>> FREE DINING 2011 WATCH - Read Post # 1 BEFORE Posting

[PrincessTiffany]

We are arriving on 9-28. Ughh..what are the chances they will add a week???

If you can check in by the 24th, then you could have the FD discount applied to your entire stay, up to 14 nights (at least that's the way it has always been in the past).

 

[peachydreamyxx]

Just checked my Disney Visa site. No offer on there yet. Perhaps it will be released tomorrow? They seem to offer something first to Disney Visa holders on a Friday then GP on Monday. The FD deal last fall started August 19, this one starts August 28. Wondering if they sold enough packages for the August 19-28 period last fall so that is why they are not including that week? We'll just have to wait and see.

I checked the DV site as well as my e-mails and nada but I decided to give them a call just in case and sure enough the offer is out. The CM said it was released today and I was able to re-book my package under this promo

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I checked the DV site as well as my e-mails and nada but I decided to give them a call just in case and sure enough the offer is out. The CM said it was released today and I was able to re-book my package under this promo

You don't have to "rebook," you just have to call Disney reservations and have the discount code added to your package and they will credit you the difference. If you booked through a TA, then the TA will have to call and have the code added to your existing reservation.

As for Disney Visa and their advertising of discounts and promos practices and means of notifying Disney Visa holders, let's just say they are lacking. We've had a a Disney Visa for over 6 years and I have gotten very little notification over the years when they are running a special WDW promo. I have always heard it here on the DIS first. Occasionally, you will get an email, but it's usually not unti it's already open to the general public anyway.

 

[bdtracey]

How does free dining work with annual passes? Will we have to buy 1 day tickets as AP holders in order to get free dining?

 

[jcarwash]

How does free dining work with annual passes? Will we have to buy 1 day tickets as AP holders in order to get free dining?

Free dining requires you to purchase a Magic Your Way package including hotel and park tickets. I am not up on the tips for how annual passholders deal with that requirement.

 

[zales127]

If you can check in by the 24th, then you could have the FD discount applied to your entire stay, up to 14 nights (at least that's the way it has always been in the past).

What would you do...we can change the dates..but we have all our reservations and everything for the dates we have now..IYHO, would you change the dates and get the free dining..or would you keep the dates and think they are going to add another date?

 

[SnipsNSnails]

I also just talked with a very, very nice CM. I had to add ME anyway so I wanted to know how it worked. We don't have a DV. He said to go apply, they usually instant approve, call back and since we didn't do the initial deposit on the DV they charge another $200 to the DV, no bid deal. You can book up to 3 rooms as long as the DV holder is in one of the rooms. This will save us almost $200 and my parents and grandparents are in another room and it saves them $750! He was so nice giving me the quotes and all. So now I'm waiting on my mom as she'll be the one to apply for the DV, I doubt we'd be approved as fast since we had a short sale on a house a year ago whereas they make like 5 times as much as us and own their house.

Just a note: They will receive a $25 Disney giftcard when they use the DV, we can get a special picture taken at Epcot with a free print, $1 rewards for every $100 spent on the Visa too which they can convert to a Disney gift card upon arrival at WDW. The package also includes a free photopass photo book too, I couldn't tell if it will be one per room or just one but that will be nice too.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

How does free dining work with annual passes? Will we have to buy 1 day tickets as AP holders in order to get free dining?

This promotions requires minimum 3 night stay and 2 days tickets.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

How does free dining work with annual passes? Will we have to buy 1 day tickets as AP holders in order to get free dining?

Last year they upped to ticket minimum to 2 day, but I believe that they also changed the fd rules for AP holders so that they don't have to purchase the minimum ticket requirement anymore. I'm sure someone will come along to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's what they did last time they opened up the free dining promo to the general public.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

What would you do...we can change the dates..but we have all our reservations and everything for the dates we have now..IYHO, would you change the dates and get the free dining..or would you keep the dates and think they are going to add another date?

I wouldn't do anything until Monday to see if they actually release anything for the general public and what those dates possibly are. IF there is a general public offer and those are the same dates, then you will have to decide if the savings is worth the hassle of rebooking ADRS and such. For us, we would rebook, as we are a family of 6 and FD saves us about $1,500.00.

 

[jcarwash]

I$1 rewards for every $100 spent on the Visa too which they can convert to a Disney gift card upon arrival at WDW.

Just FYI that you can request a card for your Disney Rewards dollars at any time, and it will be mailed to you. You can also reload a current card with more dollars. The cards do have expiration dates on them, though.

Also, now that you are paying with the DV you can defer the payments on your deposit, and later your final payment, for 6 months at 0%.

 

[steelfish535]

I called this morning and got the free dining. We arrive on Sept 23rd, and they applied it to our whole trip! The CM didn't even know it existed until I had her check.

 

[mnmhouston]

No, unfortunately your vacation would have to begin on a free dining date - you could always make two different reservations to have free dining on the dates that it's offered.

You will have to do a room only for that 1st of it. That only works on the other end. We check out the 9/26. so in the past we have been able to get FD for our enitre stay. I hope it is the same.

I don't have a DV so I will need to wait for the GP offer.

Thanks guys. I guess I'm just not meant to have FD this year. Didn't realize there was a deadline of 12/20/10 to book FD for August 2011 and booked our trip on 12/23/10 No FD pin code prior to booking flights and now the wrong dates for the possible GP release

I still do have the 40% room rate, though, I really shouldn't be complaining.

 

[bdtracey]

Numbers game:

We are staying 9/20 - 10/1 (11 nights) CBR standard room with the 35% off discount (I believe). 1 day base tickets (we're AP holders) for 2 adults, 1 child and the regular DDP. Right now the total package price is $2805.

If free dining were to come out we'd be $2007 for the room and if we had to buy 2 day base tickets we'd be looking at an additional $470. Total package price would be $2477.

Still a decent savings if we have to buy tickets...if we don't have to buy tickets then we're set!

 

[skier_pete]

Numbers game:

We are staying 9/20 - 10/1 (11 nights) CBR standard room with the 35% off discount (I believe). 1 day base tickets (we're AP holders) for 2 adults, 1 child and the regular DDP. Right now the total package price is $2805.

If free dining were to come out we'd be $2007 for the room and if we had to buy 2 day base tickets we'd be looking at an additional $470. Total package price would be $2477. Still a decent savings if we have to buy tickets...if we don't have to buy tickets then we're set!

BDTracey - one thing to note on that...if you do have to buy the 2-day base ticket...don't consider that a complete loss...if you don't use it on the trip (and why would you with an AP) you can take that pass and later upgrade it after first you, or even turn it into an AP at a later date.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

Numbers game:

We are staying 9/20 - 10/1 (11 nights) CBR standard room with the 35% off discount (I believe). 1 day base tickets (we're AP holders) for 2 adults, 1 child and the regular DDP. Right now the total package price is $2805.

If free dining were to come out we'd be $2007 for the room and if we had to buy 2 day base tickets we'd be looking at an additional $470. Total package price would be $2477. Still a decent savings if we have to buy tickets...if we don't have to buy tickets then we're set!

You can hold onto the tickets for later too, which you probably already know. I don't know the ins and outs but I believe you can apply them to renewing your AP when it comes time?

 

[disneydiva16]

I checked the DV site as well as my e-mails and nada but I decided to give them a call just in case and sure enough the offer is out. The CM said it was released today and I was able to re-book my package under this promo

I am sooooo excited. I just re booked my trip with FREE DINING. Thank you so much Kelly for letting us know. I upgraded to the basic dining package and it only cost me $500.00 more. I did have the kids stay and play free offer, but this works much better for us . Now I just have to hope the other people in my party can get the free dining because we all have reservations together and I don't want to eat by myself!!!!!

 

[FrankieDplus3]

I booked 2 nights at POP using the room only discount and my tickets (4 day basic) were ordered separately (I have them already).

If this went GP, Would I be able to extend my stay by one night, use the tickets I already purchased and turn it all into the Free Dining package?

 

[DCDisney]

I booked 2 nights at POP using the room only discount and my tickets (4 day basic) were ordered separately (I have them already).

If this went GP, Would I be able to extend my stay by one night, use the tickets I already purchased and turn it all into the Free Dining package?

NO you would have to buy another set of at least 2 day tickets plus the photobook. Which at $172 for a 2 day base ticket and I think $100 for the photobook wouldn't help you at all.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I booked 2 nights at POP using the room only discount and my tickets (4 day basic) were ordered separately (I have them already).

If this went GP, Would I be able to extend my stay by one night, use the tickets I already purchased and turn it all into the Free Dining package?

No, I don't think so. You can't just turn in a room only to a package, especially, if you already have your tickets. I'd call WDW reservations and verify it, but I don't think you can do that.