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

[sharonabe]

I think I miscalculated. My TA has my reservations so I cant see costs of just the dp.How much is the regular dp for adults and kids? I think staying at cbr is cheaper than going deluxe. For us five. Staying 8. Nights, with ph plus for nine days.Help!

I don't think you ever got a complete answer.

Adult DDP is $69.35 and kid's is $24.95 per NIGHT
Adult QSDP is $48.19 and kid's $20.88 "" ""
Adult DxDDP is $106.68 and kid's $38.75 "" ""

 

[sharonabe]

Anyone out there able to help me with this; pleeees

If your dates are set and can't be moved at all, and you want FD for the last half, you will need a split stay with room only on the front and FD package on the end. The FD package will have your tickets (purchase the total # of days you want), and you can access your tickets early. The dining plan will not begin until your second half, so you'll either have to pay OOP for the first days or get a ticketless package for those days and pay for the DDP.

As to whether you should modify now, I wouldn't. I would wait and see how this all shakes out. Perhaps make some back up plans in your head (or on paper), in case you have to move resorts in order to get FD.

 

[agassizsmile]

I don't think you ever got a complete answer.

Adult DDP is $69.35 and kid's is $24.95 per NIGHT
Adult QSDP is $48.19 and kid's $20.88 "" ""
Adult DxDDP is $106.68 and kid's $38.75 "" ""

Thank you

 

[RedWolf95]

Here's updated info.

Looks like free dining could be dropping on April 24. Minimum of 4 nights, maximum of 14, with park hopper and park hopper plus add on. Check in dates: 8/13-9/30, 11/14-11/20, 11/25-11/27, 12/3-12/23. It also appears that values AND moderates may get quick service, with regular dining only for deluxe resorts (I hope that is wrong).

As always, information is fluid and more detail will hopefully come.

Always great to see you on the boards Black! Thanks for info and I hope that last part is wrong too, but given the consistent cutting back on FD over the last few years and the construction at CBR I guess it would not be surprising

 

[Neeky78]

You always tip on what your meal would have cost! Even with Free Dining. They bring your bill and you can see what your meal would have cost. You then pay your tip and apply your dining credits.

Edit: oops, I misunderstood what you were saying. Disregard my whole post! We were counting on TS with our mod. We already have our ADRs. No way we're giving up all those dinners. We're looking at less expensive room so that wet can cover our TS OOP. Maybe others feel the same.

Yes, but what the OP is pointing out is that without TS credits a lot of people will dine CS instead of the TS they would have done. And although with free dining the food is free, as you pointed out, people would still pay tips. But if they don't have TS credits a lot will forgo their TS plans and just do CS. So CMs miss out on the tips they would have recieved from those people.

Edit: Ha, Ha, just saw your edit after I posted. So now ignore me!

 

[KimBean]

We shifted to Coronado Springs from POR this morning.

We figure we're going to get more of a deal at Coronado, the amenities will still be available over there, and we can afford it even without any discounts whatsoever.

Less stressful for both of us.

What dates are you going? For my dates CSR is more expensive then POR.

 

[VillainFavs]

Yes, but what the OP is pointing out is that without TS credits a lot of people will dine CS instead of the TS they would have done. And although with free dining the food is free, as you pointed out, people would still pay tips. But if they don't have TS credits a lot will forgo their TS plans and just do CS. So CMs miss out on the tips they would have recieved from those people.

Edit: Ha, Ha, just saw your edit after I posted. So now ignore me!

I would point out, too, that I think a lot of people will end up paying OOP instead of getting the dining plan. I know that's what we'll probably end up doing. And our bills at TS will be MUCH, MUCH, MUCH less than with the dining plan. So that means our tips will also be much less.

With DP, we'd each get our own entree, our own dessert, and a soda or juice or whatever. Without the plan, we'll share meals. I'll probably just get an app as my meal--which is what I would normally do anyway! Since it's August, we'll be just as likely to ask for ice water than a soda. And we might have one dessert to all share. So instead of getting that tip on the $150 meal with the DP, they'll get a tip on the $75 that we actually spend.

Even though the TS restaurants will probably still be full, I doubt they'll be bringing in as much in tips for their workers!

 

[KimBean]

Hey just reading and catching up. I just want to hear some rumors or some hard info. I'm so tired of waiting.

We heard strong rumors Thursday evening. See page 380.

 

[wwffan7385]

What dates are you going? For my dates CSR is more expensive then POR.

Aug 22-29

 

[vever]

If your dates are set and can't be moved at all, and you want FD for the last half, you will need a split stay with room only on the front and FD package on the end. The FD package will have your tickets (purchase the total # of days you want), and you can access your tickets early. The dining plan will not begin until your second half, so you'll either have to pay OOP for the first days or get a ticketless package for those days and pay for the DDP.

As to whether you should modify now, I wouldn't. I would wait and see how this all shakes out. Perhaps make some back up plans in your head (or on paper), in case you have to move resorts in order to get FD.

Thank you so much

 

[pooch]

Well I ran some numbers thru the on line dining calculator. OOP what I put in came to $1300. I expect the savings from dropping the PH option and 1 day from everyone's ticket and adding a minimum 20% room discount to come to $1500. Thinking I'm out of the Free Dining party.

 

[JackieO]

Well I ran some numbers thru the on line dining calculator. OOP what I put in came to $1300. I expect the savings from dropping the PH option and 1 day from everyone's ticket and adding a minimum 20% room discount to come to $1500. Thinking I'm out of the Free Dining party.

Sad, stick around and see what actually drops. Fingers crossed you'll get what you want. And any way you go it's Disney, so it will be FANTASTIC!!

 

[Funfire240]

, I have a week booked at Port Orleans Riverside during dates that would work for free dining if the above rumor by Mr. Black is legit. But, I had booked there because I was under the impression that moderates would get the regular dining plan. Should I switch to Coronado or even a value resort since Riverside looks to not be included? Riverside is the most expensive moderate, so maybe I can get the quick service dining and just upgrade? I want to take my 4 year old to all of the character dining spots but cant afford it without the free dining. I am new to this, so any advice, help, rumors would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

i would look into value whose theming nay appeal more to a 4 year old. Saves you money, gives you more options and you can use the savings to UPG to DDP if the FD really does exclude DDP for mods.[/QUOTE]

Don't switch yet based on rumors - also just because you switch, if that resort is included, it doesn't mean that you will automatically get free dining. You still have to go on and modify or call and then only will get free dining if it is available. not every category in every resort will be available for all dates. And, if everyone starts switching now, guess what? Those rooms will be filling up and there will be no need to offer discounts there anyways

 

[Taylor F.]

Yes, I booked the Savory Summer Offer back in February and Disney sent me a booklet. It contained my reservation # and was personalised with the resort I was booked in.

Did you pay fully for it? Or just a portion of it?

 

[pooch]

Hey Taylor! How are you? Free Dining rumor work for you?

Love
Alice

 

[KimBean]

Did you pay fully for it? Or just a portion of it?

I'm not OP but I have my booklet too and have only paid the $200. It took 6 weeks from booking though.

 

[otg]

So now that my dates are 98.7% set in stone, who wants to critique my plans?

11/27 - drive from ATL - lunch at D-Lux, check in ASMu, MK for parade and 3 FP, Paddlefish for dinner
11/28 - HS, Sci Fi, PizzeRizzo - Fantasmic
11/29 - MK, Columbia Harbor House, Crystal Palace - Fireworks
11/30 - EP, Yorkshire, Biergarten - Illuminations
12/1 - AK, Yak & Yeti (QS), Flame Tree - ROL
12/2 - HS, Ohana Breakfast, Min & Bill's - Star wars fireworks
12/3 - MK, Peco's Bills, Narcoosses
12/4 - EP, Via Napoli, Frontera Cocina
12/5 - AK, Restaurantosaurus, Yak & Yeti (TS) - Pandora at night, tree of life, evening safari
12/6 - MK, card game and 3 FP's, Caseys - drive home.

OOP - D-Lux, Via Napoli, Yak & Yeti. Should have credits to cover the rest.

So this looks like a good plan, but thats a lot on arrival day. I would skip Disney springs and eat around mk.

 

[KimBean]

So this looks like a good plan, but thats a lot on arrival day. I would skip Disney springs and eat around mk.

Yeah I have gone back and forth on this a lot. D-Lux isn't too hard because we leave early enough we will be there by noon.

Going to paddlefish is by request of the hubby. He is doing all the driving so I figure if he is up to it, how can I say no. Lol.

It's very traditional as well. We have started our vacation at Fultons a lot. It kind of says yay we are at Disney and things are good. It was a favorite spot of my husbands parents and they both past in the last 5 years so I am kind of lenient on him about it. We will have plenty of adrenaline that first day. Lol.

 

[JackieO]

Since we have over a week until FD but I still like hanging out with all of you I'm going again:

Is anyone planning to go to Universal while in Florida? We LOVE the Wizarding World but I'm just not ok with spending over $1,000 for the 4 of us to go for two days. Any wonderful secret discounts???

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

First time poster who is planning on taking advantage of FD and who has taken advantage of it in the past with a family of 5. I haven't read through this whole thread so this may have already been discussed, but if I were a waiter/waitress at any of the TS restaurants I would be very disappointed in my employer for only offering QS meals to MOD resorts. I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to tip pretty big when having a sit down meal with my family of 5. That's a lot of lost income for those waiter/waitresses that just can't and won't be made up. 25% of a $200.00 meal is $50.00. multiply that by all the families staying at mods and taking advantage of FD and pretty soon your talking some real money. We'll still go this fall but shame on you Disney for not looking out for your employees if this rumor is true. They will pay more of a price than I will no doubt. It's like getting a bonus every year and counting on that as part of your income, only to have it taken away.

As others have stated, Disney has NO problems fully booking their restaurants. It is difficult to get a reservation at many of them unless you book 180 days out at 6 am and even then you may have trouble for certain places. There are only so many tables in each restaurant- just because more people may want to make reservations because of free dining, doesn't mean everyone who wants to will even be able to get one. People constantly talk about how they can't get reservations at certain restaurants and most don't have availability for walk ups. Servers are making money regardless of whether or not there is free dining. Secondly, if someone relies on a "bonus" as part of their income, they are being unrealistic. A "bonus" is something that should never be expected because there is never a guarantee that one will always get it or what amount it will be. Really, an employer's only financial obligation to an employee is to guarantee they make minimum wage, and even if a server has zero tables in a night (which will not happen at Disney), they will still make minimum wage, since by law if an employee doesn't make minimum wage between tips and hourly wage, the employer MUST pay them the difference. Again, this really has nothing to do with free dining as servers are going to be kept busy year round at Disney.