2016 Free Dining Watch

[The Dirty Steve]

Why Steve? Believe me I trust your info.

Ron, come on.

@thedirtysteve... I am new to all of this, was just wondering if the rumor for last year was an early release for Disney visa holders also, but then happened to come out for everyone together

DV Release is rumored just about every year. Last year was no exception.

 

[twoolle]

@thedirtysteve... I am new to all of this, was just wondering if the rumor for last year was an early release for Disney visa holders also, but then happened to come out for everyone together

Last year we thought it would go to DV first on Apr 23 (thur ) but that day came and went with nothing. The rumored release date for GP on Apr 27 last year had many of us up all night last year waiting for the disney website to release it. And lo and behold they did release straight to the GP on the 27th (monday). So...if tomorrow there is no DV release then Monday could be exciting! Well, for everyone but me...we aren't going this year!

 

[Jordyn1123]

Ron, come on.



DV Release is rumored just about every year. Last year was no exception.

Thank you

 

[xipotec]

Sorry to any TA working here....I have always gotten much better pricing on my own. TA has to raise money somehow. If you know how they get the discounts....then naturally your price is cheaper.

As far as FD goes this year....let me quote a new Disney aquisition..

"I've got a bad feeling about this..."

 

[Disney Ron]

Ron, come on.

Didn't really care for that reply. I just found this thread an hour ago and am not reading through 160 something pages to catch up. I asked a question looking for help that may seem stupid to you so for that I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to bother you. Carry on.

 

[LinaNate]

All this book/ don't book has me torn...
For us the low crowds are most important and dining is a great bonus. I thought free dining was low crowd times but last year proved me wrong and now I'm a bit worried about everyone not booking yet cause that means crowd predictions are probably wrong, correct?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Any guesses why October is excluded?

Most of October was excluded last year too. And the 2016 room only bounce back offer excluded October and November. So Disney isn't offering as many discounts because their rooms are getting booked without them having to offer one.

 

[chewysmom]

Ron-the reason to not book is bc the train of thought is this: if everyone books in anticipation of a FD release, Disney could see a bunch of booked rooms and decide they don't need to do any kind of discounts. Their goal is to get those rooms booked, by hook or by crook.

If you were to go ahead and book, I would book a package and then just call to have FD added. I've never done it, but it just seems like it would be easier-your deposit would have already been paid, etc.

Just make sure your resort is not one of the ones that are usually excluded.

HTH!

 

[The Dirty Steve]

Didn't really care for that reply. I just found this thread an hour ago and am not reading through 160 something pages to catch up. I asked a question looking for help that may seem stupid to you so for that I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to bother you. Carry on.

No offense taken. You have been a registered user since 2004 and have over 5k messages. I figured you were asking to make some noise.

We suggest to not make reservations early so that Disney doesn't make changes to their offers.

 

[House of Rausch]

Okay, so now I'm trying to figure out if having gone with a TA to book my original reservation has been a bad idea. I'm going to be literally on the road on Monday 4/25 and will be out of position to be able to modify my existing rez (7 ppl, OKW 2-bdrm villa, 11/9-18) at the moment the FD offer is rumored to drop, or to book a new one myself. My TA, like myself, is based in CO and is therefore 2 hours behind Eastern time. It's not likely she'll be at work in the wee smalls local time of 4/25, so I'm afraid leaving it up to her to modify my rez in time to score FD might not pan out. Does FD go so fast (like a -180 day ADR for BOG) that if it's 10:00 EST when she calls on the day FD drops, will I be out of luck?

 

[TraceyL]

Well the UK.free dining (2017) has just dropped a day early apparently

 

[Disney Ron]

Ron-the reason to not book is bc the train of thought is this: if everyone books in anticipation of a FD release, Disney could see a bunch of booked rooms and decide they don't need to do any kind of discounts. Their goal is to get those rooms booked, by hook or by crook.

If you were to go ahead and book, I would book a package and then just call to have FD added. I've never done it, but it just seems like it would be easier-your deposit would have already been paid, etc.

Just make sure your resort is not one of the ones that are usually excluded.

HTH!

Thanks mom.

No offense taken. You have been a registered user since 2004 and have over 5k messages. I figured you were asking to make some noise.

We suggest to not make reservations early so that Disney doesn't make changes to their offers.

Steve we are really knowledgeable about WDW we go every August and do the FD bounce back every year, but last year we chose not to and have a Magical trip booked, but we are thinking to save some money we will switch to FD if offered and have never had to do it this way. Thanks for the response.

 

[rere101399]

Warning, kind of off topic:
I know it's been said earlier in this thread not to trust the online crowd calendars. Is there any trustworthy source for this info? Has anyone been during Sept-Dec in the last couple years and found the crowds to not be very heavy, and if so do you know what week you went? Obviously there will always be crowds at Disney but curious if FD and the better economy in general translates to truly heavy crowds all the time now?

 

[Elsaalltheway]

All this book/ don't book has me torn...
For us the low crowds are most important and dining is a great bonus. I thought free dining was low crowd times but last year proved me wrong and now I'm a bit worried about everyone not booking yet cause that means crowd predictions are probably wrong, correct?

I agree we went last year during the first week in Sept when all the kids should be back in school. Nope still busy. Really busy actually.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Warning, kind of off topic:
I know it's been said earlier in this thread not to trust the online crowd calendars. Is there any trustworthy source for this info? Has anyone been during Sept-Dec in the last couple years and found the crowds to not be very heavy, and if so do you know what week you went? Obviously there will always be crowds at Disney but curious if FD and the better economy in general translates to truly heavy crowds all the time now?

Three o

Warning, kind of off topic:
I know it's been said earlier in this thread not to trust the online crowd calendars. Is there any trustworthy source for this info? Has anyone been during Sept-Dec in the last couple years and found the crowds to not be very heavy, and if so do you know what week you went? Obviously there will always be crowds at Disney but curious if FD and the better economy in general translates to truly heavy crowds all the time now?

Three years ago when during second week in Dec. It was ok, not really heavy but not really empty. Last year went from sept 4-12 and it was pretty busy. Well very steady and wait times in the 30 plus for some rides and getting up higher for some others. I wouldn't say there is one great time to go unless its late feb. That would be my guess. Not a lot going on.

 

[myhoney]

Sure hope they aren't planning to switch free dining to run more like room discounts, where you only get them on the nights they're offered. I can't imagine how that would work, but Disney's been doing some crazy things lately...

Make another request. It happened to me a few years ago. Nobody gave me a quote after a few days, so I made another quote and they got back to me within a half an hour. We used them last year for the first time. They're awesome!

I also have a magical TA. We are scheduled to arrive on 11/30. If we move our dates up, will our already awesome price be even cheaper??

 

[CandiceF]

Warning, kind of off topic:
I know it's been said earlier in this thread not to trust the online crowd calendars. Is there any trustworthy source for this info? Has anyone been during Sept-Dec in the last couple years and found the crowds to not be very heavy, and if so do you know what week you went? Obviously there will always be crowds at Disney but curious if FD and the better economy in general translates to truly heavy crowds all the time now?

We went Oct.30-Nov7 last year and the parks were not too bad with the exception of Epcot. Epcot was crazy and getting ADR's for this time even at 180+10 was a nightmare!

 

[1437disney]

That's unusual for them... I always hear back within a few hours.
My agent is awesome

edit... Have you checked your junk mail/spam folder?

Good point to check spam, but still no luck. I must have used the wrong TA. That's my luck!

 

[ehoops120912]

Can someone post the link to Dads guide to WDW Rumor so I can check it out? Cant find on his FB Page.....

 

[Just Love Disney]

So if 4/21 is true for DV release, would it be for RO and FD as suggested earlier? Thoughts?