Free Dining Plan?

[brian7221@att.net]

My family and i are planning a trip in mid-Oct 2010. Anyone know if they will be offering the free dining plan again for fall 2010? Or is it to early to be asking this question?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. I would suggest you go over to the Restaurants Forum whhewre it is a normal topic of discussion.

2. Bob Iger has said that there will be fewer discounted/free promotions in 2010 as the year goes on.

3. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of Disney Marketing!

 

[jsgerlach]

Thanks for the info on what thread to check on. I too am hoping against hope for free dining in oct. 2010.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Prior to this year, Free Dining rarely extended into October (if ever, but I'm thinking the first year it may have) and definately not too far into October.

With the market downturn in 2008 that lead through 2009, Disney need something to entice people to book, and Free sounds great to people (when in actuality it really is just a discount %), so they carried the Free Dining promotion for a good part of 2009. As the market continues to recover Disney will seek out ways to eliminate these discount offerings or at least scale them back.

In my opinion, I think it would be unlikely for these programs to exist in Mid-October 2010, but there are no facts and no crystal ball that can support an opinion either way.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Keep in mind the so-called "free dining" is just a promotional discount plan to keep WDW room occupancy high at times when the demand for rooms is low.

If Disney thinks rooms will go empty in October 2010, they're likely to offer "free dining," or "buy 4 get 3 free," or merchandise gift cards, or possibly something new to attract business. In any case, it's better business for Disney than selling rooms at actual discounted rates.

In a way it doesn't matter what the discount plan is. You're not paying as much as guests pay during peak-demand periods.

So the real question is what the demand will be in October 2010. School is in session in most U.S. school districts, but October has become a popular time to visit anyway. The Epcot Food & Wine Festival attracts adults without children, while Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party events attract families with young children who are not yet in school or who are in early grades when an absence of a few days is easier to handle.

In an odd way, Disney's resorts may actually be helped when Harry Potter opens at Universal's IoA. It will be compelling reason for more people to come to Orlando.

In the end, it will probably depend largely on how the economic recovery goes more than anything else.