Free Disney Dining Plan 2009??

[poppie123]

I do apologise if this has been asked a million times already.

Does anyone know when the dates for the free disney dining plan 2009 will be released. I don't want to book flights and hotel yet only to find i have missed out by a couple of days. We are planning to go around the 18th August.

Thanks

 

[UKDEB]

Bumping. I'm sure someone has an opinion.

 

[tracipierce]

I'm eagerly awaiting this too, I've been holding off booking until I know

 

[Melcatfish]

I'm eagerly awaiting this too, I've been holding off booking until I know

Last year I think the offer was for bookings made between 23rd August and 6th November if I remember correctly - i think it applied to holiday after 16th August this year... don't hold me to that info but it was there or thereabouts.

Mel
x

 

[poppie123]

Please forgive me for this really stupid question but..

How will i know when the free dining plan becomes available for 2009? i have no idea where i am supposed to be looking. Would it tell you on the wdw.uk website or would you only know if you telephoned to book.

 

[irongirlof12]

you will know... all the major travel companys take out big adds in the newspapers and you will find it on all of thier websites. I think they start mid august time so not too long to wait.

 

[paulh]

Please forgive me for this really stupid question but..

How will i know when the free dining plan becomes available for 2009? i have no idea where i am supposed to be looking. Would it tell you on the wdw.uk website or would you only know if you telephoned to book.

wouldnt worry on that score.if as expected they put flyers under doors at the hotels from end of this aug for bounceback free ddp.like they did last year
Expect the DDP part of these board to light up. then mid of aug like last year watch for the anouncements for any uk free dinning from uk TAs
Paulh

 

[PaulaSB12]

Last year I think the offer was for bookings made between 23rd August and 6th November if I remember correctly - i think it applied to holiday after 16th August this year... don't hold me to that info but it was there or thereabouts.

Mel
x

The free ddp plan goes from 10th august, I know because I was going to go on the 9th and when they said free ddp from 10th booked it from the 10th.

 

[paulh]

there have been 3 different dates for free dinning,bounceback uk and open usa offer
Paulh

 

[heatherbelle]

Giving this a bump, in case there is any more up to date info out there.

I wonder if the travel agents get an advanced announcement about this. I seem to remember receiving a flyer from VH last year, but I can't remember when it came.

 

[Cinderella2006]

Just wanted to thank the OP, i have been wondering this also. We went the beginning of august last year but i would love to try the DDP. I am hoping that it may be a bit quieter than the beginning of august with spring break coming to an end

 

[orangetiggs]

I'm waiting for it as well. Would like to try it for our ainnversary trip next year. We fly over on the 28th August so hoping to get it booked before we go!

Dont want to miss out again like this year

 

[meryll83]

Just to double check - is having an annual pass a bit useless at free dining time, as you have to book a ticket and room package to get free dining anyway?

 

[disneyholic family]

Just to double check - is having an annual pass a bit useless at free dining time, as you have to book a ticket and room package to get free dining anyway?

it's not useless....
while the free dining package does include a ticket, you only have to purchase a one day ticket....so it just means you end up 'throwing out' a one day ticket..
the free dining plan still works out to be a great deal...

 

[meryll83]

it's not useless....
while the free dining package does include a ticket, you only have to purchase a one day ticket....so it just means you end up 'throwing out' a one day ticket..
the free dining plan still works out to be a great deal...

Do I have to book direct with Disney then to do this?
So I could choose a 2 week hotel stay with free dining, as long as I select a 1 day ticket (does it have to be a hopper?)
I had a feeling there was a rule like this somewhere, which is why I posted to be honest to see if someone knew about it, glad to hear it's still in force
You can now book your UK flights too can't you through Disney, has anyone done this and found it reasonable, or is it best to find flights seperately?

To be honest we've already booked for 09, had to go outside of free dining unfortunatley to fit in with everyone else for our wedding trip, and the 2010 plan is to do the west coast, but I like to keep up with the deals we could have....

 

[heatherbelle]

Based on previous years, there are two ways in which you can get the free dining.

1) - Around mid August, the UK travel agents will offer free dining, providing that you book by a given date, you stay between certain dates (usually mid August until the end of Sept), and you do not have a split stay holiday. You must also purchase Disney tickets for the full duration of your holiday. Last year it was only available for a moderate or better.

2) Around May/June time, may be earlier, WDW will offer free dining to guests staying between certain dates. For this year, I think it was available for all types of property. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. So the chances are that if the UK TA's offer it this summer for next summer, then Disney will offer it late spring next year for the same period. Peeps who book DIY holidays, usually book a hotel room anyway, then when the offer comes along, they cancel and re-book the room with Disney, so they get the free dining.

Hope this helps. I've never booked with Disney myself, so I'm only going on what I've read.

Most of us on this thread re hoping and waiting to see if free dining is offered by UK TA's. I havemy Tesco points converted and I am waiting to see. The only thing is we fly on 22/08 and I have a feeling they will go on sale then. Due to state of the economy both here and in the US, I think bookings will be down and Disney will be wanting to tempt us.

Last year, with VH there was also get three nights free when staying at Port Orleans/Riverside too, and both offers could be combined.

 

[disneyholic family]

Based on previous years, there are two ways in which you can get the free dining.

1) - Around mid August, the UK travel agents will offer free dining, providing that you book by a given date, you stay between certain dates (usually mid August until the end of Sept), and you do not have a split stay holiday. You must also purchase Disney tickets for the full duration of your holiday. Last year it was only available for a moderate or better.

2) Around May/June time, may be earlier, WDW will offer free dining to guests staying between certain dates. For this year, I think it was available for all types of property. Someone will correct me if I am wrong. So the chances are that if the UK TA's offer it this summer for next summer, then Disney will offer it late spring next year for the same period. Peeps who book DIY holidays, usually book a hotel room anyway, then when the offer comes along, they cancel and re-book the room with Disney, so they get the free dining.

Hope this helps. I've never booked with Disney myself, so I'm only going on what I've read.

Most of us on this thread re hoping and waiting to see if free dining is offered by UK TA's. I havemy Tesco points converted and I am waiting to see. The only thing is we fly on 22/08 and I have a feeling they will go on sale then. Due to state of the economy both here and in the US, I think bookings will be down and Disney will be wanting to tempt us.

Last year, with VH there was also get three nights free when staying at Port Orleans/Riverside too, and both offers could be combined.

thanks for the clarification..
i booked the second method - directly with WDW...
i can't remember when i booked...i think it was in april or early may for september of the same year (this year - 2008)...
i booked 2 weeks at the pop century...
i only had to buy a one day ticket for each person...
there were two requirements regarding tickets - i had to buy one for each person, and it had to be for the same number of days...
DD has an annual pass and so she didn't need a ticket at all..
her friend doesn't have a ticket, so could have used a ticket for the entire time..
but since they have to buy the same ticket, i bought a 1 day base ticket for each of them...
but they're not going to use it.....DD will use her AP and for her friend i've ordered the 14 day ultimate ticket for UK visitors...

 

[epcot.girl]

Last year, with VH there was also get three nights free when staying at Port Orleans/Riverside too, and both offers could be combined.

I booked the free DDP through Virgin Holidays last year but didn't see this offer. The offer I saw (and booked) was 2 free nights at any moderate resort.

 

[poppie123]

I apologise for being completely thick but i just wanted to check i have got this right.

So...... around the end of August to somepoint in November UK travel agents, eg, first choice, thomas cook etc will offer the free disney dining plan for certain dates next year (usually end of august through september) but there are certain conditions. You have to book park tickets and can only stay in the moderate upwards resorts plus you cannot do a split stay holiday

Firstly i had better check that i have the right websites or i am going to look pretty stupid, is the uk wdw site the following www.disneyworld.co.uk and the US site is disneyworld.disney.go.com. Are they right????

So WDW will offer the free dining plan usually from dates in May/June next year, however you can stay in the value resorts as well as the others but you would still have to get park tickets.
I am planning on doing a spilt stay holiday staying at POP, POR and AKL. Can you still get the dining plan if you do split stays. I would need to get a 14 day ultimate ticket anyway so park tickets are not an issue.

Thanks

 

[Elise79]

I apologise for being completely thick but i just wanted to check i have got this right.

So...... around the end of August to somepoint in November UK travel agents, eg, first choice, thomas cook etc will offer the free disney dining plan for certain dates next year (usually end of august through september) but there are certain conditions. You have to book park tickets and can only stay in the moderate upwards resorts plus you cannot do a split stay holiday

Firstly i had better check that i have the right websites or i am going to look pretty stupid, is the uk wdw site the following www.disneyworld.co.uk and the US site is disneyworld.disney.go.com. Are they right????

So WDW will offer the free dining plan usually from dates in May/June next year, however you can stay in the value resorts as well as the others but you would still have to get park tickets.
I am planning on doing a spilt stay holiday staying at POP, POR and AKL. Can you still get the dining plan if you do split stays. I would need to get a 14 day ultimate ticket anyway so park tickets are not an issue.

Thanks

Yes - if going by past years sometime around middle to end of August 'Free Dining' will be offered in the UK to booked for stays next year - this will travel companies such as Virgin Holidays, Thomas Cook, First Choice, TCD etc and will also be available on WDW Uk website. Last year it was restricted to Moderate and Deluxe resorts. It also had to be a single resort stay although you could get round this by booking with WDW UK as you were just booking the room.

Around next spring April/May it will be avaliable to book in with WDW US either directly or through a Specialist travel agent such as Dreams Unlimited. It covered all classes of resort but in limited quanties. The values sell out very quickly on this offer!

If you want to do a split stay (booked either in the UK or US) to get free dining you need a package and you would need to book a ticket for each resort E.G. if you do 2 resorts you would have to buy two tickets.

Hope this is clear!