Free Dining 2014 Discussion

[TinyDancer]

I thought DV offer is supposed to start May 1.

 

[jerika]

Still very new to this board, but I have been stalking it for weeks now. I used to drive my wife nuts by talking about WDW non-stop the second we got back from a trip until the second we got to go back, but this page has been an outlet for me to go and read the musings of other like minded lunatics thus saving my wife from the constant babbling about hidden secrets or the latest youtube video of the ongoing construction at the MK. So, in a way, this page has been a blessing for my marriage. In short, thank you!
With that said, I know no one has concrete info as far as dates go, but I am hoping someone will have some good news for me. I am traveling with a group of ten in the fall. We check-in Sept. 30th and will be staying until October 7th. Any chance FD extends out until the very last day of September? We are restricted to these dates due to various obligations.

 

[mcwheelee]

Oh, and look at that! I am no longer "Earning my Ears," but a "Mousketeer"--that is what I am talking about!

Yay a free upgrade...Congratulations!!

 

[pkelly6]

....musings of other like minded lunatics....

 

[dreamit]

Still very new to this board, but I have been stalking it for weeks now. I used to drive my wife nuts by talking about WDW non-stop the second we got back from a trip until the second we got to go back, but this page has been an outlet for me to go and read the musings of other like minded lunatics thus saving my wife from the constant babbling about hidden secrets or the latest youtube video of the ongoing construction at the MK. So, in a way, this page has been a blessing for my marriage. In short, thank you!
With that said, I know no one has concrete info as far as dates go, but I am hoping someone will have some good news for me. I am traveling with a group of ten in the fall. We check-in Sept. 30th and will be staying until October 7th. Any chance FD extends out until the very last day of September? We are restricted to these dates due to various obligations.

It may extend out this far, but if it does, it's likely that this offer won't be released until Summer. The past few years, the first FD offer was for most of September, then later on, they offered FD that included more days in September and some or all of October.

 

[madetoworship]

Since you have to call to get FD added to an existing reservation, if you have already booked, you would be able to call at 7am EST the day the offer is available to the general public.
Anyone that does not have a package already booked will be able to go online at midnight to book, so by the time you get to call others will have been online booking for the past 7 hours.

Hi - new here, and this is very likely a silly question. However, just in case... Would it be possible to double book a reservation? In other words, if I already have an existing reservation, can I go online, book a new one with the FD, and then cancel the original one? Or are there safeguards in place to prevent this?

Thanks for your input!

 

[crazymomof4]

I have seen it happen where AB is excluded, but not necessarily for FD. I know when we tried to book a BB at POR AB it was not included at one time. Hopefully it will be included for the FD for you though!

Thank You! I thought AB might at times be seperated from promos that apply to POR. It's the most economical of the "sleeps 5" options and so, very popular.

 

[Kate and Family]

Hi - new here, and this is very likely a silly question. However, just in case... Would it be possible to double book a reservation? In other words, if I already have an existing reservation, can I go online, book a new one with the FD, and then cancel the original one? Or are there safeguards in place to prevent this?

Thanks for your input!

This is what I was wondering. I have a 2 day ROOM ONLY reservation for my for my sister and me. What I will need is a 7 day package for my son and family - should not be a problem there. And I would need to cancel the RO for my sister and me and reserve a 7 room package. The cancel date for the RO leaves plenty of time without losing my deposit. Wondering if I can book 7 day package for my sister and me at midnight and then cancel the RO reservation the next morning.
.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Thank You! I thought AB might at times be seperated from promos that apply to POR. It's the most economical of the "sleeps 5" options and so, very popular.

The only way AB can be excluded is if the discount is ONLY on Royal Rooms. The resort is not split out in AB and Mansion codes for booking, standard, garden, water rooms are in in both. Only Mansions has Royal Rooms. Only AB has preferred rooms (and all of AB sleeps 5 now).

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I was just on disney visa specials and the same ones are there....I check everyday! Waiting for an offer!! Hope it's changing soon

You wanna check here first or call in. The visa specials webpage rarely updates till mid-late morning, hours after the offer has opened.

 

[crazymomof4]

The only way AB can be excluded is if the discount is ONLY on Royal Rooms. The resort is not split out in AB and Mansion codes for booking, standard, garden, water rooms are in in both. Only Mansions has Royal Rooms. Only AB has preferred rooms (and all of AB sleeps 5 now).

But AB was excluded from poster "jenny"s BB offer. So, it seems at times they do make a distiction (???) Believe me, I'm hoping for NO distinction and ALL of POR's rooms are included. I'm just trying to prepare myself for the reality of the situation.

 

[jennyjinx3]

But AB was excluded from poster "jenny"s BB offer. So, it seems at times they do make a distiction (???) Believe me, I'm hoping for NO distinction and ALL of POR's rooms are included. I'm just trying to prepare myself for the reality of the situation.

The reason most likely is that the Royal rooms are the last to book up at POR I'm guessing? And because AB is more popular there is no need to offer it with the discount sometimes? Again just guessing.

 

[donp]

For September, I think that things are typically much more open and less exclusions at POR. I have exclusively stayed there during FD, and have only gone in September in the past few years. We have never had any issues getting the rooms we wanted (and have always stayed in AB becuase of our group of nine). Last year, booked four rooms with FD and had no issues. It seems like the Oct-Dec timeframe is a diferent animal . . . Hope your POR dreams come true!

 

[oldtink]

Called this morning and no new offers YET but she said 'probably next month' which is next Thursday So the wait continues

Me too. We are already booked and even have great flight locked in. I am a grateful person, so I feel blessed to have this all in place, buuuuut FD would really make F&W special for us and the couple (Disney newbies) coming along.

 

[tony609]

Does anyone know if FD is offered are there still room discounts usually in the same package? Or do you pay rack rate and get FD?

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

But AB was excluded from poster "jenny"s BB offer. So, it seems at times they do make a distiction (???) Believe me, I'm hoping for NO distinction and ALL of POR's rooms are included. I'm just trying to prepare myself for the reality of the situation.

BB is a whole different animal. It has lots of exclusions and ins and outs. and if its the BB RO offer in the last 2 years then RR were not the only things available, it may just be the weeks she wanted. Garden rooms are often available at POR on BB offer, just rarely are the standard offered.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Does anyone know if FD is offered are there still room discounts usually in the same package? Or do you pay rack rate and get FD?

You pay rack to get free dining.

Disney usually also offers a RO discount at the same time but you would have to buy the DDP at full price. If you are staying deluxe its worth running the $'s to see if the RO discount is better than FD.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Hi - new here, and this is very likely a silly question. However, just in case... Would it be possible to double book a reservation? In other words, if I already have an existing reservation, can I go online, book a new one with the FD, and then cancel the original one? Or are there safeguards in place to prevent this?

Thanks for your input!

You CAN book a new and cancel the old. A lot of people do this if they cant get through on the phones, and just rebook online and then cancel later when the phone lines "settle" down. Its been done MANY times. The exact reason why everyone says on the board that there is no benefit in pre-booking.

 

[tony609]

You pay rack to get free dining. Disney usually also offers a RO discount at the same time but you would have to buy the DDP at full price. If you are staying deluxe its worth running the $'s to see if the RO discount is better than FD.

Thanks! I booked the memory maker package but I can't remember if it included a room discount or not. I think it did. I book POR. But I haven't paid it off yet.. Maybe if FD is offered I could switch the package deal.

 

[trixiemuffin]

Ok- we are hoping to go to Disney for the first big family trip in early November. Flights haven't been released yet, so we were going to wait to book our package until then and are also hoping for FD, we do have and use the DV. For the experts, do we book now to secure our room prior to getting a flight? Can we adjust our dates if needed if there is a big difference in flight costs? And will booking our rooms now help us secure them where we want (either Pop or Caribbean Beach) when the FD is (hopefully) released for that time?

Welcome, and congrats on your first trip! One of the main mantras of the FD hopefuls is do NOT book your room before FD is released. Booking ahead does not secure FD for you, in fact it hurts everyone who is waiting for FD. The more rooms that are booked ahead, the less incentive for Disney to offer FD at all, and the fewer FD packages available. You can't really "add" FD to your room, unless it happens to be available in your resort for your dates. And switching dates later can only be done if FD packages are remaining for your new dates. Good luck!