2016 Free Dining Watch

[Kellett]

Still too early to make that kind of call.

Ok thank you

 

[DennisandAngel]

When you book a room or package your really not assigned a particular room at the time off booking. so I'm not convinced that pre booking would black out the offer or resort. Why is all star sports always blacked out of the free dining promotion?

 

[Disneylover99]

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??

Sorry. I have no idea about that. We just use our magical agent for the labour day deal.

 

[scard192]

When you book a room or package your really not assigned a particular room at the time off booking. so I'm not convinced that pre booking would black out the offer or resort. Why is all star sports always blacked out of the free dining promotion?

it's All Star Music that is usually excluded, not Sports.

 

[AZRAPUNZEL]

When you book a room or package your really not assigned a particular room at the time off booking. so I'm not convinced that pre booking would black out the offer or resort. Why is all star sports always blacked out of the free dining promotion?

I thought it was usually all star movies, not sports that was blacked out. I'm I wrong?

 

[G719]

I thought it was usually all star movies, not sports that was blacked out. I'm I wrong?

I thought it was movies too. Lol. Maybe the theme is more popular

 

[DennisandAngel]

I thought it was usually all star movies, not sports that was blacked out. I'm I wrong?

I actually meant to post movies not sports. I've never seen music excluded.

 

[Jeaniec]

I have a disney visa. How will I know if they have an offer for free dining?

 

[mustlovecats]

No problem. That's one of the reasons I became a TA, there are only so many times I can price and book my own vacation...

Anyways, here are the numbers. I ran your dates for a Garden Room at the CR. I wasn't sure how many park days or if you would originally have park hopper but since free dining will probably require park hopper I added it. The following numbers include your dates, 6 day ticket + park hopper and the regular dining plan. Here are some numbers.

Free Dining = $6,345.60
30% room discount = $6,259.46
30% room discount without park hoppers = $5,965.54
25% room discount = $6,486.14
25% room discount without park hoppers = $6,192.22

So assuming a 30% discount is offered for Garden View rooms your savings over free dining would be $86.14. Without park hopper the savings would be $380.06. If only a 25% discount is offered and you want park hopper then free dining is a better deal if you eat more than the dining plan costs. If you don't want park hoppers then the 25% would still save you $153.38.

Generally a 30% discount is offered at Deluxes. But I just threw 25% out there in case they include any surprises.
Also, if you want the deluxe dining your savings would change, the prices above will just go up.

@Niixxter I edited the post above because I was incorrect about the dining plan tax. That decreases the savings quite a bit, but if you go without park hopper they could still be cheaper. If you need park hopper than I would go with whichever discount you think is best or can get.

@Niixxter - Unfortunately the discount at the Contemporary is usually less than the standard deluxe discount. Last September it was 25%, October/November/December it was only 20% (possibly even 15% some dates) so free dining at that Deluxe may work better for you.

 

[DebbieB]

When you book a room or package your really not assigned a particular room at the time off booking. so I'm not convinced that pre booking would black out the offer or resort. Why is all star sports always blacked out of the free dining promotion?

They know how many empty rooms there are for a particular date by room type. If they have a small number of open rooms, why would they discount them?

 

[deakam]

Since there appears to be no chance of free dining for my dates in Oct. Any bets on a passholder or resident discount?

 

[damskipi13]

yes, I have a quote from an agency that has exclusive rates, I would have preferred POP or ASMu but their exclusive for Values is at ASSp. I posted this earlier:
I have a quote from a TA for our dates at ASsp, QS dining, 8 day park hoppers for $450 (2 rooms)more than if we got FD at that resort. plus one complimentary visit to a water park which the kids have wanted to do but never wanted to spend the $$ for that ticket upgrade. If the rumored start date for FD is 11/15 ( we check in on the 12th), this may be the best option. I would not have to do a split stay for 11/12-11/15 and could make FP+ 60 days out. ASsp would have been our 3rd choice but we stayed there in 2009,so familiar with the resport. $225 each is not that much for me and my sister and would be SO much easier if FD does not start at the beginning of our stay. feeling like I have all my ducks in a row and am ready for whatever FD turns out to be

$225 is not all that much more I don't think when the only other option would be a split stay and would have to pay OOP for meals for 3 days (3 people in each room) and not able to make FP+ 60 days out for our first few days.

Ah, that makes sense then. Maybe I'll resubmit a quote for ASSp to see if that comes out better.

I've never gotten anything with a regular TA that was any better or different than what I could do myself. However, I think what people are doing that is better is using that so called magical agency that cannot be named for their TA. I've never used them so I cannot comment on that. But I agree with you about the regular TA's. I can do better with FD with disney for our family's needs.
Edit: to say, we only do values and I refuse to ever stay at All Star Sports again. We love Pop Century. But we love the QS FD promotion the most of any of the discounts, and a room discount on a value is nothing compared to it. But it looks like people staying at Mods/Deluxe get some great deals if you are interested in that.

Oh no, don't tell me that! Right now I am booked at ASSp! I'll be calling weekly until my trip to see if any discounts open at Pop or AoA though. AoA is my goal. But I have 30% off at ASSp so it's nearly twice the price to stay at AoA if I don't get a discount there.

Someday I'd like to try the dining package, but FD doesn't make sense for me financially. I receive military offers on rooms and tickets, so the room only discount + Armed Forces Salute ticket + OOP dining saves me $200 over getting free dining. And I'm doing both US and WDW this trip while staying at ASSp the whole time, so it doesn't make sense for me to buy QSDP for the days I won't be eating on Disney property. But...someday!

I've been thinking the same thing as you. I have got quotes on several different occasions and they would not be one penny cheaper than what I found on the Disney website. Maybe I used a wrong TA for quotes. The one time many years ago when I did let a TA book for me I came to realize I knew more than she did and had to correct her several times on the information she sent to me about the free dining plan. I decided then that I was too OCD to let someone else have that kind of control!!

Hahaha, I know what you mean. My parents use TAs for about half their trips but I never have. I love planning and I can hunt down a good deal with the best of 'em

 

[deakam]

Since there appears to be no chance of free dining for my dates in Oct. Any bets on a passholder or resident discount?

 

[Just Love Disney]

Since there appears to be no chance of free dining for my dates in Oct. Any bets on a passholder or resident discount?

Since no FD in October for my dates either (soooo bummed), I am hoping they will have a Room Only announcement with October dates soon But I am not placing any bets...

 

[Tiggeroo]

This

He actually tells you to sign up for email alerts and then uses your email to push the travel agency further

 

[markpenske]

I have a disney visa. How will I know if they have an offer for free dining?

I would like to know this too? Do they email you? Do you need to log into your chase/visa account? will it be posted on the Disney site?

 

[KT0191]

I would like to know this too? Do they email you? Do you need to log into your chase/visa account? will it be posted on the Disney site?

I suggest calling them right at 7 am when their phone lines open. Emails do go out but I read lots of people do not get them until well into the afternoon and some do not get them at all.

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

I've called at 7am on every rumored date! I'm probably on the Disney's most annoying customer list somewhere! Haha. Everytime they try to get me to book and then add the promo later.....but I'll wait!

 

[Mr. lncredible]

I actually meant to post movies not sports. I've never seen music excluded.

Movies is usually excluded because it's just more popular due to theming of actual Disney characters vs generic sports or music decorations. It fills up on its own, same as little mermaid rooms at AoA.

 

[Burlingtondw]

Just checked on Thompson travel, UK free dining for 2017 did get released today!!!! Hopefully the rest of us soon