Can reservations be changed with Free Dining offer?

[snorkelyn]

I am planning to book the minute free dining comes out (assuming that this offer is released Mar 1). The problem is, we do not have our airfare yet, and will not be able to book the air for a few weeks. Sooo, if I need to tweak the dates, will I still keep my free dining offer? I am planning to book at POR (family of 5), and I'm worried it will go fast since it's the only mod available to a family of 5. Our trip is 3rd week Sept.

Anyone know?

Lynn

 

[wdw4rfam]

Yes, you can make changes...as long as there are still rooms avail. for free dining, AND the dates all still fall in the promo period. I have changed many times on different trips, and NEVER lost the free dining. Not sure about how fast it will sell out. We are going in a few weeks with free dining. I booked a few weeks into the promotion with NO problems, and my parents booked a good month in. Not sure, it may not sell out that fast since they are offering it other times throughout the year now- not everyone that wants free dining has to go Aug- Sept anymore.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Did you hear a rumor it would start March 1? In the past, it has usually been the first week of APRIL.

 

[snorkelyn]

Did you hear a rumor it would start March 1? In the past, it has usually been the first week of APRIL.

Just a rumor on these boards!

Plus...the current offer ends this month- they usually start a new promo as the current one is ending.

 

[snorkelyn]

Yes, you can make changes...as long as there are still rooms avail. for free dining, AND the dates all still fall in the promo period. .

This is what I was afraid of. I am so worried that POR will sell out first. It's our only hope for a moderate as a family of 5. We are waiting for our new Southwest airlines visa card to get the 50,000 points in the acct (that's equal to 3 free tickets!)

Lynn

 

[disney-dreams]

My advice is to over-book your planned dates by a few days, with extra days before your desired arrival and extra days after your desired departure date, to make a little wiggle room for your airline reservations. Remember, you still only have to pay the $200 deposit fee for your reservation, if it is within the required 45 days plus, so its not going to cost you any more. Our experience is that it is much easier to call and cancel a few days than to try to add more on to the reservation, due to resorts getting booked on the free dining promotion.

 

[chimilady]

This is what I was afraid of. I am so worried that POR will sell out first. It's our only hope for a moderate as a family of 5. We are waiting for our new Southwest airlines visa card to get the 50,000 points in the acct (that's equal to 3 free tickets!)

Lynn

Then overbook. Book for a few days prior to when you think you want to go, and a few days after you think you want to leave and then turn your (for example) 10 day booking into a 7 day vacation after you get your card. It's easier to drop days then add them later.

 

[ADisneyQueen]

I changed my free dining dates once already with no problem and I will be changing it again tomorrow by one day. I bought the airline tickets last night with my SW 50,000 points from the credit card. By the way, I was able to get 4 tickets (leaving from Pittsburgh). Maybe you will get 4 also.
I've also overbooked the dates and was able to drop some dates, too.

 

[Keegansmommy]

We had to change our FD ressie when our SW flights changed. We were able to drop a day from POFQ but we were NOT able to add a day to the beginning even though it was still within the FD promo booking dates. If I would've thought at the time, we could've cancelled that ressie all together and booked a new trip with the right dates. We ended up booking a night at Pop with a discount code and will transfer to POFQ the next day. It didn't really matter a whole lot since our flight doesn't arrive until late that night anyway. The CM my husband talked to said we couldn't add a day because we were "locked in" for those dates.

 

[DisDaze]

Did you hear a rumor it would start March 1? In the past, it has usually been the first week of APRIL.

In the past 8 years the fall release dates have varied between early March to early May and anywhere in between. The new FD dates may come out on March 1, but I think they will probably only be for Disney Visa holders for the first 3 days.

 

[DisDaze]

This is what I was afraid of. I am so worried that POR will sell out first. It's our only hope for a moderate as a family of 5. We are waiting for our new Southwest airlines visa card to get the 50,000 points in the acct (that's equal to 3 free tickets!)

Lynn

POR will be one of the first resort/rooms categories to sell out. From what I've read, All-Star Movies and Pop standard rooms will go first and then POR, because they are the ONLY moderate resort that sleeps a family of 5.