Anyone get through for free dining yet today?

[donnaf516]

I had no intention of booking with free dining today. We were hoping for a room only AP rate since we'll be AP holders. But when I realized I could use the 2 days worth of tickets we had to get to have free dining against our renewal rate on our AP, it made sense.
We actually do like to do one TS and CS per day, so we would have been paying OOP for that, and even with a TIW card, it didn't make as much sense for us a free dining.
My brain hurts with all this early morning math.

We're hoping for an AP discount too! I've ran the numbers so many different ways, I'm with you and the brain pain!!

We're checking in to BC GV on 8/22 on a 35% bounceback. Trying to decide if I should book room only 8/22-8/25 and FD 8/25-8/31 or just leave it alone for now and hope for a better AP discount....can I hear 40%???

I'm pretty sure 40% would be better than FD for us.

 

[smallworldnh]

I called right at 7:00 and the automated voice said it was about a 10 minute wait. 55 minutes later, i was still on hold and had to hang up to go to a meeting. I called back after at 8:30 and was told it was a wait of over 45 minutes, but just before 9:00, I finally got to speak to someone. I ended up with All Star Sports in a preferred room with the quick service dining. I already had a reservation at All Star Music in Calypso, but they told me I could not use the FD there. Makes no sense since I already had the room reserved and half paid for.

Anyway, I asked if I could just switch to a standard and they said they could only offer me Sports, in a preferred room. I took it since we would probably not be in the room much anyway. oh well....i was happy to get the FD at least!!

oh, the CM had a hard time with the computer system because it was so overloaded, it was taking forever to input everything. At least it's done now. I'm off to do some research on All Star Sports since I don't know much about it now! Good luck all!

 

[KELLY]

My family has had FD the last few years. I agree DDP takes so much time out of your day. My family liked the QSDP better, but we like both PO resorts.

We just downgraded for that reason. We prefer the QSDP. My only problem is I still have the CBR reservation paid in full. I tried to get threw but checked online and all the standard rooms for POP were gone. So I booked that online and paid in full. We also added the wp& more option and will still be ahead almost 600.00.

Hopefully I can get threw this afternoon to get that CBR one cancled.

 

[pigletto]

We're hoping for an AP discount too! I've ran the numbers so many different ways, I'm with you and the brain pain!!

We're checking in to BC GV on 8/22 on a 35% bounceback. Trying to decide if I should book room only 8/22-8/25 and FD 8/25-8/31 or just leave it alone for now and hope for a better AP discount....can I hear 40%???

I'm pretty sure 40% would be better than FD for us.

You are probably right about the 40 off of BC if it comes out. I went ahead and booked, and if something better comes out with the AP I can cancel.
As for the brain pain, here I was, with no plans to go for FD, and all of a sudden I was crunching AP numbers, room only numbers, free dining numbers, and texting my husband with every bit of new info and trying to explain it all to him by text.. all before enough coffee

I actually got to the point where I though "Meh. If it's within a few hundred I just don't care". Which is very unlike frugal me. So like you, I have what I need booked and I'll look at it when I can stand to again

 

[BearcatsFan]

My TA just got back to me - we're rebooked with FD! We are still going to POFQ, but ended up upgrading to a king bed - it was still less than what we would have paid for QSDP and a garden view room (which is what we had originally booked), so I'm happy! Not going to tell DH we have a king room instead of 2 queens - gonna surprise him with that.

 

[ratlenhum]

It is quite easy to do, we will be doing the same thing for our Aug trip. We have FD booked Aug 25-Sept 2. I will make a room only res for Aug. 22-25. We have done this on out last 3 trips. You will have to check out and then check back in on your new res but we have never had to change rooms. Just make sure you link your 2 res together.

I'm trying to figure out how this works though. Do we need to buy a separate 2 day ticket for 8/23 and 8/24? Doesn't the first 2 days cost the most? We were originally planning on paying for DxDP so do I need to make a 2 day ressie,with tix and 2 days DxDP? When I figured it out for some reason it wasn't saving me a ton of money.

What do you do for your tickets for 8/22-25?

 

[jenrose66]

How did you got all star movies? They said NO to me!

I know, I was surprised it was available. I got online at 7:07 and specifically put in All Star Movies during the initial quote request. I would have preferred a standard room but all that was available was preferred, though it looked like my alternate offer was for standard at All Star Music. I love the theme so much at movies though so I was willing to pay for the preferred room just to get my spot at the resort. My dates are 8-28 to 9-4.

 

[KELLY]

I know, I was surprised it was available. I got online at 7:07 and specifically put in All Star Movies during the initial quote request. I would have preferred a standard room but all that was available was preferred, though it looked like my alternate offer was for standard at All Star Music. I love the theme so much at movies though so I was willing to pay for the preferred room just to get my spot at the resort. My dates are 8-28 to 9-4.

All of the all stars came up this morning for me. Then about 9am POP came up with both standard and preferred rooms. I ended up booking a preferred because that is all they had when I finally booked. I'm so glad we got the resort we wanted and the dining plan we would rather have.

 

[julluvsdisney]

I'm trying to figure out how this works though. Do we need to buy a separate 2 day ticket for 8/23 and 8/24? Doesn't the first 2 days cost the most? We were originally planning on paying for DxDP so do I need to make a 2 day ressie,with tix and 2 days DxDP? When I figured it out for some reason it wasn't saving me a ton of money.

What do you do for your tickets for 8/22-25?

You can pick up your tickets up to 3 days early. Last summer we arrived earlier than expected so we picked them up early in downtown disney (we were staying off site the first 2 days) You can pick them up at guest services in DTD, at the turnstile at the parks and at the check-in desk of the resort you will be booked at for the package( incase that is different from your room only ressie resort). Its very easy only took about 5 min if that. You'll just have to pay OOP the first few days for food which will still save you tons of money .

 

[hulk51382]

We booked our FD today at CS standard room for 9/22-9/28.

 

[PrincessatheartMN]

I know, I was surprised it was available. I got online at 7:07 and specifically put in All Star Movies during the initial quote request. I would have preferred a standard room but all that was available was preferred, though it looked like my alternate offer was for standard at All Star Music. I love the theme so much at movies though so I was willing to pay for the preferred room just to get my spot at the resort. My dates are 8-28 to 9-4.

I noticed that! I call at 6:59, one ring at a CM answer. She was not so helpful though. I booked at Sport since it was my ONLY option at that time. Then I played around online (we are not really a SPORT family) I found POP standard room 08/27-09/6 . SO I call DH and ask him about his vacation week. It changed over now we are going to POP. We never been to WDW but POP seem so much appealing to my family that all start sport. So excited!!! It is going to be a long count down.!

 

[jenrose66]

I noticed that! I call at 6:59, one ring at a CM answer. She was not so helpful though. I booked at Sport since it was my ONLY option at that time. Then I played around online (we are not really a SPORT family) I found POP standard room 08/27-09/6 . SO I call DH and ask him about his vacation week. It changed over now we are going to POP. We never been to WDW but POP seem so much appealing to my family that all start sport. So excited!!! It is going to be a long count down.!

It seems like sports is always unpopular, based solely on the theme. Too bad they can't re theme it

 

[Mamato3Princes]

I had no intention of booking with free dining today. We were hoping for a room only AP rate since we'll be AP holders. But when I realized I could use the 2 days worth of tickets we had to get to have free dining against our renewal rate on our AP, it made sense.
We actually do like to do one TS and CS per day, so we would have been paying OOP for that, and even with a TIW card, it didn't make as much sense for us a free dining.
My brain hurts with all this early morning math.

We're in the same boat as you! We're just going to use the 2-day base tickets for our AP renewal next Feb. We just booked the 2 bedroom at BLT for 8/31-9/6. We figured that any AP rate that comes out will probably not include BLT's 2 bedroom. And if by some chance it does include them, then great! We'll switch to that... but for now we're happy w/free dining so it's no big deal if it's not included in an AP rate discount.

 

[mskermit]

my TA added FD to my ressie i made in Oct and added a package for my daughter with connecting rooms for us. we had to upgrade to the royal rooms. she said standard were all taken, it may have just been the connecting rooms tho. she got it done for me!! she is the best!!. I book thru AAA and she said it has been nuts over there and will be for days!! she was on the phone for over 2 hours adding FD for everyone. It seems crazy this year but it has been offered pretty early , but Im glad.. now i can sleep

 

[Glennie5]

After reading through this whole thread I have come to the conclussion that Disney was all over the place with this promo. It seems like every person who talked to a cast member was told something different.

 

[jenrose66]

I was just playing around on the website and it looks like there is availability showing for all value resorts, though not for every room type, for pop during my dates only preferred, same with movies. I was also able to get standard room at POR to come up for my dates. Not sure if that helps anyone looking to make changes.

 

[annakris1973]

I was just able to change my Disney Visa free dining package for 9/21-9/30 at All Star Sports, preferred room, to Pop Century preferred room for same dates. I was only on hold for 5 minutes, took 15 minutes total to complete. So happy!!!! The website is now showing availability at Pop for both standard and preferred rooms.

 

[boundfordisney]

just called and had the free dining added to our reservation at por for august 25 to the 30th, took all of about 10 mins. wooohooo

 

[StacyMarie]

For all trying to get Pop, keep trying on and off. At first this morning, there was nothing at Pop for my dates, so I just kept our Poly reservation. I really wanted Pop with 2 rooms so I just kept messing around on the website and eventually there was availability for the same dates that I could not get this morning. I made the call and switched to 2 preferred rooms at Pop, same dates, upgraded to regular dining plan. Just keep trying. I think availability opened up because people are changing and/or upgrading to different resorts now that FD is out.

 

[moonshadow]

Called today around noon and got through after 10 minutes or so. I am now the proud owner of FD and saved $500.00.