Free Dining Plan Question

[MommaBeaver3]

We are planning a trip to Disney but DH won't have any vacation time available until the new year. So I'm wondering, how often does disney offer the free dining plan? Do they do it at the same time every year? TIA!

 

[Alesia]

We are planning a trip to Disney but DH won't have any vacation time available until the new year. So I'm wondering, how often does disney offer the free dining plan? Do they do it at the same time every year? TIA!

They only offer it during hurricane season -- late august through mid september.

 

[everythingisplanned]

yes off couse during hurricane season

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We are planning a trip to Disney but DH won't have any vacation time available until the new year. So I'm wondering, how often does disney offer the free dining plan? Do they do it at the same time every year? TIA!

Since 2005, Disney has been offering Free Dining during the last part of August until the end of September, give or take a few days. Free Dining has been a brilliant plan on the part of Disney to fill the crowds during what was previously their slowest season, and hurrican season to boot. And then having the bounceback for the following September, while the free diners are there in the parks, on their Disney high, well I would call that pure marketing genius. We were there for Free Dining last year, and yes we did have fun, but we went for low crowds and there were not low crowds during the week of Sept. 14 - 22 because the FD promo has become so popular. I hope Disney has rewarded the marketing genius who came up with Free Dining. I personally don't see it Free Dining ending anytime in the near future or being offered during any other timeframe. Just my opinion, though.

 

[stopher1]

They only offer it during hurricane season -- late august through mid september.

yes off couse during hurricane season

Since 2005, Disney has been offering Free Dining during the last part of August until the end of September, give or take a few days. Free Dining has been a brilliant plan on the part of Disney to fill the crowds during what was previously their slowest season, and hurrican season to boot. And then having the bounceback for the following September, while the free diners are there in the parks, on their Disney high, well I would call that pure marketing genius. We were there for Free Dining last year, and yes we did have fun, but we went for low crowds and there were not low crowds during the week of Sept. 14 - 22 because the FD promo has become so popular. I hope Disney has rewarded the marketing genius who came up with Free Dining. I personally don't see it Free Dining ending anytime in the near future or being offered during any other timeframe. Just my opinion, though.

It was originally offered as a way for Disney to drive both attendance and occupancy at the end of the year (their fiscal year runs Oct. 1 - Sep. 30) - so it was a great way to get heads in the beds and butts in the seats prior to the year ending. Since all of the trips are paid 45 days in advance - it was and is a nice tidy way for the company to generate some extra income and boost their end of year reporting. It also has served to get butts in the seats at the restaurants. Charging rack rates at the hotels, and then giving away the dining program has been an effective way to raise occupancy on both fronts.

Yes, it does fall within hurricane season - but that's just a natural by-product of their fiscal year running the way it does.