Fall 2016 planning (continuation of 2016 Free Dining Watch)

[ldauksch]

The component that's making it so expensive is flying home on December 17. It's too close to Christmas.

Apparently, not close enough for SW to have a later direct flight than 6:50 PM. Last November our flight left at 9:50 PM which gave us a long last day and I loved it! I was hoping for the same this year but no such luck

 

[goldnvalli]

So excited, for the first time since free dining has been offered I was able to snag a garden view room at the BC for the days we are going. Last week they opened a standard room at YC so as of now I have two reservations. The BC Reservation is $289 more so I have to decide if it's worth it. I read that they just refurbished all the rooms at the BC and I love the brightness and openness of that resort opposed to the YC. I am crossing my fingers and hoping they will release some Standard Rooms with FD at the BC. I have until the end of July to decide.

 

[mfly]

Wake up everyone, if you're still looking for a free dining room, a heap just opened up for my dates in September.

Disney just released a TON of free dining. I wanted to extend my vacation and EVERY SINGLE RESORT is free for my dates....every.single.one Sept 10-20th

Thank you! I was able to change 2 of our 3 POR Garden View reservations to Standard View - saved almost $200!

The CM assured me that even though 1 of our rooms was Garden View and 2 were Standard, all of our rooms could still be close. Can someone reassure me?

 

[ldauksch]

Thank you! I was able to change 2 of our 3 POR Garden View reservations to Standard View - saved almost $200?

The CM assured me that even though 1 of our rooms was Garden View and 2 were Standard, all of our rooms could still be close. Can someone reassure me?

Here is a link to the PO resorts fan page created by a DIS member: http://www.portorleans.org. If you go to the map page and click on one of the buildings it will show you that room categories are all over in each building so it is very possible that your Garden view will be close to the 2 Standards. Touring plans has similar maps as well.

 

[SunnieRN]

Apparently, not close enough for SW to have a later direct flight than 6:50 PM. Last November our flight left at 9:50 PM which gave us a long last day and I loved it! I was hoping for the same this year but no such luck

I understand!!! The worst thing ever is having to get on the magical express at 10:30 in the morning, (our last trip)

 

[Iowamomof4]

I understand!!! The worst thing ever is having to get on the magical express at 10:30 in the morning, (our last trip)

We'll have to get on the bus around noon on our last day. Later might have been better, but I don't think I'd be brave enough to go exploring on our last day. I'd be worried we would miss the bus! This way, we can take our time getting up and packed in the morning, check our bags, and go eat one last lunch at the food court before we get on the bus to go home. Sounds nice and relaxing to me. No temptation to go away from the resort if we leave at noon, yet not so early we have to set an alarm either!

 

[catlady7]

I was sooo happy to see that different room types opened up at the Coronado this morning. It was only at 7am and they were gone by 9 but that is all I needed to change my room type from standard to water view. So excited that I finally got what I wanted. I hope others were able to also get what they needed.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

Sorry I just noticed you were looking for an UOC availability. I think you might be able to find it when people realize how much more FD availability there is now.

That's what I'm hoping anyway. I've checked many times and no luck yet, but it's still early!

 

[Indecisive girl]

I should have booked the poly when I saw it this morning. Now it's gone. Hopefully they will open up more again soon.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Yeah, I saw some availability this morning at AOA while I was on my phone but it was all gone by the time I got to my laptop later. I've been hoping to score a Nemo suite (currently booked in the generic "family suite") but I never got around to seeing if that was even available this morning. Oh well.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

So excited, for the first time since free dining has been offered I was able to snag a garden view room at the BC for the days we are going. Last week they opened a standard room at YC so as of now I have two reservations. The BC Reservation is $289 more so I have to decide if it's worth it. I read that they just refurbished all the rooms at the BC and I love the brightness and openness of that resort opposed to the YC. I am crossing my fingers and hoping they will release some Standard Rooms with FD at the BC. I have until the end of July to decide.

Too funny! I'm the opposite. I have BC booked with a UOC and hoping to get YC. I always preferred YC myself. I like the ship wheel beds, more theming to me.

 

[DisneyArie]

Thats our dates too, but we did it on a bounce back with last years prices for the Park tickets and it would cost us to move from preferred to standard. Like 600

Do you always stay for that long? My husband and I have been trying to extend then when there is finally availability, he complains that that's too long to keep the kids out of school. I'm hoping he will change his mind...so I booked it anyway Our original dates are 10-17th, and the kids would miss 5 days. With the new dates, they would miss 7. We would arrive back home on a Tuesday afternoon, and they would go to school on Wednesday morning. I have both reservations just in case, but I need to make a decision by tonight to catch Southwest's sale.

 

[mfly]

Do you always stay for that long? My husband and I have been trying to extend then when there is finally availability, he complains that that's too long to keep the kids out of school. I'm hoping he will change his mind...so I booked it anyway Our original dates are 10-17th, and the kids would miss 5 days. With the new dates, they would miss 7. We would arrive back home on a Tuesday afternoon, and they would go to school on Wednesday morning. I have both reservations just in case, but I need to make a decision by tonight to catch Southwest's sale.

You can cancel your flights up to 24 hours after booking and still get a full refund to your original form of payment, so you could book both sets of flights tonight and buy yourself a little time to decide tomorrow.

If you cancel more than 24 hours after booking (and you booked Wanna Get Away fares), your funds will be reimbursed as a travel voucher, rather than to your original form of payment.

 

[cshell624]

I would definitely keep checking!!! I was looking for a friend yesterday and POP century popped up for me. She had been trying for weeks! Good luck sweet pea!!!!



You're the bomb!!!! I'm not giving up!! Right now, our flight there, if we fly to Tampa on SW, we can get tickets for $79 each, as of today. But....... then Eric have to rent a car and the flights back on Dec. 17th are $249 each. Usually our RT flights are less then that. So, I'll just keep on checking!

People on the Dis are awesome, but people on this thread are amazing!!!!!!




We would be paying $120 each over what we would have paid 60 days ago. It's amazing how SWA raise in flights has affected all the airlines. Gas is still cheap airline people, lol.

Thanks SunnieRN!!!!

Agree!!!! This thread has been fun! I hate for it to end.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I understand!!! The worst thing ever is having to get on the magical express at 10:30 in the morning, (our last trip)

Try catching the Magic Express at three in the morning. No fun.

 

[cshell624]

Disney just released a TON of free dining. I wanted to extend my vacation and EVERY SINGLE RESORT is free for my dates....every.single.one Sept 10-20th

WOOHOO!!!!! Too bad I can't change my dates. That's great for those going in September!

 

[Kelly Anne]

100 days left......

 

[cshell624]

Thats our dates too, but we did it on a bounce back with last years prices for the Park tickets and it would cost us to move from preferred to standard. Like 600.

Wow! I couldn't imagine having to pay $600 to downgrade.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Do you always stay for that long? My husband and I have been trying to extend then when there is finally availability, he complains that that's too long to keep the kids out of school. I'm hoping he will change his mind...so I booked it anyway Our original dates are 10-17th, and the kids would miss 5 days. With the new dates, they would miss 7. We would arrive back home on a Tuesday afternoon, and they would go to school on Wednesday morning. I have both reservations just in case, but I need to make a decision by tonight to catch Southwest's sale.

We are lucky. We don't have children.

 

[cshell624]

I just realised that we fly out three months from today After planning this trip for years, it's now coming up really quickly all of a sudden!!!

Yay! I feel like the closer my trip gets, the farther away it seems.