Hello, all!

[Delphinidae]

So, I decided to stop lurking around and actually register and post here. I've been reading for a while, just trying to get information, and I've gotten some good stuff!

We are *HOPEFULLY* going to WDW in August. This will be a first time for my DH & DDs. I haven't been since 1998, so a lot will be new to me, too! We're still trying to iron out the kinks to be sure whether we will make it or not. The biggest thing is this dang Dining Plan that's available now. I have been agonizing over this for DAYS, trying to decide if it's worth it or not. My girls will be 6 and 3 and I just don't know if the plan is worth it for them. I have read a lot of complaints about the kids menus on the DDP and think it might work better if my husband and I just share our meals with them, or get them a meal to share with each other. My plan for tonight is to go over the menus from all the CS restaurants and add up prices, then compare to the DDP.

*sigh* Trip planning was much easier before these plans came along! Sorry for the long post!

 

[lovetoscrap]

If you are going between August 16 - Oct. 3rd then the Dining Plan should be FREE. That makes it a no brainer! You pay for the package with your room and tickets which you need anyway and the Dining Plan is free. No worries about if you are wasting money. Go and enjoy and see if it works for you so you know for next time!

ETA: And since the Dining Plan is free you don't need to feel bad if you decide to just order something different for your kids.

 

[Delphinidae]

Oh yeah, I saw the free dining deal and got excited about it. Unfortunately, we are using the military promotion they're running on tickets right now and we were told we couldn't use that AND get free dining. So, blah.

Maybe it would be cheaper to get regular tickets and the free dining instead? Honestly I didn't even think about that x_x.

With the military deal DH gets a free 5-day pass and the three of us get ours for $99. *goes to look up regular ticket prices*

 

[lovetoscrap]

As far as I know you only need to have a ONE DAY park ticket purchased with your package. Go ahead and book your room and just get the one day minimum ticket. (this is assuming you weren't planning to stay at Shades of Green). Either use that one day tix to add a 6th day to the trip or save it. A one day ticket won't expire so you can use it anytime in the future.

As I recall you purchase the millitary tickets completely seperate from any Disney package or booking ( at Shades of Green or on base?). So they don't need to know that you are are planning to use those tickets. And you have your FREE dining.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I just double checked on Mousesavers:

How to Get the Tickets

Complimentary "Disney's Armed Forces Salute" tickets for admission to the Walt Disney World Resort can be obtained only at participating US military base ticket offices (including Shades of Green), or at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows. Military personnel who obtain an exchange voucher at a military base or SOG will need to activate the voucher at Main Entrance theme park ticket windows in order to use those tickets (no more than one such complimentary ticket per service member will be activated).

Guests can pre-purchase the companion tickets (in the form of an exchange voucher) at Shades of Green or at a military base, TAX-FREE! The exchange voucher is then taken to a Main Entrance theme park ticket window, where it is exchanged for the actual ticket. The companion tickets can also be purchased at the Main Entrance theme park ticket windows, but if you do this, you must pay tax.

So get the tickets or the vouchers at your local base and exchange them at the Main Entrance to the Park and you are good to go. Of course this assumes that you aren't planning to stay at SoG since it isn't including in Packages. But it may be worth it to stay at a Value or a Moderate for the Free Dining Deal.


Have I really confused you now???!!!

 

[Delphinidae]

LOL, somewhat! Disney can be overwhelming, can't it?

I had considered SoG but they are already booked for August. Not our ideal time to go, but the only time we can get away.

I did already book our room, even though we aren't for SURE we can go yet, because I didn't want to find out that we CAN go and then have no rooms available! We will be at Port Orleans French Quarter. Could have got Pop Century, but Port Orleans didn't seem much more and we really need a fridge in the room.

Okay, so, to see if I'm understanding: I know I can get the tickets here on base. My room is already booked, so no issue there. So I can just call up and buy a one-day ticket and automatically get free dining? Wouldn't that only give us free dining for one day?

Sorry if I'm totally off base, but like I said, the dining plans have got my head spinning!

EDIT: Ah, I went back and read and I see what you mean now. The days in the dining plan depend on days at the resort, not tickets! I had that backwards. We would have to buy FOUR one day tickets, though, and I don't think that would be cost-effective. Thank you, though!

 

[lovetoscrap]

Okay, so, to see if I'm understanding: I know I can get the tickets here on base. My room is already booked, so no issue there. So I can just call up and buy a one-day ticket and automatically get free dining? Wouldn't that only give us free dining for one day?

Sorry if I'm totally off base, but like I said, the dining plans have got my head spinning!

You will need to call and BOOK A NEW TRIP as a package: You will need to use the code for Free Dining when you call. You can find the codes here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneypackages.htm

There is a limited number of rooms available at each resort so there is a chance that you may have to move to another moderate resort if there aren't any still available at POR. Tell them you want the PACKAGE with the code letters at that link. And tell them you only need a 1 day ticket. No need to go into details about using the Millitary tickets.

Don't cancel your current reservation until you have the package booked for what you want. Keep in mind the Free Dining offer is only good until 6/21 so you have to book it before then. And packages have a different payment dates and cancel policies so make sure to ask when you call what they are so you understand in case you need to cancel.

You can also do all of this on the Disney website and play around with the codes and the costs and see what is available. I often prefer to do it that way. You can also have a travel agent book it if you prefer some professional guidance.

 

[MelanieC]

Oh yeah, I saw the free dining deal and got excited about it. Unfortunately, we are using the military promotion they're running on tickets right now and we were told we couldn't use that AND get free dining. So, blah.

Maybe it would be cheaper to get regular tickets and the free dining instead? Honestly I didn't even think about that x_x.

With the military deal DH gets a free 5-day pass and the three of us get ours for $99. *goes to look up regular ticket prices*

Hi there - I might be able to help. We were originally booked for 18 nights in August on the military discount. 8/7-8/25. Then the free dining came out and I figured it out that it saved us loads to do dining instead of free dining. I'd be willing to help you figure this out if you want me to. I've had lots of experience by looking at my own package. It is still probably less expensive to get a 1 day Disney pass, even if your using the free & 99 military 5 day passes.

What we ended up doing is splitting our stay.

We are now staying 8/7-8/16 on the military 40% off package at Pop. We are using the 5 day free & 99 passes during this time as well a the 1 day free military at Sea World, & the Free Military Universal & 89 companion universal tix.

Then on 8/16-8/25 it was less expensive to switch to free dining and not get the 40% off, but we saved more on food. We added on a 8 day pass because after paying for a 1 day it wasn't that much more. We were originally going to buy 4 annual passes at Shades of green so this was less expensive.

 

[MelanieC]

Also - do you need the refrigerator for a medical need? You can get a fridge at POP for free if it's for a medical need. My kids adore POP and so do DH and I. It's less spread out than the moderates, although the room is slightly more cramped (just a little).

 

[Metro West]