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

[wvdislover]

We went last year during free dining, but I couldn't figure out a way to add free dining to our land and sea package. I tried with my TA before we left, and then tried at the hotel when we checked in. The TA couldn't do it, and the hotel said you have to change the reservation 72 hours before arrival.

I think the only way is to book cruise and land separately to get free dining. Any one else had any luck?

No, you can't book free dining with a land/sea package. The reason behind this is that the land/sea package is booked through DCL, and DCL is a separate entity from WDW. When you book a land/sea package, it is all through DCL; they have basically "purchased" a block of rooms from WDW to use with their packages and WDW has nothing to do with it, technically. You have to purchase the land portion directly from WDW to get free dining, and then just purchase the cruise portion from DCL. Sometimes it's cheaper to book them separately, and sometimes it's cheaper to book them together...you just have to price out all your options. When we did a land/sea last year, my TA priced it all out, and it was cheaper to do the land/sea than it was to pay for them separately and get free dining. I guess timing is everthing.

 

[jhryb]

Good Morning! I have a question and I'm sure it has been asked but this board is so hard to navigate to find answers. Plus the threads that do come up for my search are pages long! Anyhoo! I was wondering if DVC members can get free dining? My MIL has DVC and has always went in September/October the past couple years and got free dining so I wasn't sure if this was the same kind of promotion or if this is totally different?

Thanks in advance!

I know that your question has already been answered, but I would like to share my observation. My family is booked via the DVC during the free dining period. We would like to be on the dining plan. There is my myself, my DH, my DD11 and my DS10. The total cost of the dining plan for this period is approx $940 for 6 nights. I can book a value resort with free dining + 1 day base park passes for $1065. The value of the 1 day base park passes is around $320. It is a better deal for us to book a separate room at a value resort (even though the room will be empty) than it is to pay for dining via the DVC. Just my observation. We are annual passholders so the 1 day base park passes can be applied towards our renewal cost.

 

[LorilieMarie]

I know that your question has already been answered, but I would like to share my observation. My family is booked via the DVC during the free dining period. We would like to be on the dining plan. There is my myself, my DH, my DD11 and my DS10. The total cost of the dining plan for this period is approx $940 for 6 nights. I can book a value resort with free dining + 1 day base park passes for $1065. The value of the 1 day base park passes is around $320. It is a better deal for us to book a separate room at a value resort (even though the room will be empty) than it is to pay for dining via the DVC. Just my observation. We are annual passholders so the 1 day base park passes can be applied towards our renewal cost.

Wow!, You should invite some friends our relatives along and charge them half price for the empty value resort room. . .that would be helpful for both families.

 

[omghidanielle]

I have a question that has probably already been answered.....

If we are currently on free dining, would we be able to upgrade to deluxe, and if so, how much would it cost to upgrade to deluxe dining?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I have a question that has probably already been answered.....

If we are currently on free dining, would we be able to upgrade to deluxe, and if so, how much would it cost to upgrade to deluxe dining?

Yes, it's about $32.00 per person to upgrade to deluxe.

 

[Tomh]

Just to clarify, that is about $32 per person PER NIGHT of your stay. Basically, you pay the difference in price between the regular dining plan, and the deluxe plan for your stay.

 

[Bama_C]

I agree! I love that we can take a trip when it works the best for our own schedule - not when it works the best for a school schedule. Very thankful for that!

I think I'm going to be able to add a day too - woohoo for you and I for that!

Oooh, does that mean we'll get another TR with your family, your mom, bionic SIL and family???

Same here... homechooling has been a tremendous blessing for us, and our oldest is graduating this year. Happy and sad all at the same time. He will be going off to the University next fall and so will not be able to go with us on our annual FDDP trip this Sept. It is killing me!!! He is excited about college and all that it involves, but I can tell he'd really like to be able to go on our trip. On the upside, we will actually fit in one Value Resort room for the first time... a huge $ savings.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, it's about $32.00 per person to upgrade to deluxe.

$32 per adult per night, $10 per child per night.

 

[J2MB]

I know that your question has already been answered, but I would like to share my observation. My family is booked via the DVC during the free dining period. We would like to be on the dining plan. There is my myself, my DH, my DD11 and my DS10. The total cost of the dining plan for this period is approx $940 for 6 nights. I can book a value resort with free dining + 1 day base park passes for $1065. The value of the 1 day base park passes is around $320. It is a better deal for us to book a separate room at a value resort (even though the room will be empty) than it is to pay for dining via the DVC. Just my observation. We are annual passholders so the 1 day base park passes can be applied towards our renewal cost.

Do you (or anyone) know if the base tickets individually need to be upgraded to annual passes? Or is the total cost of all base tickets simply credited toward your annual pass purchase?

For instance if you made two separate reservations as described above during Free Dining, could you use your 8 base tickets to offset the cost of your 4 annual passes?

 

[ZeroToHero]

Do you (or anyone) know if the base tickets individually need to be upgraded to annual passes? Or is the total cost of all base tickets simply credited toward your annual pass purchase?

For instance if you made two separate reservations as described above during Free Dining, could you use your 8 base tickets to offset the cost of your 4 annual passes?

I believe you can only use one ticket per upgrade - someone else correct me if I'm wrong, I might be using old information.

 

[disneynuts777]

I believe you can only use one ticket per upgrade - someone else correct me if I'm wrong, I might be using old information.

You can only use one ticket per upgrade. You cannot combine 2 or more tickets towardsan upgrade....ex. an annual pass.

 

[abbadabbadoo]

Just wanted to jump back in and let everyone know that we got our reservations to the All-Star Music Suites with FREE DINING (yay!) for September 19-27. Hope to see some of yall there!

 

[neatokimmo]

Could you use the 1 day to upgrade to a multi day then use the multiday for an AP?

You can only use one ticket per upgrade. You cannot combine 2 or more tickets towardsan upgrade....ex. an annual pass.

 

[Piglet54]

Just wanted to jump back in and let everyone know that we got our reservations to the All-Star Music Suites with FREE DINING (yay!) for September 19-27. Hope to see some of yall there!

GREAT! We're going August 20-24!

 

[IwannaseeMickey]

If I'm only going to buy 1 day tickets in order to get FD w/ my package (b/c I already have military tickets), can that 1 day ticket be to a water park? Or does it have to be to a regular park?

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

any chance they may perhaps extend this option? im serioulsy lookign for mid ocotober with family to celebrate our tenth wedding anny.

 

[bookwormde]

There are reports that FD pins arrived today for 10-2 to before Thanksgiving. One interesting thing is that they are tiered, QS for values, regular for moderates and deluxe.
I wonder if this is a test to 2010 general public FD. There was lots of questions about this when QS was announced.

bookwormde

 

[Bete]

There are reports that FD pins arrived today for 10-2 to before Thanksgiving. One interesting thing is that they are tiered, QS for values, regular for moderates and deluxe.
I wonder if this is a test to 2010 general public FD. There was lots of questions about this when QS was announced.

bookwormde

I have to say I saw this coming with a promo for free QS for value resorts. I knew when Disney announced this plan that it would happen sooner or later. I went twice last year during free dining for this exact reason to enjoy free regular dining and stay at a value resort.

I was hoping for the same this December with regular free dining. Now, I'm bummed that the current pin doesn't even include December time. This means the December hopefuls will probably have to wait longer to see a deal and if there will even be one for Disney Visa holders and/or the general public.

I've been looking into a condo rental this time and this may convince me to do so. I won't accept a QS promo for a value resort when the other resorts get the regular dining promo. It makes me feel like a second class citizen. It won't work for me. There are plenty of very reasonably priced condos for December around Disney World within a three mile radius.

I don't mind using our car back and forth. We get handicap parking. We don't get up early or stay that late to take advantage of the extra magic hours, either. What drew me to stay at a Disney resort was the free, regular dining promo. I would go for free nights, too but not a QS promo for a value resort.

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I have no problem with the QS plan for the Values and I am a Value person. I would assume that one could upgrade and pay the difference if it mattered? For those who only want to eat at one or two TS they could pay OP.

Now if I could keep my $49 rate and get QS I would think I was in heaven!

It is wonderful that they are offering more weeks with FD in whatever form IMO.

Slightly Goofy who cannot wait to see what happens next and wishes it would not cause that would mean the economy etc. was doing better.

 

[micknpluto]

^^That sux if they are planning on taking away Free Regular Dining Plan with a Value stay... QS is not worth it to me.. If they changed the plan for ALL Disney Resort stays, I could see but just for Value guests.. thats a crappy deal.