free dining in November?

[Jennybump]

How common is this? Right now we are planning to stay at the Embassy Suites offsite, but the group we are going with says there are usually no only 20% discounts on value resorts but also often free dining as well. Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this? If we got a discount and free dining we would come out way ahead of the off-prop hotel, plus we'd have the free parking and EMH!

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

How common is this? Right now we are planning to stay at the Embassy Suites offsite, but the group we are going with says there are usually no only 20% discounts on value resorts but also often free dining as well. Can anyone speak to the accuracy of this? If we got a discount and free dining we would come out way ahead of the off-prop hotel, plus we'd have the free parking and EMH!

I don't think they do FD in November, but you can only use one discount. Either RO or FD not both

 

[Missytara]

Free dining was offered the last two years in November with the exception of Thanksgiving.

However, all indications are that Disney will be scaling back FD with the exception of the August/September time frame, which has historically been for several years.

They have been dipping their toes in the water with Stay/Play/Dine, where adults pay kids prices. But it is only offered to values and moderates, and it is only the QSDP. You would have to pay the difference to upgrade to the DDP.

You would have to run the numbers to see if it works for you or not.

I would suggest going up to the top of this board to the discount codes and rates board; they post information as it becomes available regarding discounts, including free dining.

 

[DizDaD7]

We did free dining in 2010 & 2011. We had to get creative though. Both times our arrival date was the last day to get it. See in my Sig. I believe they had it last year as well. So at least the last three years.

There were a few blackout days, & we went just b4 & during Jersey week. HtH.

 

[Jennybump]

Oh, sorry, meant to give our dates! The plan is 11/15-24, which is I think right after Jersey and before Thanksgiving. Touringplans.com has it as a very low crowd week so I'm hopeful about perks.

I'm confused that someone said you can only use one discount, is that right? Because I could swear, and will have to double check, that a friend of mine just got back from a trip where in fact her big reason for going is that they offered her a great discounted Value room rate and free QSDP. And QS is all we would want anyway, that was more than enough food for us last time.

Thanks for the tip about the discount portion of the board, I will keep my eyes open up there! Y'all are awesome!

 

[Missytara]

Oh, sorry, meant to give our dates! The plan is 11/15-24, which is I think right after Jersey and before Thanksgiving. Touringplans.com has it as a very low crowd week so I'm hopeful about perks.

I'm confused that someone said you can only use one discount, is that right? Because I could swear, and will have to double check, that a friend of mine just got back from a trip where in fact her big reason for going is that they offered her a great discounted Value room rate and free QSDP. And QS is all we would want anyway, that was more than enough food for us last time.

Thanks for the tip about the discount portion of the board, I will keep my eyes open up there! Y'all are awesome!

Only UK people can stack discounts; not US or Canadians. It is an incentive for UK visitors, since they stay longer than most, due to the cost and time of air travel.

If you take FD, then you pay full rack rate for the room.

 

[DizDaD7]

From what I recall I don't think those dates were part of the blackout dates. Provided they do have fd I think you shall be ok.

 

[Jennybump]

Here is what my friend replied when I asked about her discounts:
"Actually, I had BOTH!!! I am an Undercover Tourist subscriber so I get all their emails. However, the only offers they had were either a hotel deal or possibly a dining deal. They stated there WERE offers that came directly from Disney but they didn't know how people were selected for them. I had tried and tried to get the lowest price possible or we wouldn't be able to go. I calculated and searched to no avail and had given up on having any vacation at all this year. About 2 days later I received an email from Disney with this deal - Value Resort at a lower cost $89/night with FREE Quick Service Dining and EVEN the free refill mugs for each of us! I was stunned and couldn't believe I was reading it right. The only catch was that it had to be in the month of February and for 4 people. I also found that you don't have to get tickets for every night you are there. Of course the more days you add to your ticket the farther down each day becomes in price. So I am proof that it DOES happen and I believe God just stuck my email address in the lot! I had signed up on the official Disney site last year.
If the dining plan had not been included, I would not have bought it, though. Even the Quick Serve Plan is expensive if bought right out and the full plan is outrageous. We always took snacks and sandwiches in the park in our back packs and empty water bottles to fill up at the fountains. My kids didn't know how to act with all the food choices and kept asking if this and that was included!!"

So I guess it IS possible to get two discounts, but it seems like they are unadvertised, lightning-strike kind of deals, not something I can count on happening for us.

 

[nkereina]

Here is what my friend replied when I asked about her discounts:
"Actually, I had BOTH!!! I am an Undercover Tourist subscriber so I get all their emails. However, the only offers they had were either a hotel deal or possibly a dining deal. They stated there WERE offers that came directly from Disney but they didn't know how people were selected for them. I had tried and tried to get the lowest price possible or we wouldn't be able to go. I calculated and searched to no avail and had given up on having any vacation at all this year. About 2 days later I received an email from Disney with this deal - Value Resort at a lower cost $89/night with FREE Quick Service Dining and EVEN the free refill mugs for each of us! I was stunned and couldn't believe I was reading it right. The only catch was that it had to be in the month of February and for 4 people. I also found that you don't have to get tickets for every night you are there. Of course the more days you add to your ticket the farther down each day becomes in price. So I am proof that it DOES happen and I believe God just stuck my email address in the lot! I had signed up on the official Disney site last year.
If the dining plan had not been included, I would not have bought it, though. Even the Quick Serve Plan is expensive if bought right out and the full plan is outrageous. We always took snacks and sandwiches in the park in our back packs and empty water bottles to fill up at the fountains. My kids didn't know how to act with all the food choices and kept asking if this and that was included!!"

So I guess it IS possible to get two discounts, but it seems like they are unadvertised, lightning-strike kind of deals, not something I can count on happening for us.

It sounds like the promotion your friend received was one promotion - discounted room with free dining. Even though it's two discounts, its one promotion. And you can only book one promotion at a time. Last trip in September, they had a 35% off room promotion running and a free dining promotion running but you could not book both. We had to calculate which one was better for us. But if both discounts are part of the same promotion, then that works.

I will be anxiously awaiting a free dining announcement as well. I'll be there 11/14-11/22. First trip in November so I am hoping for free dining and also low crowds!