Did I get caught up in the FD hype?

[SonicGuy]

Last year was my first year on the DIS and it was wonderful. I learned all about lots of things, including free dining. Last year I had an existing reservation, so on the morning that it was available to Disney Visa holders I got up at the crack of dawn, sat on hold for 2 hours, and got the code applied to my reservation.

This year I had an existing reservation, but completely forgot about it until yesterday. Figured NO HOPE, but I called up, got it added to my reservation at the GF - no problem. 3 minutes on phone - tops!

So my question is this,did I get caught up in a bunch of hype - all these threads about "will there even be any rooms left for the general public day", etc.

Or, is the free dining promotion not attracting as many people this year?

Just curious what ya'll think.

 

[StrwLady]

I was only planning one trip to Disney this year due to some financial commitments that came up this year. My son and I are going in May and we were gonna leave Grumpy (aka the hubby) home! Then the Free dining hype started. I got so wrapped up I put on hold a trip for Sept at the Pop Century. Including Grumpy. Well after 2 days of working on him we came to a compromise. I would cancel the Sept trip but add him to the May trip and do the dining plan then. Sure its not free dining, I don't get my special time one on one with our son, and he doesn't get 6 days at home with no one to bother him but the dog. But we get a Disney trip this year with the 3 of us and that will be worth the loss of the other things.

Hope the rest of you have the trip of your dreams!

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

The disboards do pull you in to wanting to be the first in on a great deal! Don't get me wrong, I love the Dis! But I got a Disney Visa just so that I could book FD as early as humanly possible last year.

But, the good part of booking on the early side, is that it is possible (as we saw last year) that some room/date combinations were not working out for free dining. I think a lot of them ended working out in the end, though.

I think if it were that urgent to book immediately that disney wouldn't keep the offer open till late June. (I think I even remember them extending the dates of the offer!).

mary

 

[JLKennedy]

I think the hype is on resorts that typically fill up quickly, values and certain others. I've heard that the WL is always booked, so I was concerned and had my visa ready for the 7th. I wouldn't imagine that the GF would be booked up, as the rates there are much higher than everywhere else.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Bete]

Last year, I booked a week before the promo closed and I was able to get free dining but I didn't get my first choice for resort.

If you don't want to budge on dates and/or resort, being among the first and waiting 2 hours on line can be worth it.

 

[teach22180]

I almost got caught up in FD and booked a trip even though I don't even like to eat in TS restaurants!!!! The DIS is addictive!!!

 

[caracap]

I got thorugh right at 7 a.m last Thursday,and the CM kind of was wondering why I was calling so quickly. She said they would start selling out in a few weeks. Of course, i went online that night, and put in my dates for POP, and they were not available. I am glad I called first thing.

 

[CarolA]

This happens every year.


Step 1. Fights and whining about the existence etc. of FD

Step 2. Party and joy when details are finally released

Step 3. Widespread panic that they will sell out with folks calling at 7am.

Step 4. And on the LAST day of booking folks will still be getting exactly what they want....


I love watching it, but I fail to understand LOL!

 

[dclfun]

I do feel there is more availability this year than last. I had checked online for several friend's families and found almost every resort available for different date choices they gave me. I also feel that, as usual, there will be cancellations as people try and firm up the feasability of their fall trip and so for those who didn't get exactly what they wanted this year, the motto to "keep trying" is a good one. With the economy affecting so many people it stands to reason that this year there is more need to intice people to the parks and resorts and more availability to start with as people tighten their wallets. ---Kathy

 

[kathiep]

I think if you've got some flexibility, there's no need to rush. In 2006, we weren't even aware of the promotion and ended up booking a trip on a whim in June. OK - so we didn't get our first resort choice, we ended up at CBR, loved it and had free dining!

 

[kelscross]

Last year I was worried because everyone kept posting that they couldn't get the Poly with FD and when it was my turn in que it was no problem...Poly it was.

This year we decided on WL and had free dining for part of our ressie due to a bounceback offer. We added a few days on to our bounceback without free dining, but just yesterday we got WL for the entire trip for FD.

I hope it's not as crowded as last year.

 

[mafibisha]

This happens every year.


Step 1. Fights and whining about the existence etc. of FD

Step 2. Party and joy when details are finally released

Step 3. Widespread panic that they will sell out with folks calling at 7am.

Step 4. And on the LAST day of booking folks will still be getting exactly what they want....


I love watching it, but I fail to understand LOL!

LOL Carol, ITA!!

But its amazing what *free* will make people do!

Myself included sometime, but no amount of free will entice me to WDW during the *sauna* months!! YIKES!!!!!!

 

[Ms.Grumpy]

I got totally caught up in the FD frenzy! Last year I was on hold for 3 min. but this year I was on hold for an hour and a half! It was worth it though, I got the resort that I wanted and the days that I wanted. This will probably be our last FD promo because I start to teach next year , it was fun while it lasted!

 

[DISNEYmooner2008]

I got caught up in the hype..... I casually said something to DH about free dining and he replied - ok, lets go for the weekend..... WHAT?!?!?!?!? Who are you and what have you done with my husband?!?!?!?!?!? We are going Thursday - Sunday (18-21 of September) and staying at All Star Movies!!!!!! I am so happy and so excited!!!!!!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I know many people were offered the 30% and 40% discounts. If you stay at a deluxe like the GF, that discount is better than FD.

I'm caught up in the hype and we can't even go this year We're taking a trip to the Virgin Islands in October...I want Disney! Well, here's to hoping they offer the FD in 2009 when I will be going to WDW!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I think it's just a matter of better planning on Disney's part along with finding more creative ways to fill the rooms...bounceback, pin codes, etc. That coupled with the fact that there are probably a lot of people that have had to scale back for financial reasons have all made wider availability for free DDP. Oh yes -- don't forget the ever-increasing airfare issues too.

I was also wondering if the YOAMD may have run it's course -- there was so much hype about it when it first started, and now the only thing you hear on a regular basis is people disappointed that they didn't win even the smallest of prizes and saw hide nor hair of the Dream Squad.

 

[momoftwodisneykids]

I know many people were offered the 30% and 40% discounts. If you stay at a deluxe like the GF, that discount is better than FD.

I'm caught up in the hype and we can't even go this year We're taking a trip to the Virgin Islands in October...I want Disney! Well, here's to hoping they offer the FD in 2009 when I will be going to WDW!

As much as I LOVE Disney, I would love to have a trip to the Virgin Islands. We live in Fla, so Disney is a fairly reasonable trip for us. Airfare to the USVI would be outrageous. We just got back from a cruise (not Disney) with a stop in St. Thomas. I could easily spend a week or two there. Just beautiful.

Joanne