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

[Dis_Fan]

What is a photo book exactly? Does it include the photos that the professional photographers take in the park, or do you have to buy pictures separately?

 

[princssdisnygina]

What is a photo book exactly? Does it include the photos that the professional photographers take in the park, or do you have to buy pictures separately?

You can use the pics they take in the park or you can upload your own.

 

[packofjedis]

This is a really stupid question.....in anticipation of the free dining offer going public on Monday, I'm making my dining reservations online. Is that bad? I didn't "link them to my dining package" since obviously I don't have it yet. So I just booked them.

Will this work out? Or will I have to rebook them to link them? Not sure if linking them is mandatory......

Thanks. Never had the dining plan before so I'm a bit confused.

 

[TDC Nala]

You do not have to have your room reservation linked to your dining reservations for any reason except: 1) to make 180 + 10 reservations or 2) to avoid prepayment for CRT or a dinner show if you are on a dining plan.

 

[billwendy]

Has anyone ever made free dining work in conjunction with homeschool days???

 

[Dis_Fan]

You can use the pics they take in the park or you can upload your own.

Thank You. So if I decide to use the pictures the photographers took in the park, are they free or do I have to pay extra to use in the photo book?

 

[princssdisnygina]

Thank You. So if I decide to use the pictures the photographers took in the park, are they free or do I have to pay extra to use in the photo book?

They are "free" in the fact that you are paying for the book. Just remember they are printed on the page in the book and they don't actually come out. There are quite a few pics in the book but you design it for the most part. You will probably have to use some of your own pics anyway unless you just take a ridiculous amount of photopass pics.

 

[knovak]

I love these boards - I of course got nothing from Disney Visa re the deal but was happy to read about it on the boards!

Just called and booked the new Disney Visa offer. I had a package already purchased using the 30% off code from a couple of months ago for 8 nights in Sept staying at Carribean Beach with 8 day tickets and Dining Plan (1 table, 1 counter, 1 snack) - total price was $2641 for 2 adults and a 3 year old.

I was just able to apply the free dining offer and it dropped my cost to $2339!!

Yay!!

And I was able to switch from CB to POFQ.

Were you still able to keep the 30% off your room? I booked with that pin as well and when I did the math it would cost me more to switch to just Free Dining - but if I can use both - that would be awesome.

 

[princssdisnygina]

Were you still able to keep the 30% off your room? I booked with that pin as well and when I did the math it would cost me more to switch to just Free Dining - but if I can use both - that would be awesome.

No. You can't use both. Normally if you are staying in a value or a mod then it is a better deal to use the Free dining. The only time it isn't really a better deal is if you are staying in a deluxe and even that can vary depending on how many are in the room. But Free dining is normally the better deal. You can only use one discount at a time.

 

[Colleen27]

Agreed - I am not thrilled with the limited dates at all. I don't know if it is worth it for us to split our stay into 2 reservations. If we get a 1 day park pass for the first reservation, then the costs are basically the same. If we don't go to any theme parks, then we blow almost an entire day in Disney without being able to go to a park, plus we won't get to go to one of our ADRs, as it's scheduled at an EPCOT restaurant (Coral Reef). Boo.

Depending on when you check in relative to when the free dining promo starts you might be able to get your package tickets early. I'm not sure of the specifics because we've never done it, but Cheshire Figment has a section about it in the ticketing sticky on the theme parks board. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

 

[princssdisnygina]

Depending on when you check in relative to when the free dining promo starts you might be able to get your package tickets early. I'm not sure of the specifics because we've never done it, but Cheshire Figment has a section about it in the ticketing sticky on the theme parks board. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1452684

Unfortunately you can't get package tickets early. You have to wait til the day the package actually starts. You would go down the morning of the start of the package and trade in your KTTW cards.

 

[Colleen27]

Unfortunately you can't get package tickets early. You have to wait til the day the package actually starts. You would go down the morning of the start of the package and trade in your KTTW cards.

Are you sure? I've never seen Cheshire wrong about a ticketing issue, and this is straight from his FAQ sticky:

I. Picking up Package Tickets Prior To Start Of Package

In cases where Walt Disney World Resort Guests would like to begin using their Package Tickets prior to the day of check-in (up to three days in advance), the Guests will be directed to visit any Theme Park Guest Relations location and request Early Ticket Pick-Up.

It is only valid for people with packages at a Walt Disney World owned and operated Resort. You can be staying off-property at the time you pick up the tickets. Note that if you have a package which includes Dining, although you can pick up your tickets early you cannot get access to the Dining until you have actually checked in to your Resort.

There is a possibility that if your package and the stay prior to the package are at the same Resort that you will be able to get the tickets at the Resort and not have to go to a Park Guest Relations Office.

And the tickets issued will be valid for the entire stay; they will not receive valid tickets when they actually check-in to their resort. There is a strong possibility that the tickets you have received prior to check-in cannot be added to your KTTW on or after check-in.

 

[bdw710]

Has anyone ever made free dining work in conjunction with homeschool days???

I'm wondering about this too. I'm going to investigate further and if I find any information, I'll let you know!

 

[DaniB]

Unfortunately you can't get package tickets early. You have to wait til the day the package actually starts. You would go down the morning of the start of the package and trade in your KTTW cards.

Sorry, but that is incorrect. Cheshire Figment has a section in his ticket sticky answering this question.

You CAN get your "park" tickets early. Not the dining.

Our original trip was going to be in May. Arriving on May 26th room only. And then our package to start on May 27th for Free Dining. I would have been able to get our park tickets on the 26th, even though our package was not to start until the next day. You can get your tickets up to 3 days in advance.

 

[mtuttle]

Booked our reservation for September 3rd-10th last month under the "kids stay and play free" promotion. 2 adults and one 3 year old was $1959 (paying for quick service dining plan as well). I was shocked it was still so expensive. I'm a Disney Rewards Visa Card Holder and I called today to switch over and it saved us $249! Price went down to $1710...Incredible. The kid free and paying for dining is more than paying for the kid and getting the dining free (and a memory PhotoPass PhotoBook)! WE'RE EXCITED!

Can't wait for the dates to open up to the public on Monday and then for them to extend the dates to December like last year!

So, have you actually heard it's being released to the public on Monday, or just basing this off past years?

 

[DisneyMom5]

So, have you actually heard it's being released to the public on Monday, or just basing this off past years?

The email from Disney Visa says that this will be opened to the General Public on May 2.

 

[mtuttle]

The email from Disney Visa says that this will be opened to the General Public on May 2.

Great - Thanks for the information. I'll be looking forward to that on Monday. Being new to this - will it be on the Disney site, or can I just call the Disney number and change my existing reservation?

Thanks for your help.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

So, have you actually heard it's being released to the public on Monday, or just basing this off past years?

It plainly states on the Chase/Disney Visa site that the offer will be open to the general public on May 2.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Great - Thanks for the information. I'll be looking forward to that on Monday. Being new to this - will it be on the Disney site, or can I just call the Disney number and change my existing reservation?

Thanks for your help.

You can't add a discount code to an existing reservation on-line. You will need to call first thing Monday morning and ask that the free dining code be added to your existing reservation.

 

[mtuttle]

You can't add a discount code to an existing reservation on-line. You will need to call first thing Monday morning and ask that the free dining code be added to your existing reservation.

Great - thanks again! I love being able to come here and find helpful people!

Have a great trip.