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

[simonsayz]

I can't wait! I want the Free Dining Plan! I upgraded my Disney Visa card so I want to just take advantage. I was thinking if i want to go to Disney again this year, but yup I do!

 

[Rivermonster]

We have our ADRs, and I can't stop obsessing over a FD announcement, so I thought I (a newbie to these boards, so hello all!) would butt into this thread too

 

[Honeybee83]

I'm not sure if I'm hoping that they'll announce it all at once like they did last year or if they'll do two separate announcements like all previous years. Looks like last year had way more exclusions. I'm hoping that if they do make an entire fall announcement it will have fewer blackouts and POR won't be excluded. That was sad.

 

[monica9]

I'm not sure if I'm hoping that they'll announce it all at once like they did last year or if they'll do two separate announcements like all previous years. Looks like last year had way more exclusions. I'm hoping that if they do make an entire fall announcement it will have fewer blackouts and POR won't be excluded. That was sad.

We were going to book POR for our September trip but didn't want to take the change so booked CSR instead. Good luck and hopefully they don't black it out again!!

 

[laurafaith]

yes I hope POR is not blacked out (( deciding if I should book POR or CBR -- since we are a family of 5 these are our only options...... im guessing both will probably be blacked out -- which I understand completely but then sometimes as a family of 5 I feel like we are being punished LOL good luck to everyone waiting!

 

[monica9]

I truly can't see CBR being blacked out since it's such a big resort and they only black out when they have hit capacity and don't need to give a promotion.

 

[lazer]

yes I hope POR is not blacked out (( deciding if I should book POR or CBR -- since we are a family of 5 these are our only options...... im guessing both will probably be blacked out -- which I understand completely but then sometimes as a family of 5 I feel like we are being punished LOL good luck to everyone waiting!

Totally the same for us. POR was ok last time we were there, bad bus situations and super crowded dining hall and boats (Free Dining in September 2013). So, we might try CBR just to switch it up. But, we're just happy to be at Disney! I can't see both being excluded, POR was included in the latest summer offer (maybe a good sign, maybe not a sign at all )

 

[laurafaith]

I hope so!!! fingers crossed we loved POR but to be fair have never stayed at CBR...but I have heard bad things about it -- AND its like $25 more per night -- so in a perfect world POR would be included.......again fingers crossed for me and everyone!!

 

[elle325]

Our family has stayed at CBR and POR and we like both! We loved the dining hall at POR but liked the updates last year at CBR. We will most likely stay at CBR this year. We enjoy Shutters and the hammocks on the beach Good luck to everyone!

 

[Honeybee83]

yes I hope POR is not blacked out (( deciding if I should book POR or CBR -- since we are a family of 5 these are our only options...... im guessing both will probably be blacked out -- which I understand completely but then sometimes as a family of 5 I feel like we are being punished LOL good luck to everyone waiting!

If your kids are younger and you have one that is under age 5 you could bring a regalo kid cot with you. We're doing that for DD who will be 3 1/2 when we go. Even though she is a tornado in bed, this thing keeps her in it.

 

[Honeybee83]

Totally the same for us. POR was ok last time we were there, bad bus situations and super crowded dining hall and boats (Free Dining in September 2013). So, we might try CBR just to switch it up. But, we're just happy to be at Disney! I can't see both being excluded, POR was included in the latest summer offer (maybe a good sign, maybe not a sign at all )

Do yall try to get there for rope drop, or was it just always crowded? We are late sleepers who will just stay in the parks late.

 

[deakam]

I know normally you have to buy a 2 day ticket with your room stay. But I just read on another forum -

"Just to let you know that today I was able to get a ticketless package. I booked a room-only discount for CSR (July 2015) and asked to add the regular dining plan without purchasing any ticket since I already had them from air miles (point program in Canada and from UT). That means that if you find cheap tickets elsewhere than WDW you can still have the dining plan. The only thing is that you need to call to get a ticketless package (it's not available online)."

Has anyone here been able to do this? I have my dates set for September/October with purchased tickets (linked in MDE) from Undercover Tourist (8 day hopper). It would be great to be able to add free dining if this is true!

With the free dining in the past you are required to book at least a 2 day ticket package. Anyone can book a room and then add the dining plan without tickets. You do not need to enter a park to use a dining credit. Annual pass holders can buy a dining plan. You can not get a free dining promo with a room only reservation.

 

[deakam]

From what I'm seeing, it looks like there is nothing to eat in Hollywood studios but cupcakes! Lol.

not true--but almost

Epcot Via Napoli---prosciutto e melone pizza and gelato frizzante
Animal Kingdom----Flame Tree----BBQ pork sandwich with coleslaw
Hollywood Studios---2 things that I find hard to resist---50's Prime time fried chicken and Mama Melrose's Fresh Mozzarella and tomatoes
Magic Kingdom----Lefou's Brew

 

[lazer]

Do yall try to get there for rope drop, or was it just always crowded? We are late sleepers who will just stay in the parks late.

Never rope drop at the parks. More like strolling up a little after the parks open The parks didn't feel too crazy, mainly just POR felt packed.

 

[CalSea12]

I am also really excited! Am very much wondering if the end of October will have fd. .. last year it started on the 26th I believe... any ideas of when they might start end of October fd this year, if you had to make an educated guess?

 

[Honeybee83]

Never rope drop at the parks. More like strolling up a little after the parks open The parks didn't feel too crazy, mainly just POR felt packed.

This will be our first time to try a moderate and we really had our hearts set on POR. Was it such a miserable experience you'd say it's not worth the upgrade?

 

[Honeybee83]

I am also really excited! Am very much wondering if the end of October will have fd. .. last year it started on the 26th I believe... any ideas of when they might start end of October fd this year, if you had to make an educated guess?

I'm watching for Oct too. Another poster said awhile back that FD in 2013 had more open dates. Looks like then only Oct 3-17 was blacked out. This year we're going Oct 17-26 so I hope it's closer to 2013.

these were the FD dates for 2013:
September 29 - October 2
October 18 - November 2
November 11 - 23
December 12 - 22

blackout dates would be the ones not listed for FD

 

[lazer]

This will be our first time to try a moderate and we really had our hearts set on POR. Was it such a miserable experience you'd say it's not worth the upgrade?

Nope. We will most likely be there again this November! The grounds are so pretty and my kids loved the pools (especially the slide). It's nice to have the boat option to downtown too. My
Husband didn't have any complaints, so maybe I just had a bad taste in my mouth from a few experiences (that can happen at any resort)!

 

[donp]

Just curious, with the POR discussion, was anyone there last year during September? I wonder if there was a perceptible difference in the crowd levels there with the FD not being offered. We stayed at CSR instead and it seemed like hardly anyone was there (but I know that they place was full!--Another part of the magic, I guess!)

 

[Limes96]

During peak breakfast the POR food court is packed, but other times it's not nearly as bad. I've also read somewhere else on these boards that POR is doing something different at breakfast time to alleviate the crowds. Something about an option in the River Roost Lounge I think? Maybe someone else knows. Andre of portorleans.org would know.

Hopefully POR will be in the free dining public offer for this fall, but with CBR now hosting families of 5, it's not as much of a deal breaker as it would have been in the past if it's excluded. We have a family of 5, and we are extra grateful whenever we can snag a FD deal no matter where we end up staying. It ends up being a much higher % discount per person than smaller families are able to get. . That said, we love POR the most!