Free Dining Offered Any Other Time?

[Polyfor30th]

Can anyone tell me if Free DDP has been offered any other time besides the fall (august-sept)? I was wondering if it has been available during January/February in the past. TIA

 

[Polyfor30th]

Just giving this a bippity-boppity-Bump

 

[kaytieeldr]

No.
The Disney Dining Plan has been in existence since January 1, 2005.
In 2005, it was offered free as a promotion from August 21 to October 4.
In 2006, it started and ended a week or so earlier - August 13 to September 30.
For 2007, it was offered first to residents of the United Kingdom for trips starting between either August 12 or 19 through September 29; then it was offered as a test-market program to Guests onsite at the end of last year for stays starting August 5 through September 29. And finally, it's currently available to the general public checking in between August 26 and September 22.
Seeing a pattern here? This is peak hurricane season; combined with the school year starting in August and early September, Disney created and offers this promotion to entice visitors during a typically slow vacation period.
There are generally different promotions in January and February - room discounts, free ticket upgrades, that kind of thing. But no free dining.

 

[eeyoregon]

Don't forget May 2007. It's offered this year for a few select weeks in May also.

 

[aubriee]

Don't forget May 2007. It's offered this year for a few select weeks in May also.

Not for free though! They offered a discount on the room, but you still had to pay for the dining plan.

 

[eeyoregon]

Hmm...my friend lucked out then as she booked it per the DU offer to Disney Visa holders on April 11 (?) and got free dining in May. She said it filled up fast.

I am soooo excited about our August trip that I am already dreaming of next summer with the hope of continued free dining.

 

[Polyfor30th]

Thanks for answering! Perhaps some day Disney will add this as an extra incentive to come for a visit during January-early Feb. Not counting hurricane season--but it is a time when the parks do some refurbs and it just after the kids return to school from winter breaks...so who knows. I've never been there during Jan/Feb--free dining just might make me book a spur of the moment trip.

Have a good day everyone

 

[kaytieeldr]

Hmm...my friend lucked out then as she booked it per the DU offer to Disney Visa holders on April 11 (?) and got free dining in May. She said it filled up fast.

I am soooo excited about our August trip that I am already dreaming of next summer with the hope of continued free dining.

Your friend might want to double-check that. DU is a Disney Travel Specialist agency with no connection to Disney or Disney VISA/Chase Bank. It seems unusual (but, granted, not impossible) that they alone would be able to offer packages with free dining for a time period that not even Disney did.

It's especially odd given that Disney VISA holders could book the August/September promotion at that same time (April 9, 10, and 11) ahead of the general public. Plus, from reading the Resorts board, there's not a lot of room availability in May, and hasn't been since before mid-April, i.e. no apparent reason for a promotion designed to fill rooms.