ITS COMING -Nov. 2014 Free Dining - waiting, watching, wishing & worrying thread

[dakotix]

This is why you should always book way ahead in advance. Right now everyone and their mother is scrambling and many will find their precious standard rooms are taken.

If you haven't booked yet, do so now online at the Disney site and add the dining plan. If the promotion is released tomorrow, call Disney and have them apply the promotion to your reservation. Its that easy. I've never applied a Disney Visa promotion, this will be the first time I'm trying that. Yesterday I applied a small payment using my Disney Visa card so there is a record of that on my account. In theory they should see that and be able to apply the discount...easy peasy? I hope so!

 

[black562]

This is why you should always book way ahead in advance. Right now everyone and their mother is scrambling and many will find their precious standard rooms are taken. If you haven't booked yet, do so now online at the Disney site and add the dining plan. If the promotion is released tomorrow, call Disney and have them apply the promotion to your reservation. Its that easy. I've never applied a Disney Visa promotion, this will be the first time I'm trying that. Yesterday I applied a small payment using my Disney Visa card so there is a record of that on my account. In theory they should see that and be able to apply the discount...easy peasy? I hope so!

Booking ahead is how resorts get excluded from the promo. It guarantees you nothing and actually makes it harder for you to get free dining on release day. It's also why so many days are blacked out.

If Disney has it's rooms booked, they have no need to discount them.

 

[jtheodore]

This is why you should always book way ahead in advance. Right now everyone and their mother is scrambling and many will find their precious standard rooms are taken. If you haven't booked yet, do so now online at the Disney site and add the dining plan. If the promotion is released tomorrow, call Disney and have them apply the promotion to your reservation. Its that easy. I've never applied a Disney Visa promotion, this will be the first time I'm trying that. Yesterday I applied a small payment using my Disney Visa card so there is a record of that on my account. In theory they should see that and be able to apply the discount...easy peasy? I hope so!

can you upgrade off of the free dining from Roche?

 

[jtheodore]

This is why you should always book way ahead in advance. Right now everyone and their mother is scrambling and many will find their precious standard rooms are taken. If you haven't booked yet, do so now online at the Disney site and add the dining plan. If the promotion is released tomorrow, call Disney and have them apply the promotion to your reservation. Its that easy. I've never applied a Disney Visa promotion, this will be the first time I'm trying that. Yesterday I applied a small payment using my Disney Visa card so there is a record of that on my account. In theory they should see that and be able to apply the discount...easy peasy? I hope so!

we just missed this promotion last year. We moved our trip back a week. Now we are traveling December 6 through the 12th. In your opinion do you think this week will be included or excluded? Also is the free dining promotion included in all resorts including deluxe?

 

[black562]

we just missed this promotion last year. We moved our trip back a week. Now we are traveling December 6 through the 12th. In your opinion do you think this week will be included or excluded? Also is the free dining promotion included in all resorts including deluxe?

I posted this in the other thread, but here are the key dates.

The free dining promo will likely be released to Disney Visa holders on Thursday, May 1st and to the public on Wednesday, May 7.

The likely dates included are:
August 31 - October 3
October 26 - November 1
November 9 - November 20
December 12 - December 23

 

[black562]

Art of Animation and French Quarter appear to be excluded from free dining. This is due to those resorts having high bookings. Once a resort books up, there is no need for a discount.

Remember, having a room booked in advance guarantees nothing. If availability sells out for that resort or room type, you'll just end up having to switch resorts anyway.

 

[dakotix]

If you book at a smaller resort like French Quarter I can see that happening. We always book at CSR which is a huge resort so booking advance for CSR is actually a pretty smart idea.

 

[dakotix]

Booking ahead is how resorts get excluded from the promo. It guarantees you nothing and actually makes it harder for you to get free dining on release day. It's also why so many days are blacked out.

If Disney has it's rooms booked, they have no need to discount them.

I guess I just like to have my ducks in a row before calling. If the "masses" all book in advance I agree with you whole hardheartedly. But in truth most don't book in advance which makes it a useful *strategy*. It's no guarantee yes, but can definitely work in your favor if done right. Last year I spent a grand total of 5 minutes on the phone switching to Free Dining while others spent a lot more time getting everything booked and making last minute decisions on expensive details.

 

[Mbuksa]

If you book at a smaller resort like French Quarter I can see that happening. We always book at CSR which is a huge resort so booking advance for CSR is actually a pretty smart idea.

Just because you have a room already booked doesn't mean you can automatically get the promotion. There are only a select number of rooms that are eligible. If too many people call before you and snag those rooms, then when you call to "transfer" your reservation to the free dining promotion, you may be told that there are not any rooms available. Of course.., you are still guaranteed your room at the resort... Just not the free dining

 

[DisneyFanSherry]

Art of Animation and French Quarter appear to be excluded from free dining. This is due to those resorts having high bookings. Once a resort books up, there is no need for a discount.

Remember, having a room booked in advance guarantees nothing. If availability sells out for that resort or room type, you'll just end up having to switch resorts anyway.

All of AOA or just the Little Mermaid rooms?

 

[dakotix]

Just because you have a room already booked doesn't mean you can automatically get the promotion. There are only a select number of rooms that are eligible. If too many people call before you and snag those rooms, then when you call to "transfer" your reservation to the free dining promotion, you may be told that there are not any rooms available. Of course.., you are still guaranteed your room at the resort... Just not the free dining

Your exactly right and the time it takes to transfer to an available block of rooms vs. booking that room when you call is the big question. It's a race.

Does it take longer to transfer to an available room or does it take longer to start from square one? I think to start from square one wastes precious minutes and the available rooms they have run out. By having everything booked in advance you cut down on that time the normal booking process usually takes.

Like I said it is a strategy which has yet to fail us (knock on wood).

 

[TheGreatGafsby]

If the promotion is released tomorrow, call Disney and have them apply the promotion to your reservation. Its that easy.

I know this sounds snarky, but do you know what else is easy? Waiting until the promo is released, and then booking. Booking ahead does NOT help. Black and others on this forum have been very clear about this. That is one more room count that will never be included in the promotion that otherwise would have been. Even if that room type is included in the promo, you have to fight with others for any of those remaining rooms once the promotion is released. Booking early hurts everyone's chances at getting what they want including those who have pre-booked. A lot of people have been saying"we're going anyway, so we pre-booked", but often follow that up by asking about resort/date availability, and it is clear they will move reservations to accommodate FD. If that is the case - wait to book. Pre-booking lessens your chances - and everyone else's - at taking part in the promotion. I know it's painful to wait - I'm going through that too, and will have to wait until general availability. Like a lot of people "I am going anyway", however, I am waiting for FD availability. If things disappear, I will chose dates that work better for me, and will look at other ways to save (offsite and all the rest of it).

 

[black562]

All of AOA or just the Little Mermaid rooms?

At this point from what I can tell, it appears to be all.

 

[TennesseeGirl]

Yes! Let's not takes chances ...

 

[TandEsMommy]

Your exactly right and the time it takes to transfer to an available block of rooms vs. booking that room when you call is the big question. It's a race.

Does it take longer to transfer to an available room or does it take longer to start from square one? I think to start from square one wastes precious minutes and the available rooms they have run out. By having everything booked in advance you cut down on that time the normal booking process usually takes.

Like I said it is a strategy which has yet to fail us (knock on wood).

When you call to book, the CM "grabs" the room as they input your info, just like a high-demand ADR. Once they are inputting your info, that room is yours until they back out and get something else (or they do it wrong, which is possible no matter what you're doing). That's why people on this thread have been pricing various options and have all their backup plans in place, so that they aren't making decisions under the pressure to book right away. They've run the numbers and can go in order of preference asking for their resort.

In your case, however, you have to call and have your reservation pulled up, and then the CM will need to attempt to apply the promo. If you're in a room category that is excluded, or are being "held" by CMs booking others' reservations, your CM will then have to ask what your next preferences are. Have you already chosen backup resorts? How about room categories at those resorts? Hope so, or else you'll be stuck making last minute decisions under the pressure of having something right then and there.

Just because it has worked for you in the past does not mean it will continue to do so, and if every person posting and lurking on this thread followed your strategy, there would be far more exclusions that there are.

I know my tone comes across as mean, which isn't my intent, but your logic is flawed, and as has been pointed out, a disservice to everyone who is waiting for this promo to start.

 

[GaBelle]

The only reason to book early is if you want a specific resort/room/category and are not expecting a discount.
You may have had luck with this in the past and it may work this time as well, but it is not good advice as a strategy.

 

[allysetraskos]

I wonder if you need the code... Is it a specific personalized one or generic like "freedining2013"

 

[dakotix]

When you call to book, the CM "grabs" the room as they input your info, just like a high-demand ADR. Once they are inputting your info, that room is yours until they back out and get something else (or they do it wrong, which is possible no matter what you're doing). That's why people on this thread have been pricing various options and have all their backup plans in place, so that they aren't making decisions under the pressure to book right away. They've run the numbers and can go in order of preference asking for their resort.

In your case, however, you have to call and have your reservation pulled up, and then the CM will need to attempt to apply the promo. If you're in a room category that is excluded, or are being "held" by CMs booking others' reservations, your CM will then have to ask what your next preferences are. Have you already chosen backup resorts? How about room categories at those resorts? Hope so, or else you'll be stuck making last minute decisions under the pressure of having something right then and there.

Just because it has worked for you in the past does not mean it will continue to do so, and if every person posting and lurking on this thread followed your strategy, there would be far more exclusions that there are.

I know my tone comes across as mean, which isn't my intent, but your logic is flawed, and as has been pointed out, a disservice to everyone who is waiting for this promo to start.

We will see tomorrow wont we! As for a backup? Any room will do. I have no issues with switching resorts because they are all fabulous and we spend very little time on the resort properties. Good luck tomorrow to all no matter what your strategy!

 

[LucyBC80]

Oh POFQ being excluded is not good. I do have a backup plan but I don't want to move away from my beloved French Quarter.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

So excited!! I have the Disney Visa!! Woot!! right now we are booked at POR Royal Rooms too check in on Nov 1st!!! So if the dates are right then we should be good for our whole trip with a check in on Nov 1st...I can even move it too Oct 31st if I need too..

I will be ready to call tomorrow morning at 6am Central time!