Free dining for October - experts please sound off!

[mommyof2boys1girl]

I am having a Dining Plan Dilemma.
Family of 5, dh, myself and 3 kids 9,7 and 6. First ever trip to WDW, staying from Oct 2 to 10th. We were planning on booking 'room only' at AoA to save a few bucks and not bother with DDP. However, it has been noticed by my spouse that free dining was released from mid august to mid Sept. I checked mousesavers historical free dining info, and for the past 2 years Disney has extended this offer into October (over our trip dates), but not until mid August has the offer come out.

So here's my dilemma. Do I wait and not book our room at the AoA until August, when hopefully FD will be offerred, or do I go ahead now to ensure I get a room and book 'room only' and forget FD? What chances are there that AoA may not have any availability if I book only 2 months ahead?? Or should I just book a MYW package and forget the savings from 'room only' just in case??

Help!!

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're going anyway, and you're going to stay there anyway, you might as well book it. If you book room only and you want to switch to free dining, that will be a cancel and rebook. You may not get the resort you want with free dining; it may turn out not to be available. But if you book it as a package, you have to switch it out to a room only more than 45 days from arrival to avoid change/cancellation fees. So if you don't mind the idea that you might have to switch resorts, go ahead and book it, up to you if you want to do a package or room only. If you won't switch resorts even for free dining, then you might as well book it as room only.

 

[mommyof3princess27]

I am having a Dining Plan Dilemma.
Family of 5, dh, myself and 3 kids 9,7 and 6. First ever trip to WDW, staying from Oct 2 to 10th. We were planning on booking 'room only' at AoA to save a few bucks and not bother with DDP. However, it has been noticed by my spouse that free dining was released from mid august to mid Sept. I checked mousesavers historical free dining info, and for the past 2 years Disney has extended this offer into October (over our trip dates), but not until mid August has the offer come out.

So here's my dilemma. Do I wait and not book our room at the AoA until August, when hopefully FD will be offerred, or do I go ahead now to ensure I get a room and book 'room only' and forget FD? What chances are there that AoA may not have any availability if I book only 2 months ahead?? Or should I just book a MYW package and forget the savings from 'room only' just in case??

Help!!

did you call and ask about it? SOme ppl are having luck asking about the FDing and booking on the spot now even though its not a general discount yet

But if you book room only, they still have to change your ressie to a package.

 

[smitch425]

I am having a Dining Plan Dilemma.
Family of 5, dh, myself and 3 kids 9,7 and 6. First ever trip to WDW, staying from Oct 2 to 10th. We were planning on booking 'room only' at AoA to save a few bucks and not bother with DDP. However, it has been noticed by my spouse that free dining was released from mid august to mid Sept. I checked mousesavers historical free dining info, and for the past 2 years Disney has extended this offer into October (over our trip dates), but not until mid August has the offer come out.

So here's my dilemma. Do I wait and not book our room at the AoA until August, when hopefully FD will be offerred, or do I go ahead now to ensure I get a room and book 'room only' and forget FD? What chances are there that AoA may not have any availability if I book only 2 months ahead?? Or should I just book a MYW package and forget the savings from 'room only' just in case??

Help!!

Just wanted to give you more info on the PIN code that is out now. The wording on the PIN was "get a first look at a tasty fall offer" and it included your check-in date. I fully expect this offer to go public. AoA has been included in this offer. I would book a package now and then when the offer goes public, just call Disney to see if they can apply it to your stay. Who knows, maybe you have the PIN on your account already. Good luck!