Free Dining Oct-Dec Is Here!!! (And a whole lot more) ~ Part 3

[HeyIt'sMe]

Has anyone heard any info regarding the re-opening of the California Grill?? It's someplace I've always wanted to go, but have never been able to. Now that I'm going in October with free dining I thought I would have a chance to get in. The last I've heard is that they were supposed to reopen August 31st, but they are still not taking reservations (online or over the phone). Has anybody heard anything?? Seems like this remodel is taking forever!!

I'm wondering about this too. We've never eat at California Grill but love to try it during our trip in October.

 

[mickeymomof3girls]

OMG! I am so excited! I e mail Disney several days ago telling them how disappointed I am that my reservation which I've had since February does not qualify for free dining or a resort discount. I am staying at BLT in a one bedroom theme park view. The phone rang this morning and the caller ID said Disney's Art Animation. So I answered and it was a man named Corbit telling me they received my e mail and they were giving me free dining! WOO HOO! So glad I e mailed them. Made my day Oh and this is a $1240 savings for me!

Would you be kind enough to let me know what email address you used? We have handout reservation set up for over a year and had to switch out of POR to POP because it was sold out of FD.. Can't hurt to try... Thanks!!

 

[Tommyboy2529]

Looks like there's a free dining bounceback that will run from August 20 thru September 29, 2014.

That sounds good, I hope they have one when I go in December, would like to try late September next year. So far we have 9 of us and another family of 6 that want to go. Will need all of the discounts we can get since there will be 9 kids.

 

[Kat016]

I just realized that I can do online checkin in 2 weeks!! Yay....it's getting closer

 

[black562]

That sounds good, I hope they have one when I go in December, would like to try late September next year. So far we have 9 of us and another family of 6 that want to go. Will need all of the discounts we can get since there will be 9 kids.

From what I've seen so far, the Free Dining bounceback has booking dates between August 1 and November 15, 2013....for stays between August 20 and September 29, 2014.

I'm sure they'll be one in December, but I would guess it would be a room discount.

 

[KathieSmallwood]

Would you be kind enough to let me know what email address you used? We have handout reservation set up for over a year and had to switch out of POR to POP because it was sold out of FD.. Can't hurt to try... Thanks!!

I went to the disney site. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/help/phone/ then you can click on chat email or call. So I clicked on email and go from there.

 

[Tommyboy2529]

From what I've seen so far, the Free Dining bounceback has booking dates between August 1 and November 15, 2013....for stays between August 20 and September 29, 2014.

I'm sure they'll be one in December, but I would guess it would be a room discount.

Well the room discount is good, might save a lot with that since we will need maybe the cabins, and if fd is out next sept, then can change everything.
Thanks for the info.

 

[acceber32]

Corbit called me last night. FD at POR for Nov. 11-19th for 10 people. This after an email to Disney when we didn't get free dining and had to split up to different resorts.

Who are you all emailing? And is there something special going on I'm missing?! We've been trying to get POR but haven't been able to get it.

 

[TDDisney]

I emailed Disney bc I couldn't get my travelocity tix to link. I received a response saying there is no need to link them unless I am invited to try magicband.
1. When is magicband supposed to be rolling out? (Our dates are Oct. 5-12.)
2. Won't I miss out on the opportunity for FASTPASS+? I thought you didn't have to have magicband for that.
3. Is there anything I am not thinking about....is there any other reason I would want those tickets linked?
4. Anybody ever use travelocity tix before??? If so, did all go smoothly, or did you have any issues redeeming them at will call?

 

[acceber32]

I went to the disney site. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/help/phone/ then you can click on chat email or call. So I clicked on email and go from there.

Thanks!! I'm going to see what I can get. Doesn't hurt to try but I'm worried us having a TA might cause a problem. We'll see.

 

[she who must read]

Thanks!! I'm going to see what I can get. Doesn't hurt to try but I'm worried us having a TA might cause a problem. We'll see.

I tried an email, too, to the same address. When I heard back, he said basically, sorry but no FD for you and your group.

I did use this same email address - I emailed a bit ago.

Good luck!

 

[KathieSmallwood]

I tried an email, too, to the same address. When I heard back, he said basically, sorry but no FD for you and your group.

I did use this same email address - I emailed a bit ago.

Good luck!

I also originally got an e mail back saying no discounts for my room type. So I replied and asked them to reconsider and hoped for some magic and to my surprise, I got free dining.

 

[acceber32]

While I'm impressed with the speed of the response it was a no. This is what the email said.

"All promotional offers are based on first-come, first-served." This was in response to me stating our TA called early the first day but we still didn't get POR as we had previously booked and had to switch resorts.

Plus that they couldn't do any changes to a reservation booked with a TA.

Oh well, it was worth a try.

 

[TDDisney]

While I'm impressed with the speed of the response it was a no. This is what the email said.

"All promotional offers are based on first-come, first-served." This was in response to me stating our TA called early the first day but we still didn't get POR as we had previously booked and had to switch resorts.

Plus that they couldn't do any changes to a reservation booked with a TA.

Oh well, it was worth a try.

I find it interesting (and a bit frustrating) how different people get different results. I'd love to know what makes the difference...is it the CM that you happen to get? ....or, do they see how many ADRs you have? ....For example, if they see our ADRs of CRT, Ohana, Le Cellier, Garden Grill...do they think, "Heck, we aint giving this chick free dining!"...Then, do they see no ADRs or few ADRs for other people and give them free dining, thinking they might not get into those big ADR spots? Just curious...I'd love to know how it goes down on their end.

 

[KathieSmallwood]

I find it interesting (and a bit frustrating) how different people get different results. I'd love to know what makes the difference...is it the CM that you happen to get? ....or, do they see how many ADRs you have? ....For example, if they see our ADRs of CRT, Ohana, Le Cellier, Garden Grill...do they think, "Heck, we aint giving this chick free dining!"...Then, do they see no ADRs or few ADRs for other people and give them free dining, thinking they might not get into those big ADR spots? Just curious...I'd love to know how it goes down on their end.

I don't think that's it because I have 18 ADR's. I emailed them and told them the room type I purchased and all the add on's and said I was disappointed I didn't get some kind of a discount.

 

[TDDisney]

I don't think that's it because I have 18 ADR's. I emailed them and told them the room type I purchased and all the add on's and said I was disappointed I didn't get some kind of a discount.

Thanks for sharing....certainly can't be the ADR idea then...lol!
I received an email back again about linking the tickets. He told me to call the help desk...and I referenced in my email that I did that last night, and they told me to call Travelocity (who told me to call Disney bc it's Disney's website).
I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like fewer Disney people know what's going on. In the past, I would call and got (correct) answers right away. Things seem different this year. Maybe it's just I have to many questions this year?

 

[she who must read]

I also originally got an e mail back saying no discounts for my room type. So I replied and asked them to reconsider and hoped for some magic and to my surprise, I got free dining.

I responded, too - back and forth 2X - nothing.

At least this has worked for some! Cannot hurt to try...

 

[jska482]

A couple planning questions:

Can you buy park hoppers for just 1 day?
How long does it take to get to Orlando MCO via magic express 1st thing in the AM? We are considering that to save a little $ on a rental car for the end if our trip.

 

[black562]

A couple planning questions:

Can you buy park hoppers for just 1 day?
How long does it take to get to Orlando MCO via magic express 1st thing in the AM? We are considering that to save a little $ on a rental car for the end if our trip.

You can buy hoppers for one day, but it's expensive. You basically pay the same for the hopper add-on no matter how many days. So one day would be quite the expense. It's around $59 dollars for the add-on.

 

[jska482]

You can buy hoppers for one day, but it's expensive. You basically pay the same for the hopper add-on no matter how many days. So one day would be quite the expense. It's around $59 dollars for the add-on.

I assume you mean per person? We have 4 going...2 adults 2 kids