2016 Free Dining Watch

[Dancerwife]

I know so many people are booking rooms in hope that free dining comes out. It seems it could be counter productive. If these rooms are booked, Disney will release a very limited number as they use the promotion to fill rooms.
For example..... Disney plans on opening 300 rooms (making up numbers) for FD. Rumors start and those 300 rooms get booked in anticipation.....Those will not be offered and the early reservations don't get their FD and means either none or even more limited numbers when offered.

Year after year, it is said don't make reservations unless you are planning on going anyway at regular prices as the faux reservations can hinder FD promotion. Why would Disney offer if they have rooms booked?

I am a newbie planning my first WDW vacation. I would think Disney also knows how many room cancellations they would get if they did limit or didn't release the FD promo. Isn't this just an incentive to fill hotels, sell tickets, souvenirs, etc.?

 

[agriffith]

Anyone called to check on Visa offer this mornong?

 

[Hope2016]

I have just been onto the uk site and there is availability in all the resorts I checked in September, October, November and December - therefore Disney has definitely blocked all resorts from being booked on the U.S site.

 

[fllwntr]

If Disney didn't want to release FD based on how many rooms were already booked they would've stopped releasing FD years ago.

Disney knows guests are booking just in case and they know most people will cancel if FD isn't released for their dates or resort of choice. A room with a deposit isn't a sold room if it's canceled the next week. Disney has a block of rooms they hold aside for promotions.

FD is dwindling not because rooms are being booked in advance but because there are more visitors than ever and the economy is stable.

 

[Disneylover99]

I have just been onto the uk site and there is availability in all the resorts I checked in September, October, November and December - therefore Disney has definitely blocked all resorts from being booked on the U.S site.

I was blocked an hour ago, but it's not blocked now. It just comes and goes.

 

[Hope2016]

I was blocked an hour ago, but it's not blocked now. It just comes and goes.

It comes up for me on the U.S site, but when you click on the resort of choice to go ahead and book, all rooms are then unavailable. Also, resorts that have had room categories booked out for weeks are still available on the uk site - very interesting. Someone's thought that Disney would never block rooms seem to be questionable.

 

[LovingDisney2012]

Anyone called to check on Visa offer this mornong?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Wood Nymph]

If Disney didn't want to release FD based on how many rooms were already booked they would've stopped releasing FD years ago.

Disney knows guests are booking just in case and they know most people will cancel if FD isn't released for their dates or resort of choice. A room with a deposit isn't a sold room if it's canceled the next week. Disney has a block of rooms they hold aside for promotions.

FD is dwindling not because rooms are being booked in advance but because there are more visitors than ever and the economy is stable.

Disney is reactive rather than proactive. They don't have to release rooms for free dining unless they are available. I'm sure that they are well aware of what percentage of rooms will be cancelled.

In the past few years, Disney has initially released a certain number of rooms with the announcement, then, depending on how many bookings and cancellations they get, they will add or subtract inventory from the free dining pool. Many people reported that they couldn't get the room they wanted on the release date. But weeks later when they checked again, their room was available. It doesn't make sense for any business to offer a discount when their inventory isn't available for sale.

 

[LovingDisney2012]

I was wondering the same thing.

I just called, and for what it is/is not worth, the CM said their is absolutely no truth to the FD for VC rumor. That makes me assume that the release will be all at once, if she knew what she was talking about.

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

Disney is reactive rather than proactive. They don't have to release rooms for free dining unless they are available. I'm sure that they are well aware of what percentage of rooms will be cancelled.

In the past few years, Disney has initially released a certain number of rooms with the announcement, then, depending on how many bookings and cancellations they get, they will add or subtract inventory from the free dining pool. Many people reported that they couldn't get the room they wanted on the release date. But weeks later when they checked again, their room was available. It doesn't make sense for any business to offer a discount when their inventory isn't available for sale.

I totally agree with this. Last year I wanted CBR and had priced it out. On the day FD was out at 6am I could get FD but only with a water view. I booked it since it was "only" $90 more. However, the next afternoon when the inital madness had died down standard rooms became available. I believe that this was in part due to people who had booked standard rooms in advance hoping to get FD switching to water view rooms because that was all that was available at the time thus opening standard rooms with FD for crazy stalkers like myself who check the site at least 20x a day! It also could have been from people jumping over to POR since that was available too.

 

[fllwntr]

Disney is reactive rather than proactive. They don't have to release rooms for free dining unless they are available. I'm sure that they are well aware of what percentage of rooms will be cancelled.

In the past few years, Disney has initially released a certain number of rooms with the announcement, then, depending on how many bookings and cancellations they get, they will add or subtract inventory from the free dining pool. Many people reported that they couldn't get the room they wanted on the release date. But weeks later when they checked again, their room was available. It doesn't make sense for any business to offer a discount when their inventory isn't available for sale.

That is exactly what I said. Disney holds rooms for the promotion. Those rooms are booked. The guests who booked rooms just in case but couldn't rearrange their dates or resort of choice cancel. Disney knows everyone who books isn't going to stay booked. They then have more rooms to release for the promotion on top of the rooms they previously held. It didn't change the fact that there was already a block of rooms held aside.

Whether everyone waited until the day FD was released to book or booked a year in advance, there would still be cancellations and Disney would still release some of the canceled rooms.

Booking in advance doesn't stop anyone from getting FD. But not booking in advance may stop you from staying at the resort you would like at the time you would like if you wait.

 

[caperkathy]

If Disney didn't want to release FD based on how many rooms were already booked they would've stopped releasing FD years ago.

Disney knows guests are booking just in case and they know most people will cancel if FD isn't released for their dates or resort of choice. A room with a deposit isn't a sold room if it's canceled the next week. Disney has a block of rooms they hold aside for promotions.

FD is dwindling not because rooms are being booked in advance but because there are more visitors than ever and the economy is stable.

Completely agree with this. Disney knows exactly what's going on and that these rooms are not technically filled yet.

 

[vrajewski10513]

I just called, and for what it is/is not worth, the CM said their is absolutely no truth to the FD for VC rumor. That makes me assume that the release will be all at once, if she knew what she was talking about.

Yeah, but there have been CMs make mention of a possible Disney Visa offer. I don't think any of them really know what their talking about lol

 

[coley444]

Anyone called to check on Visa offer this mornong?

Anyone call already this am to check?

 

[FBandA]

Just called no special offers came out this morning had 6 min wait. Even though the website says no availability for CBR standard the CM told me there was for my week in September. She was very nice and answered all my questions. But gave me no hint on FD, she did say if I booked now I would only be able to modify reservation if there was an availability.

Last year I booked before free dinning with a TA. (Didn't have any experience with what happens) went on line day of offer, saw discount, but was not able to make any change on web site. Called at 7 Disney CM was not able to make change had to talk to TA she was not in till 9 I am still able to see what I want is available on web site. Sent TA email and called her at 9, was going crazy, my DH felt sorry for our TA, after a long week of going back and forth, I was able to get what I wanted through TA. I would see the offer I wanted but she was not able to get it when she would call. She would say there was a 2 hour wait for her and their computers were not working, and that she also had other people to help. This year I am trying on my own, could kick myself for not doing the BB last year!

 

[NicoleLarson]

I must add my 2 cents in here...but we've seen several people say, they're going no matter what. I think the disney of today is willing to roll that dice and say, well let's just see how many of these people will actually cancel if no FD is offered. Lets give them a room discount instead and see if they bite. I'm willing to bet many would not cancel. You've already put a ton of time into planning, where you're going to eat, you've told the kids, etc. Disney's not dumb and if they think that they can get away with no FD, then they're going to do it.

 

[jmbarnes101]

You can take your time to upgrade. No worries there.

Thank you.

 

[VACamm]

I must add my 2 cents in here...but we've seen several people say, they're going no matter what. I think the disney of today is willing to roll that dice and say, well let's just see how many of these people will actually cancel if no FD is offered. Lets give them a room discount instead and see if they bite. I'm willing to bet many would not cancel. You've already put a ton of time into planning, where you're going to eat, you've told the kids, etc. Disney's not dumb and if they think that they can get away with no FD, then they're going to do it.

Not me.... if no free dining..... no vacation unfortunately. 4 of us x free dining prices = way more than a percentage off of a room discount.

 

[Mickeycrocs]

Not me.... if no free dining..... no vacation unfortunately. 4 of us x free dining prices = way more than a percentage off of a room discount.

I hear you. We'll have to stay off-site.

 

[DennisandAngel]

I look at this differently. I'm booked because we are going regardless. I believe Disney will always continue some sort of a FD offer. The Magic the guest experiences with booking and having free dining is like no other. Yes, I understand it isn't for everyone and that people say your hogging the rooms already booking, but isn't that part of the process in making it magic. I'm addicted to Disney......you're all addicted to Disney. So why not dangle awesome promotions to keep us coming back. Trips are expensive and that is a deal braker for a lot of families. So if they can pull the wool over our eyes and make us think their giving us something their not going to stop. Their a business!