Ideas about free dining

[swawwhitley]

Does anyone have any idea if Disney World will extend free dining into December 2011? What's your opinion on when they may announce such an offer? Thanks so much!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

to the Dis!

No one really knows if Disney will offer FD in Dec this year again or not. It really depends on what they want to do and how booked up the resort is. My personal opinion/guess is that it will not be offered. The resorts are busier this year and more booked up than last year so great promos are not needed, take fall free dining this year, the date range is smaller than ever before b/c they don't need the business for the rest of the times. December has picked up in attendance over the past few years and it's not just b/c of FD.

IF they were to offer it for Dec I wouldn't expect it to be out any earlier than September. Again just my guess.

You can also try the discount codes and rates board here on the DIS for lots of information about other discounts that may be availabele.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'll offer the opposing opinion. I do think they will offer free dining for Oct to Dec this year, and I think they will announce it in the next month. Yes, the resorts have been very busy this year, but only because of the discounts offered to put people there. The economy is not in any condition to expect people to suddenly start paying full price. As it is resort rates are already higher, and the cost of GETTING to Disney is much higher.

The marketing folks at Disney know that free dining fills room like nothing else.

OP........ you need to check out the Discount rates and codes forum here:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=93

Subscribe to one of the MANY threads waiting and watching for fall discounts so you'll know when it happens!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hoping no 'free' dining.

 

[mom2rtk]

Hoping no 'free' dining.

Thanks. I hope you get everything you're hoping for too........ no wait. The would mean I can't have what I want.

Sorry. I take that back.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Discount Codes and Rates board.

 

[chrisw127]

to the Dis!

No one really knows if Disney will offer FD in Dec this year again or not. It really depends on what they want to do and how booked up the resort is. My personal opinion/guess is that it will not be offered. The resorts are busier this year and more booked up than last year so great promos are not needed, take fall free dining this year, the date range is smaller than ever before b/c they don't need the business for the rest of the times. December has picked up in attendance over the past few years and it's not just b/c of FD.

IF they were to offer it for Dec I wouldn't expect it to be out any earlier than September. Again just my guess.

You can also try the discount codes and rates board here on the DIS for lots of information about other discounts that may be availabele.

I will say that your opinion is shared by a lot of people who work in the travel industry, but I'm calling Disney almost every day (I'm a TA) and there's still availability Other than the Contemporary in October (which I think may open up when the conventions don't fill it) and two-bedroom villas in general, everything seems pretty open. For example, I would have expected difficulty in booking values in October and November, but I haven't encountered any.

 

[dclfun]

I also hope there's no FD, but a different offer that saves just as much. I'm so tired of FD making it difficult to get a dining reservation and I also get tired of people saying "I'm not going unless I get Free Dining". I can actually picture someone stomping their foot ( sorry, my kids did this so I have a visual image that pops up uninvited, lol). There are other discounts out there that would fill the resorts, and it's better, IMO, not to get people so hooked on this particular one that they refuse to entertain any other possibility. Once there's a feeling of entitlement to a particular offer then it's time to be creative with a different one- again my opinion only. Same monetary outlay, different offer. Just my opinion and I have no idea what will be offered this year- I'm sure there will be something- well, fairly sure. Hopefully it will save families just as much as FD. ---Kathy

Editing to add- please don't think I'm criticizing what others feel is the enticement they need to take a WDW vacation. I just wish Disney would mix it up a little. I think the same thing about the "buy four, get three free" offer. If it had been as prevalent as FD, then I'm sure people would say they'd never go again without that offer.

 

[mom2rtk]

I also hope there's no FD, but a different offer that saves just as much. I'm so tired of FD making it difficult to get a dining reservation and I also get tired of people saying "I'm not going unless I get Free Dining". I can actually picture someone stomping their foot ( sorry, my kids did this so I have a visual image that pops up uninvited, lol). There are other discounts out there that would fill the resorts, and it's better, IMO, not to get people so hooked on this particular one that they refuse to entertain any other possibility. Once there's a feeling of entitlement to a particular offer then it's time to be creative with a different one- again my opinion only. Same monetary outlay, different offer. Just my opinion and I have no idea what will be offered this year- I'm sure there will be something- well, fairly sure. Hopefully it will save families just as much as FD. ---Kathy

Seriously?

You can PICTURE someone stomping their foot over this? Where did that come from? I don't get this reaction at all. I can see someone saying they don't like the way ADR's are hard to come by when free dining is offered. But I honestly don't get the reactions beyond this.

I hope you get whatever deal makes the most sense for your family. Free Dining is what works best for us.

 

[crazycatlady]

Seriously?

You can PICTURE someone stomping their foot over this? Where did that come from? I don't get this reaction at all. I can see someone saying they don't like the way ADR's are hard to come by when free dining is offered. But I honestly don't get the reactions beyone this.

I hope you get whatevery deal makes the most sense for your family. Free Dining is what works best for us.

I totally agree. I don't think people are feeling they are entitled to free dining, but that it is the cost savings necessary to make going to DW each year feasible. Having 2 teenagers, free dining saves us a huge chunk of money, way more than any other promotion. I have added numbers every which way (accountant ), and there is no better deal for my family. We were going to take a different vacation this summer if there was no free dining just because it would make more sense economically for us. We ended up getting plane tickets to Orlando during SW's birthday deal and are now hoping free dining will be announced. If not, we will eat most of our meals off-site and maybe even stay off-site. Not to get back at Disney, but because this is what my family can afford.

 

[HubbDave]

Interesting that someone would hope free dining goes away.

We had originally planned on purchasing the QS plan and had booked that, but then received the FD PIN in the mail the next week, so we changed it and saved $$$

We made our ADRs 6 months ahead, so I'm sorry for doing my homework and planning ahead.

We were going to be doing some character meals anyway, even for $$$

 

[Disneymommy2006]

Interesting that someone would hope free dining goes away.

We had originally planned on purchasing the QS plan and had booked that, but then received the FD PIN in the mail the next week, so we changed it and saved $$$

We made our ADRs 6 months ahead, so I'm sorry for doing my homework and planning ahead.

We were going to be doing some character meals anyway, even for $$$

I agree with you....for us the free dining is convenient and makes Disney affordable. The last few years we have used the free QSD and making ADRs are not a big issue. The savings with Free dining allows us extra money to plan for special meals if we want to.
We will stay off-site in a much roomier, nicer condo with a kitchen etc for our December trip if a decent offer or pin doesn't come our way and that is simply a budget issue.
I see on your ticker you are staying at the WL....that is our dream resort and what we are looking at for December if we get an offer! Congratulations on your pin!

 

[snykymom]

I personally don't care if they offer free dining. I just wish they'd offer something else as well. We don't do the dining plan - it doesn't work for the way we like to eat (and yes, we do TS or signature every day we're there; food is important to us). And I won't pay rack rate for a room just to get the free dining.

I wish they'd offer a room-only discount for those of us who don't want dining.

 

[disney newb]

I keep all of my Disney PIN email and last year on July 14 is when I received a Free Dining pin code for 10/3–11/23/10 and 11/28-12/16/10.

 

[Have3Kids&aHusband]

Well my 2 cents is that Disney will continue to have to do discounts. They remind me of the store Kohls: The store jacks up prices, has sales, and offers discounts on top of the sales. When you get your receipt it says you saved $150. I think Disney jacks up the prices, offers the discounts to lure people in and in the end they're still getting the money they really need and then some bc more people book. So the discounts will continue bc they know people will not go with no room discount or with no free dining.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well my 2 cents is that Disney will continue to have to do discounts. They remind me of the store Kohls: The store jacks up prices, has sales, and offers discounts on top of the sales. When you get your receipt it says you saved $150. I think Disney jacks up the prices, offers the discounts to lure people in and in the end they're still getting the money they really need and then some bc more people book. So the discounts will continue bc they know people will not go with no room discount or with no free dining.

Great analogy. And you'd have to be nuts to pay fullprice at Kohl's.

 

[tyniknate]

Thanks. I hope you get everything you're hoping for too........ no wait. The would mean I can't have what I want.

Sorry. I take that back.

I second that! If you don't want free dining - that's fine. But why ruin someone elses plans? I don't understand the meanness and hostility from some people on here.

 

[Have3Kids&aHusband]

I agree: Never pay full price at Kohl's... I won't even shop there unless I get the 30% card.

 

[richkorn]

I personally don't care if they offer free dining. I just wish they'd offer something else as well. We don't do the dining plan - it doesn't work for the way we like to eat (and yes, we do TS or signature every day we're there; food is important to us). And I won't pay rack rate for a room just to get the free dining.

I wish they'd offer a room-only discount for those of us who don't want dining.

I'm on room only 35% discount at CSR 11/27 -12/4 (11/26 non-discount separate reservation). That saved about $500 or so off the regular rate. I figure we'll spend about $1000 or so for 9 days on food (2 adults, 2 kids (11 & 4)) based on the trip 5 years ago. We already have ADRs, so If a free dining offer opens it might make sense to switch to that and pay regular price for room.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Had to laugh at the "foot stomper" image...
My position is that after many WDW trips I no longer have a WDW itch that I must scratch RIGHT NOW. Don't get me wrong; it is my favorite place to go for vacation. However I am willing to wait for an offer of some sort in order to book. FD happens to be the offer that suits my family best. If Disney decides to pitch some offer that suits me I will be at WDW sooner rather than later (actually probably sooner AND later ). If not I will come down some time later on when the mood strike.