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

[lady_hlh]

We're currently booked at WL with a FD BB but if I need to change my dates it looks like WL doesn't have much available so I'm thinking either BC or AKL (which one would you do?) We're usually moderate people but it's DHs (aka the Beast) 40th birthday so we're splurging!

The pool at BC/YC is amazing but it is huge and spread out so it might not the best for younger kids unless you're in the pool with them all the time. However being able to walk to Epcot and walk or take the boat to HS is very nice. I also loved the atmosphere at AKL it was so peaceful and serene plus it was amazing to watch the animals from our balcony every morning. They both are great resorts so you can't go wrong with either one.

 

[Disneylover99]

What resorts and restaurants is everyone trying to score with FD? We're currently booked at WL with a FD BB but if I need to change my dates it looks like WL doesn't have much available so I'm thinking either BC or AKL (which one would you do?) We're usually moderate people but it's DHs (aka the Beast) 40th birthday so we're splurging! Lol For restaurants DH loves Ohana so that's a must and I love Liberty tree. We're going to try Hollywood and vine fantasmic dinner package, whispering canyon and maybe T-Rex (my boys and 4 and 5 so I think they'll like that!)

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.

 

[Amunet]

Very good call.

Thank you!

We went last year that time. Dec.10-18th. You picked a GREAT time to visit. Decorations were all up, crowds were lower than I expected with the exception of the 2 Saturdays in MK (Dec. 10th and 17th).

We also booked FD at a mod. (CS) and upgraded to DxDP. Sooo much food! We did a lot of character meals and a Signature every night for dinner. It was actually a challenge to use all of our snack credits. Ended up with something like 40 snacks left on our last day. Enjoy your trip!

Oh, wonderful! Thank you very much! We're planning to go Sun-Sat so hopefully we can cut out those weekend crowds (we don't do parks on arrival/departure days).
How did you like CS? That's the one mod I haven't been to. I'm not a huge desert scenery fan but I do love Mexican-ish* cuisine and it looks nice.

Haha! My boyfriend LOVES to eat (he's a twig) and eats lots of it, so the DxDP works well in satisfying his endless abyss known as his stomach lol Also, we all enjoy table service restaurants for cuisine variety, rest and experience.
Did you get a lot of take-home snacks?

* Ish is required to describe the quality and likeness of Mexican food served in the US above Texas.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

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

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

Thank you!



Oh, wonderful! Thank you very much! We're planning to go Sun-Sat so hopefully we can cut out those weekend crowds (we don't do parks on arrival/departure days).
How did you like CS? That's the one mod I haven't been to. I'm not a huge desert scenery fan but I do love Mexican-ish* cuisine and it looks nice.

Haha! My boyfriend LOVES to eat (he's a twig) and eats lots of it, so the DxDP works well in satisfying his endless abyss known as his stomach lol Also, we all enjoy table service restaurants for cuisine variety, rest and experience.
Did you get a lot of take-home snacks?

* Ish is required to describe the quality and likeness of Mexican food served in the US above Texas.

It was only our second trip as a family (first trip we stayed at POFQ) and we really liked CS. Would have chosen POFQ again but it was excluded from FD promo last year. CS is huge! We were way back in Ranchos section so it was a long walk to El Centro. Overall we still liked it though. We ate at Las Ventanas on both arrival and departure days and it was very good.

We did load up on snacks just before we checked out our last day but we didn't have enough room in our carry-on luggage to use them all up so we just offered to pay for snacks for other guests that happened to be near us. Probably gave away about 20 credits to happy strangers.

 

[Amunet]

It was only our second trip as a family (first trip we stayed at POFQ) and we really liked CS. Would have chosen POFQ again but it was excluded from FD promo last year. CS is huge! We were way back in Ranchos section so it was a long walk to El Centro. Overall we still liked it though. We ate at Las Ventanas on both arrival and departure days and it was very good.

We did load up on snacks just before we checked out our last day but we didn't have enough room in our carry-on luggage to use them all up so we just offered to pay for snacks for other guests that happened to be near us. Probably gave away about 20 credits to happy strangers.

Hmmm the maps seem similar in size to POR, have you been to POR to compare? I've been to CBR and I REALLY didn't like how huge it is, but POR is manageable.
Yeah, POFQ is amazing and I love it too. Could you imagine if it WAS included in FD?! Lol be still my beating heart!

Awe, that is so sweet (pun included) ^_^ I always recommend bringing an extra bag, like a duffle, folded up in another piece of luggage. This way, you will not worry about room for swag

 

[goldnvalli]

What resorts and restaurants is everyone trying to score with FD? We're currently booked at WL with a FD BB but if I need to change my dates it looks like WL doesn't have much available so I'm thinking either BC or AKL (which one would you do?) We're usually moderate people but it's DHs (aka the Beast) 40th birthday so we're splurging! Lol For restaurants DH loves Ohana so that's a must and I love Liberty tree. We're going to try Hollywood and vine fantasmic dinner package, whispering canyon and maybe T-Rex (my boys and 4 and 5 so I think they'll like that!)

I would definitely stay at the BC. The pool is amazing. We love going to California Grill. It is 2 ts credits, but so worth it. The food is amazing and they have an observatory viewing area where you can see wishes. They pipe the music in with speakers. Worth the 2 credits.

 

[12disneybee]

Did you call the BB number to change? Or regular reservation line?

reservation line but had to be transferred, took over an hour

 

[cshell624]

I think a lot depends also on when you're going...we go the end of August/early September which I think has more available!

You're probably right. The last time I booked a standard, we went in the middle of December. We usually go the end of September/first of October which has become a popular time to visit.

 

[cshell624]

What resorts and restaurants is everyone trying to score with FD? We're currently booked at WL with a FD BB but if I need to change my dates it looks like WL doesn't have much available so I'm thinking either BC or AKL (which one would you do?) We're usually moderate people but it's DHs (aka the Beast) 40th birthday so we're splurging! Lol For restaurants DH loves Ohana so that's a must and I love Liberty tree. We're going to try Hollywood and vine fantasmic dinner package, whispering canyon and maybe T-Rex (my boys and 4 and 5 so I think they'll like that!)

Hoping for POP, but wouldn't mind staying at a moderate . We usually book either a value and upgrade to the regular dining plan or stay at a moderate. If I can book FD at POP, we may try to do just quick service this time and pay for one or two table service meals. We love Ohana too and always try to book it the last night of our trip. I would love to book the Bon Voyage breakfast so DD can meet Flynn Rider. She was so upset when she heard you could only meet him at the Christmas party. I was thrilled to learn about this character meal because it will come out a lot cheaper for me than having to go at Christmas and buy party tickets! If I book a moderate, I may try to book HDDR (we missed last year due to hurricane) and BOG along with Bon Voyage and Ohana. That leaves me with 3 more to pick. Decisions, decisions . Hope your DH enjoys his birthday trip!

 

[pigletto]

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.

 

[JennJ84]

We are looking to get FD for AoA. I can't stand the waiting!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

What I'm hearing is that numbers are down across the board and is making more likely that more dates maybe offered than normal, or expected, not a certainty but what I've heard. This is also why it maybe offered sooner than normal.

 

[mommajo143]

Supposedly people are getting emails about free dining but when they open them they're blank

I've gotten a few emails- odd because I haven't gotten a pin code in over 2 years - but they are for a room only offer...

 

[SpaceMonkey35]

To be honest I'm just tired of seeing the same people in the ads. I'm tired of the Kids on mine train so happy with joy from eating a Mickey pretzel and washing it down with a dole whip
#ComeonFD

 

[ellismom]

Joining in! We're booked 9/16-21 and hoping for FD. We've had it for our past two trips and love it!

 

[mommajo143]

I know that with the airlines they charge $200 per ticket to change it, unless you call back with a lower price within 24 hours.

I've had some pixie dust save us in the past - they bumped us on a confirmed flight a month before we were set to travel, which allowed me the opportunity to call Delta, complain & rebook on a cheaper flight without any change fees.

 

[Sarahboo]

I started making our dining reservations yesterday, but because we're planning to stay for 14 nights I still have to log in for the next couple of days to get the final ones. So far I've booked (all for dinner):

Sci-Fi Dine In
Boma
Biergarten
O'Hana
Skipper Canteen
Spirit of Aloha
T-Rex
Le Cellier


To book over the next couple of days:
BOG
Marrakesh
Teppan Edo



Aaaand, I just realized that only 13 TS credits are accounted for. I have thought and over though this a thousand times over. How did I miss one? :lol: I don't even know what to do about that.

 

[goldnvalli]

I started making our dining reservations yesterday, but because we're planning to stay for 14 nights I still have to log in for the next couple of days to get the final ones. So far I've booked (all for dinner):

Sci-Fi Dine In
Boma
Biergarten
O'Hana
Skipper Canteen
Spirit of Aloha
T-Rex
Le Cellier


To book over the next couple of days:
BOG
Marrakesh
Teppan Edo



Aaaand, I just realized that only 13 TS credits are accounted for. I have thought and over though this a thousand times over. How did I miss one? :lol: I don't even know what to do about that.

I would take one of those restaurants away and do a signature restaurant for 2 TS credits. We love California Grill, or you can do the Spirit of Aloha show at the Polynesian.

 

[Sarahboo]

Now I'm thinking maybe to pass on Marrakesh and do either Artists Point, Boathouse, California Grill, Citricos, Yachtsman Steakhouse. AAAAAHHHHH! Too many choices.

I'm still just laughing that with how much I planned this out, thought, overthought, and overthought some more, that I couldn't even count to 14.