Final Verditcs on Free Dining! Tell us what you think!

[magicmouse2]

Fantastic - excellent service at all but Garden Grill. Easy to use, awesome value. Parks were fine most rides little or no wait. Will do again next year if available. Noticed it started to get busy around beginning October so would do late august / september next year.

 

[MEK]

8/28 - 9/3! This was my second year for free dining and I thought it was fantastic! My kids don't start school until after Labor Day, so the last week of August is perfect for us. For the past two years the crowds have been very low. The only rides I needed to FP were Soarin and TT. Everything else was walk-on. Interestingly, I was also at Disney the last week of August 2003. The crowds were high that year. Hurricanes have definately scared away the travelers, so it is a good promotion and I hope they keep it.

My son is playing high school soccer now, so it's getting harder to take a late August vacation, but if free dining returns next year I will probably have to partake!

 

[dznyacct]

DH and I (along with 2 friends of ours) were at WDW 9/24 - 9/30 and had the free dining promotion. A big part of WDW to us is the dining. We don't eat out much when we're at home, so it's such a treat to enjoy some really nice restaurants (especially when they're free ). I made all our ADRs way in advance and was able to snag the coveted Le Cellier and Coral Reef. They were our favorites of the trip (and the most $$$, ~ $130 for 2 adults ). We had 6 days of free meals and the "cost" would have been ~ $800 . Granted, we probably wouldn't have eaten as much if we paid OOP, but even paying for the plan would be a very good deal for my family. DS and I will be going to WDW over Spring Break and I have already added DDP to our BCV reservation. DS is 17 with a VERY healthy appetite. I know we will still be $$ ahead paying for DDP. We will be going to WDW with DH's brother and his family in June. When DBIL and his family were visiting us this summer I went over the DDP with him. He is all for it . I can see if you are someone who does not likes to plan your park days in advance, the DDP could be difficult, but I am a HUGE planner so it works well for us.

We had not been to WDW in September since our honeymoon 21 years ago . The weather was WONDERFUL. Very warm and only 2 small bursts of rain. The crowds were very, very manageable. On our AK day, we were able to do Expedition Everest 3 times in 45 minutes using stand-by, single rider and fast pass. It was awesome ! It was DH's first time (DS and I did it on our Spring Break trip) and it is now a tie with Rock n Roller Coaster as his favorite ride .

Our DFs that we went to WDW with went in Sept 2005 for free dining too. We are already talking about going back next September if free DDP is offered again. With all this DDP in my future, I better go hop on my elliptical !

 

[HaleyB]

We were first timers, just returned home on Saturday. We were there from 9/24-9/29. What you guys call low crowds amaze us....there were still wait times from 45-95 minutes some days on such rides as Peter Pan, Pooh, Dumbo in the MK and Soarin & Test Track at Epcot.

We are just back, went from 9/27 to 10/7 and there were no crowds (by Disney standards) at all this year, except in Epcot on the weekend F&W started. It was MUCH worse last year. We went the same time frame last year (week before Columbus Day) and the crowds were much worse but still not too bad.

Our longest wait was (as always) the bag check line at Epcot. That and our one foolish atempt at a MK EMH night (we left when we saw the waits were longer than they had been all day).

We do use the Fast Pass system and always get to the parks early.

We find that our cost per day with the free dining is about the same as it is with any of the good discount codes. We spent about the same this year as last, both Free Dining, and a little bit more than we did in May 2004 (7 days for the price of 4, I think). However, we ate like kings.

 

[maxsmom]

I'm so glad that everyone had such great experiences. Like I said before the parks were not crowded up till the afternoon of 8/13. Then from there on it they were as packed as I'd ever seen it. Now I haven't been there at spring break but I have for New Years Eve for the Millenium (It wasn't that crowded). If we could go later it sounds like it would be wonderful. Since we are teachers it won't happen though. We started school the 21st this yr. The lines for all of the major rides were long, long, long. Actually we had the worste experience w/ ride lines on this trip than any other. We just gave up after awhile b/c we were getting too frustrated. We got in line for Mission SPace when it said 20 min. We waited well over an hr and there had not been any problems w/ the ride. We would have gotten fast passes had we known just how long the line was. Same story over an over. So we probably will not be doing it again. Glad to hear that it worked out for everyon else though. Timing is everything sometimes.

 

[siestakeys04]

We had free dining Aug 13-19 dh and i and the kids really enjoyed it and this is from a man who didn't even want to go. I loved the wl and the crowds was not high at all. We are hoping for a good deal next year.

 

[maxsmom]

We had free dining Aug 13-19 dh and i and the kids really enjoyed it and this is from a man who didn't even want to go. I loved the wl and the crowds was not high at all. We are hoping for a good deal next year.

Wow, I must say I'm shocked that you didn't experience high crowds. We must have been at the wrong parks on the wrong days. The AK was so crowded you could barely walk. We've left AK many times b/c of crowds and this past trip was the WORST I have EVER seen it.

How long were your lines? I'm just curious b/c we had hoppers but the rest of the group didn't so we didn't hop. I wondered if that really hurt us b/c we choose the wrong park each day.

 

[alicenwonder99]

We were there Sept 18-25. I was amazed with the low crowds. The longest line we saw was for the Test Track. My Husband and 4 dd waited 30 minutes. Other then that everything was walk on! The free dinning to me was GREAT! I dont think I would go again without it! For three of us the amounts total $950.00 in food!! Loved it!!

We were there around the same 9/19 - 9/24. Earlier in the week, we were just simply shocked at how low the crowds were. We've never seen anything like it. Then later in the week, it got a little bit busier. Our biggest mistake was doing the EMH parks. I know it's in the Dis 101 handbook to NOT do the EMH parks (or get there for the early one and head out before noon).

The DDP was great (especially since it was free). We did have one server tell us NOT to tell we were on the DDP until our check comes because we will get subpar service. We did kinda notice that at one TS restaurant when I said we were on DDP as soon as we were seated.

This is our second time using the DDP (first time we paid for it).

I'm glad I didn't get scared off by the fear of hurricanes. There was so much hype everywhere that this was going to be a big hurricane season. Our weather was perfect!! I know there were many threads on the DIS when the free dining came out that people said they weren't going to book because of the hurricanes. I bet those people are kicking themselves now!

Mary

 

[sleeping beauty 2]

We were there 9/28 - 10/4 and thought it was more crowded than in prior visits same time period. MNSSHP was much more crowded on 9/30 than we have scene in the past. As for the free dining, it gave us an opportunity to try some TS that we would otherwise not have tried (LeSellier, Concourse, Narcoosees, Konas) and certainly got our money's worth.

However, if we were paying for the dining plan, it takes a lot of planning to use the credits and takes some of the spontaneity out of eating. Although, it is getting more difficult to eat at disney with ADR requirements so far in advance.

Bottom line, would do it again if free and try some new restaurants.

 

[Soccer Princess]

We didn't get to take advantage of FD this year, but will definately be doing it next year if it is offered again! As long as you check in on the last day of the offer, you still receieve free dining your entire trip correct? So for next year, the UK FD offer ends on Sept 29, but if their trip is Sept 29-Oct 8, they would still get free dining the whole time right?

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Yes that's correct, you just need to make sure you check in on the last day the promo is available. That's what we did this during the free dining promo this year...checked in on 9/30 and stayed until 10/07. Crowds were manageable but we definitely benefited by using FastPasses when they were available. Most of the table service restaurants were packed for dinner, not quite as bad for lunch. Our food total for four people was over $1800...what a deal the free DDP was for us! I am hoping it will be available again in '07.

 

[mikesdisneymom]

I love the free dining, made reservations months in advance with no problem. While there did not wait with reservation more than 15 min to be seated sometimes arriving early and getting to seat early.

 

[CdnMom2]

Fantastic! Yahoo!
Finally have done the number crunching.
$2,776. in Free Dining including Hoop-de-Doo & Spirit of Aloha Dinner Shows (with the alcohol for adults too), Fantasmic Dinner Pkg at Hollywood & Vine, Le Cellier, Coral Reef, SciFi Diner, Teppanyaki, Ohana Lilo & Stitch Breakfast, yummy Counter/Quick Service Meals, many great snacks (some at Food & Wine Fest), some giant lollipops & Mickey Rice Krispie treats to give to friends back home, & lunch for the flight back home.

2 rooms at PopCentury for us with tix to Park each day: $2730.

Sadly we were also silly enough to go to Planet Hollywood for Lunch using DP & our 2 free entree vouchers w/ pkg. Ugh. WORST service & food of entire trip.

And we did just what WDW hoped we would during their low season -- spent more $. We just returned in December from our BIG trip & here I was crazy enough to add this last one! Plus, a few nights at Polynesian Resort, MNSSHP, Segway Around the World Tour, souvenirs, glow ice cube, 1 Fiesta Margarita. And I don't regret it a bit! What a great trip. No way we could have tried those dinner shows & restaurants & some of the food we ordered otherwise.

Can't praise that package enough.

 

[midge3426]

We were there 9/23 to 10/1 and noticed the crowds had picked up a considerable bit. We always go some time in September. We had some rides that we could just walk on and others where there was a considerable wait. Soarin' was fifty minutes and several "E" rides had wait times of up to 45 minutes. The worst day was the MK on extra magical hour day. Splash Mountain had a wait into the courtyard. I have been to WDW for the past 13 years in September and I have never seen the ride that crowded.

I noticed that the Free Dining or the Dining Plan had affected the menus and the service. These things have both gone downhill. I think CRT has been adversely affected the most. The food use to be very, very good with excellent service. Now, it costs two dining credits and the food resembled a chain restaurant with service that is not as good. The chocolate mousse cake that they use to serve melted in your mouth. The new chocolate mousse cake is good but not as awesome as the one in past years.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Changes at CRT have NOTHING to do with the Dining Plan at any price, and EVERYTHING to do with the desirability and popularity of the venue.
Breakfast is the same, preplated meal it's always been, albeit at a higher price (DDP or not).
The lunch and dinner menus were, granted, seriously changed - yet people still come. Changes were made in February 2006, and announced QUITE a while prior to the changes, in fact, prior (I think) to the 2005 free dining promotion. So those changes were in NO way caused by the DDP. They were made because, well, Disney CAN.