A few questions about free dining

[Albertan mom]

I am really wanting to take advantage of the free dining this fall, but have a few questions...if any of you experts could help, that would be great!!!

1. Would my dd11 be considered an adult or child?

2. Are character meals really included?

3. So we get free dining, we get a card that we just show at the restaurants and snack carts?

3. Do we tip?

4. It includes one counter service meal, so does that mean like at burger places etc...?

5. And one snack right? So from a snack cart?

6. And one table service meal a day? So do we absolutely need to make reservations for those, or can we just walk in? We don't know what parks we are going to do which day, and don't want to have to run our holiday around meals. Is that crazy? Hoping to get in to a restaurant without a p.s.?

7. When is the free dining? August-October?

8. Can you get free dining at All Star Sports? This is where DS really wants to stay. Is it good for the food court there?

9. Someone said to get free dining you need to pay the 'rack rate' at the hotel. Does this mean you could end up paying more for your rooms, and therefore may not save you alot of money?

10. Thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions!

 

[lynninpa]

I am really wanting to take advantage of the free dining this fall, but have a few questions...if any of you experts could help, that would be great!!!

1. Would my dd11 be considered an adult or child?

2. Are character meals really included?

3. So we get free dining, we get a card that we just show at the restaurants and snack carts?

3. Do we tip?

4. It includes one counter service meal, so does that mean like at burger places etc...?

5. And one snack right? So from a snack cart?

6. And one table service meal a day? So do we absolutely need to make reservations for those, or can we just walk in? We don't know what parks we are going to do which day, and don't want to have to run our holiday around meals. Is that crazy? Hoping to get in to a restaurant without a p.s.?

7. When is the free dining? August-October?

8. Can you get free dining at All Star Sports? This is where DS really wants to stay. Is it good for the food court there?

9. Someone said to get free dining you need to pay the 'rack rate' at the hotel. Does this mean you could end up paying more for your rooms, and therefore may not save you alot of money?

10. Thank you so much for taking time to answer my questions!

1. An 11yo would be considered an adult

2. Yes, character meals are included

3. It will be on your room key card

3. Tax and tips are included yet of course you can tip more

4. At allears.net you can read menus for CS meals as well as TS meals

5. One snack, though those are quite limited

6. In my opinion, I would make at least a few ADRs The plan goes by the number of nights you are staying. So, for example, you are going for 7 days and 6 nights-that would be 6 TS, 6 CS and 6 snacks per person over the age of 3

7. Checkin from August 13 to Sept 30

8. Yes and yes

9. If staying at a value resort like you mentioned I think the dining plan can't be beat!

10.

 

[Albertan mom]

Thank you thank you thank you!!

One more question:

How do I convince DH that that is a good time to go, that we won't get hit by a hurricane, and that the humidity and heat won't be that bad????

 

[lynninpa]

Thank you thank you thank you!!

One more question:

How do I convince DH that that is a good time to go, that we won't get hit by a hurricane, and that the humidity and heat won't be that bad????

Hey, you're on your own with this one. Of course there is no way to predict hurricanes, heat, humidity, and so on. But I can say that we went last year the last week of August and it was so great-weather and crowdwise (with the free dining at that time, too) that we booked the same same week this year.

 

[Hopefully]

# 1, DD 1 is an adult for the Dining Plan
#2 Yes, the character meals are included. Dinner shows are also included but they deduct 2 TS credits for the Dinner Shows (Hoop De Doo, Luau, and Backyard Barbeque)
#3(a) The Dining Credits for your entire party are encoded on your Key to the Kingdom Card which is also your room key and your park pass. You present the card to pay for the meal/snack. The computer electronically deducts the credits from the card and the receipt you are given shows you the remaining credits.
#3 (b) Tip is included at 18%, We added an additional tip for great service. Tax is also included
#4 Yes CS meals are at Burger places, Food Courts, anywhere where you walk to a counter and place your order, pick up your food and then find yourself a seat in a common seating area. There is a full list of participating restaurants on the official web site.
#5 Yes one snack from a snack cart. Snack choices are limited, not every snack is included. Things like bottled water and sodas, a box of popcorn, a piece of fresh fruit or an ice cream bar are considered snacks.
#6 Yes, I personally think it is crazy to hope to get into a restaurant without an ADR (Advanced Dining Reservations, formally PS). You will have prepaid for your meals and the chances are very good that without an ADR you will be turned away from restaurants. When we were there last October (Paid meal plan, not free) we saw folks being turned away everywhere. There were signs in the MK indicating that all TS restaurants were full that day and directing folks to CS. If you do not want to plan ahead and make ADR's the plan may not be for you.
#7 I think the dates this year are August 13th to September 29th. If you checked in on September 29th it would be good for your entire stay.
# 8 Yes you can get free dining at the All Star Sports and yes you can use it in the Food Court there.
#9 Yes your room may cost more, if you would be eligible for a discount of some sort on the room. Look at the menus on Allearsnet.com and at the restaurants you might want to eat at. You can judge the cost of food this way, and you can do the math to see if you will save money or not.
When we went in October we saved $450
Good Luck in your decision.

 

[justplaingoofy]

We have been the last two years in September. It is a little of a trade off. It is hotter, but we found we walked onto most rides. We'd rather go back to the hotel around noon-1pm to cool off and swim then go back to the parks around 4pm... Can't beat the no lines, and free dining

 

[ngtotd_dtrt]

Hi.
1. Adult - 10 and over is an adult now on the meals (changed from 12 and up a year or so ago)

2. Yes!

3. Yes..it's your room-key-card.
3b. 18% is included...tip more if you'd like, but don't feel obligated. The 'highly interactive' wait-staff (50s Prime Time, Whispering Canyon, etc.) probably deserve a little more if they are good.

4. Yes, most theme parks CS places are burgers/chicken-strips, some are pizza, and some are much nicer. *

5. Yes, or from your hotel quick-service area, and a few other places. *

6. Yes (one TS credit per day, but you can use 2 (or 3) one day and skip a day (or two)...or use one of the 2-TS-credit nicer places, etc.). Yes, need reservations at most any place. Most places will politely laugh at you and tell you they won't have any available seating...and for others, it'll be a LONG wait without reservations. You'll be hoping for a hurricane just to scare away people from the restaurants. Yes, you have to run your holiday around your TS restaurants, and yes that's somewhat crazy. But just accept it, plan your days now somewhat, and book your reservations. You may find (like we did) that the restaurants are as much anticipated as the rides, even for the kids. Either way, you'll need ressies. Certainly book them, carry your ressie #, and if you know a day or two out that you won't use that particular one, call from your room (direct, free call to disney-dining) and cancel.

7. Booking first day in hotel from Aug 13th thru Sept. 30th...if you check in on Sept. 30th, the plan is good for your length of stay (up to Oct 9th).

8. Yes. Not sure about the food-court. I would suspect that most are better, but I really have no idea. For basic food, they are probably about the same, but service may be better/faster at some. Except for the inconvenience, you could use your CS credits at any other hotel food-court, and some others offer a good and varied menu (Beaches and Cream, Pepper Market, Mara(sp), etc.). If you're a long way from the All-Star Sports food-court, it may even be quicker to drive to another on occasion.

9. Yes. You'll lose some of your 'free' dining plan advantage by paying full room rates. But at All-Star Sports, you'd only pay about $25 more per night to forgo the discount, and you family (3 of you, or more?) would probably get over $100/day worth of food. Our family of 5 AVERAGED about $150/day.

10. YW. Hope this helped.

* link to dining menu links, and a link to list of TS/CS/S places...

http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm#res

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/packages06a.htm



I posted some basic dining-plan info for another poster a couple of days ago on this thread below...it may give some idea about how it works.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread...99#post12174799

(did that link work? )

If it's still confusing, ask away and it'll get answered, I'm sure.

 

[blue_river]

I have a question too! How far in advance should you make the reservations for dinner? Could you do this when you arrive and if it should be done before arriving at DW...how do you do it?

Thanks.

 

[Amyrlin]

You can make the ADR's any time from 180 days before you go, the sooner you make them the more chance you have of getting your prefered times etc.

From you count down looks like you could call any time to make them.

 

[lynninpa]

I have a question too! How far in advance should you make the reservations for dinner? Could you do this when you arrive and if it should be done before arriving at DW...how do you do it?

Thanks.

You will be at WDW the same time that we are. We made our ADRs back on February 28th (180 days out from our day of arrival) I, personally, strongly suggest making at least a few ADRs now. Especially with so many getting the free dining at that time!
You can go to allears.net and read menus and reviews of where you would like to eat. Then you can call 407-WDW-DINE. Good luck! And let us know what you do!

 

[lynninpa]

Thank you thank you thank you!!

One more question:

How do I convince DH that that is a good time to go, that we won't get hit by a hurricane, and that the humidity and heat won't be that bad????

Hey, Albertan mom...what have you guys decided??

 

[firemanx]

my family's floridians by transplant for the last 20 yrs and we have seen plenty of huricanes, and the brunt of there damage, and the easiest way to convince people is like this "during such a time is there anywhere you'd rather be then the happiest place on earth?"

 

[Albertan mom]

Hey, Albertan mom...what have you guys decided??

I still don't know yet. My BIL and SIL are hoping to come with us. We emailed them with the dates, but haven't heard back yet what works for them. The kids are so excited. BIL and SIL are young, 24, and have no kids, so it will be lots of fun with them there too!
I of course, being a bit of an overplanner, want to get it booked and get my meals planned!! I also can't wait to put up my new ticker!!!
Hope to know in the next few days!

 

[blue_river]

Thanks Lynninpa!

I am still waiting to hear back from my TA for the booking of the trip. At the moment everything is still tentative. I am extremely excited and can hardly sleep. Hopefully that will change once we have the booking and I have finally made the dinner reservations. I'm driving my DH and DD's crazy with my over excited nature. Hehehe.

 

[blue_river]

My DH was concerned also about going at hurricane season but once he realized how much we would be saving with the free dining package he quickly changed his mind. My DD still has some concerns about flying but is willing to do so for DW.

 

[tylerbug]

I know I show a thread on here that gave a link to the Disney Dining Plan brochure can anyone give me that again...I can't seen to find it here or on the disney web site...thanks

 

[disneycrazzzy]

Here is the link to the Disney Dining Brochure