Can't decide...ugh!

[v0mich01]

So im getting ready to book our first trip. it will be my husband, myself and our almost 2 year old son, and my in laws. We will be traveling during theoretical free dining(and willing to reschedule our trip for it.) We need two rooms, and are going to request connecting, but I know Disney doesn't guarantee it. We were going to do two standard rooms at CBR, but they're already booked. So then I thought all star movies bc our son is obsessed with dalmatians, but this our Disney planner told me movies is generally exempt from free dining. And now I'm so overwhelmed that I have no idea. I wanted CBR bc of the zero entry pool, none of the other moderates have a zero entry pool. We're fine paying to upgrade our dining plan from a value. But if I can't get CBR, or all star movies, what do you suggest? I would love to do AoA, we just can't swing a family suite right now and the little mermaids are usually exempt.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We were going to do two standard rooms at CBR, but they're already booked.

Makes it very unlikely they will be included for Free Dining. Discounts exist to get butts in beds. If beds are already booked, no discount is needed.

So then I thought all star movies bc our son is obsessed with dalmatians, but this our Disney planner told me movies is generally exempt from free dining.

Not true. They get QSDP, generally.

POFQ has a good children's play area now, which is basically zero entry. But they certainly won't get Free Dining. Almost never do.

Were I you, I'd probably book an All-Star, and I wouldn't count on Free Dining. Rooms and availability has gone down every year for that promo. Your child won't get a Dining Plan or tickets, anyway. If you won't go without FD, don't book at all yet. Every booked room is less likelihood of free dining being offered for that room type.

 

[mickeynut1]

So im getting ready to book our first trip. it will be my husband, myself and our almost 2 year old son, and my in laws. We will be traveling during theoretical free dining(and willing to reschedule our trip for it.) We need two rooms, and are going to request connecting, but I know Disney doesn't guarantee it. We were going to do two standard rooms at CBR, but they're already booked. So then I thought all star movies bc our son is obsessed with dalmatians, but this our Disney planner told me movies is generally exempt from free dining. And now I'm so overwhelmed that I have no idea. I wanted CBR bc of the zero entry pool, none of the other moderates have a zero entry pool. We're fine paying to upgrade our dining plan from a value. But if I can't get CBR, or all star movies, what do you suggest? I would love to do AoA, we just can't swing a family suite right now and the little mermaids are usually exempt.

If you will go regardless of FD, I'd book now; however, like the pp mentioned, if you will only go with FD, I'd wait to book. Booking in hopes of FD is one less room Disney needs to fill, which lessens the chance of FD/other discounts later on. If/when FD is released, the discount can be applied to your existing reservation as long as what you have booked is available under FD as having a reservation already in place does not guarantee a discount can be applied.

 

[Liberator]

Did you consider WL?

Currently there is a lot of construction, but WL is a resort with a lot of advantages

- everything under one roof
- it is rare that it is excluded from discounts
- boat shuttle to FW, CR and MK (!)
- it is a cozy resort with nicely themed rooms
- room rates are not that crazy
- attractive dining options
- lovely main pool
and so on

 

[loves to dive]

You also might want to run the numbers, sometimes the room discounts come out better than the "free" dining since the rooms are at rack rate. It also might come out better for you to pay out of pocket for meals instead of the dining plan, just depends on your eating style.

 

[Mome Rath]

Not true. They get QSDP, generally.

I think this is right as well.

POFQ has a good children's play area now, which is basically zero entry. But they certainly won't get Free Dining. Almost never do.

I think POFQ is definitely another option, it's what I though of as well, as they have a neat play area and pool area for younglings. Also, it is a smaller resort with bigger rooms than Movies, it tends to be quieter, etc... but there are usually never any promotions offered here.

 

[Marionnette]

So im getting ready to book our first trip. it will be my husband, myself and our almost 2 year old son, and my in laws. We will be traveling during theoretical free dining(and willing to reschedule our trip for it.) We need two rooms, and are going to request connecting, but I know Disney doesn't guarantee it. We were going to do two standard rooms at CBR, but they're already booked. So then I thought all star movies bc our son is obsessed with dalmatians, but this our Disney planner told me movies is generally exempt from free dining. And now I'm so overwhelmed that I have no idea. I wanted CBR bc of the zero entry pool, none of the other moderates have a zero entry pool. We're fine paying to upgrade our dining plan from a value. But if I can't get CBR, or all star movies, what do you suggest? I would love to do AoA, we just can't swing a family suite right now and the little mermaids are usually exempt.

Well, *free* dining is never guaranteed to happen but your Disney planner is wrong about ASMo not being a participating resort in past offers. Kind of makes you wonder what else they might be wrong about.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have an existing reservation, you will have to re-book it to get any package discount that is being offered. Having an existing reservation at a participating resort does not give you an edge over someone else who is making a brand new reservation under the offer. The only advantage to having a room booked would be to get your 180+10 ADRs. You could book a room reservation at any resort now and switch to a participating resort when/if a *free* dining offer is announced and you will not lose your ADRs.

An AoA Family Suite would cost only slightly more than two rooms at a Value Resort. It's worth considering if you want a guarantee that your room will connect with your in-laws' room and it has the added bonus of having a kitchenette. And for additional consideration, you would only need to make a $200 deposit on that reservation (if booking a package) instead of making two deposits for two rooms.

 

[v0mich01]

I thought it was excluded both in 2015 and 2016. Not that is is unheard of, but the past two times All star movies hasn't be included. Any who, I have no clue. obviously.

You also might want to run the numbers, sometimes the room discounts come out better than the "free" dining since the rooms are at rack rate. It also might come out better for you to pay out of pocket for meals instead of the dining plan, just depends on your eating style.

We want to get the dining plan bc DH has some dietary issues that will already reduce the number of options he can eat, and so if he doesn't have to "worry" about price, it will just allow him to enjoy things more. I looked at wilderness lodge, and we're planning to travel early december 2017, this year, they only offered 20% off, which doesn't beat the cost of the dining plan.

ave an existing reservation, you will have to re-book it to get any package discount that is being offered. Having an existing reservation at a participating resort does not give you an edge over someone else who is making a brand new reservation under the offer. The only advantage to having a room booked would be to get your 180+10 ADRs. You could book a room reservation at any resort now and switch to a participating resort when/if a *free* dining offer is announced and you will not lose your ADRs.

That's a good point, usually free dining is announced in late spring, which is well over 180 days out for our trip. I think I just kind of panicked bc CBR standard rooms were already booked.

An AoA Family Suite would cost only slightly more than two rooms at a Value Resort. It's worth considering if you want a guarantee that your room will connect with your in-laws' room and it has the added bonus of having a kitchenette. And for additional consideration, you would only need to make a $200 deposit on that reservation (if booking a package) instead of making two deposits for two rooms.

We need two separate rooms, I've tried to think of ANY possible way we could squeeze into a family suites (even a 1 bedroom suite at some deluxes) and we just can't. We need separation.

If you will go regardless of FD, I'd book now; however, like the pp mentioned, if you will only go with FD, I'd wait to book. Booking in hopes of FD is one less room Disney needs to fill, which lessens the chance of FD/other discounts later on. If/when FD is released, the discount can be applied to your existing reservation as long as what you have booked is available under FD as having a reservation already in place does not guarantee a discount can be applied.

Its not that we won't go without it, it will just greatly effect our resort choice. If we have to pay for it, we're doing ASMovies, free dining may bump us up to CBR, but like mentioned about, if standard rooms are already booked, it doesn't seem likely to be included.

I think I may just wait, I just got nervous with all the rooms I wanted being booked up, but surely, going to WDW is better than not going right? So even if all of the ASMovie rooms are booked up, we could stay somewhere else. Goodness.

 

[dansdad]

I thought it was excluded both in 2015 and 2016. Not that is is unheard of, but the past two times All star movies hasn't be included. Any who, I have no clue. obviously.

Friends of ours stayed at Movies with Free Dining October 2015 and are again November 2016.

 

[mickeynut1]

Its not that we won't go without it, it will just greatly effect our resort choice. If we have to pay for it, we're doing ASMovies, free dining may bump us up to CBR, but like mentioned about, if standard rooms are already booked, it doesn't seem likely to be included.

You could always book what appeals to you now and change later should FD (or another discount) come out and is available for your dates. Also, keep checking for CBR as people do cancel/change plans and you never know if/when rooms might become available. Good luck!

 

[v0mich01]

Ok then. I think I'll hold out until free dining is announced, then attempt to book at All-Star Movies. Who knows. I've been looking at numbers, and if we stay at All Star Movies, with no discount of any sort, and pay oop for dining, we're only $100 over budget, so we'll probably count on doing that, then be delightfully surprised if anything changes.

 

[dansdad]

Ok then. I think I'll hold out until free dining is announced, then attempt to book at All-Star Movies. Who knows. I've been looking at numbers, and if we stay at All Star Movies, with no discount of any sort, and pay oop for dining, we're only $100 over budget, so we'll probably count on doing that, then be delightfully surprised if anything changes.

That is a great plan!