2015 FREE DINING THREAD _ All Questions HERE!!

[themommy]

I think I'll try CBR again and again and maybe I can get lucky. There was nothing for my dates but pirates yesterday. Wish me luck!

 

[petrymom]

I tried call 88 times yesterday! I couldn't get the online thing to work. My husband called twice and got someone on the second try. Turns out, I can't get the free dining, even though we check in during the dates offered. Completely bummed.

If it's due to availability try online now..... more is open

 

[petrymom]

I think I'll try CBR again and again and maybe I can get lucky. There was nothing for my dates but pirates yesterday. Wish me luck!

Good luck!!!!

 

[ThistleMae]

I just want to say that everyone on here has been so polite to each other - even when someone didn't get exactly what they wanted, but someone else did, they were happy for them.

I second that! It is a true delight to talk to people with such positive attitudes, everyday....while we all have anxiety over waiting and sometimes have disappointments!

 

[lauradis]

I really don't think Disney has to worry about discounts in general, but they do entice an extra stay from avid-Disney fans or even a first stay for families who think they can't afford it. So either way it brings in more revenue. You have to wonder how much of the cause of the limited availability was due to reservations that were already booked like bounce back offers and in anticipation of free dining. I mean, for a travel agent that's one of their selling points, book with me now and I'll get you free dining or I'll get you another discount, further encouraging people by both TA's and Disney themselves, to book dates at full price in anticipation of discounts. I'd imagine to Disney, what matters is what the resort capacity looks like after the dust settles. They have to study who cancels their stays completely vs. modifying it to a more economical option and then try to provide discounts the following year to meet that demand without losing money. I'm rambling now... I swear I had a point.

So then why offer a discount at all ? If I have already booked and plan to go, more then likely im going. So basically the hotel room is already filled.

 

[lock3130]

If it's due to availability try online now..... more is open

I had the modify button yesterday in MDE but now it's not on there. I just called Disney and my wait time is already 88 minutes.............

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I mean, for a travel agent that's one of their selling points, book with me now and I'll get you free dining or I'll get you another discount, further encouraging people by both TA's and Disney themselves, to book dates at full price in anticipation of discounts.

Okay, wierdness. So I am still on the hunt for non-pirate rooms at CBR from 9/24-9/28 (4 nights). The funny thing is I added 2 days on, making checkout on the 30th, and availability for king rooms popped up? 4 Nights already meets the minimum so why would adding 2 more days make more availability appear? Odd. Hoping in theory once the craziness dies down we can call and shave off the extra days. Also, I didn't realize they charged more for a King bed. What are the chances you get a king bed on check-in without having booked for one?

There's a lot of misinformation on this thread about TA's. If you read through the Disney Travel Professionals FB page, you will see TA's across the country who had a horrible day yesterday. TA's on hold, literally, the entire day, never getting through, being hung up on, transferred, only to be hung up on again. The TA website was down as of about 6:30 am. Don't blame the TA's for failure to modify reservations. Blame Disney. And no reputable TA would EVER guarantee being able to get a client a discount. Most of the good earmarked agents know how this game works with dates, resort/room category availability, etc. Many have been doing this for years - imagine being on the phone for HOURS EVERY time a discount comes out. A lot of them have a ton of experience doing this and most are reporting yesterday was the worst roll out of a WDW EVER. Good earmarked agents would also encourage people NOT to book until the discount comes out for the very reasons we saw yesterday - virtually impossible to modify.

Disney's new policy is you can only shave dates off your reservation if your resort and room category are available for those new shortened dates. Disney puts certain room categories in inventory for certain lengths of stay - that's why you are seeing fluctuating availability when you put different dates in. There are numerous threads on the Resort forum regarding this new change policy. So chances are, when you call in to reduce your dates, you won't be eligible for the discount anymore.

 

[petrymom]

Can you book online and just cancel the other one or is it already paid in full.... that is what I did. I will call later to cancel the ones I don't need.

 

[Joe'sgirl]

Phone opened at 7am EST, I called at 7:02. They said the wait time is 102 minutes. I will have spent a total between 3 calls of 4+ hrs on hold so I really hope they are able to give me something!

 

[Chubby]

Just a heads up to keep checking if you didn't get what you want. Pop was sold out of FD for our dates last night but now has some rooms open (preferred pool view only). We're still looking to switch from CSR to CBR so we'll keep looking too!

 

[nat8199]

I got free dining!!!! I tried all day yesterday and couldn't get anything to work for our family of five at any of the resorts on our list. Just for fun I checked this morning and it was available for our original yacht club reservation! Saved us $1200. The room only was also available but would only have saved us $800. The room only did manage to save $80 more for my in laws though.

I am still shocked that it worked so easily this morning after all the effort I put in yesterday for nothing.

 

[msteffen]

I tried call 88 times yesterday! I couldn't get the online thing to work. My husband called twice and got someone on the second try. Turns out, I can't get the free dining, even though we check in during the dates offered. Completely bummed.

Your not alone. That happened to us also. Stinks

 

[nat8199]

I got free dining!!!! I tried all day yesterday and couldn't get anything to work for our family of five at any of the resorts on our list. Just for fun I checked this morning and it was available for our original yacht club reservation! Saved us $1200. The room only was also available but would only have saved us $800. The room only did manage to save $80 more for my in laws though.

I am still shocked that it worked so easily this morning after all the effort I put in yesterday for nothing.

 

[lauradis]

My daughter got in under 5 mins on hold. And snagged what she wanted.

Last night at 10:47.

 

[aliciadisfan]

I'm not liking the mentioned 102 minute wait time :/ I finally found something available that works for us and now I'm afraid it will be gone

 

[lock3130]

That's awesome. Does anyone know why my modify button was there yesterday but not today?

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Those who didn't get what they wanted should keep trying. I know last year more inventory opened throughout the promotion. It isn't a guarantee, but don't give up. I have not been able to follow this much yesterday, because life got in the way. I read a little today and see there was a lot of disappointment, but don't give up just yet.

 

[The Dirty Steve]

Just wanted to let everyone know, some folks are reporting that they were able to get rooms that were not available yesterday. For instance, CBR with a standard view room during Thanksgiving week. Not sure if things finally settled down in the system, some bookings were cancelled, or additional rooms were added to the promotion.

 

[DisMama5]

This is me too. I did discover that I put the wrong age down for my nephew. I'm guessing we can change that eventually. I hope it's not a big deal because he is 5 and I accidentally put him down as 9. Same age as my niece and didn't notice it. Understandable at 2:30 in the morning, right?



So glad you got it DisMama5. I have been pulling for you all morning and had to come back to check to see if you had finally succeeded! Hoping everyone else gets some Pixie Dust as well!

Aw you are too kind! Very excited we succeeded continuous pixie dust to all!

 

[Joe'sgirl]

before I click "confirm", Why are so many people waiting on hold or trying to get connected if they can book another reservation and then cancel their previous one?

Or why don't people just book right online on the disney website??

Am I missing something??! Remaining in a holding pattern until reply.. lol

Well, I have a fam of 6 and was able to book 1 room at Pop but now when trying to book the second room I am getting error messages at the point I enter my credit card. So now I have 1 room, can't get the second and another whole vaca booked at AoA