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

[BlueBay]

Is this pretty much guaranteed to be offered in September? Has anyone participated in this before? What are the rules? You can eat anywhere you want for free? Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner??

 

[Berlioz70]

It hasn't been announced yet, but based on the success of the last two years I would assume it's coming back?

It works like a regular dinning plan, so you are limited on locations and meal options... but yes, you could essentially eat for free if your smart and plan your visit out!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

Just to be clear, you don't get breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. You get a choice of 1 table service restaurant, 1 counter service restaurant, and 1 snack. For more information, visit the Disney Dining Plan page here on the DIS:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-dining-plan.htm

You should also check out the threads on the Disney Dining Plan board:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=116

 

[Disneycrazy!!]

We used it last September and LOVED it....you get 1 fast counter service meal and one sit down restaraunt meal and 1 snack. It was alot of food for us and we are big eaters. I think you have to upgrade to deluxe for 3 meals a day.

I heard a rumor that this year when they offer free dining it will be for counter services only....no more sit down free dining. I hope not!!!!

 

[wvdislover]

You would still have to pay gratuities, though, since the regular dining plan doesn't include these, but it's still quite a steal!

 

[paintnolish]

You would still have to pay gratuities, though, since the regular dining plan doesn't include these, but it's still quite a steal!

Yes, don't forget for every TS meal, you will need to pay the gratuity, which can be quite pricey at some places (but worth it! I am a waitress and always tip at least 20%). Anyway, you get one CS meal, one approved "snack" (which sometimes can make a nice bfast) and one TS meal a day-still a wonderful deal! We used the free ddp on our first trip and have paid for it several times since!

 

[dbmarie]

Man, this stress is getting to me! Why, oh WHY didn't I book the free dining bounceback available when we were there in October?! Oh yeah, because dh thought there was no way we'd be back so soon

My dh does this every trip and sure enough a couple of months after we get home he wants to go back . I need to start booking the bounceback behind his back.

 

[livinlife25]

is your deposit non refundable? are there penalties if you cancel?

 

[Goofy22]

is your deposit non refundable? are there penalties if you cancel?

Nope! Not at all as long as you cancel before the 45 day out mark with a package ,They will refund everything!

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I have a question!

What if you haven't booked any room(s) yet? Is there any chance of getting free dining when it comes out by just booking right then?

I ask because we already have our dates in October and there's really just a slim chance they will offer it on our dates anyway, but we have a house offsite we are planning on staying at (there are 8 of us and it's cheaper) but if we were to get free dining, we could afford 3 rooms.

Can I wait until free dining comes out and if it's offered when we are going, call up and get 2 rooms or is it just for those that have rooms already???

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

We used it last September and LOVED it....you get 1 fast counter service meal and one sit down restaraunt meal and 1 snack. It was alot of food for us and we are big eaters. I think you have to upgrade to deluxe for 3 meals a day.

I heard a rumor that this year when they offer free dining it will be for counter services only....no more sit down free dining. I hope not!!!!

Must definitely be a rumor, because I have booked a bounceback with free dining and have the regular dining plan and was offered the Deluxe dining at a discounted price as it was offered last year.

Suzanne

 

[HLAuburn]

I have a question!

What if you haven't booked any room(s) yet? Is there any chance of getting free dining when it comes out by just booking right then?

I ask because we already have our dates in October and there's really just a slim chance they will offer it on our dates anyway, but we have a house offsite we are planning on staying at (there are 8 of us and it's cheaper) but if we were to get free dining, we could afford 3 rooms.

Can I wait until free dining comes out and if it's offered when we are going, call up and get 2 rooms or is it just for those that have rooms already???

Absolutely! You are the visitors Disney is looking for! Free dining is put out to fill rooms that are still open. You actually can't just "apply" free dining to an existing reservation...only certain rooms for certain dates are available under free dining.

If you are really particular about your resort or you're looking at the Value resorts, it would be best to call as soon as free dining is announced to have you the best choice of resorts/dates/rooms, but it should definitely work for your group!

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

Must definitely be a rumor, because I have booked a bounceback with free dining and have the regular dining plan and was offered the Deluxe dining at a discounted price as it was offered last year.

Suzanne

OMG, if DxDDP is discounted, I may have to look at adding this instead of DDP.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

OMG, if DxDDP is discounted, I may have to look at adding this instead of DDP.

I don't remember the difference, but am considering going back and adding it, since it will now be just me and Dh, instead of the whole family. There a couple of places we eant to eat that require 2 TS credits and that might just make more sense.

Suzanne

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

Have they ever done free dining all the way into mid-October? 18th-27th is when we are going.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I have a question!

What if you haven't booked any room(s) yet? Is there any chance of getting free dining when it comes out by just booking right then?

I ask because we already have our dates in October and there's really just a slim chance they will offer it on our dates anyway, but we have a house offsite we are planning on staying at (there are 8 of us and it's cheaper) but if we were to get free dining, we could afford 3 rooms.

Can I wait until free dining comes out and if it's offered when we are going, call up and get 2 rooms or is it just for those that have rooms already???

That in fact is how you should do it. As the previous poster said, you can't apply free dining to an existing reservation. Your travel agent or Disney will actually cancel your existing reservation and rebook a package with free dining.

Booking a room before it's offered could actually reduce the number of rooms Disney will offer with the package. The more full a resort is, the less deals they need to offer for that resort.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Have they ever done free dining all the way into mid-October? 18th-27th is when we are going.

No. They sent out some random free dining pin codes for a few dates in October, but the Fall Free Dining promo dates for the general public have never extended that far into October.

 

[HLAuburn]

Have they ever done free dining all the way into mid-October? 18th-27th is when we are going.

No, not that late into October. They did offer FD to Disney Visa cardholders through Oct 11, and some dates in Nov and Dec last year, but I'd say its highly unlikely to see it that late into Oct...but you never know!

I guess we all just have to wait and see what comes out.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

That in fact is how you should do it. As the previous poster said, you can't apply free dining to an existing reservation. Your travel agent or Disney will actually cancel your existing reservation and rebook a package with free dining.

Booking a room before it's offered could actually reduce the number of rooms Disney will offer with the package. The more full a resort is, the less deals they need to offer for that resort.

I'm not sure who posted that you can NOT add free dining to an existing reservation, but that information is wrong. You can not add free dining to an exisiting ROOM ONLY reservation, but you can most certainly add it to an existing package reservation - I've done it twice. That's actually the easiest thing to do, because the day that free dining comes out all you have to do is call and have them add the code to your reservation.

 

[welovedisney04]

The only dates in Dec that free dining was available for last year was the 14th-20th, and it was only for Disney Visa cardholders. It was announced in mid September.

Sorry, I can't help you with the AS Suites question.

If you are staying in a suite you cannot get free dining - we asked last years and they said no you have to book 2 seperate rooms to get the free dining