half a trip free dining?

[queenarmadillo]

We are planning a visit for the last 2 weeks in August--usually this would be a package deal with travelcity or similar, in an allstar resort with 14 day park hopper tickets. However, I noticed in the sticky that the second week of our stay would be during free dining. Is there a sensible way to split our stay so that we can take advantage of the free dining for the second week, but still get unlimited park hopping freedom, and preferably (although not a deal breaker) not have to change rooms / hotels mid-stay?

I tried to think this one through myself, but have now tied my brain in knots. I would be really grateful if anyone could suggest options.

 

[crabbie1]

We are planning a visit for the last 2 weeks in October--usually this would be a package deal with travelcity or similar, in an allstar resort with 14 day park hopper tickets. However, I noticed in the sticky that the second week of our stay would be during free dining. Is there a sensible way to split our stay so that we can take advantage of the free dining for the second week, but still get unlimited park hopping freedom, and preferably (although not a deal breaker) not have to change rooms / hotels mid-stay?

I tried to think this one through myself, but have now tied my brain in knots. I would be really grateful if anyone could suggest options.

I wasn't aware of free dining in october.I know we tried to book a week of dinng and one without and they wouldn't let us.We also found that staying at 2 different resorts through virgin anyway that you could not have the dining plan.They will only do it on one hotel.You may be better to book flights seperatley and try dreams unlimited or kingdom magic for the disney hotel package.They are excellent and you will probably save a bit doing it through them.I am sure someone on here will be able to be more informative on this subject.Good luck

 

[queenarmadillo]

Oops, that was me being very silly, I always get October and August mixed up. I have edited it now. Thanks for your advice.

 

[wayneg]

I have never done free dining, but looked into it myself for this August. We wanted to do 2 week offsite then a week onsite with free dining. I emailed Disney and the problem we had was they would not start the unlimited park enty until the free dining started so would have been without park entry for the first 2 weeks. So maybe that would be your problem also?

 

[wilma-bride]

As far as I am aware, you will not be able to get free dining if you are booking a package with a UK TA anyway. You can only get it if you book a hotel/ticket/sining package direct with Disney or through an approved TA (although I am prepared to stand corrected on ths one as I'm not 100% sure)

Secondly, in order to get the free dining for the 2nd half of your stay (ie beginning 26th August, which is when FD starts) you would have to have 2 separate reservations - even if they were for the same room size at the same resort, there is NO GUARANTEE that you would not have to move rooms. It's a risk you would have to take but it can be done.

Regarding the tickets, the only way round it would be to have a room only reservation for the first part of your stay and buy whichever tickets you required from whatever source you would normally use. Then, when booking the free dining you would need to purchase a minimum of a 1-day MYW base ticket to be entitled to free dining.

 

[Andy Lou & Meg]

I am doing the very thing in Aug. We arrive on 24 so we have booked a room only for two nights then from 26th until 9th Sept we have the magic tickets and free dining. Although it was done on 2 seperate reservations I was told my by travel agent that Disney has been made aware of that I have two bookings and I have been told that I wont have to change rooms.

I booked through Dreams Unlimited. It may be worth emailing them to see if there is anything they can do.

Hope this helps.

 

[wilma-bride]

I have two bookings and I have been told that I wont have to change rooms.

I hope you got that in writing from DU - not that it really matters. You WILL have to check out and check back in and Disney are well within their rights to have you move rooms. If that's something you are not prepared to do, then you might have a problem. DU CANNOT guarantee that you won't have to change as it's not up to them.

 

[queenarmadillo]

Ah. I had forgotten that you only need to book 1 MYW day to get free dining for the length of stay, so perhaps we could still get the usual tickets, then buy a 1 day MYW base ticket with non-expiring option to use at some point in the future.

I will definitely contact dreams unlimited and see if they can help me. It is nice to know someone else is in the same situation.

 

[Andy Lou & Meg]

Will check again with dreams but for free dining it doesnt really bother me.

 

[wilma-bride]

then buy a 1 day MYW base ticket with non-expiring option to use at some point in the future.

You won't need to add non-expiring option - the ticket will be valid until you wish to use it (even if that is next year)

I will definitely contact dreams unlimited and see if they can help me. It is nice to know someone else is in the same situation.

Dreams Unlimited are very good and I can highly recommend them. They will aslo make dining reservations for you and plan your park days. They provide a full service We are also doing a split stay but our situation is a little different as we are staying 3 nights in DVC, 3 nights on a cruise and then checking in on the first day of free dining. There is no harm in contacting DU for a quote - they will hold a reservation usually for around a week with no obligation

 

[paulh]

We have done somting simmilar this aug
7 nights SSR paid DDP (no nead to buy a park ticket as dvc)
2 nights pop no ddp
5 nights pop free ddp(had to get 1 days base tickett to get it)
We have booked direct with disney and there was no problem splitting the pop stay to get 5 nights free ddp
Paulh

 

[sammyteach]

I dont know enough about how to wangle it but I can say this free dining is incredible value and is worth persuing. We used dreams unlimited and they were very good.

 

[paulh]

forgot to ad that we did have dreams lined up but they couldent get us free dinning.I rang up disney on of chance and got it
Paulh