Free DDP to UK Residents

[mema4]

I read on Mousesavers.com that Disney is offering the free dining plan to UK residents for stays starting Aug. 12, 2007. I was just wondering why this is offered to UK residents so early and US residents have to wait until next Spring or later to see if it will be offered again to us. I just returned from the World and noticed that many of the hotel guests were from the UK and thought that if this was offered to them last year at this time also. Does anyone know what the thought process is here?

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

My guess is that they need more time to plan a trip over here.

Makes me hopeful for free dining for us next year again though!

 

[Amyrlin]

Yep, it takes us longer to plan, it is further to go and much more expensive, most people go to the US for 2 weeks so need to book furter in advance. When the DDP has been offered free of charge there have been very few brits that could take it up, having already booked accomdation as part of a package a long way in advance. If book3d over here as well there are far more onerous terms and condition, costs for changing any detials, you can't appy discount codes if they come out after booking it, no matter what, and rather than only $200 forefiet if cancelling within 45 days we will loose almost everything including tyew cost fo the flights.

This does make it look good for the a gneral release next year though.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I have to get the time of approved at work before I book, and you have to do that this year for next september to be sure of it. Makes it more complicated but I will (hopefully) be able to book some time this week. 21 days with free dining!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jonkatony]

We were at WDW this summer during 'free dining' we had to pay because we had to book in advance. This is the first time it has been offered to british tour operators to my knowledge.

 

[n2mm]

I saw this too and am encouraged. I too figured that our UK friends were offered so far in advance because of the extra planning involved and the fact that the airfare costs are so much higher, most families will need extra time to save and plan for a trip to WDW. We can hope that this great package will be offered once again in April 2007 for next Aug/Sep.

 

[Brian Noble]

Universal has reported that their UK traffic is down substantially---it is possible that this is true for WDW as well. Add in the increased hassles for flying to the States from the UK these days. I also suspect that UK visits are longer, and hence more profitable, as evidenced by the 14 and 21 day tickets marketed to them.

 

[Amyrlin]

It could well be, airfares have increased a lot with fuel suppliments.

 

[lmountford]

The free dining plan wasn't offered to the UK tour operators at all this year or last. Some UK visitors who were clued up or had very savvy travel agents were able to access it in various ways but there were complications around ticketing needs etc ( many of us favour the 14 day ultimate tickets which aren't available to us through US Disney ).

Personally I think this offer is intended to help reverse a decline in UK visitors linked to the increased risk of terrorism on UK / US flights ( brought about partly by our alliance in Iraq ). Certainly it has worked on me, we will be 4 adults , 1 child at Pop Century 9/15 - 9/29 07 ( I really had to think about writing that, we do it the other way round ) celebrating the retirement of two very precious grandfathers in a manner we couldn't otherwise have contemplated

Distance, cost ( air tickets can run between $600 and $1600 + dollars a head depending on time of year) and time involved mean that we usually need to book waayyyyy in advance. However I find it really hard to believe that the mouse would offer anything to the UK that he doesn't offer to his own folks and I think it looks really good for US free dining again next year