New free dining offer yeaaah

[Happy99]

I sent my Dis TA requests for ADRs for our upcoming 10/26 - 11/02 trip as I think that once FD is announced thing will book up quickly. I did mention the rumor and she replied that she believes that this rumor is actually true. I sent my request that she apply FD to our current package eliminating the comp. Water & More upgrade that we applied with a PIN Code a few months ago and retain the Hopper option. She essentially indicated that the price of our package could go up significantly once FD was applied and wanted to know what our budget is. Why would it go up significantly - other than the cost of the Hopper option. I sent another email this morning, do not want to be a bother, but I am confused. Isn't FD just that FD? I also requested a price quote for upgrading to POFQ IF Free Regular Dining is offered. Anyone have experience with a major increase when FD was applied?

Thanks,
Dawn

Disney doesn't allow the stacking of discounts. If you go with the free dinign plan whatever discount you currently have will be taken off and you will pay full price on the room and park tickets and receive the dining plan for free. You can go online at disneyworld.com now and price your package with just the room and park ticket which is what the cost will be with the free dining plan and compare to your current price to see if it is indeed a better offer for you

So if I am understanding you correctly...I can do a room res only on the 10th...but pick up my tickets for my FD pkg early, and be able to enter the parks on the 10th? Only caveat is dining credits kick in on 11th.

Am I close?

No you cannot pick up your park tickets before your package begins. If your package begins on the 11th that is when you will be able to pick up your park tickets. I tried picking up tickets before our package began a couple of years ago and the cm at guest relations said they couldn't split out the tickets any longer

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

No you cannot pick up your park tickets before your package begins. If your package begins on the 11th that is when you will be able to pick up your park tickets. I tried picking up tickets before our package began a couple of years ago and the cm at guest relations said they couldn't split out the tickets any longer

There are many people who have gone to guest relations in the parks to pick up their tickets up to 3 days early - you can not pick them up early from your hotel. The only contigency is that they may not be able to apply them to your KTTW card.

 

[KEPE]

Skier Pete, thanks, I hadn't thought of that. Can you check out/in anytime? I'm an early riser could I go down at 6:00am and do it to try to avoid the crowds?

 

[nyrfan00]

No you cannot pick up your park tickets before your package begins. If your package begins on the 11th that is when you will be able to pick up your park tickets. I tried picking up tickets before our package began a couple of years ago and the cm at guest relations said they couldn't split out the tickets any longer

You are exactly right. You can pick the tickets up for your package up to 3 days in advance of your package IF you are already staying on-site. This pick up might be able to be done at your hotel (if you are at the same hotel) but definitely can at the parks (or DTD).

THIS IS FOR EVERYONE ON THIS THREAD: Be aware that if you check in before free dining and have to re-check in to the hotel the day FD starts, there will be dozens if not hundreds of others doing this, and the check-in lines on those first days can be very long...so take that into account in your planning! In the past when we did this, I went down very early and had no problem, but by 9 AM the wait was > 1 hour. This was also for the August FD, which was very widespread.

Hmm...I see conflicting information here...anyone else want to provide insight, so we can clear up this matter?

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

See my post above...there is more info here:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2687237&highlight=park+tickets+early

 

[Happy99]

There are many people who have gone to guest relations in the parks to pick up their tickets up to 3 days early - you can not pick them up early from your hotel. The only contigency is that they may not be able to apply them to your KTTW card.

I have read the same posts but when I tried to do it at the Magic Kingdom guest relations they said it could no longer be done

Has anyone tried it lately?

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

I have read the same posts but when I tried to do it at the Magic Kingdom guest relations they said it could no longer be done

Has anyone tried it lately?

On the link I provided (and there are several other threads on disboards on this subject) people were doing it as recently as 2010 and this year. You may have had a CM that just didn't know any better - all it takes is one trainee or a CM filling in for someone on sick leave or vacation leave, and everything goes haywire

 

[DisneyGuess]

Ok, this is actually a question that I have not seen asked. It does pertain to the FD sort of, lo.l.
I will do a room only ressies on December 10, change our package dates to December 11-18. I was thinking about something a PP said about checking out & back in would have a big line. Can I do online check-in for both ressies before we leave home? Or can I only do online check-in for the 1st night & have to do the whole thing for check-in on the 11th at the front desk?

Hoping we'll be able to keep the same room, so I figure if I get up early to check out & back in on the 11th, hopefully that would beat lines anyway. We have an early ADR at Chef Mickey's on the 11th @ 8:20am. Then had planned on going over to MK. Would I be able to do my checking out & in prior to that ADR? & will we know beforehand whether we'll have to switch rooms or not until I do our recheck-in on the 11th?

Did any of that make sense? I feel like my fingers weren't keeping up with my head, lol.

 

[n2mm]

I sent my Dis TA requests for ADRs for our upcoming 10/26 - 11/02 trip as I think that once FD is announced thing will book up quickly. I did mention the rumor and she replied that she believes that this rumor is actually true. I sent my request that she apply FD to our current package eliminating the comp. Water & More upgrade that we applied with a PIN Code a few months ago and retain the Hopper option. She essentially indicated that the price of our package could go up significantly once FD was applied and wanted to know what our budget is. Why would it go up significantly - other than the cost of the Hopper option. I sent another email this morning, do not want to be a bother, but I am confused. Isn't FD just that FD? I also requested a price quote for upgrading to POFQ IF Free Regular Dining is offered. Anyone have experience with a major increase when FD was applied?

Thanks,
Dawn

As mentioned, you can only apply one promotion. So if you want the FD promotion, then you will lose any other promotion you currently have. You do need to crunch your numbers. In order to get the FD promotion you will be paying rack rate for your room and full price for your tickets. I agree, go online and put in your dates, resort, and ticket type and you should get a quote of how much it will be, then compare it to your current priced package to see which is the better deal. No stacking of discounts at Disney.

 

[disneygal58]

As mentioned, you can only apply one promotion. So if you want the FD promotion, then you will lose any other promotion you currently have. You do need to crunch your numbers. In order to get the FD promotion you will be paying rack rate for your room and full price for your tickets. I agree, go online and put in your dates, resort, and ticket type and you should get a quote of how much it will be, then compare it to your current priced package to see which is the better deal. No stacking of discounts at Disney.

I wrote to her that we are willing to give up the comp ticket upgrade - which was the only discount and pay for the Hopper option. I priced it out and sent her my numbers. I do know that offers are not combinable and am hoping that while scanning my email she simply glossed over the info that we are willing to give up a component that we would not have used anyway - water parks and Disney Quest. We will see what she says!

Dawn

 

[Susan595]

we are the blackout date that really really REALLY sucks, and ya....... Oct 15-22 I can't believe it, I have such crappy luck sheesh. ADR's are made, plans set in motion, flight booked and paid for moving the dates not an option for us sigh

 

[Colleen27]

No you cannot pick up your park tickets before your package begins. If your package begins on the 11th that is when you will be able to pick up your park tickets. I tried picking up tickets before our package began a couple of years ago and the cm at guest relations said they couldn't split out the tickets any longer

You likely got a misinformed CM, which does seem to be a fairly common problem with Disney. The sticky that explains ticket policies is maintained by a wonderful DISer who works in ticketing and IIRC even does training on ticket policies for new CMs, and he updates it frequently if he is notified of any changes (in fact, there's a long thread about an unrelated ticketing policy change going on right now).

 

[FigmentChick]

we are the blackout date that really really REALLY sucks, and ya....... Oct 15-22 I can't believe it, I have such crappy luck sheesh. ADR's are made, plans set in motion, flight booked and paid for moving the dates not an option for us sigh

I'm sorry, Susan....but I'm with you. I've already made reservations to stay off-site. If I can save $1,000 to do that, you bet I will. I had already budgeted for tips and "extra" dining (the Food & Wine Festival). So, now I've converted that to "real" dining. Also, I was already budgeted for a car (we always have one), so that's not a real issue either. We're keeping our California Grill reservation and I'm moving our Tusker House from Monday to Saturday (since I have to switch AK and DHS days because of EMHs). But, we're still going to be at Disney, as a family and going to have a great time.

Plus, for the first time ever, it will be a non working vacation for me. Can I get a whoop-whoop for my minions?!?! (my two lovely assistants, who I cannot lie without)

 

[mom2rtk]

http://http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=25022943&postcount=15



Go to the above link in Cheshire Figment's sticky ticket thread. Print section I. If you get a CM who does not know about this, hopefully having this along will help. I just printed it and am putting it in the backpack I carry on every trip!

 

[FigmentChick]

You likely got a misinformed CM, which does seem to be a fairly common problem with Disney. The sticky that explains ticket policies is maintained by a wonderful DISer who works in ticketing and IIRC even does training on ticket policies for new CMs, and he updates it frequently if he is notified of any changes (in fact, there's a long thread about an unrelated ticketing policy change going on right now).

Believe it or not, I called about this issue on Firday (in case I decided on a split stay). Let me just say: most CMs are not aware of this package. The CM at central reservations said "No, call the hotel". POR CM said "No" and then I quoted her what Cheshire Figment said word for word. She transferred me to someone else. The someone else said "No". Again, I related the policy word for word. She put me on hold; all of the sudden she comes back on, apologize profusely for not giving me the correct information and states that park tickets on packages are allowed to be picked up early from Guest Relations at DTD or the parks up to 10 days in advance of checking in for the package.

So, there's my tale.....

 

[n2mm]

I wrote to her that we are willing to give up the comp ticket upgrade - which was the only discount and pay for the Hopper option. I priced it out and sent her my numbers. I do know that offers are not combinable and am hoping that while scanning my email she simply glossed over the info that we are willing to give up a component that we would not have used anyway - water parks and Disney Quest. We will see what she says!

Dawn

It sounds like you have all of your eggs in your basket. Hope it all works out!

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

Ok, this is actually a question that I have not seen asked. It does pertain to the FD sort of, lo.l.
I will do a room only ressies on December 10, change our package dates to December 11-18. I was thinking about something a PP said about checking out & back in would have a big line. Can I do online check-in for both ressies before we leave home? Or can I only do online check-in for the 1st night & have to do the whole thing for check-in on the 11th at the front desk?

Hoping we'll be able to keep the same room, so I figure if I get up early to check out & back in on the 11th, hopefully that would beat lines anyway. We have an early ADR at Chef Mickey's on the 11th @ 8:20am. Then had planned on going over to MK. Would I be able to do my checking out & in prior to that ADR? & will we know beforehand whether we'll have to switch rooms or not until I do our recheck-in on the 11th?

Did any of that make sense? I feel like my fingers weren't keeping up with my head, lol.

I think it's easier to get up early and do the check-out/in at the front desk(and yes, before 8:20am is possible, though if they change your rooms you may have to bring your bags to bell services).
That said, if you do your initial check-in on the 10th at the front desk, this will give you the opportunity to tell (or remind) the CM that you have two reservations that are linked and there is greater chance that the CM can work his/her magic and make sure you stay in the same room for both reservations. As far as I know, there is nowhere on-line to request this.

 

[coruth4]

You are doing what we are doing...look in my PTR post #17, or this is a quicky version:

Book room-only for Nov 10th -12th.
Book Package for Nov 13th - 19th.

You can pick up your tickets on the 10th @ guest services @ the parks. However, your dining plan won't start until you re-check in on the 13th. (Expect LONG lines on the 13th, unless you get up super-early, which I will be doing!)

After posting I called Disney to see how much we would actaully save IF free dining is released for the dates mentioned. Even with having to pay a couple of meals out of pocket for the first few days - we will still save around $1400!!! I can handle paying a couple of meals OOP for that kind of savings. The CM was super nice and helpful.

Thanks for the tip of picking up the tickets easrly - not having to split the tickets into two stays is a huge saving also! And I am nervous about the crowds at F&W but exctied. It'll be our first time and we'll be hitting it Saturday.

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

Believe it or not, I called about this issue on Firday (in case I decided on a split stay). Let me just say: most CMs are not aware of this package. The CM at central reservations said "No, call the hotel". POR CM said "No" and then I quoted her what Cheshire Figment said word for word. She transferred me to someone else. The someone else said "No". Again, I related the policy word for word. She put me on hold; all of the sudden she comes back on, apologize profusely for not giving me the correct information and states that park tickets on packages are allowed to be picked up early from Guest Relations at DTD or the parks up to 10 days in advance of checking in for the package.

So, there's my tale.....

Oh and what a tale it is Disney is missing a very good opportunity to make a movie based on this story

 

[robinb]

So if I am understanding you correctly...I can do a room res only on the 10th...but pick up my tickets for my FD pkg early, and be able to enter the parks on the 10th? Only caveat is dining credits kick in on 11th.

No you cannot pick up your park tickets before your package begins. If your package begins on the 11th that is when you will be able to pick up your park tickets. I tried picking up tickets before our package began a couple of years ago and the cm at guest relations said they couldn't split out the tickets any longer

You likely got a misinformed CM, which does seem to be a fairly common problem with Disney. The sticky that explains ticket policies is maintained by a wonderful DISer who works in ticketing and IIRC even does training on ticket policies for new CMs, and he updates it frequently if he is notified of any changes (in fact, there's a long thread about an unrelated ticketing policy change going on right now).

Collen is right. At least she was when we went to WDW last August! We picked up our tickets from our FD reservation a day early so we could ride the Summer 2010 ToT overlay and see the Main Street Electrical parade on the last day it was scheduled.