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

[rw_hadley]

Yes, you get a bill showing you what the meal would have cost without the FD. It freaked out my DH and I the first time we got one, we thought we'd misunderstood and we were supposed to pay the $300 tab!!

Thanks! I thought that would be the case, but didn't know for sure.
I think I've got a rumbly in my tumbly that Disney is going to be paying for!

 

[spider0215]

I am booked for FD at POP also. Sept 8-12. Trying to arrange a meet up Don't know how to do the link here. It's under Resorts

 

[LuvMy3Monkeys]

Soooo, who does all the work???? (Cleaning etc.) Does she take allergy meds? We used to have the same problem with my daughter's asthma/allergies until she started taking a once daily med. She was always getting sick... every vacation.

Apparently the housekeeping does, but then a manager has to check it. At least thats what the CM said on the phone who I was transferred to that deals with special needs requests. If you go on the site and put into your dates, right next to the date boxes theres a little link that reads "traveling with guests with disabilities"? You can click there and it shows the list of accomodations they can provide... included in that list is requesting the air filter be changed, the carpets cleaned, the linens all double rinsed, having scented sprays not used and having scented soaps and such removed, etc. We don't need all of that, but thats an example.

As far as her meds, she does take Claritin daily and she has a nebulizer for when her allergies act up... because it usually leads to a upper respiratory infection and she's had RSV two times this winter already Its been a mess! But she's finally seeming like she's doing better than she did a year ago.

 

[meljw1960]

Hey, you're staying the same dates I am! However, I wouldn't mind getting upgraded... I like my mini-fridges and/or interior hallways.. but I'm a college student this year, so there goes that.

Has it just been luck in getting upgraded, or has there been some similar thing that happened every time?

ETA: My boyfriend is finally excited about the FD, now that he woke up and realized that he gets to eat for free for a week. And when he remembered the Dole Whips.

hey, I'll be looking for you... as far as the upgrade?? who knows. It was my friends first time there and the ressie was in her name. that was the only thing we could figure out. I know they overbooked POP that summer, and alot of people got upgrades. we were upgraded to SS. it was nice, but so spread out and not like the food courts at the values. Last year, when our TA tried to apply the FD.. we had to switch resorts to keep a preferred room, which we wanted for my mom.
Where are YOU staying???

 

[mbanks21]

Isnt the GG number 407WDWPLAN?

 

[meljw1960]

Hey, you're staying the same dates I am! However, I wouldn't mind getting upgraded... I like my mini-fridges and/or interior hallways.. but I'm a college student this year, so there goes that.

Has it just been luck in getting upgraded, or has there been some similar thing that happened every time?

ETA: My boyfriend is finally excited about the FD, now that he woke up and realized that he gets to eat for free for a week. And when he remembered the Dole Whips.

OH yeah, I got my email from my TA. we're IN and no changing resorts. My kids will be thrilled. I don't really care, but My son ( who is the designer of this trip) wanted to stay at POP and we're bringing his girlfriend. he wants to show her around Disney the RIGHT way. she's only been once several years ago and didn't do too much there. My kids have become experts . So He wanted to take her ( he's 19, she'll be 19 when we go) and I'm the "chaperone" and my 16 yr old is coming along to make it more fun for all of us. The funny thing is that my 19 yr old and I don't do the rollercoasters, but the 16 yr old and the 19yr old's girlfriend do, so they will probably be riding together. My oldest Son and his girlfriend wanted to come along but can't because of college schedules and finances. My oldest son was in The College Program 3 yrs ago. He spent 7 months as a custodian on Main St. in the MK.
I can't wait for August!!! whoopee!!!

 

[KKB]

How soon should I expect my confirmation email? I already had a reservation, but the CM said she would send an email stating we added free dining. I called at 7 and I am freaking because I dont have an email yet and its not showing up when I log onto my vacation on the website.

On Thurs. when I booked, CM got my email addy (for some reason they did NOT have it--thank goodness for these boards!), and assured me I would have a confirmation email w/in 90 min. Never got it. I get other Disney emails, so I doubt it landed in the SPAM folder. BUT when I checked our reservations online, the corrected price was there.

CM kept saying, "WOW!" I thought something was wrong & they wouldn't be able to do it for us...but he said, "OMG, this saves you a ton of money!" Yep, saves $2K for 7 people! THAT'S why we have been so neurotic on these boards!!

 

[05MM08MM]

It's all of the resorts, depending on availability. I wish they wouldn't advertise it the way they do, because it makes it sound like that's all you can do "5 nights 6 days at a value resort or SSR."

If there is something different you are interested in, give them a call!

I was curious in case someone else asked me, I told some friends about the FD offer but referred them to the visa card page which only list certain resorts.

We choose a value resort to save money this time. It will just be me and DH and my travel agent recommended POP. It looks like everyone will be there at different times, but some do overlap others.

 

[Disney 4 2]

I work 5:30am to 3pm and booked my AKL vacation in February for my family (party of 7) with a local travel agency.

My TA started her vacation today and I asked her to have someone else in the agency to call this morning and add free dining to my existing reservations Sept.20-27.

Just got a e-mail at work and my TA came in and called and added Free Dining to my 3 reservations.

What a gal!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

if I used the 4/3 deal I cannot use free dining...correct?

As pp stated, the 4/3 deal and the Free Dining promo are not being offered at the same time - The 4/3 deal ends 8/15 and FD promo starts 8/16. And even if 4/3 were extended you could not have both discounts. Disney does not let you stack discounts, you have to pick one or the other.

 

[mom2two2]

Does anyone else find the lack of wait time (or less) a bit of a surprise?

The CM told me when we were on the phone that they expected a flood of calls right at 7:00 and she could see on the board how many were in queue and that it was not as much as they had expected.

Do you think there are less people booking this year with everything going on or did we get ourselves all worked up needlessly? LOL.

Just curious....

 

[AlternateEgo]

We booked online... so absolutely no waiting!

I am so excited, we got CSR, king bed, & FREE DINING for our Honeymoon!!

Now I have to figure out our ADR's and see if I can "request" a waterview

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Does anyone else find the lack of wait time (or less) a bit of a surprise?

The CM told me when we were on the phone that they expected a flood of calls right at 7:00 and she could see on the board how many were in queue and that it was not as much as they had expected.

Do you think there are less people booking this year with everything going on or did we get ourselves all worked up needlessly? LOL.

Just curious....

I think a lot more people were able to book the Free Dining promo on-line this year than previous years. In 2007 it was a day or two after the promo came out before you could book on-line and last year it was a least a day before you could book on-line. This year it seems the site was actually ready when the promo came out and a lot of people were able to book on-line over the weekend with the Disney Visa and on-line this morning when it came out for the general public. That had to make a difference in the call center and for peoples wait times.

 

[Kat in WA]

Our TA got us all set at POP for Sept. 18-26th with Free Dining!!! This is a girls only trip (15 year old and me) and our First Trip Ever!!!!!! I'll be looking for those LGMH's.

 

[lilys.mom]

How soon should I expect my confirmation email? I already had a reservation, but the CM said she would send an email stating we added free dining. I called at 7 and I am freaking because I dont have an email yet and its not showing up when I log onto my vacation on the website.

When I added mine this morning I asked about an email and she said I would get one but it could take up to 12 hrs. Hope that helps~!

 

[Suellen]

Woot! Just booked for a short trip with free dining! Sept 30th-Oct 3rd ~ Pop!

 

[GirlfromTN]

Yay! Booked 3 nights at CSR Sept 24-27. Had a little bit of a hard time convincing DF we needed to go to WDW AGAIN ...... But the idea of free dining won him over eventually! He just loves planning all the ADRs and where we use our points!
Now if I could just convince him that we need to try MNSSHP too...

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I haven't received an email to this day. Thank goodness I was lurking around here the Thursday when everyone found out and posted about it. I got my FD, just wondered when I would receive the official notice.

Maybe I need to call Visa and make sure they have my email address.

 

[RysMomma]

I did get one from Disney Visa but not the day it started. I actually got it the day after the promotion began which was Friday.

 

[nettii]

Yay! Booked 3 nights at CSR Sept 24-27. Had a little bit of a hard time convincing DF we needed to go to WDW AGAIN ...... But the idea of free dining won him over eventually! He just loves planning all the ADRs and where we use our points!
Now if I could just convince him that we need to try MNSSHP too...

I hear you about MNSSHP I would love to go but it interferes with football and hunting, maybe me and the little guy will have to go with out the big boys!