Can I take advantage of free dining if offered and later switch for room discount if offered?

[mala55]

We are staying at the BLT in mid-November. It seems that Free Dining is offered during that time period. It also seems that room discount is also offered during that same time period. The Free Dining seems to get announced earlier and expires earlier than the Room Discount. Neither are guaranteed. The Room Discount would save me more money. If Free Dining is offered first, can I take advantage of that and then if a Room Discount is later offered will WDW let me switch offers?

 

[DebbieB]

We are staying at the BLT in mid-November. It seems that Free Dining is offered during that time period. It also seems that room discount is also offered during that same time period. The Free Dining seems to get announced earlier and expires earlier than the Room Discount. Neither are guaranteed. The Room Discount would save me more money. If Free Dining is offered first, can I take advantage of that and then if a Room Discount is later offered will WDW let me switch offers?

Yes, it would be like a cancel and rebook. There would have to be availability under the room discount.

 

[mala55]

thank you! so if I understand this correctly, just having a room booked at a resort where there room discount applies, does not mean the room I have qualifies? do they only have so many rooms for the discount? we were at the BLT a couple of years ago in the Spring. I just happened to ask about it when I called to check on my payment and they just changed to it to the discount. I guess I was lucky. there was no free dining at that time.

 

[DisneyRookie2007]

i was under the impression that FD was only offered when booking a package (room and tickets) together ? Are you saying you can get free dining with RO discount? I do not think Disney allows you to stack discounts. If you want free dining, you pack rack rate for rooms.

 

[purple figment]

i was under the impression that FD was only offered when booking a package (room and tickets) together ? Are you saying you can get free dining with RO discount? I do not think Disney allows you to stack discounts. If you want free dining, you pack rack rate for rooms.

The OP said they would book a FD package first because that is probably going to be released soon, but if a room discount comes out later, they would switch offers because the room discount is better for them. Disney will not let you stack discounts so they are giving up the FD offer for the room rate discount.

 

[DebbieB]

thank you! so if I understand this correctly, just having a room booked at a resort where there room discount applies, does not mean the room I have qualifies? do they only have so many rooms for the discount? we were at the BLT a couple of years ago in the Spring. I just happened to ask about it when I called to check on my payment and they just changed to it to the discount. I guess I was lucky. there was no free dining at that time.

Correct, already having a room is not a guarantee, there are a limited number available for the discount. Actually already having a room could hurt. If they see there are not many empty rooms, they will not put those out for the discount.

 

[aaarcher86]

Wasn't BLT excluded from room discounts lately? Or FD last year? Might change around OPs plan.

 

[mickeynut1]

We are staying at the BLT in mid-November. It seems that Free Dining is offered during that time period. It also seems that room discount is also offered during that same time period. The Free Dining seems to get announced earlier and expires earlier than the Room Discount. Neither are guaranteed. The Room Discount would save me more money. If Free Dining is offered first, can I take advantage of that and then if a Room Discount is later offered will WDW let me switch offers?

Yes, you can switch offers as long as the resort/room type you have booked is available under the room discount. If you book a FD package and just want to change to the room discount (but keep the DDP and pay for it), your existing reservation could just be modified (pending availability). If you want to change to the room discount and drop the DDP (go to a RO reservation), the FD package would have to be cancelled/refunded and RO booked, requiring a new deposit of 1 night's room rate + tax. Since RO and packages are different reservation systems, money paid toward one cannot be applied to the other.

Yes, it would be like a cancel and rebook.

This only applies if the OP changed reservation types. If the OP changed to the room discount but kept the DDP (not free, but paid for it), the existing reservation could be modified, with no need to cancel and rebook.

so if I understand this correctly, just having a room booked at a resort where there room discount applies, does not mean the room I have qualifies? do they only have so many rooms for the discount?

Correct. There are only so many rooms offered with a discount and while the resort you have booked might be included, the room type might not be. Having a reservation already in place does not guarantee a discount can be applied.

 

[DebbieB]

This only applies if the OP changed reservation types. If the OP changed to the room discount but kept the DDP (not free, but paid for it), the existing reservation could be modified, with no need to cancel and rebook.

What I meant is that it is like a cancel and rebook as far as availability goes. There has to be availability to make a new reservation to change it, already having the room booked does not mean it will be automatically available to switch.

 

[mala55]

Thank you. It's so much clearer now. Unfortunately, the BLT is excluded from the FD. I tried to switch to the Beach Club. They did have FD. Rooms available, but not 1 bedroom suites which is what we need. I'm really hoping for a RO discount later that the BLT is not excluded from or an opening at the Beach Club. I didn't realize how slim picking 1 Br suites are...ugh!