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

[KimBean]

Can we talk spread sheets? I'm not feeling great about mine. Does someone love theirs and want to share? I want a master one but I never care for the setup.

I don't have one. I did the math and know that it is value as early after thanksgiving as I can get. But love talking numbers. Lol!!

 

[cshell624]

I really want to try Tonga Toast. It looks delicious. However, does it taste super banana-y? I love Ohana's bread pudding dessert (even though I know about the bananas), but dislike banana bread, banana flavored things, and bananas in general.

I would say if you don't like banana, you might not like Tonga Toast because there is definitely a good amount of banana in the middle. Have you ever tried the croissant doughnut at Refreshment Port in Epcot? No banana and it's yummy.

 

[piglet1979]

Maryland just passed a law that schools can't start before labor day. That's how it was when I was a kid. It's nice because it allows for more family vacation time. Kids were getting out of school at the end of June and going back mid August.

Our state can't decide what to do. I don't really care when the kids start or when they get out I just wish we could not have so many days off. Let's start 9/1 or 8/1 but let's cut out all of the 3 and 4 day weekends and end the school year earlier. It'd be so much easier to find care if we only had full weeks off. With all of the 3 and 4 day weekends we get it is every bit of your vacation time just to cover those days out of school!

In our district in Ohio we have gone back about the 15th of August the past few years and end the Friday before Memorial day. Next year they Start August 22nd and end May 31st. So they only go for 3 days after Memorial day. Not much learning will happen these days. There is a bill on the table for all schools in Ohio to start after Labor day. This will be nice for planning. I would rather them start the Monday after Labor Day because Disney is cheaper in September. That would give us one week to go before school starts. Wishful thinking.

I agree and the 3 and 4 day weekends. Then throw in snow days and we are quickly running out of PTO. Thankfully both my husband and i get 25 days each of PTO.

 

[ustasmom]

Holy Moly, I guess I better start keeping my GCs. I can't see canceling this trip but that does make it more of a mail biter.

They ask if you still have the original gift card. If not they issue new ones.

 

[PigletPink]

Try online and if you have modify option do that. If not, you will have to call at 7 AM. Good Luck.

 

[sharonabe]

Thanks, I think I might switch it now. I can always try to switch it back to standard later. We're really relying on FD this year and the whole thing is making me nervous.

They base free dining on the rooms they need to sell. If everyone starts booking the water view or upgraded rooms with the idea that all they will need to do is modify to get the free dining, then those rooms will not appear on Disney's side as needing to be sold. That may mean they won't offer FD at all at those resorts. If you're going even without FD, book the room you really WANT and leave it until you see what is offered.

 

[sharonabe]

It's the difference between the quick service plan and the Disney dining plan per night. $20.99 per adult and $4.04 a night per kid.

I think your DDP costs are out of date. The price difference right now is $21.16 for adults and $4.07 for kids.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

They base free dining on the rooms they need to sell. If everyone starts booking the water view or upgraded rooms with the idea that all they will need to do is modify to get the free dining, then those rooms will not appear on Disney's side as needing to be sold. That may mean they won't offer FD at all at those resorts. If you're going even without FD, book the room you really WANT and leave it until you see what is offered.

That's what's great about FW cabins, there's only one price for all of them, no different views or levels, and they're mods, hold 6 people and get standard dining. They also have a full kitchen, so we can do all our breakfasts there. And you get to take a boat to MK!

 

[scrappinginontario]

no you can not stack discounts. In order to get FD you have to pay full rack rate for the room and add the required tickets as part of a package.

This is not necessarily true. I just booked the new 'Summer Expedition Awaits' room discount offer for friends an hour ago and when I added park tickets the Canadian Discounted tickets were automatically offered.

Not sure what will happen if/when FD comes out but there is a possibility that Canadians may be able to stack the ticket offer too.

 

[JackieO]

They ask if you still have the original gift card. If not they issue new ones.

Oh that's good to know. Thank you.

 

[Disneylover99]

This is not necessarily true. I just booked the new 'Summer Expedition Awaits' room discount offer for friends an hour ago and when I added park tickets the Canadian Discounted tickets were automatically offered.

Not sure what will happen if/when FD comes out but there is a possibility that Canadians may be able to stack the ticket offer too.

Can you add park hopper to those Canadian tickets?

 

[brooke789]

I agree and the 3 and 4 day weekends. Then throw in snow days and we are quickly running out of PTO. Thankfully both my husband and i get 25 days each of PTO.

We have 37 week days off between when the kids start and finish the school year. It's a little ridiculous. We'll probably have a few snow days come up too!

 

[piglet1979]

We have 37 week days off between when the kids start and finish the school year. It's a little ridiculous. We'll probably have a few snow days come up too!

Wow! We had/have 25 day off this year not counting the few snow days and the day they called school because the bus garage lost power. Oh I forgot my son will be off for 2 day because of testing since they can't have both 5th and 6th grade in the school at the same during the test. They have to do them online and the connectivity is horrible at his school. It is a very old school.

Next year we are looking at 27.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Can you add park hopper to those Canadian tickets?

Yes!

I also noticed something really surprising! The option to select an 'add on' is the old options! These disappeared from ticket options last month.

 

[Disneylover99]

Yes!

I also noticed something really surprising! The option to select an 'add on' is the old options! These disappeared from ticket options last month.

I see the option to add park hopper. I don't see the option to add park hopper plus for the Canadian tickets. Am I doing it wrong?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Are you Canadian @Disneylover99 ?

I'm booking from a computer in Canada and the pic above is of my screen, below the portion where I choose the number of days for the tickets.

 

[Disneylover99]

Are you Canadian @Disneylover99 ?

I'm booking from a computer in Canada and the pic above is of my screen, below the portion where I choose the number of days for the tickets.

Yes. It looks different for me though. I will look again.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Weird! But I know strange things happen! I'm using Google Chrome if that makes any difference.

You may wish to call. Not sure why we're seeing different things but I know that has happened in the past too.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

I just fixed my booking today to the new Room Discount and was able to double up with the Canadian Park Hopper and Waterpark discount as well

 

[stitchfan75]

I almost completely forgot about Free Dining watch fun! Came over to the site after being gone for a few months. Our trip for this year fell through and it was to depressing to read everyone's posts. I do love a good watch thread!
My oldest turns 16 this year and I really wanted her to pick a Disney trip but...nope. We will see though, it's not totally out of the cards. I may make a play for FD in December, we kind of played with the idea of doing Christmas at Disney. I hate HOT but can handle crazy crowds.