New free dining offer yeaaah

[FourBees]

K thanks for your replies. I am booked for POFQ and I know it is one of the smaller resorts that they say book up fast so I just wanted to be safe!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I already have a package booked, as does the rest of my family. I am the only DV cardholder. If this is offered for DV holders, would I also be able to apply this promo to my family's reservations (we have 4 total) if I put a additional $200 deposit down on each with my DV even though they are not cardholders?

Yes, you can.

 

[disgram]

my ta told me the date for the new promo was 8/13 and that she could not tell what it was or she could get fired, but maybe the visa card customers will be able to book on 8/3 and the general public will be 8/13 or the monday following. I am really hoping that it comes out the 8/3rd because the 8/13th i will be at watkins glen race way at the track and not near a computer or "quiet" phone (those race cars are really loud). Really need free dining.... for a trip for my son and I for holloween

Hey you will be very near us that weekend of the race! My DH is head of security there........I am watching it on the tube!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

You could try.

I think the policy is that the ressie either has to be under the cardholders name OR have the cardholder listed on it as being a room occupant.

I'm also pretty sure the policy is that, to modify a reservation, you have to be on it. When I talk to a reservation agent about my mother's upcoming reservation, for example, my mom has to initiate the phone call and give them permission to talk to me.

But as we've seen, policy isn't always practice. So...try. The worst they can do is tell you no. Just be prepared for that answer.....

No they can do that. I've actually I've done just that in the past and put a deposit down on my IL's reservation with my DV to get them the discount and they paid off the balance.

 

[skier_pete]

A good point made by a few:

If this rumor is true - it will be OFFICIAL before 7 AM tomorrow. You will see something here on the boards at the very least. I recommend not deluging CRO with calls at 7 AM unless you see that it is really happening.

Regardless of how it's come out, they've never had a GP deal that they haven't ANNOUNCED.

SP

 

[zales127]

The first FD offer that came out for 2012 and had to be booked by 12/27? included your friends dates as the promo's last FD date was 9/30 and could be extended for up to 14 days. Disney did say to book then as there would not be anymore offers, I guess they were talking about that last week of September since they did come out with the current offer which did not incl the last week of Sept.

This is for 2011.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

For everyone who seemed to have missed this earlier:

FREE DINING FACTS AND INFORMATION
The Free Dining Promo/Discount was first introduced in the fall of 2005 and up until the fall of 2009, was, basically, just offered during the timeframe of mid August to the first of October (height of hurricane season) and included the Basic/Plus Dining for all levels of WDW resort. Starting in the fall of 2009, they offered a second Free Dining Promo/Discount that covered dates between October 1st and the third week of December and they also started including the Quick Service DDP for Value resorts and the Basic/Plus DDP for Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. With the popularity of the Free Dining Promo, last year, for the first time, WDW offered multiple Free Dining discounts during this year that included many value season/low crowd weeks.

To take advantage of a Free Dining (FD) discount you must be booked at a Disney-owned resort and purchase a Magic Your Way Package that includes room, tickets and dining with a 2 day base ticket purchase. The FD promos have a 3 day booking minimum and a 14 day booking maximum. You can not include Annual Passes or previously purchased tickets for Disney or any other outside ticketing agent.

The current FD promos have included the Quick Service Dining Plan for Value Resorts and the Basic/Plus Dining Plan for Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. You can not downgrade to the Quick Service Dining if you are staying at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort - there have been reports that, once in the parks, guests have been able to trade/convert Table Service (TS) credits for Counter Service (CS) credits, but this is not advertised on the WDW website and should not be considered WDW "policy." You can however pay the monetary difference and upgrade to the Basic/Plus DDP or the Deluxe DDP if you are staying at a Value Resort and can upgrade to the Deluxe Plan if you are staying at a Moderate or Deluxe Resort. The Deluxe Dining Plan has never been included in any free dining promos. Here is a breakdown of FD upgrade costs for 2011:

Upgrade from Quick Service DDP $34.99/$11.99 to Basic/Plus DDP $45.99/$11.99
$11.00 per adult 10+; $0.00 per child 3 - 9

Upgrade from Quick Service DDP $34.99/$11.99 to Deluxe DDP $78.99/$21.99
$44.00 per adult 10+; $10.00 per child 3 - 9

Upgrade from Basic/Plus DDP $45.99/$11.99 to Deluxe DDP $78.99/$21.00
$33.00 per adult 10+; $10.00 per child 3 - 9

Your check in date must fall within the dates of the FD promo to apply the discount to your reservation. If your check in dates do not fall within the FD dates, you can not apply the discount - even if every single night of your vacation falls within the promo, except for your check in date, you can not take advantage of the FD promo.

If any of your vacation dates fall within a FD promo dates you can receive the FD discount for your entire vacation stay, up to 14 nights, even if you are checking in on the last day of a FD promo, you can still recieve the discount for up to 14 nights.

If your vacation starts a couple of days before a FD promo, it's possible to do a Split Stay - meaning, you can do a room only reservation for 1 to 3 nights at the beginning of your vacation, pay for your food out-of-pocket for those days, and be allowed to pick up your PACKAGE TICKETS up to 3 days early at guest relations at any of the four parks or at Downtown Disney (For further info on picking up tickets early, please see Diser, CheshireFigment's, Ticket Sticky on the top the Themeparks Board.)

If you already have an existing reservation that falls within the dates of a FD promo, you can call and have the FD code added to modify that reservation. You can not add the FD code on line, you will need to call WDW Reservations, 407-W-Disney. You do NOT have to rebook, your reservation number does not change and there is not a fee - if you are within your 45 day window, they can charge you a $50.00 change fee, but, most FD promos come out before the 45 day window, so this shouldn't be an issue. If you have already paid your package in full, WDW will refund you the monetary difference - this can take up to 2 billing cycles or about 2 months. Each resort is only allotted so many FD rooms, so if you call and your resort is sold out of FD promo rooms, you can change your resort and do not have to cancel or pay a fee and your reservation number stays the same. If your existing reservation is a room only reservation, then you would have toTy cancel and rebook under a Magic Your Way Package to receive the FD discount.

Typically, in the past, other than last's August FD announcement, Disney Visa holders ere given the FD Promo Code three (3) days before it opens to the general public. In the past, all you had to do to get the Disney Visa FD discount was put $200.00 down with your card, the balance did not have to be put on the Disney Visa.

If you already have Advance Dining Reservations (ADRs) changing or modifying a reservation does not effect or cancel your ADRs. You would have to go on-line or call WDW Dining to cancel ADRs, even if you completely cancel a vacation/reservation. Remember, anyone can make ADRs, even offsite guests and don't have to be linked to your reservation in any way. If you have already booked and paid for any restaurants and/or dinner shows, and then a FD promo/discount is released, you can contact Disney Dining once you modify your reservation to include the FD code and give them your reservation number, and they will credit you the amount you pre-paid. This type of refund also takes 2 billing cycles or about 2 months.

Hopefully this info will give everyone an overview of the current Free Dining Guidelines.

 

[PezDSpencer]

&*#@! blackout dates. Not to mention ever increasing rates. Disney is going to have to come down from that high horse in this economy.

Oh well, a cheap cruise is looking good.

 

[danny25]

No. At least I wouldn't.

While FD rooms can book up fast, I am 99.999999% certain they will NOT book up, based off of new bookings, between 6AM and 7 AM.

I know we all think the disboards is the center of the universe...but really, we're a drop in the bucket in terms of WDW customers. Most people are not going to KNOW about this deal, and of those that do I would venture a small sample are booking new ressies on-line, tomorrow, between 6AM and 7AM Eastern.

If it were me, I'd just wait until 7 AM.

I agree. Only one more day and FD for everyone

 

[pilferk]

No they can do that. I've actually I've done just that in the past and put a deposit down on my IL's reservation with my DV to get them the discount and they paid off the balance.

Again, I think that's where policy and practice part company....which, FYI, I have no problem with.

I know the fine print says the ressie is supposed to be in your name (or, at least that's what I take "Offer is non-transferrable" to mean). And I know the policy is you can't modify another person's ressie without their permission.

I suspected, though, that they would find exactly what you did: Disney lets you do it.

I just wanted them to be prepared, just in case, if the CM said no.

 

[pilferk]

A good point made by a few:

If this rumor is true - it will be OFFICIAL before 7 AM tomorrow. You will see something here on the boards at the very least. I recommend not deluging CRO with calls at 7 AM unless you see that it is really happening.

Regardless of how it's come out, they've never had a GP deal that they haven't ANNOUNCED.

SP

See...here's the thing:

I would still call at 7 AM. Because there is no surety that Disney's IT will load the FD packages on the web site prior to that point.

USUALLY they do, and in the past they HAVE...but that doesn't mean that history is necessarily a spot on indicator of what they will do this year. They DO make changes to stuff like this.

 

[basketlacey]

I have read through most of this thread and I don't think my scenario has been addressed.

I booked three rooms for a grand gathering as part of PIN (room only discount). For my room, the FD savings are huge over the PIN. For the other two rooms, they are nominal.

I booked all of the rooms and put the deposit on my card. Will I be able to change all of them?

If not, can I change only mine and will the other two rooms keep the discount associated with the PIN?

I am not sure I want to try to coordinate having everyone call separately.

 

[Coconuts]

...I know we all think the disboards is the center of the universe...but really, we're a drop in the bucket in terms of WDW customers. Most people are not going to KNOW about this deal...

Wait...you mean the Disboards ISN'T the center of the universe???

 

[Pills]

I have read through most of this thread and I don't think my scenario has been addressed.

I booked three rooms for a grand gathering as part of PIN (room only discount). For my room, the FD savings are huge over the PIN. For the other two rooms, they are nominal.

I booked all of the rooms and put the deposit on my card. Will I be able to change all of them?

If not, can I change only mine and will the other two rooms keep the discount associated with the PIN?

I am not sure I want to try to coordinate having everyone call separately.

My experience:

We were in a grand gathering last November. I called and happened to have a PIN attached to my name (40% off at Deluxe). I was able to apply the PIN to all of the reservations in the GG, and I did not book all of the trips myself; we booked separately and then called to make it a GG.

I'm not saying that you'll definitely be able to work it this way, but if they see you're in a GG, I've found that they're a bit more amenable to such things.

 

[sjs314]

This is for 2011.

OOPs

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I have read through most of this thread and I don't think my scenario has been addressed.

I booked three rooms for a grand gathering as part of PIN (room only discount). For my room, the FD savings are huge over the PIN. For the other two rooms, they are nominal.

I booked all of the rooms and put the deposit on my card. Will I be able to change all of them?

If not, can I change only mine and will the other two rooms keep the discount associated with the PIN?

I am not sure I want to try to coordinate having everyone call separately.

Yes, you will be able to add the code and modify all of the reservations.

 

[pilferk]

Wait...you mean the Disboards ISN'T the center of the universe???

Actually, the center of the universe is Milliways...at least right now.

By the End of time, it will have been relocated to the END of the Universe.

 

[daraddg]

Hoping this isn't redundant but this is the 1st time I have booked a trip at Disney so just want the advice of you experience Disers.We currently have a trip booked in 3 weeks but my daughter is having medical issues and I need to cancel it.If FD get extended however we would still be able to afford the trip and we could go in early Nov.So, should I book that week now and hope I can go in later and apply FD to it or just wait til it becomes officially available?Because I know even if you have a ressie it doesnt guarantee there are rooms left to apply the promo too and then I would have to change things around again.
And question #2 just want to make sure,as long as your check in day falls under the promo your whole trip does? I am hoping to do Nov 1-11th the FD dates right now are til Nov 5,would I still be covered from the 6th to the 11th because I know that seems to be blacked out for Jersey week? Thanks!

 

[Coconuts]

For everyone who seemed to have missed this earlier:...

You are very nice to keep posting this for everyone. I know some posters keep posting the same type questions, but this thread is moving VERY fast, so it is hard to keep up with all of the info. First it was post #666, then #811, now it's #947!

 

[PrincessTiffany]

You are very nice to keep posting this for everyone. I know some posters keep posting the same type questions, but this thread is moving VERY fast, so it is hard to keep up with all of the info. First it was post #666, then #811, now it's #947!

I know, it is crazy! I think I'm going to post it on the main message board. That way when the Boards blow up tomorros, people can be linked to that thread