2011 Free Dining is Extended! New dates as of 8/3

[MagicMan03]

Not sure why people decide to post on a watch and wait board and brag about how the already have had their free dining booked since December. People come on here for hope. Me being one of them. Don't boast to the less fortunate. Everyone keep your hopes up. Wishes do come true.

 

[mtuttle]

Not sure why people decide to post on a watch and wait board and brag about how the already have had their free dining booked since December. People come on here for hope. Me being one of them. Don't boast to the less fortunate. Everyone keep your hopes up. Wishes do come true.

I'm new to this board and I couldn't agree with you more. I'm happy for those that were able to book it in December and got what they wanted. Unfortunately, not all of us were able to do that. For those of us that are still waiting, I say keep our chins up and let's see what happens. If the "low-booking" rumors are true, then we might see the FD again. If not, so be it. It doesn't hurt to hope.

 

[mtuttle]

Disney did not announce its free dining last year till May 6. Just have to wait

We are keeping our fingers crossed. We are planning a Sept. trip. I went ahead and booked our trip and added the dining, but I'd love to switch it over to FD!

 

[mtuttle]

Based on some crowd monitoring sites, it seems attendance is less than predicted on those sites. If WDW is seeing the same less-than-expected park attendance, they will likely release a FD offer in the summer. Since the initial FD offer, the value is continually less and less, as you can read about online. I would expect similar to the PIN offer for summer, where you get QS FD with Vlue and Mods, and only Full FD with Deluxe resorts. I've got my fingers crossed for FD in early Dec this year.

This would be a wonderful thing to hear. We are going mid-Sept. and would love the FD. We are staying at a value resort, but would gladly upgrade for FD.

 

[espana94]

Subbing...DD20 starts the Disney college program next month. We are planning on going to visit her in September. FD would be a nice addition to the trip!

 

[lnh'smom]

Good for you! I'm watching for '12 FD to be released so I can get my trip booked for next fall!

Me too! We are going with at least 5 (my immediate family!) and up to 20 people!

 

[lnh'smom]

Well, I only found out this past week that I would be able to go on vacation back to Disney this summer (late August)......that didn't stop me from booking free dining back in December! After all, it is only a $200 deposit to book which is fully refundable up to 45 days out from date of arrival.

I would have been disappointed if I hadn't gotten my vacation when I wanted it but it all worked out and I will be going back to Disney with free dining locked in. It is great not to have the stress of waiting for the promotion. Perhaps next year more people will do the same thing and bring the global stress level down a few bars!....at least for us Disney freaks!

Please, don't hate me!

I also took your comment as great advice and not bragging! I think it was a really smart thing to do and I'm glad it worked out for you!

 

[anorman]

I also took your comment as great advice and not bragging! I think it was a really smart thing to do and I'm glad it worked out for you!

Thank you.....that was my intent. Sorry if I upset anyone....I remember last year how tense I was when free dining didn't get offered until May! I hope it works out for all of you. Good luck and here's some pixie dust just for you!

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Thank you.....that was my intent. Sorry if I upset anyone....I remember last year how tense I was when free dining didn't get offered until May! I hope it works out for all of you. Good luck and here's some pixie dust just for you!

I want to thank you for your very reasonable response...I've seen too many threads degenerate, getting derailed into a back and forth between a few people annoyed with each other. I'm so glad this thread seems to have a bunch of great people who can express their opinions in a measured way.

As for your original comment...I don't hate you however I'm kicking myself for not booking in December. We didn't think we'd be going to WDW this year, but shortly after we got home from our December trip (the bitter end of
December!) we decided this would have to be our last trip where DS misses school. He'll start high school in the Fall of 2012 and we'll have to be more careful about when we time our vacations. Alas, we were too late to book, so here I am pinless, codeless, public discountless ...but hoping like heck something comes up really soon so I can book some airfare and get some firm plans together. Hoping to do my happy dance soon....

 

[anorman]

I want to thank you for your very reasonable response...I've seen too many threads degenerate, getting derailed into a back and forth between a few people annoyed with each other. I'm so glad this thread seems to have a bunch of great people who can express their opinions in a measured way.

As for your original comment...I don't hate you however I'm kicking myself for not booking in December. We didn't think we'd be going to WDW this year, but shortly after we got home from our December trip (the bitter end of
December!) we decided this would have to be our last trip where DS misses school. He'll start high school in the Fall of 2012 and we'll have to be more careful about when we time our vacations. Alas, we were too late to book, so here I am pinless, codeless, public discountless ...but hoping like heck something comes up really soon so I can book some airfare and get some firm plans together. Hoping to do my happy dance soon....

Good luck to you and I sincerely hope it works out. Free dining is such a great deal for our family of four....this year our oldest will be on the adult plan so that would have hurt big time! I have every confidence that Disney will reoffer the free dining for all of you out there waiting. I know it is stressful but hang in there and have faith that the Mouse will come through.

 

[Treeglum]

I've been on pins and needles as well, took the april release for granted. I was on the site playing with packages and ended up asking someone through the website...

Here is my conversation..

Thank you for contacting Disney. Please hold while we route your chat to a Disney Cast Member who will help you with your question.
Welcome to Disney! My name is Chelsea. How may I help you today?

you: Well probably a question you've heard over and over. Do you know if they will reoffer the free dining plan for late summer as they have in the past?

Chelsea: Thank you for contacting Disney. I'd be happy to help out. We did have a Free Dining offer that had booking dates until December 20, 2010. We will not be offering a free dining package to everyone again this year. All of our current general Special Offers are listed online. You can access the “Special Offers” link at the top right of our homepage, under TICKETS & PACKAGES. To check availability and quotes for a special offer, you must click the orange "check availability” button on the offer’s page.

you: so that is confirmed? will not be offered again? seems to still be allot of doubt out there still

Chelsea: This is what we have been advised. Discounts are never guaranteed, however, if a special offer is released that includes the dates of your stay, you can contact the Disney Reservation Center at 407-560-CHAT (2428) and they can see if the discount can be applied to your existing booking.

you: thank you for your time.
Chelsea: You're welcome! Thanks for visiting Disney, have a magical day!




I hope,, they are wrong, or it changes, but I think I need to get moving on booking something

 

[Ladybugsy]

For some reason, Cast Members always state this kind of thing, but in reality, they have no idea what is coming out when.

 

[Colleen27]

Treeglum - to put that in perspective, imagine asking a cashier at your favorite retail store about sales that might be offered months down the road. Would you expect them to have that information? Of course not! They might know what is coming next week because they've seen the sales tags they need to put out or are scheduled for more hours if the sale is expected to draw in a lot of extra customers, but discount decisions are handled by someone much higher up in the company and not filtered down through every employee until it directly effects them.

WDTC CMs almost always give that same basic answer when asked about future discounts unless the discount is coming within days/weeks and the schedule already reflects the expected higher-than-usual call volume.

 

[my2disneyboys]

subbing - I too was thinking of going in late sept/early october and ALMOST booked with the free dining.... kicking myself now because we ARE going!! Oh well. I was able to book with the Kids stay and play free deal and saved 500! Although if Free dining does become available i will be VERY excited!!

 

[mskermit]

I just got a pin code for free dining too. Problem, I want September too. I have been twice in September and love the low crowds. So now do I wait and see if free dining will be announced for Sept or book for as late in Aug as I can get?

Does anyone know how the crowd level Aug 13-Aug 20 compares to mid September???

we went in aug 2010 from the 20th ( friday to the 28th ) that monday the crowds were so much lower due to the kids in the southern states going back to school. it did rain tho, alot. we usually go in the middle of July at peak crowd time, and we will now go in August for the lower crowds.

 

[mskermit]

I can remember waiting for free dining to come out for our past aug 2010 trip. checking the boards every morning, waiting hoping!! it seems as if they wait until one offer ends before another is offered, and it usually ends the week before they offer the free dining in late august. we went 8-20 and free dining started like the sunday before, google historic free dining dates. Of course we are not going this year and i have gotten 3 pins in the mail!! I think they track you by being on the disney web site and try to lure you in seeing you have signed out and not booked a vacation!! LOL. It was first offered to disney visa card holders , then to the general public. I have my fingers crossed and hoping for 2012 free dining!! good luck , dont stress too much, good things come to those who wait!!!

 

[EeyoreFan5]

We booked for September 2009 and we got free dining. If I'm remembering correctly it was released the end of April or beginning of May for late August thru October.

Hope that helps someone.

 

[englishrose47]

We booked for September 2009 and we got free dining. If I'm remembering correctly it was released the end of April or beginning of May for late August thru October.

Hope that helps someone.

We got it in 2009 too in September and it was released mid April !I am looking for a friend for mid June this year !!

 

[DisneyMom5]

I don't remember how the dates fell last year, but in the past the Disney Visa holders got to book on a Monday, and then general public on Thursday.
So, if last year's dates are any indication, IF they do Free Dining (as they have consistently for the last SIX years, amid speculation EACH year that they would not), my guess is May 2 for Dis. Visa, and May 5 for General public, OR the next week, so the 9th and 12th. But my money is on the 2nd and 5th.
Probably for a limited time between Aug. 13 and Oct. 1st. week.

Then, if things follow last year, there will be some sort of extension of that first week of July for limited dates between Oct. and Mid-December.
Not sure if Dis. Visa got first dibs on that one or not.

If you could go back and read every Free Dining thread for that last 6 years, you'd laugh at how it's the EXACT same conversation. LOL

Someday, they probably WILL stop doing it. The way the economy is right now, they'll offer a deal...and it will be Free Dining or something else good.

 

[mom2rtk]

It all really just depends on how successful last year's offering of free dining for the hurricane season 2011 was. If they got enough, then they won't offer it again. If they didn't, then they will.

It's as simple as that.