Free Dining 2014 Discussion ~ Part 3

[ktlm]

Anyone else find that "free dining" wasn't really free? I had a trip booked already at rack rate. Was adding 1 day to get our arrival to get free dining for our trip-imagine my surprise when the price for 1 extra day with "free dining" was $2,000 more! They claim that is the current rack rate with the free dining added. No thanks!

 

[AliceTeaParty]

I'm pretty sure that's exactly how I looked dropping my kids off to school this morning!

I was herding my kids out the door to the car when the CM finally picked up. There was no way I was going to hang up the phone. I looked down after getting everyone in the car and my 2 year old was nude from the waist down sitting in his car seat. I threw a jacket over him and ran my kids to the drop off (it's across the road from my house and we drop off at the curb thank goodness) I'm pretty sure I'm not winning any mother of the year awards today but by golly my kids are going to Disney

I'm sorry, but I just cannot stop laughing at the naked 2 year old That is absolutely hilarious, and I can totally relate!! I hope you got your reservation squared away

 

[freckles04]

I ended up just booking online as I got nothing but busy signals. So, apparently you CAN have 2 reservations under the same account for the same dates. I guess Disney doesn't care as long as they get the deposit. just FYI for my dates oct 1-10 there was availability all room categories at Pop.

Also my total was exactly the same as my old reservation only with the QS dining plan included. So I definitely got free dining. To the previous poster are you sure you booked under the right promo?

 

[mickeyandminnie0515]

Just wondering why POR isn't included. Don't most people make advance reservations in hopes of FD? So could that be why POR is over booked? If everybody leaves POR for FD what happens to those rooms. Just wondering if Disney might have jumped the gun on this one?????

 

[bdillahu]

So ..... I was able to book online this morning (around 7:30 AM) with no problems at all! I even used 2 payment methods for the deposit (gift card & credit card) Got the confirmation - dates & resort we wanted - everything looks great! No problems at all!!!

Now, I go to MDE to look at the reservation. It's not there. No problem. I took a pic of the confirmation screen so I have the confirmation number! I put it in to link the reservation to MDE. It's there and all the details look correct - 2 Adults, 2 Children, CSR 12/12-12/16 .... perfect! BUT ...... when I look at the TICKETS linked to the reservation, I see DH, DS & DD but NOT MINE!!! Really??? Come on ..... everything was going so good .....

Don't know about your situation, but last year the tickets part for my party of three was often wrong. Different people came and went over days. Eventually it settled out...

 

[lacy1101]

Because of the dining plan you will have to add her at least 72 hours prior to your check in date. But you can add her anytime up until then. If she's 18 or older, you will have to pay the $15 extra adult fee per night.

Yep, its going to add $300 to our package, but with some of the places we are planning on eating, and her only getting a 20% discount, I really don't think our savings would end up being that great by not adding her. Not to mention, I don't want to feel like we have to sneak around with her staying in our room and not being on our package! Thanks

 

[dansdad]

Anyone else find that "free dining" wasn't really free? I had a trip booked already at rack rate. Was adding 1 day to get our arrival to get free dining for our trip-imagine my surprise when the price for 1 extra day with "free dining" was $2,000 more! They claim that is the current rack rate with the free dining added. No thanks!

Whoever you talked to did not know what they were doing. That $2000 is probably what the Dining Plan cost for your trip. They did not look it up with the FD offer. I helped my neighbor this morning who had a trip booked for CBR already with rack room rate. She called this morning and changed to the FD promo and their price was exactly the same but they now have the Dining Plan.

 

[scard192]

Just wondering why POR isn't included. Don't most people make advance reservations in hopes of FD? So could that be why POR is over booked? If everybody leaves POR for FD what happens to those rooms. Just wondering if Disney might have jumped the gun on this one?????

those advance bookings at POR hoping for FD are likely the reason FD is not offered there this year. Disney did not jump the gun it was those who booked POR but would not stay there if they didn't get FD.

Possible there might be a RO for the Fall, right now only thru 10/3.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I'm pretty sure that's exactly how I looked dropping my kids off to school this morning!

I was herding my kids out the door to the car when the CM finally picked up. There was no way I was going to hang up the phone. I looked down after getting everyone in the car and my 2 year old was nude from the waist down sitting in his car seat. I threw a jacket over him and ran my kids to the drop off (it's across the road from my house and we drop off at the curb thank goodness) I'm pretty sure I'm not winning any mother of the year awards today but by golly my kids are going to Disney

Who needs clothes!


Way to go mom! You got FD! And the kids are going to Disney! Your 2 year old will never remember it. : )

 

[sashagiselle]

Hi, I still haven't been able to get through. I am trying to move our reservation from the POR to the AKL to get free dining. I understand that if I book a new reservation online I can cancel the old and get a refund on the deposit. What about a refund on the travel insurance?

 

[dansdad]

Just wondering why POR isn't included.

The individual resorts are the ones who pay for the Dining Plan when Free Dining is offered. If POR has a sufficient amount of rooms already booked, it would make zero sense for them to offer Free Dining to fill rooms.

Don't most people make advance reservations in hopes of FD? So could that be why POR is over booked?

Yep.

If everybody leaves POR for FD what happens to those rooms. Just wondering if Disney might have jumped the gun on this one?????

Because of the room only discount, many people will probably keep the POR reservations. They don't have any trouble filling POR and POFQ without discounts.

 

[lilkimmyk]

So ..... I was able to book online this morning (around 7:30 AM) with no problems at all! I even used 2 payment methods for the deposit (gift card & credit card) Got the confirmation - dates & resort we wanted - everything looks great! No problems at all!!!

Now, I go to MDE to look at the reservation. It's not there. No problem. I took a pic of the confirmation screen so I have the confirmation number! I put it in to link the reservation to MDE. It's there and all the details look correct - 2 Adults, 2 Children, CSR 12/12-12/16 .... perfect! BUT ...... when I look at the TICKETS linked to the reservation, I see DH, DS & DD but NOT MINE!!! Really??? Come on ..... everything was going so good .....

Don't worry, the website is just overloaded right now. The important part is you have your conf# and you saw you added originally. Give it a little time it will correct itself. Same thing was happening to people last week when I booked during the Visa offer ( around this same time of day too). Within about an hour or two people were saying it was fixing itself. Just keep an eye out to be safe.

 

[dansdad]

What about a refund on the travel insurance?

Travel insurance is not refundable.

 

[dansdad]

Yep, its going to add $300 to our package, but with some of the places we are planning on eating, and her only getting a 20% discount, I really don't think our savings would end up being that great by not adding her. Not to mention, I don't want to feel like we have to sneak around with her staying in our room and not being on our package! Thanks

Just wanted to make sure you were aware.

 

[deakam]

Anyone else find that "free dining" wasn't really free? I had a trip booked already at rack rate. Was adding 1 day to get our arrival to get free dining for our trip-imagine my surprise when the price for 1 extra day with "free dining" was $2,000 more! They claim that is the current rack rate with the free dining added. No thanks!

Mine came out to exactly what I had figured when I put the dates and resort room I wanted without the dining. Where are you booked? I would try going into the website to check the prices.

 

[KaylaR]

it took my mom 2 calls and got straight to a person and like i predicted, contemporary is a no go, but I have WL and club level

 

[kaylasmom07]

What about a refund on the travel insurance?

Travel Insurance is non refundable. You would lose that if you cancel the reservation.

 

[Melany502]

Joining in on part 3

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Woo Hoo!!! "ONLY" on the phone for 3 hours but got what I wanted plus I added a night!!! Savings of nearly $1600.00 for us Plus I like knowing our food (minus tip) is all set for the trip.

I know the savings isn't really $1600 cause would we have eaten that amount without the dining... I don't know. But I will say we wouldn't eat "as well" would be doing more counter service vs. a table service a day because we'd be watching our money more closely.

November 13-22nd CSR Standard Room This will be our 1st time in a Moderate resort as well.

 

[Minnieloves4]

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