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

[sharonabe]

Sad news for those who have not yet booked a package that included paid dining: Prices for the dining plans have gone up, effective immediately, so for those who don't already have a package booked and whose plans fall outside of free dining, you'll now pay more for your dining AND tickets than you would have a couple weeks ago.

I suppose this is one reason FOR booking a package in anticipation of free dining instead of waiting until it is announced.

 

[ThistleMae]

Hello All. My family of 7 went through the free dining wait in 2015 (November 7th - 15th). Last year, my hubby and I went November 4th - 8th to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary and booked through DVC (even though the free dining wouldn't have been available when we went last year anyway). Just thought I would chime in on the dates we've gone in November. Regardless, I thought I saw someone comment on this question, but now I can'f find it. So, if this has been answered somewhere disregard. I read on a reputable website, that a free dining release could potentially become available around March 2017. Last years free dining dates didn't start until August 23rd , and the release date of free dining last year was April 27th. If the bounceback dates showing free dining starting May 30th - June 6th are true and the general public free dining dates are similar and they waited until April to release the free dining discount, than that would really limit the people who are going in May/early June. They would not have a lot of turn around time to say get a trip booked if they didn't already have one, get dining booked, etc. (hope this makes sense). So, maybe start looking in the next few weeks for a free dining discount drop! Who knows. If I remember anything from getting it in 2015, it was a waiting game, and it was a rush when it became available, but it was so worth it!!!! Good luck all.

Yes! A waiting game indeed. I've looked at the historical dates on Mousesavers to get somewhat of an idea, but it changes from year to year (it's still a good guide). We aren't going until next year but are waiting to see what they do this year. We are at least hoping to get the "half dining" they offered last summer, which is one quick service meal, and then purchase the rest. It seems we are always waiting for something, free dining, restaurant booking, and fast passes. Oh, the anticipation!

 

[ThistleMae]

Booked for Aug 28-Sept 8. Hoping for free dining.[/QUOTe
You may get lucky with those dates!

 

[ThistleMae]

Sad news for those who have not yet booked a package that included paid dining: Prices for the dining plans have gone up, effective immediately, so for those who don't already have a package booked and whose plans fall outside of free dining, you'll now pay more for your dining AND tickets than you would have a couple weeks ago.

I suppose this is one reason FOR booking a package in anticipation of free dining instead of waiting until it is announced.

I agree. Booking early does help. If you wait too long, there may be no more rooms either. And...some folks booked but their resort wasn't included and then there was a mad scramble to try and get a room at a qualifying resort. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. It's crazy enough to try and book your restaurant reservations and fast passes. It would be nice to know, further in advance, what's what. These boards help tremendously, at least I don't feel alone in the waiting game!

 

[James Yang]

A question about free dining (it may have been answered so I apologize): Since the wait could be long, should I be booking the dinning plan now (and pay)? and if free dining comes up, I would still be eligible (get my money back)?

 

[sharonabe]

A question about free dining (it may have been answered so I apologize): Since the wait could be long, should I be booking the dinning plan now (and pay)? and if free dining comes up, I would still be eligible (get my money back)?

If you're going with or without free dining, I would go ahead and book exactly what I want now. If free dining does come out, chances are you're going to have to change things up a bit....change date arriving, change hotel type room, change resorts completely.

The prices for the dining plan went up today, so there probably won't be another increase before the promotion comes out, if it comes out. If you book now, and change to a promotion later, you will be refunded any difference.

 

[James Yang]

If you're going with or without free dining, I would go ahead and book exactly what I want now. If free dining does come out, chances are you're going to have to change things up a bit....change date arriving, change hotel type room, change resorts completely.

The prices for the dining plan went up today, so there probably won't be another increase before the promotion comes out, if it comes out. If you book now, and change to a promotion later, you will be refunded any difference.

Ok thanks for the info. Yes, we're going regardless of free dining. Flights, resort and park tickets have all been purchased. Given the plans have just gone up, it's looking less likely that we'll use them as my kids won't be able to take full advantage to make it "worth" the money. So more likely we'll just pay OOP. However, if there is a promotion on free dining, we'll re-examine. If as you say, it may impact our arrive date, etc, there could be subsequent impact on our flights too.

 

[pigletto]

I'm booked with what I want, which is a package at Port Orleans, with tickets and Waterparks and more. If free dining doesn't get offered or CBR and CSR are in such awful shape with construction that I don't want to vacation there, then I will keep what I have, and just pay OOP for dining.

My ADR date is this Sunday and I just finished planning all of our TS meals and park days. It's all subject to change of course, but it's nice to have a preliminary plan. If free dining doesn't materialize I'll be dropping at least five of the 10 reservations though. We've done many of them several times.
New to us this trip will be Trattoria Al Forno, Yak and Yeti, BOG breakfast and Artist Point (date night for dh and I). I'm going to be stalking the reservations site for awhile longer though, as we really want a ROL dining package at Tusker House and they aren't open yet.

 

[igrsod]

We are booked Aug 26-Sept 4. Really hoping for Free Dining.

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

Hi All,
This is my 4th year going with FD...this year I thought I was being smart and booked a BB with FD for WL but now I may need to change my dates so I'm back stalking this thread! Lol Like others have said FD is usually announced between March and May and this site will really help you narrow it down. Also, don't give up if what you want isn't available the first day...you will most likely get what you want...I always have! Last year I stayed up all night and around 4am was only able to snag a WL room after the site kept crashing! I really wanted a CBR standard room. I kept checking every day and within a week was able to change my reservation and book what I wanted. The inventory changes often so don't give up! Free dole whips for everyone!

 

[mnmhouston]

Hi All,
This is my 4th year going with FD...this year I thought I was being smart and booked a BB with FD for WL but now I may need to change my dates so I'm back stalking this thread! Lol Like others have said FD is usually announced between March and May and this site will really help you narrow it down. Also, don't give up if what you want isn't available the first day...you will most likely get what you want...I always have! Last year I stayed up all night and around 4am was only able to snag a WL room after the site kept crashing! I really wanted a CBR standard room. I kept checking every day and within a week was able to change my reservation and book what I wanted. The inventory changes often so don't give up! Free dole whips for everyone!

Great tip about not giving up. It would seem to be a one and done shot, but good to know the hope remains alive

 

[VillainFavs]

Hi All,
This is my 4th year going with FD...this year I thought I was being smart and booked a BB with FD for WL but now I may need to change my dates so I'm back stalking this thread! Lol Like others have said FD is usually announced between March and May and this site will really help you narrow it down. Also, don't give up if what you want isn't available the first day...you will most likely get what you want...I always have! Last year I stayed up all night and around 4am was only able to snag a WL room after the site kept crashing! I really wanted a CBR standard room. I kept checking every day and within a week was able to change my reservation and book what I wanted. The inventory changes often so don't give up! Free dole whips for everyone!

If you already have a bounce back booked, can't you just call them and change the dates? I know I've done it in the past with no problem, as long as the dates I now wanted were still available through the bounce back. At least worth a try!

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

If you already have a bounce back booked, can't you just call them and change the dates? I know I've done it in the past with no problem, as long as the dates I now wanted were still available through the bounce back. At least worth a try!

Yes, I think you can it's just that we may be moving to a state that starts school before Labor Day so I don't know if I need to change my dates yet and I probably won't know until the spring so I figured if they release FD I'll just book a second trip and then cancel whichever one I don't need! Ugh

 

[ThistleMae]

Hi All,
This is my 4th year going with FD...this year I thought I was being smart and booked a BB with FD for WL but now I may need to change my dates so I'm back stalking this thread! Lol Like others have said FD is usually announced between March and May and this site will really help you narrow it down. Also, don't give up if what you want isn't available the first day...you will most likely get what you want...I always have! Last year I stayed up all night and around 4am was only able to snag a WL room after the site kept crashing! I really wanted a CBR standard room. I kept checking every day and within a week was able to change my reservation and book what I wanted. The inventory changes often so don't give up! Free dole whips for everyone!

You said it...it ends up being Disney Marathon! But it's worth it!

 

[ThistleMae]

Yes, I think you can it's just that we may be moving to a state that starts school before Labor Day so I don't know if I need to change my dates yet and I probably won't know until the spring so I figured if they release FD I'll just book a second trip and then cancel whichever one I don't need! Ugh

Welcome to the wait and see club...yes...it always seems to be an Ugh...until you can figure it out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. We are in the same boat as far as school start dates.

 

[HBaney84]

So, we're going September 6 -12, value resort, dining plan. The free dining at value resorts is usually the quick service, so if we take that (but want the regular dining plan), we only pay to upgrade, or keep what we have minus the quick service price?

I don't really want to change my dining plan to quick service and I don't want to change our resort to moderate.

 

[sharonabe]

So, we're going September 6 -12, value resort, dining plan. The free dining at value resorts is usually the quick service, so if we take that (but want the regular dining plan), we only pay to upgrade, or keep what we have minus the quick service price?

I don't really want to change my dining plan to quick service and I don't want to change our resort to moderate.

Yes, if free dining is offered and it matches your dates and resort, you would have to pay to upgrade to the regular dining plan. If you've already booked and paid in full for a package that includes dining, you should get a refund of the difference the free dining discount gives you, if any is due.

 

[mmps108]

So...maybe you all can help us decide how to book initially. We got FD last year with my DH and DDs BUT it was a process. We were originally booked at POR, no discount. When FD was released but no MOD were open so we kept our POR plan but strongly considered paying for dining OOP OR upgrading to WL where we could get FD for about the same price as paying OOP at POR. Then, some magic occurred and the Pirate rooms opened up and we were able to get FD at CBR and eventually we got a preferred room at CBR.

This year, it's just me and my bff, Mom's Trip!!! I don't want to deal with construction at CS or CBR and values are not where we want to stay. Knowing how it worked last year and the MODs sold out really fast, do we book at POR and just wait until they release FD? Or do we book at WL and wait until they release FD? Why WL, I'm guessing it's the lowest price deluxe and that's really all we can afford to go up AND it was available last year for a long time during the promotion.

OR do we wait until they release FD to decide? We aren't planning to go until Nov 14-19 (same window in Nov they released last year) so we can't book ADRs yet.
Any chance a room only discount will be offered and that would pay for part of our OOP dining cost?
Do we book with a TA or handle it ourselves?

SO many options and I'm starting to go nuts.

 

[JJIRmom]

Jumping on the bandwagon & really hoping FD comes out! My trip completely depends on fd being released. Hoping to book the end of sept - beginning of October. But could switch to beginning of September if we absolutely needed to. If they don't release it I'm not sure we can fit the trip into our budget, or if we do go I know I would be completely stressed about how much were spending on food & don't want that to cramp our vacation!!

 

[pixie_mtl]

If you're interested in spicing up the wait a little, Dad's Guide to WdW have created a Free dining waiting list. You can sign up and get weekly updates on the rumours that we all hope will match our travelling dates