Free Dining 2014 Discussion ~ Part 2

[GaBelle]

But what if you booked way before any of this FD talk started. Like way before. And now you have ADRs attached to your res. So you shld cancel and lose all that b/c it's taboo and messes up what resorts are included or excluded? What are the chances of getting a res like this switched to FD? And not losing ur ADRs?

Your ADRs are not attached to your resort reservation. They are stand alone.
You can book ADRs starting at 180 days out even if you are staying off site.

 

[carlys13]

Your ADRs are separate from your resort booking, cancelling one does not cancel the other. You can book ADRs without a resort reservation.

 

[KNovacovschi]

But what if you booked way before any of this FD talk started. Like way before. And now you have ADRs attached to your res. So you shld cancel and lose all that b/c it's taboo and messes up what resorts are included or excluded? What are the chances of getting a res like this switched to FD? And not losing ur ADRs?

You wouldn't lose your ADRs as they are not based on your hotel. The only way to lose them would be to actually cancel then yourself. What PP is mostly referring to is the ones that already booked FD don't know what resort they want & book another reservation until they decide and then cancel it a later time. Disney doesn't just add it to a current reservation they basically "cancel" & readd it, basically modifying it but changing it if that makes sense.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Less then 24 hrs peeps.

 

[TheGreatGafsby]

But what if you booked way before any of this FD talk started. Like way before. And now you have ADRs attached to your res. So you shld cancel and lose all that b/c it's taboo and messes up what resorts are included or excluded? What are the chances of getting a res like this switched to FD? And not losing ur ADRs?

ADR's have no bearing on your room reservation. Having a resort reservation allows you to book an extra 10 days earlier, but otherwise you don't need a resort reservation to book meals. That's my understanding and it makes sense. There is no way Disney would turn down a meal booking just because you're staying offsite or local etc. I get it - a lot of people booked way ahead, and did not know there was free dining offered in September. I get that its hard to cancel something you've already committed to, and told your children about etc. If you must have the resort/room you booked, then keep your res. If FD matters, cancel and wait - your chances will be better at getting FD with the room/resort you want. Of course everyone needs to do this, and few if anyone did. Like I said, I get that it's hard to cancel something like this, that you've committed to ages ago. Best of luck to you tomorrow.

 

[20yBWDW]

ADR's have no bearing on your room reservation. Having a resort reservation allows you to book an extra 10 days earlier, but otherwise you don't need a resort reservation to book meals. That's my understanding and it makes sense. There is no way Disney would turn down a meal booking just because you're staying offsite or local etc. I get it - a lot of people booked way ahead, and did not know there was free dining offered in September. I get that its hard to cancel something you've already committed to, and told your children about etc. If you must have the resort/room you booked, then keep your res. If FD matters, cancel and wait - your chances will be better at getting FD with the room/resort you want. Of course everyone needs to do this, and few if anyone did. Like I said, I get that it's hard to cancel something like this, that you've committed to ages ago. Best of luck to you tomorrow.

I can completely understand why people choose to book their vacation earlier even if they would prefer free dining and know it affects free dining. I think the anger towards them for not acting in the greater good is a little misplaced. We all do things that are better for us than the greater good. I have a family of five, and am not a seasoned Disney traveler. I was feeling anxious to the point of being distracted from other responsibilities because if there was no free dining, I had to have POR if I wanted to go. Add in that my 180+10 was quickly approaching (the day free dining released for Disney Visa holders) and that I have a very narrow window during which I can plan a dinner out and feel confident that my children will not be too overtired to behave appropriately, and I would have felt 100 times better with a reservation. Fortunately for me, Joe posted about the free dining for fall coming out now instead of July/August, and it made me comfortable holding off, but I otherwise would not have. If I had waited it out until July/August, and there was no free dining for my dates, and POR was booked, I would not have been able to go at all. Spending the next few months worrying about that possibility, to help increase the likelihood of free dining being offered, without a guarantee that holding off would result in free dining, would not have been my choice.

 

[missbeckd]

I am also guilty of pre-booking. We booked WL earlier this year hoping for free dining but under the realization that if free dining wasn't offered we would switch to a moderate. Reasons I pre-book? #1. I am totally Disney anal retentive. I need to have it booked, planned, and mapped out about 9 months before we go. #2. being able to make payments over a longer period of time really helps us manage our money saved towards the trip. 3. Dining reservations with the plus 10 days outs & 4. Did I mention I'm totally anal retentive? We were hoping for the free dining but knew it wasn't a given. I'm extremely thankful this year that it is because we will be there for our 15th wedding anniversary and we spent our honeymoon (with Hurricane Floyd) at the Wilderness Lodge.Our back up choice was CSR.... which we haven't been to yet.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

it was bad enough hearing everyone talk about pre-booking in hopes of securing free dining; basically admitting that they knew the risks etc., but excusing themselves anyway ("I was going anyway, and I absolutely need that resort because of reasons x, y and z... However, if they don't offer Free Dining, I'll move to another resort"). But now some people who already have a reservation, want another, with the intention of dropping one when they finally make up their mind. it's frustrating, waiting and hoping to get anything, to hear people talking about grabbing multiple reservations - potentially, and I would say clearly, depriving another family of that room. If you are able to book, just book what you want given what's available. I don't get it....

People who didn't think through their booking ahead decision should be forgiven. This really hasn't happened, so no one took the warnings seriously. If it happens again next year, we should call for public floggings.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I can completely understand why people choose to book their vacation earlier even if they would prefer free dining and know it affects free dining. I think the anger towards them for not acting in the greater good is a little misplaced. We all do things that are better for us than the greater good. I have a family of five, and am not a seasoned Disney traveler. I was feeling anxious to the point of being distracted from other responsibilities because if there was no free dining, I had to have POR if I wanted to go. Add in that my 180+10 was quickly approaching (the day free dining released for Disney Visa holders) and that I have a very narrow window during which I can plan a dinner out and feel confident that my children will not be too overtired to behave appropriately, and I would have felt 100 times better with a reservation. Fortunately for me, Joe posted about the free dining for fall coming out now instead of July/August, and it made me comfortable holding off, but I otherwise would not have. If I had waited it out until July/August, and there was no free dining for my dates, and POR was booked, I would not have been able to go at all. Spending the next few months worrying about that possibility, to help increase the likelihood of free dining being offered, without a guarantee that holding off would result in free dining, would not have been my choice.

It's not the pre-booking that is upsetting, that's understandable as people can't know ahead of time, those reservations get modified, it's the people who book FD then book another reservation with FD because they can't decide where they want to stay or don't want to wait on the phone to change/modify their reservations that's annoying. They are taking up from the blocks available.

 

[TennesseeGirl]

I'm crossing my fingers for everybody on here! I think a lot of people are nervous mainly because disney keeps reducing the number of resorts. Last year everyone was upset that pofq was out. Now POR. And I'm just guessing but I think the number of people trying to book during FD is increasing or at least the same as last year. So it just feels more competitive. Imagine this... FD is eventually only offered at all star sports!

 

[6loversofdisney]

Imagine this... FD is eventually only offered at all star sports!

That could very well be on the horizon and you know what??? I, for one, would be booking it lol We just don't really care where we stay...we seriously only sleep there!!! It is all interesting though, isn't it, how this is playing out??

 

[6loversofdisney]

It's not the pre-booking that is upsetting, that's understandable as people can't know ahead of time, those reservations get modified, it's the people who book FD then book another reservation with FD because they can't decide where they want to stay or don't want to wait on the phone to change/modify their reservations that's annoying. They are taking up from the blocks available.

I had made a reservation and they told me that if I didn't deposit it by such and such a date, that it would expire or 'fall off'. So, when I called back in, I made a new reservation. Only when we were finished did the agent say, "Oh, you have a second reservation, we will need to cancel that one out". I had no idea. So if the agent is doing their job and the guest uses the same info, they should be able to 'see' the other reservation.

 

[6loversofdisney]

If it happens again next year, we should call for public floggings.

 

[tinkerbella16]

I am hopeful that my amazing TA will get it done for us first thing tomorrow morning. All I need to do is wait for the email to confirm its been done! Thanking my lucky stars that I don't have to sit on the phone and sit on hold for long periods of time to get FD.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!

 

[6loversofdisney]

The values have been doing QS for a couple of years now. You can upgrade to the DP for $18.65/per person/per night.

Yes, I know. The last time we got free dining was 2009 and then if we booked BB while there, we got it again so we went again in 2010. I wonder if that was one of the last year's they offered it. We went back again in 2012 but did not stay on property..

Hi I saw this question posted earlier and may have missed the answer. I need to book 2 rooms when Fd is released. How can I do this online? Do I do two separate bookings and request they are linked or is there somewhere where I can request 2 rooms? thanks

This is why I always call them to make my reservations. They even acknowledge that this is an issue on their site. I guess maybe you could book one complete reservation for three and then of for two and link them together (or whatever your numbers come out to be). I don't know where to put in if you need to request a connecting room either which is another reason I just let the agent do it. Of course, that may require a three hour call instead of a quick online transaction but I don't know exactly how to do it online. Why don't you play around with it today or tonight and see what it will let you do? Maybe that would help you during the crunch of the FD being released.

Been looking at deluxe resorts now. Smh i am trying to remember we are just sleeping there lol

This is the way we are, all we do is sleep there. Which is why the values work so well for us now. Someday when it is just DH and myself, we will splurge for a MOD lol

 

[Gillespiedisney]

Today is going to feel like such a long day! Especially since I'm a disney visa holder who called to late to book and they where all out of FD in the resort I want to stay in!

 

[Gillespiedisney]

And what are the odds of disney offering a BB offer during a stay with FD? I would love to get FD and then have a BB offer to come back next year!

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Today is going to feel like such a long day! Especially since I'm a disney visa holder who called to late to book and they where all out of FD in the resort I want to stay in!

Really? Which date/resort?

 

[DisMom829]

So the best bet would be to cancel standard ressie at poly tonight or tomorrow and then rebook standard room poly at 6am on wed with FD.. They will give full refund?

I had a ressie booked at WL for months before I discovered the Dis. It was so easy to call & change from the MM promo to the free dining promo. We are booked at WL and were going regardless of FD, that's why we booked in advance of FD. The CM was extremely nice & it took less than 5 minutes to make the switch. I didn't have to sit & give all the booking info again. I guess it's really a personal preference on whether or not you cancel or modify.

 

[Gillespiedisney]

Really? Which date/resort?

The polynesian standard 11/9-11/15. They only have lagoon view and some club left for FD.. But that will eliminate any FD savings..