No Free Dining

[LoveMMC]

Hi

So on the phone and on the online chat help on the Disney website - they told me there was no free dining for 2011!

We decided to book with the room discount and get the dining plan.

Is no free dining something they always say or could that be true?

I know free dining is a love/hate thing- was surprised the stopped it.

 

[newdeal]

well in fact almost the whole year of 2011 has free dining you just had to book before the end of December. No one will know wether they will open that back up again or not. However there was a lot of free dining dates scattered throughout 2011 already

 

[mkleinbe]

well in fact almost the whole year of 2011 has free dining you just had to book before the end of December. No one will know wether they will open that back up again or not. However there was a lot of free dining dates scattered throughout 2011 already

Yup, we booked for June with free dining, but the promo ended Dec. 20th I think.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

well in fact almost the whole year of 2011 has free dining you just had to book before the end of December. No one will know wether they will open that back up again or not. However there was a lot of free dining dates scattered throughout 2011 already

Exactly - They already released Free Dining for 2011 - The booking window closed Dec 20th. Maybe they will re-release it again - no one really knows. I would guess it will all depend on how many people already booked it + those booking with other promotions.

 

[Lucky'sMom]

I think the honest truth is that the CMs have absolutely no idea when free dining will be offered until it's offered. They are probably encouraged to say there's no free dining so that people will go ahead and book. If bookings are lower than Disney would like, then they come up with a new promo (like free dining).

 

[newdeal]

We booked September 16th to 24th for free dining. It will be our third time with free dining in September. I hope they offer it again for 2012 because we love it and I would book two trips in 2012 if they did free dining...like late January and then in November after the christmas decorations are out

 

[hannahdrewmom]

There was free dining for 2011 but the offer expired the end of Dec 2010. So as of right now there is not a free dining offer available to be booked.

 

[Halloweenluv03]

Let's just say I book in August for 2012 and then they offer free dining after I book. Do I automatically get it or do I have to call and switch my reservations over to free dining?

 

[rutgers1]

Plus, if you miss a free dining window, they are going to tell you that it is all washed up and nothing is or will be available, regardless of whether that is true or not. There is no way that they will let you get off the phone thinking that you'll wait to see what happens -- they want your reservation now.

 

[Lucky'sMom]

Let's just say I book in August for 2012 and then they offer free dining after I book. Do I automatically get it or do I have to call and switch my reservations over to free dining?

No, you don't automatically get it. You must call in and get your reservation changed to the free dining promo. Your current resort may or may not have availability with the new free dining promo. Only a certain number of rooms are allocated at each resort for each promo.

 

[purple figment]

Let's just say I book in August for 2012 and then they offer free dining after I book. Do I automatically get it or do I have to call and switch my reservations over to free dining?

It is not automatic. You will have to call and change your reservation.

If you book room only, you will have to re-book as a package (room + tickets + free dining.) This year FD required a 2 day ticket for every person in the room. Also the terms with regard to deposit, cancellation and due date for final payment are different with a package vs room only.

If you already have a room + ticket + paid dining package you will still have to call and change your reservation if free dining is offered.

Only a limited number of rooms per resort will be offered with free dining so call as soon as the offer is available. Also, it is possible some resorts won't be included so you may have to change resorts.

 

[bytheblood]

Plus, if you miss a free dining window, they are going to tell you that it is all washed up and nothing is or will be available, regardless of whether that is true or not. There is no way that they will let you get off the phone thinking that you'll wait to see what happens -- they want your reservation now.

That is simply not true. There are CMs who are all business, but many of them try to present possible scenarios and a hopeful attitude. Rather you book now or 4 months from now, you have the same chance of getting the promo code.

I now own DVC, but always received some kind of discount before that for every trip. A room discount is better than free dining, but I took whatever was offered. I booked long before the discount was available to me and CMs always told me to keep checking back for a discount.

 

[Halloweenluv03]

It is not automatic. You will have to call and change your reservation.

If you book room only, you will have to re-book as a package (room + tickets + free dining.) This year FD required a 2 day ticket for every person in the room. Also the terms with regard to deposit, cancellation and due date for final payment are different with a package vs room only.

If you already have a room + ticket + paid dining package you will still have to call and change your reservation if free dining is offered.

Only a limited number of rooms per resort will be offered with free dining so call as soon as the offer is available. Also, it is possible some resorts won't be included so you may have to change resorts.

We'll be at Caribbean Beach, so hopefully they offer it there, and if there is free dining or not, we'll still get the dining plan. I'm just concerned about free dining because it will be our factor if we just get the regular plan or the deluxe. If they offer free dining, then we'll probably upgrade to the deluxe. If they don't offer it, then we will just stick to the regular. Just planning for the worse, but hoping for the best!!!

 

[thebwit]

Man this is one of the biggest mis-conceptions about Disney - the "Free Dining"

There may be cases where the "Free Dining" is a better deal, but every trip that the wife and I have gone on (before joining DVC) we always looked at the two promos that were going on (yes there are two): Free dining plan with any stay or discounted room.

Guess what happens. The cost is nearly identical. I wish I could find my notes from our trip in 08 where we broke this down, but it was scary how similar the prices were (about an $8 difference between the two)

Now don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the dining plan by any means. The wife and I take FULL advantage of it when we have it, easily spending more than the cost and thus saving us a bunch of money. But if you are looking at it from a numbers stand point, it's about the same.

Keep in mind you can always BUY the dining plan with your "discounted" room rate. And as I said, it's about the same as if you got it for "free" with your "regular" room rate.

 

[Donaldswife]

Man this is one of the biggest mis-conceptions about Disney - the "Free Dining"

There may be cases where the "Free Dining" is a better deal, but every trip that the wife and I have gone on (before joining DVC) we always looked at the two promos that were going on (yes there are two): Free dining plan with any stay or discounted room.

Guess what happens. The cost is nearly identical. I wish I could find my notes from our trip in 08 where we broke this down, but it was scary how similar the prices were (about an $8 difference between the two)

Now don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the dining plan by any means. The wife and I take FULL advantage of it when we have it, easily spending more than the cost and thus saving us a bunch of money. But if you are looking at it from a numbers stand point, it's about the same.

Keep in mind you can always BUY the dining plan with your "discounted" room rate. And as I said, it's about the same as if you got it for "free" with your "regular" room rate.

While this is true for a lot of people, it does depend on the size of your party and where you are staying. If you have a family with two or three kids over 10 who are considered "disney adults" you may be better off with the free dining deal. It really just comes down to each family doing the math and booking the deal that is best for them.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Man this is one of the biggest mis-conceptions about Disney - the "Free Dining"

There may be cases where the "Free Dining" is a better deal, but every trip that the wife and I have gone on (before joining DVC) we always looked at the two promos that were going on (yes there are two): Free dining plan with any stay or discounted room.

Guess what happens. The cost is nearly identical. I wish I could find my notes from our trip in 08 where we broke this down, but it was scary how similar the prices were (about an $8 difference between the two)

Now don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the dining plan by any means. The wife and I take FULL advantage of it when we have it, easily spending more than the cost and thus saving us a bunch of money. But if you are looking at it from a numbers stand point, it's about the same.

Keep in mind you can always BUY the dining plan with your "discounted" room rate. And as I said, it's about the same as if you got it for "free" with your "regular" room rate.

You obviously never stay at a value resort and assume all scenarios are similar to yours, but that's just not so. Rack rate on a value in value season has been $83. They offer the qs plan free with a $10 a day bump to ddp, so cost for a day is $103. Cost of dining plan has been $39, or $78 for 2 adults. There has never been a room rate of $25 on a value room. No way they come out the same.

 

[disneychic2]

And I have found it also depends on which resort your staying in. We did room discount for this coming September because we're at a Deluxe. When staying at FQ, the dining plan saved us more. There are a lot of considerations and everyone has to do their own math to see what works best for them. I even had a CM do the math for me one time when I found I had a pin attached to my name I hadn't known about.

 

[DaniB]

Man this is one of the biggest mis-conceptions about Disney - the "Free Dining"

There may be cases where the "Free Dining" is a better deal, but every trip that the wife and I have gone on (before joining DVC) we always looked at the two promos that were going on (yes there are two): Free dining plan with any stay or discounted room.

Guess what happens. The cost is nearly identical. I wish I could find my notes from our trip in 08 where we broke this down, but it was scary how similar the prices were (about an $8 difference between the two)

Now don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the dining plan by any means. The wife and I take FULL advantage of it when we have it, easily spending more than the cost and thus saving us a bunch of money. But if you are looking at it from a numbers stand point, it's about the same.

Keep in mind you can always BUY the dining plan with your "discounted" room rate. And as I said, it's about the same as if you got it for "free" with your "regular" room rate.

It's not a misconception. From a math point of view - it is not the same either. Of course, the math will always come out different for everyone, as we have different needs/wants.

The free dining versus discounted room came out almost even for you. Great. In some cases, people/families save *more* with discounted rooms. In other cases, the free dining saves them more.

I have done the math. Last year we booked a 9 night CSR vacation for a family of 4 (1 Junior, 1 child) including 9 day tickets with wp&m) and DDP. Prepared to pay full price. Then started watching the discounts. Did the math for room discount. Did the math when "kids stay, play & eat" came out. And again for "free dining".

Free dining took $1,049 off our original, non-discounted trip. The room discount and kids offer did not even come *close*. Keep in mind, we were planning on paying for the DDP when we booked our trip!

Flash foward to this trip which is just hubby and I. Room discount or not, we will not stay at a deluxe at this point in our lives.

9 nights in September at POP, free dining upgraded to DPP, 9 park hopper tickets.

25% off POP = $2,157.84
Free Dining at POP, plus upgrade to DDP cost = $1,551.74 + $198 = $1,749.74

$408 savings for us. I'll pay rack room rate to get the free dining at that savings!

Why would I want to *buy* the DDP with my "discounted" room rate?

 

[AKL LOVER]

Man this is one of the biggest mis-conceptions about Disney - the "Free Dining"

There may be cases where the "Free Dining" is a better deal, but every trip that the wife and I have gone on (before joining DVC) we always looked at the two promos that were going on (yes there are two): Free dining plan with any stay or discounted room.

Guess what happens. The cost is nearly identical. I wish I could find my notes from our trip in 08 where we broke this down, but it was scary how similar the prices were (about an $8 difference between the two)

Now don't get me wrong, I am not knocking the dining plan by any means. The wife and I take FULL advantage of it when we have it, easily spending more than the cost and thus saving us a bunch of money. But if you are looking at it from a numbers stand point, it's about the same.

Keep in mind you can always BUY the dining plan with your "discounted" room rate. And as I said, it's about the same as if you got it for "free" with your "regular" room rate.

While this is true for a lot of people, it does depend on the size of your party and where you are staying. If you have a family with two or three kids over 10 who are considered "disney adults" you may be better off with the free dining deal. It really just comes down to each family doing the math and booking the deal that is best for them.

I agree with these 2 posters...free dining is not always the best deal for everyone. For our upcoming trip in May, I saved more by booking with a % off my stay versus free dining. Price out both and see what saves you the most!

 

[KungFoomF]

My family is 5 people and free dining is, mathematically, the best value for us. For instance a Magic Your Way package for us under their current Kids Play free offer is $2063, or so. Regularly that would be right around $2500 (2 kids under 10). So unless I can eat for $450 for the week with my family of 5...

At any rate, no one knows anything about whether Disney will re-offer free dining. CM's on the phone most assuredly do not know. They probably don't find out until just before it is released. The recommendation is to book the kid's play free offer and change it if something better comes along.