Free Dining Oct-Dec Is Here!!

[DizneeMommy]

YAY! This is our 20th anniversary trip, and we've never been to see the parks decorated for Christmas. Money is TIGHT, so this would help SO much!

 

[Jrabbit910]

Thanks so much guys! I am booked with a vacation package but want to change resorts If fd becomes available. I was hoping they would just reapply it! Ty all

 

[black562]

Can anyone help me with this question...if a trip is already booked, Does disney refund the $ that's paid towards a trip or do they just reapply it to the new reservation?

I think I may have misunderstood.

If you made a new reservation, say from a room only to a package, or switching rooms or whatever...they would just apply what you've paid to that.

If you've paid for your trip in full, then they would refund the difference.

I wasn't very clear on that.

 

[Bibbidy Bobbidy Boo]

Fantastic! Did the CM advise you to get the least amount of ticket days that your whole group needs with your package? You and your son can upgrade in the park if you need more days than DH. Even though you need him on the reservation to get the credits, he doesn't need tickets days that will be wasted.

We had already planned to just get the minimum 2D passes, as we are only doing MK and Epcot together, once my hubby arrives ( they are playing golf each day). Son and I are going to Universal for 2D before hubby arrives, and will most likely upgrade just our 2D passes to a 3D to do HS also. Thank you, though!

 

[JenniD44]

Besides it being more crowded, remember to qualify for FD you are paying Rack rate for your room, plus if your flying air fares are costly near the Holidays. All considerations to take into account as whether FD will be worth switching dates.

Thanks for that. I already checked the room price. It is about $600 more for Thanksgiving week, but since we are now 5 Disney adults, FD would save about $2,000, so a net savings of $1,400. I feel better about the kids missing less school for Thanksgiving week, but I am worried about the higher crowds.

Now if RO were to come out for the 1st week in December, I think we'd keep it there. We'll just wait to see how it all plays out I guess.

 

[JenniD44]

Free dining has not been announced...I would not change my plans after hearing a rumor.

No, I'm not doing anything yet. Just investigating the possibility if the announcement is as expected.

 

[lauradis]

Anyone have actual code numbers yet?

 

[houstonmama]

HEY!!!!!! Anyone know what rooms at Bay Lake Towers qualify for free dining?? THANK YOU

Yes..the resorts included are on the first post

 

[smitch425]

Anyone have actual code numbers yet?

No, but you won't need any codes. The CM will be able to get them once the deals go live.

 

[houstonmama]

Thanks for that. I already checked the room price. It is about $600 more for Thanksgiving week, but since we are now 5 Disney adults, FD would save about $2,000, so a net savings of $1,400. I feel better about the kids missing less school for Thanksgiving week, but I am worried about the higher crowds.

Now if RO were to come out for the 1st week in December, I think we'd keep it there. We'll just wait to see how it all plays out I guess.

Looks like we're going the same dates and I'm also staying at GF, well for the first 4 days then moving to AKL. I'm hoping for RO since thats a bigger discount for us but we'll see what happens.

 

[fabulousfive]

Both the credit & debit card can be used for early booking. Just have it ready when you call. You will have to pay the down payment with that card.

Can you still get the 6 months free financing for the actual trip if you didn't use it for the down payment?

 

[Jessjeen]

The website that originally "leaked" this info says that the free dining is going to be offered to those booking from Europe and South America on August 1st. He also said that a room discount should come out on or around the same time. Lastly, he reported that typically the offer will then be extended to North America.

 

[smitch425]

The website that originally "leaked" this info says that the free dining is going to be offered to those booking from Europe and South America on August 1st. He also said that a room discount should come out on or around the same time. Lastly, he reported that typically the offer will then be extended to North America.

No worries! South America has never had their own special offers, and this is exactly how the current set of offers was leaked.

 

[Promomx2]

The website that originally "leaked" this info says that the free dining is going to be offered to those booking from Europe and South America on August 1st. He also said that a room discount should come out on or around the same time. Lastly, he reported that typically the offer will then be extended to North America.

I wonder what the room discount will be? Dh and I don't eat a lot so that maybe cheaper for us. But I'm just looking forward to anything I can get.

 

[black562]

I wonder what the room discount will be? Dh and I don't eat a lot so that maybe cheaper for us. But I'm just looking forward to anything I can get.

Likely the same as the current room only offer, they don't tend to change all that much. The dates are usually wider than the free dining dates, which should help a few folks who are caught in the middle.

I had leaked the last set of room discounts to fall the same day as free dining release, which they did....but free dining had so much attention, and still does, that nobody really even asked about them until a couple hours after the phones opened. I remember coming on the boards and asking if anyone had called asking...finally, someone did and got some discounts for August.

 

[mrsranger2131]

Our thing with POR is that is just about the only place we can afford to stay.

As a family of 5, we depend on the AB section of POR.

We dont need 2 value rooms, the AoA is too pricy for a value, and Deluxe is out of our budget.

So, that leaves us with POR, we always book a preferred room. We've booked a non-preferred once, and that was enough to get DH to agree to the preferred charge.

Exact same reason that is where we stay! I wish Disney had more resorts with similar room offers where you could have 5 with one room and not need a suite or Deluxe.

 

[mommyoftwo85]

I know this is still technically a "rumor" but does anyone know if North America is definitely going to be included in this? The pp kinda scared me when they said Europe and south America. Oh I hope it includes the US

 

[Fivemuggles]

Exact same reason that is where we stay! I wish Disney had more resorts with similar room offers where you could have 5 with one room and not need a suite or Deluxe.

I agree. Families of 5 are pretty common haha- seems like we would have more than one measly option in the mod category! Plus we live in New Orleans so honestly POR would not be my first choice at all, if we had options. But I'm just happy to be going!!

 

[black562]

I know this is still technically a "rumor" but does anyone know if North America is definitely going to be included in this? The pp kinda scared me when they said Europe and south America. Oh I hope it includes the US

This leak came down the exact same as the September dates. With the exception of the UK, which has their own offers, Disney doesn't break out other countries like that. I got my info from the same source that I got the last free dining leak, as well as the room only discounts that released a couple months ago..both of which also had the "South America and Europe" distinction. To date, this source has never given me wrong information.

Just to clear some nerves, there are some differences as the dates draw near.

A "rumor" is generally based on historical information and fact finding, which is very much what Disney themselves do when they decide whether or not to offer a promotion....which is looking at bookings being up or down, as well as historical trends.

A "leak" is when a credible source(s) receives hard information from Disney themselves. This is much more accurate and prone to much less error for obvious reasons....it's coming from Disney.

However, in both of these cases I always state the same...never make any non-refundable plans until the offer is released and on the table. The reason is that Disney can at any time make tweaks and changes up to the day it releases. In fact, Disney has often in the past even changed it a few weeks AFTER it was released, usually adding a few dates here and there. While I've never seen them pull something off the table completely, they obviously have that ability at any time, so why take the chance...especially when having a booking doesn't give any better chance of getting the promo when it does release.

So at this point, it's best to relax, perhaps plan out your dining options, things like that...and once the date arrives, you'll get to book. These things don't sell out in the first hours, days, weeks...you can still book quite a bit for September free dining in fact. A few room choices and perhaps a resort or two may fill, but there will be plenty of options for each category (value, moderate, deluxe), so there's no need to panic if you call an hour after the lines open...plus they open up more rooms as time goes by so many people are able to call back and switch resorts later on anyway.

So lets all enjoy each other's company and talk some Disney....and to those who have been pixie dusted with free dining and already able to book it, I'm so glad for all of you that everything has worked out.

 

[Mindy5767]

a bout a bazillion pages ago...you Joe Black, were in a discussion with someone who said that a CM said that there had never been free dining...and that there wouldn't be free dining. Well...I know we all laughed at the CM..but ...I've always said..free dining isn't really free. You still have to book a room and ticket package at full price. You can often even save more with other discounts, depending on several factors, such as which discounts you qualify for...say military and you want a deluxe perhaps..or maybe you have a pin code. Maybe the dining plan really isn't even for you. But in any case, Disney is buying the food at wholesale, evening growing it..but Disney is giving you free food at cost...so its not costing Disney that much to give away food as long as they're getting rack rate for the room & tickets. Disney still has to make a profit. I think Disney gives away more by giving a room and/or ticket discount than the food. In fact, giving away free dining just may artificially keep the prices of rooms higher. Just my theory..but do you see where I'm coming from?