Free Dining Watch 2009 - Dates Released!! Update post 1

[wdwfanatic316]

Just wanted to share my experience with Free Dining from last year-

We went to Free Dining last year the third week of Nov (through the Disney Visa offer), and we loved it! We'd never been for free dining or any other time other than May or June, and it was so great! The crowds were very light, many Christmas decorations were up, and the we weren't exhausted by the end of the day from heat! It was very unseasonably cold (I'm talking record lows of like 30 degrees), but even with that we all thought that it was the best visit we'd had! I'd definitely recommend it!

 

[Eli's 1st trip]

Just wanted to share my experience with Free Dining from last year-

We went to Free Dining last year the third week of Nov (through the Disney Visa offer), and we loved it! We'd never been for free dining or any other time other than May or June, and it was so great! The crowds were very light, many Christmas decorations were up, and the we weren't exhausted by the end of the day from heat! It was very unseasonably cold (I'm talking record lows of like 30 degrees), but even with that we all thought that it was the best visit we'd had! I'd definitely recommend it!

We are going the week after Thanksgiving and hoping for free dining, b/c the of the economy and b/c Disney seems to be extending and extending their promotions...my question is.. with regards to the Disney Visa...My MIL has one, we do not, we are all staying in the same room at the ASMusic in a suite, I know that all of the people staying in the room must be on the same dining plan, so what happens if the free dining is only offered to Disney Visa card holders?

 

[ZeroToHero]

We are going the week after Thanksgiving and hoping for free dining, b/c the of the economy and b/c Disney seems to be extending and extending their promotions...my question is.. with regards to the Disney Visa...My MIL has one, we do not, we are all staying in the same room at the ASMusic in a suite, I know that all of the people staying in the room must be on the same dining plan, so what happens if the free dining is only offered to Disney Visa card holders?

That would mean she is the only one with the code, but can book for the entire room if she's in the room with you (and she might be able to book up to three rooms? I don't remember exactly, I could be wrong). If they only allowed it to work for people who had a Disney Visa, that would mean that if a person had it, their spouse and kids couldn't eat free. You should be fine if she's in the same room.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Last September Disney Destinations sent out some emails that offered free dining pin codes for select dates 9/28-10/11, 11/9-11/22, 12/14-12/20/08 . These emails were random, not for the general public, and the codes were non-transferrable. About two weeks after that Disney Visa sent out a free dining code for their card holders for the same select dates in October, November and December. Those pin codes were not part of the regular Fall Dining promotion and there was no general public fd code offered for any of those dates. If Disney Visa runs this kind of promotion again, and you want to include your relative, then you would need to book the package. You can usualy book up to three rooms with this promo.

 

[DaParkers]

It might be. If you look at the hotel pricing chart, you can guarantee that any time that is "value season" is less crowded than "regular season," or any other season for that matter.

We find Sept. to be great for crowds.
Use smart tactics like being there at opening, avoiding EMH (am and pm), and using fastpasses.

I disagree. You say to be there at rope drop, yet avoid am EMH. Wouldn't it be better if they were actually in the park already at rope drop? If you can get up early enough, take advantage of am EMH. Most people find it easier to stay up late than wake up early. That is why pm EMH are always much busier than am EMH. The unofficial guide doesn't suggest am EMH because it's assumed that the average person won't get up early enough to enjoy them. If you are not average and can swing it, then do it......You will get a lot of touring out of the way early. P.S. I would avoid pm EMH.

 

[wdwmoxie]

- What is ADR?

- What is FD?

- What is the disney dining package?

- how does the disney dining package work per person?

- Can you survive on this package for 3 or 4 days?

- are there any disadvantages?

 

[mom2two2]

I have a question about booking Free Dining if/when they announce it.

So the day it becomes available I assume the trick is to call right away when phones open (is that 7:00 am FL time?). What if you want to try booking online? Would an icon appear at a certain time on the Disney site? I am wondering what would be a better bet.

Thanks

 

[willowsnn3]

You only have to order a one day ticket for each person to receive free dining (days based on the number of nights you are staying)

What about annual pass holders. Would you still have to purchase a separate ticket?

 

[DaParkers]

- What is ADR? Advanced Dining Reservation. They are recommended for EVERY table service meal.

- What is FD? Free Dining

- What is the disney dining package? A magic your way package with dining. It consists of at least 3 nights in a WDW resort, at least a 1 day ticket, and the dining plan.

- how does the disney dining package work per person? The dining plan consists of 1 counter service meal, 1 Table service and 1 snack for each night of your stay at a WDW resort. They do not have to be used that way, though. You can use as many or as little of your credits on a daily basis as you see fit.


- Can you survive on this package for 3 or 4 days? Yes

- are there any disadvantages? If you get free dining, most would say NO. But, some people don't like having to make ADR's and feel like they take away from their vacation. If you have to pay, then you'll have to do the math and figure that out for yourself.

Hope this helps a little. I'm sure more people will give you more detailed answers.

 

[DaParkers]

What about annual pass holders. Would you still have to purchase a separate ticket?

Yes

 

[mom2rtk]

I disagree. You say to be there at rope drop, yet avoid am EMH. Wouldn't it be better if they were actually in the park already at rope drop? If you can get up early enough, take advantage of am EMH. Most people find it easier to stay up late than wake up early. That is why pm EMH are always much busier than am EMH. The unofficial guide doesn't suggest am EMH because it's assumed that the average person won't get up early enough to enjoy them. If you are not average and can swing it, then do it......You will get a lot of touring out of the way early. P.S. I would avoid pm EMH.

If you can be there when EMH starts, then it does benifit you. What they mean is that the park with EMH for the day in general just stays busier all day long. Even the ones who were too tired to get up in time for the EMH had already plotted to be there that day and still go.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I disagree. You say to be there at rope drop, yet avoid am EMH. Wouldn't it be better if they were actually in the park already at rope drop? If you can get up early enough, take advantage of am EMH. Most people find it easier to stay up late than wake up early. That is why pm EMH are always much busier than am EMH. The unofficial guide doesn't suggest am EMH because it's assumed that the average person won't get up early enough to enjoy them. If you are not average and can swing it, then do it......You will get a lot of touring out of the way early. P.S. I would avoid pm EMH.

No, I meant don't go to the EMH park at all that day.
Definately DON'T go to the AM EMH park if you sleep in!!!!
Actually, we have gone to AM EMH several times,
but parkhopped after lunch because it gets so crowded.
If you don't have parkhoppers,
don't EMH unless you are willing to put up with the afternoon crowd.
We've done one PM EMH, but didn't stay long because the kids were tired.
It was packed.
If you can stay very late, the crowds thin out
and I have heard it can be great for accomplishing a lot in a short time.
Our kids are still too little.

Thanks for having me clarify!

 

[Disneymom2266]

Hi Everyone! I keep hearing of this free dining. How does it work,and how to you go about getting it? Can you go anywhere you want for dinners? Any info will be greatly appreciated. I am hoping for a girls trip in September.

 

[Disneymom2266]

Another question I have is... I am a DVC member, and will be booking my room through points. I do have a Disney Visa card, so... can I still book the free dining for my whole party, even if we stay on points, and I am the only Disney Visa holder? I have never seen anything like this with my Visa statements, how do you know about the promo?

 

[mom2rtk]

No, I meant don't go to the EMH park at all that day.
Definately DON'T go to the AM EMH park if you sleep in!!!!
Actually, we have gone to AM EMH several times,
but parkhopped after lunch because it gets so crowded.
If you don't have parkhoppers,
don't EMH unless you are willing to put up with the afternoon crowd.
We've done one PM EMH, but didn't stay long because the kids were tired.
It was packed.
If you can stay very late, the crowds thin out
and I have heard it can be great for accomplishing a lot in a short time.
Our kids are still too little.

Thanks for having me clarify!

If you have little ones and can commit to being there at EMH rope drop, and plan to skip out late AM, then it is GOLDEN! You can get more done in that first hour sometimes than you can in the rest of the day!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Another question I have is... I am a DVC member, and will be booking my room through points. I do have a Disney Visa card, so... can I still book the free dining for my whole party, even if we stay on points, and I am the only Disney Visa holder? I have never seen anything like this with my Visa statements, how do you know about the promo?

No. You have to book a package. They are trying to sell rooms and tickets.
If your room is already paid for, they are not benefitting to give you free dining.

 

[Disneymom2266]

No. You have to book a package. They are trying to sell rooms and tickets.
If your room is already paid for, they are not benefitting to give you free dining.

Then do you think it would be more worth it to just book the whole thing with the discount? Is the discount only on food, and where can you stay?

 

[DisneyMom5]

Hi Everyone! I keep hearing of this free dining. How does it work,and how to you go about getting it? Can you go anywhere you want for dinners? Any info will be greatly appreciated. I am hoping for a girls trip in September.

You use a code (either through Disney Visa or later General public) to book a package (room and tickets), and then they add the Dining Plan for free (1 Table Service credit, One Counter service credit, and One snack credit, to be used in the order you want, from check in until midnight of your check out day. So you can do two TS one day and two CS one day, or whatever.)

Some people have found it cheaper to save their DVC points for another trip, and book a value resort room with tickets and free dining.
If you are planning on buying the dining plan, this may be an option for you.

You can eat anywhere the plan is accepted (check out the dining plan brochure on Disney's official website.)
Reservations (ADRs) before travelling are absolutely necessary during Free Dining.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Then do you think it would be more worth it to just book the whole thing with the discount? Is the discount only on food, and where can you stay?

Yes (depending on the cost of the resort you choose),
yes,
and all Disney owned resorts are eligible for the plan, depending on availability.
So not Shades of Green and Dolphin/Swan, or the DTD hotels.

The best value is Free Dining and a Value resort, though some people have had excellent savings on Moderates. Deluxe is not as good a value on this sale, unless you were going to buy the dining plan anyway, and have no other discount for your stay.
You cannot combine discounts.

Happy Planning!

 

[Disneymom2266]

Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it!