AP Holders and free dining

[My2Angels]

Right now, I have an AP holders room plus dining booked for December. If a free dining offer came out, would I have to book a regular package and buy tickets, or how does that work?
I am the only one in the family that has a current AP, so I need to buy tickets for 1 adult and 3 kids anyway. I would buy them soon, since prices are about to go up on tickets, but I don't want to purchase them ahead of time and then have to turn the booking into a package with tickets to get free dining or another good deal.

 

[rt2dz]

To receive free dining, yes, you would have to purchase tickets. But when I price out the difference between a 40% off and paying for dining (plan or out-of-pocket) or free dining, it always comes out that free dining is the most expensive choice.

Check out THIS old article. It still gives a good idea if free dining is a good deal. There is link to how to evaluate the dining plan in general in that article, which is also very good.

 

[maroo]

I have an AP and am going on FD three times the rest of this year. Sept and 2 ressies in Dec.

Basically you would book the room, FD, and a 1 Day Base ticket ($75 right now) for each member of your party.

Then when you get there, you would upgrade their tickets to the number of days they need.

You could then use your $75 ticket toward the purchase of your next AP or next ticket. Those tickets never expire, until you use them.