Free Dining Question

[minniemous]

Thanks everyone for the replies! We are not set on staying at POFQ, so that doesn't really matter for us. I just knew that you usually had to stay at a Mod resort to get the regular dining plan for free, correct?

You can stay at a value that would give you Free Disney Quick Service then add the price difference to upgrade to Free Disney Dining. However when you do that your Value resort cost comes really close to the Moderate cost and you might as well do the Moderate. But it is an option.

 

[DisneyFive]

It can be very important to have a package already booked before FD comes out. There have been many times that a FD offer comes out well into the 180 +10 dining reservation window. See here: http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

So if you wait to book your WDW package until FD is offered, other people have been able to make dining reservations for many weeks already. IMO, It's best to book a package now and book your dining reservations at the earliest possible date to get the places you want. Then, when FD is offered, call and switch your package to that offer. Worst case, you may need to switch resorts, but your reservation number stays the same. Otherwise, you may lose out on getting decent dining reservation options or times.

That's what we did a few years ago. (booked a regular package, and switched to FD when offered) FD has been offered for the last 5 years, and I see no reason why it would stop now, even with the increased park attendance. Just my guess though.

Dan

 

[Missytara]

I would say considering the fact that the cost of the dining that I had for free dining just a few years ago - went from $40.00 per person per day to the cost that it is today, makes me realize that people will cough up the money for the dining plan and it is no longer "beneficial" for them to offer free dining anymore. They are making money off of the plan.

In addition, the latest report shows that Disney's occupancy rate of their resorts is above the national average for the hotel industry. Which means they don't need to offer discounts, people are coming anyway. Room discounts are much more beneficial to them for the few rooms they have left to fill.

 

[DisneyFive]

I would say considering the fact that the cost of the dining that I had for free dining just a few years ago - went from $40.00 per person per day to the cost that it is today, makes me realize that people will cough up the money for the dining plan and it is no longer "beneficial" for them to offer free dining anymore. They are making money off of the plan.

In addition, the latest report shows that Disney's occupancy rate of their resorts is above the national average for the hotel industry. Which means they don't need to offer discounts, people are coming anyway. Room discounts are much more beneficial to them for the few rooms they have left to fill.

Really, no offense, but that's all speculation based on a lot of unknown information. ...and the fact that Disney ALWAYS has some sort of promotion disputes your comments.

Sure, some people will pay for the convenience of the dining plan, or think it's a better deal than paying OOP. Disney is making money off the plan, I agree.

Companies don't offer discounts if they don't need to. The best situation for a company is to have such high demand that prices stay high, no discounts are needed, and they are able to meet the demand. Disney has offers going every day to entice guests to visit. Why? Because it gets more people to visit, and they would rather have them visit and make a good margin on them than not have them visit at all and lose out on all that profit. Disney has a LOT of fixed cost that they have to pay no matter how many people are attending the parks. If they don't fill the rooms and the parks, they lose. Hence, the discounts.

In fact, I have free dining for September this year due to a bounce back offer. Disney wouldn't offer a FD bounceback if it wasn't beneficial to them. I fully expect a free dining offer for this fall. Even with increased park attendance, crowds are still far lower in September than they are in the summer and peak holidays and they need to get enough guests to cover their fixed costs.

Dan

 

[kaytieeldr]

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

The rack rate you book today for any stay through the end of the year is the same rack rate you'll be charged if you subsequently cancel that reservation and book a new one.

It can be very important to have a package already booked before FD comes out. There have been many times that a FD offer comes out well into the 180 +10 dining reservation window. See here: http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

So if you wait to book your WDW package until FD is offered, other people have been able to make dining reservations for many weeks already. IMO, It's best to book a package now and book your dining reservations at the earliest possible date to get the places you want. Then, when FD is offered, call and switch your package to that offer. Worst case, you may need to switch resorts, but your reservation number stays the same. Otherwise, you may lose out on getting decent dining reservation options or times.

That's what we did a few years ago. (booked a regular package, and switched to FD when offered) FD has been offered for the last 5 years, and I see no reason why it would stop now, even with the increased park attendance. Just my guess though.

Dan

Anybody can make dining reservations 180 days in advance of the date they want to dine. No room reservation required. Anyone who waits to book a reservation until a promotion is released will have the slight disadvantage of having to call each day. Nobody with a trip planned six months out is weeks behind anyone regarding dining reservation. Days, possibly, but that's it.

 

[DisneyFive]

Anybody can make dining reservations 180 days in advance of the date they want to dine. No room reservation required. Anyone who waits to book a reservation until a promotion is released will have the slight disadvantage of having to call each day. Nobody with a trip planned six months out is weeks behind anyone regarding dining reservation. Days, possibly, but that's it.

You're right, you can make dining reservations any time at 180 days. You don't get the +10 without a package though, and during times when FD is offered, that can make a BIG difference for the very popular TS locations.

Yeah, I guess I wasn't super clear in my previous post. I was referring to purchasing the Dining Plan with a package, and making your dining reservations under that plan. That way you don't need to pay in full, in advance, for some of the dining locations. Just makes it simpler. Let's say you just go and book CRT for example without a dining plan. You need to pay in full, in advance, right? So when free dining comes out, and you get the promotion, how to you go about getting your money back?

Dan

 

[minniemous]

Really, no offense, but that's all speculation based on a lot of unknown information. ...and the fact that Disney ALWAYS has some sort of promotion disputes your comments.

Sure, some people will pay for the convenience of the dining plan, or think it's a better deal than paying OOP. Disney is making money off the plan, I agree.

Companies don't offer discounts if they don't need to. The best situation for a company is to have such high demand that prices stay high, no discounts are needed, and they are able to meet the demand. Disney has offers going every day to entice guests to visit. Why? Because it gets more people to visit, and they would rather have them visit and make a good margin on them than not have them visit at all and lose out on all that profit. Disney has a LOT of fixed cost that they have to pay no matter how many people are attending the parks. If they don't fill the rooms and the parks, they lose. Hence, the discounts.

In fact, I have free dining for September this year due to a bounce back offer. Disney wouldn't offer a FD bounceback if it wasn't beneficial to them. I fully expect a free dining offer for this fall. Even with increased park attendance, crowds are still far lower in September than they are in the summer and peak holidays and they need to get enough guests to cover their fixed costs.

Dan

Can I ask you a question. You mentioned that you had Free Dining for September due to the Bounce back offer you have. Did you have an option to bounce back for free dining only. I go end of October/Early November and last year mid November. Each time with free dining...however they only ever offer me percentage off the room for the bounce back. Did you request Free dining bounce back or was that just the current offer? Perhaps I am just getting bad luck.

On another note..it is always so strange talking to them. I dial the number it says to call in the brochure in the room and they always start to give me the rates for a non- discounted vacation. I tell them I am calling about the bounce back offer and they say they have no idea what I am talking about and then finally they connect me to someone else who tells me they are only offering the percentage off the room.

 

[DisneyFive]

I think the extension to dial from the room is 8844, and it took me right to the Bounceback people. Is that what you dialed? I don't remember if I asked, or if they said it first, that free dining was the offer. If they didn't say FD, or offered something else like a room discount, I KNOW I would have asked if FD was offered because that's what I was looking for. Three of our five trips have been FD with bounceback and the number I dialed always took me directly to the Bounceback people. All five of our vacations have been with FD though. Some of them were booked with the general public offer.

I didn't ask about any other offers because FD is what I wanted so I was very happy.

Dan

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Let's say you just go and book CRT for example without a dining plan. You need to pay in full, in advance, right? So when free dining comes out, and you get the promotion, how to you go about getting your money back?

You either call and ask them to switch your reservation to paying with dining credits (where you run the risk of getting a phone agent who doesn't know how or screws up your reservation), or you wait until you get to CRT and switch your payment to dining credits (then you will wait to be refunded). It's just other ways of doing it, some folks might find these more convenient based on their situation. but it CAN be done without having a package with dining booked ahead of time.

Minniemous, you must be at WDW in your resort room when you call, and there must be an offer active at the time you are calling from your room in order to book a bounceback. If you are in the room and looking at a flyer I would call them back and tell them so.

 

[minniemous]

I think the extension to dial from the room is 8844, and it took me right to the Bounceback people. Is that what you dialed? I don't remember if I asked, or if they said it first, that free dining was the offer. If they didn't say FD, or offered something else like a room discount, I KNOW I would have asked if FD was offered because that's what I was looking for. Three of our five trips have been FD with bounceback and the number I dialed always took me directly to the Bounceback people. All five of our vacations have been with FD though. Some of them were booked with the general public offer.

I didn't ask about any other offers because FD is what I wanted so I was very happy.

Dan

Thanks. I dialed the extension they had in the booklet referring to the bounce back. I think it was that 8844, but there might have been an issue with the connection as I recall. Thank you, I will make sure I just dial that bounce back offer extension. They offered the % off the room. I did ask about free dining andy they said that offer expired the previous day before we arrived. I guess I am having bad luck.

They tried to get me to book the % off the room but I said no. I tend to get free dining pins and I get nervous that if I book a vacation they will figure no need to send me a PIN. It would be nice to be able to just secure the free dining in advance like you are able to do. Do you know if they offered POR in the bounce back offer free dining? They offered it in the PIN they sent me but it was exclude in the general free dining offer. Curious if the Bounce back mirrors the General off to the public or the PIN that includes the excluded resorts?

 

[DisneyFive]

Yes, POR was offered, as well as POFQ.

We actually booked FD at POFQ first, since my inlaws were going to go with us, making a party of 7. Two rooms are POFQ was the plan. (our youngest would go in their room) Well, turns out they can't go, and it's WAY more economical for us to get a single alligator bayou room at POR since we are a family of five. POR was available, garden view or river view (not preferred, I asked). I jumped on POR. We've been there twice and know we love it. We were really looking forward to something new at POFQ, but it wasn't meant to be. At least we can just walk over there if we want, to tour around, or use the pool....

Dan

 

[minniemous]

Yes, POR was offered, as well as POFQ.

We actually booked FD at POFQ first, since my inlaws were going to go with us, making a party of 7. Two rooms are POFQ was the plan. (our youngest would go in their room) Well, turns out they can't go, and it's WAY more economical for us to get a single alligator bayou room at POR since we are a family of five. POR was available, garden view or river view (not preferred, I asked). I jumped on POR. We've been there twice and know we love it. We were really looking forward to something new at POFQ, but it wasn't meant to be. At least we can just walk over there if we want, to tour around, or use the pool....

Dan

Thanks again Disneyfive for the information. Perhaps 3rd time will be the charm when it comes to getting that bounce back offer for Free dining. We will be waiting this year for that PIN for POR and then hopefully we will be offered that bounce back because the waiting game is no fun. We have been to POR the last two years with Free Dining and we love POR. Enjoy your Vacation!

 

[squeegee]

If you book a Room-only reservation, that cannot be converted to a FD package reservation. Room-only and package reservations are two different booking systems on Disney computers. Your only choice is to cancel and re-book when going from one type of booking to the other. BUT, if you book a Paid Dining package now, you could modify that to a FD package, since they are both packages. I did this exact thing 2 years ago. You have to be ready to re-book as soon as a FD offer appears -- types and number of rooms are limited.

If I've booked a package already, and free dining comes out - how do any ticket/memory maker/rack rate price increases affect the modified booking?

I'm one of those who is going whether there's free dining or not, so I booked as soon as rates were available. My dates are still somewhat flexible. Since then, though, Memory maker has increased, and tickets are sure to increase as well; will modifying the package also subject me to those increases? (Not that those increases would be enough to negate the FD discount!)

Thanks!

 

[DisneyFive]

If I've booked a package already, and free dining comes out - how do any ticket/memory maker/rack rate price increases affect the modified booking?

I'm one of those who is going whether there's free dining or not, so I booked as soon as rates were available. My dates are still somewhat flexible. Since then, though, Memory maker has increased, and tickets are sure to increase as well; will modifying the package also subject me to those increases? (Not that those increases would be enough to negate the FD discount!)

Thanks!

If the ticket prices and room rates are different than your first booking, you will end up paying the new rates.

Memory maker is linked to your reservation, and that reservation number doesn't change so no problems there.

Dan

 

[kaytieeldr]

If I've booked a package already, and free dining comes out - how do any ticket/memory maker/rack rate price increases affect the modified booking?

I'm one of those who is going whether there's free dining or not, so I booked as soon as rates were available. My dates are still somewhat flexible. Since then, though, Memory maker has increased, and tickets are sure to increase as well; will modifying the package also subject me to those increases? (Not that those increases would be enough to negate the FD discount!)

Thanks!

So, again, the room rate won't be different. Rates are set around August for the entire following calendar year. If you booked a room or package last August 10 for any time in 2015, then you cancel that trip at any point between the date you made the reservation and the date you arrive, and reserve a new trip for the same/original dates, your room rate will be the same as the original dates. It woukd only change if you change dates to a different booking season.

 

[squeegee]

So, again, the room rate won't be different. Rates are set around August for the entire following calendar year. If you booked a room or package last August 10 for any time in 2015, then you cancel that trip at any point between the date you made the reservation and the date you arrive, and reserve a new trip for the same/original dates, your room rate will be the same as the original dates. It woukd only change if you change dates to a different booking season.

Thanks! I forgot that room rack rates are set for the year when they're released. It just seems like frequent price increases are a given for *everything* at Disney. LOL.

So, really the only thing that might increase if I get to modify my package to free dining is the ticket prices? Good to know!

 

[DisneyFive]

So, again, the room rate won't be different. Rates are set around August for the entire following calendar year. If you booked a room or package last August 10 for any time in 2015, then you cancel that trip at any point between the date you made the reservation and the date you arrive, and reserve a new trip for the same/original dates, your room rate will be the same as the original dates. It woukd only change if you change dates to a different booking season.

So, again, I said if.

Dan

 

[kaytieeldr]

I was responding to squegee, not a second time to the many ifs used by anyone else.

 

[FFMickey]

Sorry, I misread the posts. I agree that the only thing that may increase is the inevitable ticket price increases.

 

[DisneyFive]

I was responding to squegee, not a second time to the many ifs used by anyone else.

I must be going crazy then. I swore my post was quoted. Sorry 'bout that.

Dan