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

[DisneyNic]

Hi Disneylover99!! If you check the CBR website under details by the notice of construction it mentions that guests of CBR will receive a $75 gift card per night of there stay (1 per rom) upon checkin! I was wondering if it applied to guests already booked too, but it doesn't mention that you had to already have a stay booked at CBR! What do you think Disneylover99?

I checked the website, and here's the text when you click "more details" on the construction:

As a result, Guests staying at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort will receive a $75 Disney Gift Card per room for each night of their stay at check in. This gift card can be used at participating Walt Disney World® Resort Food & Beverage and Merchandise locations. For complete terms and conditions please visit DisneyGiftCard.com.

From the sounds of it, it seems it's available to those who stay at CBR during construction, regardless of when you booked.

Sounds like @Cbtexan04 might be right!

The gift card deal is for reservations after May 1, but how do we know how long that deal is good for? If I book dates for November, will I get the gift cards no matter what is going on construction wise at that point because I booked under the deal? We are booked at POP right now, but with the gift cards, switching to CBR would end up being around $50 cheaper.

 

[ThistleMae]

The half dining plan was offered for the summer, but the booking time has passed. The dates for that went through Aug 24.

Oh yeah duh.....well hoping for next year.

 

[12disneybee]

im booked sept6-20, i didnt know there was construction
is everyone getting the gift card?
QUOTE="memma05, post: 57213064, member: 467634"]Those staying at CBR during construction are being offered a $75 a night disney gift card for their inconvenience from all the construction. It applies to new and existing reservations as long as you stay during the construction period.[/QUOTE]

 

[Disneylover99]

The gift card deal is for reservations after May 1, but how do we know how long that deal is good for? If I book dates for November, will I get the gift cards no matter what is going on construction wise at that point because I booked under the deal? We are booked at POP right now, but with the gift cards, switching to CBR would end up being around $50 cheaper.

I've read a few people mention that the $75 gift card would be available until the end of the year, but I don't think I've read that in any of the emails that people have posted, so I don't really know. At this point nobody knows if CBR will even offer FD.

 

[pigletto]

The gift card deal is for reservations after May 1, but how do we know how long that deal is good for? If I book dates for November, will I get the gift cards no matter what is going on construction wise at that point because I booked under the deal? We are booked at POP right now, but with the gift cards, switching to CBR would end up being around $50 cheaper.

I didn't get an email , I just booked the other day and the gift card offer is under the construction notice on the website . They would have end dates on the website when booking if they intended to end the offer before the end of the year . Also it's such a major project ( restaurants , shops, and a gondola ) that the reports are two YEARS of construction . This isn't going to be ending any time soon .

 

[Rusty2rules]

Since the POR resorts are usually exempt from free dining they combined our 2 rooms and put us at SS.

Actually, POFQ is usually excluded from FD but POR is usually included.

 

[Rusty2rules]

I just booked the other day and the gift card offer is under the construction notice on the website . They would have end dates on the website when booking if they intended to end the offer before the end of the year .

That's interesting. I talked to my TA Friday (3/4/17) and she said she was under the impression that the gift cards were only for people that had already booked rooms when the construction announcement was made, not for new reservations. I may have to bug her again.

 

[12disneybee]

I think it would be a Disney Miracle to get the gift card and FD....but here's hoping! My guess is that they won't offer FD at CBR.

I am booked CBR bounceback Sept 6-20, I just got off the phone with CM and I will be getting the $75 per night gift card in addition to the Free Dining. CM explained to me that the free dining has nothing to do with the gift card, it's merely an offer because of the inconvenience of things being closed.

 

[Disneylover99]

I didn't get an email , I just booked the other day and the gift card offer is under the construction notice on the website . They would have end dates on the website when booking if they intended to end the offer before the end of the year . Also it's such a major project ( restaurants , shops, and a gondola ) that the reports are two YEARS of construction . This isn't going to be ending any time soon .

I wonder though when this offer is going to end. I can't see them keeping it in place until all construction is over. I figure it was offered because of the food court, restaurant and gift shop closing. Once they are re-opened, I would think they would want to wean people off the gift card offer.

 

[sharonabe]

That's interesting. I talked to my TA Friday (3/4/17) and she said she was under the impression that the gift cards were only for people that had already booked rooms when the construction announcement was made, not for new reservations. I may have to bug her again.

I would definitely bug her again, because it clearly shows up when choosing CBR as your resort for new bookings.

 

[pigletto]

I wonder though when this offer is going to end. I can't see them keeping it in place until all construction is over. I figure it was offered because of the food court, restaurant and gift shop closing. Once they are re-opened, I would think they would want to wean people off the gift card offer.

Agree. I just think that's going to be quite awhile. I would imagine 6 months at the bare minimum to add restaurants and waterfront shops. Sounds like a huge project. I can see ending the gift card offer after that . The Gondola won't be the same kind of inconvenience to the guests that this is. At CSR they are putting up a giant tower and not offering anything at all.

 

[pigletto]

That's interesting. I talked to my TA Friday (3/4/17) and she said she was under the impression that the gift cards were only for people that had already booked rooms when the construction announcement was made, not for new reservations. I may have to bug her again.

Definitely point out to her that you could book it yourself right off the Disney website right now if you chose.

 

[Taylor F.]

This is the first time Ive ever purchased a dining plan. We are going sept 17-23 and staying at Poly. I honestly don't know where I can eat or exactly how they work, but I'm going to try and research and muddle through.

 

[missbrooke06]

Am I remembering correctly that as long as you start your reservation during a free dining period, it extends for the length of your trip? So if the blackout starts 10/1 for example but I start my trip 9/30, I'm good*?

*And I mean that relatively. I'm so stressed about an October trip - we've always been early November people but now that the kid is in school, my husband doesn't want to pull him.

 

[Disneylover99]

Am I remembering correctly that as long as you start your reservation during a free dining period, it extends for the length of your trip? So if the blackout starts 10/1 for example but I start my trip 9/30, I'm good*?

*And I mean that relatively. I'm so stressed about an October trip - we've always been early November people but now that the kid is in school, my husband doesn't want to pull him.

Yes, you're good.

 

[samsteele]

This is the first time Ive ever purchased a dining plan. We are going sept 17-23 and staying at Poly. I honestly don't know where I can eat or exactly how they work, but I'm going to try and research and muddle through.

Def check out the Restaurant subforum on the Boards as well as the Dining Reviews (on the top of that page). Also look at allears site for updated menus as well as tom brickers site for reviews. Go with what appeals to you for your family. Some restaurants are a much better $ value on the Dining Plan (DP) but if you don't enjoy the food, then its not a value for you. Please don't hesitate to ask questions here because many DIS vets will try their best to answer.

 

[RigatoniFeline]

I was here and stayed up all night last year to secure free dining for the end of August. Going the same time this year and kicking myself for not booking a bounceback.

 

[m2j]

This year will be our first attempt at trying to book free dining. Fingers crossed! I'll be stalking this thread for updates!

 

[kevin75]

We are trying to work around my teaching schedule to plan a trip during the holidays this fall, which is when we normally enjoy going. In the ideal world, we would like to go right after New Year's as the decorations are still up for a bit and the prices go down (for a bit). I was thinking back to when we went in 2011 for my birthday and I remembered that free dining was offered during that time. I know that someone had brought it up earlier, but I wonder/hope in the back of my mind if attendance is still a problem, would they extend a dining offer into January? That would be.....magical.

 

[cshell624]

I was here and stayed up all night last year to secure free dining for the end of August. Going the same time this year and kicking myself for not booking a bounceback.

I knew going down to Disney last year that our dates for 2017 would not be included in the BB, but I was hopeful dates might have been added before we checked out. We decided to check out 2 days earlier than planned, due to Hurricane Matthew, but when I called to inquire about the BB there was a 90 minute wait time. That was back in October and I'm still hoping to hear something good about FD for our trip this year. Fingers crossed and pixie dust for us all!