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

[squirrel]

No, you won't be able to do that. The free dining package requires a non-discounted room and non-discounted tickets of an as yet unknown kind. You probably can combine the Canadian discount tickets with a room discount, so you might want to do the math to see which is the better offer.

Yes, I have a room discount and the Canadian Tickets together as one package. I worked it out and it's cheaper than the previous package I had which was the Savory Summer Offer (1 CS meal per person, per night) since I'm staying in a value and there are only the two of us it should be quite a bit cheaper.

If FD comes out for my dates it will be a bit more than what I have figured out in food costs, but then we don't have to worry about food costs. It will all be pre-paid. I have a certain amount for FD, if it costs more than that I will keep the room discount and the Canadian Tickets and just pay out of pocket for food.

 

[Kudmani]

question how do you get the 10% off for Disney visa card holders, at restaurants if you use a magic band to charge to your account?

Guessing it's like the TIW & passholder discounts. Show your server your Visa card & id when they bring you the bill (or when you order if you would like to save yourself a little time). They should be able to take the 10% off of your bill before scanning your band for payment.

 

[Lesley Wake]

So if you cant get a mod for FD who plans on going deluxe ?

I considered it (would probably go AKL or maybe WL), but decided most likely I'll stick with POR:
Option 1) Existing reservation (POR Garden view) with Free Dining
Option 2) Existing reservation w/room discount

Only if neither are available for POR will I consider switching. But it would still cost me more for vs POR w/o discount:
$205 room rate POR
$350 room rate AKL, assuming 30% discount = $245. For 9 nights, that will still be an additional $360. I can definitely swing it, but I would probably prefer to put that towards better food/cool souvenirs than the room.

But I figure we will be spending a moderate amount of time at the resort, so should get a moderate resort. If we were just planning on sleeping at hotel, then we would do value. If we had young kids or planned on taking lots of afternoon breaks, we would do deluxe. But our non-park time will be the evening arrival (flights get in 5 & 6:30), Day 3, and the morning/early afternoon of Day 6. That non-park time will include sleeping in, the pool, disney springs, and maybe a bit of resort-hopping.

 

[Greg36]

Question, has anyone tried to call tech support to have the modify reservation button fixed? I called Friday morning and first they said there was nothing they could do and then I asked specifically if they can add me to the list of people who need it fixed. She said yes and that I would get an email confirming they will look into it but I haven't heard anything yet.

I am in same boat... Think I called maybe 10 days ago...

 

[Lesley Wake]

Will you book FD and then go look for airfare that day, or possibly even wait? What if the flights are that much more expensive that it offsets any value you are getting from the FD?

We decided to stick with our dates no matter what, so we already booked our airfare. Although I'm annoyed I didn't book a day earlier. Friday it would have cost 12,500 miles on Delta. But on Saturday the Delta flight was no longer available so I had to go with 20,000 miles with Virgin America (the miles are actually with Alaska, but they just bought/merged with Virgin America and their Delta partnership contract is still going through the end of the year). I so lost 6500 miles by waiting a few hours! At least I'm taking a Delta flight back so I can use resort check-in (Virgin America isn't one of the in-hotel partners). And at least both flights are nonstop.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Question, has anyone tried to call tech support to have the modify reservation button fixed? I called Friday morning and first they said there was nothing they could do and then I asked specifically if they can add me to the list of people who need it fixed. She said yes and that I would get an email confirming they will look into it but I haven't heard anything yet.

Have you tried making a change to your reservation? Like adding or removing a day ticket? You can always change it back, but when I changed to PH via phone it fixed my modify button online.

 

[pigletto]

So if you cant get a mod for FD who plans on going deluxe ?

Me. Maybe. But not with free dining. I can make it cost pretty much the same as free dining if I use the tickets I already have ( 5 day tickets) and allocate $1500 for food.
My problem is I got the tickets with the Canadian discount and nobody knows if you lose the discount or not if you add days. I'd hate to get there and have to pay $500 to add two days to our tickets. With free dining, I'll have to get two day tickets anyway so I would use both sets.

If I go with the room discount at the Deluxe, then I have about $175 a day for food for the four of us. So I would pick two or three table service to keep and just do counter service the rest of the time I think.

I'm usually a resort changer, and I have a lot of fun planning. But with all the waiting and extra elements to consider this trip, I would really like to nail something down.

 

[anitsa123]

So if you cant get a mod for FD who plans on going deluxe ?

We are doing the deluxe for the first time this year

 

[anitsa123]

We are doing the deluxe for the first time this year

I meant if free dining came out I will upgrade to deluxe dining plan

 

[elle325]

We are doing the deluxe for the first time this year

We did a deluxe for the first time in February - wilderness lodge. Wow! Deluxe resorts are amazing! Wish we could stay deluxe every time!

 

[Taylor F.]

We did a deluxe for the first time in February - wilderness lodge. Wow! Deluxe resorts are amazing! Wish we could stay deluxe every time!

This is going to be my first deluxe stay! We've done Disney a trillion times and usually stay off-site. A few times a value. Never stayed moderate.

Hoping the Poly is worth it!

 

[ratodino]

I currently have a reservation for 2 rooms at POR with QS dining. Really hoping to snag FD so I can move up to deluxe- my dream is the Poly and 2nd choice Beach Club/Yacht Club. Grandma (me) is footing a lot of the bill and this is a bucket list trip for me. The last time I went to Disney was the first year they were open- been a while lol. And if that timeline holds true, this will be the one and only trip that I can arrange for me, my kids, and grandkids- 9 of us total in 2 rooms. It'll cost me a just a little bit more for the deluxe, but worth it for the experience, I think.

 

[VillainFavs]

So if you cant get a mod for FD who plans on going deluxe ?

We will, but not with Free Dining. We'll take the good rate on the deluxe and pay for food OOP.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

I currently have a reservation for 2 rooms at POR with QS dining. Really hoping to snag FD so I can move up to deluxe- my dream is the Poly and 2nd choice Beach Club/Yacht Club. Grandma (me) is footing a lot of the bill and this is a bucket list trip for me. The last time I went to Disney was the first year they were open- been a while lol. And if that timeline holds true, this will be the one and only trip that I can arrange for me, my kids, and grandkids- 9 of us total in 2 rooms. It'll cost me a just a little bit more for the deluxe, but worth it for the experience, I think.

Hopefully you get your Deluxe wishes, we love the BC/YC and Contemporary and now staying at the Poly for the first time, the only mod we have stayed at was CS which is very nice but the Deluxe resorts are just that "Deluxe" and wow so cool you were there the first year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a wonderful time!!!

 

[KimBean]

I currently have a reservation for 2 rooms at POR with QS dining. Really hoping to snag FD so I can move up to deluxe- my dream is the Poly and 2nd choice Beach Club/Yacht Club. Grandma (me) is footing a lot of the bill and this is a bucket list trip for me. The last time I went to Disney was the first year they were open- been a while lol. And if that timeline holds true, this will be the one and only trip that I can arrange for me, my kids, and grandkids- 9 of us total in 2 rooms. It'll cost me a just a little bit more for the deluxe, but worth it for the experience, I think.

Do it. You won't regret it.

 

[Disneylover99]

We will, but not with Free Dining. We'll take the good rate on the deluxe and pay for food OOP.

If you do go Deluxe, what did you decide? BC or Poly?

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I've only ever stayed at DVC villas. This will be a first for us, not staying in a villa, and I'm really excited about it! And it'll definitely be nice to get mousekeeping daily. I'd love to stay at Poly (my dream resort!) but we won't fit. I threatened to leave my DD17 home so maybe we could squeeze in

 

[cshell624]

How about another pass-the-time fun topic...

The top two rides you're looking forward to in each park For me it's

MK: Haunted Mansion and The Little Mermaid

HS: Toy Story and Tower of Terror

Epcot: Soarin' and Spaceship Earth

AK: Dinosaur and Everest
(Plus everything in Pandora)

MK: Thunder Mtn. and Peoplemover

HS: Toy Story and RNR

Epcot: Soarin and The Grand Fiesta Tour

AK: Everest and Dinosaur

 

[Taylor F.]

MK: Buzz Lightyear and 7DMT

HS: Toy Story Mania and ToT (because my 4yo is riding ToT for the first time!)

Epcot: Test Track and Mission Space (Orange)

AK: Everest and Kali Rapids


OHMYGOD IMSOEXCITEDDDDD

 

[Tom P.]

Eveybody should have Good Friday off. It's the most important day of the year for the Christian religion.

I admit i thought banks were off Easter Monday. Government institutions are, and i think the postal service.

I just don't see them dropping on that day. Better believe i will still be checking but i think April 24th is more likey

Are you talking about Canada or the United States? I know that in Canada, Easter Monday is actually an official holiday, but in the United States it is not. In the United States, government institutions are most definitely NOT closed, nor is the postal service. Banks do not close that day either. Some schools choose to take their Spring Break -- which was more traditionally called an Easter Break -- at that time, but that is up to the individual school district.

Even among Christians, the day after Easter is just not widely celebrated as a holiday.

Regardless, however, I think it would be odd timing for Disney to release it around a holiday weekend, when lots of people are out of town, traveling, focusing on family events, etc. Just seems like unusual timing. But certainly not impossible. I still say April 24th is the most likely date, IMHO.