Free DDP Starts Sunday 8/13. Please Share Your Experiences!

[ntsammy5]

Since I won't be going until late September, could those of you on free DDP, which starts tomorrow, share your experience when you get back? Or even while you're still there? Are restaurants crowded? Did you have problems at check in? Any issues at all? Have we all been too pessimistic about this working well? I'll be looking forward to seeing how this works! I bet there are others out there going later who would love to hear your stories too. Thanks a bunch.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

ntsammy5, great idea for a thread. I am looking forward to the reports and plan to do my share when our turn comes in spite of the fact that we will not return until the free dining is over.

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[sistertrip]

We'll be arriving tomorrow (8/13) and free-dining all week starting with our first meal that evening at Boma. When we get back, I'll let you know what we thought.

 

[LAWalz23]

We will be at WDW from 8/17-8/22 but only on the DDP for 3 days. I will definately report on the review board when we get home about our experiences.

 

[wdwobsessed]

Great thread! I can't wait for the replies. I go in a little less than three weeks! COOOOOOOOL!

WDWO

 

[lisabelll]

Great idea for a thread!!! We go in 18 days (not that I am counting ) Can't wait to hear about everyone's experiences!!!

 

[CPer'sMom]

I'll be curious to see what you think of the service and overall attitude of the CMs. My daughter and her boyfriend (both CTs - CMs who work occassionally) just got home last night from Disney. When I said something about it being almost time for 'free dining' they both just frowned and said 'Yes, we know.....we were warned". I guess that during the 'free dining' period Disney is limiting CM discounts ~ they weren't sure if that meant only at the restaurants or more. Since they knew they wouldn't be there they didn't ask for all the specifics.

There are many new CPs arriving now to work during the fall ~ some of them will be placed in both TS and CS restaurants throughout the World. Please be patient with them if you get someone new

 

[lisabelll]

When I said something about it being almost time for 'free dining' they both just frowned and said 'Yes, we know.....we were warned".

Ugh, I don't like the way that was answered

I wanted to feel the love

 

[CPer'sMom]

Ugh, I don't like the way that was answered

I wanted to feel the love

I know ~ I didn't either But they said it just was the way it sounded when they heard about it from some of the 'regulars'. I didn't even think my DD and her BF would have known about the free dining since they weren't going to be there during that time. I guess it was mentioned because the CMs aren't getting their discount during that time and the fact that it's going to be far busier for the next few weeks compared to "normal" park attendance for that time frame.

I hope all of you going with the free dining have great trips and the only CM 'attitude' you encounter is the magical kind

Please remember to be patient with the CMs in case you get a new CP who's just started.

 

[nacho1337]

I sitting in the airport right now to get eat at dianey

 

[JimMIA]

When I said something about it being almost time for 'free dining' they both just frowned and said 'Yes, we know.....we were warned".

I suspect they were warned about:

• The horror shows at checkin today. At Pop, for example, they have more than 2,000 room checkins today alone! (That circus is probably worth buying a ticket to watch!)
• Most free DDPers will be newbies on the plan, and a great many are probably first-time WDW visitors. That alone will cause an enormous amount of unavoidable confusion, and that will put a lot of extra pressure on the CMs.
• There will likely be waves and waves of newbies on free DDP who didn't know they should make ADRs. They are going to walk up to TS restaurants expecting to be able to eat, and are not going to like the answers they get.

I think CMs are in for a tough six weeks, and I also hope those of us who know the drill will be extra considerate of the CMs...especially when they have to tell us things we don't want to hear.

 

[CPer'sMom]

I think CMs are in for a tough six weeks, and I also hope those of us who know the drill will be extra considerate of the CMs...especially when they have to tell us things we don't want to hear.

Thank you for saying this I think sometimes people are too quick to criticize CMs ~~ I, like you, think that there are going to be many frustrated and frazzled CMs in the coming weeks ....

 

[PaulaSB12]

I will be there in 34 days adrs all booked up and sure on what I am and not allowed on the plan. Will let you know how it goes (hopefully flights will be ok then)

 

[PandaBear & Boo]

We will be there at the end of September. I have never done the DDP before but I'm not 'Out To Lunch.' My ADR's are booked and I've looked at the DP brochure over and over and over again so I know what is available to me and what is not. As well as all the posts on these boards regarding the DP. I will be considerate to all CM's because what goes around comes around and who knows Pixie Dust might come flying my way. I just hope that when my vacation rolls around the CM's are just as pleasant as they are the first day!

 

[CPer'sMom]

I will be considerate to all CM's because what goes around comes around and who knows Pixie Dust might come flying my way. !

Oh, you're right about that! They can and will do some pretty nice things for a guest

 

[ntsammy5]

I suspect they were warned about:

• The horror shows at checkin today. At Pop, for example, they have more than 2,000 room checkins today alone! (That circus is probably worth buying a ticket to watch!)
  .

• 
  
  Yeah I thought about that too. Poor CMs won't know which end is up>
  
  

 

[LegoMom3]

....There will likely be waves and waves of newbies on free DDP who didn't know they should make ADRs. They are going to walk up to TS restaurants expecting to be able to eat, and are not going to like the answers they get.....

Yep, that would be my in-laws! My MIL is a Disney veteran, but not a DDP vet! They are joining us for 5 of our 7 night trip but they only made ADRs for Biergarten (with us), and someplace another night for their anniversary. That means they are looking at 3 days they'll have to "find" a spot someplace for their TS credits. Oh well!

Anyway like the others here I'm really looking forward to hearing some feedback on the Free Dining!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I'll be able to give an interesting perspective. We will be at WDW from Aug 25th - Sept 3rd. The 25th and 26th all members of our party - Myself (21) My Best Friend (21), My Mom and my Dad will be dining OOP and using DDE.

From Aug 27th - Sept 3rd myself and my best friend will be on Free Dining and my parents will be on DDE. We have so many ADRs its insane LOL But I cant wait to see how this will be handled. Personally I dont think it will have a huge effect, after all the end of aug through to sept is a pretty slow time period at WDW. But I could be totally wrong. Guess I'll find out soon enough!! 11 days till im there

 

[sorul82?]

Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, all free diners have made at least a few ADR's. Disney has called me three times now to ask if they needed to book some ADR's for me. I'm guess that they are going through all of the ressies and those without ADR's they are calling. I'm assuming that no one on the DIS is getting these calls because we all know better. So, you are asking why they are calling me? I have two rooms reservered with two different reservation numbers, and is linked to yet another ressie with a grand gathering number. One of my ressies has no dining listed....this is the one they keep calling about. I ask them to look under my other number, but nothing there either. So, then I panic, give them my ADR numbers, and they find them under the grand gathering number. Why this happens, I have no clue. But all of this is to say, that it appears from my experience, that Disney is doing their best to be proactive in securing ADR's for the free dining guests.

 

[kaybird]

Hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, all free diners have made at least a few ADR's. Disney has called me three times now to ask if they needed to book some ADR's for me. I'm guess that they are going through all of the ressies and those without ADR's they are calling. I'm assuming that no one on the DIS is getting these calls because we all know better. So, you are asking why they are calling me? I have two rooms reservered with two different reservation numbers, and is linked to yet another ressie with a grand gathering number. One of my ressies has no dining listed....this is the one they keep calling about. I ask them to look under my other number, but nothing there either. So, then I panic, give them my ADR numbers, and they find them under the grand gathering number. Why this happens, I have no clue. But all of this is to say, that it appears from my experience, that Disney is doing their best to be proactive in securing ADR's for the free dining guests.

We have had our ADR's booked for sometime, but still got a couple of friendly calls checking to see if we have our ADR's. My impression is that the ADR's are not linked until checkin, to keep them current due to the large number of changes that we often make. Then they just give you a print out at checkin. Just a reminder, to keep you smiling on your vacation, take those ADR confirmation numbers with you!!!