Free Dining 8/26-9/22-Anyone Else Hear This?

[disneyjunkie]

The key word here is " Unofficial",

They are not "Official"
and are not Disney.

Well, just keep waiting, I'm sure you'll have the official word sometime next month.

I have the CSR for 8/19-8/26 and just tried to switch w/ my travel agent. The CSR is not avail for 8/26-9/1. It's so much work to remake those ressies and re-plan the days, etc., etc, etc. I don't want to give up CSR, so I guess I will just pay for DDP OOP and live with it. Also, my TA said the concourse is not on DDP. HUH! I have the 2007 pocket book which says it is. Now I'm really confused. SHe is suggesting Port Orleans or C. Beach as other options. With free DDP and cheaper airfare, it would have about $400. Any suggestions from my fellow Disers?

Maybe your TA was thinking about the CSR restaurants. I believe they were removed from the dining plan last year.

I think you should make ADRs for your second set of dates. You can always cancel them later.

Once the official word is out, it may be hard to book the places you want.

 

[lustergirl]

I have booked 9/16-9/23 with the dining plan- would love this promo to come out to save a few bucks- woohoo!! Anxiously waiting for the announcement.

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I have the CSR for 8/19-8/26 and just tried to switch w/ my travel agent. The CSR is not avail for 8/26-9/1. It's so much work to remake those ressies and re-plan the days, etc., etc, etc. I don't want to give up CSR, so I guess I will just pay for DDP OOP and live with it. Also, my TA said the concourse is not on DDP. HUH! I have the 2007 pocket book which says it is. Now I'm really confused. SHe is suggesting Port Orleans or C. Beach as other options. With free DDP and cheaper airfare, it would have about $400. Any suggestions from my fellow Disers?

Don't know if your dates are flexible, but CSR is available 8/28 to 9/3 at the AAA pkg discount rate...You can keep trying you never know what may come up..Also, the Concourse is definitely on the dining plan.

Good Luck

 

[kdzgon]

That would be great! We are arriving on Sept 22nd

Us, too(9/22)! Although we are at the Poly with a code, so we won't take the free dining, but much of my family will save some $$ (they're staying at ASMovies - 5 families).

I'm wondering if they're thinking of cutting back the Sept dates to avoid spillover into Oct.?

 

[JanineandMike]

We took advantage of free dining in '05 and went back in '06 without free dining since we had park tickets left over from the year before. I have to admit I wish we were able to use the free dining last year, it definitely saves money and is just more convenient not having to carry around cash.

We're going back 8/10-8/17 and have paid for dining, hopefully it's offered again this year and covers our dates, but it most likely will start after we have left.

 

[kdzgon]

Just curious...does your math include out-of-pocket expense for food?

Is CR with Free dining $80 cheaper than CR with AAA discount?
OR
Is CR with Free dining $80 cheaper than CR with AAA discount plus the amount you will spend on food?

If it is the first one, then you are saving a lot more than $80 because you won't be paying for food during your trip.

It's possible, especially if your family is not especially large. The discount on a deluxe can be significant in value season.

 

[__Cujo__]

Just curious...does your math include out-of-pocket expense for food?

Is CR with Free dining $80 cheaper than CR with AAA discount?
OR
Is CR with Free dining $80 cheaper than CR with AAA discount plus the amount you will spend on food?

If it is the first one, then you are saving a lot more than $80 because you won't be paying for food during your trip.

Just my 2¢....

I've booked CR (early Sep '07) using the AAA discount -- only getting about 15% off room. I'm one of the many unfortunate folks w/o a code (I sure wish I had one of those 40% codes). I had to use AAA to book, as I was planning to get the DDP as well as the room and tickets.

Were (fingers crossed) free DDP to be offered, the room discount would be 75% of the value of DDP. So I'd gladly pay RR to get the free DDP, assuming CR had a room for my week that was eligible.

I'm made many ressies for my week now, and I'm not inclined to switch weeks. I only hope my room qualifies....

 

[BillyFeat]

If the dates quoted by the unofficial guide are correct, this would be the first time that I can remember an outside publication gaining access to a Disney promotion weeks beforehand. Disney has offered free dining the last two years because the Florida Schools, along with some other states, went back the middle of August. This year Florida and other southern states are returning to school a week or more later. This could explain the projection for a later and shorter free dining plan. Anyway, here's hoping that free dining or other promotion is in effect for Mid-August.

 

[Alisha's mom Sarah]

The wait it killing me . I already have 10/3-10/10 booked but I will change if free dining is available.. I swear I check here 10 times a day and my Disney Visa 4x a day . I wanna book my airfare but I'm gonna wait until the 12th.. I think if we don't hear by then, I'll just stick with the original dates!! But I really want free dining... I wanna experience real sit down meals at disney!!

 

[Disney's Fab 4]

The wait it killing me . I already have 10/3-10/10 booked but I will change if free dining is available.. I swear I check here 10 times a day and my Disney Visa 4x a day . I wanna book my airfare but I'm gonna wait until the 12th.. I think if we don't hear by then, I'll just stick with the original dates!! But I really want free dining... I wanna experience real sit down meals at disney!!

Just wondering?
We have a Disney Visa also... Do you call your Disney Visa and ask them or what do you mean by checking your Disney Visa 4x?

The other thing to know is that last year very soon after the free dining was over they offered some sort of major discount (don't remember if it had a name)all the way to the week before Christmas..... Unfortunately we were not going... But my Dad was and I got him almost $400. back and he was only going for 4 days! So there is still hope...

 

[Reese]

The wait it killing me . I already have 10/3-10/10 booked but I will change if free dining is available.. I swear I check here 10 times a day and my Disney Visa 4x a day . I wanna book my airfare but I'm gonna wait until the 12th.. I think if we don't hear by then, I'll just stick with the original dates!! But I really want free dining... I wanna experience real sit down meals at disney!!

I understand. We are only going if free dining is offered so this is driving me crazy . I'm phoning on the weekend to make my ADR's in anticipation but will not book my actual ressie if/until free dining comes out. If not I'll have to wait and book it for January . Can't complain since any trip is better than no trip.

 

[MickeyT]

Just wondering?
We have a Disney Visa also... Do you call your Disney Visa and ask them or what do you mean by checking your Disney Visa 4x?

You can go to the Chase/Disney website and they have a page with all offers available. Hope this helps!!! (I check mine several times a day also. I wonder how many more hits the site is having right now?)

 

[cinderkelli]

No idea if anyone knows the answer to this, but if they do Free Dining, I know you have to buy at least a one day ticket to the parks with your room, correct? My question is, if you are staying 5 days, with the free dining plan, can you buy park tickets for longer? I am going this summer too and would love to go ahead and buy like a ten day non expiration if I could, instead of buying a few days for June and a few days for September.

 

[disneyjunkie]

No idea if anyone knows the answer to this, but if they do Free Dining, I know you have to buy at least a one day ticket to the parks with your room, correct? My question is, if you are staying 5 days, with the free dining plan, can you buy park tickets for longer? I am going this summer too and would love to go ahead and buy like a ten day non expiration if I could, instead of buying a few days for June and a few days for September.

Yes, you can. The number of days on your park passes do not have to match the number of nights you're there.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

O.k., so let me take cinderkelli's question one step further -- if I have reservations for 3 nights for three people (2 adults, 1 child), and I only buy park admission for one day for all three (but two more days for one adult and child), can I get free dining for all three?

 

[ruthma]

O.k., so let me take cinderkelli's question one step further -- if I have reservations for 3 nights for three people (2 adults, 1 child), and I only buy park admission for one day for all three (but two more days for one adult and child), can I get free dining for all three?

I think it depends on what Disney is making you purchase to get the free dining. You might have to purchade a ticket for evryday there for evryone in order to get it. We will have to wait and see. I think last year is was stay three days and buy three days of tickets foe evryone in your party. If I am wrong somebody please correct me.

 

[MEK]

No idea if anyone knows the answer to this, but if they do Free Dining, I know you have to buy at least a one day ticket to the parks with your room, correct? My question is, if you are staying 5 days, with the free dining plan, can you buy park tickets for longer? I am going this summer too and would love to go ahead and buy like a ten day non expiration if I could, instead of buying a few days for June and a few days for September.

Cinderkelli -

I did this last year when I went in August. I bought a 10 day hopper with the pluses. I used 5 days and 3 pluses in August. I upgraded to non expiring ticket before I left. I used 5 more days in November. It was too cold for the water parks during that visit. The best part is I still have 3 pluses to use. I plan to hit the water parks when I visit again this August and I will probably leave with 1 plus left over. I'm not sure how much I saved by doing this, but it really worked well for me. I obviously don't need to add pluses to my August park ticket because I already have them.

The other thing to consider is when do you reach the break even point to upgrade to an AP. I am buying a base ticket this time, but I may upgrade to an AP before I leave in August.

 

[thunderbird1]

Cinderkelli -

I did this last year when I went in August. I bought a 10 day hopper with the pluses. I used 5 days and 3 pluses in August. I upgraded to non expiring ticket before I left. I used 5 more days in November. It was too cold for the water parks during that visit. The best part is I still have 3 pluses to use. I plan to hit the water parks when I visit again this August and I will probably leave with 1 plus left over. I'm not sure how much I saved by doing this, but it really worked well for me. I obviously don't need to add pluses to my August park ticket because I already have them.

The other thing to consider is when do you reach the break even point to upgrade to an AP. I am buying a base ticket this time, but I may upgrade to an AP before I leave in August.

Do your pluses expire if you don't buy the non-expiring tickets? It seemed to me in the past that even if your park admissions expired, your water park/PI/DA admissions didn't, but maybe that changed with the new MYW tickets (or maybe I'm just nuts!). Thanks!

 

[Mariposa]

I think it depends on what Disney is making you purchase to get the free dining. You might have to purchade a ticket for evryday there for evryone in order to get it. We will have to wait and see. I think last year is was stay three days and buy three days of tickets foe evryone in your party. If I am wrong somebody please correct me.

Last year you only had to purchase a one day MYW ticket for each person in the room. (We have Seasonal Annual Passes, so that's what we did.)

Also, to the previous poster, be aware that you have to purchase the same ticket for everyone in the room. If one person gets a one day ticket, you ALL get one. If one person gets a five day ticket, you ALL get one. If you want different days on different tickets it's easier to get the one day tickets and just upgrade at the parks.

That said, who knows how Disney will work things this year.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

Last year you only had to purchase a one day MYW ticket for each person in the room. (We have Seasonal Annual Passes, so that's what we did.)

Also, to the previous poster, be aware that you have to purchase the same ticket for everyone in the room. If one person gets a one day ticket, you ALL get one. If one person gets a five day ticket, you ALL get one. If you want different days on different tickets it's easier to get the one day tickets and just upgrade at the parks.

That said, who knows how Disney will work things this year.

This is a really good point. Thanks for explaining how it worked last year! My dh only plans to grudgingly go into the AK one day, so I'm better off sticking with room only reservations if I can only get the free dining plan for one day...