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

[Sharongal74]

I'm going to throw some cold water on some of this excitement. Having those two MNSSHPs in August and that early one on Sept 1 could draw more people to those weeks and remove the possibility of FD. You gotta think Disney is doing their darndest to get people in their rooms, so they don't have to offer it anymore than is necessary. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Last year the parties started the 2nd and 8th. Which was I believe 2 weeks earlier then they had been. They may get extra money from the FD folks that spend it on the party.

 

[KimBean]

Sorry, I meant what dates in the fall are rumored to include the FD?

We just plain don't no anything yet! Follow the thread hopefully we will know soon.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Just keep hoping just keep hoping

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I sure hope it won't be a really late date drop like May or June I hope it's Monday. So now were just waiting for a few people who normally have good intel to post the roumored dates. *keeps eyes peeled*

 

[Just Love Disney]

We just plain don't no anything yet! Follow the thread hopefully we will know soon.

Thank you. Weird though that there are no speculated dates. In previous years, the rumored date ranges for the fall were already posted by now...
Yes, I will be following

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm going to throw some cold water on some of this excitement. Having those two MNSSHPs in August and that early one on Sept 1 could draw more people to those weeks and remove the possibility of FD. You gotta think Disney is doing their darndest to get people in their rooms, so they don't have to offer it anymore than is necessary. Let's hope I'm wrong.

I'm betting they release party sales before a promo and "lock people in" - then, they'll know what rooms are "bailable" if they don't announce free dining and what ones they've probably locked people into...

 

[elle325]

Just found out I don't have to work on Monday! I really hope it drops then. It would be like it was meant to be! And yes I have a free dining bounceback booked for December but I'm hoping to surprise my mom with a trip in October for her 60th birthday

 

[elle325]

Thank you. Weird though that there are no speculated dates. In previous years, the rumored date ranges for the fall were already posted by now...
Yes, I will be following

We just have what the bounceback dates were:
5/30 - 6/6
6/30 - 7/5
8/11 - 9/9
12/8 - 12/20

 

[agassizsmile]

We just have what the bounceback dates were:
5/30 - 6/6
6/30 - 7/5
8/11 - 9/9
12/8 - 12/20

When we went last year, 8/28-9/4, thee Halloween party was taking place and we had FD.I think they FD will drop 4/17 the 10th is too soon.The party q as just released and I think there's some correlation to FD. THOUGHTS?

 

[FoxC63]

As I'm sitting here at work dreaming of free dining, I'm considering changing/adding some ADRs.

Thoughts on Tusker House or Boma???

I've never eaten at either but can't decide between the two. Has anyone eaten at both? Tusker is a character meal but the food options at Boma looked a bit better? Thoughts?

in advance!

I agree with others. BOMA is awesome! FYI: There are brass tiles/plates on the floor of the Animal Kingdom Lodge that you can make brass rubbings of. Kids or adults it doesn't matter. Bring thin paper and wax crayons.

 

[vikkil70]

I love it! My husband goes with us, but if I gave him an out, he'd stay home in a heartbeat. I have learned to bribe him with a couple rounds of golf while we are there. Hey, whatever it takes. lol

My husband took me to WDW for our honeymoon in 2003 and twice with our boys in 2010 and 2012. This time he said he is done, so he is staying home. This trip is my boys, and I. I don't like traveling without him but if the choice was that or stay home.....I'll miss him terribly.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I think the 17th has always been unlikely b/c it's the day after Easter...not that many celebrate, but enough do that Disney is unlikely to want those poor workers dealing with heck at 7am on after a holiday...

If I was betting, if soft opens for APs are disappointing and early party sales are, too, they'll release free dining...so I'm expecting mid-May for a drop after party sales open and APs have put their thoughts online for a few days...

It's not just Pandora that's gonna open to bring crowds...Universal will have opened an entire brand new water park and that may bring more folks to Florida this fall - even if they only choose a day for MK, that still fills the parks...

 

[pigletto]

Thank you. Weird though that there are no speculated dates. In previous years, the rumored date ranges for the fall were already posted by now...
Yes, I will be following

There has been lots of speculation, but nothing solid. People are speculating from a South American offer and info on that website, the U.K. offer, bounceback dates etc. We have speculation. Confirmation.. we've got none of that.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I'm going to throw some cold water on some of this excitement. Having those two MNSSHPs in August and that early one on Sept 1 could draw more people to those weeks and remove the possibility of FD. You gotta think Disney is doing their darndest to get people in their rooms, so they don't have to offer it anymore than is necessary. Let's hope I'm wrong.

FD has been offered for the past number of years at the same time as MNSSHP has been running. I don't really see that the party starting a week earlier will have any bearing on what dates are/are not included in FD. In anything maybe it means it will include those dates as there will be more people on site to attend the parties?

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

I think the 17th has always been unlikely b/c it's the day after Easter...not that many celebrate, but enough do that Disney is unlikely to want those poor workers dealing with heck at 7am on after a holiday...

If I was betting, if soft opens for APs are disappointing and early party sales are, too, they'll release free dining...so I'm expecting mid-May for a drop after party sales open and APs have put their thoughts online for a few days...

It's not just Pandora that's gonna open to bring crowds...Universal will have opened an entire brand new water park and that may bring more folks to Florida this fall - even if they only choose a day for MK, that still fills the parks...

I agree there maybe more traffic, but this is one reason Disney needs to be competitive. We do 2-3 1 week trips a year and stay club level at Hard Rock and buy the Universal DP for the cost of a 9-10 day trip to Disney, park traffic is just part of it Free Dining aims to bring guests on site with the restrictions.

 

[Just Love Disney]

There has been lots of speculation, but nothing solid. People are speculating from a South American offer and info on that website, the U.K. offer, bounceback dates etc. We have speculation. Confirmation.. we've got none of that.

On a little scrap of paper somewhere in my house....I have that South American site written down. Started with a "V" I believe?? Are you able to post the site or at least the details from that site?

 

[TwoMisfits]

I agree there maybe more traffic, but this is one reason Disney needs to be competitive. We do 2-3 1 week trips a year and stay club level at Hard Rock and buy the Universal DP for the cost of a 9-10 day trip to Disney, park traffic is just part of it Free Dining aims to bring guests on site with the restrictions.

Yes, but this year, Disney gets the bonus of Universal opening a park with no new hotels to go with it - their big hotel competition from Universal is still a year or more off, so more people may actually stay at Disney, even if they are doing more park time at Universal...and Disney itself has less rooms thanks to the mod renovation (and more bennies they've already given for many of the non-renovated rooms)...

 

[Sharongal74]

Tickets didn't go on sale for MNSSHP til sometime in May last year. FD was released before that. I don't think the party affects FD.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Tickets didn't go on sale for MNSSHP til sometime in May last year. FD was released before that. I don't think the party affects FD.

Last year is not indicative of this year - this year has a whole new finally technologically advanced immersive land and a whole new park from a competitor...pushing the parties and food and wine (along with the bennies they've already given for the renovation) is probably what Disney hopes keeps them full this fall...

I would make no plans based on any of the last 3 years when Disney really opened nothing for its fans that wasn't there before...

EDIT TO ADD: If anything, I expect Disney to offer a further "wean you off free dining" offer as they've been doing in past years (more limited, more you have to buy, less rooms available)...the Brit plan may be the one that finally makes it here...they will want free dining gone in full once Star Wars Land opens...

 

[vikkil70]

We will be hiking all day Monday in the mountains and will have very limited cell phone service. So far my TA has been great, when the summer promo was released she e-mailed me very early letting me know about it even if it was not a better deal for us than the 1 QS meal/day, so if by some chance FD is dropped Monday I know she will be up and trying her best for us, and she knows what she can change if she needs to. I kind of hope it does not just because I will be anxious all day wondering if we were able to get it until we are back in cell service.

Love sharing this anxiety with all of you, lol.