official mid-august blues (or looks like we're paying for dining!)

[missycj96]

Hello - so after much speculation, it looks like free dining is starting on Aug 26. This must be great news for those who can take advantage. We loved free dining last year!!

Since we need to be back for the start of school before labor day, that's too late for us. We are planning a mid august (around the weeks of the 12th and 19th). So let's keep hope here that something good will be offered for that time - or else its AAA and paying for dining for me!

Can anyone offer me some hope or good news?

Missy

 

[happymommy]

Just wanted to join you, in a way. We'll be going mid August as our AP's expire before the free dining kicks in. Don't have school for kids till after Labor Day, but I want to take advantage of the AP's before they expire. And not renewing as of yet (enjoyed 3 trips on one year's worth so getting our money's worth, plus got a discount at AKL last time). So... staying at the Swan on points (now I much prefer that hotel over any Disney owned one anyway plus it's free), using our AP's, free flights with Southwest (earned enough points for that). Paying only for what we eat won't be so bad!

Look at the bright side, you won't be tempted to overeat. We grab and go, and I wouldn't order appetizers and desserts anyway!

 

[kapica3]

I'm going to have to jump ship if Free Dining doesn't become available for the first week of my trip.

My original plan called for Disney for two weeks starting Aug 12th. FREE DINING became available for the end of August so I moved my entire trip up a week. But, still no free dining for the first week of my trip (Yes, Im lucky to have gotten it for the last week in August).

My "paying for dining" week at Disney wil cost me the same as a 7 night cruise to the Caribbean. So....... I have that trip on hold too. But I didn't give up waiting for a last minute code for the third week in August. I really prefer to go to Disney with free food. I think there may be a real possibility when all the rooms start to open up after people start to cancel because of no free dining for that time period.

 

[Ziggy]

The free dining comes in at the tail end of our trip, we would lose our $100 AAA room discount and it would cost us an extra $40 per day for the passes we would not need (we would not be using them another year as we do not plan to visit again for a number of years). So all in all the free dining would have cost us, two adults and two teens, $140. We have decided that we will eat off-site when the free dining comes in to play and avoid the large crowds in the restaurants and also figure that we probably won't spend that much eating off-site anyhow.

 

[shammes53]

We are also left out, our dates our firm (Aug 8 -15)
I feel like I'm waiting to get soup from that soup guy on Seinfeld and then it's my turn and he says " No Free Dining for You!"
(or any other discount for that matter!)

 

[brighteyes]

We will not be getting free dining also. DS will be starting school after labour day, and I may be starting college full time and my orientation week is Aug 27We will be there Aug 17-26. I was really hoping for free dining but since I can't change, the lower crowds will be worth it.

This is our only trip to Disney and am thinking probably our once in a lifetime trip so low crowds will hopefully give us more time to see and do more.

Stephanie

 

[BillyFeat]

Keep the faith friends. Disney will have to offer something to fill those empty rooms the first three weeks of August. Play for seven-Pay for five would be a nice consolation prize for the Dis Functionals on these boards in which I am a proud member.

 

[thebergs1370]

I will be going Aug 10-18. Are there any discounts for those dates? Unfortunately we start school Aug 22nd!

 

[HarleyMom]

I will be going Aug 10-18. Are there any discounts for those dates? Unfortunately we start school Aug 22nd!

Hey, those are the exact same dates we will be there! Too bad we're going to miss out. We can't change our dates either because of airfare already booked, college starting, moving Sept. 1st, etc. Oh well, we can only hope for empty parks and a different discount??

 

[matt f]

The "discount" for mid August is that everyone will go later for free dining, and the crowds will be gone! We're going Aug 12 - 17 and I'm (in a tiny, optimistc, silver lining sort of way) *glad* that free dining is not offered because it means fewer people in the parks. Would I rather have free dining? Heck yeah, but at the same time, I'd also rather have free dining later in the month than nothing at all.

 

[missycj96]

thanks for the support! I agree that a great room discount would be better for the deluxe resorts. The pay for 5 get 7 sounds good to me, too. Hey remember the fairytale package in 2003 (pay for 4 get 7) - we went to the poly GVC on that promotion and that was some bargain. I am also a seinfeld fan so the no soup for you post gave me a laugh. And happymommy, your point about not over eating is good, too. Though last year dh and I really liked going out for a nice dinner every night.

Let's keep hope and I know we will get something good.

missy