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

[Elsaalltheway]

Like you, I have a bb booked, but I may have to change my dates. Right now we are booked at Pop and only doing quick service. I feel so free! I love the restaurants at Disney, but I also love not being tied down. So I've booked a BOG breakfast and lunch for now....and a San Angel lunch, just in case I do switch to a moderate.

I'm the same way. I'm staying at PoP too from sept 5-14th. Also booked BOG, but also Ohana and Boathouse. I'm thinking of upgrading to standard, but still milling that one around.

 

[ThistleMae]

I have already made my chart. I show the hotels that we are interested in. I figure out how much it's going to cost with the free dining, I added money for the tips, extra money for if we want any drinks or anything and then I have a column showing where I'm doing the room only and I figured what I believe the percentages off may be compared to years past and then I add in price of tickets, our food and any drinks or anything that we may have so that way I can look at the chart and I know pretty close to how much each one is going to cost us. Then I base my decision on that.

Good 4 u! I do the same. When it was just me and my sweetie, it was cheaper to get the room discount and pay for food out of pocket. We shared some lunches, always way 2 much to eat and we made breakfast in the room, oatmeal in the microwave. This time around I'm going with my cousins and they like to eat out, so I'm budgeting a great big food allowance!

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Some websites are saying that crowds are shifting from summer to fall, so hence the summer dates in the BB offer, but they also predict more fall dates will be added to the FD offer

Then this doesn't make sense. If crowds are shifting to fall then they wouldn't be offering more fall dates. I would think they would start chopping fall dates since they are getting summer crowds.

 

[StitchyPoo81]

Im booking all my ADRs like I have free dining and no lie I check everyday to tweek my reservations just so I'm getting the best deal out of the free dining. When there is 4 adults and only 1 child price free dining is the way to go. My husband won't provide any input because he gave up the 1st day I could book ADRs because I have changed everything he asked for which was only Chef Mickeys(Yuck).. I wish they would just open up free dining and MNSSHP for the end of August then I would be complete

 

[disneydreamer1980]

The AoA suites are about as expensive as moderates, it's a shame they get QS and not standard dining...

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Then this doesn't make sense. If crowds are shifting to fall then they wouldn't be offering more fall dates. I would think they would start chopping fall dates since they are getting summer crowds.

Crowds are down across the board, more so for summer, so they may be adding summer dates for FD, but also more fall dates than listed on the BB offer...I saw this on another blog, I didnt make it up

 

[Elsaalltheway]

So what's everyone's best guess for a release date for Free Dining? I noticed on the U.S. website (I'm Canadian) that most of your offers end March 30th. Keeping in mind the rumours of an earlier release date than last year, do you think it will come right away that first week of April? Does it usually come out on the weekend?

To answer the question of where we are hoping to stay and eat, I'm hoping POR will included in the early dates (we are going August 25th) like last year. I'm not too hopeful though because everything seems different this year and there is reduced inventory. I would take any of the mods with the POR resorts first, CSR second, CBR third. I'm not willing to move up to a Royal room at POR or a Pirate room at CBR though.. it puts us too far out of our budget. At that point I'll hopefully book a room only rate at POR in a lower category room , or move to Bonnet Creek.
As far as dining.. the whole reason we are staying onsite for this trip is to do the dining again. We've been offsite for a few years, and everyone wanted to go back to our favourites (Boma, Ohana, Be Our Guest e.t.c ) as well as try a few new places.

On the bounce back POR was included except the days in Dec.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Crowds are down across the board, more so for summer, so they may be adding summer dates for FD, but also more fall dates than listed on the BB offer...I saw this on another blog, I didnt make it up

Ok, now that makes sense. Thank you. I was a little confused. Yeah I figured crowds were down since they started free dining in Aug this year. Much earlier then before. I hope it stays like that because it will be perfect for the bounce back I will need next year.

 

[Susan Doeberl]

Last year it was 4/25 (only remember because it's ds birthday) maybe this year it will be 3/27? I've seen the 27th written before in blogs. Wonder if they'll release FD twice? I feel like they've done that before. Maybe release August/September this month and wait on later dates?!?!

Oh I hope not. My heart could not take 2 release dates.

 

[Susan Doeberl]

I did make a basic cost comparison, but it doesn't even begin to cover each room category at each place. I have a bottom line number where it makes more sense to switch to renting points and just use the free tickets I already have. If I can't get free dining at one of the mods in the lower category rooms, (no pirate , no royal), then the next best option is Room Only at CBR with the gift cards (if rooms are left at that point), then next is renting points at OKW (which Dh doesn't dislike, but doesn't love).

I keep whining about the exchange rate for Canadians but it's so awful right now, and slated to get worse. I have to be very careful not to blow through my budget. My $3600 package is already costing me $5000 . I can't go much higher or I need to go offsite. We love offsite but we really wanted this to be an onsite trip and all the restaurants that we've not been to in years.

C'mon free dining

We were just in Canada at the beginning of February. The exchange rate for us coming from the US was real good for us. My husbands brother lives in Canada and he wants to come down, but the rate is so bad for him that he can't come right now. I hope FD comes soon and you get the dates and rooms you need.

 

[Mrspeaks]

I followed this board last year and successfully got free dining for our trip at CBR. We are going back on a bounce back with free dining on Labor Day week. I'm following for a friend and for the excitement! The morning it hit I had said my alarm for every hour on the hour and was beyond excited it all worked out. Good luck to everyone!

 

[Taylor F.]

I followed this board last year and successfully got free dining for our trip at CBR. We are going back on a bounce back with free dining on Labor Day week. I'm following for a friend and for the excitement! The morning it hit I had said my alarm for every hour on the hour and was beyond excited it all worked out. Good luck to everyone!

I plan on having my alarm ready to go! hahah

 

[Disneylover99]

I'm the same way. I'm staying at PoP too from sept 5-14th. Also booked BOG, but also Ohana and Boathouse. I'm thinking of upgrading to standard, but still milling that one around.

My kids are disney adults now so for the four of us it would be worth our while to get a moderate if we could get standard.

 

[pigletto]

We were just in Canada at the beginning of February. The exchange rate for us coming from the US was real good for us. My husbands brother lives in Canada and he wants to come down, but the rate is so bad for him that he can't come right now. I hope FD comes soon and you get the dates and rooms you need.

Thank you . That's too bad about your brother in law not being able to come.
We had credits that made our flights free, or there is no way I would have been able to make this all work, even with free dining.

 

[dznygrl70]

I followed this board last year and successfully got free dining for our trip at CBR. We are going back on a bounce back with free dining on Labor Day week. I'm following for a friend and for the excitement! The morning it hit I had said my alarm for every hour on the hour and was beyond excited it all worked out. Good luck to everyone!

We are going labor day week as well. How were the crowds last year?Heat doesn't bother us much as long as we're hydrated.

 

[12disneybee]

We are going labor day week as well. How were the crowds last year?Heat doesn't bother us much as long as we're hydrated.

we were there over Labor Day last year, Disney Springs at night was a NIGHTMARE, LOL...unbelievable crowds, crowds at the parks (morning people) were good....we are going September 6-20 this year on FD bounce back... We will hit the F&W this year and we will have 140 snack credits with DxDP with a free upgrade from CBR to SSR 2 bedroom Villa!!!..................whoo hooo

 

[dznygrl70]

we were there over Labor Day last year, Disney Springs at night was a NIGHTMARE, LOL...unbelievable crowds, crowds at the parks (morning people) were good....we are going September 6-20 this year on FD bounce back... We will hit the F&W this year and we will have 140 snack credits with DxDP with a free upgrade from CBR to SSR 2 bedroom Villa!!!..................whoo hooo

You hit the jackpot! I'm happy for you! Thanks for the info!

 

[JackieO]

Guys, I feel like I'm the only one who's not getting this. What are you all watching, what page is everyone refreshing? I've read that people set their clocks every hour of the night to watch when this offer releases. What are they watching and how do they know what night to start watching?

Feeling left out.

 

[JennJ84]

Guys, I feel like I'm the only one who's not getting this. What are you all watching, what page is everyone refreshing? I've read that people set their clocks every hour of the night to watch when this offer releases. What are they watching and how do they know what night to start watching?

Feeling left out.

There will be rumors to what day fd is going to be released. People sit up that day from 12 am til morning to get fd online. For example, last year I sat up all night refreshing the Disney booking page and I got free dining at 4am in the morning on the day it was released. There is a better chance of getting it if you do this.

 

[JennJ84]

There will be rumors to what day fd is going to be released. People sit up that day from 12 am til morning to get fd online. For example, last year I sat up all night refreshing the Disney booking page and I got free dining at 4am in the morning on the day it was released. There is a better chance of getting it if you do this.

Everyone is waiting to find out when fd will be announced for the fall.