Free dining plan effects on the overall experience?

[TGI Racing]

I just found out about this board and really wish I knew about it sooner, it is a wonderful resource.

I planned a trip back in July for this October 10/03 thru 10/08 at WL, I have now learned through a coworker who loves to ruin people’s days that my trip falls right in the middle of one of the free dining periods. I would have liked to take advantage of this feature but I will just have to get by with out it. But what does scare me is the possibility of larger than normal crowds and difficulties in obtaining food while on site during this time.

It would be greatly appreciated if someone could shed some light on what kind of effect this free dinning plan has on the resorts and parks. I am hoping this is just a bump in the road and not something that would require rescheduling the trip.

Thanks in advance,

Rick

 

[amcc]

We just came back from three days that were also during free dining (which we didn't have). It had no effect whatsoever on our trip, and I'm not sure why this would stress you out to such a degree. If you have made dining reservations, it doesn't matter how you pay them. If you haven't made reservations, you might as well just call 407 - WDW-DINE and make some for the table service you think you might want. We were able to get reservations for our choice in Epcot calling as late as the evening before we arrived.

Don't worry about it. Enjoy it. It is a great time to go, we had very little waits for the vast majority of rides, even though we did Magic Kingdom on Saturday. As a matter of fact, we are heading over for adults only for Oct. 3 for Food and Wine.

 

[kennythepirate]

You're not out of luck. Try re-confirming using this code: QXZ.

From mousesavers.com website
Disney Visa October-December FREE Dining Package
Disney Rewards® Visa® Cardholders can get FREE Dining AND in some cases, a room discount when you book a full price Walt Disney World vacation package for check-ins most nights 9/28/08-10/11/08, 11/9/08-11/22/08, 12/14/08-12/20/08. FREE Dining has never been offered during this time period in the past, and never with a room discount, so this is a phenomenal offer!

Purchase a Magic Your Way package consisting of at least 3 consecutive hotel nights at an official Walt Disney World resort, plus at least 1-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket per person, and you will get the regular Dining Plan for FREE, for the length of your stay.

The FREE Dining portion of this deal saves a family of four (2 adults, two kids ages 3-9) $95.96 per day -- the cost of adding the regular Dining Plan to a basic vacation package. In addition, there is a discount on the room rate for at least some dates and resorts. For instance, I priced a package at a Value resort in Regular season and there was about a 20% discount on the room portion. It appears that there may be no discount on the room if you are traveling in Value season. (This offer spans Value, Regular and Holiday season rates.)

If you have enjoyed this offer in the past, be aware of a few changes: Disney no longer includes an appetizer with table service meals on the regular Dining Plan. Also, gratuities are no longer included at table service meals, but they are included at the dinner shows (Hoop Dee Doo, Spirit of Aloha Luau and Mickey’s Backyard BBQ) as well as with Room Service and Grand Gathering Experiences.

Some important advice if you book a "FREE Dining" package: be sure to set up Advance Dining Reservations as soon as possible. In past years all of the table service restaurants have been completely full during the "FREE Dining" promotion period. It was almost impossible to get a table for a full-service meal on a walk-up basis. To ensure that you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the Dining Plan, you really need to pre-reserve every single table service meal during your stay.

The number of packages available is limited. Suites are excluded from this offer. No group rates or other discounts apply.

 

[BTDTGB]

The parks will not be any busier than normal, but as some one else pointed out you should make ADR's for any restaurants you want to eat now. We were there the first week of Sept. and the table service restaurants were busy.

 

[LindaBabe]

Free dining makes the table service restaurants more crowded and harder to get a walk up. That being said - we had a few nights with no adrs on our trip- Whispering canyon was full to overflowing, but we managed a walk up for two with no wait at Artist Point in WL and another at Garden Grill. And we ate a couple really good counter service meals in the Sunshine food fair in the Land, and Tangerine Cafe. - oh, and Mara.

 

[disnut8]

Just a note. Even if you HAD free dining, there is absolutely no difference is the availability of dining options. Those with free dining do not have any advantages in making reservations at table service restaurants or getting food at counter service places. The only difference is in how you pay.

I've never used free dining and I never will. It's just not a good deal for my husband and me. That said, we've still be able to get reservations at the "last minute". Table for two at Sci Fi for lunch when I called the Saturday of Labor Day (while at Animal Kingdom) for the next day. I called last week to get a table for four at 50s Prime Time for next Wednesday (also lunch and at 12:30).

Overall crowds at the parks aren't any different than they would be without free dining. Since people have to use all their credits on their trip, I actually think it's easier for people NOT on the dining plan. We can have a nice and relaxed trip with many changes in the touring plan since we don't have to concern ourselves with eating except when and where we want.

 

[disneyin2008]

You're not out of luck. Try re-confirming using this code: QXZ.

From mousesavers.com website
Disney Visa October-December FREE Dining Package
Disney Rewards® Visa® Cardholders can get FREE Dining AND in some cases, a room discount when you book a full price Walt Disney World vacation package for check-ins most nights 9/28/08-10/11/08, 11/9/08-11/22/08, 12/14/08-12/20/08. FREE Dining has never been offered during this time period in the past, and never with a room discount, so this is a phenomenal offer!

Purchase a Magic Your Way package consisting of at least 3 consecutive hotel nights at an official Walt Disney World resort, plus at least 1-day Magic Your Way Base Ticket per person, and you will get the regular Dining Plan for FREE, for the length of your stay.

The FREE Dining portion of this deal saves a family of four (2 adults, two kids ages 3-9) $95.96 per day -- the cost of adding the regular Dining Plan to a basic vacation package. In addition, there is a discount on the room rate for at least some dates and resorts. For instance, I priced a package at a Value resort in Regular season and there was about a 20% discount on the room portion. It appears that there may be no discount on the room if you are traveling in Value season. (This offer spans Value, Regular and Holiday season rates.)

If you have enjoyed this offer in the past, be aware of a few changes: Disney no longer includes an appetizer with table service meals on the regular Dining Plan. Also, gratuities are no longer included at table service meals, but they are included at the dinner shows (Hoop Dee Doo, Spirit of Aloha Luau and Mickey’s Backyard BBQ) as well as with Room Service and Grand Gathering Experiences.

Some important advice if you book a "FREE Dining" package: be sure to set up Advance Dining Reservations as soon as possible. In past years all of the table service restaurants have been completely full during the "FREE Dining" promotion period. It was almost impossible to get a table for a full-service meal on a walk-up basis. To ensure that you will be able to enjoy all the benefits of the Dining Plan, you really need to pre-reserve every single table service meal during your stay.

The number of packages available is limited. Suites are excluded from this offer. No group rates or other discounts apply.

Just so OP realizes it....you MUST have a Disney VISA card to qualify for this offer. So far it hasn't been made available for the general public, though there are many hoping that it will (and since Disney VISA holders often get first dibs on offers, it IS possible).

Just wouldn't want OP to get all excited if they won't qualify.

As for the crowds...I've never considered going during the regular free dining (Aug/Sept) because of my pre-conception about the crowds (and the heat). But this year many people are posting photos of the "crowds" at the parks right now, in the middle of the original free dining period. And they are amazingly light! In fact, scary light, lol.

We already had our trip planned when the free dining for Disney VISA was announced and since I don't want to change our dates, we went ahead and changed our reservation to the free dining. I also assumed it would be much more difficult to get reservations, but that hasn't been the case....I was able to get my choice of times for Le Cellier, CRT and California Grill....all three of which are considered difficult to book. for Le Cellier and CRT I asked for "between 5 and 6" and was given several options....for California Grill I asked for 6pm and was offered 6:10, so I don't know if that was the only one available, or just the closest to my request. THis was last week, so well after the 180 days so I definitely wasn't among the first to be booking.

Plus, there have been many threads asking if people booked the free dining as an additional trip or if they were already planning on going during that time. The overwhelming response I've read is that people already had plans to go during that time...some are tweaking their dates by arriving or leaving a day or two different in order for their whole trip to be in the free dining period, but I'm only seeing a handful that had no plans to go until the free dining was offered. So, if that's the case, then the crowds won't be any larger than they would have been without the free dining.

Oh...and it sounds to me like your co-worker is jealous, lol. So be sure to take lots of photos to show her of the low crowds and lovely weather you encounter and just spoil her day!

 

[TGI Racing]

Thank you so much for the quick responses, you all have calmed my nerves considerably.

Since Friday I started to sweet the deal because the dreaded coworker of doom had me thinking I would have to go off site to get anything more than a hotdog and that the lines for rides would be like New Years Eve.

Also thank you for the code. I would love to try using it but I do not have a Disney Visa and with the banking community so unstable right now I will hold on trying to obtain one at this time. But I will definitely have one before the next trip, live and learn.

And yes I will make it a point to E-mail the dreaded coworker of doom pictures while on site just to rub it in, but sometimes people like her are best left alone.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[OhMari]

If you don't want the free dining, use the other code for the general public. Anyone can use it for a MYW package. It comes to about 30-40% off your room. It depends how many people are in your family.

I found it on the "specials" page on Waltdisneyworld.com. You can call and add that code onto your reservation. Use code QXG

 

[1rockinmama]

We just went on our first WDW trip sept 7-12 and it was magical! I truely think the free dining saved us 3 adults some $600+ dollars for 5 counter/5 table service. Thats not counting the snacks!!! We recieved free milk and a baby goofy pin from a cast memeber. Since reading this and just obtaining our Disney Visa for this past trip and only putting $185 bucks on it I AM going to book another trip for Dec. Thanks for the info folks! You ROCK!

 

[captinhookedondisney]

Welcome!!
and YES


If you have free dining it is great as you can be relaxed when it comes to dinning i Love it and will make sure i have free dining next trip!!!

 

[OB1]

the main affect will be table service dining choices. I was there last week. I tried to get a ressie for Boma's for either Sat or Sun, but they were full. I only tried the day before, but thought I could probably get in. Since this is a new offer, you should call immediately for any dining choices. If you already have them, then even better. The offers are made to stimulate a very weak attendance - so the good news is - it will not be crowded.