I feel like I'm the only one....

[Marie17]

I feel like I'm the only one who is NOT so excited about the Free Dining offer. Yikies, yike - I want a discount I can jump and dance about. I want to hoot & holler too !

It seems like I have been patiently (okay somewhat patiently) waiting for a deal to knock me out of my chair.

I just feel like whining and crying

 

[#1Disfann]

but only because it doesn't work for me this year. We had it the past 2 years and loved it so we are paying for it this year. It is killing me to know I am just missing it by 5 days. We are there from 8-21 thru 8-28. I am happy for the others who can get it though. I am just hoping this will make the first part of my week less crowded!

 

[cepmom]

but only because it doesn't work for me this year. We had it the past 2 years and loved it so we are paying for it this year. It is killing me to know I am just missing it by 5 days. We are there from 8-21 thru 8-28. I am happy for the others who can get it though. I am just hoping this will make the first part of my week less crowded!

I'm not excited either...we will be there from 8/23 - 8/28 and can't really move our dates to coincide with free dining. I am however considering moving my dates to 8/21 or 22 and get out when free dining starts ~ I am nervous about the crowds starting on 26th!

 

[G&J's Mom]

but only because it doesn't work for me this year. We had it the past 2 years and loved it so we are paying for it this year. It is killing me to know I am just missing it by 5 days. We are there from 8-21 thru 8-28. I am happy for the others who can get it though. I am just hoping this will make the first part of my week less crowded!

We are missing it by 5 days the other way, arriving on 9/27. I feel your pain.

Denise

 

[noseybuddy]

I am not excited either. I had fd for the past 2 years and was really looking forward to it again this year. I miss it by 10 days. But now I am thinking maybe I will still go. I was saving about $312 if I had the fd, but knowing that the parks won't be as crowded might just get me to pay for the dp and still go. Plus I got a great deal on airfare!

 

[DNSDisney]

I am not excited about it either. Even if I wanted to take advantage of the deal I could not simply because my DD is already back in school at that time.
She is in HS and I can't take her out just for disney (if it were elem. I would consider it) . Why not do a deal like this in the middle of the summer....I know i know they don't have to, they are already busy enough at that time but geesh give us June visitors something, some kind of deals.

 

[maggiew]

I'm not excited because I can't use the free dining offer. I'm a teacher and can't go during that time.

But I AM excited for everyone else who gets to use it.

Maggie

 

[bevski]

Is it really "free?" There is always a payoff somewhere. You have to pay rack rates, right???? to get "free" dining. It seems like one discount can cancel out another.

 

[Disneefun]

Nope, I'm not excited. We have a motorhome and camp at Fort Wilderness and the free dining isn't offered on campsites (only the cabins). So free dining doesn't get my blood up. I'd much rather have a discount on my campsite (which I was able to get for our trips in May and Oct.) that makes camping even cheaper. Between the relatively small cost for a site plus eating several meals in the camper, we've cut our Disney trip costs down to almost nothing as it is.

I rarely come to the resorts board anymore since we got the camper (I usually hang on the camping forum) but I had to come over here today to see all the stress and worry and theorizing going on. It's like a bad car wreck. You know you should look away but you're mesmerized by the mess. Then again, I'm the person who goes out on Black Friday not to shop, but to watch all the other lunatics beat each other senseless. I'm just sick, I guess.

 

[corndog]

Well, we'll be there during the free dining (9/8-9/18), but we won't be using it. We've got 40% off 2 rooms at the Poly. It doesn't even come close. Even if we list everybody in one room and paid rack for it while holding the other at 40% off it still wouldn't be a good deal.

 

[thelionqueen]

Is it really "free?" There is always a payoff somewhere. You have to pay rack rates, right???? to get "free" dining. It seems like one discount can cancel out another.

The savings are greatest when staying @ a value. If you're booking a deluxe hotel with a view, the savings are probably slight.

However, for our family of 3 adults (yes, my 10 year old is a Disney adult ) and 1 child staying @ POP, it is MORE than free!! Our room is roughly $95 per night, the dining plan would cost us nearly $150 per day. YEP, it's definitely FREE for us! Saves us nearly $2,000. And having taken advantage of this offer 2 years previously has allowed us to go 3X rather than once staying deluxe. Works for us!

 

[twoeeyy]

but I want to go in Oct. so I also am waiting for a better rate. As of now we are booked at POP with dining and 10 day hopper pass.

Part of me feels stupid for not going when I can get the FD.

 

[mom2aredhead]

but I want to go in Oct. so I also am waiting for a better rate. As of now we are booked at POP with dining and 10 day hopper pass.

Part of me feels stupid for not going when I can get the FD.

Don't feel stupid...I'd pick October in a heartbeat.
It's worth the extra money to me to have cooler weather, less hurricane worries, lighter crowds, halloween decorations, MNSSHP, and a cheaper room rate instead of free DDP.
If you're planning on spending money on a 10 day hopper, I'd look into an AP instead - they usually have an AP discounted room rate in Oct and you can buy the DDE card and still save money on food.
Stupid would be letting a marketing promotion dictate your vacation...
Going at a time of year when you don't want to go, paying rack rate for the room, fighting larger crowds, and only getting 4:00 dinner ADR's because they're booked solid...Just my opinion (that will generate flames I'm sure)

 

[thelionqueen]

No flames just observations

October is not that much cooler than September, if at all. Have been to WDW in Oct. & Sept and honestly, October was much hotter in 2005 than any other time I've been (however, 2006 was wonderful..last week of Sept.)

Food & Wine festival starts in October, so when speaking of crowd levels, I believe you are way off. It will be much more crowded during F&WF than during any promotion in Sept., imho

Considering going a few weeks earlier than planned is not necessarily letting a marketing idea dictate your vacation, but "influence it's flexibility"

Not just during a free dining promo will you be limited to dining times at choice Disney TS restaurants. That is true all year, and Especially during F&WF.

It will be decorated for Halloween during the last 2 weeks of Sept through 10/31, AND even having MNSSHP's during that time

Crowd levels in the restaurants during the free dining promo is going to be high, granted. However, the parks are empty and WONDERFUL! Honestly, at most TS restaurants, they will be packed at all times due to heat and ADR's; free dining is not as impactful as one would think.

OK, there it is. My response, I'll bet you can see what my opinion is of free dining

 

[Tigger2]

No, we're not excited either. We're keeping our fingers crossed for AP discount 9/29-10/7 We've booked a garden view & would really like to upgrade the view if we can.

 

[Disfan3]

but only because it doesn't work for me this year. We had it the past 2 years and loved it so we are paying for it this year. It is killing me to know I am just missing it by 5 days. We are there from 8-21 thru 8-28. I am happy for the others who can get it though. I am just hoping this will make the first part of my week less crowded!

you could do another ressie for those last two nights and at least get two days free dining you know....

save you SOME money...I would do it if I could

 

[jenjersnap]

Well, I really wanted to go for my MILESTONE birthday in late October but this is hard to pass up. We tried like heck to get the 40% off pincode without success.

I wanted to add to the September vs. October argument that October is regular season rates so, even with a good discount, the overall rate is higher.

We still might switch to October, even with the FD package booked ... but I am glad to have some Disney vacation locked in!

 

[I Believe n Fairies]

I am not excited either. I had fd for the past 2 years and was really looking forward to it again this year. I miss it by 10 days. But now I am thinking maybe I will still go. I was saving about $312 if I had the fd, but knowing that the parks won't be as crowded might just get me to pay for the dp and still go. Plus I got a great deal on airfare!

I agree!! I was thinking about changing our dates, but we got great airfare, and I'd have to call and change everything, it's not worth the hassle. Now, I'm hoping that lots of the guests planning to go when I'm there will change their plans! I'm all for paying for food if that means I will not have to stand in long lines.

 

[mom2aredhead]

No flames just observations

October is not that much cooler than September, if at all. Have been to WDW in Oct. & Sept and honestly, October was much hotter in 2005 than any other time I've been (however, 2006 was wonderful..last week of Sept.)

Food & Wine festival starts in October, so when speaking of crowd levels, I believe you are way off. It will be much more crowded during F&WF than during any promotion in Sept., imho

Considering going a few weeks earlier than planned is not necessarily letting a marketing idea dictate your vacation, but "influence it's flexibility"

Not just during a free dining promo will you be limited to dining times at choice Disney TS restaurants. That is true all year, and Especially during F&WF.

It will be decorated for Halloween during the last 2 weeks of Sept through 10/31, AND even having MNSSHP's during that time

Crowd levels in the restaurants during the free dining promo is going to be high, granted. However, the parks are empty and WONDERFUL! Honestly, at most TS restaurants, they will be packed at all times due to heat and ADR's; free dining is not as impactful as one would think.

OK, there it is. My response, I'll bet you can see what my opinion is of free dining

Sounds like we agree to disagree

 

[SplshMtnLvr28]

You're not alone. I'm so bummed about the free dining this fall... We're going in the last week of August.