2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[Mr. Jackson]

She is wrong. She can change it on the Disney Travel Agent page when she retrieves your reservation.

Does this mean that you have to be a travel agent to add FD to an existing reservation? I have been advised I can do it on this thread and I am not a travel agent, starting to get really confused.

 

[Happy99]

She is wrong. She can change it on the Disney Travel Agent page when she retrieves your reservation.

Sharonabe,

We are using a Disney vacation planner (I work with her, so thought it would be easier). She said that the reservation cannot be modified online to include free dining that she actually had to call. Is that right? Since she is doing it, I don't think I can modify the reservation to include it myself.

Unless of course they have issues with the modification button like some of us do at times then the only way is to call in as well.

 

[h&D3]

Do you know if the code can be used for Standard rooms?

If a room is available, it should be good on a Standard Room.

~D

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

We're waiting to book, we are likely not inside the FD dates but have been waiting just in case the rumors are wrong, but I doubt it. Also while we can't be flexible on the November dates we have we could move our trip up to August but we really would prefer November. We are pseudo flexible on resort but not so much on the dates, didn't want to bother booking it since we may change it completely.

 

[areno79]

Does this mean that you have to be a travel agent to add FD to an existing reservation? I have been advised I can do it on this thread and I am not a travel agent, starting to get really confused.

No, you can do it online even if you are not a TA. But, some people have reported their "Change Reservation" button not working (because...Disney IT.) That's where the questions have been coming from.

 

[Baez]

If a room is available, it should be good on a Standard Room.

~D

Fingers crossed! My only hope is Visa early offer or a heavy room discount.

 

[h&D3]

I wonder if that is because of the ability to pay for extra FP when booking CL. If there was a discount on the room, that would make paying for those extras a little easier. But, really, who knows why Disney does what they do.

I checked some of the other Deluxes and they had the CL's available for those rooms that I could have applied the discount to. So I have no idea why AKL CL was not included.

~D

 

[kpd6901]

Alright veterans of FD. Help me out here. Just thinking a little bit. My family of 3 adults, 2 children are staying at AoA Cars Suite. My parents simultaneously staying at Pop. We have our ressies already booked from Nov. 19 thru Dec. 1. The plan was hoping FD mirrored last year, so we would hit that Nov 19 date and get it, removing the final three days and leaving Nov. 28. No avail, it seems on that date. Our plan B was to remove the first 3 days, arrive Thanksgiving day, Nov. 22 and stay thru Dec.1 to take advantage of lighter crowds near the end of our trip. We are flying, but my parents are driving, but booked before the parking fee. Regardless, we have 6-day tickets, planning 2 off days in between, plus MVMCP. No hopper currently. I really could use a helpful volunteer. Assuming rumors of resort inclusions remain the same, it looks like my family is out of FD regardless, but my parents might still get some if they do a split stay in option B. (We are all getting the regular DP anyway based on the choices for character meals and the like). I hear people talking about paying oop for meals during part of the split stay. Can you still get the DP for the non-FD part? And if you do, I assume that you cannot roll over unused credits from stay 1 to stay 2, right? Our plan would be Mickey's BY BBQ for Thanksgiving (2 TS credits) on Nov. 22, CRT for 2 credits on Nov. 23, Tusker House on Nov. 24. Again, assuming my family of 5 is out (AoA) and not splitting a stay, could we just use our credits to help them pay for one of their 2 credit meals and my folks credit us back later in the trip (paying for is with some of their credits)?.....or is this all moot because their first split might be too short anyway? If it does work, does that save my parents anything significant? Or not really worth it? Would going this route be a case of biting off a nose in spite of a face if RO discounts apply to our Plan B dates later on? Thank you so much!!

 

[Katmat75]

Seems like most people on here have already made their reservations and are just planning on modifying in the morning? I’ve been trying to hold off booking to not contribute to the appearance of rooms being filled ahead of the promotion but now I’m questioning this and thinking I should just go ahead and book now so that all I have to do in the morning is add the promotion?

I'm thinking along those same lines. I was holding off too!

 

[SPOERLX3]

Question-so I’ve got booked Aug 13-21 and I’m a Disney Visa card holder. So from what I’m seeing Visa card offers are usually posted later after phone lines open. I had planned on staying up tonight to snag FD but it won’t be in my dates. Should I go ahead and snag one for the dates open, as I’m flexible in my dates if needed, and then try and snag one for Visa Card holders? Just worried if I wait then what if I can’t get one I want for Visa card holders

Since the Disney Visa holders didn't get an early booking window, the Disney Visa FD offer will drop at the same time as GP (at this moment, strong rumors suggest that will be tomorrow morning). I think what may have confused you is that Chase will send and email out for Disney Visa holders later in the day, just inviting you with a link you can click on. BUT the email normally reaches the Disney Visa holders 3-4+ hours after the actual promo has come out. By then, the rooms are slim pickings.
As a Disney Visa holder, when you click on the Special offer, across the top of the page on the package page of the Disney World website, it will say something like "Free dining offer for Disney Visa holders". You will click on that link. The room allocations are normally different than the room allocations for the general public. (i know last year, I could book rooms on the DV link that were not available on the GP link). If the room you are looking for isn't on the Disney Visa link, you are welcome to look at the general public link and book it there, if it is available (and still pay with your Disney Visa).
MAKE SURE you go to "My Profile" on your MDE account, under "payment methods" and update it to show your Disney Visa card as your payment method. That will help you when you are checking out.
Good luck to everyone and pixie dust that we get what we want!

 

[h&D3]

So I posted this before and I think I know the answer, but I just want to make sure. For the FD option, it has to be a package, right? (with tickets - minimum 3 days)

If so, well, then I get to sleep in tomorrow morning! HA!

(Honestly, I would rather get up and get FD or some kind of a discount)
~D

 

[hinesclan5]

I've been following the CBR thread and they are saying construction will not finish until sometime in December. Which is the reason I canceled. Riviera and the Skyliner there won't be done until 2019.

We were told at Easter (We talked to their CM at Check-out and told him we would be back at Christmas.) they would be finished with 90-95% of everything by late fall. He said the skyliner and the Riviera should be the only construction still ongoing then...

We had NO construction issues at CBR while we were there at Easter. Nothing about the construction bothered us or changed our experience. I am excited to see what it all looks like when we get back in December!

 

[scard192]

So I posted this before and I think I know the answer, but I just want to make sure. For the FD option, it has to be a package, right? (with tickets - minimum 3 days)

If so, well, then I get to sleep in tomorrow morning! HA!

(Honestly, I would rather get up and get FD or some kind of a discount)
~D

yes

 

[MAF]

So can someone explain how you can upgrade to the free dining if you have already booked? I'm dumb. Will there just be a modify button tomorrow that you can click online to add it?

 

[SherBear77]

Someone posted this on a Canadian Disney FB group. Says he was speaking with a CM today and they told him FD was dropping tomorrow and also this...

The CM also said that there is speculation that for the 1st time Disney dining must fall within time period, for example if Nov 24-27th is accurately the dates then just those 4 days would be free dining and the other days after would be at reg price, he said he saw that happen with the summer promos (whereas before the dinning period had to begin on any of the dates and could carry on 14 days after if you wanted) but that he couldn't confirm until it ia released tomorrow.
I wouldn't put it past Disney to start doing that, especially if they are maxed out then they don't need to offer it.
Again, only time will tell.

.... I hope this is not true!!!

 

[SPOERLX3]

Thoughts on room type availability at Pop? I have preferred pool view room booked, do you think this room type will create challenges to obtain FD?

not at all. Last year I could get preferred pool but not preferred.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Thoughts on room type availability at Pop? I have preferred pool view room booked, do you think this room type will create challenges to obtain FD?

totally depends on availability and what rooms they assign to FD - i had to book a standard to get FD last year and i was up and modified my existing reservation at 5AM or whenever the first 5 mins allowed.

 

[KarenP64]

Someone posted this on a Canadian Disney FB group. Says he was speaking with a CM today and they told him FD was dropping tomorrow and also this...

The CM also said that there is speculation that for the 1st time Disney dining must fall within time period, for example if Nov 24-27th is accurately the dates then just those 4 days would be free dining and the other days after would be at reg price, he said he saw that happen with the summer promos (whereas before the dinning period had to begin on any of the dates and could carry on 14 days after if you wanted) but that he couldn't confirm until it ia released tomorrow.
I wouldn't put it past Disney to start doing that, especially if they are maxed out then they don't need to offer it.
Again, only time will tell.

.... I hope this is not true!!!

Well, that's earthshattering if true, especially for any who were going to check in Nov. 27 for a 14 night stay....

 

[anomamatt]

So can someone explain how you can upgrade to the free dining if you have already booked? I'm dumb. Will there just be a modify button tomorrow that you can click online to add it?

Click on "change reservation" (on the My Reservations page).

Then you get to reservation details page. click on "change" where it says "vacation offer". You should be able to pick free dining (or whatever specifically they call it, delicious offer, etc) and it should update to that. You'll have to checkout again.

 

[BA75]

I'm thinking along those same lines. I was holding off too![/QUOTE
We were already planning on going regardless of FD so it would just be a bonus for us so that is why we are booked already...plus I got a 20% RO discount so I am not at a total loss if we can't get FD.