2015 FREE DINING THREAD _ All Questions HERE!!

[piglet1979]

That is absolutely true and that is the other point to the argument. If they have no idea what room availability will look like after the dust settles, then they can't very well offer rooms that don't exist when the offer comes out right? So they probably do a deep historical statistical analysis to estimate how many rooms they might need to fill before deciding what rooms and dates to put in the offer. it's impossible to have an exact science though and I can't imagine the uproar if they overbooked.

I agree

 

[verleniahall]

Does anyone know how the phones are today? Yesterday was a disaster with my original reservation. It is still there hanging and I want to cancel it but I can't cancel it online, ugh!! I really didn't want to tie up lines yesterday and if they are still a mess today I don't want to add to the tie ups.

I was told a 2 hour 30 minute wait and i was answered in 1 hr 45 minutes

 

[ELSA711]

Right, that's why I excluded people who booked for other reasons. Some booked with full intention to pay full price and some booked to get ADR's which is important. And I'm not trying to fault anyone at all, just trying to pinpoint how the system works from their eyes, not ours. Maybe we can learn something for next time

Congrats on saving that!

I learned I'm booking the BB offer whatever it may be the moment I check in and being happy with that.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I have a question. Would people who already have reservations be considered a chosen demographic to fill unused rooms? In my experience with other companies they aren't worried about rooms they can already get full price for, only the empty ones that aren't generating any revenue. Is this different at Disney? Obviously it's the most magical place on earth so you want to believe that they want to make vacations with them as affordable as possible, but it all comes down to business and profits.

It still seems as reports are rolling in that there were and still are quite a few rooms and that doesn't even count people that aren't on this board. The site crashes and hold times and phone line issues were a nightmare, I agree. I also think it was great help to have implemented the online modification system, an improvement from years past.

In the past, Disney has readily allowed those who previously booked reservations to adjust those reservations to include a subsequent promotion (so long as the reservation was eligible for the promotion, and if it wasn't the guest could adjust the reservation without penalty so long as they were outside the cutoff for full payment on a package). If they have changed their procedures, they did not announce that they would be doing so.

There was apparently some IT issue yesterday that prevented booking the promotion in many cases.

 

[piglet1979]

Right, that's why I excluded people who booked for other reasons. Some booked with full intention to pay full price and some booked to get ADR's which is important. And I'm not trying to fault anyone at all, just trying to pinpoint how the system works from their eyes, not ours. Maybe we can learn something for next time

Congrats on saving that!

I told my husband yesterday after we did not get the resort we wanted that we will be in Disney it will be magical no matter where we stay.

 

[disney world dreamer]

when you know more than your TA its time to move on.
close friend or not you need to contact her and set her straight and tell her to change your parent's reservation to include the FD.

disney generally will not be able to change a reservation that a TA made so you're gonna have to talk to her not disney.

 

[Joe'sgirl]

In the past, Disney has readily allowed those who previously booked reservations to adjust those reservations to include a subsequent promotion (so long as the reservation was eligible for the promotion, and if it wasn't the guest could adjust the reservation without penalty so long as they were outside the cutoff for full payment on a package). If they have changed their procedures, they did not announce that they would be doing so.

There was apparently some IT issue yesterday that prevented booking the promotion in many cases.

I had a family suite booked at AoA for the exact dates FD was offered in Oct and they were not able to simply modify my rez so I don't think it was done the same way as in the past. I met all the criteria, had the fam suite, had at least 3 nights, had park hoppers already. I ended up at Pop having booked 2 rooms online this morning and did get FD. Very glad because I just checked and there is now no availability at Pop.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It is possible that the family suite at AOA was not available for the dates you wanted, or if it had been available, it sold out by the time you got through.

 

[SarahJC]

I am a travel agent and all our emails we got said 6 nights. But my group all communicated together and found where it says 3 nights. It's not on anything sent to us but is online. Really sneaky of Disney to do that.

I sent a screenshot in an email of where it says minimum 3 nights but she said no, and then she sent me that fax. I don't want to seem like a snob, but I feel bad for his parents because they were looking forward to the FD if they could get it. I don't know what I should do. :/

 

[Aubrav]

Question : now with the new modification and cancel button are people who are releasing reservations seeing them being released back into inventory or are they floating in the disney system somewhere? Also can anyone confirm that the modification button to shorten your reservation by a day or two makes you switch to a new reservation if available instead of just dropping those days?

I tried to shorten my reservation this morning with the modify button and it didn't show any availability with the new dates. So I think you are correct. However, I might still try to call and ask but I was told a few pages back that they changed that policy.

 

[Kristie Compton]

Just found a Nemo suite at AoA for the first time. Switched my Lion King suite to Nemo! Website worked like a charm -finally!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Your travel agent knows nothing. Advertising will often say 5 or 6 nights, but for free dining it's a minimum of 3 nights. Disney has done this for years with their advertising. If the travel agent will not even attempt to book a shorter stay, then maybe try to book it youself or have them book it for themselves or use a different travel agent.

They will not let you adjust the reservation your agent made. You will either have to tell the agent to book what you want despite the information she has, or have her cancel that reservation and you rebook yourself. Or, your boyfriend's parents will be doing without the dining.

 

[samsteele]

That's such a great idea. I wish I did that because the modification request I made wasn't held and after speaking with the CM the room was already taken. But I thank you and will definitely switch to Chrome since Explorer is not helping me today and try that out. Thanks again.

I would also suggest the same strategy with ADRs. Last year, Firefox would often get hung up with Disney Dining so I would switch to Chrome and that solved the problem . . . I could make ressies. Just something to keep in mind for those who are now getting ready to make their ADRs.

 

[Aubrav]

We stayed at Music last year. Although we've stayed there previously, last year was very off for us. Our bed was something awful. It was so thin, squeaky, and we could feel every coil. We have no idea what the deal was, but we will be staying at Sports this year!

Yeah, I think I'll only change my plans if pop comes available. Otherwise we have the perfect set up with sports.

 

[disney world dreamer]

I sent a screenshot in an email of where it says minimum 3 nights but she said no, and then she sent me that fax. I don't want to seem like a snob, but I feel bad for his parents because they were looking forward to the FD if they could get it. I don't know what I should do. :/

act like a snob if you must.
they are wasting money because she doesn't know what is what.
if she refuses to listen then cancel your reservations and call disney directly.
then i'd contact her again and show her that they did get FD.
perhaps if you threaten to cancel she'll believe you.

 

[Aubrav]

I learned I'm booking the BB offer whatever it may be the moment I check in and being happy with that.

You and me both!

 

[Joe'sgirl]

It is possible that the family suite at AOA was not available for the dates you wanted, or if it had been available, it sold out by the time you got through.

I had a reservation already booked for the week fd was offered. I swear in the past they just added the dining on because I already met all the criteria but not this time.

 

[themommy]

Does anyone know how the phones are today? Yesterday was a disaster with my original reservation. It is still there hanging and I want to cancel it but I can't cancel it online, ugh!! I really didn't want to tie up lines yesterday and if they are still a mess today I don't want to add to the tie ups.

I waited 2 hours this morning.

 

[jesusluvsu2005]

I booked our package with 4 day park hoppers. If we decided to add a day, can it be done after we've used the ticket? Like if we go three days and we have one more day left and decide we want a 5th day in the parks, can we add it then?

 

[lazer]

In the past, Disney has readily allowed those who previously booked reservations to adjust those reservations to include a subsequent promotion (so long as the reservation was eligible for the promotion, and if it wasn't the guest could adjust the reservation without penalty so long as they were outside the cutoff for full payment on a package). If they have changed their procedures, they did not announce that they would be doing so.

There was apparently some IT issue yesterday that prevented booking the promotion in many cases.

It has never been as easy as adding the promo on to your already booked vacation. It may seem that way, but if you were able to add Free Dining, it was because your dates and resort still had free dining availability when you added it. So, essentially, you're adding free dining to your vacation, but your room without free dining is going back into the pot to be booked. If that makes sense. Only a certain number of rooms, for the dates and room categories are eligible. It's not opened up for all dates and all resort rooms available.

It is a common misconception that you can just add it to your reservation and if you're booked and they add a free dining promo during your stay, you'll be able to get it. It's just not that easy, unfortunately.