I Just Booked Free Dining

[BethR]

For those of you who have gotten quotes from AAA, how long did it usually take for them to get you the quote?

I called over an hour ago, asked for quotes for 2 adults, 5 nights at one of the Values and at POR. I asked about the possibility of purchasing 10 day non-expiring tickets. She asked for my name and phone number and said that they would get right back to me...

...but I am still waiting. It that usual?

 

[disneysnowflake]

Well, Disney never called me back.
I had called my AAA rep, but I was quoted a price that was higher than what Disney did. I tried to explain the deal to the AAA lady, but she told me that the quote with the free dining code was $1566.22 for the exact same package with the same room/tickets/free dining. Disney quoted me a price of $1313.78.

The ran into a problem with WDW when I called them when they didn't return my call. The CM on the line told me that she couldn't give me a package from Oct 1 to Oct 8 unless I paid $105 per night additional for Oct 5, Oct 6 and Oct 7.
She told me I'd have to change my travel dates in order to use the code. I was told the computer wouldn't allow the CM to book dates with the code after Oct 4.

I hung up and got in touch with my husband. We then decided to go from Sept 24 to Oct 1. I then called WDW back.

I spoke to another CM who said I COULD book the package with free dining for my original dates of Oct 1 to Oct 8. She quoted me a price of $1313.78 for 7 nights at Pop/ 6 day hopper/ dining for 2 adults and 1 child age 11. This CM told me she had no idea why in the world this other CM would tell me I needed to pay an additional $105 per day if my stay was past Oct 4.

I got my package. I'm happy. I also bought MNSSHP tickets for Oct 2.

Yeah!!!!

 

[poohj80]

I had called my AAA rep, but I was quoted a price that was higher than what Disney did. I tried to explain the deal to the AAA lady, but she told me that the quote with the free dining code was $1566.22 for the exact same package with the same room/tickets/free dining. Disney quoted me a price of $1313.78.

We had a similar problem with AAA when trying to book a Disneyland package for the 50th. Not only did they quote us a higher price than Disney (by over $500) they also told us there were no flights available using our frequent flyer miles. We booked the exact dates we wanted using miles through Delta and booked our package through Disney and saved money over AAA.

 

[TheRatPack]

I booked for Pop Century 10/01/05-10/08/05. We have 4 Adults and 3 kids.

hotel 7 nights
6 day park hopper
free dining

Total 2546.70

We usually go every year and this is the best deal yet next to the 7 for 4 deal that they had. We have never paid rack rates either. We are really happy with this price.

We'll see you there Booked 10/2-10/8 for 2 adults, 1 junior and 1 child with 7 day non expiring hoppers for 1663.61.

 

[DMRick]

I wonder, for those with AP's, if you can get your ticket media sep from your room key, non expiring, and able to give it away, since you have an AP and wouldn't need it?

 

[allstarfan707]

We'll see you there Booked 10/2-10/8 for 2 adults, 1 junior and 1 child with 7 day non expiring hoppers for 1663.61.

Good Deal!!! Now we just have to wait and wait.........

I want to go now!!!

 

[n2mm]

OK, we did it too! Never did I think that a package would be better than what we get as a CM family.

We had 9 nights at Pop for the CM discount ($460)
2 adult kids and 2 junior kids (adult meals) (so 4 adult dining people)

We now have 9 nights at Pop for $1032.

What did we get for the extra $573?

We got 4 one day base tickets (we really didn't need tickets because most have ticket already, but this will help supplement the free tickets they will be using.) Ticket value = $253

This leaves $320. That is how much it cost for the dining for 4 adult diners for 9 days. So I am paying $80 for each of my kids to eat for 9 days. That is an unbelievable deal. I will have to research more about the vouchers now, since I've never used them. I did read that you can combine them or use them on different days....hmmm.

This only worked for some of our adult kids. We are staying at the CR and it was not in the numbers for us to use this package and pay full price at the CR. This is a real plus for value resort guest, but takes alot of crunching for delux resort guest.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

sounds very awesome!! I am hoping they do it in value season in December so we'll see, I can't move it up any more need more time to save $$$ for the trip....

 

[leira1989]

I just got back Monday from PORS, I know my DF wants me to go late Sept or early Oct for a week with his family, but with these new rates & Dining plan, I am looking into going in early Sept as well. Thank-you to all who post on this forum. I learned so much and saved money and time! I also astounded my DF with my vast knowledge of WDW.

 

[dragonstarr]

I booked my trip back in August. The Disney website was only giving me airtran flights with the package ( my friend refuses to fly on the former airbus planes) so we booked the hotel and flight through expedia and the tickets through disney. Stupid us thought that we should book hotel and flight together. Now here comes the free dining package. Even though tickets are on will call, they are considered "bought" so we can't rebook the hotel through disney to get the free dining. CM told us to buy two one day tickets, which would be a total waste because we live in PA and after this weeklong trip, we don't plan to be in FL for a long time. It just stinks for us. Thanks for listening.

 

[angel's momma]

I wonder, for those with AP's, if you can get your ticket media sep from your room key, non expiring, and able to give it away, since you have an AP and wouldn't need it?

We have APs & I was told no, but I think maybe I'll try asking again.

There's also the 10 day maximum for the package, so if your trip is for 13 days like ours, it has to be split & you have to purchase another set of 1 day tickets. For our family, the math still came out better to forfeit the AP rate & purchase the unneeded tickets in order to get the dining plan.


ETA: I've now been told that this CAN be done.

 

[herekitty99]

I made my reservations in August 2004 for our big family trip in September 11-17,2005 (there are 11 of us going. us 4, my parents, brothers and their wives and kids). We purchased last years 5-day Park Hopper Plus Passes separate from our hotel stay as we didn't want a 7 day ticket when we were only actually going to have 5 full days at the parks. I booked 6 of us back then. I called late yesterday and they cancelled last years reservation and redid it as a package with one day base tickets and FREE DINING. It increased the cost by $290, an average of less than $50 per person for the whole week. You can bet we would have spent more than that during the week. We hope to have a late dinner in one of the parks Sunday evening to use the extra one day ticket. And now that we have the dining plan I feel better about making reservations for the princess character dining. :thewave:

ONLY 100 more days till we see the MOUSE

 

[mistydoodles]

sounds very awesome!! I am hoping they do it in value season in December so we'll see, I can't move it up any more need more time to save $$$ for the trip....

I am hoping the same thing. This is a great package but I don't think I can move my trip up that quickly. I need more time to save. What a bummer.

I really hope they do something like this in December.

Mistydoodles

 

[virginiamama]

We've got Pop booked, preferred view, 7-day park hoppers for Dec. 4-10 booked through Disney. If we call back will they just add free dining to it???

 

[disneydreamer98]

We've got Pop booked, preferred view, 7-day park hoppers for Dec. 4-10 booked through Disney. If we call back will they just add free dining to it???

You have to give them the code and the current promotion is not good for December.

 

[Alice28]

Us too! My parents are treating us as a celebration of their retirement, and they wanted to do something to cheer my kids up (and me) while my husband is serving in Iraq. It's my parents, myself, and my 3 kids who are going (ages 7, 4 and infant)

We got two rooms at POFQ for 6 nights, 6 day hoppers, dining plan, incl. tax for under $2,900! Wow! We were going to go to DL for 4 nights at the DL Hotel and we had planned on it costing $3,000. Not bad to go to WDW for 2 more nights for $100 less!

 

[PrincessCandaceMarie]

I love free!!! Weeee!!!!

 

[jennifer293]

I have a question to those of you with school age children.

Do you not have a problem taking the kids out of school (for those of you going during school)? I don't mean this in a bad parenting way I mean it as does the school allow this as an excused absence?

My dd4 will start Kindergarten in August and I wondered what I would even say to them if we went during the school year.


Advice???? My parents never took us anywhere just for this reason,,,

Thanks

 

[mistydoodles]

I have a question to those of you with school age children.

Do you not have a problem taking the kids out of school (for those of you going during school)? I don't mean this in a bad parenting way I mean it as does the school allow this as an excused absence?

My dd4 will start Kindergarten in August and I wondered what I would even say to them if we went during the school year.


Advice???? My parents never took us anywhere just for this reason,,,

Thanks

We took both of our kids out of school last year to go to Disney (Our very 1st trip).

My youngest is just in Pre-K so that school didn't mind either way.

My oldest daughter is in 2nd grad and I was a little more nervous about that.
The school doesn't accept this as a legal excuse but we discussed it with her teacher and she was fine with it. She gave us the homework she would miss while we were gone and she worked on it before we left. She had no problems doing the work or feeling behind when she returned.

School is important but so is family. I would never feel guilty about spending time as a family. That is what counts the most.

My advice discuss your plans with your children's teachers first and see how they feel about it. Most likely they won't mind as long as your children do the work they were going to miss.

 

[disneysnowflake]

We took our 5th grader and 9th grader to WDW in early Dec of 2004.
We gave notice to the school a month in advance.
I volunteer at the schools. I reminded the teachers and gathered the work that was to be done for the week.
Since the parks closed earlier on most nights in early Dec. the boys did their work in the hotel. My 5th grader also did a scrapbook report of the Epcot Santas.
They missed a total of 4 days (one was a bad weather day for our district).
They had no trouble catching up, but I'd say my 5th grader had it easier than my 9th grader.
We're going again in October, but this time my parents are keeping my older son (in 10th his coming year). He doesn't want to go.