Free Dining impact on crowds

[ReadingMama]

Just wondering. Is this the first year WDW had offerred Free Dining? I read in another thread, someone who pushed their vacation back to get Free Dining.

We go in two weeks and wondering if the parks will be more crowded than normal. I expect the restuarants to be.

But, we've never been before so I will also not have a comparison.

 

[Bob P]

No, free dining was offred last year at the same time period. Crowds were not bad at all. You're right though, the restaurants will be crowded so make sure you have all your ADRs made!

 

[bluejasmine]

I got the free dining last yr at this time and I got it this yr. The crowds werent bad at all I do remember thinking they were a little more than I remembered them being in 2003 but nothing compared to going in the peak times. The TS places were defanitely more crowded..

 

[DisneyFans4]

I've been reading about this free dining. How does this work? I don't have free dining but is that because I booked everything separate? Is this something that is offered when booking a package or if you book with Disney? How is it that you can eat for free??????

 

[zurgswife]

I've been reading about this free dining. How does this work? I don't have free dining but is that because I booked everything separate? Is this something that is offered when booking a package or if you book with Disney? How is it that you can eat for free??????

Sometime in April that offered a package from Aug 13 to Sept 30 that was room, MYW ticket and Free Dining (one snack, one counter service, one table service per person per day).

They offered it last year and it was successful so it looks like it will be again this year. You could book it yourself through the WDTC...but it was a package.

 

[DisneyFans4]

Zurgswife-Thanks so much for the info. Can you stay at any Disney hotel? To be able to eat free? There must be some sort of catch right?

 

[disney09]

Zurgswife-Thanks so much for the info. Can you stay at any Disney hotel? To be able to eat free? There must be some sort of catch right?

No catch. As previously posted, you needed to book before June 25th, and you had to paid in full a month or so after. There was a limited number of rooms for each of the resorts offered, and with all this Fantasia Pool issue, I believe they are all gone, gone...

Thanks to free dining, I'll be staying on site!!

 

[DisneyFans4]

I had booked everything separately to take advantage of different discounts so I probably would not have qualified as I didn't hear of it. Sounds like a very good deal though. The hotel is the only part of my trip that hasn't been paid for yet but I am a Starwood member so I'M staying at the Swan which probably wasn't included as one of the resorts you could stay at anyway. I did so well with discounts on this trip that I wonder what the package with the free dining came to in comparison to me.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

I believe the Swan was included with the Free DDD package. It's a crazy deal. I don't know how much you paid for yours, but I have killed one calculator just to see what I will be getting myself into. I was so curious to see what if I wasn't lucky enough to book this package before it sold out...how much the whole thing is going to cost me? Right now we have 6 nights/6-days MYW w/all add-on's and Dining plan @ value resorts . For our family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens) =$1910.00+/- Not bad right! The alternative scenerio will cost us close to $3000+ . Last check, CSR(moderate) charges more than AKL(deluxe)
Thank you for listening. Just want to share my point

 

[DisneyFans4]

This could be where the difference comes in for me because I'M staying 13 days/12 nights in a suite at the Swan for less than your total package, however, I do have to buy my park tickets. Does your price include your airfare?

 

[naz022292]

We are going during free dining (11 more days to go!!!!) We paid $1811 for 7 days at pop, park hopper 7 day tickets, free dining, Magical Express transportation, & AIRFARE for me, my husband, and my 14 year old son. Last year we drove to Va. Beach - and we paid that much for our gas and hotel bill!

 

[toocooltobeMom]

But it's the SWAN!!

 

[DisneyFans4]

With the free dining can you eat at whatever restaurant you wish or are you limited to certain ones?


3 more days to go!!!!!

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

You can't get the dining plan ,free or not, if you stay at the Swan or Dolphin. They are not Disney owned hotels.

 

[mumeof3]

I had booked everything separately to take advantage of different discounts so I probably would not have qualified as I didn't hear of it. I did so well with discounts on this trip that I wonder what the package with the free dining came to in comparison to me.

We were suppose to stay at my timeshare with another family and after he fell upon the deal they backed out of staying with us{3 bedroom timeshare}it was worth it with the food deal,so after we researched we too booked the package because with staying off property we would need a car rental,food,tickets,gas .and with us staying in the package we dont need a car,food is included well we may spend a little money on some food,tickets included and we get to stay onsite which we never did.......we paid 2500 for a family of 5 staying at POR 7 nights /8 days cant beat that

 

[FINFAN]

Correct, S/D do not qualify...and the "catch" is paying rack rate...but still an awesome deal! We had the Dolphin booked at 129 per night, and after months of trying to make up our minds and crunching numbers, we switched to the DDP. It is saving us about $400 and we are staying at the Polynesian for the first time! While we ended up spending a small fortune overall...this will be our first deluxe/deluxe trip...meaning we do not have to scrimo on the food to afford the room! We have always minimized the food budget to stay at a resort we like, and this time we can eat at places we have always wanted to try! WOO-HOO! Leaving a week from tomorrow!


Pam

 

[faindrops27]

Im so happy for all of you!! Have wonderful trips!

 

[European]

Last year I went towards the end of September, the beginning of October and found the crowds to be larger than the years before, when I went the first 2-3 weeks of September. I don't know if this has to do anything with the free dining?

 

[DisneyFans4]

My DH goes back to Disney every October for a convention and last year when he went he said it was more crowded than when we vacationed in August.

 

[ReneeA]

We typically go during "peak" times, but last year took advantage of the free dining promo. Crowds were much less than we were used to, and our longest wait was about 20 minutes. The only night we noticed a big crowd was during a EMH evening, and it was CRAZY so we left to go back to the resort and pool.

We loved it - ate like kings, liked the lower crowd levels, but almost melted in the heat. Of course, the pros outweighed the cons so we are doing it again in 3 weeks.