Do you think they will bring back Free Dining, really? Really?

[phabric]

Isn't LeCellier a 2 credit meal now? I would venture a guess that if it's switched over to being a 2 credit meal now many people won't be booking there. It was good but not 2 credit good LOL Have a grand birthday celebration....that's where I'd like to spend every one of my birthdays (Disney not LeCellier) LOL

Le Cellier is only 2 credit for dinner.

 

[phabric]

I am wondering if anybody from the Disney company reads Disboards?

 

[DIS_MERI]

On the Free Dining offer that needed to be reserved by 12/20/10, I always wondered if WDW wanted to bring back for October 2011 and other months it wasn't offered, why didn't they just add those months when it was available? So there must have been a reason why September 29, 2011 is the last day for Free Dining in 2011, because since the offer was available to reserve for a long time WDW could have added more months to it and they choose not to.

Looking at the historical data for discounts, they usually ended towards the end of September (for the ones that came out in Apr/May) and then in/around July the discounts for October and later would come out. Disney probably waits to see how things are filling up and then add in those fall discounts when/if they need them to fill up. Although the "offer super early" part was unprecedented, the end dates line up with past cycle. Even DVC doesn't expect that people will plan a vacation more than a year in advance.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I love how some of the posters on disboards have taken to saying "I booked, I am all set, why didn't you book and get it too?" I see posts implying those of us who for whatever reason still need free dining and are hoping to get it are whining or have a sense of entitlement.

Bottom line, there were large chunks of 2011 that were not included in that offer that had to be booked by the end of 2010. And as stated, not everyone can plan months and months in advance. Then along came the pin codes. That not everyone gets.

For those of you who had dates that were part of an earlier offer and therefore already booked, who got a pin code, who can plan in advance, who don't need a discount, who can eat at Disney for way cheaper than a dining plan is, congratulations!

Not everyone is so fortunate and that leaves a lot of people still waiting and hoping.

I truly think that one of the reasons that you see so much chatter on this subject is that in spite of the fact many of us are very lucky to still be travelling, its still a very scary climate as far as the economy. Even if someone can afford to travel to WDW, in the back of their mind they feel the heat and vulnerablity of a bad economy and hope for a discount. Also, once you get a good discount whether is free dining, 4/3, deep room or AP discounts, its hard to go back to paying higher prices.

I guess many people on the disboards are in the group of "whining for free dining" others are safely booked with a good discount and now can't seem to relate to those that aren't.

 

[TheRatPack]

Amy&Dan, I kind of see where you're going with the post....I have seen a lot of other posters asking 'why didn't you book last year...etc' and so I understand where you're coming from. We booked last year and still we need later dates if they come out.

I wasn't able to book one year when it came out, we were adopting and didn't know how many we'd be traveling with or what dates we'd be able to go when the discount came out. It was stressful....I hated missing the discount. The next time it came out we had been matched a few times for our adoption and so I made ressies with 'fake' kids just so we'd have one in the system that we could modify if we were matched/placed in time for vacation. I know that's silly but again I hate missing those discounts. It worked out well....I had added 2 faux children to our ressies, under 9. When we finally were placed there were 3 of them LOL, thankful one was under 2 so he didn't count against the $$$ side of things, just the occupancy. Easy enough, since we'd already booked two rooms.

I guess what I'm trying to say is I've been on both sides of the fence. I've been able to book well in advance and it's worked out great, and I've also had to let discounts go because we just didn't know if we'd be able to travel, how many, the money....etc. I think sometimes people forget that not everyone can just jump on a discount for a vacation a full year ahead of time....so just try to look over those post

 

[LoveTwoTravel]

We booked FD, then cancelled it, thinking we wouldn't go this year. Now we are waiting/hoping for FD as we've changed our minds/rearranged things. Having been fortunate enough to have been to Disney a few times it's difficult to pay so much for for the same thing (without a discount). Even if we won the lottery I think I'd still hold out for FD!

That's the way Disney will get us to continue to be repeat customers.


Here's hoping!

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

Every year Disney offers the free dining for the Aug-October dates later and later...Last year everyone was going crazy because the offer hadn't been announced by the beginning of April (2009 it came out March 30th)....
But low and behold free dining came out May 3rd in 2010 - there is still plenty of time for free dining to come out for Aug-Oct, 2011!

Personally I think Disney WILL offer free dining in the fall all the way into December...I think they offered it last year for the 2011 dates because they still weren't filling up the resorts and parks with the free dining offers that were made last spring. I was at Disneyworld in September 2010 and we were walking on all the rides - even Labour Day weekend wasn't that bad.

As for the absence of free dining for Oct-Dec 2011 dates - I think the only reason those dates were not included with the 2010 promotion was because it was too far out....we're in April right now and the park schedule is only available up until September....Disney is probably still finalising events for the winter months. And whether we like it not, the last thing Disney wants is to fill a resort with free diners when there are groups that will pay full rack rate and dining because they are part of some huge event in November (at the end of the day Disney has to make money too.)

From a marketing stand point I also think the announcment of the free dining for 2011 in 2010 was so they could get some early bookings and have people thinking about vacations 9-10 months in advance...how many people are now kicking themselves because they didn't book before 12/20? Those same people are going to jump on a reservation when the free dining deal is announced in the upcoming weeks.
The only month that may be problematic is December because attendance has slowly increased over that last few years.....here's hoping that's not the case!!! Just my two cents

I hope free dining comes to all you guys and gals in the next few days whether it be by pin code or general annoucement

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

On the Free Dining offer that needed to be reserved by 12/20/10, I always wondered if WDW wanted to bring back for October 2011 and other months it wasn't offered, why didn't they just add those months when it was available? So there must have been a reason why September 29, 2011 is the last day for Free Dining in 2011, because since the offer was available to reserve for a long time WDW could have added more months to it and they choose not to.

Do you think that they did not include October because October 1st is the celebration for the 40th anniversary? Would that affect bookings, crowds?

Even though the WDW 40th Anniversary is on a Saturday, the crowd calendar that I saw only put crowds at a level 3.

I still think they will offer it, or at the very least, offer a good discount on moderates and values. That is my gut feeling, anyway. Sending positive vibes that everyone gets to go!

 

[MissElizabeth]

I'll be in the MK on Oct 1. What's going on for the 40th anniversary? I'm pretty DISsy and I had no idea about it- I'm sure the general public has no idea either.

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

I think the 40th anniversary will make things busier but at the end of the day kids are still in school...maybe Disney is going to announce an even bigger promotion than free dining!!!! I wish I wish I wish...

 

[chrisw127]

I'll be in the MK on Oct 1. What's going on for the 40th anniversary? I'm pretty DISsy and I had no idea about it- I'm sure the general public has no idea either.

I'll be there too. So far there are no major events scheduled. That's also the day of a 5K run (and the Wine and Dine 1/2 that night), which they moved from the MK to Animal Kingdom, so they must have something planned.

I have seen some 40th anniversary merchandise though.

 

[Tikitoi]

We booked FD, then cancelled it, thinking we wouldn't go this year. Now we are waiting/hoping for FD as we've changed our minds/rearranged things. Having been fortunate enough to have been to Disney a few times it's difficult to pay so much for for the same thing (without a discount). Even if we won the lottery I think I'd still hold out for FD!

That's the way Disney will get us to continue to be repeat customers.


Here's hoping!

That's got to be hard.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Do you think that they did not include October because October 1st is the celebration for the 40th anniversary? Would that affect bookings, crowds?

Even though the WDW 40th Anniversary is on a Saturday, the crowd calendar that I saw only put crowds at a level 3.

I still think they will offer it, or at the very least, offer a good discount on moderates and values. That is my gut feeling, anyway. Sending positive vibes that everyone gets to go!

Honestly I don't know and their 40th anniversary never entered my mind as a factor. All I know is the Free Dining offer could have been extended to include October, November and December 2011 before it the booking date expired on 12/20/10.