Fall 2016 planning (continuation of 2016 Free Dining Watch)

[Elsaalltheway]

So I'm a little frustrated with this free dining experience. We booked our trip for 8/13 - 8/21 in the normal rooms that sleep 5 at POR. Then free dining was announced for Disney visa card holders for 8/14 to 10/1. I was like great. Call up and our room was not part of the deal and if i want the deal i have to stay in the Royal rooms. I'm like ok no problem. However since i arrive on the 8/13 i can't have free dining because i get there a day too soon. So now i have to book a room only reservation on 8/13 and check out and check back in on 8/14. Still not a Huge deal but there is a chance i have to switch rooms. Plus i am saving $836.00

The main issue now is that i have to activate my tickets a day early because they are on my 8/14 to 8/21 reservation. I guess i can't use fast passes on the first day since i don't technically have a ticket.. I also have to pay out of pocket the first day so I'm basically losing about 250.00 dollars that i am saving with switching to free dining ( I have chef mickey booked that first day). So I'm now saving 836 - roughly 250.00 (4 of us). So it is still worth it. They just make you jump through all these hoops all because i am arriving 1 day early.

Sorry about the rant.

I get all this. Your right and there are hoops to jump through for the savings, but what if the deal would have been on 8/22. Would you still be upset, so you have a few hoops to jump for, but your saving 250.00. That's still not bad.

 

[Becky Mouse]

So I'm a little frustrated with this free dining experience. We booked our trip for 8/13 - 8/21 in the normal rooms that sleep 5 at POR. Then free dining was announced for Disney visa card holders for 8/14 to 10/1. I was like great. Call up and our room was not part of the deal and if i want the deal i have to stay in the Royal rooms. I'm like ok no problem. However since i arrive on the 8/13 i can't have free dining because i get there a day too soon. So now i have to book a room only reservation on 8/13 and check out and check back in on 8/14. Still not a Huge deal but there is a chance i have to switch rooms. Plus i am saving $836.00

The main issue now is that i have to activate my tickets a day early because they are on my 8/14 to 8/21 reservation. I guess i can't use fast passes on the first day since i don't technically have a ticket.. I also have to pay out of pocket the first day so I'm basically losing about 250.00 dollars that i am saving with switching to free dining ( I have chef mickey booked that first day). So I'm now saving 836 - roughly 250.00 (4 of us). So it is still worth it. They just make you jump through all these hoops all because i am arriving 1 day early.

Sorry about the rant.

Since 8/13 would be a travel day anyway, maybe you can just relax at the resort and enjoy the pools, or go do a fun dining experience at a different resort (like the Ohana luau at Polynesian or the Hoop-de-Doo dinner show at Fort Wilderness). That way, you don't have to waste tickets for a travel day when the tickets aren't active until 8/14. Just a suggestion--I understand if you really want to get to the parks that day.

 

[Bravesfan]

Where is the Disney Visa offer? I didn't receive anything and can't find it on their website.

 

[CandiceF]

So I'm a little frustrated with this free dining experience. We booked our trip for 8/13 - 8/21 in the normal rooms that sleep 5 at POR. Then free dining was announced for Disney visa card holders for 8/14 to 10/1. I was like great. Call up and our room was not part of the deal and if i want the deal i have to stay in the Royal rooms. I'm like ok no problem. However since i arrive on the 8/13 i can't have free dining because i get there a day too soon. So now i have to book a room only reservation on 8/13 and check out and check back in on 8/14. Still not a Huge deal but there is a chance i have to switch rooms. Plus i am saving $836.00

The main issue now is that i have to activate my tickets a day early because they are on my 8/14 to 8/21 reservation. I guess i can't use fast passes on the first day since i don't technically have a ticket.. I also have to pay out of pocket the first day so I'm basically losing about 250.00 dollars that i am saving with switching to free dining ( I have chef mickey booked that first day). So I'm now saving 836 - roughly 250.00 (4 of us). So it is still worth it. They just make you jump through all these hoops all because i am arriving 1 day early.

Sorry about the rant.

I don't know about fast passes but can you move Chef Mickeys to another day and just pay out of pocket for a less expensive meal that first day?

 

[Becky Mouse]

Where is the Disney Visa offer? I didn't receive anything and can't find it on their website.

I don't have the link, but DV holders can book Free Dining starting 8/14 instead of 8/23

 

[kellyjeanie]

Where is the Disney Visa offer? I didn't receive anything and can't find it on their website.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/resort-parks-stay-dine-visa-package/

 

[MikL99]

We are going with friends and there are 9 of us so its hard to change dining plans now with that big of a party. Plus i don't want to affect them just because we are getting free dining and they aren't. So we will be going to the park each day. I don't think its hard to activate your tickets early. If i can't do fast passes the first day i'll just wing it i guess.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFamily]

I booked our Airfare today.... there is NO TURNING BACK NOW!!! September 3rd can't get here fast enough!!

Has everyone else booked their flights yet?

Flight searching now for Sept 12. Waiting to get that cant pass deal other wise we will be

 

[Becky Mouse]

We are going with friends and there are 9 of us so its hard to change dining plans now with that big of a party. Plus i don't want to affect them just because we are getting free dining and they aren't. So we will be going to the park each day. I don't think its hard to activate your tickets early. If i can't do fast passes the first day i'll just wing it i guess.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you can't activate your tickets before your arrival date.

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showt...ting-tickets-before-check-in-at-Disney-resort

http://everythingwdisneyworld.com/2011/11/can-you-get-your-park-tickets-before/

 

[Disneylover99]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you can't activate your tickets before your arrival date.

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showt...ting-tickets-before-check-in-at-Disney-resort

http://everythingwdisneyworld.com/2011/11/can-you-get-your-park-tickets-before/

I've heard that you can activate tickets up to ten days earlier then your package. You just need to remember that your tickets will expire 14 days from your first use.

 

[DarkAngel]

It's going to be at least a 20 hour drive for us.

Ive done it multiple times, coming from Toronto as well but this year I'm in college and can't miss days as 2nd year is supposedly the hardest so I chose to fly to have that stress of my back. We would be flying out of Buf to save some money and can leave car at family's house. My car is getting up there in km's and seems to be falling apart every so often. Last time we lost our spoiler and had to leave it was we had no more room! lol

 

[VACamm]

Flight searching now for Sept 12. Waiting to get that cant pass deal other wise we will be

Good luck! I hope you find a greeeeat deal!

 

[sahm2two]

Yep. Funny how people think I am so lucky while they sit there with their $6 daily lattes and weekly mani/pedis and new cars every 3 years. It's called priorities. Everybody has them, some people just don't realize what they are prioritizing.

.

My vans AC went out and hubby said if it's more than a couple hundred we might have to talk about pushing our trip back a few months. I said NO... If it's more than a few hundred I'll be hot this summer

 

[VACamm]

My vans AC went out and hubby said if it's more than a couple hundred we might have to talk about pushing our trip back a few months. I said NO... If it's more than a few hundred I'll be hot this summer

Ohhh bummer! I hope it's an easy and low cost fix!!

 

[sahm2two]

Ohhh bummer! I hope it's an easy and low cost fix!!

Me too! But I'm serious...I'm NOT rescheduling. There's ALWAYS something in February it'll be the heat! lol I say just suck it up and push through. Obviously my priorities are in the right place.... At Disney

 

[BrightOwl1]

It's going to be at least a 20 hour drive for us.

No matter how I run it, I can't make the drive from MA to Orlando come out costing less than flying when I include things like wear and tear on the car and missed work. One of these years, I am going to get together enough time off for all of us to road trip down to Florida and back instead of flying; I LOVE long car trips!

 

[Elsaalltheway]

My vans AC went out and hubby said if it's more than a couple hundred we might have to talk about pushing our trip back a few months. I said NO... If it's more than a few hundred I'll be hot this summer

I hope you don't live in Arizona.

 

[cassie58]

I will not be arriving til 8 or 9 at night. If they can't keep us in the same room what do I do with my luggage from check out to check in? I didn't even think about that! Could the activate my tickets first thing in the morning. I keep checking to add dining to that day so there isn't all this confusion. So far no luck.

As PP mentioned, they can hold your luggage up front if needed till your new room is ready, while you head to the park. When you go to the desk the next morning, you can check out and check in for your package, and your tickets and dining will then be available. Remind them that you would like to stay in the same room, and if for some reason they cannot do it, then you can ask them about the luggage. They can tell you if it is an option for you to leave it in the room and have them move it, or bring it up front on the way to the bus( they can also send someone to your room with a cart to load it, and they will tag everything for you). But it will not affect your plans for the day - you can still go to the parks and use your dining plan as planned. You might want to have what you need for the first day primarily in your carry-ons, which we usually do anyway, so you don't have much to repack in the morning. And just head down early enough to give yourself extra time for whatever you need to do before you head out for your first day.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

As PP mentioned, they can hold your luggage up front if needed till your new room is ready, while you head to the park. When you go to the desk the next morning, you can check out and check in for your package, and your tickets and dining will then be available. Remind them that you would like to stay in the same room, and if for some reason they cannot do it, then you can ask them about the luggage. They can tell you if it is an option for you to leave it in the room and have them move it, or bring it up front on the way to the bus( they can also send someone to your room with a cart to load it, and they will tag everything for you). But it will not affect your plans for the day - you can still go to the parks and use your dining plan as planned. You might want to have what you need for the first day primarily in your carry-ons, which we usually do anyway, so you don't have much to repack in the morning. And just head down early enough to give yourself extra time for whatever you need to do before you head out for your first day.

Yep. We had to move rooms last year and it was all taken care of. I would also mention in check in about the split days and see if they have any rooms avail that can take care of the issue.

 

[Lindsay Parker]

So excited to see this thread... I miss all my FD watcher buddies... Got what we wanted at 4 am free dining drop day after staying up all night... Sept.10-16th at POP.... Finally settled on ADRs (I think) haha..... Ohana, Coral Reef, Boma, Crystal Palace, Hollywood and Vine play n dine, and Garden grill... I hope everyone is doing well