Free Dining '10 Update: Disney Visa FD Released (See pages 1 & 57+ for details)

[letstalkboutdisney]

The long story short is, what I wrote, I stand by: with both feet...

If you were able to successfully 'switch' what you have for the promo.. you would have exactly the same success creating a new booking in the same call.

And conversely.. if you could not have made a new booking - you would not have been able to switch what you had.

The pre-booking guarantees you nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero.

[EDIT: It does guarantee you a room for the dates you booked at the rate you booked. But if you have no plans to stay with that room, rate and dates.. it's pointless]

It doesn't help you get what you want later at all.. in fact, it hurts you because rooms are allotted on promos based on how 'full' the resort already is.

The more 'full' a resort is when the promo inventory is allotted, the LESS promo inventory will be designated at that resort.

SO .. for everyone who books their must have dates and their must have resort.. they are actually DECREASING - however slightly - their chances of getting that on the promo.

I keep saying it. Nobody believes me.

Wait .. this must be what being a parent feels like.

Knox

Ok, I'm going to listen to you and not book for the end of August until some kind of deal comes out.
Sometimes being a parent means you have to repeat yourself more then once before they will listen!

 

[heaven2dc]

Sure glad I rent points through DVC members as this is SO confusing! (and I used to think THAT was more confusing ) When the day comes that I can book through Disney for less than renting points at BWV, then I definitely will need help! (ok some of you out there already think I need help but you know what I mean )

 

[francie57]

As other have mentioned, the rumor is that you may not be able to change your reservations if you have already booked a trip. They have changed the rules for the cruise line already. If you booked before a certain date you can not apply any new discounts to your trip and you can't cancel and then immediately rebook. Don't be surprised if they start doing this for the resorts since by people prebooking and then changing they are actually losing out on the promos since new reservations can't be made if current reservations take up the room allotted for a promo. On the rumor board here there was poster that was told by a CM this exact same thing. She was told that promos would be give to new reservations.

 

[metsno1]

I keep saying it. Nobody believes me.

Wait .. this must be what being a parent feels like.

Knox

Two things:

1. I believe you, and am waiting to book our preferred dates in late August until the end of this month (when my QSDP PIN runs out), or whenever FD is announced.

2. Yup, that's dead on, exactly, can't describe it much better, what being a parent is like!!

 

[DaniB]

I keep saying it. Nobody believes me.

Wait .. this must be what being a parent feels like.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Ok, I'm going to listen to you and not book for the end of August until some kind of deal comes out.
Sometimes being a parent means you have to repeat yourself more then once before they will listen!

I'm pretty sure studies have shown we (parents) have to repeat ourselves, at a minimum, eight times ...I'm not joking, I've read this. ...and I've done this myself (at least once )

 

[B-Ride]

The pre-booking guarantees you nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero

Except an ADR at Le Cellier and 'Ohana because you made them using the 180+10 window.

 

[Luvmepluto]

That's me with my child.......repeat, repeat, repeat!!!!!

 

[CanadianGuy]

Except an ADR at Le Cellier and 'Ohana because you made them using the 180+10 window.

And without a free dining reservation ... are you going anyway?

Honestly.. it's stuff like this that makes me miss the 90 day booking policy.

Seriously. All this booking, cancelling, changing, switching, phone calls to the CRO etc.. It's a lost of wasted time and resources all JUST TO ensure someone gets to eat lunch, six months from now, at a restaurant they GOTTA have.

The system is out of kilter. It has been for a long time. But the fact that people are making phantom bookings for hotels just so they can secure a dining reservation 10 days ahead of everyone else .. tells u just how far you out of balance the system is.

It also tells you exactly what kind of toll the F/D promotion has on all aspects of operations at the Disney World Resort. It's dreaded by staff at resorts, restaurants, call centers and even parks.. *truly* dreaded and it becomes obvious why.

This is why I don't make ADR's. As a result, I may never eat at Ohana. but I'm ok with that.. I can't plan my meals six months and ten days from now.

I know.. I'll never be a true "planner"

 

[doccoc2002]

And without a free dining reservation ... are you going anyway?

Honestly.. it's stuff like this that makes me miss the 90 day booking policy.

Seriously. All this booking, cancelling, changing, switching, phone calls to the CRO etc.. It's a lost of wasted time and resources all JUST TO ensure someone gets to eat lunch, six months from now, at a restaurant they GOTTA have.

This is why I don't make ADR's. As a result, I may never eat at Ohana. but I'm ok with that.. I can't plan my meals six months and ten days from now.

I know.. I'll never be a true "planner"

I think sometimes half the fun is finding out where you are going to eat...it makes it seem like an adventure. We did it one year and ate at H&V...walked right up and they sat us in 10mins. We learned that while some people LOVEthis place we did not! Now we know we will never eat there. I think everyone should try it at least once, you may find that you like the restaurant(didn't work well for us but maybe next time it will??). Sometimes if you talk to the resort concierge or who ever can book your dining/recreational activities they can sometimes get you a ressie if you are not to worried about what time you want eat at.

 

[cart-mom]

I hate to admit defeat, but I think I am going to give up. I mean really, they haven't announced anything and it's April 9th! Airfare is up and the planes are empty, no FD and they are predicting one of the worst hurricane seasons yet to come. I can see the writing on the wall and will reluctantly plan our vacation somewhere else this year.

 

[CanadianGuy]

It's crazy tho.. we here on the DIS have gotten used to it.. but try to explain it to someone who's never been exposed to this and you start to realize how crazy it all sounds.

1. Ok we're gonna make a resort booking.

2. So this is for my hotel?

1. No, this is so we can plan your dining reservations.

2. I have to make reservations to eat?

1. Oh yes. But first we need to temporarily book you in a resort so we can making the dining reservations before everyone else... what resort do you want to stay at.

2. Wait a minute.. How Crowded is this place gonna be? Oh well.. umm the Poly looks good, is that the price I'll be paying.

1. Oh no, this is only a temporary booknig so we can plan your meals.

2. But this at least means I have a room guaranteed there on Free Dining right?

2. Nope.. Don't worry about all that with the resort .. it's going to change a bunch of times anyway. Ok that's all set. Now where do you want to have lunch 6 months and 1 days from now.. and also, to figure this out it would be really helpful to know which of the themeparks you'll be at that day. Let's say Animal Kingdom...

1. No.. wait.. I wanna go to the MK that first day.

2. Oh no worry, you'll just have to take the monorail from MK to Epcot for lunch.. won't take 2 hours travel time plus an hour for lunch.. Ok.. What about dinner same day. How does Mexican for lunch and French for dinner sound? Good ok, moving on Tuesday - 6 months and 2 days from now.. where would you like to eat.. ?

2. Uhh.. what?

 

[tonyolily]

We've done vacations both ways - with dining reservations for every night and with none at all. I have to say the trips that we just went and didn't worry about where we were going to eat at night were the most relaxing!

But that said, we don't really care where we eat. We've been a ton of times and have experienced just about all of the restaurants on Disney property. I know that for others, this is their first visit and they just want to ensure that they don't miss a thing.

 

[metsno1]

Honestly, I don't even get the whole 180+10 thing. We're planning for the last two weeks in August. I called two weeks ago (waaaayyyy past the 180 day mark), and got every restaurant I wanted, including LeCellier and O'Hana.

I guess the time of year you go makes a difference.......

 

[watkinsme]

BOOKING NOW GUARANTEES YOU ABSOLUTELY NOTHING unless you intend to go with or without F/D offers.

We booked using the military 40% off, we are hoping FD comes out,

BUT

1. we are going regardless and doing deluxe dining

2. we will only save about 175-200 - but hey that's gas money for the drive down

 

[szvers]

I have a question for you guys on this thread. I have read a bunch of this thread and I am hoping to get some advice from those of you that have done this a whole lot.

I booked a vacation package before 3/27 and added Quick Service dining. My dates are in July. Is the FD you speak of just going to be for dates in Aug., or is this something that may be available for me?

Should I call in and ask for a PIN? (Never knew about this until reading this forum) Can my original reservation be altered? Why if they have my money already would they give me a better deal?

Thank you for your help

 

[Huff]

But the fact that people are making phantom bookings for hotels just so they can secure a dining reservation 10 days ahead of everyone else .. tells u just how far you out of balance the system is.

It's dreaded by staff at resorts, restaurants, call centers and even parks.. *truly* dreaded and it becomes obvious why.

I know what you're saying but not sure about out of balance. I feel its because demand outpaces supply. For many, dining at Disneyworld is part of the vacation experience. It matters to them. We really enjoy having a nice sit down dinner every night of our vacation at restaurants that we like. We have to compete with others that want the same thing and theres only so much to go around.

Not sure about your dreaded by staff claim either regarding free dining. I've talked to numerous restaurant staff and they have loved it over the years as their tips have gone up. I do not know what effect not including tips in the dining plan has had though.

With the online ADR booking system in place the call center should be getting substantially fewer calls.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I know what you're saying but not sure about out of balance. I feel its because demand outpaces supply. For many, dining at Disneyworld is part of the vacation experience. It matters to them. We really enjoy having a nice sit down dinner every night of our vacation at restaurants that we like. We have to compete with others that want the same thing and theres only so much to go around.

Not sure about your dreaded by staff claim either regarding free dining. I've talked to numerous restaurant staff and they have loved it over the years as their tips have gone up. I do not know what effect not including tips in the dining plan has had though.

With the online ADR booking system in place the call center should be getting substantially fewer calls.

Except for all the people calling to make phantom reservations and then switch them around later.. KWIM?

And believe.. what the CM's say to guests while they are on stage .. and what they say to friends over at the Orlando Ale House once they are off-the-clock aren't the same things.

If I CM were to say "I hate free dining" to a guest while onstage.. can you imagine?

You have to compete because Free Dining is not something the restaurants and dining locations planners had in mind when the system for reserving and eating was built. It works fine most of the time outside of F/D = but it falls apart during the F/D season. A few folks were turned away from last minute dining options during this promotion and it created some feelings of fear and panic among others planning future trips.

I'll keep going back to it.. but the mere fact that someone feels compelled to create a phantom reservation at a hotel so they can book the dining merely 10 days ahead of anyone else.. that's nuts.

And people will argue with a straight face that pre-bookers and making phantom reservations at the hotels is not really a problem.

If that's true - then booking meals shouldn't require you to pre-book a phantom reservation to get meal reservations..

See what I'm getting at here? Both are problems and flaws with the way Disney has this setup. And I blame Disney because they created the systems.

You reward people for booking early by allowing them to make meal reservations 10 days before everyone else. So what do they get in return, a bunch of reservations that are 'iffy' because people are waiting on a dining promo that Disney has no intentions of releasing til 3-4 months before the actual travel dates.

As I said, it's out of whack and it has been for a few years now.

Imagine if you will the fictional scenario that F/D isn't offered this fall and instead some other promotion is offered.. After all the efforts are securing phantom reservations to book meals for 6 months away... all for nothing..

That will be a week I do not wish to moderate this board.. So I truly hope for everyone's sake it doesn't turn out that way.

 

[B-Ride]

And without a free dining reservation ... are you going anyway?

Sorry, I should have paid more attention to the full discussion rather than just jumping in.

No, I would never book a reservation in anticipation of a deal. However, we used to book reservations early and then upgrade if a deal came along.

For someone who has already decided to go regardless of a deal or not, why not make your reservation now and take advantage of the 180+10? Yes it is a shame that you need to plan so far out but for a couple of restaurants it is a fact of Disney life which I have found better to accept rather than complain about.

 

[onescgirl]

And without a free dining reservation ... are you going anyway?

Honestly.. it's stuff like this that makes me miss the 90 day booking policy.

Seriously. All this booking, cancelling, changing, switching, phone calls to the CRO etc.. It's a lost of wasted time and resources all JUST TO ensure someone gets to eat lunch, six months from now, at a restaurant they GOTTA have.

The system is out of kilter. It has been for a long time. But the fact that people are making phantom bookings for hotels just so they can secure a dining reservation 10 days ahead of everyone else .. tells u just how far you out of balance the system is.

It also tells you exactly what kind of toll the F/D promotion has on all aspects of operations at the Disney World Resort. It's dreaded by staff at resorts, restaurants, call centers and even parks.. *truly* dreaded and it becomes obvious why.

This is why I don't make ADR's. As a result, I may never eat at Ohana. but I'm ok with that.. I can't plan my meals six months and ten days from now.

I know.. I'll never be a true "planner"

Honestly, we are an extreme minority on Disboards to the totals of everyone going to the WDW parks. LOTS of my friends go to Disney every year & know nothing of this site.
I, also, never knew anything about free dining until two years ago when I saw it on a Travel Agency billboard in JUNE & that's when I booked my trip. I had NO clue that I needed to book character meals WAY in advanced. When I called to book them (a few weeks before my trip), I could hardly get anything. The ones I did get, we were eating at 8:30pm. My 1st WDW trip & I was so unprepared with all this knowledge.

I, for one, am extremely grateful for this site and everyones knowledge on how to plan for a Disney trip. I would be lost, like I was the 1st time, without all this information. This time, Yes, I have already booked my ADR's for my Sept trip. I got what I wanted & I feel so much better than I did last time. I don't think the WHOLE problem is with so many people prebooking. It also had to do with that you have more people in Disney parks than there are restaurants. So, you do have to prebook.
I've also booked with the resort I want, if I have to change when FD comes out, I'll be fine with it.

Disney is not like a beach trip. You're spending thousands of dollars and you want to make sure you can make the most & have fun on your trip.
Thank you Disboards fans for helping me plan a trip I'm so excited for!!