how will we apply free dining to our booked trip if it comes out?

[fairymommy]

I booked our trip for the fall on wdw.com. If free dining comes out can I apply the code myself on the website, or do I have to call disney destinations? What if I can't get through because so many people call? Will I be able to apply FD easily since I already have my vacation booked? I already missed out on the room discount because of a mix up I really don't want to miss out on FD

 

[WinstonC]

You'll need to call WDW to modify the reservation. Once you've booked something online, there's very little you can do to it without calling and speaking to a rep.

 

[summerlady]

I booked our trip for the fall on wdw.com. If free dining comes out can I apply the code myself on the website, or do I have to call disney destinations? What if I can't get through because so many people call? Will I be able to apply FD easily since I already have my vacation booked? I already missed out on the room discount because of a mix up I really don't want to miss out on FD

Just call when/if FD is available. Last year I booked with a 30% room discount, then I switched dates (only by a couple of days) because of less expensive airfare, then I got a better room discount PIN so called again, and finally, when FD became available for our dates, I called and had it applied rather than the room discount. No problems, very easy.

 

[jlhay]

If you can't get through on the phones you could book the new offer online then call when things settle down and cancel your first reservation. You'll have to wait for refund of your deposit and have paid the second deposit already but could be worth it to you if you are worried about missing out while on hold or can't sit on hold for hours. Good luck!

 

[mickeynut1]

As others have said, you will have to call to have free dining applied . Keep in mind that there is a chance that the resort/room type you have booked may not be available under free dining if/when it comes out. Having a discount applied is easy, but having a reservation already in place does not guarantee availability under the promo. Good luck .

 

[WinstonC]

If you can't get through on the phones you could book the new offer online then call when things settle down and cancel your first reservation. You'll have to wait for refund of your deposit and have paid the second deposit already but could be worth it to you if you are worried about missing out while on hold or can't sit on hold for hours. Good luck!

This is a good idea, too, and I've done it before myself. It did take about a week for Disney to credit my original deposit, but no problems at all. I still had to call to cancel the initial reservation.

 

[fairymommy]

okay, thanks everyone for the info

 

[catne]

okay, thanks everyone for the info

Please don't assume that Free dining would give you the best deal, because it doesn't work out that way in all cases. And you really want to keep watching for the other possible discounts - seems like the last few years they have offered room % off discounts at same time as they offer Free Dining, so that could happen again.

I see you're staying at the Poly. Our experience has been that room discounts at Deluxe resorts usually save more money than getting the free dining. (often at least 30% off on room discounts...that really adds up at the Poly) So do the math if there is more than one discount available and see which discount would actually save you the most money.

 

[fairymommy]

Please don't assume that Free dining would give you the best deal, because it doesn't work out that way in all cases. And you really want to keep watching for the other possible discounts - seems like the last few years they have offered room % off discounts at same time as they offer Free Dining, so that could happen again.

I see you're staying at the Poly. Our experience has been that room discounts at Deluxe resorts usually save more money than getting the free dining. (often at least 30% off on room discounts...that really adds up at the Poly) So do the math if there is more than one discount available and see which discount would actually save you the most money.

Thanks, I will see which discount is better when/if they come out, but there will be 5 of us on the dining plan so I'm thinking fd might save more than a room discount for us.