I hope this CM is wrong on Free Dining rooms - Update 4/18

[Motherofboys]

So I called this morning to ask a question about checking in with the 2 different rooms that I booked yesterday. So I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask if any of the other values were available yet for my dates instead of AS Sports. Here was our conversation:

CM: "You booked on the free dining package, what was available then was it. Those are all of the rooms that were available for the package"

Me: Yeah, but I thought some more rooms may have been added.

CM: No rooms will be added, there was a set number and once they sell out that is it.

Me: Well I thought maybe if there was a cancellation, then that would open it back up.

CM: If there is a cancellation of a free dining package room then the room reverts back to a regular rack rate room w/o free dining.

Me: Ok, sorry I guess I was confused.

GEESH, excuse me for trying!! I am definetly just going to be happy with what I got and prepare for staying at AS Sports. It's not worth the hassle for me of dealing with 10 different answers from 10 differnt CM's.

Better luck to everyone else.

**Called this morning (4/18) and got a very nice CM. I had to change a reservation b/c my sister is not sure she is coming so I dropped her off the res. I had the CM check the other values for availability and was able to get ASMo, 2 standard rooms (hopefully connecting ). I was able to keep my free dining package. We have stayed at AS Sports before, so we are very excited to try a new value.

It seems that all hope is not lost for those trying to change to different resorts!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Gee, that's NOT the same answer I got at about the same time you were on the phone! My (very nice) CM said to keep checking, that if/as people cancel or modify their reservations, currently sold-out rooms would (okay, maybe she said could) become available!

 

[MinnieTink]

Hmmm.... sounds like maybe she was having "a day." Even if you look online, the availability seems to change day to day, so keep trying and see if you can get what you really want. (I'm still going to keep trying for WL!)

 

[Motherofboys]

I seem to get the crabby CM's that "know" everything.

I just DO NOT understand how they can give out different answers when they should all be getting the same information. It makes me wonder about what kind of business process they are using?

BTW, it was a guy with a heavy east coast accent.

 

[luvlumpy]

I was told the same thing by a CM yesterday. He said the cancelled rooms would most likely go back to regular room without free dining. I'm sure if several of us called today we would all get different answers.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Since the sale is on until June, I suspect there are still a few rooms available. Maybe not in every resort, but at some resort.

And for what it's worth, my CM said I can keep checking back to change our one preferred room to standard. So my unofficial opinion is that your CM has no idea. LOL

 

[nurse.darcy]

That's so wierd. . .I go online to check and can find rooms at almost every hotel. I got what I wanted but was checking for a friend. No problem anywhere she wants to go. . .

 

[pyrxtc]

Don't listen tot he Cm. they change all the time. there were no rooms at POP when I booked originally but here i am 27 days out and they have some open and I changed no problem..

 

[quietgirll]

That's so wierd. . .I go online to check and can find rooms at almost every hotel. I got what I wanted but was checking for a friend. No problem anywhere she wants to go. . .

nurse- is that specifically with the free dining special? i notice a lot of the hotels are available WITHOUT the discount on nights when there is NO availability with the discount. 9-22 through 9-29 for example- rooms are still available at pop, just not with the free dining...

 

[nbodyhome]

I've always heard that the price reverts back (and doesn't go back into the discount pool), but that doesn't seem right - considering that discounted rooms can pop back up at anytime. Availability changes constantly, the DRC CM's aren't privvy to how everything works (I was one!)

 

[nurse.darcy]

nurse- is that specifically with the free dining special? i notice a lot of the hotels are available WITHOUT the discount on nights when there is NO availability with the discount. 9-22 through 9-29 for example- rooms are still available at pop, just not with the free dining...

Yes, that was with free dining. I was trying to decide if I should book moderate or deluxe since it is a solo trip so I priced out almost EVERY hotel with the free dining.
And, I doublechecked. I am quite a stickler for details. . .

 

[quietgirll]

Yes, that was with free dining. I was trying to decide if I should book moderate or deluxe since it is a solo trip so I priced out almost EVERY hotel with the free dining.
And, I doublechecked. I am quite a stickler for details. . .

hmmm...well, i guess good news for her....seems to be that the light crowds may be even lighter for her....even the great free dining deal didnt pull everyone in!! hmmm...maybe i should go when shes going...lol...i was starting to think maybe free dining was changing the dates of the "off-season"...lol

 

[DonaldTDuck]

If you check out the online site, it almost always has as two choices Sports and Riverside. That is with FD. I found one 5 day set with POP available and several with Music. I don't bother checking the Deluxe- no point in it for me. You can check without booking, then call if you prefer to do it that way.

 

[LoriZH]

That cannot be true because I didn't get my first choice last time and kept calling and finally got it. The CM's I spoke with even said to keep trying and if something opens up and there are cancellations all the time so don't give up. That CM sounds either uninformed or as one other poster said, was having "a day"

 

[Mulan82]

not to get off topic but this sounds like the phone conversation i had with the lady from the IRS. she told me something totally different. and i didn't even get my questions answered in a direct manner. and she was rude! and then i call back 2 hrs later and this NICE lady answers all my question and then tells me EXACTLY what i have to do and how to do it. and she even helped me file the weird form i knew i could file eventho the MEAN lady said i couldnt. nevertheless, this NICE lady made my day. ok sorry for being off topic.

let me say something ON topic. why would they go back to rack rate rooms w/o dining? if that room was reserved for a free dining package spot shouldnt it just stay like that? that makes no sense. i would think they would keep it as a free dining room because then they might fill it up faster.

 

[n2mm]

There was no doubt in my mind that all of the free dining rooms were coming from the same pool of rooms. I got the Disney Visa email telling me about the promotion for 3 days, and then it says, book them now because this promotion (meaning same deal) will open to the public on April 12. That was pretty clear that there was a group of discounted rooms and the Disney Visa folks had first shot at them. I too was always told that the discounted rooms go back to rack, but that doesn't not explain how new rooms keep showing up, unless they are on hold, then get put back in inventory if the deposit doesn't get paid? I doubt we see this promotion released a second time like they did last year after it closed. The way it's going, if this promotion is in the travel section of the Sunday paper this weekend (as it has always been when it's advertised), that will have a huge impact on what is leftover. Anyone on the fence about booking today better do it before tomorrows Sunday paper comes out.

 

[Motherofboys]

Updated to reflect new room availability for my dates