2016 Free Dining Watch ~ Part 2

[kellyjeanie]

With these dates?

No, the UK deal was for 2017 dates.

 

[DennisandAngel]

So according to my wife I have a sickness. I keep reading all of these pages, commenting, telling her about the news and she sits there and says "but we already have free dining and our flights booked right?" "well yes dear we have our bounceback offer from last year but free dining will come available on Monday....." yup I have a sickness. It would be much easier if you please just shut down all threads about free dining....and if you could make it August 28th so we would be there, yup if you did that it would be great

You need to rub off on my husband!! He just rolls his eyes at me when I'm caught again talking Disney!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Have you been before the week before Labor Day? We were there the week after Labor Day and crowds were ok, but also heard they were great the week before.

We were there the week before Labor Day last year and the parks were empty. But there was also Hurricane Erica which was supposed to hit Florida and a lot of people cancelled their reservations. We keep our trip plans and were glad we did. We had empty parks and only a little rain.

 

[Amanda S.]

Let's just say that the 25th is the date for Visa Cardholders to book. Does anyone have experience in the past of when this goes live to book?

****Visa Cardholders have to call in at 7am to book, you can't do it on-line. And there will be nothing on the Disney site saying it has dropped. We won't know until someone calls.***

Don't the Visa Cardholders get an email too?

To clarify:
If it is released to VISA Cardholders only, then yes you have to call in starting at 7am EST.
This is NOT what we are hearing rumor wise. We are hearing that it will be open to everyone monday morning. If it is open to general, Visa cardholders (and anyone else) can book as soon as the the deal drops online. Or if you really want to you can wait for the phones to open at 7am EST. In most cases, I would think people would want to book online as long as the website is working correctly. Since traditionally the online option opened way before the phone lines.

 

[O-so-good Disney Mama]

Does anyone have any info on POR being excluded?

 

[KT0191]

Does anyone have any info on POR being excluded?

The rumor right now is that it's included for the first set of dates.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Are you set on POR? What size is your party?

You can do a split stay as you were talking about with the RO discount for the first couple nights and then free dining the remaining days. Just get tickets on your free dining reservation to cover ALL of your days and the you can activate them early. Based on the information we currently have POR will not be available for free dining during your dates. Unless you are set on POR I would look into other resorts.



Don't do it! Depending on where you are currently booked you may have a heart attack once you see the Cabins price! Then you won't be available Monday...

We like POR and we're trying for CBR, yeah, it will be more. I'm going to price it after the kids get to bed.

 

[O-so-good Disney Mama]

The rumor right now is that it's included for the first set of dates.

That's what I like to hear

 

[Amanda S.]

That's what I like to hear

That's how it was last year, so it seems probable.

 

[deakam]

I have a sort of off topic question---we are not going during free dining I am hoping for a really nice room discount for October. I know I can book a ticketless package to add the dining plan (we are pass holders)-----can I add the dining plan when I check in?

 

[1437disney]

We are all getting closer to FREE dining

 

[Amanda S.]

I have a sort of off topic question---we are not going during free dining I am hoping for a really nice room discount for October. I know I can book a ticketless package to add the dining plan (we are pass holders)-----can I add the dining plan when I check in?

Disney food blog says this:

Can I decide to get the Dining Plan after I’ve arrived at Walt Disney World?

No. The Disney Dining Plan must be added to your reservation prior to arriving at Walt Disney World, usually at least 48 hours in advance.

 

[goldnvalli]

I am so confused. I have been following this (and the last) thread for weeks and as fd promo gets closer I am more confused. We are planning on going Aug. 28-Sept 2 and staying at BC we only wanted 2 day parks and no ph with the dp. The cost is $4000 for the package including the ph. Now I just read that in order to qualify for fd we have to add another day at the parks. So with the ph and another day at the park we are talking an additional $500 for fd, and thats to say that there is fd available for bc standard room. I am thinking that 30% off the room would be a better deal for us. All these additions seem like fd just doesn't pay.

 

[Amanda S.]

I am so confused. I have been following this (and the last) thread for weeks and as fd promo gets closer I am more confused. We are planning on going Aug. 28-Sept 2 and staying at BC we only wanted 2 day parks and no ph with the dp. The cost is $4000 for the package including the ph. Now I just read that in order to qualify for fd we have to add another day at the parks. So with the ph and another day at the park we are talking an additional $500 for fd, and thats to say that there is fd available for bc standard room. I am thinking that 30% off the room would be a better deal for us. All these additions seem like fd just doesn't pay.

Sounds like in your case, room discount would be better. How many people?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Ok guys, am I crazy to want to try a deluxe? Currently I have 9 nights booked at POR 9/6-15. We are going regardless of free dining, but it would be nice to get. If we can get the FD, I am thinking of doing a split stay, 6 nights POR and 3 either at YC or BWV. There are 6 of us: 2 adults, DD8, DS 7, DS4, and DD2. This would be only year that we could afford a deluxe since we can still do a 5 person room. I was thinking of doing the 6 nights free dining (hopefully) with a 7 day water park and more ticket and 3 nights deluxe at a RO discount and OOP for food. This would add about 1200 to the price. We would be able to get most of our table service and character dining out of the way with free dining and would probably just do qs for the last 3 days. I guess my question is, do you all think the extra $1200 to stay for 3 nights at a deluxe is worth it? We have only ever stayed at POR and love it. After this year, I just cannot ever see us splurging for a deluxe to fit our family. What would you guys do?? Any advice? Thank you!!

I crunched the numbers for you and here is what I got.

POR - standard view - nine nights, 9/6-9/15 with 7 day water parks and more = $4,225.23

versus

POR - same room and tickets but only six nights - $3,583.95
YC - garden view (standard view wasn't available) - $1,370.25 but with a 30% discount it would be $959.18
total for 6 nights POR and 3 nights YC - $4,543.13

That would cost an extra $317.90 for a split stay, not $1,200. You would just have to add the cost of eating out of pocket. So I don't think you would eat an extra $900 worth of food in three days, would you?

 

[Wood Nymph]

I have a sort of off topic question---we are not going during free dining I am hoping for a really nice room discount for October. I know I can book a ticketless package to add the dining plan (we are pass holders)-----can I add the dining plan when I check in?

The dining plan has to be added at least 72 hours before check in. It cannot be added when you check in.

 

[gskywalker]

sorry it didn't post the quote.

No we have not gone before labor day. The last 4 years we were mid sept-early Oct for 10-14 days. We had booked for Sept 25-Oct 5 for this trip, but our one daughter really struggled missing 8 days of school last year, so we just switched when we saw a flight sale, so she only misses the first two days of school now.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

We were just there in November, and it's still fabulous. My new favorite (that I can afford).

Thanks for the reassurance!

 

[gskywalker]

You need to rub off on my husband!! He just rolls his eyes at me when I'm caught again talking Disney!

ok, as long as you rub off on my wife. Am I the only disney obsessed hubby married to a woman who barely cares about going(had months of the 4 kids and myself convincing her to go this year).

 

[Disneymom1126]

I've been following this even though our dates are in October (so no free dining)...just in case...now I'm intrigued by info that the RO discounts for October will drop on the 25th as well...last year the RO October discounts were released in July! Guess I will be joining others on the Monday early morning website checking!