandra

 

[jhaig]

So with this "inventory" question - I remember last year people were calling in June and still getting the FD promotion. Should we be calling right away when the FD comes out? I plan on calling the first day, but I'm just wondering what the likelihood is of getting what you want depending upon how quickly you call (a week? a month?)

 

[sjs314]

Looks into my crystal ball----Hmm what is this? Disney CRO computers crash as people scramble to get FD on May 3rd !

 

[disneyfantotheend]

I too am worried about that, because my TA does not come in her office until 9:30. Will all the rooms truly be gone that quickly? I am really not at all worried about which mod we go to, but our dates are pretty solid. The kids go back to school on the 25TH, so we are there from Aug 13-24TH. Can't extend it or switch to any other dates, due to school.

 

[Melanie230]

Thanks for the update Knox. I hope you are right, but I hope that it isn't just QSDP for Values. If it is...we will be going to Universal this year. I just can't see paying $2056.00 for the same trip we went on last year that cost us $1500. Just too much of a jump.

 

[Melanie230]

I have a couple of questions re this that you all can probably answer and save me the phone call to disney ( where they certianly wouldnt confirm a promotion at this time anyway). I, too have been not so patiently waiting for FD. I got it last year and could kick myself for not booking a bounce back! Anyway- I have POP booked with the reg DP for Sept 28-Oct 3. My questions:
Is it worth it to updrade from the QSDP to the reg DP , or does it make more sense to updrade the resort to a moderate and get the free reg DP? Does it come out to the same money wise? or are you still saving more with the Value Resort?
my other question is, according to the "rumors", the promotion ends Oct 2. We are checking out Oct 3...do we GET the FD for the night of Oct 2?
Thanks for any help!!

I dont know if this has been answered for you or not yet, but I ran the numbers for us. We went last year to Pop from Sept 26-Oct 3. We had Free Dining and the cost for 2 adults and 2 children was $1562.00. If we went this year from October 1-October 8 and got QSFD for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 11 and 8) the cost is $1832.21 to upgrade to FD the cost is $2056.21. To upgrade our resort to a moderate (Port Orleans Riverside) with FD is $2340. I just spoke to DH about the cost, and neither one of us is willing to pay $500 more than we paid last year for the same trip. We are willing to pay the $1832.21 for POP with FD but not POP with QSFD. I hope they have the same offer as last year...if not...we have to keep our plans to go see Harry Potter!

 

[Port Orleans fan]

Thanks Knox. It's great to know we have you to keep us well informed.

Before you know it, it will be time for your vacation. I hope you give us a big report (with photos) when you get back. Alot of us don't know too much about the swan/dolphin.

 

[beachgrl001]

Funny about Fantasmic... we were there Sept. 1, 2008. It was the largest crowd we saw our entire trip. Took us more than half an hour to get to the theater, due to slow moving crowds.... wall to wall people... could have been a major problem if there was a fire or other activity that cause people to lose their senses and just flee. 2 in our party were on ECVs so we were seated in the back.. the place was packed. We are going to HS the same time this year (labor day), however no fantasmic that day!!!!

I know It was odd to me.. I have other pics of my son sitting on the bleachers all by himself I was like let me take this pic no ones gonna believe it! We were there September 2-9 (09) I dont know the exact date we went Id have to check my Passporter(shameless plug for the Passporter)every other year it has been packed We usually go around the same time every year. Id rather have it packed than the way that crowd was. Thats what I get for not fixing the dates on my camera

 

[pooch]

WOW. A wealth of info out there! We are going 10/13-18. I was hoping F/D might be extended into October further but it looks...unlikely. Out of curiosity, which is a better deal?

5 nights at POP with Free dining?

5 nights at POP with a room discount code?

I suck at math. I imagine the value room discount would be 30% right (or was it 25%?). We are currently booked through AAA (paying for the dining plan), and the only applied discount is the AAA discount which is I believe 20% off rack.


ETA: I would be absolutely okay with upgrading to a mod if the discount made it worth our while somehow (like if Free Dining with the regular plan was offered at mods or deluxes but only QSD at the values). I reall yloved POFQ, but have been itching to try POR. Interestingly, it will ALWAYS be Dixie Landings to me, and that is the name of my farm! Dixieland Farm.

Free DDP is better than a room discount at a VALUE resort, even if its the QS plan. QS costs $31.99 pp per day. So 2 adults = $63.98. At a value, you'd need a 64%ish discount to equal that. In my case, we have Reg DDP on a Bounceback at Pop with 3 adults, a savings of $125.97 per day!! Oh and it only costs $10 pp per day to upgrade to Reg DDP, much less than upgrading to a mod just to get the reg plan.

This of course presumes that the DDP fits your family's tastes/touring style. But, if you're on this thread, I assume you are interested in the DDP

 

[mskermit]

we will have to all move over to the resturant boards to discuss our dining ressies

good idea!! i made all of mine at the 180 day mark!! they are all put in an excel spreadsheet with where, day, time and ressie #!!! you would think i have alot of time on my hands, i dont, just too excited to go!!
BTW im from south jersey too!! glou co

 

[conachan14]

We are already booked for August 15-23 and already bought our military tickets which are for 4 days and we added the water parks. We were planning on adding the one day to get the FD.

Is the FD only going to be available with longer ticket purchase or do you think that they will allow the 1 day purchase again? We are booked for POR. Might have to revamp our trip if this happens.

 

[mickey2000]

Just a questions about the BB. We are staying at a value resort this summer. If a BB is offered can we book next year's trip at a moderate resort on the BB?

 

[mickey2000]

good idea!! i made all of mine at the 180 day mark!! they are all put in an excel spreadsheet with where, day, time and ressie #!!! you would think i have alot of time on my hands, i dont, just too excited to go!!
BTW im from south jersey too!! glou co

I'm also in Gloucester County!

 

[mskermit]

haha wouldnt that be funny if we were neighbors???

 

[CanadianGuy]

Ok -

All sources agree, there will be less inventory than we're probably used to so more likelihood of folks having to change resorts and/or possibly dates to get it. Just as suspected QSDP for the values, Reg DP for the mod and deluxe resorts.

First of all: Thanks a lot CG!!!
Then, just a quick question: at what time does Disney open the online reservation system with new offers?
I need to know that because, since it will be short inventory, I have to book the first day, early in the morning, before work.-
Thanks in advance
Sandra

7am I believe.

So with this "inventory" question - I remember last year people were calling in June and still getting the FD promotion. Should we be calling right away when the FD comes out? I plan on calling the first day, but I'm just wondering what the likelihood is of getting what you want depending upon how quickly you call (a week? a month?)

Depends on what you want. Really I don't mean to be funny.. but I imagine popular dates will go first at certain resorts.. nearly impossible to know which ones.. it doesn't ever make sense.

But even after the first couple of weeks. There are lots of good choices. But always a chance even in the very first minute that exactly what you want - isn't available.

Something to keep in mind. Not all resorts and all room categories get allocation.

I too am worried about that, because my TA does not come in her office until 9:30. Will all the rooms truly be gone that quickly? I am really not at all worried about which mod we go to, but our dates are pretty solid. The kids go back to school on the 25TH, so we are there from Aug 13-24TH. Can't extend it or switch to any other dates, due to school.

Really? Really? (Insert picture of Seth n Amy from SNL here)

(couldn't resist)

In all seriousness, you'll be fine.. I don't think that the 2.5 hours is really gonna hurt the inventory THAT much. If you dont' get it 2.5 hours in .. you probably wouldn't have got it at 7:01 .. because they probably didn't offer it on your exact dates at that exact resort. No biggie, you can always switch resorts to get it.

We are already booked for August 15-23 and already bought our military tickets which are for 4 days and we added the water parks. We were planning on adding the one day to get the FD.

Is the FD only going to be available with longer ticket purchase or do you think that they will allow the 1 day purchase again? We are booked for POR. Might have to revamp our trip if this happens.

We presume same as previous years but we won't know til the offer gets released. People have made all kinds of guesses around length of stay passes.. but that's just that, a guess.

 

[mickey2000]

haha wouldnt that be funny if we were neighbors???

Only if you were a Disney nut like me ! I have a Disney room with 3000 framed pins

 

[B-Ride]

Nothing is ever for sure and things change from year to year but if you use last year as a comparison I am pretty confident people will be able to secure a room if they call reasonably soon.

Last year, Free Dining was released for the general public on March 30th. Out of curiousity I tried booking all resorts at various times just to see how quickly the rooms disappeared.

I was able to book all resorts and room types up until Apr 22nd. So as you can see booking was not difficult at all. At that point some room types and resorts became unavailable with Pop Century, the Garden Wing room at CR and the standard room at WL disappearing first.

However, on June 11th, Disney extended the booking window to July 26th and at that point all resorts became available again.

Now, as Knox mentioned, there may be fewer rooms available this year, but given how the economy is still slow and Disney has been extending and adding Spring and Summer deals, I can't see all the rooms disappearing for a few days at least.

Of course, in 2008 things were much more hectic and things like the Standard room at WL and all rooms at Pop Century disappeared the first day, and some of the moderates disappeared two days after the deal started, but I have to believe that 2009 will be a better indicator than 2008.

Having said all this, I would still recommend booking the first day the deals become available. I would also recommend doing it online. You can easily wait 60 - 120 minutes on the phone if you call at 7:00AM with the hundreds of other people, where doing it online is painless as long as the servers don't crash.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Nothing is ever for sure and things change from year to year but if you use last year as a comparison I am pretty confident people will be able to secure a room if they call reasonably soon.

Last year, Free Dining was released for the general public on March 30th. Out of curiousity I tried booking all resorts at various times just to see how quickly the rooms disappeared.

I was able to book all resorts and room types up until Apr 22nd. So as you can see booking was not difficult at all. At that point some room types and resorts became unavailable with Pop Century, the Garden Wing room at CR and the standard room at WL disappearing first.

However, on June 11th, Disney extended the booking window to July 26th and at that point all resorts became available again.

Now, as Knox mentioned, there may be fewer rooms available this year, but given how the economy is still slow and Disney has been extending and adding Spring and Summer deals, I can't see all the rooms disappearing for a few days at least.

Of course, in 2008 things were much more hectic and things like the Standard room at WL and all rooms at Pop Century disappeared the first day, and some of the moderates disappeared two days after the deal started, but I have to believe that 2009 will be a better indicator than 2008.

Having said all this, I would still recommend booking the first day the deals become available. I would also recommend doing it online. You can easily wait 60 - 120 minutes on the phone if you call at 7:00AM with the hundreds of other people, where doing it online is painless as long as the servers don't crash.

Awesome detailed history and I'm glad to read that I did remember correctly that Pop Century was among the first resorts to disappear each year.