2016 Free Dining Watch

[black562]

Wasn't the restriction of POR to August and Sept only a last minute surprise last year? It seems to me there were some changes to the actual dates from whatever was rumored.

I don't remember which time, but yes that did happen. I have no doubt that they can and do tweak the promotion right up until it's offered (and I don't blame them), especially if folks book a resort to the point that they don't need to discount it. Sometimes it is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

[SunnieRN]

Yes--as long as over three years old

That is right. Disney won't let you book a room if it doesn't have enough beds for everyone over age 3.

Ty, that helps me out a lot. When I went to the Disney site and plugged in 4 adults (one 10 year old), and one child, giving us a party of 5, it gave me every hotel? So I am happy to kntow that if I can get into Caribbean Beach or POR, if offered, it will adjust for me!!! Thank you everyone that helped me with this!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Note: I've also heard booking starts August 14. For purposes of having all the information laid out, I wanted to point out this discrepancy.

August 14th would make sense for the 2017 free dining bounce back date, but not for the 2016 free dining general public offer.

 

[LovingDisney2012]

Maybe we should lay out the whole rumor:

Rumor says:
April 25 for opening date.

Dates:
8/23 - 10/1
11/15 - 11/21
11/26 - 11/28
12/10 - 12/21

Note: I've also heard booking starts August 14. For purposes of having all the information laid out, I wanted to point out this discrepancy.

3-14 night says, with at least 2-day tickets (no word if there's a add-on requirement, but it's likely), quick service plan at value resorts, and regular plan at the rest.

Exclusions are looking like: Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation, All Star Movies, Port Orleans French Quarter, Campsites, Bay Lake Tower, Bungalows at the Poly, and Grand Floridian Villas.

Note: It isn't unprecedented for the date to change after it's leaked out, or additional excluded resorts to be added.
This is why I always say it's a rumor until it's official.

Do you feel like there was any legitimacy to the one site that listed 11/11-11/21?

 

[howedaniel]

Watching anxiously...

 

[donp]

Wasn't the restriction of POR to August and Sept only a last minute surprise last year? It seems to me there were some changes to the actual dates from whatever was rumored.

In 2014, POR was excluded from the offer altogether. If you recall in years prior to that, there was an initial release for late summer FD (which included POR) followed later in the year with a Fall FD promotion that excluded POR. Then, thankfully for us September FD folks, POR was available for Aug and Sept in 2015. Bet they exclude it for later dates again this year.

 

[dizneygirl55]

In 2014, POR was excluded from the offer altogether. If you recall in years prior to that, there was an initial release for late summer FD (which included POR) followed later in the year with a Fall FD promotion that excluded POR. Then, thankfully for us September FD folks, POR was available for Aug and Sept in 2015. Bet they exclude it for later dates again this year.

I hope not-would really like to stay at POR aka Dixie Landings!

 

[The Dirty Steve]

@black562 I slept in!

I'm not ready to say it is completely out of the question for tomorrow, but there are a lot of TA's at WDW for events over the next few days. Most saying silent prayers it doesn't drop while they are there. It would be "fun" for those agents if a promo went live tomorrow. This is partially why I think the rumors for tomorrow have subsided some.

 

[X96msm]

For some reason I feel that the 25th won't be the date, it feels too easy if that makes sense.

 

[Jonzy2]

You can book 2 rooms online as 2 reservations. Make sure to put your name on one and DH on the other, and add the kids accordingly. Then you can call in later once the madness dies down and have the reservations linked, making sure the CM knows you need connecting rooms. I booked 4 rooms online last year in the middle of the night on release date for our big group.



If there is a DV release you will have to call it in. As long as one person from the traveling party has a DV you can book. The deposit for each room must be put on the DV. You will want to have each party link their reservation in their MDE account. Then when it comes time to pay the balance each party makes their own payments. I put deposits down on my card last year (we anticipated early DV release but it didn't happen), then everyone took over their own payments after that.

You can book 2 rooms online as 2 reservations. Make sure to put your name on one and DH on the other, and add the kids accordingly. Then you can call in later once the madness dies down and have the reservations linked, making sure the CM knows you need connecting rooms. I booked 4 rooms online last year in the middle of the night on release date for our big group.



If there is a DV release you will have to call it in. As long as one person from the traveling party has a DV you can book. The deposit for each room must be put on the DV. You will want to have each party link their reservation in their MDE account. Then when it comes time to pay the balance each party makes their own payments. I put deposits down on my card last year (we anticipated early DV release but it didn't happen), then everyone took over their own payments after that.

I have a question about the DV and I hope you can help. I have a DV and was wondering how I would know if and when the FD is released? Where do I need to look for it?

 

[Wood Nymph]

For some reason I feel that the 25th won't be the date, it feels too easy if that makes sense.

It was April 27th last year so April 25th seems like a good bet to me.

 

[scard192]

@black562 I slept in!

I'm not ready to say it is completely out of the question for tomorrow, but there are a lot of TA's at WDW for events over the next few days. Most saying silent prayers it doesn't drop while they are there. It would be "fun" for those agents if a promo went live tomorrow. This is partially why I think the rumors for tomorrow have subsided some.

I am off tomorrow (holiday in MA), have a Disney Visa card and am willing to make a call at 7AM; if there is any chance it might drop.

 

[shap39]

I know Mods: POR and CBR can sleep 5. We stayed in a room at CBR last trip with the pull down little bed for Kids and it was cute.

How was CBR with the Murphy bed? How was the resort and getting around ? Currently have AoA family suite but may want to move to the mod pay less and get free dinning but it's either CBR or POR due to the Murphy bed

 

[scard192]

I have a question about the DV and I hope you can help. I have a DV and was wondering how I would know if and when the FD is released? Where do I need to look for it?

Here!

 

[shap39]

Yes--as long as over three years old

I'm 4 people looking to stay in one of those rooms with the Murphy bed if I book that room will I get it even though there's only 4 people

 

[smitch425]

Hi, everyone. Thank you for the well wishes. Still struggling a bit with pain today, but trying my best to catch up on all of the dates rumored. I'm sure a lot of this has already been covered, and I apologize for repeating info, but I just can't read through the whole thread right now, so here are my thoughts as best as I can express them...

With regards to the start date...
Seems strange to have the promo begin earlier than the fd bounceback. Usually the bounceback is more generous for August than the public offer.

With regards to October...
It wouldn't shock me if the lack of dates is accurate. Having gone the last 7 out of 9 Octobers, with 6 of those being the last 6 years, it has become extremely crowded the entire month. Nothing like Christmas crowded, of course, but compared to what it was even just 3 years ago, the crowds have really become heavy.

With regards to November's dual sets of dates...
That short second set of dates just seems unnecessary to me. Bookings must really be down for those dates to actually be offered.

On the release date, I'll just go with 4/25 because it's my birthday. Lol

So yeah... That's all I can manage to say at the moment. I hope everyone can get a good deal this fall. Don't forget to look for agency exclusive offers if things don't fall into place for you. We're booked for Columbus week again this year, but that was with the expectation we would upgrade our June bounceback tickets to APs. That may depend on the medical bill fallout. Adulting is hard sometimes. Lol

 

[donp]

I'm 4 people looking to stay in one of those rooms with the Murphy bed if I book that room will I get it even though there's only 4 people

You can't "book" a Murphy bed room if you don't have five people, I believe, but you can always request. There is no room type option for Murphy beds when you are booking. POR has Murphy Beds in all of its Alligator Bayou section. Not sure how CBR is.

 

[scard192]

Hi, everyone. Thank you for the well wishes. Still struggling a bit with pain today, but trying my best to catch up on all of the dates rumored. I'm sure a lot of this has already been covered, and I apologize for repeating info, but I just can't read through the whole thread right now, so here are my thoughts as best as I can express them...

With regards to the start date...
Seems strange to have the promo begin earlier than the fd bounceback. Usually the bounceback is more generous for August than the public offer.

With regards to October...
It wouldn't shock me if the lack of dates is accurate. Having gone the last 7 out of 9 Octobers, with 6 of those being the last 6 years, it has become extremely crowded the entire month. Nothing like Christmas crowded, of course, but compared to what it was even just 3 years ago, the crowds have really become heavy.

With regards to November's dual sets of dates...
That short second set of dates just seems unnecessary to me. Bookings must really be down for those dates to actually be offered.

On the release date, I'll just go with 4/25 because it's my birthday. Lol

So yeah... That's all I can manage to say at the moment. I hope everyone can get a good deal this fall. Don't forget to look for agency exclusive offers if things don't fall into place for you. We're booked for Columbus week again this year, but that was with the expectation we would upgrade our June bounceback tickets to APs. That may depend on the medical bill fallout. Adulting is hard sometimes. Lol

good to see you back here, and praying for a fast recovery for you. Your advice is always appreciated.

re: the TA, I know the name can not be posted here but if I Google "wdw agency exclusives" might I end up where I am hoping to be?

fingers crossed that we might all be celebrating your birthday with Free Dining!

 

[smitch425]

good to see you back here, and praying for a fast recovery for you. Your advice is always appreciated.

re: the TA, I know the name can not be posted here but if I Google "wdw agency exclusives" might I end up where I am hoping to be?

fingers crossed that we might all be celebrating your birthday with Free Dining!

Thank you. I can neither confirm or deny, but I'd give it a try.

 

[SunnieRN]

Hi, everyone. Thank you for the well wishes. Still struggling a bit with pain today, but trying my best to catch up on all of the dates rumored. I'm sure a lot of this has already been covered, and I apologize for repeating info, but I just can't read through the whole thread right now, so here are my thoughts as best as I can express them...

With regards to the start date...
Seems strange to have the promo begin earlier than the fd bounceback. Usually the bounceback is more generous for August than the public offer.

With regards to October...
It wouldn't shock me if the lack of dates is accurate. Having gone the last 7 out of 9 Octobers, with 6 of those being the last 6 years, it has become extremely crowded the entire month. Nothing like Christmas crowded, of course, but compared to what it was even just 3 years ago, the crowds have really become heavy.

With regards to November's dual sets of dates...
That short second set of dates just seems unnecessary to me. Bookings must really be down for those dates to actually be offered.

On the release date, I'll just go with 4/25 because it's my birthday. Lol

So yeah... That's all I can manage to say at the moment. I hope everyone can get a good deal this fall. Don't forget to look for agency exclusive offers if things don't fall into place for you. We're booked for Columbus week again this year, but that was with the expectation we would upgrade our June bounceback tickets to APs. That may depend on the medical bill fallout. Adulting is hard sometimes. Lol

I hope you feel better quickly and the medical bills do not alter your plans!