Free Dining 2014 Discussion ~ Part 3

[TennesseeGirl]

We stayed at CBR last year and I swear I never saw anyone else in our building. I heard a family walk past our room once but it was eerily quiet the rest of the time. I'm guessing it will be a bit more crowded this year. For everyone staying there this year enjoy the scenery!

 

[dansdad]

Thanks, dansdad. I'm getting more excited for it now that I'm reading some positive reviews Most said the bus system was terrible - glad you had a different experience. We do 9 days & 2 are dedicated "resort" days. Other than that, we're in the parks. I guess it'll be nice to try somewhere new......

We were very nervous about CBR, and the buses, before our first stay too. We were completely dumbfounded how some peoples perceptions could be so different than our experience. I get it, people are impatient and don't like the 7-8 minutes extra it takes to leave CBR proper if you are the first stop picked up. But I'd rather spend those extra minutes sitting on an air conditioned bus than walking to a central bus stop in the heat.

 

[pkelly6]

Originally in POR garden view w/MM, switched to CBR standard w/FD! An extra $80 + $149 MM = way less than ADRs for week!

 

[freckles04]

It's fine. Last year my ds was 10 and I must have asked three or four times if he was getting the adult plan because it said child on mde. But call and double check ... It will make you feel better.

Same here for our January trip. He was listed as a child on the DDP but was not. Hope this helps.

 

[dansdad]

We stayed at CBR last year and I swear I never saw anyone else in our building. I heard a family walk past our room once but it was eerily quiet the rest of the time. I'm guessing it will be a bit more crowded this year. For everyone staying there this year enjoy the scenery!

In our experience, that is how it felt even when it was at capacity.

 

[Tinker1972]

I was able to book online around 7:30 am. The offer showed up. At the same time I got through to phone reservations. I dialed 407-939-7838 which is guest services, they transferred me and I got an agent in about one minute. I hope this helps.

My cousin did the same thing! she didn't know what number to call, so she called guest services. They transferred her and she got an agent right away. No waiting! Here I was panicking that she didn't get up to call, and I was sending her messages at 4:00am our time...I woke at 3:45 am and didn't get an agent until 6:00 am. All the while, she woke at 6:00 our time (9am ET) and she was done in less than 10 minutes! oh well....we're going to DISNEY!!!!

 

[GigiDisneyfreak]

It appears they significantly raised the room prices for the week of our trip since I originally booked. I did try online and got the same over $2,000 higher rate. I knew it would go up a few hundred adding an extra day, but did not expect it to jump like that. Then I went in took out the extra day I added to get the free dining and ran our dates online at rack rate just to see if it was the same now as what we are paying- the price for the same room was hugely increased from what it was when I booked. If I switch it to the week before, then it winds up being the same price we are paying now with the free dining added...but we can't go that week. So, no free dining for us. We have been watching FP+ closely anyway to decide if we are still going to take this trip. We did an MDE/FP+ trip last fall and are in no hurry to repeat that experience unless there are some significant changes. We weren't even going to book this year for the first time in 6 years, but I couldn't resist booking a "maybe" trip. Free dining was going to be a point in the direction of keeping the trip. So, I guess now we just keep watching. I thought WDW was at least trying to take a step in the right direction with the recent change that you can add additional FP+ after you use them (even though this is worthless if you want to originally FP+ any nighttime entertainment), but then I saw where it looks like they are making AK's meet and greet with Donald and Daisy a FP+ only meet and greet (i.e. no FP+ no Donald AT ALL unless you eat at TH- which we do anyway, but it is the principle of the thing. ) and I got irritated all over again and then I also got irritated that it looks like Pooh and Tigger's meet at the UK in EPCOT is being made a TIER ONE FP+, and Minnie at DHS is being made a TIER ONE FP+. It may be that I wind up waiting until 60 days out to see if we can get A&E and 7DMT FP+ for our trip, and if not we will just cancel the whole thing and take a trip somewhere else! Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a FP+ thing again. Oh well, looks like they are expecting our week to be really busy if they raised the prices like that anyway- might be time to branch out!

Congratulations to all who were able to get free dining!

Where did you see this about the M&G's

 

[jenseib]

rumors are floating that the system has crashed

 

[SPOERLX3]

Does anyone know if it's possible to upgrade a child dining plan to an adult dining plan and pay the difference? My 9yo is kind of over the kids meals.

Yes you can do that. If you have FD, you can show your child as a Disney Adult (10 yrs old) for $21 more (this pays for the difference in ticket pricing). This $21 is only when you get FD. Just remember if you do show them as an adult, all special tickets like MNSSHP and MVMCP are all at the adult price also.

 

[daizieduck]

Maybe they need FP+ for booking free dining package reservations!

 

[GaBelle]

Heard a busy signal since 6 am! This is crazy!!!! Art of Animation Family suites GONE? Needs to be a better system - not fair to clients who have been sitting on these reservations for MONTHS!!!!

I'm not sure if I'm reading your post correctly or not, but clients sitting on reservations?
As in they are already booked? If so, that's probably why they are gone because, well, they're booked.

 

[Cirlonde]

Yay, after an hour and a half on hold (while doing my grocery shopping no less!), I got Free Dining booked at Kidani for 11/9-11/14.

However, now I have a question...after I booked, I saw the official announcement on Disney's Facebook and it says "Book a 6 night/7 day stay, get Free Dining". Well, we are only staying 5 nights...am I missing something?

FYI, MDE has already been updated to show the Free Dining and I got the email confirmation with our new reservation details. I guess I'm just worried that we'll be counting on the free dining and then find out down the road that we weren't actually eligible for it or something.

 

[whodatdare]

We were very nervous about CBR, and the buses, before our first stay too. We were completely dumbfounded how some peoples perceptions could be so different than our experience. I get it, people are impatient and don't like the 7-8 minutes extra it takes to leave CBR proper if you are the first stop picked up. But I'd rather spend those extra minutes sitting on an air conditioned bus than walking to a central bus stop in the heat.

I think it depends on when you are there. If it is busy season, entire busses get full before they make it to some stops, and you end up waiting 30-45 minutes before catching one. It isn't always just a quick stop. I'm very patient, but when we had to watch two other MK buses go past our stop (5th) it got very annoying and the next day we drove our car to the first stop and got of there at night and drove back to our section. It isn't a "perception" to those who have experienced it themselves. But, like I said, I really like the resort. It's worth it. I'd definitely go preferred room.

 

[whodatdare]

Yay, after an hour and a half on hold (while doing my grocery shopping no less!), I got Free Dining booked at Kidani for 11/9-11/14.

However, now I have a question...after I booked, I saw the official announcement on Disney's Facebook and it says "Book a 6 night/7 day stay, get Free Dining". Well, we are only staying 5 nights...am I missing something?

FYI, MDE has already been updated to show the Free Dining and I got the email confirmation with our new reservation details. I guess I'm just worried that we'll be counting on the free dining and then find out down the road that we weren't actually eligible for it or something.

You're fine.. just marketing ploy. They want people there as long as possible. You're all set!

 

[FeistyBelle]

I hung up after 2 hrs and called back 407 939 4357, said "New reservation" spoke to a wonderful CM after 5 min on hold.

Got POP preferred 10/27 - 11/1 and upgrade dining.

Thank You Black for all that you do

Thank you!!! I called this number and got a super friendly CS in under 30 seconds. Saved $200!

 

[SPOERLX3]

Heard a busy signal since 6 am! This is crazy!!!! Art of Animation Family suites GONE? Needs to be a better system - not fair to clients who have been sitting on these reservations for MONTHS!!!!

Some are saying can't get through with cell phone but when use a land line can get through fine. And don't forget when you finally get through, say "new reservation" then "agent"

 

[Pixie Heart]

guys,

i'm not able to find any resort available for my dates. Anyone having trouble with the online reservation?

 

[nkereina]

guys,

i'm not able to find any resort available for my dates. Anyone having trouble with the online reservation?

Just made an online reservation 20 minutes ago at CBR with free dining for 11/15-11/19. Not only did I have my choice of resort, but I had my choice of room type as well. When are you traveling?

If it's the web site, try using a browser other than Internet Explorer. I used Google Chrome and had no issues.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

guys, i'm not able to find any resort available for my dates. Anyone having trouble with the online reservation?

Which dates

 

[mommyof3princess27]

Just made an online reservation 20 minutes ago at CBR with free dining for 11/15-11/19. Not only did I have my choice of resort, but I had my choice of room type as well. When are you traveling? If it's the web site, try using a browser other than Internet Explorer. I used Google Chrome and had no issues.

I used google chrome too at 9:30