FREE DINING UPDATE- RUMOR and SPECULATION / Update Page 80 !

[bigsis1970]

Got a postcard with a pin yesterday for the Free Dining - book by 4/30, good April - June 14 or so.. I can't go..
a few weeks ago I got an email pin for the Free dining - book by 4/30, good till Mid Aug ... Still can't go..

 

[leahjade]

Anyone know historically what day of the week the free dining offer comes out? Is it a Monday? I figured they wouldn't announce anything over the holiday weekend but I soon have to get something scheduled!

 

[Wendy*Darling]

I did get an elaboration email from my TA after our quick conversation yesterday. Here is her email:

Hi, Wendy!
Sorry I had to run so quickly when you called earlier. One of my sons had eye muscle surgery in February and we were going in for a follow up visit. We were just getting to the office when you called.

I did get the fax with your card information and will hang on to that in case there is something released while you are on vacation. That said, I don't think I will need to use it. I am expecting an offer next week but if what I have been told my contact at Disney is correct, it will be for very limited summer travel dates. I don't expect to see any fall offers this year until closer to the end of school, possibly in to early summer. Fall offers will definitely come, but I don't know if it will be Free Dining or something else. To be honest, I don't know if the sales team knows for sure yet or not! Sit tight and hang on, I'll be ready to pounce WHEN those fall offers are released!

If we get a surprise fall offer next week, I will absolutely book something for you based on the requests you listed below. I will send you a text either way so you don't have to spend your vacation wondering what is happening

*edited at the request of my TA. She asked me to remove the IM conversation I had with her.*

 

[Clare D]

Also, I have a bounceback booked at Pop for regular Free Dining. It's hard to imagine that they'd offer it to only UK guests and bounceback guests.

Just to confirm that here in the UK you don't get the free dining with the value resorts. You receive Counter service with moderate resorts and tables service with OKW, SSR and Deluxe hotels only.

This year for 2010 OKW and SSR have been on offer so there alot of us waiting to see if the same offer comes out as then these 2 resorts work out cheaper than a mod with the table service dining included.

We're desperate to come and spend our dollars with you guys.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Wow Wendy, thanks for sharing the very detailed and very sad news. I am so amazed that they are making us wait that long. Late May or June is still 2 months away and certainly not a very good heads up for those traveling mid August. I obviously picked the wrong time to go to WDW this time around.

 

[Kat73]

You know, I wasn't going to go this year. I went twice last year and really, there are other places I want to get to see besides Disney. I need a year or two off because going to Disney every year gets expensive.
All along I've been thinking fall '11 or '12.... but... I've got the bug. So now I'm on the fence. I NEVER plan a Disney trip with less than 6 months advance notice... but who knows? If they actually DO offer FD, I could be convinced to plan a quick fall trip after all. If not, it's a sign I should wait another year or so.
In any regard, I feel your pain everyone on the waiting game! If I had reservations to make and a trip already planned, I would be going crazy right about now. Thanks to everyone for keeping us updated!!

 

[doccoc2002]

I would love another snack, I have a very hungry 2yo that isn't on the dining plan, so that would help!

Never thought about that...we haven't had a kid under 3 in a while we will this time though.

We were on the deluxe plan a couple of years ago. We used 2 credits for shows/sig. dining, most days eating breakfast and dinner. I loved the 2 snack credits so in the middle of the day we could get a water bottle and an ice cream. Lots of people go through multiple water bottles per day. I dont think 2 snack credits is too much!

We ship our water down. Not that cost effective to use for waters. Now, if you are there on COLD days the cup of soup in a mug is a GREAT snack!

I just checked the website that already offers free DDP for 2011 and it is the same basic DDP (1 TS, 1 CS and 1 snack)

I copied this from the site!

Disney Dining Plan
The Disney Dining Plan includes the following, per person per day at participating locations:

•1 Table Service Meal per person per day includes one main course, one dessert (except at breakfast) and one single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage OR one full buffet and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage
•1 Quick Service Meal per person per day includes one main course, one dessert (except at breakfast) and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage OR one complete combo meal and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage
•1 Snack per person per day includes a choice of ONE of the following: frozen ice cream novelty, box of popcorn, piece of fruit OR 20oz bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani Water, at snack cart or merchandise shop locations and select Quick Service. Prices from:
Adult: £28.50 per day
Children (3-9 yrs): £8 per day

I said it could be a typo...I also forgot to mention it was on Virgin(holiday) site for a deal with airfare and I believe the offer is over now.

I like your thinking and I think it makes a lot of sense. I hope you are right because it does seem that it would hurt Disney a lot to just drop FD altogether. I also think that if what some are saying about Disney trying to "drive " people who are undecided into booking in Summer, they would have more luck doing that by announcing that they are NOT doing FD (if that's the case, which I hope isn't!!)

As far as the 2 snacks we think it's too much food too. We can't even fit in 1 snack most days and end up bringing home cookies and candies with our leftover credits. I for one wish they would add the mugs into the reg. DP like they do with QSDP and DxDP.

I think the mugs would be a great addition too!

 

[Melanie230]

I just looked at our information from last year when we went to Disney. We booked the Pop Century with Free Dining from Sept 26-Oct 3 on April 15, 2009. So hopefully we will know something soon. The 180 days out for ADR is already in progress for the dates we would go. I am not looking foward to the hours on the phone again this year for ADR during our visit. I am thinking that Universal may be our destination. This waiting is really getting old.

 

[Princess Amy]

I got this from Mousesavers website for the past deals:

stays for 6/4/10-8/14/10 room-only discount for general public was available2/10/10, exp 3/27/10

stays from 6/4/10-8/14/10 package deal for general public (gift card with purchase of full price package) became available on 2/15/10, exp 3/27/10

So...these deals became available in February. The first day you could use these deals is June 4. That is a little less than a 4 month time window to book your trip with this discount and be on vacation. That is if you will start your vacation on June 4.

Flash forward to now. I am sitting here waiting for a fall promotion, that is said to not come out until May or June. That is only a 2-3 month or less (depending on when it will be announced) time window till my trip which is to begin on August 15. How the heck am I suppose to not be frantic that I have to book my vacation and then travel in less than 2-3 months. I think that is just crazy, which is how I am turning out to be anyways these past few days

Like posters have mentioned before. I have never EVER waited this long to book a trip. I wouldn't be so if the deals came out anytime in April. But the end of May or June is just pushin it

Also, all the free dining offers for the August/September time frame expired the end of June the past few years. Ugh! Sorry had to vent yet again.......

 

[LaDonna]

I'm curious who is it exactly that people are calling to see if there are any pins attached to their name??????

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

This is Killing me............ My trip is already booked for Sept 1-12 and I just want to know what kinda of promotion they will have I really want free dinning. What is everybodys GUT feeling??????? My husband says they will announce it soon


I HOPE WE NEED PIXIE DUST and alot of it

 

[Mikes:)Mom]

The main disney world reservations number. (407) 939-7675

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

I'm curious who is it exactly that people are calling to see if there are any pins attached to their name??????

Disney reservations

 

[TammiDZ]

I'm curious who is it exactly that people are calling to see if there are any pins attached to their name??????

You can call reservations at 407-939-6244 - and keep hitting 0 (hit 0 four times actually) and you will get a person. Ask them if you have any PIN offers and they will go from there! - I call every day. Ridiculous I know, but I'm going September 2 and REALLY need a discount (actually I'm praying very hard for FD) or my husband is going to be REALLY mad at me for booking ahead of time. I guess I got spoiled all these years with the FD.

 

[doccoc2002]

I got this from Mousesavers website for the past deals:

stays for 6/4/10-8/14/10 room-only discount for general public was available2/10/10, exp 3/27/10

stays from 6/4/10-8/14/10 package deal for general public (gift card with purchase of full price package) became available on 2/15/10, exp 3/27/10

So...these deals became available in February. The first day you could use these deals is June 4. That is a little less than a 4 month time window to book your trip with this discount and be on vacation. That is if you will start your vacation on June 4.

Flash forward to now. I am sitting here waiting for a fall promotion, that is said to not come out until May or June. That is only a 2-3 month or less (depending on when it will be announced) time window till my trip which is to begin on August 15. How the heck am I suppose to not be frantic that I have to book my vacation and then travel in less than 2-3 months. I think that is just crazy, which is how I am turning out to be anyways these past few days

Like posters have mentioned before. I have never EVER waited this long to book a trip. I wouldn't be so if the deals came out anytime in April. But the end of May or June is just pushin it

Also, all the free dining offers for the August/September time frame expired the end of June the past few years. Ugh! Sorry had to vent yet again.......

I agree...I don't see Disney waiting that long to release a deal. I think they will start to focus on the next deal...I will be absolutly SHOCKED if Disney comes out with another summer deal. You have to wonder if Disney is just trying to get people to book for the summer instead of waiting for the fall...I mean they already have had park closings at phase 3 this week...I know it is easter but they had to remove their blackout dates and now they are really busy...I have noticed that they are keeping offers out for a longer period of time instead of extending them or adding more offers than usual, like they have done in the past.

 

[nooneshome]

YES! It's true.. We went last December and stayed at POP. When I called I asked if I had any discounts to my name. I did! A free upgrade from QSDP to DDP!! I would call and ask!!! Good LUCK!!

Does anyone know if last Thanksgiving week was blackout for free dining?

Thanks,
Carrie

We stayed at POP last Thanksgiving and we had free QSPD. FYI - it was too much food.

 

[tinksgilrs251520]

Just wondering why do they release FD to the UK way before the US? I dont get why they do that FD was offered at the beginning of the year for them just curious why they get more of a deal then the US?

Not to cause a flame or whatever

 

[bigmama67]

Just called (I do it once a week) to see if I had any PINs. We have a room-only reservation for August 21 (3 nights). No luck with that (and I tried the address where we lived during our last trip too). I said hopefully there will be some discounts coming out. She said, "Oh, it's early!" (NO, IT'S NOT!)

I am hoping for a room-only break but I WANT TO KNOW, LOL! This is really absurd, and poor planning on their part, I have to say...

 

[Melanie230]

Ok...I just called the reservation line to talk to someone about the PIN codes. I didn't have one attached to my name but I did ask if she knew anything about any promotions for the fall. (We are going to Florida Oct 1-Oct 8.) She said "Well the rumor is that Free Dining is coming back." Nothing spectacular..but it least she said it. I did tell her that we had already made reservations for Hard Rock Hotel at Universal, and she said..Well you could book here and if there is no promotion you could just cancel within 45 days. I told her no..that we would wait and see, but that it was frustrating because the 180 days ADR was already in progress, and we would really like to know what is going on. When I told her that we already had plans to visit US/IOA/WWoHP she was typing the entire time on her computer. Hopefully more people call and let them know that people are moving foward with their plans and they will get on the ball.

 

[Melanie230]

I also forgot....If you want a discount go to www.disneyparks.com and register to volunteer in your city. IF you get that ticket, you get $84.14 off multi day tickets. For my husband and I and our two kids that is a savings of over $300. That can be applied to your vacation package according to the lady at Disney parks that I spoke to.