Missed Free Dining Offer?

[Disneycheesehead]

My wife and I are going down to Disneyworld during their free dining plan this fall (October 19th-26th). We have booked through a Disney travel agent who when I asked her to try to get this changed for us she claimed that it couldn't happen for the room that we were booked in. We are booked at the Port Orleans Riverside in one of the Royal rooms. When I called Disney they said that it shouldn't be an issue to get the free dining, but our agent says it isnt available.

Has anyone heard of this? Is it possible that this is all used up already for our dates in our room types? Not really sure how this works, but I would think if we are booked already that we should be able to get this done.

 

[TDC Nala]

Not all categories of rooms at all resorts are available. And no matter if you previously booked, a promotion room must be available for your dates for you to switch your booking to the promotion, it can't just be done automatically.

The royal rooms may not be available. Or they may be sold out on the promotion for your dates. the person you spoke to might just be telling you that the dates are eligible, not that your specific resort and category of room is available for your full stay.

In fact, I ran your reservation through the online system under the free dining offer (2 adults, October 19-26, Port Orleans Riverside) and got no availability at Riverside at all. So it appears your travel agent is correct. You may have to decide if you would prefer to keep your resort choice, or switch to get free dining. In fact, the website is currently showing no availability on the free dining promotion at any of the moderates for those dates.

You can ask your travel agent to keep checking, as cancellations do come up sometimes.

 

[Disneycheesehead]

Thank you. I thought it might be the case, but wanted to be sure. Sometimes I feel that I am missing out on a deal if I don't ask the right questions.

 

[DisneyWitch]

If it's of any consolation, this happened to us as well. We also use a TA who we love very much and who has always done right by us.

We were booked at a garden view room at POFQ (just down the stream from ya) in late October. Although POFQ did make rooms available for the dining plan promotion, they were booked up in a hurry. Our TA explained that each resort only gets a certain number of promotional rooms, depending on the resort's popularity and occupancy at that time. The promotion doesn't usually extend to every room on the premises.

For us (it's just me & my significant other - we don't have children), it was more important to get the free dining than to be at a particular resort. So our TA found us a preferred room at Caribbean Beach Resort and we saved more than $1k in the process. However, if you're set on a RR at POR - and they are truly lovely - I wouldn't make the switch!

 

[Disneycheesehead]

However, if you're set on a RR at POR - and they are truly lovely - I wouldn't make the switch!

Yeah I didn't mention this, but it is going to be our Honeymoon and our TA did say she could move us to a different resort, but we want the extra magic of the Royal Room at POR. We are getting excited for this trip!

 

[kddisney502]

You could try checking online to see if your room really is available for your dates. Just go to special offers and click on the free dinning then enter your dates & resort.

I just checked it for you and there is nothing right now. But that doesn't mean something may open up later.

If something does open up later I would go ahead and book it and then tell your TA to cancel the old one (otherwise someone might take the offer before your TA can reschedule it). Just my opinion.

Btw, are you Disney Visa holders? There are some seperate rooms set aside for DV holders. If you are, call disney and ask if there is availability for DV holders. You have to call to check for this availability.

 

[Disneycheesehead]

You could try checking online to see if your room really is available for your dates. Just go to special offers and click on the free dinning then enter your dates & resort.

I am getting the hang of this. I tried this and saw that the room wasn't available. I think that I'm going to just realize that I missed my shot, and next time will have to be more on the ball.

It is the story of my life. I blame my father for that. He passed along his buy high and sell low instincts. HAHA

 

[DisneyMom5]

I am getting the hang of this. I tried this and saw that the room wasn't available. I think that I'm going to just realize that I missed my shot, and next time will have to be more on the ball.

It is the story of my life. I blame my father for that. He passed along his buy high and sell low instincts. HAHA

Have your TA try every few days, and you do so as well. Might as well have free food on your honeymoon!

[From one cheesehead to another. ]

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Don't give up yet, keep checking the dates, there may be cancellations, and you could still get the free dining. Good luck!

 

[kddisney502]

definately check as you get closer to 45 days before your arrival. People tend to cancel around then because the total amount is due and after 45 days there is a $200 fee if you cancel. This can open up rooms for you. Also, if your dates are flexible, look at coming in a couple days later and leaving later. Sometimes just moving one day will give you free dinning. This is where the online booking system can be helpful.

 

[Arogers8388]

We had the same thing happen to us. We had two Finding Nemo suites booked for October (for a group of 12!) when the free dining came out so I called right when the phone lines opened to add it. I waited on hold for an hour and a half and when I got through, they had already reached the limit for free dining for the Nemo suites that quickly. Of course I knew those suites were popular, being brand new and all, but I was surprised at how fast they went!

Luckily we still ended up getting the free dining after explaining to the CM that we had called earlier in the week as Disney Visa holders only to be told that we couldn't get it because we had already booked our package a month earlier without the card. He was very helpful and said that never should have happened and he worked with his supervisor to help us get the deal.

Hopefully you'll be able to do as PP said and get the free dining later on as people make cancellations!

P.S.- This is my first post here on the DIS boards! I just recently discovered the site and it has been so helpful in planning.

 

[Disneycheesehead]

Hopefully you'll be able to do as PP said and get the free dining later on as people make cancellations!

P.S.- This is my first post here on the DIS boards! I just recently discovered the site and it has been so helpful in planning.

Thank you. I am going to keep checking. Do you know if we pay off our trip would we be able to make the change if there are cancellations later? Would we get a refund from Disney? I'm not holding my breath on this happening, but like to keep all options open.

I just found the DIS boards a few weeks back after listening to the podcasts for a long time. I'm very thankful for the knowledge that everyone is able to pass along.

 

[Arogers8388]

I'm not 100% sure but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to get a refund for the amount of the dining plan if you were able to get the promotion after you had paid. I know it's not exactly the same but we added the dining after we were booked and they just deducted the amount of the dining plan from our total. Also you can make any changes up to the 45 day mark, and then changing things after that point will cost $50 only if the changes bring your total cost down (as it would with free dining). And even if someone were to cancel a whole trip on very short notice Disney would refund all but a $200 fee. So with all of that, it seems like it wouldn't be a problem to get a refund later on if you got the free dining after all.

 

[TDC Nala]

You have up to 3 days prior to arrival to change your package. It can't be done after that.

If you decrease the cost of your package within 45 days of arrival, there's a change fee of $50.

You'd get the difference back between your package with dining and your package without dining.

You may also want to continue to check and see if there are any discounts that apply to the room. I haven't seen any yet for October but that doesn't mean there won't be any. You appear to be set on the Royal room, so there would have to be a discount that applies to that category of room. If those rooms are popular, it's less likely they will be discounted.