free dining history?

[momshark]

Is there a place to check out the past dates of free dining. What type of a plan was this a benefit to? What if I already had MYW with dining and then the free dining dates came out, would I still get it? I would like to go Oct 5-8 and FD would be a really sweet treat. Thanks!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

They only do free dining when they want to fill up the vacant rooms. Like during prime hurricane season and school's back in session - Late Aug and Sept. October is big Disney time with the golf tournament, Race for the Taste, Mickey's Halloween parties and Food & Wine Festival.

 

[momshark]

Thanks!!

 

[bgirl29]

I have not personally used the dining plan but from reading these boards it seems like free dining was thru Sept. so if you arrived at the end of Sept. you could still have free dining into Oct. as long as you started your vacation in Sept. Hope that makes sense.

 

[rstamm]

Is there a place to check out the past dates of free dining. What type of a plan was this a benefit to? What if I already had MYW with dining and then the free dining dates came out, would I still get it? I would like to go Oct 5-8 and FD would be a really sweet treat. Thanks!!

Free Dinning was offered for this August 5-Sept. 29 for people staying on Disney property in November through December.
We booked a early August trip and a late September trip when we were there over Christmas week.
It is not known if that was your only chance to get it or if they will offer it again to everyone.
Last year I think it was around the second week of August through Sept. we went in August last year and loved it!

 

[laceemouse]

For the past two years Disney has offered free dining. They announced it in the spring (March or April) and you had a limited time to call and book. Travel had to be in August/September. The answer to your question is YES, if you have already booked a trip and then they announce that there will be free dining during your trip you can call and re-book (you have to re-book, they won't just automatically give it to you!) Many of us are hoping for free dining again next fall. So far they have offered it to UK visitors and also to people who were at WDW in December and went ahead and booked a fall trip (the "bounce back" plan.) Go to the restaurant board for more details. HTH!

 

[MichelleVW]

Free Dinning was offered for this August 5-Sept. 29 for people staying on Disney property in November through December.
We booked a early August trip and a late September trip when we were there over Christmas week.
It is not known if that was your only chance to get it or if they will offer it again to everyone.
Last year I think it was around the second week of August through Sept. we went in August last year and loved it!

Thank you...I KNEW it, but I was talking to someone who went in Sept and had the DDP, I said, "oh yeah, they had free dining in Sept" and he told me that it was not free and he paid for it....so I figured he didn't know much about Disney, so I just shut up and didn't argue with him.

 

[TravelMom]

Does anyone know if you qualify even if you are staying at Shades of Green (if they do offer the free dining this fall)? We will be there in September.

Thanks!

 

[laceemouse]

Does anyone know if you qualify even if you are staying at Shades of Green (if they do offer the free dining this fall)? We will be there in September.

Thanks!

Sorry, SOG does not participate in the dining plan and therefore no free dining. They do have some specials of their own though.

 

[northie]

Thank you...I KNEW it, but I was talking to someone who went in Sept and had the DDP, I said, "oh yeah, they had free dining in Sept" and he told me that it was not free and he paid for it....so I figured he didn't know much about Disney, so I just shut up and didn't argue with him.

If he booked before free dining was offered he could very well have paid for it. You don't automatically get it free if it is offered after you have already booked. You have to cancel the first reservation and rebook to get the dining package free. Why would Disney tell you about something that is going to cost them $$$ if you are willing to pay for it?

We went once when there was free dining offered but we had our trip booked for three months before they offered it and I was too dumb to know I could have rebooked and gotten it free, so we paid out of pocket for all meals on that trip. I know NOW!

Sara

 

[lucincia]

If I have booked the package for 9/29/2007 through AAA and the free dining comes out, do I call AAA to see if I can change it or can I call Disney's CRO?

 

[northie]

If I have booked the package for 9/29/2007 through AAA and the free dining comes out, do I call AAA to see if I can change it or can I call Disney's CRO?

Lucinda, you will have to call AAA...the reservation is in their name rather than yours, so they'll take care of it for you.

Sara

 

[MichelleVW]

If he booked before free dining was offered he could very well have paid for it. You don't automatically get it free if it is offered after you have already booked. You have to cancel the first reservation and rebook to get the dining package free. Why would Disney tell you about something that is going to cost them $$$ if you are willing to pay for it?

We went once when there was free dining offered but we had our trip booked for three months before they offered it and I was too dumb to know I could have rebooked and gotten it free, so we paid out of pocket for all meals on that trip. I know NOW!

Sara

I'm sure he paid for it if he didn't know about it....but I was pretty sure that it was offered during that time and he missed out on it!! That's what you get for not researching!!

 

[northie]

I'm sure he paid for it if he didn't know about it....but I was pretty sure that it was offered during that time and he missed out on it!! That's what you get for not researching!!

Yep. I missed out once too. I did research but not in the right place apparently. Didn't know about the DIS for that trip. I does now

Sara

 

[tamman]

We were there during Thanksgiving and we were not offered or even told about the "bounce back free" offer. We have an August trip planned so I certainly would have booked it in November. It is probably too late to call and complain, but it really ticks me off!!!

 

[rstamm]

We were there during Thanksgiving and we were not offered or even told about the "bounce back free" offer. We have an August trip planned so I certainly would have booked it in November. It is probably too late to call and complain, but it really ticks me off!!!

It was not well promoted at all.
There was a tri-fold card saying call and save on your next vacation, I didn't even notice it and I was looking for it, also on your receipt at the food court it said the same thing.
If not for the Disboard I would have never noticed it or new it meant free dining.
We went Christmas week so we had plenty of time to plan our dates, and I changed a week of vaction from this year to next so we could go August and September.
The Disboards is the only way to find out whats really going on and as soon as it happens we know!

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Check out mousesavers:

http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html#rack

 

[northie]

We were there during Thanksgiving and we were not offered or even told about the "bounce back free" offer. We have an August trip planned so I certainly would have booked it in November. It is probably too late to call and complain, but it really ticks me off!!!

Not sure what you mean by "bounce back free" but there was a Future Stay Pilot Program from November 8-Dec. 31. It wasn't free, but it did offer free dining. I knew it because of this board and reading WDW Info and All Ears. At French Quarter (and I assume all resorts) there was a table card on the table in the room that told about the program and which resorts had desks, and had a number to call if you didn't want to travel to another resort to book, and you had to book before you checked out. It didn't start until November 8, were you there then?

Sara

 

[tamman]

Boy, I thought I was somewhat on top of things by going on these boards. But I have to admit that November was a crazy month for me (conferences, report cards, etc) and I didn't have much freetime to check out the boards as much as I do. I think I have learned my lesson

I didn't notice the card on the table in the room and I honestly have to say that I didn't see it on my food receipt either, but then again the only thing I looked at on my receipt was to check to see if they had my food credits right.
I feel as if I went to Disney with my eyes closed this past November

Oh well...I guess at this point I can only hope that they offer it to the public.

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

It was not well promoted at all.
There was a tri-fold card saying call and save on your next vacation, I didn't even notice it and I was looking for it, also on your receipt at the food court it said the same thing.
If not for the Disboard I would have never noticed it or new it meant free dining.
We went Christmas week so we had plenty of time to plan our dates, and I changed a week of vaction from this year to next so we could go August and September.
The Disboards is the only way to find out whats really going on and as soon as it happens we know!

See, we saw stuff, it seemed like everywhere! It was advertised on the rooms in the TV, it was in our welcome packet, there was a sign on our table (we stayed POFQ), there was stuff in our lobby...

Maybe because we were there towards the end of the promotion (12/29 - 1/3) we got bombarded, but I have to admit I had no idea how anyone would not be able to see it while they were there.