Offical free dining watch 2008

[goinback]

We went last year, Sept 8-11 to POP and then headed to Vero for 4 days. We did not have free dining becuse we did not do parks, but we did have a room only discount of $59 a night.

 

[jenseib]

I keep reading that if you're already booked, and FD comes out, the CM will have to cancel your ressie (even if you already have a pkg), and make a new one with the FD code. So, does that mean they credit your CC, and then debit it again, or do they just keep your deposit on file, and change the logistics with the code?

Everything I read before is yes, they will recharge your card with a new deposit. It may take a couple weeks to get the old one recredited to your card as well. I have heard a few that were able to transfer the deposit too. I think it all dpends on which CM you get.




You guys keep talking about it being slow after Aug 18 because the park is only open till 10 and Spectro is only going for 3 nights....BUT we just went in March(2~7) and paid what is considered PEAK price. The park was only open till 8 or 9 most nights we were there, and Spectromagic was only for two nights that week. The parks were not full either. I'm not sure if any discounts were ever available for that time, but I know we recieved a discount in email, but it couldn't be used till March 31 and all through April. I think they were thinking April would be slower, but reading the boards here it appears April should be busy for the most part as most Spring breaks fall in April this year. So who knows what Disney's logic is?

 

[jhoshowski]

I don't usually post on here - I am a lurker, but I post on another board and a lady there had the following experience (I'll copy her post):

I just called to change our reservations one "final" time for our August trip. I changed our resort from POR to Polynesian, which I have wanted to stay since we started planning. Anyway, like a good little, I asked if there were any discounts or specials for us. After quite a little while, the very nice lady said this can't be right, if it is you just did the smartest thing by asking to check for a discount. She said she needed to confirm what she was correct b/c it was hard to believe. After what seemed like an eternity, she came back and said that there was no discount, but to definitely keep calling back to inquire about the discount. Has anyone else had something like this happen? It was kind of strange and really got my hopes up for a few minutes.

I asked her dates in August but she hasn't replied yet. Could it be free dining?! HMM. . .

I just heard back from her. Her dates are August 10 - 15. Awfully early for free dining; I wonder what it is if not that?

 

[abteer]

well again I went back through some of the threads and it seems everyone knew dates and all by 03/17/2007??!!!

 

[ShhhQ]

well again I went back through some of the threads and it seems everyone knew dates and all by 03/17/2007??!!!

Last year, the rumor included the dates for the FD, but not when it may possibly be released.... this year seems to be the opposite, we know when it may be released, but are guessing as to the dates!

 

[Aliceacc]

I just heard back from her. Her dates are August 10 - 15. Awfully early for free dining; I wonder what it is if not that?

Could it be the 40% PIN? ONe of the starting dates is 8/10.

 

[jhoshowski]

It's just the fact that she was told to call back that was throwing me. . .if she has a pin, she has it. This sounds more like an offering for the general public?! On the WDW website, the "Wonderful Weeks of Disney" start on August 10 and go through September. We all know that WWoD are the weeks that are expected to be SLOW. It seems way too early for free dining, but it seems like a waste to run a different promo for a few weeks and then change to free DDP. We are checking in on August 24 (latest we could because of the kids' school) and I have the money to pay for dining - but of course, getting it for free would be nice.

 

[Aliceacc]

On the WDW website, the "Wonderful Weeks of Disney" start on August 10 and go through September. .

I've never heard of that, and we'll be there from the 13th to the 19th.

Could you fill me in or direct me to the link?

 

[n2mm]

Last year I booked my August trip according to the WWoD calendar, so choose August 15 for a week. I figured, maybe I would get a promotion. NOT. When free dining came out it was for trips starting August 24th (or 26th), so I didn't qualify. Then I got a pin promotion, but that date started on August 22nd. So you can see, choosing one of Disney "slow" week didn't help me for my strategy. I ended up cancelling my reservation (for 3 rooms) and booked a DVC room using my DVC points. This year I got another pin and the start date was for August 10, so I booked it at Pop for $49 a night (2 rooms). I don't care if I miss free ddp again. I don't have very good luck choosing a timeframe that would fall within a promotion, but was lucky enough to at least use my pin this year. Don't count on those WWoD dates. Unless you are booking in September, then that would be a sure thing.

 

[jewelshouse]

Oh I just had a thought, if they do a completely new reservation, what about the vacation insurance??? Since it is non-refundable after 14 days does that mean I just loose it???

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Everything I read before is yes, they will recharge your card with a new deposit. It may take a couple weeks to get the old one recredited to your card as well. I have heard a few that were able to transfer the deposit too. I think it all dpends on which CM you get. QUOTE]

I had my trips booked the past two years & called when free dining came out and had it applied to both trips. No new deposit was taken from me and all monies I had paid up to that point were still there. The first year our trip was actually paid in full at the time so they sent me a check for the difference. Last year, we were not paid in full and they just applied the dining code & lowered our balance due. We kept the same reservation number and payment deadline date so I don't think they cancelled the first one & made us a new one.

 

[robinb]

For your planning pleasure ...

Here is a webpage I threw together which compares the on-going percentage discounts with the discount of free dining.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW%20Dining/Free2008DDPBreakEven.htm

(1) Find the number of adults and children in your party on the left and your current discount on the right.
(2) The rack rate listed is the break even point between the % discount and the discount of free dining for your party.
(3) Rack rates below the "break even" rate indicate that Free Dining will be better for you
(4) Rack rates above the "break even" rate indicate that your current discount will be better for you

 

[jhoshowski]

I've never heard of that, and we'll be there from the 13th to the 19th.

Could you fill me in or direct me to the link?

If you go to the WDW website and click on calendar, there is a box that says "Lighter Crowds" at the top. Click on that. Personally, I don't think the free DDP will be offered that early - I would be surprised if it was. But I would also be surprised if it started as late as August 30. Of course, that could just be me wishing that it is offered by the 24th. I guess only time will tell (if we don't all die from the anticipation first)!!

P.S. When I did the free DDP last year, I already had my trip booked with a deposit on my Disney Visa. When I called, the CM just confirmed with accounting that the deposit had been made with the Disney Visa, then added the free dining. Everything stayed the same, including the confirmation number. It wasn't rebooked.

 

[Timon71]

For my take...PM me and I might be able to give alittle insight to this matter.....very,very, very soon.

 

[robinb]

For my take...PM me and I might be able to give alittle insight to this matter.....very,very, very soon.

Why not share with all of us? I'm confused.

 

[mom2mykids]

For your planning pleasure ...

Here is a webpage I threw together which compares the on-going percentage discounts with the discount of free dining.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW%20Dining/Free2008DDPBreakEven.htm

(1) Find the number of adults and children in your party on the left and your current discount on the right.
(2) The rack rate listed is the break even point between the % discount and the discount of free dining for your party.
(3) Rack rates below the "break even" rate indicate that Free Dining will be better for you
(4) Rack rates above the "break even" rate indicate that your current discount will be better for you

Woman, I love you and your webpages! LOL Your dining one was awesome for me last year! You rock!

 

[hlhambrecht]

I was wondering if the value resorts have ever been included in the free dining plan? How about the Wilderness cabins? Thanks for your help.

 

[d23cndrela]

we stayed In POP last year with free dining.

 

[robinb]

Woman, I love you and your webpages! LOL Your dining one was awesome for me last year! You rock!

Thanks . I started a thread with the chart so more folks can use it. It's coming up to the time that I will be updating the 2008 DDP web page. I need to add restaurants which were not on the plan when I put it together last November.

For those of you who are wondering what we're talking about here it is:
http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW Dining/DisneyDiningRanking2008.htm

 

[pinkerbell]

For your planning pleasure ...

Here is a webpage I threw together which compares the on-going percentage discounts with the discount of free dining.

http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/MYW%20Dining/Free2008DDPBreakEven.htm

(1) Find the number of adults and children in your party on the left and your current discount on the right.
(2) The rack rate listed is the break even point between the % discount and the discount of free dining for your party.
(3) Rack rates below the "break even" rate indicate that Free Dining will be better for you
(4) Rack rates above the "break even" rate indicate that your current discount will be better for you

WOW!!! that is fantastic!! Thanks you so much
Thanks for sharing!!
I am now going to look at the pages on the post above this.. I am so excited... the planning is 1/2 the fun!!!