Beware-2009 Bounceback Free Dining Offer

[merappa]

Returned from August 2008 vacation in Disney-check out on 8/29/08. Asked at front desk if there was any bounceback offer for 2009 and was told they didn't know. When we got home found out from the DIS boards that there were bounceback offers out there during our stay. My husband called Disney reservations and explained that we were told on site that there were no offers but indeed were and he wanted to book the bounceback free dining. She could not help him at all. She told us that the bounceback free dining is randomly picked by a computer and literature left in guest rooms with a booking code. It is not offered to all guests even though you are staying on property at that time. It doesn't mean that you can automatically get the offer. I assume this is so the can target who they want to return based on money spent and other factors. Isn't this Disney discrimination?

 

[mommytoone]

Last time I stayed in 06, I was not offered a bounceback, so maybe true. I agree they should offer it to all.

 

[RMulieri]

I don't see how it is discrimination.Disney issues special discount pincodes and emails all the time and to only a select few( not everyone gets one)So I guess this can fall under that category.I know there are a few people that didn't get offered the bounceback.But I suppose you can call disney and speak to guest services and see if they can accomodate you.

 

[klynn]

This past Friday night we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and now we are in the Wilderness Lodge Villas. We had the offer at the Lodge and it is also in our Villa. It does say; "This offer is only avalable to Guests of selet Walt Disney World Resort hotels and is nontransferable." Perhaps when they say "select" they mean only a few of the hotels have this offer.

 

[disneyfanUSA]

Returned from August 2008 vacation in Disney-check out on 8/29/08. Asked at front desk if there was any bounceback offer for 2009 and was told they didn't know. When we got home found out from the DIS boards that there were bounceback offers out there during our stay. My husband called Disney reservations and explained that we were told on site that there were no offers but indeed were and he wanted to book the bounceback free dining. She could not help him at all. She told us that the bounceback free dining is randomly picked by a computer and literature left in guest rooms with a booking code. It is not offered to all guests even though you are staying on property at that time. It doesn't mean that you can automatically get the offer. I assume this is so the can target who they want to return based on money spent and other factors. Isn't this Disney discrimination?

This happened to some1 else on a different thread they asked for a supervisor and they gave it to them. Maybe you should try again.

 

[kjetjl]

Wow! Thanks for the info. We never got a flier in our room last year but I called the number on the tv and got the bounceback free dining. I knew about the bounceback thanks to these boards.

We were pretty sure that we were going to book bounceback while we are there next week; but if it is a code that we don't get; too bad because we probably won't be back to Disney for a couple years then.

Thanks again for the heads up; that would have been pretty disappointing to find out while we are there that we can't book it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, first, the OP states two different things - first, that when they asked the Front Desk CMs if there was any 2009 bounceback offer, the response was they "didn't know". When the OP's husband called Disney from home after the trip, he told Disney "that we were told on site that there were no offers".

"We don't know" is not in any way the same as "no there isn't".

Not every Cast Member knows everything about everything. The Front Desk CMs shouldn't reasonably be expected to be aware of promotions being offered for visits a year in the future.

But aside from that - while I have not been yet and can't state this unequivocally, it is very likely that even without printed advertising about a bounceback promotion, one of the Disney internal television channels accessible to every Guest in a Disney-owned resort room does, indeed, display information about this offer. That's how it was last year.

Couple of other points: While we've all been using the term BounceBack, I know last year's offer was actually called - by Disney - a Future Stay promotion.

Also, to the poster who got no offer in 2006: That year, this promotion was offered to Guests staying in Disney-owned resorts in November and December, for late August/most of September 2007. If you were there in September 2006, no such promotion existed at that time.

 

[merappa]

We have called twice this weekend. Both times we spoke with a bounceback reservation person. The first person told us that there was nothing they could do for us. Basically didn't even want to speak with my husband. The second time we spoke with a very nice person who took 10 minutes to explain how it worked. It was there that she said it was totally random and not offered to every on site guest. It is also offered to all the hotels just random. However, now that someone is saying that it's on their tv channel it would go out to everyone. It makes me think that she was just trying to get rid of us. We are very upset with this because we travel to Disney with our family every year sometimes twice. A correction to our original posting, the hotel concierge and another front desk cast member didn't know anything about bounceback offers. Anyone have any idea of who else we can contact other than reservations? Are they advertising this free dining 2009 on their television station in the rooms?

 

[septbaby]

Bottom line, reservation for the following yr had to be made while on site, Disney was very firm on this for 2007. For what it is worth, just let it go. We booked the bounceback last year, but found the Free Dining offer that came out in April to have better dates for us so we booked that and dumped the bounceback trip. If you want to return in 2009 just be ready for an early April Free Dining announcement.

Just let this one go, it is not that big of a deal, honestly.

 

[abc999]

We have called twice this weekend. Both times we spoke with a bounceback reservation person. The first person told us that there was nothing they could do for us. Basically didn't even want to speak with my husband. The second time we spoke with a very nice person who took 10 minutes to explain how it worked. It was there that she said it was totally random and not offered to every on site guest. It is also offered to all the hotels just random. However, now that someone is saying that it's on their tv channel it would go out to everyone. It makes me think that she was just trying to get rid of us. We are very upset with this because we travel to Disney with our family every year sometimes twice. A correction to our original posting, the hotel concierge and another front desk cast member didn't know anything about bounceback offers. Anyone have any idea of who else we can contact other than reservations? Are they advertising this free dining 2009 on their television station in the rooms?

Call the bounceback people back and ask to speak with a manager and explain what happened. Someone on one of the other threads did that and was able to book. If you don't have the number, it is 407 541-5515. Good Luck.

 

[paulh]

we got flyer but sil and mil rooms didnt,we all phoned number 8844 and got it
Paulh

 

[kaytieeldr]

However, now that someone is saying that it's on their tv channel it would go out to everyone.

Specifically - if by 'someone' you mean me - I said it was displayed on a property-wide in-room tv channel in 2007, for 2008 return trips.

I haven't been there yet this year, I don't know what's advertised on Disney's tv channels right now.

But, no matter where it's physically advertised, one requirement is that the Guest make the BounceBack reservation while still checked in at a Disney-owned resort during the eligible time frame.

 

[lisadr]

I can see Disney not putting the offer in every room-they can't offer it to everyone. But if you actually ask, they should book it for you even if it's not in your room. Otherwise how are they picking who gets one and who doesn't?? That is wrong. No more than they can decide who calls in and gets the offers when they release them to the general public.

But I do know that if you leave, any offers that require you to still be on property are usually void when you get home. I didn't know that, and i tried to add the non-expiration to a 1 day ticket I had left over and it was a no-go.

 

[TDC Nala]

I recall it being offered to anyone staying at a WDW resort (including DVC) but you had to know it was being offered, and not all resorts got notification in the room. They target specific resorts to receive the in-room notification. It is not discrimination. It's called targeted marketing. It's the same reason some are getting an email for a further 2008 free dining offer and some are not.

Just because you didn't get a flyer in your room doesn't mean you couldn't have booked it - but you had to know who to call and when.

As was posted, you must call extension 8844 from your room phone before you check out.

I called once from a DVC resort and they had to put me on hold for awhile to check and see if I was really staying there - the DVC and CRO systems are separate.

 

[twinklebug]

I don't see it as discrimination at all. I think my definition of the word is a bit different than how you're using it.


BTW - I think Disney marketing is brilliant. I knew about the bounce back from the boards here, even looked for it in our room - but I had already made arrangements to buy into DVC the day we arrived & IF that bounceback offer had been sitting there looking at me, I might have cancelled my plans to buy in and gone the other way They could have gotten me for $2K, but instead took me for $15K plus a commitment to return year after year -- smart smart.

 

[Shelly S]

My sister got back on Sept 1 and she asked about the free dining bounceback while staying at PRFQ. The resort said they couldn't find any information about it. When she got back she called and was able to book it through the regular reservation number with no problems and then even called back to add another room. Her initial call was specific to bounceback, but she was denied.

 

[pixieme]

We also stayed in Sept of 06 and was not offered a bounce back. I wonder how it is picked?

 

[strmtroopr96]

Bottom line, reservation for the following yr had to be made while on site, Disney was very firm on this for 2007. For what it is worth, just let it go. We booked the bounceback last year, but found the Free Dining offer that came out in April to have better dates for us so we booked that and dumped the bounceback trip. If you want to return in 2009 just be ready for an early April Free Dining announcement.

Just let this one go, it is not that big of a deal, honestly.

We were actually able to book our Bounceback Free Dining back in September 2007 about 2-3 days AFTER getting back home last year.

We knew about the Bounceback Promo before getting to WDW and were prepared to make our ressies while there. What we didn't realize was that the deposit had to be made on the spot but over the phone. I thought it would be done at the Front Desk and had the $200 in cash. Because I only use my debit card and not a credit card, I couldn't book anything until I had put the $$ back in my bank account.

So once we were home and put the $$ in the bank, my DH called and had no problems booking our Free Dining for 2008 even though we were no longer onsite.

So there's some hope for you!!

 

[nbodyhome]

I have read that the UK offer is different for next year (no values included, and mods = only counter service plan). So if you get the bounceback offer, take it - the bounceback is good at the values next year, for free regular dining. It is possible that it won't be available in that form to the general public.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

We just asked for it during our stay at Pop last year and they gave the flyer to us without any problem.

We also saw it on the TV MANY times. It's out there, you probably just got a lesser imformed CM.