the "
free dining deal" is a code. The code watching threads are watching for whatever deals are being offered for the time they are going.
In actuality the 'code' is the sequence of letters the reservationist enters into the computer to tell what kind of rate you have booked. There are codes for rack rate, free dining, or whatever other discount is being offered. The codes change with what you have purchased - while a deal may be offered for a percent off your room, that same deal may be able to be combined into a package so there will be one code for the room only and a separate code for the package even though it is the same deal.
Periodically disney releases a special signified by a certain code. these specials very in what the offer and what the discount is and what is included in the special. Sometimes they are only available for room only, sometimes they can be for packages, sometimes they are only for packages (free dining, free ticket upgrades with a package), sometimes they are a percent off your room, sometimes they are a $$ amount off, sometimes they are only good at certain resorts. There are special codes offered to season pass/annual pass holders and florida residents. all of these kind of things get passed around on here so putting keeping watch on a code thread may help you find out quickest about a new promotion.
There are also 'postcard' deals. these are targeted malings (emailings) to specific individuals and can not be shared with others and are not allowed to be posted on the board....everyone mentions they got them but the codes themselves are not to be shared since they are not for the general public but are for the addressee only. No one really knows how they decide who to send these to. Sometimes these are some of the best deals around but sometimes they are nearly the exact same thing as whatever general public deal is being offered - I think that happened in may with the ticket upgrade deal.
HTH kind of random rambling.