Free Dining 2008 Watch

[bubba's mom]

I'm am just getting to read up on todays posts here....

I am watching too (for a friend) and I must say, I have never seen a bunch of people so excited for a weekend to be over (to book thru Visa holder or open to the public....)



I mean....for a GOOD reason...but, still kind of ironic if ya think about it....

Hope all who are waiting get what they want

 

[crystalcml]

Just an FYI for all those eating at Le Cellier. They had a major overhaul in the menu a couple weeks ago and a lot of things were taken off their menu. See this thread for the new menu: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1779361

 

[kimsuenew]

Quick question.

Can a package with FD be booked online, or does it need to be done over the phone?

Thanks!

We booked ours online last year, over a month after its release day! The free DDP promo was listed online as well!

We booked a Value (Pop and AS Mu were not available, we first booked AS Sp but after finding out the main pool there was going to be closed for rehab, we switched to AS Mu).

A little while after booking it online, planning, and exploring AS Music online, we received an email from "Tinkerbell" and Disney and were given a free upgrade to SSR! It was truly a magical first trip to WDW!

 

[mikkiwikki]

I just got a quote online for POP 8/23-9/01.

Do I have to BOOK it before they release code with a deposit to get free dining?

 

[mikkiwikki]

So what's everyones game plan? I mean it's not really official- are you all planning on calling 1st thing Monday at 7 or will you wait and confirm? I hate not knowing what to do....and waiting

I too am wondering what the gameplan is..of course maybe everyone has SUPER SECRET gameplans they dont want to share!

Share - pretty please?

 

[mikkiwikki]

is there anyone on here that has heard from their disney credit card yet?

NO! and I went to chase today to see if there were any special messages yet...no dice. Guess we will have to wait until tomorrow.

Im a free dining virgin. IF the dates are as rumored, we might just be ditching the november trip we had planned..

 

[prettypixie]

there is nothing in the papers today either...only a few more hours...

 

[prettypixie]

We booked ours online last year, over a month after its release day! The free DDP promo was listed online as well!

We booked a Value (Pop and AS Mu were not available, we first booked AS Sp but after finding out the main pool there was going to be closed for rehab, we switched to AS Mu).

A little while after booking it online, planning, and exploring AS Music online, we received an email from "Tinkerbell" and Disney and were given a free upgrade to SSR! It was truly a magical first trip to WDW!

I will look online while I am on the phone trying to get thru in the morning, I hope that's true and we can book online.

 

[disneyJMD]

I was sooo hoping we would all get up this morning with emails from our DV announcing our free dining...I have to work at 7:30 tomorrow morning and will be en route at 7am...no access to the computer until I arrive at work...can't get there early either, as daycare doesn't open until 7am.

 

[cvhudson]

I've been following the dis boards for a couple months now and am SO excited to hopefully get free dining. I just have to ask one thing though.

I don't have a Disney Visa and it seems like everyone on here DOES have one. Honestly, do you guys think there will be any value resorts left by Thursday? How many rooms do they typically put aside for free dining? I have reservations for Sept 12-21 at POP already and would love to stay there but will switch if need be, but would love to not have to upgrade to a mod.

Thanks for your help and ALL the info you guys have given!!

 

[deslynnpatterson]

I've been following the dis boards for a couple months now and am SO excited to hopefully get free dining. I just have to ask one thing though.

I don't have a Disney Visa and it seems like everyone on here DOES have one. Honestly, do you guys think there will be any value resorts left by Thursday? How many rooms do they typically put aside for free dining? I have reservations for Sept 12-21 at POP already and would love to stay there but will switch if need be, but would love to not have to upgrade to a mod.

Thanks for your help and ALL the info you guys have given!!

i also do not have a disney visa-- and will have to wait until Thursday as well I am also hoping for values to be open. From my understanding i think they set- so many rooms aside for the visa card holders, and so many for the public-- i plan on going throught a travel agent so i might call them wed and give everything set-up and have them run everything Thursday morning because i will be at work, if that won't work out i might go into work late and call disney and wait on hold with everyone else I started a thread on the disney restaurant page as well as to were everyone would be staying at, just to get a idea. I hoope everyone gets their wish come true and can get what they want I am just coming up with a back-up plan just in case-- i don't have very good luck but hoping for some pixie dust this week good luck everyone!

 

[doccoc2002]

They should have rooms available for general public. I believe they release rooms for DV and rooms for GP. As people have written that they got dates in May that were still avail. I wouldn't wait that long and you may have to change that resort that you want(may be a possibility). Good Luck. Just remember these are only RUMORS right know!

 

[LuccaDrake]

I've been following the dis boards for a couple months now and am SO excited to hopefully get free dining. I just have to ask one thing though.

I don't have a Disney Visa and it seems like everyone on here DOES have one. Honestly, do you guys think there will be any value resorts left by Thursday? How many rooms do they typically put aside for free dining? I have reservations for Sept 12-21 at POP already and would love to stay there but will switch if need be, but would love to not have to upgrade to a mod.

Thanks for your help and ALL the info you guys have given!!

You should have no problem getting a resort with free dining assuming it's offered. Something like Pop may be a bit difficult, but I booked ASMu in late May last year with free dining, well after the promo was out.

I think some people are getting nervous for no reason IMO. Should be plenty of rooms available for at least the next couple of weeks.

 

[prettypixie]

I've been following the dis boards for a couple months now and am SO excited to hopefully get free dining. I just have to ask one thing though.

I don't have a Disney Visa and it seems like everyone on here DOES have one. Honestly, do you guys think there will be any value resorts left by Thursday? How many rooms do they typically put aside for free dining? I have reservations for Sept 12-21 at POP already and would love to stay there but will switch if need be, but would love to not have to upgrade to a mod.

Thanks for your help and ALL the info you guys have given!!

Why can't you call to have the code added to your existing reservation? I think they maybe able to do that as I have read of TAs adding discount codes to exisiting reservations to get their clients better rates. It's worth calling and asking when the code is released to GP. Good Luck.

 

[amsafko]

I posted this before in a sep. post but thought I'd add this for reassurance. My sister, who is oblivious to all the fuss over free dining decided several weeks after the announcement to book a trip. She called and got Wilderness Lodge (supposed a hard one to get) with no problem at all. So those who are worried, try to stay calm. I think these boards (although I LOVE them and am obsessed myself about FDing) can add to the anxiety.

Hope that helps.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just got a quote online for POP 8/23-9/01.

Do I have to BOOK it before they release code with a deposit to get free dining?

No. In fact, if you DO book now, before any promotion is released, you reduce the availability of rooms on that promotion at your resort of choice.

Plus, if the promotion starts 8/24, you specifically would need to make two separate reservations.

 

[chicagoforever]

Comparing last year to this year might be like comparing apples to oranges, but maybe this will give you a little hope.

Last year was the first time I ever booked a Disney trip with free dining and I didn't do anything until May 10th. I got into the All-Star Music resort for that trip and it was basically a month after free dining was offered.

Assuming it is offered this year, the circumstances could certainly be different; however, there is hope! I'm one of the many people hoping to book another trip this week with free dining.

Joe

 

[doccoc2002]

Why can't you call to have the code added to your existing reservation? I think they maybe able to do that as I have read of TAs adding discount codes to exisiting reservations to get their clients better rates. It's worth calling and asking when the code is released to GP. Good Luck.

You can call and add to your exisiting ressie, but you do have to have a package to do that. Otherwise they will just cancel room ressie and and make a package ressie instead. I am sure thay will have values available, you might(and this is a very big MIGHT) have to change which resort you are staying at. I highly doubt that will happen. They make these specials because they want to fill up the resorts during a very slow time. They are a very smart business.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Why can't you call to have the code added to your existing reservation?

Because advance/speculative bookings reduce the number of promotional rooms the provider (Disney) needs to make available at a given resort on a given night.

This does NOT mean people won't be able to get A room for Free Dining, but that they may well not be able to get a room at the resort originally reserved.

 

[texaslonestar]

I have a quick, maybe duh question. Can I book a package for say 5 nights, purchase a 1 day Magic My Way ticket and still take advantage of free dining for the length of my stay? Thanks for all the wonderful advice I've received on these boards!