Free dining - Will it apply if announced AFTER booking?

[Goofy4Disney]

We've reserved 2 rooms with MYW+Dining. If free dining is announced this year, can we still get it although we've already deposited our money? Also, what time of year was the free dining offered in the past? Thanks in advance!

 

[msteddom]

I think I can help answer your questions:

1) Since free dining is a package deal you will have to make a new reservation. You can then have the deposit on your existing reservation applied to the new one. I have done this on several occasions with no problem.

2) Free dining has been offered in the past mid August through October. I belive the promotion was announced in late May last year. I hope they do it again!

Melissa

 

[n2mm]

I agree. Holding a reservation no way guarantees that free dining can/will be applied. If there is an identical reservation available at the resort you're holding a reservation at, then the CM will apply it -- pretty much what they are doing is making a new reservation for you and cancelling your old one. However, with limited amounts of accommodations available for all promotions, it's not unusual for certain resorts not to be available or certain room catagories to not be available. You certainly can keep your reservation, but need to have a back up plan to where you might be willing to get switched to, if your resort has no available packages left for your timeframe. If you plan to go without the free dining then you should indeed book your package, however, if you only book and plan to keep your reservation ONLY if there is a free dining promotion and plan to cancel if the promotion is not released, then you hurt yours and everyone elses chances of the promotion being released. Keep in mind that Disney will only release the promotion if it sees empty rooms to be filled. If all of the rooms appear to be filled, then there will be no promotion, or no promotion offered at the resorts that appear to be filled by folks holding maybe reservations.

BTW: The promotion was released the beginning of April last year. The first 2 days was for Disney Visa holders only and had to be booked with the Disney Visa. Then it was released to the public. It was closed after the cutoff date, but then reopenned again to fill more rooms. I'm one of the many hoping it appears again this year. Hope this wasn't too confusing, I just hate when I read threads were people are so upset when a discount or promotion can't be added to their reservation and they say they read it on the disboards to do it that way.

 

[WildGrits]

Thanx for all that info.

I too am one who is waiting , as patient as possible, for April.

What you said does make sense about not getting a reservation just to drop it if free dining comes along. It is a rare day in Disney when a Moderate sells out in Sept.

 

[Goofy4Disney!]

We've reserved 2 rooms with MYW+Dining. If free dining is announced this year, can we still get it although we've already deposited our money? Also, what time of year was the free dining offered in the past? Thanks in advance!

I just had to reply to this post because we have the same user name! lol...how odd is that???

 

[Goofy4Disney]

I just had to reply to this post because we have the same user name! lol...how odd is that???

I only see about a year and a half and an exclamation difference! That's CRAZY!

BTW, would you be totally freaked out if I told you that not only are we are staying at the same resort as you this year (POFQ), but also we initially planned to go to WDW over the exact time in December as you (as mentioned in your sig)?! Um, my mom never said anything about a long lost twin!!!

 

[warriorboy648]

Hi, I want to make sure I have this right!!!

I have a reservation from Aug. 12 - Aug 23 at CSR. (Going no matter what)
If free dining comes out for my time frame, it might not be available at CSR???
Should I then be willing to switch to another resort? Does Disney try to get you to reserve a deluxe resort or does it vary?

 

[Seahunt]

Hi, I want to make sure I have this right!!!

I have a reservation from Aug. 12 - Aug 23 at CSR. (Going no matter what)
If free dining comes out for my time frame, it might not be available at CSR???
Should I then be willing to switch to another resort? Does Disney try to get you to reserve a deluxe resort or does it vary?

Yep, CSR might/could be sold out, so you might have to check another resort. Disney doesn't make you look at deluxe or any category - you choose, but it will be based on availability. Though remember too - "free" dining isn't really free - the free dining promotion makes you pay rack rate (non-discounted rate) per night for the hotel (plus everyone in your party has to be on the same package, plus at least a 1 day ticket for each, etc.), so usually a deluxe resort at rack rate isn't as cost effective as a value at rack.

Last year when the free dining package came out, there were lots of posts here by DIS'ers trying to figure out if they were coming out ahead, or if they should do a room-only special (offered at the same time) and then just pay for the dining - I remember that it did make a big difference if you were staying at a deluxe....

So just think - you will also get to look forward to trying to figure this $$$ all out if they open free dining in the future!

Why oh why do they make it so hard on us!

 

[mom2my3kids]

When I booked the CM told me, you can fix the reservation and add free dining if it comes out. If you book room only you would have to cancel and rebook with a new reservation.