Having an AP is costing us free dining. I'm so frustrated.

[leeserw]

I'm so frustrated. We bought AP for the first time. We went to WDW in October and knew we would be going again in March. We got a free dining pin but it calls for the purchase of park tickets, which we don't need. Is there any way around it so we can get free dining? I'm wondering if getting an AP is gonna save us money after all.

 

[purple figment]

Unfortunately, to take advantage of a free dining offer you have to purchase 2 day tickets for everyone 3 years and older. You can save the tickets to use on a future trip, use them when you renew your APs or give them to someone else.

 

[morethananyonex]

Can't you purchase the TIW card with the AP?

I think that, combined with possible AP room discounts and cheaper per day park visits than without the AP you'll still be coming out ahead.

 

[kaybird]

We have had AP many times over the years, as we do now, and always do free dining. We buy the minimum ticket, then just save it for renewal time or the next trip without APs. Still a great value for us, the tickets don't expire unless you use them.

 

[TDC Nala]

No, there is no way around it. You must purchase at least 2 day tickets and pay rack rate for the room in order to get free dining.

Now is the time to add things up and see if free dining is really worthwhile for you anymore. Check on AP room discounts, because you can purchase the dining plan without having to buy any tickets.

If you are going to use the AP to enter the parks enough days, then yes, it will save you more than free dining will.

Or you can just buy the 2 day tickets, and save them. They do not expire until they are used.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I'm using my 2 day tickets from last year for this year's trip. I'll be adding more days and PH and Waterparks and more.

They're the tix I bought last year to get free DDP. I didn't need them as I had days left on my 10 day non-expiring.

 

[davedmaine]

I'm so frustrated. We bought AP for the first time. We went to WDW in October and knew we would be going again in March. We got a free dining pin but it calls for the purchase of park tickets, which we don't need. Is there any way around it so we can get free dining? I'm wondering if getting an AP is gonna save us money after all.

You're better with the ap and room discount instead of 'free' dining. Purchase a Tiw card instead:. It makes a lot more sense than dining plan nonsense

 

[Lsdolphin]

Unfortunately, to take advantage of a free dining offer you have to purchase 2 day tickets for everyone 3 years and older. You can save the tickets to use on a future trip, use them when you renew your APs or give them to someone else.

How do you save the tix you purchase to get the free dining? Won't they automatically be on your magic band and therefore used when you enter the park instead of your AP???

 

[wendybeth75]

How do you save the tix you purchase to get the free dining? Won't they automatically be on your magic band and therefore used when you enter the park instead of your AP???

It's my understanding you can also use the value of the tickets to put toward payment for the next time you upgrade or purchase an AP. We are doing this with the FD promotion from a BB in Sept/Oct. We will be down for 11 days so the FD made sense, even buy 2 days of tickets. We will either save the tickets or apply them toward an AP next year.

 

[Disneylover99]

How do you save the tix you purchase to get the free dining? Won't they automatically be on your magic band and therefore used when you enter the park instead of your AP???

We went to Guest Relations outside the first park we went to before we entered the park and asked them to remove the tickets from our bands. They are now on separate cards.

 

[TDC Nala]

You can also "prioritize" the tickets in your MDX account, so that the annual pass is used first.