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

[ThistleMae]

$416 round trip $1,248 for the 3 of us (DD is a lap child). 4 night package at Pop with an upgrade to the DDP is $1,658. Kills me that flights are almost as much!

I know the feeling. My daughter has to buy for five! It's crazy!

 

[ThistleMae]

Ugh, it's awful! I will only fly direct right now with my kids being so young so that doesn't help. There are some cheaper flights with layovers in Baltimore but I'd honestly rather not go than deal with that. I'm a teacher so my only option is Aug.

Yes this is another issue...the non stop flights get limited. And sometimes the times are crazy to get a cheap flight. I remember the $ 99.00 RT...those days are gone. I always estimate $ 400.00 these days and if I get something cheaper I'm happy.

 

[bebec22]

I know the feeling. My daughter has to buy for five! It's crazy!

Another reason why I really want to push for this trip! This will be our last opportunity for my DD to be free for everything! We have a longer trip planner for next April but she will just have turned 2 so I'll have to purchase airfare for her.

 

[ThistleMae]

I've been looking for flights for next year when FD drops again just to get an estimate. The week of April for an August trip, as long as you flew from weekday to weekday wasn't bad for SW out of Manchester NH. The lowest I've seen for awhile $ 133 each way. But...my daughter and her family have to fly at least one if not two weekend days. You can never win with flights it seems.

 

[ThistleMae]

Another reason why I really want to push for this trip! This will be our last opportunity for my DD to be free for everything! We have a longer trip planner for next April but she will just have turned 2 so I'll have to purchase airfare for her.

The expenses just keep growing!

 

[bebec22]

The expenses just keep growing!

As the kids grow, the expenses grow! Just wish my wallet would grow too!

 

[Atinsley22]

I think i am going to give up trying to get FD for nov 25 or 26 start for 10 days at CBR and stick with the fd I have for dec ay CBR.
Flights are better for Nov with times and price.
There was no trouble getting it for our Dec dates. Nov not so much.

Yeah this is where I'm at. I need to add 1 day to my POP reservation and I have yet to see it open. it's probably time to give up but I don't want to.

 

[VillainFavs]

That's actually a good price for Providence these days! I want to open a card and use points, but I'm afraid that by the time I get the points the flights will be even higher (going in Sept). How long did it take for you to get your points if you don't mind me asking? (I plan on charging the $1000 right away)

Basically, you'll get the points at the close of your billing cycle where you hit the minimum needed for the bonus. I did it when you needed to charge $2,000 and got 50,000 points. I did that in the course of about a month and a half. At the end of my second billing cycle, the points showed up. Only took a day or two after that for them to be transferred to my SW account. Between that bonus and what I already had accumulated from previous trips, I had enough to completely cover flights for four of us. And that was just in my account. DH and two DSs still have any accumulated points in their account.

I don't plan on keeping the card--will cancel it when it gets close to the annual renewal fee--but it worked great for free flights!

 

[VillainFavs]

As the kids grow, the expenses grow! Just wish my wallet would grow too!

You said it! Looking at college bills starting next year---then I'm going to be wishing for the toddler-sized expenses!!!!

 

[sjs314]

Yeah this is where I'm at. I need to add 1 day to my POP reservation and I have yet to see it open. it's probably time to give up but I don't want to.

I gave up on adding the additional day or 2 with FD and booked our flights when I saw the prices dropped last night. $324 RT I can deal with.

 

[bebec22]

You said it! Looking at college bills starting next year---then I'm going to be wishing for the toddler-sized expenses!!!!

I'm sure it makes the cost of daycare pale in comparison! We've already started saving for college, can't imagine what it will cost in 15 years!

 

[peanutslovesWDW]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but if we have base tickets for 8 days, can we get park hopper added on for only 5 days? I don't think we'll need to hop all 8 days, so if we can save a dollar...

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but if we have base tickets for 8 days, can we get park hopper added on for only 5 days? I don't think we'll need to hop all 8 days, so if we can save a dollar...

No, the PH is a flat rate applied to the entire length of your ticket.

 

[peanutslovesWDW]

No, the PH is a flat rate applied to the entire length of your ticket.

I figured that was the case but thought i'd ask. Thank you!!

 

[lizaisabel]

Hi, I have a reservation starting 12/10 and have not been able to obtain starting on 12/8. Can I made a room only reservation for those two nights so I can make my advance reservation at 180 days of the 12/8 and then if find the days under the FD offer cancel it later?

 

[Greg36]

I think i am going to give up trying to get FD for nov 25 or 26 start for 10 days at CBR and stick with the fd I have for dec ay CBR.
Flights are better for Nov with times and price.
There was no trouble getting it for our Dec dates. Nov not so much.

We were looking at 14 nights Nov 25-Dec 9. Got music FD right at drop but I have not seen anything else for these dates in the value range. Moderates had very little as well (seen nothing for CBR or CSR). Really though, there was nothing for CBR or CSR for months even before the FD drop. We were not really thrilled about music so ended up taking a standard room at AKL. This added a lot of cost to the trip (especially with the Canadian exchange rate) but it did give us the full DDP. We are excited about the trip but I do wonder what the future holds for this promotion. Seems really limited this year compared to other years...

 

[ustasmom]

Who wants to crunch numbers for the real value of free dining?

I have FD for 14 nights for 5 adults in a room that I only plan to use 3 nights. So after I back out my CBR gift card and value of tickets to be upgraded, I will be paying $2082 for 140 QSDP and 140 snack credits. Two thousand dollars is A LOT of money. I don't even know if I paid out of pocket for our meals and snacks if it would come out to $2000. We are so accustomed to eating off the kids' menus that I don't even know what to order. I do have about a dozen BOG breakfasts and lunches scheduled but I don't know.

In a perfect world I would push my dates to when I don't have conflicting room reservations. Then we could actually use the room. Or not. Help!!!

 

[darwood730]

I know the feeling. My daughter has to buy for five! It's crazy!

I feel for you guys when you have to fly. It helps us to fly, but due to costs, we will probably drive this year. Being in Kentucky, it is inconvenient, but not impossible. And, the money saved (even with extra lodging) is worth it. Hopefully, as my son gets older, we might be able to drive it in one day.

 

[Goofy'sPal]

My Dreams Travel Agent was up before 6am when FD dropped. Moved me from CBR to Pop with my permission. Saved me over $660 and that includes FD upgrade. Super excited.

 

[anitsa123]

Another reason why I really want to push for this trip! This will be our last opportunity for my DD to be free for everything! We have a longer trip planner for next April but she will just have turned 2 so I'll have to purchase airfare for her.

That is why we booked our trip Toward the end of Sept We will be celebrating my GS 2nd birthday. He turns 2 in Oct.