deedee2177
Disney Darling
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2012
- Messages
- 1,081
Free Dining leads to a Big Change!
To say I’m excited is the biggest understatement….EVER!! I’m practically giddy!!! Ok, let me take a breath and start from the beginning. (AAAAHHHHHH!!!)
My son woke up around 3am this morning and once I got him back to sleep I wasn’t able to fall back to sleep myself (not surprising since I’m an insomniac). I went downstairs and cleaned up and caught up on some DVR shows. Then around 6am I figured I might as well log into work (I work from home), but thought I would check Facebook first. As I’m checking what should I see?????? But posts about Free Dining being released TODAY!!!!! WHAT???????????
I came upstairs and logged into my work computer and started getting set up for the day, and then quickly logged into my personal computer to check out the Disney Website for myself. Lo and behold there it was….FREE DINING. So, I decided to run some numbers and it came down to the following:
1. Stay with Pop and upgrade from Quick Service to Table Dining Plan
This was the original plan and with the upgrade and everything it would have saved us about $300!! Woohoo
This was the original plan and with the upgrade and everything it would have saved us about $300!! Woohoo
2. Check out the FD package prices for a Moderate (just for giggles)
Upgrade to a Moderate which comes along with Table Dining Plan we would save about $200!! WHAT????????? I couldn’t believe there was a savings at all, I thought for sure we would break even with what we were willing to pay at a Value for Table Dining without FD. So, to get any savings was an absolute shock to me!!!!
Upgrade to a Moderate which comes along with Table Dining Plan we would save about $200!! WHAT????????? I couldn’t believe there was a savings at all, I thought for sure we would break even with what we were willing to pay at a Value for Table Dining without FD. So, to get any savings was an absolute shock to me!!!!
About this time Keith and my son walked in to tell me Good Morning. I briefly updated DH on what was going on, but he was still half asleep. He finally told me…”just tell me if we stay at a moderate would it be cheaper than the package you booked at a value before FD came out?”. I confirmed it would be $200 cheaper. He said the magical words, “Book it!!”. YAY!! I was so excited.
So, right at 7am I started calling, but couldn’t get through (no surprise there at all). I started seeing people posting on FB that you could upgrade online if you had an existing reservation. So, I looked at the Moderates and it came down to 2 choices: CBR and CSR. I had to be quick so I chose CSR! I pulled up my reservation and saw the Modify Reservation Link and got all the way through to the point to hit submit and then it happened….ERROR!! UGH!!! I was so hoping to be able to do this online, but I just didn’t have any luck.
I knew then it came down to the fact I had to call. I just kept trying and trying, but kept getting a busy signal but finally got through. Then I was told the wait would be over 60 minutes (again no surprise). Then nothing…no music no nothing. I checked out the November FB page and others were saying they didn’t have any music either. So, I kept checking my phone to make sure I was still connected. I just put the phone to the side and started getting some work done. About 2 hours later I hear a voice and I about jumped out of my chair. I was nervous because I had started seeing posts on FB that the standard rooms at both CBR and CSR were gone. I had made up my mind if the Standard rooms were gone I would just go back to my original plan…stay at Pop and upgrade the Dining Plan.
The CM answered and I first had to thank her for working on such a crazy day!! She brought up my Reservation and everything was accurate. She asked if I just wanted to upgrade the DP. I let her know I would like to see if there were any Standard Moderates available, particularly at CSR. She started to work her magic. She tried a couple of things, but no luck. She then told me she was going to try one last thing and WOOHOO!! She was able to confirm a Standard Room at CSR and it was saving us around $200!! I was so excited!!!!!!! I told her I was so excited because this was a trip for just me and DH, and we were using it as our Honeymoon Re-do since during our Honeymoon there back in 2011 he chipped a tooth and was in a bunch of pain. This was our chance to have the magical Honeymoon we had hoped for. She said she made a note in my reservation that the trip was a Honeymoon Celebration…how sweet!!
Of course after I got off the phone with her, I immediately went out to my reservation on the Disney Website and there it was….my new reservation!
Like I mentioned before, I am beyond excited!
This will be my home for 5 nights in November:
Image from touringplans.com
Image from Google Images
So, when I have some time I will do some research on CSR since I have never stayed there before. I’ve decided not to show any pictures or video to Keith because I want him to be surprised (he knows I got the reservation…he heard me squealing upstairs), but he doesn’t have any idea what it looks like.
Of course after I got off the phone with her, I immediately went out to my reservation on the Disney Website and there it was….my new reservation!
Like I mentioned before, I am beyond excited! This will be my home for 5 nights in November:
Image from touringplans.com
Image from Google Images
So, when I have some time I will do some research on CSR since I have never stayed there before. I’ve decided not to show any pictures or video to Keith because I want him to be surprised (he knows I got the reservation…he heard me squealing upstairs), but he doesn’t have any idea what it looks like.
Please share any insight you have on CSR….recommendations on buildings/sections I should request, little places I should check out while I’m there, food I should try…anything!
22 more days until ADR day!! I hope the pixie dust from today carries over to that day as well!
