Free Dining 2014 Discussion

[deakam]

Last night I booked a 3 day Universal trip. I was planning on doing this before my Disney trip. I think I will add a few more days to that since it appears I have to go deluxe in order to get a decent resort and free dining. Or maybe I will stick with my favorite resort and go super cheap or off property to eat. This is most disappointing. More wait and see.....One thing is for sure, I will be cancelling some ADRs. Shorter trip for sure.

 

[Ava]

I am still hoping that when GP/FD opens that PORS will actually reopen so there is something other than CS for us. Heck, with all the shifting around, POFQ might actually reopen!!!! Can't do anything but wait and hope. I asked our TA this morning and she said she never heard of a VISA date (she didn't share that at first since we don't have one so the topic wasn't specific to us), but knew the FD was pending, so she is waiting for a gp release and a "surprise" VISA date.

I'm wondering the same thing. We're already booked at POR (we're going with or w/o free dining so I booked early to be able to make ADRs at 180+10) but will switch to CBR or CSR to get FD if we have to. I'm sure there are many others who will do the same. If Disney sees they have a lot of people switching to other resorts, and therefore POR/FQ are no longer booked, will they open those resorts up for FD at a later date? Has that ever happened, that more resorts are added to a promo later?

 

[GaBelle]

Ugh, if POR is in fact excluded. We are a family of 5 and are/were really hoping to get in there!

What is the next best option then? Value doesn't work for us because we want to upgrade to the deluxe dining plan. With little ones we like to do as many character and sit downs meals for breaks.

We are planning on moving our dates to get into mid-November free dining. My 2 year old will turn 3 during our trip so technically I suppose we get to still count him as 2 and he can use a pack n play/crib so we're not totally out of luck....just the murphy bed would of been awesome.

I guess Caribbean. Seems a lot have mentioned that as their next option as well, so this should all be interesting! Hopefully we know tomorrow!

Can you swing WL?

 

[foilec01]

Thanks Black for all the great information you have provided!

and thanks to everyone that called in today. I will be not so patiently waiting for tomorrow's possible release.

"There's a great big beautiful tomorrow..."

 

[I<3theMouse]

Thinking of cancelling our trip. This will break my girls hearts. I am one who booked in advance (sorry), but out of necessity. We are a family of 5 (DH,DD 9, DD 8, DS infant) so we needed a resort that would fit us. We booked POR RR Standard. We also travel with other and when we could not all get into the same resort we switched to this resort (first resort was CSR). Now they are going to exclude one of their largest moderate resorts. We can't afford deluxe and can't fit into value and a family suite is more than a moderate room even a royal room when you factor in the upgrade of the dining plan. Oh well here's hoping this is all a bad dream!! Especially when Disney has been promoting the heck out of POR.

You could opt to stay offsite in a condo? There are some very nice condos with extremely reasonable prices. We stayed in one on two different trips.
I know... I would MUCH rather stay on site, but we have done both and still had a wonderful Disney vacation!
If for some reason we can't make FD dates work for us, we'll stay offsite again this yr. really hoping we don't have to though! And hoping you don't have to cancel your trip.
Here's wishing **pixie dust** to you and all us FD hopefuls!

 

[Later_Mater2009]

I know its here somewhere but what are the prices per person for the regular dining plan?

 

[ksloane]

The removing POR really is messing up my planning...just saying. I had that reservation. We're going either way, but I was hoping/planning for free dining. There are 5 of us this trip which makes it more difficult to plan...

If I ran my number correctly, POR without a dining plan and with no free dining plan to come would be 2415.25 for our 3 night trip.

Changing to 2 rooms at POP would be 2455.71
A suite at AS Music would be 2456.05

To add to this dilemma, we are going for TOT 10 Miler so we can get the runDisney discounts, which would bring our non-food total to 1707.75. Can't have free dining, but that leaves a pretty big food budget.

*UGH* Got to make some decisions and email my travel agent.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Thinking of cancelling our trip. This will break my girls hearts. I am one who booked in advance (sorry), but out of necessity. We are a family of 5 (DH,DD 9, DD 8, DS infant) so we needed a resort that would fit us. We booked POR RR Standard. We also travel with other and when we could not all get into the same resort we switched to this resort (first resort was CSR). Now they are going to exclude one of their largest moderate resorts. We can't afford deluxe and can't fit into value and a family suite is more than a moderate room even a royal room when you factor in the upgrade of the dining plan. Oh well here's hoping this is all a bad dream!! Especially when Disney has been promoting the heck out of POR.

I personally am there with you. We were booked at POR, but my parents joined us, so we moved over to CBR so that one child can room with them. Now, if POR is excluded, and CSR is almost full already, CBR will fill fast. If we cant get it, will cancel and do a complete Universal trip. Just will not pay full price in September. I hope Disney realizes that even if the rooms are full NOW, a lot of people will cancel, especially people with 5, that POR was the only option because they cant pay double to go deluxe- just to get FD. We had said we would go either way, but thinking about it, Universal looks pretty good. Probably just drive to Disney a couple days. Holding out since we are actually trying to get CBR, but definitely have a back up plan.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Ok, I haven't been able to go through the whole thread...life has been kind of crazy. In any event, has there been any buzz for room discounts for this general timeframe, or just free dining?

 

[TravelE]

Have you thought about offsite? Bonnet Creek? We stayed at Bonnet Creek last time and everyone LOVED it. Yes, it was different, but not bad different. We still had a wonderful vacation.

I agree. All this drama created by Disney is pushing me offsite to Bonnet Creek. I have a quite for a 2 bedroom for $700 or a 3 bedroom for $1000 for my week in September.

 

[Melany502]

WHY must they make it so hard for a family of 5? I just don't get it, is it possible they just haven't thought about families of 5?? I know we are a small minority but still kind of frustrating, like someone else said, Im not upset FD isn't today, Im upset about POR... I guess since AOA is out too, maybe ASMu? I don't know... I give up

Same here... i'm looking at offsite options now :-/
FYI the Dolphin accomodates 5

 

[auger]

You could opt to stay offsite in a condo? There are some very nice condos with extremely reasonable prices. We stayed in one on two different trips.
I know... I would MUCH rather stay on site, but we have done both and still had a wonderful Disney vacation!
If for some reason we can't make FD dates work for us, we'll stay offsite again this yr. really hoping we don't have to though! And hoping you don't have to cancel your trip.
Here's wishing **pixie dust** to you and all us FD hopefuls!

Agreed! We have done on site and off site.
We actually prefer the off site condo option!
There is so much more space and breathing room for everyone!
Everybody has their own bed, we have full kitchen, private pool, etc.

I know a lot of people say they don't want to go off site, but I think if they tried it, they might never go back to on site!!

I would certainly do an offsite before I would cancel!!

 

[abpuckett]

Can you swing WL?

We love Wilderness Lodge (stayed there in 2010) but this year I just can't justify the extra $1000 to stay there. I guess with free dining, even upgrading, it's still a decent deal but if I can get into a moderate for less with a free dining upgrade I'd rather do that. Have the extra for airfare or spending money

Maybe if a good room discount came out I'd be willing to switch to a deluxe.

 

[AKFrieze]

Thinking of cancelling our trip. This will break my girls hearts. I am one who booked in advance (sorry), but out of necessity. We are a family of 5 (DH,DD 9, DD 8, DS infant) so we needed a resort that would fit us. We booked POR RR Standard. We also travel with other and when we could not all get into the same resort we switched to this resort (first resort was CSR). Now they are going to exclude one of their largest moderate resorts. We can't afford deluxe and can't fit into value and a family suite is more than a moderate room even a royal room when you factor in the upgrade of the dining plan. Oh well here's hoping this is all a bad dream!! Especially when Disney has been promoting the heck out of POR.

I wouldn't cancel your reservations. Just wait it out and see what happens. Hopefully everything works out the way you want it!

 

[Later_Mater2009]

Same here... i'm looking at offsite options now :-/
FYI the Dolphin accomodates 5

Awesome I will add that to the list of things to research Thanks

 

[jimpossible87]

WHY must they make it so hard for a family of 5? I just don't get it, is it possible they just haven't thought about families of 5?? I know we are a small minority but still kind of frustrating, like someone else said, Im not upset FD isn't today, Im upset about POR... I guess since AOA is out too, maybe ASMu? I don't know... I give up

lol its very hard planning a disney vacation but its worth it...try having 5 kids if you think a family of 5 is difficult

 

[SPOERLX3]

I remember during my haitus from the Dis, there were always those doing these predictions but never gave the visa date. Did everyone just start calling a week before the rumored date until they hit it?

I always thought it was good to come up with a possible Visa date, even though they have excluded it in the past, but it seems to be pretty futile these days. Maybe that's why the rumors of the past didn't include the Visa information at all.

In any event....perhaps it should've always been "May 7 for public and may come sooner for Visa". But to me, that wasn't very helpful.

Joe, I just want to tell you thank you again! I don't think that I could thank you enough for sharing all of your insight. I want to give a shout out to all our disboard friends that have been so gracious and generous to keep us updated!

I am wondering if that May 7 date is an indication of the dates being mixed up a little. The Disney promo's have always been Thursday/Monday or Monday/Thursday but with May 7th being a Wednesday, that could be why the Visa date is a little off (then again, Visa holders may not get any advance at all).

 

[Melany502]

Have you thought about offsite? Bonnet Creek?

We stayed at Bonnet Creek last time and everyone LOVED it. Yes, it was different, but not bad different. We still had a wonderful vacation.

What about transportation? One thing I liked about onsite was not worrying about transportation at all. I wish I didn't live so far... we would just drive the camper up!!!

 

[GaBelle]

We love Wilderness Lodge (stayed there in 2010) but this year I just can't justify the extra $1000 to stay there. I guess with free dining, even upgrading, it's still a decent deal but if I can get into a moderate for less with a free dining upgrade I'd rather do that. Have the extra for airfare or spending money

Maybe if a good room discount came out I'd be willing to switch to a deluxe.

That's what I was thinking. With 30% off...maybe worth considering. Bunkbeds are so much fun for the kids!

 

[TheRatPack]

So, I'm a family of 5. Was hoping to stay at POR since that was the most reasonably priced resort for 5 people. IF POR is excluded that kind of limits where a big family can stay. I was under the assumption that Disney cannot guarantee connecting rooms at value resorts. Is that correct? So a family of 5is forced into staying at ASMu suites, Cabins, or deluxe resort?? Still crossing my fingers the POR will be included.

If your family consist of underage children and 2 parents then they will put you in connecting. They have done this for us, for YEARS. One year we checked in and they had us in get another room ready but they did correct it at check in . If you have 3 adults in your party they no longer guarantee ....so our 18 year old daughter is throwing us in to a whole new category this year LOL.