I wouldn't be suprised if December
free dining is not going to happen next year. You have the expanded Fantasyland coming in late in the year at MK. You have a new value resort, too. Now, add to it that there's a new announcement coming on Dick Clark's NYE program on ABC where many think it will be a promo for getting a free day of park tickets when you buy a certain amount of days or a free day including park tickets and resort. All of this is leading in a direction of NO free dining come next December in my opinion. I hear you about free dining in December, but it has to happen first.
We have seen less percentage discounts on resort only promos lately. All of this may lead to less and less discounts next year. I know late August and September still have free dining and that may always continue; because, it's the worse time for hurricanes. To be honest this is how free dining got started; we did the very first free dining promotion that year. By the way, the same year there was no winter free dining. The following year they did free dining to include late fall and winter. This free dining promo may not last forever and if it's still around it may become exclusive to hurricane season. If ever there was a time for Disney to quit this promo this may be it. Disney does not like this promo, but they know their guests love this promo; so, we all have been lucky to get it for a while.
If the economy tanks again next year then we all have a chance for free dining again in winter 2012, but I just feel there are big clues of this promo being dropped next year except for hurricane season. The prices have gone up on the dining plans for next year, too and revised to take away a snack for QS plans and the pricing for regular TS plans have gone up significantly. Including a resort mug for the regular TS dining plan is not that significant compared to the price increase. I think this will make it all harder for Disney to agree to free dining come next December.
I know it's hard to think of a promo going away when it's been around for a while, but Disney has done this for a while; so, just don't be suprised if it dissappears except for hurricane season. We have taken advantage of free dining, too; infact, we have specifically gone twice in a year to do it. I just don't see it being a forever promotion; hurricane season may be one exception to the rule.
