Disney and dining and fees ..... oh my

[middlesista]

Our daughter make package reservations and included dining. I just read on another thread that there is a fee if free dining is added since the package would cost less. Does anyone have any info r/t to this?

Thanks

 

[ImDisneyDreaming]

I also book packages and I've never heard of this. Unless it is new and coming out with the rest of the year's specials. However, I doubt they will do that. They recently changed the required night from 2 to 3 for free dining. So I think they have any extra costs already covered when they changed that.

 

[AJRitz]

Our daughter make package reservations and included dining. I just read on another thread that there is a fee if free dining is added since the package would cost less. Does anyone have any info r/t to this?

Thanks

I suspect that what you're talking about is the $50 change fee that is assessed if you make a change to your package booking that reduces the total cost of the package. The change fee only applies if you're making a change that reduces the total cost of your package within the last 45 days prior to travel - after final payment is due. You are free to make any changes you want, including ones that reduce the total cost of your package, an you won't incur any fee, as long as you make the change 45 days or more in advance.

Also, you can sometimes get the CM to waive the change fee, especially if the discount/free dining was released in the few days prior to calling in to make the change. There's no guarantee they'll waive it, but they're pretty generous about it if the discount is new.

 

[Hoodie]

In most cases the free dining means booking a package at a non-discounted price. Maybe that's what they mean? There's several times you can book free dining OR a room discount but not both. Depending on your family and needs, "free dining" could be more expensive than a discount plus ala carte dining. Also, the dining is usually attached to a certain number/type of rooms.

Disney is getting their money, it just depends on how it's billed!

 

[skier_pete]

The OP question is a little bit vague:

If you are booking FREE dining, they don't add a fee on your package for it. You pay full price for your room and full price for your tickets, but don't pay anything for your dining.

If you book FREE dining at a value, and upgrade from the Quick Service plan to the regular plan - they will charge you the difference between QS and regular.

SkierPete

 

[middlesista]

The OP question is a little bit vague:

If you are booking FREE dining, they don't add a fee on your package for it. You pay full price for your room and full price for your tickets, but don't pay anything for your dining.

If you book FREE dining at a value, and upgrade from the Quick Service plan to the regular plan - they will charge you the difference between QS and regular.

SkierPete

Sorry - when I wrote this early in the morning before heading to work it made sense to me - but I can see where my message could be made clearer

Ok - We already have our package booked - including paid dining. IF free dining become avail and we luck out and are able to obtain free dining and it is before the 45 day cut off is there a fee because the cost of paid dining will come off the package and the package will now cost less - I read this in another persons post.

Also - are the CM's less likely to be "receptive" to adding free dining (if avail) and taking off the paid cost of dining to folks who have already added paid dining to their package? I ask this because when we went to Disney previously we did not have any dining plan and when we called to see if we could have it added at the resort we were staying at one CM said no and then another later said yes - so there seems to be some "flexibility" involved.

Sorry to be a nudge - but I am wondering if we made a mistake by already adding paid dining to our package.

 

[middlesista]

I suspect that what you're talking about is the $50 change fee that is assessed if you make a change to your package booking that reduces the total cost of the package. The change fee only applies if you're making a change that reduces the total cost of your package within the last 45 days prior to travel - after final payment is due. You are free to make any changes you want, including ones that reduce the total cost of your package, an you won't incur any fee, as long as you make the change 45 days or more in advance.

Also, you can sometimes get the CM to waive the change fee, especially if the discount/free dining was released in the few days prior to calling in to make the change. There's no guarantee they'll waive it, but they're pretty generous about it if the discount is new.

Thanks! - this is helpful to know. I just hope we did not shoot ourselves in the foot by already adding paid dining

 

[skier_pete]

Sorry - when I wrote this early in the morning before heading to work it made sense to me - but I can see where my message could be made clearer

Ok - We already have our package booked - including paid dining. IF free dining become avail and we luck out and are able to obtain free dining and it is before the 45 day cut off is there a fee because the cost of paid dining will come off the package and the package will now cost less - I read this in another persons post.

Also - are the CM's less likely to be "receptive" to adding free dining (if avail) and taking off the paid cost of dining to folks who have already added paid dining to their package? I ask this because when we went to Disney previously we did not have any dining plan and when we called to see if we could have it added at the resort we were staying at one CM said no and then another later said yes - so there seems to be some "flexibility" involved.

Sorry to be a nudge - but I am wondering if we made a mistake by already adding paid dining to our package.

IF you add BEFORE 45 days are up and you've made your final payment...you can add free dining without paying a change fee.

When there are 45 days or LESS, then you probably would have to pay the change fee of $50. However, I have to tell you, I can only think of ONE time that the free dining offer came out and there were less than 45 days until the start of the dates of free dining. (I think this was 2009.) So as long as you are paying attention you should be able to change your reservation before the dates come out. It IS possible that it might not be available at your preferred resort - in this case, you may also need to change resorts to get FD.

As far as the change, if you are calling Disney Direct, they will not at all be unreceptive to adding free dining. If you use a Travel Agent, and they refuse to help you get free dining, you've got yourself a really crappy Travel Agent, and I would tell you to go find a new one.

 

[middlesista]

IF you add BEFORE 45 days are up and you've made your final payment...you can add free dining without paying a change fee.

When there are 45 days or LESS, then you probably would have to pay the change fee of $50. However, I have to tell you, I can only think of ONE time that the free dining offer came out and there were less than 45 days until the start of the dates of free dining. (I think this was 2009.) So as long as you are paying attention you should be able to change your reservation before the dates come out. It IS possible that it might not be available at your preferred resort - in this case, you may also need to change resorts to get FD.

As far as the change, if you are calling Disney Direct, they will not at all be unreceptive to adding free dining. If you use a Travel Agent, and they refuse to help you get free dining, you've got yourself a really crappy Travel Agent, and I would tell you to go find a new one.

We did go directly through Disney - so that is a good thing. Thanks for your help!