******Official 2017 Free Dining Plan Watch, Wait, and Dream

[VillainFavs]

My concern is I can't cancel our current reservation and make a new one without losing out big time on money. We've currently got a room at Saratoga Springs at about a $2,800 discount. So I seriously hope I won't have problems just modifying my current reservation!

But you can't add free dining to an already discounted room. Free dining only works if you're paying full rack rate for the room. You'll have to decide which ends up being the better discount for your party in the long run.

 

[ThistleMae]

I just looked through the 2016 thread. It seems many people did get what they wanted but others had to either upgrade their room or try for another resort that was included. Many mentioned how limited the supply of rooms were for the offer. So....it is a toss of the dice every time! Did anyone in here book the "half dining plan" offered last summer?

 

[amytaylor2]

We only got the discount because of the construction at CBR. We were told we would still be eligible should free dining come out. It isn't put in as a "discount" they just gave me a different room for the same price.

 

[VillainFavs]

We only got the discount because of the construction at CBR. We were told we would still be eligible should free dining come out. It isn't put in as a "discount" they just gave me a different room for the same price.

Fingers cross that works out for you, because it would be amazing!! But I'll actually be shocked if it does. I've never heard of anyone being able to tack free dining on to any kind of discount. Even though it may not show as a discount on your MDE, I'm sure they can see something on their end that explains why you have the rate you do. Especially if it's that much lower than rack rate. It may be very difficult to just modify that to add free dining. Good luck!!!

 

[mnmhouston]

We have used a TA to get FD. My husband and I both work and I am not able to stay on the phone long enough to book or to make it on the web with the problems that the site has on the day it is released. We would have had to wait about 4 or 5 pm to book. Having a TA helped us get the FD offer by noon the day it was released. I am friends with my TA so I was able to chat on facebook with her throughout the day. I had given her all of our options in the order we would want them. We ended up at CSR (our last choice) and ended up loving the resort.

Same scenario here. My TA has worked out awesome for us the 4 times we went during FD! It's priceless help!

 

[Disneylover99]

Thanks for the thread about adding the FD. It seems no matter what strategy I decide is best, there is always some kind of catch22. Here I thought I had it all figured out, just book at POP and hope it comes out, then add it. Sounds like maybe not! Ugh....why does it have to be so complicated. For the most Magical place on earth, you would think booking would be part of your Magical experience. There is nothing Magical about when and how FD comes out. The process to secure it is CRAZY!

It's really not too complicated at all. If you're going regardless of FD, you should book your room/package now. But if you are depending on FD to make your trip happen, don't book it now. Disney will have no incentive to offer FD if all or most of the rooms are already booked.

 

[BJ7644]

This is my plan too. The only downside for me is I'm Canadian so I lose money from the exchange rate on my deposit. It's the only reason I haven't paid more of my trip off.

If you call in, after the rush has waned a bit, they should be able to apply your previous deposit to your new reservation without going through the refund process.

 

[Disneylover99]

If you call in, after the rush has waned a bit, they should be able to apply your previous deposit to your new reservation without going through the refund process.

I would advise against waiting. If it's anything like last year, there will be no moderates left. There may be a few deluxes available with higher priced room categories available, but if you're booking these rooms at rack rate because of FD, you might be better off with a room discount.

 

[VillainFavs]

If you call in, after the rush has waned a bit, they should be able to apply your previous deposit to your new reservation without going through the refund process.

But then there's definitely less likelihood of getting what you want. Really have to decide how important that choice is and whether it's worth the difference that would be lost is booking a second package online and then cancelling the first.

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

If/when free dining does come out and prior to the announcement all standard rooms are filled at that resort but preferred are available... If you have already booked a standard room can the reservation be modified to add free dining while still staying in a standard room? Or would they only offer the free dining for preferred rooms since that was the only unbooked room category when the promotion came out?

I'm sorry if this is an obvious answer, it just gets confusing when people talk about modifying a reservation while some say you have to make a new one. Also, if adding free dining to a package that already met the ticket requirement, the ticket price will increase to current ticket prices? Ex had a package with tickets prior to ticket price increase, add free dining, ticket prices for package increase to prices when free dining is added? If he reservation is modified to add free dining rather than being a completely new reservation, is that still the case?

Hope that all makes sense. Thanks.

 

[pooh'smate]

If you don't get free dining on release day don't worry, keep checking. Last year we missed out on free dining as there were no rooms available at POP by the time I got home (I work nights and got stuck at work late) . Then about 2 weeks later Disney released more rooms and then we were able to book so don't give up hope if you miss out when it first drops.

 

[BJ7644]

I would advise against waiting. If it's anything like last year, there will be no moderates left. There may be a few deluxes available with higher priced room categories available, but if you're booking these rooms at rack rate because of FD, you might be better off with a room discount.

But then there's definitely less likelihood of getting what you want. Really have to decide how important that choice is and whether it's worth the difference that would be lost is booking a second package online and then cancelling the first.

I was referring to calling in after making the second reservation online, not implying to wait to call in for booking FD. They can then transfer the deposit from first (and cancelling that reservation) and apply it to the balance of the second reservation (which would need its own deposit when making).

It's not ideal, but neither is losing out due to the exchange rate, so it's an option to consider. I would be nervous with two reservations for the same dates but others have reported success. I'm not sure how much the poster stands to lose from the exchange rate on the deposit, and that's of course up to them to decide what they feel most comfortable with if said scenario happens.

 

[ellbell]

I was referring to calling in after making the second reservation online, not implying to wait to call in for booking FD. They can then transfer the deposit from first (and cancelling that reservation) and apply it to the balance of the second reservation (which would need its own deposit when making).

It's not ideal, but neither is losing out due to the exchange rate, so it's an option to consider. I would be nervous with two reservations for the same dates but others have reported success. I'm not sure how much the poster stands to lose from the exchange rate on the deposit, and that's of course up to them to decide what they feel most comfortable with if said scenario happens.

I will probably do this. 10 or 15 dollars doesn't seem like a lot but with the canadian dollar doing so poorly and having to add 25 to 30 dollars already to every 100 dollars US it starts to add up.

 

[BJ7644]

If/when free dining does come out and prior to the announcement all standard rooms are filled at that resort but preferred are available... If you have already booked a standard room can the reservation be modified to add free dining while still staying in a standard room? Or would they only offer the free dining for preferred rooms since that was the only unbooked room category when the promotion came out?

I'm sorry if this is an obvious answer, it just gets confusing when people talk about modifying a reservation while some say you have to make a new one. Also, if adding free dining to a package that already met the ticket requirement, the ticket price will increase to current ticket prices? Ex had a package with tickets prior to ticket price increase, add free dining, ticket prices for package increase to prices when free dining is added? If he reservation is modified to add free dining rather than being a completely new reservation, is that still the case?

Hope that all makes sense. Thanks.

Modifying is like making a new one, just skipping a few steps. You can keep what you have, per se, if that is available to book. If you were to search and your hotel/dates/room category was not available, you would not be able just add it because of your existing reservation.

For the ticket prices, yes it will be the new pricing, even if modifying.

 

[Disneylover99]

I was referring to calling in after making the second reservation online, not implying to wait to call in for booking FD. They can then transfer the deposit from first (and cancelling that reservation) and apply it to the balance of the second reservation (which would need its own deposit when making).

That is a great idea! I never thought to ask to apply my first deposit to my second reservation.

Although that would require calling.....I'd probably just cancel online and not worry about an additional couple of dollars in fees. I just hate calling if I don't have to.

 

[ThistleMae]

Do folks in here expect to hear about the FD offers in April?

 

[samsteele]

Do folks in here expect to hear about the FD offers in April?

General info online (including websites like Tom Bricker) is that strong indications/rumours of expected dates should start early March with an actual release sometime in early to mid April. Nothing is certain but that's the online news trend right now.

 

[VillainFavs]

I've been seeing a release date of later in April. But hope you're right that it's earlier than that!

 

[James Yang]

But you can't add free dining to an already discounted room. Free dining only works if you're paying full rack rate for the room. You'll have to decide which ends up being the better discount for your party in the long run.

So if I booked a room via an online travel website which offered its own discount, I would not be eligible for FD?

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

General info online (including websites like Tom Bricker) is that strong indications/rumours of expected dates should start early March with an actual release sometime in early to mid April. Nothing is certain but that's the online news trend right now.

I've been seeing a release date of later in April. But hope you're right that it's earlier than that!

Was just looking at FD release dates for previous years. Here's what I found:

2012-July,12
2013-May,9
2014-May,7
2015-April,27
2016-April 25

Certainly seems to be trending toward a mid to late April release date but at this point it's anyone's guess.