Free dining coming back!

[DebIreland]

We will be down there August 7th through the 13th for our wedding and honeymoon. We just added the package and between the two of us it costs $500. I sure wish we could have that 500 bucks back. I heard on another thread that they can extend it for 10 days...wonder if they can go backwards 10 days...hmm...

Could you add a few days to the end of your honeymoon and stay in a value resort? You could save the park tickets for a future trip!

 

[kellyanne731]

According to bicker (who always has great info), it's still based on 1 TS/CS/S per day. But for the TS, can we eat at signature restaurants all week if we want to?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Okay, this may be a little too far in the future. But, assuming they do free dining again around the same time in 2007, that would be around the time of my trip. Well, I was aiming for Oct 4th, but I'd go a few days early for free dining. But, since I would already have an AP would I be able to get it? If it would be a matter of buying a one day ticket I would, since it would only be $60, and the free dining would be worth it, but I wouldn't want to have to buy a ticket for my whole stay since that would cancel out the AP. Or even if I did have to buy a length-of-stay ticket would I be able to use my AP, and save the MYW ticket for a future trip?

 

[prcoamo]

I'm a AAA member and booked a room only for Poly GV
9/29 - 10/6 (2 adults, 3 kids ages 7, 7, and 2). Was then going to get tickets from Ticketmania and book a flight later.

Now, I'm wondering whether w/ this free dining I should book a package w/ AAA instead.
Is there much of a difference? I read somewhere that the difference in $ is really only significant if your staying at a value resort. But I figure w/ 5 people (though 3 are small children) that dining plan may be better?
What are your thoughts and suggestions? especially from those who did the free dining plan last year.

Additionally, I guess this means the crowds are going to be bigger as well

 

[hercamore]

proamo, you cannot get a AAA discount on room in additon to the free dining. Can't stack discounts.

herc

 

[LakeAriel]

I'm a AAA member and booked a room only for Poly GV
9/29 - 10/6 (2 adults, 3 kids ages 7, 7, and 2). Was then going to get tickets from Ticketmania and book a flight later.

Now, I'm wondering whether w/ this free dining I should book a package w/ AAA instead.
Is there much of a difference? I read somewhere that the difference in $ is really only significant if your staying at a value resort. But I figure w/ 5 people (though 3 are small children) that dining plan may be better?
What are your thoughts and suggestions? especially from those who did the free dining plan last year.

Additionally, I guess this means the crowds are going to be bigger as well

For 2 adults at POFQ with the AAA discount it was $584. I rebooked at $756.00 WITH all our meals included PLUS a day hopper which I will save for another date.( I have an AP) So for $172, total, we will eat for 4 days plus have one day hoppers!

I had the free dining in early October and it was fabulous! Make your ADR"S immediately though!

 

[Lizzybee]

According to bicker (who always has great info), it's still based on 1 TS/CS/S per day. But for the TS, can we eat at signature restaurants all week if we want to?

When we used the free dining plan August 2005, it was actually 1 TS / 1 CS / 1 Snack per person per night. For example we were there 3 nights/4 days and we received a total of 3 TS/ 3 CS / 3 snacks per person. I think all of the Signature Dining TS meals are 2 credits per person per meal. There is a guide on the website which will tell you which TS's are 2 credits.

I just called a hour ago and I could book this 8/15 to 8/19 at ASMu for $1063 with free dining. My only issue is booking this without having decent airfare. I can find airfare now for 3 for about $600 Chicago or Milwaukee to MCO. Last yr we got it from Chicago to MCO for $380 total for the 3 of us. Ahhh decisions ...decisions....

 

[maui2k5]

I am trying to figure out what to do... My wife and I got married on March 13th and part of the deal was that Disney gave us free annual passes. Since we can go to the Disney again without buying park passes, we booked a deal at the Dolphin from Sept 22-30 for $129 for a Lake View room. A pretty good deal I think.

However, with the free dining option now up again, I am debating if there is any benefit in us looking into it or would there be no financial benefit to getting the free dining option staying at say the Wilderness Lodge? I think it is not worth it for us, but was wondering for those of us that have annual passes, is there any way this deal could help save us money? Especially when I have a deal for $129 at the Dolphin?

 

[lookingforward]

Just booked our annual September getaway! Animal Kingdom lodge, three nights deluxe savannah view, five people, FREE DINING, I am so excited. Now I just have to decide if I want to book the concierge for $280 more. YEA! Last year we missed out on the free dining and it annoyed me!

 

[erin1715]

I do not have the Disney Visa card so unfortunately I will have to wait patiently until the 4th to book for the free dining! My question is, will it be too late by then to get the free dining? I am so excited about this and I don't want to miss out! I plan on calling ASAP when the 4th hits, but I'm worried until then!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I booked Pop Century preferred room for 9/30-10/6 and got the free dining plan for the whole stay for $1442 for 3 adults. VERY EXCITED

CWFD diabolical plan #1.
Get a 4th adult to come with such as a MIL. Sock em for 1/4 the rack rate and their $10 surcharge. Then sock em $35 a day for their eats!!!! You'll be able to take your 3 adults down for about $700 net.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I do not have the Disney Visa card so unfortunately I will have to wait patiently until the 4th to book for the free dining! My question is, will it be too late by then to get the free dining? I am so excited about this and I don't want to miss out! I plan on calling ASAP when the 4th hits, but I'm worried until then!

I'd guess that a couple of the hotels might sell out for certain dates, but you'll probably be able to get one.

 

[lynninpa]

I do not have the Disney Visa card so unfortunately I will have to wait patiently until the 4th to book for the free dining! My question is, will it be too late by then to get the free dining? I am so excited about this and I don't want to miss out! I plan on calling ASAP when the 4th hits, but I'm worried until then!

Same here! If we get the free dining, hmmmm...all I can say is WOW! Look at my signature to see why! It is going to be a longgg 3 days!

 

[ptmmg]

waiting also!!!

 

[Pluto's Honey]

I have already booked for june but thinking of doing universal for june and then doing disney end of september? Would I be able to change from the week I have to the other since I am already booked and paying for dining... I would save the dining and because it would be value season...

 

[buzzmom3]

ok we are already booked and paid in full for the first week of september with dining. Now the free dining comes out. Can i and how do i get the free dining? I plan to call WDW asap on the 4th but just wanted to get some idea what to expect. Will i have to cancel and rebook? ( i hope not but will if that is needed) there are 8 of us; so free dining will be a nice chunk to get back. thanks.

I was in the same situation, already booked and paid in full. I called this morning and just added the code to my existing reservation and I'm getting back $833! I love the DIS! I'm a disney Visa card holder and still found out about this on the DIS! I love you guys!

 

[buzzmom3]

what do you have to do in order to get the free dining?
I was planning to go Sept 29th til Oct11th, and I dont think i can really change my dates due to other family commitments.

You wouldn't have to change your dates because the it doesn't end until the 30th. We will be arriving on the 30th and got free dining for our whole week. Call and see!

 

[Lizzybee]

I did it I did it I booked our trip 8/15 to 8/19 at ASMu!!! With free dining it was $1063 for myself and my two kids. I can't figure out why there was nothing at all on the Disney Visa website in offers section. I couldn't find any mention of it at all on the Disney Visa website. If it weren't for my equally complusive...I mean Disney Lovin'.... Dis Friends, I would have missed out on this
Tidbit tip from the CM I booked with....
Airtran will be offering a special thru Disney CRO only per the CM all destinations to MCO thru Disney will be $129 per person roundtrip + taxes yada yada. This promotion starts on Tuesday.
I even made my ADRs which in true DIS tradition may be subject to change...Ohana Breakfast, WCC lunch, LeCellier Dinner, and 1900 Park Fare dinner on my bday...woo hoo

 

[LiteBrite]

We have aps. Is there any way to get into this special since we alrady have tickets?

We're AP holders, and here's what we'll do if I'm able to talk hubby into it:
We'll just buy each of us a one day MYW base ticket, and sock it away for the future. We'll use the APs on this trip, then whenever we're ready to buy APs again in the future, we'll take the one day tickets we put away from this trip, and upgrade them to APs.

I just ran the numbers, and even if we didn't use those tickets at all (now or in the future), going with the free dining package will save us money over getting an AP rate room at either a value or a moderate (didn't check on the deluxes, but I'm sure the savings there would be much smaller, or possibly not be a savings at all).

 

[tabrizia]

We just changed our vacation for this.

We were going July 31st - August 8th and staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge standard view with the dining plan.

We are now going August 14th - August 24th and staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge poolside view with free dining. It is actually costing us about $100 because there were no standard rooms left for our dates and because we are adding two night to our stay. Oops , we would have been saving money if standard rooms were still avaliable. Oh well, we get a longer vacation for the same price and get to add another dining choice (we used the extra two nights for another signature restaraunt).

We actually made all our reservations first and then called the reservation office to change our reservation, since if we couldn't get the places where we wanted to eat, we weren't going to switch. Fortunately it worked out though we did have to adjust times a bit and one date. So now we are going for 10 nights instead of 8 yay!

The only downsides to this change is we won't actually be at Disney for our official 5 year aniversery date, and the parks close earlier then they did when we were there before. We're still celebrating our aniversery at Disney though so no lose there and we're staying 2 days longer which will make up for the slightly shorter hours.