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

[scard192]

So I have never had a FD plan before and have some questions. I am very excited to see that the FD rumor includes our check in date- hooray! We are booked in an AKL value suite right now. This room category can no longer be booked for our dates. Does that mean no FD for us? Trying to understand how this works. Thank you!

RO discount is sometimes a better deal at a Deluxe and then pay OOO for dining.

 

[krisfan]

My thoughts:

If the mods are only getting QS, I'm out. I will look for a room discount and drop the PH. That should save $1200-1500 to put toward food & we can eat off site some.

If mods do get TS plan, we'll book room only for 11/11 thru 11/14 (and perhaps get a room discount) and free dining 11/14 thru 11/18. The additional ticket requirement adds less than $300 to the package less whatever room only discount we might get.

THEN, if good TM rates come out for Universal thru DD, we'll cancel the room only & stay at Universal 11/11 thru 11/14.

Phew, thanks guys, it helps to say it out loud!!!

So I have never had a FD plan before and have some questions. I am very excited to see that the FD rumor includes our check in date- hooray! We are booked in an AKL value suite right now. This room category can no longer be booked for our dates. Does that mean no FD for us? Trying to understand how this works. Thank you!

if u were not able to apply discount on first day... don't cancel this... book another reservation with FD .. keeping trying for until you can hold this reservation...sometimes deal might open up for u r room category

 

[babydoll65]

We did Stay, Play, and Dine at Pop this January and it came to right at $2500 for 5 nights with upgraded dining plan and no park hoppers.

I just looked for 5 nights in December and with upgraded dining plan and the required park hoppers it is $2700 (assuming free quick service plan)

Guess I'll hold out for January and hope they offer another deal like we got this last time. Probably a lot less crowded as well.

I assumed free dining would have been the better deal. Am I missing something?

Rack rates in December are usually higher than January thats probably why it's a bit higher in December. I'm staying at the Wilderness lodge in September, my room rate is 313$ per night, that same room category in December during fd is 460$ per night. t this point I'm glad I booked the free dining bounce back offer. I buy parkhoppers anyway and at that time , moderate resorts were getting the standard dining plan. If this falls true about the moderate resorts only getting free qs, I'm sure this will be the qualifications for next year's bounce back.

 

[babydoll65]

If you had your choice...AKL standard club level vs WL standard club level? We will be there mid December...I've got a conference that will leave my mom and DD at the resort for two half days. I'm thinking if we stay club level I will be more likely to do half/three quarter days...thoughts? AKL or WL? And yes, realizing that if I go this way a RO discount will be the thing to hope for...

I prefer Wilderness lodge mainly for its proximity to magic kingdom. Plus, they just put in the Geyser Point bar and grill which will be great to relax at after the parks.

 

[krisfan]

Ok, here is our dilema, we could still save with free dining quick service plan and upgrade to the regular DP at a value resort with the PH plus tickets-around $3500 or we could stay at CBR with our gift card of $525 and not get any dining plan there and base tickets for around $3300. My question is could I use the gift card deal to pay for meals at TS restaurants while I am there? Or are you not allowed to use the gift cards for that?
And with the CBR scenario, we wouldn't be able to eat at all the TS restaurants I had planned but it might be cheaper. However, is $200 worth it to miss out on free dining but be in a moderate resort. So many things to consider!
Thanks for any help!

If u already have CbR GC and if u get FD for existing... than that will be better deal than booking FD with POP

 

[smitty0705]

Yes. Read my post above. FD is only on those rooms with availabnity for that offer. All room types are limited. If standard is simd out. You need to find a room type with that deal. A lot book a standard a year before and hope for FDing but are only hurting their chances. Disney only gives offers on rooms they need to sell. Check a week or so later afternFDndrops. Alot cancel these bookings.

RO discount is sometimes a better deal at a Deluxe and then pay OOO for dining.

if u were not able to apply discount on first day... don't cancel this... book another reservation with FD .. keeping trying for until you can hold this reservation...sometimes deal might open up for u r room category

Sadly there isn't a RO discount available on our dates for this room category either. It looks like if we were to upgrade to standard room, it would be ~$25/day cost increase. We eat more than $25/day in food, so that would be worth it. I guess what I can do is book a new AKL FD reservation in a standard room and then check back later to see if any value studio rooms get dropped and can be booked with FD. Hope I am understanding your helpful posts correctly!

 

[Taylor F.]

Do you NEED park hoppers, do you NEED all that food.

... yes.

 

[Disneylover99]

Interesting that they would even offer free dining so close to Christmas, which is notoriously busy.

It's not new though. They've offered FD for dates ending from Dec. 21-23 for the past several years.

 

[Marianm]

Ahh! I miss ONE night and am trying to backtrack and read what I missed! Going to grab my ️

 

[babydoll65]

This did not come from me

"Here's updated info. Looks like free dining could be dropping on April 24. Minimum of 4 nights, maximum of 14, with park hopper and park hopper plus add on. Check in dates: 8/13-9/30, 11/14-11/20, 11/25-11/27, 12/3-12/23. It also appears that values AND moderates may get quick service, with regular dining only for deluxe resorts (I hope that is wrong). As always, information is fluid and more detail will hopefully come."

An extremely reliable source

I've looked at his post over and over, where has it been posted that the minimum ticket requirement is four days, not the standard two day parkhoppers??.

 

[mousefan73]

I've looked at his post over and over, where has it been posted that the minimum ticket requirement is four days, not the standard two day parkhoppers??.

Some one can correct me but wasn't FD the last few years

ok so here's a few questions.

How many folks here tried to get FD last year when it was released and came up empty handed? Like were all resorts (not including the excluded ones) open for fd or was it only a few that worked?

Also just in case pop sells out I checked a few RO deals too and fd deals.

Only pop and all start music work better than my TA deal.
Anyone like music?

I don't recall anyone coming completly empty handed. Many made changes. Upped a room catagory, added a day or moved dates, switched resorts. You need to ask what is more important FD or the resort, dates, catagory.

 

[sjs314]

I've looked at his post over and over, where has it been posted that the minimum ticket requirement is four days, not the standard two day parkhoppers??.

It does not specificatly say so people are just assuming what it might be.

As for me if there is no October dates I will be waiting for RO discount, the much higher air fares in times of FD does not make FD a good deal for us us

 

[mary219]

So maybe - having the reservation at POP already for 8/22-9/1 will make it easier to snag free dining as a modification to reservation online on the FD drop date .
I was thinking that I may need a new reservation the day fd is available . But pop seems pretty full already for the end of August when I play with the dates online.
If QS is option for moderates , POP will be next best choice .
I was getting nervous that there would be no way to reserve a new room and cancel original reservation. Now I am thinking maybe it's a good thing I reserved already and can modify online when it is officially announced. Just a thought . And a wish

 

[ThistleMae]

I'm with you. I pack everything a month in advance. The only thing that gets packed last is all my electonics that go in my carry on. I have everything packed and ready to go way before. I make about five lists and check them off multiple times.

LOL....me too! I am constantly looking at my list, adding things to it as I think of them and reviewing...more than once...more than twice...and so on and so forth. Wow, tired just thinking about it. Now you can imagine what I do with my Disney schedule calendar for dinners, parks and FP's. It's almost a full time job!

 

[momto4obkids]

I've looked at his post over and over, where has it been posted that the minimum ticket requirement is four days, not the standard two day parkhoppers??.

I think people are assuming that's what it will be based on the Brazilian promotion link that was posted way back.

http://andrezadicaeindica.com.br/promocao-disney.html

 

[JackieO]

Ok, I've honestly been here the whole time, but I still feel like I've missed something. Do we know (or have rumors) of RO for fall? My budget was set for mod with TS. This FD offer doesn't work for us. I'm looking at off site now, but if there's a good RO is want to consider that.

 

[ThistleMae]

Brazilians agencies received the info about the free dining plan offer and they are very strict. No POFQ, no POR, October is entirely excluded. A 4 day stay with 4 Days park-hopper are required.

Wow...offers are changing up...stop the madness!

 

[Marianm]

Looks like free dining could be dropping on April 24. Minimum of 4 nights, maximum of 14, with park hopper and park hopper plus add on. Check in dates: 8/13-9/30, 11/14-11/20, 11/25-11/27, 12/3-12/23.


As always, information is fluid and more detail will hopefully come.

Works for me! Booked at Contemporary with check in August 19th!

 

[mousefan73]

LOL....me too! I am constantly looking at my list, adding things to it as I think of them and reviewing...more than once...more than twice...and so on and so forth. Wow, tired just thinking about it. Now you can imagine what I do with my Disney schedule calendar for dinners, parks and FP's. It's almost a full time job!

I kinda of see this as a way of extending the vacation.. When I come back it's a depressing period of nothing to do.. Planning and pre-packing or pre-shopping is for me also fun and part of the experience.

 

[pooch]

DH and he is D, reminded me last night that we are going. We've been promising the grandkids for a couple of years and WE ARE GOING whatever it costs. If we get Free Dining, terrific. If we don't, and we are not interested in free QS, we are going ANYWAY. So I am trying to let it go. Breathe with me!!!