Free Dining for Dummies-Me

[hrh_disney_queen]

I have never considered taking advantage of free dining. We don't eat at TS, and we share CS because we don't eat that much on vacation. Free dining always sounded good, but when we had to go from a discounted room rate at a mod or deluxe to rack rate (don't you have to pay rack rate with free dining?), it never really worked out for us. We have me, DH, DS11 and DS9.

This trip I am thinking of splitting our stay from all 7 nights at YC at a great bounceback rate, to the first three nights at PC, then the last 4 at YC. Just to save some money. If they open those three days to free dining, it seems like we might do the free dining. I am not savvy on this so ....

This is what I know (maybe wrong?) ....

You pay rack rate on your room.
You get 2 meals/day. (both CS?)
You have to buy one MYW ticket to get free dining. (only one-is it per person or just one period?)
The vouchers expire, but when? The last day of your (free dining) trip? Or do you get 14 days after?
Do you get a snack?
This is considered a package, so the cancellation period is 45 days before arrival?

If we were staying at PC for free dining arriving on August 23, departing on the 26, how many days would we get vouchers for..just the number of nights?(3)

I know I sound like a dummy, I AM concerning this. We have always gotten good discounts on Moderate or Deluxe, so free dining was never a good deal for us. But spending a few more dollars for rack rate on a Value to get free dining sounds like a good idea.

Thanks for this info, and anything else you think I might need to know.

 

[disneyfanUSA]

For free dinning you get 1 counter service meal 1 table service meal and one snack per person per day. (tip is not included for TS also no appetizer's you get an Entree beverage and dessert.) You get credits for every night you stay. You could use all your credits in one day or you can use them through out. your whole trip. The fancier TS meals such as Cinderella's Royal Table are worth 2credits.

Also, you can only use one code so you have to pay rack rate. I think FDP is better deal the a 40% of Pin code. Everyone in your party has to have a MYW ticket. You can use your credits on your departure day if you have a late flight or something but after that you loose them.

Hope this helps

 

[squirrel]

It goes by night. You have to pay rack rate on the room and have a min. night stay-I believe it is 3 nights. You also have to purchase a 1 day ticket per person.

Each person will get 1TS, 1CS and 1Snack Credit per night. That is how it has been for the last few years. I don't think that they will be offering the QS DP.

Children (3-9) must order off the child's menu where available. Credits expire at midnight on the day of check out.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Do they expire the last day of your free dining trip? I am asking this because we will have free dining on one reservation for the first three nights, then we go to YC for the rest of our trip. I was wondering if we could use them during the remainder of our trip, (when we are at YC) I am thinking they expire at midnight the last night?

Can you exchange the TS for extra CS credits? I am making this way too complicated..

Does the TS include DTD restaurants, like Rainforest or T Rex? That would be OK, we always go there..we usually don't do other TS, but I suppose we could start!

thanks for the info!

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

It goes by night. You have to pay rack rate on the room and have a min. night stay-I believe it is 3 nights. You also have to purchase a 1 day ticket per person.

Each person will get 1TS, 1CS and 1Snack Credit per night. That is how it has been for the last few years. I don't think that they will be offering the QS DP.

Children (3-9) must order off the child's menu where available. Credits expire at midnight on the day of check out.

Question answered! Thanks!

 

[disneyfanUSA]

Can you exchange the TS for extra CS credits? I am making this way too complicated..

No, I don't think you can do this.

Does the TS include DTD restaurants, like Rain Forest or T Rex? That would be OK, we always go there..we usually don't do other TS, but I suppose we could start!

thanks for the info!

No Rain forest and T Rex are not included. But other restaurants at DTd are. The restaurants at Disney are very good and i would recommend trying them! Here's a link to particapting restaurants:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...09 Disney Dining Plan - Walt Disney World.pdf

p.s you can get more then just popcorn and chips for your snack.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

No, I don't think you can do this.



No Rain forest and T Rex are not included. But other restaurants at DTd are. The restaurants at Disney are very good and i would recommend trying them! Here's a link to particapting restaurants:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...09 Disney Dining Plan - Walt Disney World.pdf

p.s you can get more then just popcorn and chips for your snack.

OOh, I just thought of another question. Can the CS be used for breakfast at the resort?


Mickey Bars?????

Thanks for the link!

ETA: another question..is there a special menu for TS that you are only allowed to chose from..is it pretty generous, or just a few choices?

 

[disneyfanUSA]

OOh, I just thought of another question. Can the CS be used for breakfast at the resort?


Mickey Bars?????

Thanks for the link!

ETA: another question..is there a special menu for TS that you are only allowed to chose from..is it pretty generous, or just a few choices?

You can get anything on the regular menu. There is no special menu. You can use it on Mickey bars and Breakfast. You can also go to a TS for breakfast.

Here is a link where you can look at menus http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm

 

[TDC Nala]

You pay rack rate on your room.

This is correct.

You get 2 meals/day. (both CS?)

You get 1 TS meal, 1 CS meal and one snack per NIGHT of your stay. Not per day. This is an important distinction, because most guests stay more days than they do nights.

You have to buy one MYW ticket to get free dining. (only one-is it per person or just one period?)

Each person listed on the reservation over the age of 2 must purchase at least a one-day base theme park ticket. You can purchase as long a ticket as you want, but you must purchase some sort of ticket. Everyone on the reservation has to purchase the same type and length of ticket.

The vouchers expire, but when? The last day of your (free dining) trip? Or do you get 14 days after?

You don't get vouchers or tickets for meals. You get meal credits that are tied to your room key card. Everyone's credits will be accessible from all the room key cards on your reservation. You receive all your party's dining credits for the entire trip when you check in and you have until midnight of your check-out day to use them.

Do you get a snack?

You are allocated one snack credit per person per night of your stay.

This is considered a package, so the cancellation period is 45 days before arrival?

Yes, it is a package reservation, so penalties are in effect for cancellation less than 45 days from arrival.

If we were staying at PC for free dining arriving on August 23, departing on the 26, how many days would we get vouchers for..just the number of nights?(3)

You would not receive any vouchers. Your key cards would be encoded with your meal credits. 8/23 to 8/26 is a 3 night stay, so you would receive 3 TS, 3 CS and 3 snack credits per person.

See this thread for information on the dining plans, plus an FAQ.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2054845

 

[catne]

another thing to consider with Free Dining on a split stay--those dining credits expire at midnight on the day you check out of the Free Dining hotel, so they would be gone at midnight of the 26th in your example (you could not use any leftover free dining credits during your stay at the 2nd half of your stay.)