Free Dining 2014 Discussion ~ Part 3

[pjhootch]

Maybe "won't afford" describes some of us better. I was going to stay off site this time because I was frustrated with the hotel prices and then food on top of it. We did free dining once before and we liked it since it fit into what we had planned that trip. Sometimes it isn't a bargain or even worthwhile for our family. This time I decided to go as cheap as possible on the rooms and upgrade the dining plan. Looking at all my options, that was a price I could live with. The economy is better for us but I don't want to spend too much.

I really like the moderate resorts, but since I need two rooms I find myself unwilling to pay as much as they cost for a family of 5 adults.

 

[lafemmega]

So I booked my room through a TA. She's a good friend and new at TA so I mainly did it to help her get started and give her the commission. But how do the extras work? She's done amazing and I honestly felt bad that she had to wait on hold to change my reservation when free dining came out. She got my first choice and I'm so thankful! Now I'm wanting to add memory maker and MNSSHP tickets. I can easily order those online, but if she were to place the order for me then does she get commission for that, too?

 

[cruella23]

This is crazy the last time I was there--September 2013---we walked right in to see Minnie in her new dressing room. I felt bad for her because there was no one and I mean no one, waiting to see her.

Same thing happened to us in November. I went back and had the kids meet her too because I felt sorry for her!

 

[TheGreatGafsby]

New to the boards, but I have been following along!

I was able to get a reservation yesterday for CBR in standard room with FD. I was excited but slightly disappointed because CSR was my first choice and standards were not available with FD. I decided to check online this morning and to my surprise, there were standards and water views available! I was able to call and make a quick switch!

So excited for my trip on 9/30!!!!

Good for you. We're in the same boat (at 2nd choice), and travelling at roughly the same time. I'll keep checking to see if anything more opens up....

 

[donp]

My best guess is that Disney will follow its room availability as time goes on. Where now, there may not be any FD offered any longer for, say, November at certain places, they will look in a couple months and see if rooms are being booked without the promotion or not. Based on what they find, they may then release another block of rooms for FD. That is likely why people state that they are able to call later and get what they want months after. Of course, this is in addition to the jostling and caneling of reservations as mentioned in other posts. Just my musings . . .

 

[Fenway1970]

Yesterday took me an hour redialing to get through busy circuits, and then another 90 minutes on hold waiting for an agent, but I was able to get CSR standard view for 9/13 - 9/21. Would have preferred POFQ or POR, but c'est la vie. I had a pre-existing booking at POR (I know, I know. I'm sorry.) that I would have stuck with if FD didn't happen. We were going either way, but FD is just too good a discount to pass up.

It honestly was a toss up between CBR and CSR right up until the time I booked. There were things about both resorts we liked from our research (we've never stayed at either). I think queen beds and fewer bus stops were the tie breaker.

On the off chance POR gets added later or Tinkerbell delivers a pin code to my mailbox, I may switch. But part of me at this point is just happy we got a mod with free DDP, so I might just leave well enough alone. We've always done POP so any mod is a new experience for us.

 

[cbrown1007]

So I booked my room through a TA. She's a good friend and new at TA so I mainly did it to help her get started and give her the commission. But how do the extras work? She's done amazing and I honestly felt bad that she had to wait on hold to change my reservation when free dining came out. She got my first choice and I'm so thankful! Now I'm wanting to add memory maker and MNSSHP tickets. I can easily order those online, but if she were to place the order for me then does she get commission for that, too?

No, no commission on those things. Just the reservations/park tickets.

 

[Gillespiedisney]

Are the pin codes just for FD or are they RO too?

 

[tinkerone]

i just tried calling through and the lines still say 'the circuits all all busy now, please try again later'. these poor cm's are really earning their money.

 

[NokOnHarts]

New to the boards, but I have been following along!

I was able to get a reservation yesterday for CBR in standard room with FD. I was excited but slightly disappointed because CSR was my first choice and standards were not available with FD. I decided to check online this morning and to my surprise, there were standards and water views available! I was able to call and make a quick switch!

So excited for my trip on 9/30!!!!

Are you doing a 5 night stay? I can't get CSR to open past Oct. 5th. I am also arriving 9/30.

 

[LittleDisneyLovers]

Hi all, just wanted to let everyone know I just got off the phone from Disney. I changed my res to add an extra 2 days. I had to change resorts, so 8 nights in a standard room at Beach Club with FD in September just opened up. Just in case anyone is after it ......

 

[ToyStory3]

Do we think that some resorts will have some availability over the next few days or weeks that don't have availability now? As people move or whatever? Not sure how much I should be checking back for availability or if it's just a waste of time. We're in BCR CL right now but checking for BCR GV and adding FD. Thx!

 

[donp]

Do we think that some resorts will have some availability over the next few days or weeks that don't have availability now? As people move or whatever? Not sure how much I should be checking back for availability or if it's just a waste of time. We're in BCR CL right now but checking for BCR GV and adding FD. Thx!

I don't think a waste of time at all. Would check back every couple weeks. Could also keep checking on line.

 

[mymermaid]

I was able to get free dining for our stay in December. My daughter is in college and the earliest date she was able to go was Sunday Dec. 14th so I booked 2 rooms at the ASMu for Dec 15th-19th I choose to check out at the beginning of the weekend because rates go up and it also turns into holiday rates after that week. because we will be a party of almost 5 adults. My husband, daughter (19) and I will be in one room and my son (17) and daughters boyfriend (20) will be in the other room. This was the best over all value for our party size. The guys will all get their own beds and we will have two showers to use. Pretty happy that free dining hit within our window. We love Christmas in Disney and this time period lets us experience that and then we are able to be home for the rest of our Christmas break. We will arrive on the Sunday before but stay offsite then stay off site our day of checkout because those are our Downtown Disney and Orlando shopping days.

 

[dreamit]

I just want to thank Black, Smitch, Spoerlx3, and everyone else that was so helpful and supportive through this whole free dining process. I would have been way behind the curveball without the time you took to share your wisdom and best-guesses. Thank you!

 

[lilkimmyk]

I just want to thank Black, Smitch, Spoerlx3, and everyone else that was so helpful and supportive through this whole free dining process. I would have been way behind the curveball without the time you took to share your wisdom and best-guesses. Thank you!

I second that!

 

[Jonesloonybin]

I second that!

Me too!!

 

[SPOERLX3]

I just want to thank Black, Smitch, Spoerlx3, and everyone else that was so helpful and supportive through this whole free dining process. I would have been way behind the curveball without the time you took to share your wisdom and best-guesses. Thank you!

Awwww, thank you all! That made my day!

 

[cbernstein90]

Are you doing a 5 night stay? I can't get CSR to open past Oct. 5th. I am also arriving 9/30.

Hmm...those are my exact dates. I was able to get it this morning. Keep trying, I am sure more will open up!

 

[Mommaof3]

I have a bounce back offer right now. If I switch to free dining, will they do it, or do I have to call the BB people and cancel that one and then put money down on a new reservation? Hope I am making sense and thanks for responses!

Melissa