Need a crystal ball (FREE DINING?) December trip!

[MARY-IN-OH]

This is one of those "what should I do" dilemmas!

Grandkids first trip to Disney December 09 (along with my 2 daughters and my sister so 7 of us).

We "penciled in" Fri Dec 4 to Fri Dec 11 for low(ish) crowds and Christmastime at Disney:
3 nights (2 rooms) at a Value
4 nights DVC 2BR
Low crowds, nice n easy

But....then I recently was reminded there was (disney visa card offer) free dining December 2008 for the 14th to 20th.

If the first part of our trip was with Free dining, Wow! that would be great for seven people. Hmmm. got to thinking about changing dates to:

Beginning Wednesday Dec 16 (so that I could arrive DVC on a Sunday for fewer points)
4 nights (2 rooms) at a Value
4 nights DVC 2BR

If we switch - Grand kids and my (high school senior) daugter miss 3 days of school instead of 6 days. Plus, my "second" choice is a 8 night trip instead of 7

But - We would be flying home Christmas Eve (which is actually not a big deal for us), and the Crowds the second week will be bad, so I would try to get a lot of park attractions done the prior week, and not do as much park stuff the DVC days.

I guess worst of all - is if free dining is not offered again and I switched to a crowded time for nothing!! It's doubtful to change since the DVC's are pretty booked up for December. Last year the offer was announced in mid-Sept and I need to book the DVC resort soon.

what would you do?
Thanks!
mary

 

[Cinderella Mom]

Hi! I understand your dilemma. My family and I have bookedDecember 15-23 2009.I am a teacher and my oldest son will be in the first grade. I don't want to miss a whole week of school but I don't want to be at Disney World during a horribly crowded time. This week gave my both of what I wanted, a week that will hopefully start out slow but crowds will build throughout our stay and my son and I will only miss 3 days of school rather than 5. I would stay the later part of Dec. if I were you. Just my two cents worth! We too are hoping for free dining. We received a 40% off code for a room only. If free dining is offered this year in December, it will offer deeper saving for our family versus the 40% off of a room since we are staying at a value resort. Keeeping my fingers crossed for free dining. Good luck with your decision and happy planning!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are a DVC member, you need to book that home resort stay real soon. Or you might be too late. Early December goes very quickly for points stays.

 

[james'mommy]

Free dining is never offered to DVC.

 

[pktbMouse]

How do you get free dining? We have been registered with disney for years and never recieved anything

 

[Echo queen]

How do you get free dining? We have been registered with disney for years and never recieved anything

I booked by Christmas trip for 2008 in December of 2007. When the general public code came out I called and got it changed to the lower rate. Once the free dining code came out with the disney Visa (which I already had the visa) I called and got the evan lower rate by paying for the remainder of my trip with the Visa.

Good Luck

 

[PrincessTiffany]

How do you get free dining? We have been registered with disney for years and never recieved anything

Since 2005, Disney has been offering the Free Dining promo for Magic Your way packages with a 3 night minimum and a 14 day maximum (Basic Dining Plan; 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per person per night) during the last part of August until the end of September, give or take a few days. The free dining offer is usually announced during the first week of April. The first couple of days it will only be open to Disney Visa holders and then will open up to the general public. The booking dates for 2008 for the general public were August 24 through September 20 and you had to book by June 22 to receive the FD offer.

This past September Disney Destinations sent out some emails that offered free dining pin codes for select dates in October, November and December. These emails were random, not for the general public, and the codes were non-transferrable. A few weeks after that Disney Visa sent out a free dining code for their card holders for the same select dates in October, November and December. These pin codes are not part of the Fall Dining promotion. They were completely random and there really is no way of knowing what codes they will put out for fall/winter 2009. Disney probably doesn't even know yet. It would have to be based on the percentage of resort/packages booked by late summer.

 

[bumbershoot]

Free dining is never offered to DVC.

OP is only talking about the part of their trip at a value resort.

 

[MARY-IN-OH]

OP is only talking about the part of their trip at a value resort.

Yep! 4 days of free dining for the seven of us is worth almost $800!! I wish we didn't have to tip out of pocket, but still a great deal! I don't think I would buy the dining plan for this trip, so I hope the offer comes out (I do have a disney visa if offered to card holders again).

If you are a DVC member, you need to book that home resort stay real soon. Or you might be too late. Early December goes very quickly for points stays.

(we're renting points), I will be booking very soon, regardless of which dates we settle on. If we stay the 20th thru 23rd it's a few more points but we should be ok getting the 2BR at OKW (home resort).
-mary