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

[sugabutt]

Can I book my 3 night vacation now, for sometime in Sept, and if the FD is offered, can I add that on then? Or do I need to wait to book anything?

 

[2littleprincesses]

I had the same question you had, should I book now or wait. Also, last year, when they had the add on free dining for certain weeks in Oct., Nov and Dec--did they allow you to book on the last day and get the deal? Like if the deal went Oct 7-11--would you get the deal if you booked Oct. 11-15? Thanks in advance!

 

[tinkfan05]

My friend just booked a trip for this Sept. and the cm she talked to said she gets the free dining. Hopefully this cm knew what she's talking about and that she's not just guessing.

 

[B-Ride]

I had the same question you had, should I book now or wait. Also, last year, when they had the add on free dining for certain weeks in Oct., Nov and Dec--did they allow you to book on the last day and get the deal? Like if the deal went Oct 7-11--would you get the deal if you booked Oct. 11-15? Thanks in advance!

You can definitely add Free Dining to an existing reservation if it comes out later, we have done it that way twice. The only problem you might have would be a minimum length of stay. There is a disadvantage, however, to everyone booking now. If too many people book their trips in anticipation of Free Dining it might lead to Disney thinking they don't need to offer the Free Dining because their booking numbers are up.

As for booking on the last day of the offer, that is how it has been in the past. Last year it was rumoured that they wouldn't allow you to do it but when the offer came out booking the last day was not a problem.

 

[gssmks]

subscribing........we have a trip scheduled for the last week of Aug. We are hoping the free dining is offered and that our dates are including. When I booked the CM told me that it would be offered, but that the exact dates had not been announced. She told me that I would be able to add the free dining to my ressie once the dates are released. I keep checking to see if the dates have been announced yet and every CM has consistently told me that although the dates are set, there will be free dining. Does anyone know when the dates were announced in the previous years?

 

[Disneynut5]

Do you get better service if you are on the deluxe plan or does the server even know which plan you are on or if you are on a plan? Just wondering.

 

[DISNEYNY]

I booked the bounceback last August for 2 weeks this August starting on 8/23 but I really want it to start on 8/16, do you think that Disney will give the bounceback offer an earlier start date?

I booked FDP starting 8/23 last year on bounceback. I also needed to change my date to start on 8/16. I was hoping for the pincode email, but had not received anything. I decided yesterday to call Disney and see if I had a pincode. The very nice CM checked for me and I did have the code attached to my name. I now have the FDP starting on 8/16. This happened to me one other time....I had the pin code, but never got the email. I have checked several times and they have the correct email, so I really don't understand why some people get notified and others don't.

 

[desi200217]

i've never been with free dinning and my grandma aunt and i are going in sept. so i really hope there is

so when will we find out if there is free dinning

 

[n2mm]

Do you get better service if you are on the deluxe plan or does the server even know which plan you are on or if you are on a plan? Just wondering.

They ask you when you are seated which plan you are on and often will ask to see your KTTW card to make sure.

 

[TDC Nala]

They ask you when you are seated which plan you are on and often will ask to see your KTTW card to make sure.

They do this so they can tell you what's included and so they know how to ring up your order, not so they can treat deluxe guests better.

 

[n2mm]

They do this so they can tell you what's included and so they know how to ring up your order, not so they can treat deluxe guests better.

I agree. We used the DxDDP in Jan and the other plans during earlier trips. We never noticed anything different.

 

[KKB]

There is a disadvantage, however, to everyone booking now. If too many people book their trips in anticipation of Free Dining it might lead to Disney thinking they don't need to offer the Free Dining because their booking numbers are up.

We have to realize, that we are truly a SMALL number of the visitors to WDW each year. So those of us booking in anticipation are highly unlikely to affect whether they offer free dining or not. Additionally, with the number of offers flying around these days, as well as the state of the economy and the effect on tourism...I'd say odds are good they are going to offer it.

I am seriously thinking of calling...several here have called and found they DID have a PIN, though they never saw/received the email on it!

 

[mjbradeis]

I am seriously thinking of calling...several here have called and found they DID have a PIN, though they never saw/received the email on it!

I called the other day and they said that they are no longer able to check PIN offers.

 

[brockash]

I called the other day and they said that they are no longer able to check PIN offers.

I finally called today to check if I had the pin, and the CM said that it was very hard to look up. He did look up my name, but said it didn't look like I had the free dining pin yet... honestly I don't think he could tell one way or the other. He had asked if I had received anything and I said no, and he said than you probably don't have one; which is true, but I already knew that. We've made our ressies, but the rest of the families that are going with us have already said if there's no free dining they're going to cancel, and we'll probably end up doing the same, so I really really hope in about a month I'm happy I wonder how much it costs Disney to do the free dining and how many ppl. actually only go if there's free dining...just wondering what the chances are that it's worth it to them. I sure hope so, but we'll see.

 

[DISNEYNY]

I called the other day and they said that they are no longer able to check PIN offers.

That's funny. I called on Tuesday, 2/17. The CM said she would be happy to check for me. She checked and I had the FDP pin. It sounds like every CM has a different story. I never received the email to notify me that I had the pin code.

 

[mjbradeis]

That's funny. I called on Tuesday, 2/17. The CM said she would be happy to check for me. She checked and I had the FDP pin. It sounds like every CM has a different story. I never received the email to notify me that I had the pin code.

Which number did you call, maybe I went to a different call center

 

[disneymom06]

I finally called today to check if I had the pin, and the CM said that it was very hard to look up. He did look up my name, but said it didn't look like I had the free dining pin yet... honestly I don't think he could tell one way or the other. He had asked if I had received anything and I said no, and he said than you probably don't have one; which is true, but I already knew that. We've made our ressies, but the rest of the families that are going with us have already said if there's no free dining they're going to cancel, and we'll probably end up doing the same, so I really really hope in about a month I'm happy I wonder how much it costs Disney to do the free dining and how many ppl. actually only go if there's free dining...just wondering what the chances are that it's worth it to them. I sure hope so, but we'll see.

I gave a call myself. We have the FD booked for 8/23 during the bounceback from last August. I am rethinking my vacation plans because I would rather start my vacation on the 16th and not have to rush back for school. The CM did say to me that it appeared that I did not have a pin, checked my email address and said give us a call back. I will keep asking maybe I will be lucky.

 

[tupqueen66]

Just wondering, as this is my first trip to Disney, if anyone has heard of the free dining being offering as early as May? We are already booked for DDP with AAA, but are hoping for free dining to save some $$$.

 

[carmie3377]

Just wondering, as this is my first trip to Disney, if anyone has heard of the free dining being offering as early as May? We are already booked for DDP with AAA, but are hoping for free dining to save some $$$.

I've only seen it offered to the general public Aug - Oct (not entire months and it varies some). They had an offer out for part of last Dec but it was only open to Disney Visa cardholders. Then, there were pins out for last fall with various dates.

You might want to check out the buy 4 get 3 free offer available. Depending on how many people are in your party and which resort you are staying in, it might work out to be a bigger deal.

 

[B-Ride]

Does anyone know when the dates were announced in the previous years?

In the past it is the first or second week of April. Usually announced for Disney Visa holders on the Monday and for everyone else on the Thursday. I would guess April 6 for Disney Visa and April 9 for general public. This is also consistent with the dates for the current 3 nights free offer which must be booked by March 29 as Disney usually does not have two major offers going at the same time.