Newbie here with free DDP questions

[finallykim]

We are looking at visiting the world in Sept this year and the free dining plan just may seal the deal. Can I reserve now and add the free dining plan if and when it is offered? If so, do I add the dining plan now or just when it is offered? Am I best to book a full package with park passes or just my room for now?

I really don't want to miss out on this deal because it is the way we can make it work.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[beroh2253]

We are looking at visiting the world in Sept this year and the free dining plan just may seal the deal. Can I reserve now and add the free dining plan if and when it is offered? If so, do I add the dining plan now or just when it is offered? Am I best to book a full package with park passes or just my room for now?

I really don't want to miss out on this deal because it is the way we can make it work.

Thanks for all your help.

Last year maybe Feb or March we booked the room, tickets and dining thru AAA and got a room discount. Free dining came out in April around the 9th we had to rebook the trip and switch resorts, told us POP was booked so we went with ASMU. We did loose the room discount but the free dining was a better deal. We called back later in the month and there was an opening at POP so they switched us back to POP with the free dining. Did free DDP last 2 years and can't beat it.
We have the free DDP this year with the bounce back so we will be there at POP the last week in Sept.
So if you book ahead you may have to rebook when free dining comes out, what you want is to be booked 180 days ahead of making your ADR's cause the best restaurants get booked fast.
Also here are the restaurant and menus attached see this is your first post so welcome the DIS




http://www.allearsnet.com/menu/menus.htm

 

[RMulieri]

yes, you can book now try to add later....however,be really flexible with you resort choices, or travel dates.Free dining may not be available in every resort or room category.Disney traditionally takes the resorts with low projected occupancy for that time period and offers free dining.Usually,Almost all resorts will be eligible but only a certain number of rooms at the resort are eligible for the free dining.for example, Pop may have all free dining eligible rooms booked but As sports may have openings...Good luck

 

[beroh2253]

I think what they may do but not sure, to equally fill up rooms at say each value resort, they only open a block of rooms up till each resort is equally filled then open another block. That is one reason other then canceling a reservation that there will be an opening at your prefered resort next week when there wasn't one now.
2 years ago our first free DDP my DW was finally conviced the last day of the offer mid June and free dining was still available but by then only ASMU was open. ASR's in June were a little harder to get what you want but not bad couldn't get Coral Reef and did Le Cellier for lunch. Booked last year in April and got every restaurant and time. But getting ADR's for September is a must.