Free dining 2014

[lockedoutlogic]

I wrote a magazine article on this topic a couple months ago.

I continue to see free dining for September. The reason is that September free dining was offered in the past for much different reasons than the other months. September is peak hurricane season, and all the kids are back in school, thus making September a historically low month. If free dining wasn't offered, Disney would have to come up with something just as good, and much better than the deals they run the rest of the season.

They only extended free dining into other months because of the economy creating low attendance. As you can see, those reasons have corrected themselves, while September still has the same situation. September will require the pot be much sweeter or else attendance drops rapidly. Even as popular as free dining is, which is to say the most popular promotion offered, the entire time I was there was like a ghost town. Splash and Space mountain with five minute waits, little mermaid and soarin with no wait. Imagine how it would look without the most popular promotion.

Look for it in September, but I don't look for it any other time.

Agree...

I'm surprised disney hasn't "created" some sort of event like food and wine or flower and garden or the marathon program that is expanding for that month to create a "following" for September... And with that they could provide an incentive like free dining or something else to grease the skids...
Customer appreciation of wishes, magic, dreams!!...50% room and dining with a minimum 5 night stay...
That would also allow them to tweak it down if things pick up.

Remember...nobody used to go in October...those days are gone.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I have a few questions. I have gone to WDW many times, but normally I stay in a time share. The last couple of times I have gone I have gotten spoiled staying on property.
I am looking to go sometime mid September through mid December. It will be a party of 5, (6 with a 1 year old) so I am looking at a suite. They are not always easy to come by, so I feel compelled to book now, and buy the insurance. I am a visa card holder, and got a 30% off code for the months of April, May, June, but I want to go later in the year, when the baby is around 18 months. If I book, and they come out with a code for a discount or the free meal plan, can I still qualify. I had not planned on getting the meal plan yet, just wait to see if it is offered. If not, then I will buy it. I am more interested in the discount. If I book now, will it be applied if it comes available?
Thanks.

 

[oldtink]

Agree...

I'm surprised disney hasn't "created" some sort of event like food and wine or flower and garden or the marathon program that is expanding for that month to create a "following" for September... And with that they could provide an incentive like free dining or something else to grease the skids...
Customer appreciation of wishes, magic, dreams!!...50% room and dining with a minimum 5 night stay...
That would also allow them to tweak it down if things pick up.

Remember...nobody used to go in October...those days are gone.

Didn't F&W start in Sept in 2013? and FD was in Sept 2013? Our agent is VERY good and she said to hold tight to that last day in Sept and while she can move things around as needed, having that last day of Sept is our best shot at getting FD for our 7 day trip. Since she has been doing this for years and she has always landed us prices and events I couldn't when I did it myself, I am sticking with her plan!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Didn't F&W start in Sept in 2013? and FD was in Sept 2013? Our agent is VERY good and she said to hold tight to that last day in Sept and while she can move things around as needed, having that last day of Sept is our best shot at getting FD for our 7 day trip. Since she has been doing this for years and she has always landed us prices and events I couldn't when I did it myself, I am sticking with her plan!

I think you missed the point...

We're postulating that free dining may only be needed for September because its the absolute slowest month. And that could change too.

But take advantage of it while you can... By all means

 

[ccjmjzh]

I have a few questions. I have gone to WDW many times, but normally I stay in a time share. The last couple of times I have gone I have gotten spoiled staying on property. I am looking to go sometime mid September through mid December. It will be a party of 5, (6 with a 1 year old) so I am looking at a suite. They are not always easy to come by, so I feel compelled to book now, and buy the insurance. I am a visa card holder, and got a 30% off code for the months of April, May, June, but I want to go later in the year, when the baby is around 18 months. If I book, and they come out with a code for a discount or the free meal plan, can I still qualify. I had not planned on getting the meal plan yet, just wait to see if it is offered. If not, then I will buy it. I am more interested in the discount. If I book now, will it be applied if it comes available? Thanks.

Have you considered POR's Alligator Bayou section? One room will fit all six of you (I've done it twice). Staying there would be much less expensive, in comparison to a deluxe level suite. If you're looking at a value family suite, staying at POR will save you money and, if free dining is offered, will presumably give you free dining that includes sit down meals, vs. just quick service meals if staying at a value. Also, POR is probably much more readily available.

I would not suggest buying insurance until you're certain you're going. It's non-refundable.

Yes, as long as there is availability, you can apply discount codes to existing reservations.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

We are headed there in the beginning of September, would be great to get Free Dining, but if we don't oh well! We are going for our 10 year anniversary! We were married in Disney and figured it was the perfect place to spend 10! Hahahah!!!



Thanks for this thread, I know that this will be the place to have it posted first when it does come out!

 

[Jellifer]

My other half is on the verge of caving and doing Disney this September/October or October/November, I'd love to stay on property but I'd need a sweetener like free dining for him to do that since the flights are £650 each at the moment!

2 weeks at POR is coming in at £2700, he wants to spend £1000 each so if I could just gets free dining I could argue the other £700 can be deducted from our spending money fund.

Do you think free dining is likely to happen or should I book up off property now to get the flight prices? He'd never let me book it in pieces.

 

[emilyindisney]

I agree that free dining for the general public will be a thing of the past outside of September. However...what are everyone's thoughts as free dining offered as a bounce back? I've never booked on bounce back but my understanding as that this is a frequent discount. Does this usually fall during times outside of September? If so, do you think it will continue to do so?

 

[owestyo]

Sorry am I reading correctly? Are they not doing free dining any longer?

 

[Minniesgal]

Sorry am I reading correctly? Are they not doing free dining any longer?

They are cutting back massively and are experiencing an upturn in resort bookings so less and less reasons to discount. Disney have stated they wish to reduce free dining so as the economy recovers I would expect free dining to disappear.

 

[owestyo]

Well stating off site is looking more of a possibility then. Thanks for the reply

 

[unveilmyeyes]

They are cutting back massively and are experiencing an upturn in resort bookings so less and less reasons to discount. Disney have stated they wish to reduce free dining so as the economy recovers I would expect free dining to disappear.

Of course for dinings been offered many times since that infamous story where they stated they wanted to get away from promotions

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Of course for dinings been offered many times since that infamous story where they stated they wanted to get away from promotions

You have to take into account the context where that was said. I think it was an investors event...fund manager thing or annual stockholders meeting.

At those things...there is a standard script that is NEVER deviated from...it goes like this:

"What a year we had...our business was strong with strengthened in all core units... And our short and longtime earnings prognosis couldn't be better. Profits are up and all indications are that the trend will continue, while our customers find even greater value in our product. Im excited that we are well positioned
To take advantage of the promising financial climate we see
Developing for this year to provide you with even more value. We are kings...all hail our untouchable product and cast it in gold!!"

If you add "and we predict and end to heavy promotional discounts that were necessary on a temporary basis due to reckless behavior by everyone else on earth... Through no fault of our own. We're victims like you"...that was CMBs entire speech.

The problem was it was 2010 and the financial industry had really crippled the mass consumers flexible cash...at least in the US...by corrupting the system.

So at the key moment in their booking system (used to be CRS...) they have rolled out the promos because they have little choice.

The situation that I -and many - see developing over the last year and strengthening is for booking to continue to be stronger to the point where they don't feel they are " gaining" or maybe even breaking even with the promos. When that door swings... Discounts will be knocked down to pre-2008 levels...small discounts on longer term stays and certain local/ military promotions...

All others pay cash. Or credit... Which Disney really wants.

 

[Minniesgal]

Of course for dinings been offered many times since that infamous story where they stated they wanted to get away from promotions

Yes it has but for more and more restricted dates. 2013 had far less FD than 2012.

 

[mommajo143]

We arent booking yet, but will snag a BB in Feb for fall 2014 and hope to be able to swap over to a FD offer in the coming months...

 

[jcathey]

hi were going to Disney in sept 2014 and I was wondering has anyone heard if Disney is doing free dinning?

 

[jlynnbnet]

hi were going to Disney in sept 2014 and I was wondering has anyone heard if Disney is doing free dinning?

We are going in Sept as well. Our agent said free dining won't be released until late spring to mid summer.
Hope that helps

 

[sbarisch]

Last year they were released in the beginning of May.

 

[oldtink]

Your travel agent is misinformed. In the past it has worked that if free dining starts before or on the first day of your trip that you would have it for your entire stay, up to 14 nights. If it starts part way through your stay, you would have to do a split stay and apply the free dining to your reservation after its start date and regular rates for the previous nights.

Yes, my agent said there is ALOT of shifting already. We have the last two days of Sept booked into October, so that if there is FD, we can lock on for our trip. If it ends earlier, we can move a week earlier. If there is FD, she will land it.

 

[SGMCO]

Also waiting to book our September Trip. The more people to book the less likely Disney will offer FD. If the rooms are already booked there will be no need to offer FD to fill the rooms, so people don't book!!! This messes up the chances of a discount.