Free Dining Question

[MichVick]

If it is released I understand that we just call the normal reservation line correct? What time do they open? Also anyone that has done this - does it take a long time to get through on this day - assuming alot of people will be calling for the offer. TIA

 

[Disneylover99]

If it is released I understand that we just call the normal reservation line correct? What time do they open? Also anyone that has done this - does it take a long time to get through on this day - assuming alot of people will be calling for the offer. TIA

The first few days when free dining is released phone lines are always busy or you might be on hold for a very long time. I find it easier to book online and phone in any requests at a later date.

 

[DisneyFive]

...and if you really want to get a jump on a lot of people, Disney Visa Card holders get access a few days (typically) before the rest of the general public. I have no ties either way to the Disney Visa card, just stating the info...

Dan

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

I see many of you saying that some resorts are excluded from free dining? Is there any reasoning for that? Any that yall know of?
We want to stay at POR next mardi gras and need the space/pull down bed so I would hate to have to change resorts...thanks for the info

 

[wdwmaw]

I see many of you saying that some resorts are excluded from free dining? Is there any reasoning for that? Any that yall know of?
We want to stay at POR next mardi gras and need the space/pull down bed so I would hate to have to change resorts...thanks for the info

Resorts are excluded when they have reached their booking capacity and don't need to offer discounts to fill rooms. POR is a very popular resort and many people will stay there with or without a discount. For a lot of families POR without a discount is still cheaper than 2 rooms at a value with a discount.

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

Ahhh ok I get it...thanks

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Port Orleans Riverside was excluded for the first time. French Quarter has been exluded for the past few years.

We went to POFQ on free dining in September 2013. So, it was only last year.

 

[Azjenn]

If it is released I understand that we just call the normal reservation line correct? What time do they open? Also anyone that has done this - does it take a long time to get through on this day - assuming alot of people will be calling for the offer. TIA

Last year I was getting ip twice a week at I think 3am in anticipation of free dining being released. The morning g thst it finally happened for disney visa card holders I called in prob within 30 sec of phone lines opening and I was on hold a little over an hour. While waiting at watched on these boards as people tslked about what they were able to get. Some People were on hold for 2 and 3 hours!

 

[kimieko]

If it is released I understand that we just call the normal reservation line correct? What time do they open? Also anyone that has done this - does it take a long time to get through on this day - assuming alot of people will be calling for the offer. TIA

Last year I called right when the phones opened and I was on hold for just over 3 hours. This year we have free dining with a bounce back so I don't have to change resorts or worry about staying on hold....if it is offered this year.

 

[MichVick]

What time do they open? Is it 6 am?

 

[smitch425]

What time do they open? Is it 6 am?

7am EST

 

[DisneyFive]

Resorts are excluded when they have reached their booking capacity and don't need to offer discounts to fill rooms. POR is a very popular resort and many people will stay there with or without a discount. For a lot of families POR without a discount is still cheaper than 2 rooms at a value with a discount.

...and I suspect when Disney just doesn't feel that they are making enough profit on the deal. That is why I suspect POR hasn't been offered the last year or two, maybe due to the 5 person Alligator Bayou rooms.

With FD, POR is BY FAR the best deal for our family of 5. Cheaper (by about $950) than having to get two rooms at a value (and then paying to upgrade from QS dining to regular dining Plan). Much cheaper (by about $1600) than the Suites at AoA (and then paying to upgrade from QS dining to regular dining Plan). So Disney doesn't make as much profit with POR and the AB rooms. We were fortunate enough to book them with a FD bounceback for 2015 though.

Dan

 

[MakiraMarlena]

These are the past exclusions (on general public US based offers only - NOT including targeted offers like PINs or bounceback):

2014 fall offer: Fort Wilderness campsites, AOA Little Mermaid, Port Orleans (both FQ and Riverside), All Star Movies, all three-bedroom villas and Villas at Grand Floridian.
2013 late fall offer (in 2014 there was no late fall offer, all dates for September - December were released at once): Fort Wilderness campsites, AOA (apparently all of it), All Star Movies, POFQ, all three-bedroom villas, and Villas at Grand Floridian (which had just opened).
2013 September offer: Fort Wilderness campsites, AOA Little Mermaid and 3-bedroom villas.
2012 late fall offer: Fort Wilderness campsites and AOA Little Mermaid were excluded. There's not anything written for 2012 or prior about the 3 bedroom villas.
2012 September offer and all offers before that: only Fort Wilderness campsites were excluded. I thought I remembered reading somewhere that campsites were included in the first free dining offer (2005) but excluded thereafter. I couldn't find it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

...and I suspect when Disney just doesn't feel that they are making enough profit on the deal. That is why I suspect POR hasn't been offered the last year or two, maybe due to the 5 person Alligator Bayou rooms.

With FD, POR is BY FAR the best deal for our family of 5. Cheaper (by about $950) than having to get two rooms at a value (and then paying to upgrade from QS dining to regular dining Plan). Much cheaper (by about $1600) than the Suites at AoA (and then paying to upgrade from QS dining to regular dining Plan). So Disney doesn't make as much profit with POR and the AB rooms. We were fortunate enough to book them with a FD bounceback for 2015 though.

Dan

Disagree. That might be the case if CBR is excluded this year in the future, but POR Alligator Bayou rooms have held five people a lot longer than this Dining Plan or the Dining Plan Free Promotion have been in existence.

No, it's more reasonable that POR was excluded because so many guests booked in advance hoping for the deal. No need to offer any incentive for guests to stay there. Occupancy levels must have well exceeded expectations by the time the promotion details were finalized.

 

[wdwmaw]

Disagree. That might be the case if CBR is excluded this year in the future, but POR Alligator Bayou rooms have held five people a lot longer than this Dining Plan or the Dining Plan Free Promotion have been in existence.

No, it's more reasonable that POR was excluded because so many guests booked in advance hoping for the deal. No need to offer any incentive for guests to stay there. Occupancy levels must have well exceeded expectations by the time the promotion details were finalized.

I agree!!! If it's excluded because it sleeps 5 and thus no longer profitable it would not be included in BB. Several years ago it was excluded and many moved their reservations so Disney re-released FD to include POR (we took advantage of that one). It is excluded because of pre bookings and pre bookings and resort loyalty will keep it that way!

 

[ekatiel]

If you book at today's price, wouldn't you have to pay for any difference between today and rack rate? So it wouldn't just deduct the dining plan cost, but also figure in the difference in rack rate and what you booked

This is true. Sometimes Disney raises prices before they release free dining. If they do, you will need to pay the new price in order to get free dining. It shouldn't be a huge difference in price-- free dining will discount your package way more than the increase, but it is good to be aware of for planning purposes. The number you have in your head right now as your package minus the dining costs could be a bit more because of an increase in the overall package price before they release your free dining promo. Also, people say not to book yet for FD because it fills up the rooms, but if you are before your 180+10 date, and you want a hard to get dining reservation like Be Our Guest dinner or CRT before park opening, you need to go ahead and book so that you have the +10 advantage for booking dining. In almost all other situations, you can wait and just book dining daily at the 180 day mark, but for certain reservations, you really need that +10 advantage.

 

[wdwmaw]

This is true. Sometimes Disney raises prices before they release free dining. If they do, you will need to pay the new price in order to get free dining. It shouldn't be a huge difference in price-- free dining will discount your package way more than the increase, but it is good to be aware of for planning purposes. The number you have in your head right now as your package minus the dining costs could be a bit more because of an increase in the overall package price before they release your free dining promo. Also, people say not to book yet for FD because it fills up the rooms, but if you are before your 180+10 date, and you want a hard to get dining reservation like Be Our Guest dinner or CRT before park opening, you need to go ahead and book so that you have the +10 advantage for booking dining. In almost all other situations, you can wait and just book dining daily at the 180 day mark, but for certain reservations, you really need that +10 advantage.

Never heard of Disney raising resort rack rate prices before release of FD. We have enjoyed FD since the first year it was offered and have never had an increase of rack rate before it's release. Disney released it's pricing once a year and those prices hold till the next year's release of rack rates. If you book this year for next year then in Jan first you may see an increase in your rack rate when the new rates for next year become active but never before the release of an offer.

Now if you had a resort package booked before the ticket increase then when you go to add an offer like FD then you will be charged the new ticket price and that will be an increase in your package price.

 

[ekatiel]

Never heard of Disney raising resort rack rate prices before release of FD. We have enjoyed FD since the first year it was offered and have never had an increase of rack rate before it's release. Disney released it's pricing once a year and those prices hold till the next year's release of rack rates. If you book this year for next year then in Jan first you may see an increase in your rack rate when the new rates for next year become active but never before the release of an offer.

Now if you had a resort package booked before the ticket increase then when you go to add an offer like FD then you will be charged the new ticket price and that will be an increase in your package price.

Maybe it was the ticket price, then? It definitely happened to us once-- for our Nov. 2012 trip. The price difference was still worth the discount, but there was a price difference.

 

[DisneyFive]

Disagree. That might be the case if CBR is excluded this year in the future, but POR Alligator Bayou rooms have held five people a lot longer than this Dining Plan or the Dining Plan Free Promotion have been in existence.

No, it's more reasonable that POR was excluded because so many guests booked in advance hoping for the deal. No need to offer any incentive for guests to stay there. Occupancy levels must have well exceeded expectations by the time the promotion details were finalized.

I agree!!! If it's excluded because it sleeps 5 and thus no longer profitable it would not be included in BB. Several years ago it was excluded and many moved their reservations so Disney re-released FD to include POR (we took advantage of that one). It is excluded because of pre bookings and pre bookings and resort loyalty will keep it that way!

Good points. I thought about that after I posted. Other resorts have 5 people rooms too, like CBR and CSR and they have been included in the FD offers. POR is just a popular resort, for good reason. After visiting both CBR and CSR, I much prefer POR.

Dan