New free dining offer yeaaah

[rossb]

 

[EpcotBill]

I dialed the TA line at 7:50am. At 10:34am my call was answered. 2 hours and 44 minutes. So much for weening the public off discounts.

 

[jilldadams]

Tried to call a couple of times this morning. First call was dropped after about 15 minutes. Ended second call after 20 minutes because I needed to get back to work. Tried the 407-939-7532 number a couple of hours later and was connected directly to a CM Defitely try that number if you are having problems with the other one!

Was able to book FD for 11/27-12/4 at POFQ It saved us a little over $300, so not a huge amount, but definitely better than nothing.

Now the real planning begins!

 

[kerplop]

Hey Guys, can you help me out and verify this information. The CM I talked to this morning was very blunt and not helpful at all.

After staying on hokd for an hour and 45 mins I finally got through to have FD applied to my reservation (We are checking in on Dec 10, one day before the promotion is offered. Thanks to you guys I was educated enough to know to request a room only reservation for my first night then a vacation package for the rest of my stay to get FD).

The CM practically dismissed me right away saying "There is no availablity." After trying to reason with her that I was aware my check-in date doesn't fall during the promotion and I'd like to modify that (She wouldn't share any helpful information at all, If it wasn't for you guys I would've just hung up assuming I couldn't get the promotion. I was basically doing her job), she priced out my package (6 nights at Port Orleans Riverside with hoppers and Deluxe dining...me paying the difference of course for free dining with one night out of the 6 room only reservation).

She basically said It costs almost exactly the same with the free dining. I was kind of surprised, I thought I'd be saving SOMETHING (especially since everyone here appears to be saving considerable amounts of money). My original price is $2860 and with free dining split reservations its only $2854. Am I missing something here or did she screw something up? Your help is always GREATLY appreciated.

I hate to say it with the wait and all going on, but call back and try another CM. Some of them are just not as good at their job as others.

What's your party make-up? Upgrade from regular dining (at a mod) to deluxe is about $33 per person per night, so make sure you're taking that into account.

 

[Minnie_Mom]

I got scared at first she told me most of my dates were blacked out. I told her i'm pretty sure as long as my check in date is within the dates offered I should be ok. After placing me on hold briefly she came back and applied the discount.

The CM I spoke with this morning told me the same thing. I told that I that that the policy was if you checked-in during a non-blackout time it would apply to the entire reservation. She said the policy had changed and that FD would only apply to my non-blackout days. When she gave me my final balance we both realized that FD had been to applied to my entire stay! She apologized and said that she must have been mistaken.

 

[kerplop]

Another thing to note is that if you get a CM who tells you that your dates at a resort are unavailable, try tomorrow! Try every day for a week if you have to. People cancel and things change, so sometimes you may be able to get the discount at the resort you want if you wait a little bit.

 

[figmentswife]

Call your TA. Make sure they only have you set for 2 day base tickets on your new package. That will mitigate some of the savings loss....and it's all that's required for Free Dining.

Then tuck those 2 day base tickets away for a future trip...they'll offset some costs (both because you've prepaid for tickets for a future trip AND because you'll be saving some money when Disney inevitably raises their ticket prices).

That's what we did....Thanks. If I had NOT already gotten the tickets, we would have saved about $500.

 

[WDW1st-timers]

I am so happy to hear that most of us got the Free Dining package. For my family alone it just saved us almost $3000.00. Yes that number is correct.

 

[patkingpin]

I just need to confirm this before I try and call and possibly waste time. I am currently booked for a package with a 40% discount applied via PIN from back in February.
I ran the numbers online and I would only save about $60 to switch to FD because I would lose the PIN. Is this correct or will they just add the FD to the current reservation I have and I would save the difference (3 adults so it would be considerable).

Thanks!

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

it figures I finally book it this morning with a TA who called for me and got me free dining in POR for FEb. 2012...I FINALLY received a pin in the mail today!!
ack!!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I went online at 9:30 (central) and made my reservation with Free Dining with no problem. Now my dates are not popular dates (late January), but the system was moving along fine.

Now I need to start making all my plans! So excited!

 

[abish19]

Hi everyone!

Just heard the good news about Free Dining. We are going down in Feb. 2012, checking in Feb. 9, checking out Feb. 17. Will FD apply for our whole vacation, or just part of it?

I know that this question has been asked before, and that I have heard it answered before, but I just can't remember the answer! Thanks so much for your help

Beth

P.S. I did see above that it should apply for our whole stay...

 

[kerplop]

I just need to confirm this before I try and call and possibly waste time. I am currently booked for a package with a 40% discount applied via PIN from back in February.
I ran the numbers online and I would only save about $60 to switch to FD because I would lose the PIN. Is this correct or will they just add the FD to the current reservation I have and I would save the difference (3 adults so it would be considerable).

Thanks!

No you can't stack discounts so you would have to pick one or the other at that point, 40% off or FD.

 

[tyniknate]

I just need to confirm this before I try and call and possibly waste time. I am currently booked for a package with a 40% discount applied via PIN from back in February.
I ran the numbers online and I would only save about $60 to switch to FD because I would lose the PIN. Is this correct or will they just add the FD to the current reservation I have and I would save the difference (3 adults so it would be considerable).

Thanks!

One discount per reservation, so you would have to drop the 40%.

 

[sug78]

I just need to confirm this before I try and call and possibly waste time. I am currently booked for a package with a 40% discount applied via PIN from back in February.
I ran the numbers online and I would only save about $60 to switch to FD because I would lose the PIN. Is this correct or will they just add the FD to the current reservation I have and I would save the difference (3 adults so it would be considerable).

Thanks!

Disney will not stack discounts- you can only use one or the other.

 

[sug78]

Hi everyone!

Just heard the good news about Free Dining. We are going down in Feb. 2012, checking in Feb. 9, checking out Feb. 17. Will FD apply for our whole vacation, or just part of it?

I know that this question has been asked before, and that I have heard it answered before, but I just can't remember the answer! Thanks so much for your help

Beth

P.S. I did see above that it should apply for our whole stay...

If your check in date falls within the FD period it will apply to your whole stay up to 14 days

 

[LovelyMouse22]

I got disconnected, and just finally got back through! Now it says my wait is 20 minutes!! i'LL TAKE IT!!!!

 

[murphnjamie]

Yay!!! I got my free dining. I called at 11:45 CDT for a change to my reservation and was on hold for about 25 minutes. Not too bad at all!!!

Thank you so much disboards for giving me the heads up on the deal. I am so excited!!!

 

[pilferk]

I just need to confirm this before I try and call and possibly waste time. I am currently booked for a package with a 40% discount applied via PIN from back in February.
I ran the numbers online and I would only save about $60 to switch to FD because I would lose the PIN. Is this correct or will they just add the FD to the current reservation I have and I would save the difference (3 adults so it would be considerable).

Thanks!

You're right (provided your math is right...that I don't know). You can't stack discounts.

40% off would work out to around $35 a night for value (if you're staying value, remember to figure the "upgrade" to the regular DDP from QSP, into your math), $70 a night mod, and $120 a night deluxe (roughly).

Dining would run you $135 a night (assuming regular DDP).

Dining is a better deal, every way you figure it, but HOW good a deal depends largely on which resort type you're staying in.

 

[elliececil]

Hey Guys, can you help me out and verify this information. The CM I talked to this morning was very blunt and not helpful at all.

After staying on hokd for an hour and 45 mins I finally got through to have FD applied to my reservation (We are checking in on Dec 10, one day before the promotion is offered. Thanks to you guys I was educated enough to know to request a room only reservation for my first night then a vacation package for the rest of my stay to get FD).

The CM practically dismissed me right away saying "There is no availablity." After trying to reason with her that I was aware my check-in date doesn't fall during the promotion and I'd like to modify that (She wouldn't share any helpful information at all, If it wasn't for you guys I would've just hung up assuming I couldn't get the promotion. I was basically doing her job), she priced out my package (6 nights at Port Orleans Riverside with hoppers and Deluxe dining...me paying the difference of course for free dining with one night out of the 6 room only reservation).

She basically said It costs almost exactly the same with the free dining. I was kind of surprised, I thought I'd be saving SOMETHING (especially since everyone here appears to be saving considerable amounts of money). My original price is $2860 and with free dining split reservations its only $2854. Am I missing something here or did she screw something up? Your help is always GREATLY appreciated.

You could go online and price the two parts yourself to compare.

I priced $2708 for 5 nights with free dining upgraded to deluxe and park hoppers added to 6 day tickets. So with another night that sounds about right. That was assuming 3 adult prices/1 child.

Wow, $545 to add deluxe dining for 5 days... that's a lot of money and a lot of food!
We're usually too full with the regular dining.