Free dining?

[wdwobsessed!]

Can anybody tell me if they announced free dining dates for 2015 and how it works? We've never done a dining plan so I'm in the dark with this

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Offers have been released via PIN codes, via bouncebacks, and for residents of Great Britain. There have been no general public offers in the US for 2015 that included free dining. They came out in May 2013 for dates in September-December 2014. Many blackout dates after September.

You have to purchase a full price package reservation, minimum of 3 nights with at least 2 day park tickets included, at a Disney resort, subject to availablity. Several resorts were excluded for 2014 and not all room categories were extensively available.

 

[CowboyCO]

We always look at the previous year's dates and plan from there until announced.

 

[scard192]

this year the GP FD offer was released in Early May. Dates were:

8/31/14-12/23/14 discounted package deal (Free Dining) for general public (blacked out 10/4-10/25, 11/2-11/8, and 11/21-12/11)

more resorts excluded: POR, POFQ, ASMo and a lot less rooms available for FD at the resorts where it was offered.

 

[Kevin355]

this year the GP FD offer was released in Early May. Dates were:

8/31/14-12/23/14 discounted package deal (Free Dining) for general public (blacked out 10/4-10/25, 11/2-11/8, and 11/21-12/11)

more resorts excluded: POR, POFQ, ASMo and a lot less rooms available for FD at the resorts where it was offered.

Yup. Have to book as soon as the DDP is announced. CBR had a few rooms, and as noted above, Port Orleans was not on the DDP list.

 

[ash901]

Do you have to have resort reservations already made to qualify? Also, is it truly "free dining?" The dining is the hardest part of trying to plan, for me.

 

[Disneylover99]

Do you have to have resort reservations already made to qualify? Also, is it truly "free dining?" The dining is the hardest part of trying to plan, for me.

Having previous reservations does not guarantee you will get free dining. Infact, if too many people already have reservations booked, it becomes less likely that free dining will be offered. Or, more popular resorts may get excluded from the promotion.

With free dining, you are paying rack rate for the room. Sometimes there may be other room discounts (especially if you like to stay in Deluxe resorts) that may be more beneficial for you. For us, (a family of four) free dining is totally worth it.....and free.

 

[denneg]

They do have a current offer that extends into 2015 for free dining, but have not announced anything further. Depending on the number of people in your party and how you typically dine, it can be a really good deal.

Edited because I just realized you said you don't understand how the dining plan works. There is a constant debate about whether it's worth it or not, but this might help you understand the dining plan and the benefits.
http://www.swawtraveldenise.com/disney-dreaming/ddp