Free Dining Fall 2015? (and a whole lot more)

[smitch425]

Is there any history of Disney releasing a discount over the weekend or has it always been weekdays?

Weekdays as long as I can remember.

 

[smitch425]

Ok, so I just want to make sure I have this straight. We plan on getting to Disney Sat Oct 24 and staying through the 30th. If we get a one day room on the 24th, and 5 nights for free dining, how do my tickets work?

If I have to have at least two day ticket for free dining, I'd want put all 6 days of tickets on the check in on check in on the 25th for free dining. Can I use my tickets on the RO check in on the 24th? Or do the tickets not become active until the day of check in for the reservation that the tickets are bought with?

You would have to do early package ticket pickup. If both stays are at the same resort, the concierge might be able to do it for you, but if they don't know how, you will have to do it at guest services at one of the 4 parks or DTD. You won't be able to make FP reservations for the first day until you pick up (really just turn on) your tickets, but the rest of the days you could do at the 60 day mark. We will have to check out and check back in, and you may not be able to stay in the same room, but they will try their best. they may be able to let you know upon arrival if you can keep the same room.

ETA: Only your tickets would be accessible. The dining plan will kick in as soon as you check in for the second stay. Make sure you test your dining plan (grab a resort mug or something) before leaving for the parks. Ours got screwed up when we did this last year, and we had to get it fixed at City Hall.

 

[00zero00]

You would have to do early package ticket pickup. If both stays are at the same resort, the concierge might be able to do it for you, but if they don't know how, you will have to do it at guest services at one of the 4 parks or DTD. You won't be able to make FP reservations for the first day until you pick up (really just turn on) your tickets, but the rest of the days you could do at the 60 day mark. We will have to check out and check back in, and you may not be able to stay in the same room, but they will try their best. they may be able to let you know upon arrival if you can keep the same room.

ETA: Only your tickets would be accessible. The dining plan will kick in as soon as you check in for the second stay. Make sure you test your dining plan (grab a resort mug or something) before leaving for the parks. Ours got screwed up when we did this last year, and we had to get it fixed at City Hall.

Thank you. I thought it would work, just didn't have the details!

 

[PirateD]

I know they don't usually do it. I have done it the past 2 years over Christmas. I'm just saying that it makes sense to me why they would stop it. It would not really be "unfair". It's not like they gave it to you and then took it back. They don't have to offer anything. If it was my company I would not do it. Just sayin'

It would kind of feel like they gave it to me and then took it back if they gave it to us for one or two days and then cut it off. Oh, well. No matter! We will go and have a good time whatever it ends up being.

 

[LivingforDisney]

Agree, not liking that rumour.

 

[minerva78]

Agree, not liking that rumour.

I don't like it either! But I could totally see why they would do it. That's the one thing I thought was odd about looking at past free dining dates, that they allowed check in dates so close to the Christmas holidays. It wouldn't seem fair to cut off FD like that, but Disney isn't about being fair, they are about making money, and they know there are still plenty of people who will stay over those holiday dates without free dining. I do agree that the logistics of doing this to a reservation would be a hassle. But I mentioned it to DH, who has studied computer programming, and he said any decent IT guy should be able to figure out how to change the programming code for certain check in dates so that it charges you for dining on some dates but not others. Now that's what really worried me, because IT does NOT appear to be a strength of Disney, gosh help us all who want to travel in December if they've actually been working on how to do this! LOL. I cringe at the thought. I am really curious to see if they try to pull this off, as a way of making FD more restrictive, since it seems to get more restrictive each year. I don't want them to, but I can't say I'd blame them if they did this.

 

[PirateD]

Hmm, I'm not sure that we would buy the dining plan even for part of the time because we don't typically have soda and desserts with every meal. I didn't even think about them making you pay for the dining plan for the rest of the days. Silly me! I was thinking we would do the rest OOP. Yeah, I'm not into that at all! It would be fun to have it for free, but it's not something that we normally consider buying. We will hope for a room discount for a couple of nights (depending on dates for those) and just pay OOP for food. This is starting to sound like it could get very complicated to figure out. I think we are going to go with a travel agent to help us sort it all out and help us book our trip.

 

[LivingforDisney]

I won't be purchasing it either

 

[Honeybee83]

I don't like it either! But I could totally see why they would do it. That's the one thing I thought was odd about looking at past free dining dates, that they allowed check in dates so close to the Christmas holidays. It wouldn't seem fair to cut off FD like that, but Disney isn't about being fair, they are about making money, and they know there are still plenty of people who will stay over those holiday dates without free dining. I do agree that the logistics of doing this to a reservation would be a hassle. But I mentioned it to DH, who has studied computer programming, and he said any decent IT guy should be able to figure out how to change the programming code for certain check in dates so that it charges you for dining on some dates but not others. Now that's what really worried me, because IT does NOT appear to be a strength of Disney, gosh help us all who want to travel in December if they've actually been working on how to do this! LOL. I cringe at the thought. I am really curious to see if they try to pull this off, as a way of making FD more restrictive, since it seems to get more restrictive each year. I don't want them to, but I can't say I'd blame them if they did this.

You would think that they have several decent IT guys, but yet still had terrible problems and glitches with the rollout if MDE and such. I bet it will all be the same restrictions as usual. It was probably just something that didn't translate well into English.

 

[Honeybee83]

A little help please? As far as its looking now, according to the rumors, free dining would not be offered during our dates. I have already booked a bunch of TS credits in anticipation of FD and will cancel most of them if the rumors prove true.

Due to the fact that we have never done a TS meal before I'm kind of confused on the buffets. On their website there is no specific price information and ranges from $$ to $$$. I don't want to keep a reservation only to be surprised by a $100 a meal price tag at the end, but might keep a couple if it was only around $50 for DH, myself, and DD (age 3).

How can I look up pricing specifics for the dates we are going? TIA

 

[Dislover1991]

You will only have to pay the $200 deposit with the Disney Visa.

My question is if we paid our trip off completely but paid on 3 different cards- 1 on Disney Visa, 1 debit card, and quite a few gift cards- Will they refund us on 1 card or refund the amount to each card used? I'm not sure how that works

 

[PirateD]

This thread might help Honeybee: http://www.disboards.com/threads/buffet-character-shows-aycte-pricing-as-of-03-05-2015.3108466/

I hope that link works for you. If it doesn't, it's a sticky at the top of the Restaurant Board.

 

[LivingforDisney]

That's a handy link, thanks Pirate

 

[cath1979]

If I make adr for fantasmic package for lunch at Hollywood and vine.. Do somebody know if the disney JR caracter are at the lunch?? that will be a 2 in 1 caracter + fantasmic seat?

 

[kingd4066]

If I make adr for fantasmic package for lunch at Hollywood and vine.. Do somebody know if the disney JR caracter are at the lunch?? that will be a 2 in 1 caracter + fantasmic seat?

Fantasmic is without characters. You can go for the character dining or the fantasmic package but you do not get both. The exception is that this summer they are doing the Star Wars character experience and Fantasmic package, this will cost you 2 TS credits so be aware of that before booking. The Fantasmic dinner package is a great perk to a good buffet! We do this everytime we go, with the dining plan.

 

[cath1979]

Fantasmic is without characters. You can go for the character dining or the fantasmic package but you do not get both. The exception is that this summer they are doing the Star Wars character experience and Fantasmic package, this will cost you 2 TS credits so be aware of that before booking. The Fantasmic dinner package is a great perk to a good buffet! We do this everytime we go, with the dining plan.

So if we make adr for Hollywood and vine a 11h30 with fantasmic..we are put in a section where caracter dont go? when I look at hollywood and vine description I think they say that they have caracter at lunch..little bit confuse.. I wnated mama melrose at firt but they dont let you makr adr after 4 pm it s pretty sooon to eat diner for us

 

[CK1734]

Not exactly. Lol! l What I said was that I didn't think SA residents could get a DV, but they have the booking date as 4/27, which was odd. I still think that will likely be our Visa date, though. The public offer could be 4/30 or 5/1. Anything is possible, though, and at this point, I'm sure several people will call in each day to check.

Sorry Smitch. I re-read it and revised what I typed to more closely match what you said in the original post. to much writing last night.

 

[cath1979]

I have another question about adr..it s written taht for breakfats we can only make adr at bog 30 days in advance..does somebody know if the =10 days work we that one also?

 

[cath1979]

I have another question about adr..it s written taht for breakfats we can only make adr at bog 30 days in advance..does somebody know if the =10 days work we that one also?

oups + 10 days

 

[Astylla]

I have another question about adr..it s written taht for breakfats we can only make adr at bog 30 days in advance..does somebody know if the =10 days work we that one also?

Originally it was a test only to end in June but now I see you can book into July too. From the official site : "Reserve Your Table Now
Lunch and dinner reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance, and are strongly recommended for all meals, especially dinner. Breakfast reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance."
I'm not sure how the 10 day thing will factor however.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/magic-kingdom/be-our-guest-restaurant/