Free Dining 2014 Discussion

[CaraMiaBelle]

Recommendations, now that all dates will be offered:
We were planning 9/24-10/1, but how would 11/12-11/19 be? Is it still hot enough to swim? How is the Nov weather? Will the Christmas decorations all be up? Yippee for FD!!!!

I went 11-15 to 11-25 and loved it! The decorations were all up in the parks, including the Osborne Lights. The resort lobbies were no complete until the last couple of days we were there.
I do not like the cold, so ideally, I would prefer a couple degrees warmer if I were to go to a water park. We did manage to find 2 days that fit in our busy schedule to swim at the resort though, one exceptionally good day. It was fun listening to Christmas music while swimming at AoA our last day. : )
The crowds were also very low that week last year also. I would definitely go back then. : )

 

[deakam]

Hi everyone! I've scoured the forums the past few weeks trying to find an answer to my question, but am no further ahead and with the FD deadline looming it was time to post. My DH and I are booked with MM promo at POR Sept 20-27. We are really hoping to try POFQ (better deal for our room choice) if it is included in FD, and if not we would stay at POR. We are in Canada so don't qualify for Disney Visa and must wait it out until the GP FD booking dates. I'm concerned that POFQ, if included, will be all booked up! Can/should I book a stay at POFQ for the same week, and then I just need to hope I can get FD added to that? They probably won't let me do this I realize, I just need someone to tell me that for sure
If not, we don't love the feel of the POR AB rooms, and to guarantee we don't get those we spend extra to get a Royal guest room. What are the chances that if I book a regular room I'll get to be in MB and not AB?
Sorry so convoluted- not used to keeping it short/sweet!
Lastly- thanks to everyone for all the amazing info! This has been super educational!

If enough people book FQ now there will be no rooms available then. They really only have a few available to begin with. Riverside had Royal rooms available 2 to 3 weeks after release last year. You should be fine in the Royal room.

 

[phabric]

This promotion should be available as soon as Thursday, May 1 for Disney Visa holders and Wednesday, May 7 for the general public.

The likely dates included are:
August 31 - October 3
October 26 - November 1
November 9 - November 20
December 12 - December 23

Note: First post has been updated.[/QUOTE

Where is your first post?

Would like to know which resorts are covered?

Any idea which plan is with each resort?

 

[smitch425]

Thanks smitch your awesome with this stuff too, what would we do without ya!

Thanks for the kind words.

If this is somewhere in the past few pages, I apologize, but do we have a sense of resorts? In the past POFQ has been able to be booked in September but not rest of the year. Same with the campgrounds. Black, Smitch? Any guess on this? (It is Smitch Black in here . . . I can't see a thing!). Sorry. Getting punchy. Need to get this FD promo booked so I can get some sleep!!

"Smitch Black"?

We are going Dec 20-27.

If this is the correct dates. do I have to do 2 reservations
1) Dec 20-22 We will pay for the dining plan for the two days
2) Dec 23-27? Free dining

Or- I know I have to call in for free dining, will they just start the free dining on Dec 23?

You do not need two reservations. Just one starting on the 20th with FD the whole time. Projected resort exclusions are in the first post, and values should get QSDP, and mods/Deluxes should get the regular DDP.

 

[mrorke]

I do not have an existing reservation but do have a disney visa . Can I try to book online or do I have to wait and call in thursday morning?

 

[smitch425]

I do not have an existing reservation but do have a disney visa . Can I try to book online or do I have to wait and call in thursday morning?

Visa offers are only bookable by phone.

 

[DisMama5]

The first page of this thread lists all the details...dates and resorts included

Oh silly me I should've checked the first post of course! Thanks again Kat

 

[DisMom829]

It has happened at least once before.

Any news on a RO discount?

 

[smitch425]

Any news on a RO discount?

Unfortunately, RO discounts very rarely get leaked. There should be something for fall, but not sure if it will release this early or later in the summer. Super bummed that our dates are excluded this year, but happy for those who can take advantage of it.

 

[Pixie Heart]

Thank You All. I have my back up choice as CSR, but I read somewhere that CBR is the last to fill usually and I know my mom won't want to stay there because she didn't like it the last time we stayed there. Plus my daughters really are wanting the Royal Room and it is a birthday present so it is putting extra pressure on where normally I wouldn't even care which hotel I stay in as long as I am onsite.

Hi there! I noticed you mentioned CSR, and we also wanted to book it for our September vacation. But I noticed that there are no rooms available for mid Sep. at the CSR. I wonder why…maybe a BIG convention?

 

[fallen_angel727]

Question: IF the GP offer becomes available next wednesday (or any wednesday for that matter) I cannot call because of work...can DH call and adjust the reservation since I have him linked to the trip on MDE?

Second question: if it has to be myself that calls, would it be better to upgrade to a mod now then add FD later (with the possibility of downgrading back to POP if necessary) or should I leave my reservation as is and try to upgrade to a mod the day of?

 

[Shanb22]

I'm arriving at WDW on November 5th, leaving November 12th. With the FD dates, am I going to have to have two seperate bookings to get the free dining for the last few days. I've read some post where as long as you check in during free dining all of your dates are covered. Is only if you arrived during free dining, as we arrive before free dining starts?

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I'm arriving at WDW on November 5th, leaving November 12th. With the FD dates, am I going to have to have two seperate bookings to get the free dining for the last few days. I've read some post where as long as you check in during free dining all of your dates are covered. Is only if you arrived during free dining, as we arrive before free dining starts?

your check in date has to fall with in the FDing promo and then you get it for the length of your stay up to 14 days

 

[DisMama5]

Is there anyway to see the DV offer if we don't have a DV? Or will some of you be coming back to this thread to report once it officially opens up? Just curious to see how to resorts will work out indefinitely.. But I'm not a DV member :/

 

[scard192]

Is there anyway to see the DV offer if we don't have a DV? Or will some of you be coming back to this thread to report once it officially opens up? Just curious to see how to resorts will work out indefinitely.. But I'm not a DV member :/

follow here and the details will be posted pretty quickly; members usually post as soon as they have a CM on the phone that says FD is a go. All the resort details may not be available immediately but they get posted pretty fast.

 

[Misjanuary1]

Is there anyway to see the DV offer if we don't have a DV? Or will some of you be coming back to this thread to report once it officially opens up? Just curious to see how to resorts will work out indefinitely.. But I'm not a DV member :/

Oh don't worry, it will be all over the boards! This is a team effort

 

[DisMama5]

Love it! Thanks misjanuary and scard, I will definitely still be following along

 

[I<3theMouse]

Question about the GP release...

If the GP release goes live for online booking at midnight May 6th, how do you apply the FD promo to your online booking?
Will a code be posted somewhere that needs to be keyed in during the online reservation process? Or will it be under Disney's "current promos" page & just need to click through the link there?
In the past, I have done ressies via phone, but online would be great!
(If this was asked recently- my apologies! I scanned through several pages of other excited FD Hopefuls & didn't see it)
Thx!

 

[Dancegrl624]

I can't even take it! I am shocked and thrilled that disney is doing something nice by releasing the discount out until the end of the year ! I can't even take it I'm so excited! We will be changing our days as our original day is not covered! That's ok though because I kinda knew that would happen and had a back up plan! I just hope we are able to get the resort and room type we like. I am feeling kind of anxious like I should book one online at 7am just in case my TA is stuck on the phone for hours and can't get the room I am hoping for. Am I being insane? We want preferred or river view so I'm hoping these go last! Ahhhhh I'm going crazy! Advice please!

If you are booked with a TA he/she will take care of you. Please don't double book by doing so online! The Disney Visa offer can only be booked over the phone. Your TA is there to work for you. Let your TA know your back up resorts. Many times you just have to upgrade your room category...standard up to garden view, etc.

I am so excited! I really didn't think my sept 27th date was going to be included! This totally made my night! I saw in a previous post that a TA said she had been on hold for 3+ hours before. I know that TA's call in on a diff line than the rest of us. Does anyone remember from previous years how long they were on hold with the DV release? Just trying to decide if I should reschedule my first client on Thursday am

I have been on hold for 2-3 hours when a big promotion comes out. The DV release isn't as bad as the GP release....not everyone has a Disney Visa. Like I said above, many times you just have to upgrade your room category. In 2012 my family stayed at POFQ and we initially booked a standard room. When Free Dining was released we had to upgrade to a Garden View room. It was an extra $68 for our entire 7 night stay and we saved over $700.

 

[Dancegrl624]

Question about the GP release...

If the GP release goes live for online booking at midnight May 6th, how do you apply the FD promo to your online booking?
Will a code be posted somewhere that needs to be keyed in during the online reservation process? Or will it be under Disney's "current promos" page & just need to click through the link there?
In the past, I have done ressies via phone, but online would be great!
(If this was asked recently- my apologies! I scanned through several pages of other excited FD Hopefuls & didn't see it)
Thx!

You need to call to adjust an existing reservation.