New free dining offer yeaaah

[discorsner]

I'm kind of hoping Mouseplanet is right & it varies just a bit, lol. They seem to think it will be a Friday to Thursday type of deal for the availability instead of the Sunday to Saturday as originally posted here. If so, my check-in date would be included instead of blacked out.

But, I have not changed anything about my ressie & will not until I see an official announcement on Wednesday morning & know exactly what is in it, just in case!

I'm just thrilled to be confident that it's coming!! Now just waiting for all the little details!

Could you tell me the dates that mouseplanet is saying? I couldn't find them anywhere. We are blacked out on the dates listed on this thread so I am wondering if we are on othe other rumored dates as well. I need someting to root for!

 

[havoc315]

I have stayed on property, know what I'm missing, and it's not a big deal. We're good, figmentswife. Now...when are you going again? I can't remember and I know our dates are similar.



<------SAME HERE!!!!! Diagnosed with OCD for good reason! lol I not only plan my own vacations, but I help out with my friends as well.

I'm hoping the dates are wrong, but not holding my breath. In a day and a half we'll know who prevails with the new offer. Friday would be a nice start date.....for that, I'll be able to stay onsite. One can only hope....

I believe the start/end dates are usually Friday-Thursday for good reason. As tons of people check-in on Saturdays, if Saturday is the end day -- then tons more people would be getting the promotion, into a black-out week.

For example, the last pre-Thanks giving date is really the 19th, then tons of Thanksgiving week guests will get free dining. (Anybody checking on on the Saturday before Thanksgiving).
If it ends on the 17th... A full week before Thanksgiving, then it will be much more limited to a slow period.

The Sun-Sat promotion dates simply don't make sense. They could be right, but it wouldn't make sense.

 

[discorsner]

I believe the start/end dates are usually Friday-Thursday for good reason. As tons of people check-in on Saturdays, if Saturday is the end day -- then tons more people would be getting the promotion, into a black-out week.

For example, the last pre-Thanks giving date is really the 19th, then tons of Thanksgiving week guests will get free dining. (Anybody checking on on the Saturday before Thanksgiving).
If it ends on the 17th... A full week before Thanksgiving, then it will be much more limited to a slow period.

The Sun-Sat promotion dates simply don't make sense. They could be right, but it wouldn't make sense.

Do you think that if it starts on a Friday that Friday 9/30 would be included?
This would make my year!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Danny25, any word from your source for free dining 2012? Inquiring minds want to know...

Ditto!

 

[havoc315]

Do you think that if it starts on a Friday that Friday 9/30 would be included?
This would make my year!

That would be logical. Doesn't mean it's going to happen. But if in fact this rumor is "mostly correct"... then it would be logical.

 

[mmmbop]

How many of you have your trip booked through a travel agent? I've already spoken with her and she was aware that a new offer was coming on wednesday, but wasn't notified of what it would be. Now I have to sit helplessly and hope that she is able to apply it to our reservations. I feel helpless! At least if I was on hold at 6 a.m. on Wednesday I would know that I was trying for myself. Hope she is as diligent with my reservations as I would be. Oooohhhhh.......the wait will be torture!!!

Anyone else in the same boat?

I told my mother not to book with a TA. She was too anxious waiting, and went ahead and booked with a TA. I told her to let the TA know, IF FD becomes available, she would like it to be changed. Mother says the TA said that there was no FD. Yes, Mother, I know. That's why I said if

However, for those who are TA's.... She purchased a package that included airfare through Disney's website. What if DBF decides to join, and I go on his reservation? What would happen to airfare?

 

[anut4disney]

How many of you have your trip booked through a travel agent? I've already spoken with her and she was aware that a new offer was coming on wednesday, but wasn't notified of what it would be. Now I have to sit helplessly and hope that she is able to apply it to our reservations. I feel helpless! At least if I was on hold at 6 a.m. on Wednesday I would know that I was trying for myself. Hope she is as diligent with my reservations as I would be. Oooohhhhh.......the wait will be torture!!!

Anyone else in the same boat?

I booked thourh Dreams Unlimited (through the DIS) and sent my planner a link to this thread, she said she would keep an eye out. I do hope that it is true and we can get the FD, means more money to spend.

 

[jake1year]

Hi i was wondering if anybody thinks BLT will be one of the resorts with free dining rooms? I was online and they don't seem to have many rooms available but i'm already booked with them during the free dining period

 

[froggy33]

The reason they chose those dates to black out is that it's the week of Columbus day. Lots of schools have Monday (and some have the previous Friday and the Following Tuesday) off...which mean (typically) larger crowds that week.

We're checking in on Oct 6th. WE (my family) are DVC members...so it doesn't effect us directly. However, my mom and step dad are coming along and have a package (room + ticket + Standard DDP) booked at the All Stars.

She's due to pay off the balance of her package on Wednesday....so she's going to call that afternoon (and I'll probably help her with the call) to see if she can get free dining applied to her existing package. We're there from the 6th through the 15th...so I'm hoping that they'll apply it to her entire trip, since we're checking in prior to the start of the blackout dates.

My dates are actually the 15th through the 23rd, so I'm the weekend after Columbus day. But that being said...people from Columbus day could still be there. I think the biggest thing that week is the conventions at the boardwalk area and it seems to be a time for schools to be off as well.

Oh well...we're going no matter what and I already a have a few dining times reserved. Something would be nice though (although I would MUCH rather have a room discount!) Good luck to your parents!

 

[mickeystoontown]

Could you tell me the dates that mouseplanet is saying? I couldn't find them anywhere. We are blacked out on the dates listed on this thread so I am wondering if we are on othe other rumored dates as well. I need someting to root for!

I couldn't find it on their site either.

 

[saskdw]

Is it just me or is everyone losing their minds over this? While I'm just as pleased as everyone else if there is a new promo coming out, what is the panic? We could have booked the same rooms last year 3 months after the FD offer came out. These rooms are not going to be sold out in one morning. There are peope changing flights already and people getting up at 5am. Plus FD is really only a good value at the Mod resorts. The deluxe resorts are still way overpriced even with FD. Everyone calm down!

 

[1308Miles]

I couldn't find it on their site either.

Could you tell me the dates that mouseplanet is saying? I couldn't find them anywhere. We are blacked out on the dates listed on this thread so I am wondering if we are on othe other rumored dates as well. I need someting to root for!

Here's the article (hope it's okay to repost):

New free dining offer to be released this week?
There's been a great deal of chatter on the Internet about a possible free dining offer to be released on Wednesday. There seems to be agreement that the dates will be from October 2 through December 17, with blackout dates from October 9–23 (Columbus Day week and PGA Tournament week), November 6–12 (Veterans Day week/"Jersey Week"), November 20–26 (Thanksgiving week), and December 4–10 (Pop Warner week).

Stays would be a minimum of 3 nights and a maximum of 14 nights. Guests staying at value resorts would get the Quick Service Dining Plan for free, and guests at moderate or deluxe resorts would get the standard Disney Dining Plan for free. It's also been reported that the deal will be able to be booked starting Wednesday up through the date of arrival.

According to our sources, there is a free dining offer coming, but the information is only partially correct. Unfortunately, we won't be able to get the exact details of the offer until it becomes available on Wednesday, so we'll do a little speculating of our own.

Days of the week – Last year's similar offer had the discounts run on periods from Friday through Thursday. This offer shows Sunday through Saturday. Since it's likely that people would be able to adjust their travel schedule to arrive on Friday in order to get the free dining, it's a reasonable bet that the actual dates will run from Friday through Thursday again this year.

Length of booking window – Last year, the offer was available through the last day of the offer in 2010. However, that offer also included dates through September 2011. If this year's offer is indeed only through December 17, it's quite possible that the booking window will close on October 1, the day before the offer begins (and the last day of Disney's fiscal year). There could be another booking window to open later if not enough rooms were filled the first time.

Booking window start date – Recent offers have provided Disney Visa cardholders with a short window to book before the general public. If this pattern holds, look for Wednesday's release to be for Disney Visa cardholders only, with the general public getting access on Saturday or Sunday.

 

[mom2rtk]

Is it just me or is everyone losing their minds over this? While I'm just as pleased as everyone else if there is a new promo coming out, what is the panic? We could have booked the same rooms last year 3 months after the FD offer came out. These rooms are not going to be sold out in one morning. There are peope changing flights already and people getting up at 5am. Plus FD is really only a good value at the Mod resorts. The deluxe resorts are still way overpriced even with FD. Everyone calm down!

I think that 1) Disney tried hard to get everyone convinced this wouldn't happen, so there is much excitement and relief that it finally did and 2) those looking for a very specific room category in a very specific value or moderate resort do know that those go quickly.

Besides, does it matter if some stranger on a discussion board wants to get up at 5 AM?

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Please, please, please, make it so!!! I remember changing our dates before from a Saturday to a Thursday for FD a couple of years ago. This makes sense!

 

[daizieduck]

Havoc315, the Friday-Thursday thing has me confused but you seem to understand it. If my dates are Friday 10/7 to Saturday 10/15, I would most likely be able to get the FD, right? TIA

 

[Disney Family Lee's]

I wish Wednesday would get here sooner!

 

[jgraney106]

I couldn't find it on their site either.

Is this what you are talking about? Hope it helps.
http://www.mouseplanet.com/9702/Walt_Disney_World_Resort_Update#freedine

 

[saskdw]

I think that 1) Disney tried hard to get everyone convinced this wouldn't happen, so there is much excitement and relief that it finally did and 2) those looking for a very specific room category in a very specific value or moderate resort do know that those go quickly.

Besides, does it matter if some stranger on a discussion board wants to get up at 5 AM?

That's why I said it with a smile! It doesn't matter, but I wanted to reasure people that there will be rooms left a week or two from now for those that can't book in the first hour.

 

[surfergirl602]

I told my mother not to book with a TA. She was too anxious waiting, and went ahead and booked with a TA. I told her to let the TA know, IF FD becomes available, she would like it to be changed. Mother says the TA said that there was no FD. Yes, Mother, I know. That's why I said if

However, for those who are TA's.... She purchased a package that included airfare through Disney's website. What if DBF decides to join, and I go on his reservation? What would happen to airfare?

Strictly Disney TA here, and I'm slapping hand to my forehead right now on this one. Airfare is soooo much cheaper if you do NOT book through disney. Yes, the TA makes a commission from it now, but geez, I guess I'm one of the good guys and tells them to make reservations on their own to save money. I deal with mostly military (being military myself) and saving money is the #1 priority here.

I've been a member of the dis for years, and I ALWAYS apply discounts when I see them to my clients reservations. They don't have to tell me about them, I know about them. I end up telling them about the discounts. And yes, I am OCD about Disney too, and I make all their itineraries, their dining reservations, and I wake up at 5am on the day of to do so.

 

[surfergirl602]

Is it just me or is everyone losing their minds over this? While I'm just as pleased as everyone else if there is a new promo coming out, what is the panic? We could have booked the same rooms last year 3 months after the FD offer came out. These rooms are not going to be sold out in one morning. There are peope changing flights already and people getting up at 5am. Plus FD is really only a good value at the Mod resorts. The deluxe resorts are still way overpriced even with FD. Everyone calm down!

I completely agree with you. I just looked in my booking system and there are still rooms available for the current free dining offer, for august. It's cheaper to use a room discount and pay for the dining plan if you are staying anywhere other than a mod.