Free Dining Extended!

[laliwalden]

Whoo Hooo!! I had to do some juggling, but I got in!!

I added 2 days so we arrive on 12/2, leaving 12/12. We did have to go to Pop Century though. We have stayed there before and liked it, so it's not too much of a loss!!

But, the best part is I saved $560!!!! I am so happy!!

Now, what restaurants to add????

 

[kryskay16]

On hold for 20 minutes already!!!!! Can't seem to get an available CM. I'm sure they're busy but geez!

 

[mad hatter fan]

We got free dining too! Our dates are Oct 20-31. I had to change the first two nights to room only (still with 30% off code) and then 9 nights free dining. With the 5 of us, we saved about $1090 more than with our 30% off code!

 

[mad hatter fan]

I have been waiting to be able to take advantage of free dining forever!!

I am already booked at POR Oct 21-30

I just called and now I have 3 different ressies:

Oct 21st room only 191.00
Oct 22-28 package with free dining plus, 9 day hoppers
Oct 29th room only 202.00

We are a family of 5 and I just saved a boatload of money and I am soooooo excited!! We have been many many times and never had free dining!

The CM on the phone must have thought I was crazy I was so excited!!

Why did you have to do the last night room only as well? Were they out of available rooms with free dining for that day?

 

[DisneyFirefly]

I called this morning and added the free dining to my package Staying at Pop for a solo trip from 10/24-29, with four days of park tickets and three MNSSHPs My package dropped from $1043 to $884! My parents are also thinking about joining me now that the free dining has been released. An earlier quote was for $2000, and with the free dining, it'd drop down to about $1500 So maybe they'll decide to come with I think they'd like the F&W festival at Epcot.

 

[KELLY]

Why did you have to do the last night room only as well? Were they out of available rooms with free dining for that day?

I was just wondering the same thing?

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

So I came to my grandparents tis week to strip walpaper, paint, etc for them. It was a good week for them and worked OK for me too but I just knew that this would be the week for the extension and I'd miss out on it as they do not have internet. My DH agreed to let me have his work modem for the week since I was so sure and sure enough, here it was this morning. I was so excited but then saw the blackout dates. In the past we have gotten it by checking in by the weekend before Thanksgiving. Not so this year. But I ran the numbers with a wonderful CM and I was able to extend our trip by arriving 2 days earlier, getting FD the whole trip and still managed to save $600+ on our room and $300+ on my grandparents room!!! Best part, of course the nearly $1000 savings but almost as good OK maybe as good is we get to go now for 11 nights!!!!! We have never been longer then 8 so this is going to be AMAZING!!! So, I am over the moon today!!!

 

[Travel Mum]

Oh, this is just killing me reading this because we plan to be at POR (we are a family-of-five), NEXT October 1-7!! I'd be jumping up and down with excitement if this was happening to us too but what's the bet it doesn't happen next year?! However, as a WDW newbie, I am certainly learning quite a lot from reading this thread and have a couple of questions:

If we had an existing booking with Disney for 7 nights at POR (I'll be booking as soon as rates are released this year) and then this FD offer came out, does it mean that it might not necessarily be on offer at POR for the dates we were booked in for?

If FD was available for our reserved stay at POR, does the Disney system not automatically add it on to existing bookings? If not, that's scary because what if you were away and missed reading about it on DIS or elsewhere?!! What if I'd already booked a package with the hotel, passes and Quick Service Dining - would the Disney system then automatically make the Dining Plan free when the FD came out or again, would the onus be on me to ring and ask them to do it?

OMG, there is so much for me to learn

 

[msjprincess]

I was just wondering the same thing?

10/29 is one of the blackout dates

 

[mad hatter fan]

10/29 is one of the blackout dates

I have free dining from Oct 22nd through our check out date of Oct 31st. You just can't check in on a blackout date.

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

If FD was available for our reserved stay at POR, does the Disney system not automatically add it on to existing bookings? If not, that's scary because what if you were away and missed reading about it on DIS or elsewhere?!! What if I'd already booked a package with the hotel, passes and Quick Service Dining - would the Disney system then automatically make the Dining Plan free when the FD came out or again, would the onus be on me to ring and ask them to do it?

I'm 99% sure they will NOT automatically give you the discount if you book straight through Disney. You have to call them.

That is why I book through a travel agent. Many of the travel agents look for these kinds of deals and update your reservations for you when this happens. I know I got an e-mail today around 8 am telling me that a new discount had been applied and how much I was saving. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention the agency though, so I won't!

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

10/29 is one of the blackout dates

I'm going Oct 26-Nov 2nd and got it! I believe you just can't check in on a blackout date! HTH!

 

[mom2rtk]

Oh, this is just killing me reading this because we plan to be at POR (we are a family-of-five), NEXT October 1-7!! I'd be jumping up and down with excitement if this was happening to us too but what's the bet it doesn't happen next year?! However, as a WDW newbie, I am certainly learning quite a lot from reading this thread and have a couple of questions:

If we had an existing booking with Disney for 7 nights at POR (I'll be booking as soon as rates are released this year) and then this FD offer came out, does it mean that it might not necessarily be on offer at POR for the dates we were booked in for?

If FD was available for our reserved stay at POR, does the Disney system not automatically add it on to existing bookings? If not, that's scary because what if you were away and missed reading about it on DIS or elsewhere?!! What if I'd already booked a package with the hotel, passes and Quick Service Dining - would the Disney system then automatically make the Dining Plan free when the FD came out or again, would the onus be on me to ring and ask them to do it?

OMG, there is so much for me to learn

If you go by past dates, your visit next year would probably be covered in the traditional Aug/Sept free dining period. I believe it went through 10/2 this year, next year probably 10/1. As long as you check in during the offer period, you can apply it to your entire stay.

And no, the Disney system never adds discounts automatically. You just need to stay plugged in here on the DIS.

 

[DCDisney]

Shocked but despite my great PIN I'm saving more with FD. I was so sure it wasn't going to save but just adding up my room, tix before was using GAD/GAD vouchers to save and the fairly cheap meals we had planned it works out we are saving a few hundred dollars plus getting 2 extra TS meals and lots of extra snacks plus now we can use our GAD/GAD vouchers for FPs. We did have to drop the split stay idea again but heck the extra meals will help forget about all that and the snacks will be great for Food and Wine Fest.

 

[msjprincess]

I have free dining from Oct 22nd through our check out date of Oct 31st. You just can't check in on a blackout date.

oh yeah I can't think straight in this heat

 

[Travel Mum]

I'm 99% sure they will NOT automatically give you the discount if you book straight through Disney. You have to call them.

Gosh, you'd think that in this day in age, they'd have an automated computer amending existing direct bookings when a better deal comes out or at least sending out an automated email advising them of the offer!

 

[Travel Mum]

If you go by past dates, your visit next year would probably be covered in the traditional Aug/Sept free dining period. I believe it went through 10/2 this year, next year probably 10/1. As long as you check in during the offer period, you can apply it to your entire stay.

Thanks mom2rtk, I do so hope they keep the same conditions and offers for next year! I already feel like I'm spending so much time on DIS so I can only imagine what it will be like when we are only a few months away from actually travelling

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Gosh, you'd think that in this day in age, they'd have an automated computer amending existing direct bookings when a better deal comes out or at least sending out an automated email advising them of the offer!

I think they don't do it that way because Free Dining isn't a good deal for some people. If you're staying Deluxe, a 40% code is almost always better.

They do send out an e-mail with the offer, just not on the first day.

 

[Travel Mum]

oh yeah I can't think straight in this heat

I'm so jealous - it is 8 degrees Celcius here today (but feels like 4 degrees) and I'm freezing cold. The only thing that cheers me up is WDW dreaming

 

[mom2rtk]

Gosh, you'd think that in this day in age, they'd have an automated computer amending existing direct bookings when a better deal comes out or at least sending out an automated email advising them of the offer!

Remember, Disney doesn't offer discounts out of the goodness of their hearts. They'd be NUTS to go back and automatically reduce people's prices. Their goal with discounts is to bring in NEW business. I'm just glad they'll adjust it when we ask!