Free Dining 2008 Watch

[DznyDreams]

I believe every year free dining has been offered it was on new reservations only. I had reservations prior to free dining & yes, they techinically had to cancel my other reservations & then book w/free dining. I was always able to get a free dining reservation, but I did have to change my hotel one year. It will all depend on when your reservations are & how many free dining rooms are allocated at POP. I wouldn't cancel CBR until you know for sure you can get into POP!

Good luck!!

all you have to do is call the res line and the agent can mod your res. they are not allowed to cancel and rebook, they can get fired for that. You will want to sit down and do some figuring though to find out if you are saving more money with free dining or the 40% disc. If you are at a value resort and have 4 people most likely you will save more than the what $40 you are saving on the room. But if you are staying at a deluxe resort and saving 40% then you will probably save more money by keeping the 40%.

NOW can you see why even a veteran would be confused!?!?! "...technically had to cancel my other reservation..." "...they are not allowed to cancel and rebook, they can get fired for that..." All this in addition to the OP's post stating that free dining will only be for new reservations only. So which is it?

MagicalJen--If the CM can't get me free dining at CBR (where I'm booked now) or at POP (where I've resigned myself to stay in order to pay the least possible amount for WDW vacation this year) then I will probably not bother with free dining at all. I might consider another mod but I hate to do this because it wouldn't be the best value for my MIL (see below). I'm not willing at all to pay more and stay in a deluxe resort, and POP is the only value I'll consider, so.....
I may already be sunk since I've basically limited myself to CBR and POP. We'll just wait and see...

Tinkcrazy--Your tip for figuring savings is a good one. Earlier last week, I created a comparison chart for free dining vs. 40%. I can only figure the 40% off at my current resort (CBR) because I feel that I wouldn't be able to obtain 40% off at other resorts. (I didn't have a PIN via email or postcard - I think I got 40% off CBR because it was an upsell due to pool construction at that resort; however, the CM couldn't actually tell me what type of discount I had received.)
Anyway, it appears that with my group of 2 adults and 1 12-yo (charged as an adult), the free dining always works out better for me. The same is true for my SIL's group of 2 adults and 2 children. However, 40% off (IF we can stay at CBR) is going to be best for my MIL, who will have her own room. Unless we can move down to POP, my MIL will not fare too well if we have to move to a different mod.

 

[vero]

with the bounceback I was able to book 14 nights free dinning,Vero.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

August 23rd would give me at least a week in the parks before our school starts -- I was hoping for dates a little earlier than that, but it's definitely do-able if OP did receive reliable information!

Now as far as new vs. existing reservations, it will probably benefit the people that call in once the offer is available to the general public more than Disney Visa holders as the first people calling in will have really limited availability as everyone that has prebooked in anticipation of free DDP won't have cancelled their ressies yet. So keep calling back every day or so if you can't get your preferred resort the first time out.

 

[momof2mouseketeers]

I called the other day and was told I had booked the maximum days allowed with that offer which was 7. They would not extend it then.

I would suggest calling again and hopefully you'll get someone more helpful. I had six nights originally and was able to add several more at no problem at all.

 

[kmvand1]

all you have to do is call the res line and the agent can mod your res. they are not allowed to cancel and rebook, they can get fired for that. You will want to sit down and do some figuring though to find out if you are saving more money with free dining or the 40% disc. If you are at a value resort and have 4 people most likely you will save more than the what $40 you are saving on the room. But if you are staying at a deluxe resort and saving 40% then you will probably save more money by keeping the 40%.

EXACTLY! We did this last year, and are planning on doing the same this year. I called to book our package and room last week, sans dining plan, and was told "IF" the plan is offered for free just to call back to "modify" my existing reservation. So that I will!

 

[tusers]

I called on Thursday and asked if I made a reservation now and Free Dining comes out if I can modify and they said yes, just call and give us the code and they will apply it to my existing reservation.

 

[DznyDreams]

EXACTLY! We did this last year, and are planning on doing the same this year. I called to book our package and room last week, sans dining plan, and was told "IF" the plan is offered for free just to call back to "modify" my existing reservation. So that I will!

Okay, so my current package includes dining, do I need to cancel the dining I'm paying OOP for now in order to call back on the 10th (or whenever) to modify to free dining? Can I modify a MYW package that already includes dining to free dining? Maybe this is where my confusion is...

 

[Mom2AAA's]

Just hung up with a marketing manger, she said start looking at the disney sites april 5th through april 11th. Free dining will take place most likely on THURSDAY APRIL 10TH. She also stated the last two years they went live with the free dining was indeed on a thursday. Four night stay on disney property and at least 1 day park pass is required rooms are very limited. The dates are not set in stone but looking at august 23rd through september 30th. rooms are limited at ALL disney resorts.
I got this info by pure luck she is new to disney and just started to rattle on when I asked her. I originally called for info about a w.i.s.h. program. This is also for NEW RESERVATIONS ONLY.I asked for existing reservations if they will change the code and her answer was No the promo will state new reservations only to get the promo. Lots of luck guys I will be glued.

We are checking in the 19th of August till the 26th. Do you think we would be able to pay for dining for 19-22 and pick up free dining 23-25? Every little bit helps, of course I would rather have it for the whole trip!!

Still hoping for an early date in Aug.

 

[n2mm]

We are checking in the 19th of August till the 26th. Do you think we would be able to pay for dining for 19-22 and pick up free dining 23-25? Every little bit helps, of course I would rather have it for the whole trip!!

Still hoping for an early date in Aug.

That won't work as in the past the free ddp promotion always required a 3 night minimum stay. I've also seen a couple of threads saying it was going to be 4 night required stay (just rumored). Unless you are checking out on the 26th, that's a no-go.

 

[The Brain]

The CM I talked to said it COULDN'T be added on to an existing reservation. I asked if I booked now and it came up, if I'd be able to add the plan. She said she couldn't guarantee that because the dining plan is limited to a certain number of rooms. So once those rooms filled the dining plan wouldn't be available. Now I'm assuming they can cancel the previous res., and replace it with a new one with the dining plan included, but I've gotta think they can't guarantee you the same resort you'd previously reserved. Actually I think people that are making the reservations now are hurting the process. Disney is seeing the rooms full, and doesn't see as much need to have the free dining. Even though you anticipate changing yours to free dining, they're just seeing numbers on a spreadsheet. They've got to be thinking why give it away free if all you people are technically signing up to pay for it?? If everyone would continue to hold off it would make them more likely to issue the info sooner.

 

[BabyPiglet]

I'll be calling on the 10th, thanks.

 

[kimsuenew]

We were able to bounceback for 13 nights/14 days... call back and talk to another CM to extend that 7 day stay!

Also, I find the proposed dates odd, considering that they only offered the date range of 8/30-9/27 for 2008 free DDP for those of us bouncing back with free dining.

I really hope the person the OP spoke with was correct, but I wouldn't "bet the farm on it"... it seems awful early, ecspecially since the free DDP dates in August have been narrowing every year since it started!

 

[kmvand1]

Okay, so my current package includes dining, do I need to cancel the dining I'm paying OOP for now in order to call back on the 10th (or whenever) to modify to free dining? Can I modify a MYW package that already includes dining to free dining? Maybe this is where my confusion is...

I too included dining in our package, as I did last year, and will just call if and when the code is released, so they can removed my charge for the plan.

In response to "The Brain" , if "we people" were booking up all of the rooms ahead of time so Disney would not offer free dining, then offering it as a bounce back to us back in September 07 would have potentially harmed any chance as well. For the previous 2 years, that has not been the case.

 

[ahiltz]

We went last year and we are waiting with baited breath... for the announcement for free dining. We plan on visiting again in Sept.

Thanks.

Anita

 

[The Brain]

I too included dining in our package, as I did last year, and will just call if and when the code is released, so they can removed my charge for the plan.

In response to "The Brain" , if "we people" were booking up all of the rooms ahead of time so Disney would not offer free dining, then offering it as a bounce back to us back in September 07 would have potentially harmed any chance as well. For the previous 2 years, that has not been the case.

The bounceback people are a different situation. I'm saying those that are signing up with the plans of calling in and switching their reservations are hurting.

 

[flea1267]

subscribing...thread tools wouldn't work

 

[all4disney98]

Also, I find the proposed dates odd, considering that they only offered the date range of 8/30-9/27 for 2008 free DDP for those of us bouncing back with free dining.

I really hope the person the OP spoke with was correct, but I wouldn't "bet the farm on it"... it seems awful early, ecspecially since the free DDP dates in August have been narrowing every year since it started!

This is exactly what I was thinking. Why would they open up more dates to those that did not take the bounce back offer. It is almost like penalizing those that gave them the $200 deposit 12 months in advance. I hope they expand the dates because of course I would book at a time that I wouldn't have to pull my children out of school if I could, but I am not counting on it...

This is going to be a long 3 weeks!!!

 

[vellamint]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Why would they open up more dates to those that did not take the bounce back offer. It is almost like penalizing those that gave them the $200 deposit 12 months in advance. I hope they expand the dates because of course I would book at a time that I wouldn't have to pull my children out of school if I could, but I am not counting on it...

This is going to be a long 3 weeks!!!

I wouldnt consider it "penalizing" them as they have had the luxury of knowing exactly what resort they will be staying at and exactly how much it is costing them.....

I, on the other hand, am on pins and needles for the past week and will continue to be so until we either do or do not get the free dining offer....and if we DO get it there is a good chance it will not be for the same resort/room type that we would like.

They will open up certain dates based upon the rooms they NEED to fill - thats the whole story. I HOPE they need to fill those rooms the last week of August.

 

[skater]

I booked the bounceback and I don't feel penalized . And it was wonderful knowing I had this trip booked a year in advance without all the worrying that I had to go through last year

 

[OlinFroid]

just joined the group---question-

if i already booked a trip, can i still get the free dining i wonder?

also, with relation to the "codes" attached with your name for staying in the past...how exactly does that work?

thanks all!