"Free" Disney Dining Plan?

[Wunderwoman]

Please forgive me for asking a "newbie" question, but I've read messages referring to receiving a 'free' Disney Dining Plan.

How do you get it for free, and what exactly are you getting for free? Surely, this does not mean that your meals are free....does it???

If so....I want IN!!!

Two of my friends are coming with me to Disney for a week in September to celebrate my 50th Birthday. I have PAP and have booked the room at CR but have not committed to the Dining Plan yet, partly because all three of us are Weight Watchers members and may be eating some meals off-site.

But, Free is Free. I'd like to know more.

Carol/Wunderwoman

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Unfortunately, this promotion had to be booked by June 22.

The promotion has been run every September for the last few years. There are a limited number of rooms at each resort available for it, but if you book it, you get the basic dining plan for no charge. This year they allowed you to upgrade to the Deluxe plan by paying the difference between the two plans.

ETA: You had to pay rack rate for the room, buy at least one days of park tickets, and reservations had to be for a minimum number of days (3 or 5, I can't remember).

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Sorry. You've missed the booking period. You had to book by 6/22.

The deal has been offered the last 3 years for late Aug/Sept which is historically a slower time at WDW. The deal is, you have to pay rack-rate for the room (no discounts) and each guest has to buy at least a 1-day base ticket, and you get the DDP for free. It's subject to availability (only a certain # of rooms at each resort).

Even though you can no longer book the deal, be sure to check the current discounts available for room-only reservations. Also, since the Free Dining promotion is *very* popular, the sit-down restaurants book up way in advance. If you want to eat at table-service places and haven't made any ADRs, you need to do it ASAP.

Happy Birthday!

 

[Wunderwoman]

Oh, well. I still got an excellent discount on the room.

Thanks for the advice about the ADRs.

 

[DISNEYNY]

If you want in for next year start watching the boards in March. I booked my FDP on April 7 this year. That was the first day to book for Disney Visa cardholders. I believe it opened to the general public on April 10.

 

[disneyfan55]

They may also offer a bounceback offer while you are there in Sept. Last year they did and the dates of availabilty are a little longer than what was offered this year to the public. Make sure you check!!

 

[HopperFan]

Oh, well. I still got an excellent discount on the room.

Thanks for the advice about the ADRs.

The catch on it is you pay full price on the room. You would not have kept your discount.