2014 dining question

[baseballgal]

We are planning to go in late Jan 2014. Hoping there will be free dining but I know the dates have just come out for fall so we will have to wait and see. We will probably NOT do the dining plan if it isn't free. 2 small children (ds5, dd3) who certainly wouldn't "eat" enough to make it worthwhile. But in hopes that they will continue with tradition and offer free dining, I plan to make ADRs in the next week for our trip. BUT can I do this? If we add the dining plan now - can we take advantage of a promo later without it effecting exsisting ADRs??? Hoping to get my dd to CRT for the first time!! She would LOVE it and I know I need to make that ressie 180 days. Just want to know that we can add the dining plan now and that not mess up the "free dining" offer later. ??

 

[luvdisney87]

When we went last November I made a room only reservations in May and then when the free dining came out in July I changed my reservation to a package. I made all of my dining reservations in May also. Hope this helps!

 

[purple figment]

Yes, you can make dining reservations with or without a dining plan and those reservations won't be affected by changes in your resort reservation because dining and resort reservations aren't linked.

If you book a dining plan now, it will be a package. Last January the GP offer was Stay/Play/Dine rather than FD. Most people are saying it will probably be the same offer next January. If/when a Jan offer is announced you can call and have it applied to your current package provided your resort/room category is included and there is availability.

If you later decide not to do a package and do a room only reservation, your package will have to be cancelled and any monies paid towards it will be refunded. You'll need to book a room only reservation and pay a new deposit. Because packages and room only are booked by 2 different offices, money from one can't be applied to the other.

 

[alm99]

When do they usually announce January deals? Mid August? Is this still the case?

We went in Jan 2012, the last time the offered FD for this timeframce, and it was announced in August 2011.

 

[DisMama3]

From what I have been told on here there hasn't been free dining for years in January. With MLK weekend and marathon weekend there is no need for it. There are however pins for free dining, which are luck of the draw. We did luck out and got free dining last year.

If you check out Mouse Savers you can see the patterns for discount release dates. January 2013 discounts were released in October 2012, which seems to be the normal time. But the current promotion ends in August so who knows what will come after that. Last year they offered the stay play and dine package (kid prices for tickets and food for adults) or RO discount for Disney Visa card holders.

Dining reservations are not linked to your reservation directly (you can link them to your reservation but they aren't held by your reservation), so you can make them and change them as see fit. We changed our reservation last year and never lost our dining reservations.