free dining plan

[lala88]

hey there so i know that they don't release the dates of free disney dining this early but normally what month is it in. from what i can remember it is in the end of summer but we have never actually done it so i am not sure. Thanks!!!

 

[SIMMSMOUSE]

Last year is was on April 7, I remember this because it is my DD's birthday. We used it last year the week of Labor Day Aug 30- Sept 6. It was great smaller crowds than the year before when we went during Easter break. The only thing to worry about is that it is hurricane season. Hopefully it will be a quiet season in '09.

 

[karibritt01]

The free dining is announced in early April. A rough time frame for free dining is the month of Sept. If your start date is within free dining, you can get it for up to 10 days after it ends. (I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong!)

 

[squirrel]

Yikes! I want to know if it is only for the 10 days after it ends. I have the bounceback booked and nobody mentioned that it would end before our stay ends. I have Oct. 1-15th booked and it ends on Oct. 2nd.

We went after Labour Day this year and it wasn't too crowded the first week, but did notice that it was busier the second week.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

hey there so i know that they don't release the dates of free disney dining this early but normally what month is it in. from what i can remember it is in the end of summer but we have never actually done it so i am not sure. Thanks!!!

Since 2005, Disney has been offering the Free Dining promo for Magic Your way packages with a 3 night minimum and a 14 day maximum (Basic Dining Plan; 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per person per night) during the last part of August until the end of September, give or take a few days. The free dining offer is usually announced during the first week of April. The first couple of days it will only be open to Disney Visa holders and then will open up to the general public. The booking dates for this year for the general public were August 24 through September 20 (but you could book up to 14 days past that date and still receive the FD promo) and you had to book by June 22 to receive the FD offer. This past fall's free dining bounceback dates were August 23 - October 9 (October 2 - 9 rates were slightly higher due to season rate change).

 

[RMulieri]

Yikes! I want to know if it is only for the 10 days after it ends. I have the bounceback booked and nobody mentioned that it would end before our stay ends. I have Oct. 1-15th booked and it ends on Oct. 2nd.

We went after Labour Day this year and it wasn't too crowded the first week, but did notice that it was busier the second week.

the bounceback promotion dates are not the exact same dates as the general free dining promotion.Bounceback usually ends later.But if you check in on the last eligible day of bounceback free dining, you have it for up to 10 days after the promotion ends.So for example lets say BB ends on October 3rd and you check in that date , you would have the free dining up until October 13th of your stay.

 

[tam626]

With free dining, is it only at certain restaurants or how does it work? It sounds too good to be true, free dining. We are going back in Sept. 2010.

 

[disneybridetobe]

The free dining is great, there's no difference between the promotion and actually *paying* for the dining plan. April will be our first trip w/o dining, and I'm not sure how I feel about it!

I say if you can go, go! The only thing I can recommend is go later in September. We've done both Labor Day week, and late September, and late September wins, hands down. HTH!

 

[Jennifer823]

I'm new to the free dining concept also and have a few questions.. what if free dining starts halfway through your trip - can you get free dining for the days before it officially starts? Also, what if you book a trip then find out free dining falls on the days of your trip - can you add the free dining to your already booked trip? Thanks.

 

[daleswife]

My question is this.....say I check in POP on September 19th. and the free dining promo ends on the 19th. Will I still get free dining for the seven nights I plan on staying? I dont have a Disney Visa and dont plan on getting one. Would that rule still apply to me?

 

[karibritt01]

what if free dining starts halfway through your trip - can you get free dining for the days before it officially starts?

No. You would have to have a separate reservation for the free dining part of your trip, including at least a 1 day ticket per person.

Also, what if you book a trip then find out free dining falls on the days of your trip - can you add the free dining to your already booked trip? Thanks.

Yes. You can call them and have your reservation updated to include the free dining. Once again, dining is part of the package, meaning room and tickets. I think you can also do it with an annual pass.

 

[karibritt01]

My question is this.....say I check in POP on September 19th. and the free dining promo ends on the 19th. Will I still get free dining for the seven nights I plan on staying? I dont have a Disney Visa and dont plan on getting one. Would that rule still apply to me?

Yes.

 

[Jennifer823]

thanks

 

[daleswife]

Yes.

THANKS!!!!! That helps us out soooo much!!!

 

[design_mom]

It sounds too good to be true, free dining.

I think the "catch" is that your MYW package has to be booked at rack rate to qualify for free dining. (I don't think you can take another sort of discount, like AAA, and also get free dining. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong.) It's a good deal, I think -- as long as you want the dining plan. But if the DDP doesn't fit your eating/touring style, you might be better off with a different type of discount.

 

[RMulieri]

The pp is correct.In order to qualify for free dining, you need to purchase a Full priced non discounted Disney MYW pkg with resort stay with at leasta 1 day park ticket pp.Everyone in your party also must be on the same pkg/plan.No other discounts can be applied to the promotion.The free part is the BASIC disney dining plan( no gratuities or appetizers are included).You may upgrade to the deluxe dining plan and pay the difference between the basic and the deluxe.

 

[Jennifer823]

Based on the free dining dates in the past, do you think it will be offered through the last week of September this year? We're thinking of either a mid-August or late-September trip. Usually no free dining in mid-August, correct?

 

[TDC Nala]

The only difference between free dining package and paid dining package is that no other discounts apply to a free dining package. Any room you book with free dining will be paid at the non-discounted rack rate. How good a discount this is for you and your party will depend on what level of resort you prefer to book, how many are in your party, and whether or not you generally eat as much food as you'll receive on the dining plan.

 

[Jennifer823]

We have APs. I know we would need to book a Magic Your Way package in order to qualify for free dining - which includes at least a one day ticket. Would I need a "no expiration option" on that ticket in order to save it to use some other time when our APs are expired? Or is the "no expiration" only for multi-day tickets that you have used once already? I'm confused..

 

[TDC Nala]

We have APs. I know we would need to book a Magic Your Way package in order to qualify for free dining - which includes at least a one day ticket. Would I need a "no expiration option" on that ticket in order to save it to use some other time when our APs are expired? Or is the "no expiration" only for multi-day tickets that you have used once already? I'm confused..

You do not need to get a no-expiration option on a one-day ticket. By definition, a one-day ticket does not expire until it is used.

If you want to renew your APs, you can use the value of the one-day ticket toward the AP renewal. You must present the KTTW card containing the one-day ticket when renewing your AP and ask to have it applied.