Pls help...WHAT IS THIS FREE DINING!!??

[plutopuppy]

I keep seeing this FREE DINING pop up everywhere however I do not know what this is??? Can anyone let me know? Just sigh me curious and frugal

 

[bicker]

Check out the Dining Plan forum. It has all the information you're looking for:


http://www.disboards.com/forumdispl...1&pp=50&sort=replycount&order=asc&daysprune=1

 

[cobbler]

It is for those that book a package at rack rates (full price) and purchase at least a one day ticket for every member in their party and are staying at a WDW resort from 8/13 - 9/30.

 

[Garden Stater]

i was going to ask what free dining was too, but i see plutopuppy beat me to it!

i browsed the faq but still fail to see what makes it "free." i don't plan to buy this package, but i'm still curious.

thanks,
-amy

 

[plutopuppy]

WHEW!!! Thanks for that because I was thinkin' I was clueless!!!! Thanks Garden Stater!!!

 

[bicker]

The FAQ has not yet been updated, but there are several dozen threads in the forum itself currently discussing the free dining promotion.

 

[PoohGal05]

I'm glad to know that I'M not the only one who doesn't understand the dining plan and what makes it *free*

I have already booked a package through a local travel agency. We're going to be in Disney during the time of this dining plan deal. As I already have the package booked, can my family still take advantage of this dining plan? And since this plan is 'free' does or does this not mean that we pay before or after we have our meal? In order to take advantage of this deal, does this package have to be booked directly through Disney?

 

[traviesojmt]

I have just booked our trip this Aug. using the free dining plan and saved almost $1000 for our 10 day trip. There are 4 of us staying 10 nights. So, we get 1 snack, 1 counter service meal and 1 table service meal per day per person. The table service meal includes appetizer, entree, dessert, tax and tip per person in your party. The free plan allows our party to have 40 snacks, 40 counter service meals, and 40 table service meals to use however we would like. We were going to purchase the dining plan anyway, but the free dining offers has saved us lots of money. If you were to purchase the dining plan with your packages, it is just under $40/day/adult. You must purchase a Magic your Way package to include the dining package. If you are going to be going to Disney during the promotional period, Aug 13-Sept 30, I can't see any downside of getting the free dining plan.

 

[SnowWhite]

Its dining that is free...........yes you pay no money at the restaurant and still get to pig out on all the scrumptious meals the disney chefs can dream up. Its like everyone's dream of dining and dashing but legal!!!

We got our trip booked............trick or treating with the mouse at this house this Sept and Oct.

Rob (Snowwhite's DH)

 

[PoohGal05]

WOWIE HOWIE! So now I just need to call my TA and see if she can add this to our already booked/paid for package!

Last year when we got back from Disney, my mom and I went and visited our TA and told her of our trip to Disney. Before we left, she told that Disney would be having the free dining plan in October (or something like that). There was no way we were going to be able to afford two Disney trips in a year! OH by one can wish, can't they?!

Its dining that is free...........yes you pay no money at the restaurant and still get to pig out on all the scrumptious meals the disney chefs can dream up. Its like everyone's dream of dining and dashing but legal!!!

We got our trip booked............trick or treating with the mouse at this house this Sept and Oct.

Rob (Snowwhite's DH)

 

[Hopefully]

Plutopuppy, it is a repeat of a deal offered last year. Some would argue that it is not free since you must book your room at "rack rates" - no discount room rates allowed.
You book a room at rack rate at a Disney Hotel, purchase at least one day park tickets per person, and the Dining Plan per person per night. It is available for checkins 8/13 - 9/30 inclusive (up to 10 nights after check in.)
If you were paying for the Dining Plan the cost is approximately $38/adult per night and $12/child 3-9 per night.
The Dining Plan includes one Table Service (TS) meal per night, one Counter Service (CS) meal per night and one snack per night/ per person. So a party of 4 staying for 5 nights would have 20 TS, 20 CS and 20 snack credits to spend however they chose, with children 3-9 ordering off children's menus, where available. TS meals include appetizer, entree, desert, tax and tip.
We paid for the Dining Plan last October and we saved $450 over what the plan cost us. We ate a sit down TS dinner every night (we would have done that without the plan, so it really was a savings for us).
The free dining promotion has limited availabilty
HTH

 

[PoohGal05]

I put in a call to our family's TA. As we have already booked our trip, in order for us to take advantage of the free dining plan, we would have to cancel the land portion of our trip (the hotel where we requested a preferred room, myw tickets with the park hopper option, and dme) and we would have to rebook. We would have to rebook with a standard room. I was told there were only a limited number of preferred rooms. Anyway, it would end up costiing as $112 plus about another $70, since we would be paying the rack rate.

Oh well. I'm not upset about it, so no worries here.

 

[gydell]

I'm only paying $91 more for a 7 night stay(3A & !C) to add free dining. Sounds like free dining to me!

 

[kaytieeldr]

What do you mean, 'sounds like free dining to me'? You're paying an extra $13 per day... oh, wait - for that $13 per night, you get four snacks (@ $9 total, with tax), four counter service meals (@ $40 with tax) and four table service meals (@ $110 with tax and tip). You're only saving about 90% per day/night on your food

PoohGal - seriously, you should at least consider rebooking. I'm not sure what the $112 cost is for, but even with the $182 extra your TA says it's going to cost you, it appears you're staying for seven nights? If there are two people in your party, that works out to an additional cost of $13 per day for each of you. That's just a little more than what one counter service meal would cost you - and MORE important, if you look at a map of All Star Movies, you'll see some standard-location rooms are closer to 'everything' than some of the preferred-building rooms.

 

[twinsmamma]

I put in a call to our family's TA. As we have already booked our trip, in order for us to take advantage of the free dining plan, we would have to cancel the land portion of our trip (the hotel where we requested a preferred room, myw tickets with the park hopper option, and dme) and we would have to rebook. We would have to rebook with a standard room. I was told there were only a limited number of preferred rooms. Anyway, it would end up costiing as $112 plus about another $70, since we would be paying the rack rate.

Oh well. I'm not upset about it, so no worries here.

I wopuld agree PoohGal if it is only going to cost you 187 dollars for the trip why would you not take advantage of this? this one time total would be paid for in one day of dining. You get a counter service meal, including drink and dessert one table service meal including app, entree, dessert and drink and one snack per person per day for the number of nights you are there on the plan. It is a great deal and the reg. rooms are not that far from anything at hotel. I would reconsidder your choice befroe it is too late.