Free dining gone?

[kdisser]

The FD offers for 2016 started late April and lasted til June (I think) to book, so if you were searching for FD that's why you did not see any offered.

 

[sharonabe]

we have already booked a deluxe dining pkg for dec 2017 but just wondered if any special deals around then... dec 4-10 2017

Well, your check-in date is the one that matters for free dining. Dec 4 was NOT in a free dining this year. It's also not one for the current bounceback offer. So, your chances of it being included in 2017 are going down. But you never know. Sometime in Feb or Mar, there will be a look out thread started. I'd keep up with that once it starts. That will be the first place here on the DIS to report rumored dates and when it will be available to book.

 

[cwt580]

think ill watch for resort discounts instead... maybe a better chance of that down the road..... just trying to save a lil money as everyone does.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

1) Your date preferences are different than WDW's needs.
2) Either change your dates, change her job, or change your plan of Free Dining.
3) Lots of teachers come to WDW, so they don't need to offer inducements on Teacher-available dates.
4) Basically . . . Why offer discounts if you don't have to?

Yeah, all of those are pretty obvious. I'll take under serious consideration the "change her job" recommendation.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I'll take under serious consideration the "change her job" recommendation.

Well, we all need to set our priorities.

 

[CinderALLIE]

Is it harder to get ressies with free dining or seeing as limited it won't be an issue?
I am planning to go next year mid September to start October but I stay with friends so won't have the 180+10 days window hotel guests receive. I just want to make sure I can still get ressies booking at 180 days.

Thanks

 

[goofy4prez]

been awhile since last trip... Haven't seen any free dining offers . Are they history?

One could only wish this were true.

(Or at least I wish it were true.)

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

There is free dining at moderates next year May - Sep QSDP and Deluxe DDP plus $100 gift card. This is on the UK site. Unless it is a UK only offer?

 

[KNovacovschi]

There is free dining at moderates next year May - Sep QSDP and Deluxe DDP plus $100 gift card. This is on the UK site. Unless it is a UK only offer?

It would be UK only offer.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

It would be UK only offer.

Oh sorry. Hope something floats your way.

 

[sharonabe]

Is it harder to get ressies with free dining or seeing as limited it won't be an issue?
I am planning to go next year mid September to start October but I stay with friends so won't have the 180+10 days window hotel guests receive. I just want to make sure I can still get ressies booking at 180 days.

Thanks

It can be harder to get an ADR during free dining. Just be patient and persistent, and keep checking all the way up to same day dining. People cancel and change plans all the time.

 

[GaryDis]

Is it harder to get ressies with free dining or seeing as limited it won't be an issue?
I am planning to go next year mid September to start October but I stay with friends so won't have the 180+10 days window hotel guests receive. I just want to make sure I can still get ressies booking at 180 days.

Thanks

Last year, the general US fall free dining dates weren't announced until the end of April. This means that people booking free dining for September were already well after the 180 day mark. We had no problem with our ADRs. If they follow a similar schedule, free dining should have limited impact on the 180 day Mark for September. Of course, some things will be difficult, regardless (such as PPO ADRs).

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Anyone can book ADRs at 180 days whether they have a room reservation or not. So even if the free dining hasn't been released, you get some who are booking in anticipation of free dining. Some of them may cancel their ADRs if it turns out a free dining offer doesn't fit the dates they were anticipating - it's worth a look at the time the dates come out.

 

[CinderALLIE]

Thanks guys, I decided to postpone trip til October anyway. If this year is any indication then I will be good...also airfare will be about $600 cheaper (not aussie school holidays) so...

 

[AngiTN]

I tried to book the free dining package that was offered earlier this year and couldn't find dates that would work, although it was towards the end of the booking period. Only availability I could find was in September and that doesn't work for us because my wife works for the local school system. Couldn't find anything in October/November at the resort we wanted. Don't know if that is normal or not.

Basically all of Oct and a good part of Nov was excluded from free dining anyway

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As I understand it FD is offered at times when a boost in guests in general is needed. If guests are flocking during certain times of the year the incentive is less.

It used to be September-October were the "golden months" but obviously not anymore and with Disney adding more days to MNSSHP it only adds to this. I'm not surprised at all that there is more limitations being placed on FD.

As for the foreign offers it makes sense, even if the offers are less appealing than before, considering the exchange rates for Canada and UK.

It will be interesting to see how it all plays out over this year and next year considering how the summer went.