IF they offer free dining this year...

[MBELSANTI]

I am going from AUg 25-Sept 1st. Would I need to split my reservation? Also, I qualified for the 40% off room so does that take me out of the running? DDP for DS and I comes to $350 for 7 nights. The room with 40% off came to $64.06 per night for POP Preferred room. That was a savings of $296.10. Would I be able to switch to the free dining to save the additional $50?

 

[Sammy]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in order to get the free dining in the past you had to purchase a package. That package included rack rate for the room, at least a 1-day park pass, and then you got the free dining as a "bonus".

 

[Luv2Roam]

Correct -- No one will get 40% off their room and free dining. Esp if the 40% is a room only res.
The room only res would need to be canceled and rebooked as a package, which would include the same ticket type for everyone in the group and a higher rack rate on the room.
And if the OP is checking in before the free dining, and wants to continue staying for free dining, two res' would be needed. Can't get free dining before the travel dates.

 

[MBELSANTI]

I forgot to add that I also have 10 day no expiration hoppers.

 

[cslittle999]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe in order to get the free dining in the past you had to purchase a package. That package included rack rate for the room, at least a 1-day park pass, and then you got the free dining as a "bonus".

This is correct. To answer the OP's other question, you will have to split your reservation if August 25th is not included in free dining.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

I forgot to add that I also have 10 day no expiration hoppers.

In order to get FREE DINING, you would still need to buy an additional 1 day MYW base ticket for EVERYONE in your party. You can save them to use at a later date, which is what I will be doing with mine. I, too, have days left over on various tickets.

 

[MBELSANTI]

In order to get FREE DINING, you would still need to buy an additional 1 day MYW base ticket for EVERYONE in your party. You can save them to use at a later date, which is what I will be doing with mine. I, too, have days left over on various tickets.

HMM, so even if I have the package booked with 10 day no expire hoppers, I still have to buy 1 day base tickets??

 

[disneyjunkie]

HMM, so even if I have the package booked with 10 day no expire hoppers, I still have to buy 1 day base tickets??

The package you have can't be used with free dining. You can't combine discounts.

You can keep the 40% discount and add dining to your package. (you'll have to pay for the dining plan)

Or you can give up the 40% discount, pay rack rate for the room and get free dining.

No matter which package you book, you have to purchase at least a one day base ticket.

 

[mickey2000]

Last year I got the AAA room discount and had a paid meal plan. When the free offer for the food was given my travel agent called with the code and they subtracted the price of the meal plan from my res. I did recheck and got BOTH discounts

 

[mickey2000]

I was on a package!

 

[girli565]

How do you qualify for the 40% off room rates?

 

[bicker]

How do you qualify for the 40% off room rates?

Disney targets you personally for the discount, based on demographics and some past purchase you've made (not necessarily with Disney).

 

[Minnie & Me]

You will need to book a one night room only for Aug 25. Then book a package for the rest of your stay starting Aug 26 with your 10 day ticket. No need to buy another 1 day ticket. Rack rate applies for your package if you want free dining.

 

[MinnieTink]

I was also curious about this. We are arriving on 8/25 also. (plane tix already purchased) I read somewhere else on the boards that you would have to actually check out and re-check-in on 8/26 under a different reservation so you could get the free dining. And after checking in again on 8/26, you may not even get the same room? Sounds like a pain...! Especially w/ three kids in tow. Has anyone ever had to actually do this?

By the way, the info on these boards has been sooooo helpful to me in planning our latest trip! Thanks to all!!!


me dh dd10 dd7 ds6m

 

[bicker]

I read somewhere else on the boards that you would have to actually check out and re-check-in on 8/26 under a different reservation so you could get the free dining. And after checking in again on 8/26, you may not even get the same room?

It doesn't often come to that, but there are no guarantees. Folks booking a "split reservation" like that should be prepared to move rooms.

 

[AMaloy314]

I was interested in this from a different stand point. I can understand them not offering the free DDP for the dates before the offer begins. But what about if you have booked your start date during the promotion and your reservation runs past the last day? Is it like booking during the last day of value season where you get the deal for the rest of the reservation or does it just run out in the middle of your trip?

 

[TravelinGal]

I was interested in this from a different stand point. I can understand them not offering the free DDP for the dates before the offer begins. But what about if you have booked your start date during the promotion and your reservation runs past the last day? Is it like booking during the last day of value season where you get the deal for the rest of the reservation or does it just run out in the middle of your trip?

Based on the past 2 years, that is correct. If you were booked to arrive on the last day of the promotion, you could get the entire stay (up to 10 nights per the plan rules/14 nights this year, I'm guessing) with free DDP. All rules are subject to change DURING a promotion - not to mention when listing a new one a year later.


(hence my extreme longing for the package to go until the end of September just like last year - I'm not asking for dates that didn't exist on the package before - just like last year is all I ask! {as I look at my previous line about rules changing...LOL})

 

[MBELSANTI]

How do you qualify for the 40% off room rates?

Actually I booked online at the rack rate and then called CRO after all of the "code" buzz and asked if they had any discounts and was given the Z** code rate which was 40% off. I didnt give them a pin # just asked for any discounts. Maybe I had this for my name although I doubt that because I called CRO a week prior and gave them the code and they told me I couldn't use without PIN. Anyway, the code is expired now because I called last night to see if I can upgrade to POR and it is too late.

 

[MinnieTink]

So, if you check in on the last day of the promotion, and stay 10 days, you get free dining for the length of stay. (1 out of 10 days is officially in the free promotion) However, if you check in one day prior to the dining promotion, you have to book 2 different reservations, and don't get free dining for length of stay, and have to check-in-check-out-check-back-in. Our 6 night vacation will start one day before the "alleged" free dining starts. (5 out of 6 days are in the free promotion time) I am hoping we can just make one reservation to avoid confusion and time taken to check-out-and-check-back-in. I would even just pay for the one day of dining plan.... Think it's possible?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You would HAVE to switch to two separate reservations.

Just like if your stay started in Regular Season, but Value Season started the next day. You'd have two choices: either keep the original reservation and pay, say, $100 per night for seven nights; or, split your stay into two reservations, with one for the first night only at the grabbed-out-of-my-head rate of $100 and the next six nights at $90 each.