Pre-Book and Hope For Free Dining Or Wait?

[MammerJammer]

Thanks! I was looking at the moderates. We have 5 people in our family--so I've had to find something that has that Murphy bed.

 

[aaarcher86]

POR was excluded from FD last year.

 

[MammerJammer]

Thanks!

 

[schwaa]

If you have to do this, book at a resort that never fills all of its free dining rooms. All of the advantages - none of the risks.

Would any of the deluxes fall into this category?

 

[aaarcher86]

OKW, Saratoga, AK

 

[spritna]

Question, we booked a bounceback oct.14 for this sept. At pofq, for free dining. Can we call and change resortS and keep the free dining? Example would be can we upgrade to deluxe or downgrade to a value and pay the fee to go from qs dining to regular dining. Thanks

 

[mjallemand]

I'm in this same boat. We're planning on staying at a value resort during the third week of November, and while we're going whether we get free dining or not, free dining saves us somewhere in the ballpark of $600 to $800 and basically cuts a third off of our trip costs, so we would definitely love to get in on that if we can.

So the wait (and anxiousness) continues.

 

[aaarcher86]

Question, we booked a bounceback oct.14 for this sept. At pofq, for free dining. Can we call and change resortS and keep the free dining? Example would be can we upgrade to deluxe or downgrade to a value and pay the fee to go from qs dining to regular dining. Thanks

Yeah. Just let them know you have a bounce back and they'll get you to the right department. Pending availability, obviously.

 

[pistachio]

Does Free Dining ever become available for stays during May?

 

[aaarcher86]

Does Free Dining ever become available for stays during May?

Not for a few years, if at all. I can't remember the last time. You're probably looking at a room discount.

 

[pistachio]

Thank you.

 

[mjallemand]

When do I need to start checking DisBoards for Free Dining to be announced? I assume late April?

 

[aaarcher86]

That's a safe bet. I'd probably start early April just in case. Disney has thrown some weird curveballs lately.

 

[bellrae]

In 2013 I booked a fall stay at BC and then a few weeks after I booked they announced FD. My dates worked, so I just called them up and they added it to my existing booking. No changes needed. If you make an existing booking to a resort that usually has FD you might lucky and get to keep your existing booking.

 

[aaarcher86]

In 2013 I booked a fall stay at BC and then a few weeks after I booked they announced FD. My dates worked, so I just called them up and they added it to my existing booking. No changes needed. If you make an existing booking to a resort that usually has FD you might lucky and get to keep your existing booking.

The reservation number stays the same, but they're still checking availability under the promotion just like they would a new reservation. When they add FD to your current reservation, a free dining room comes out of the available pool. Pre booking doesn't give any advantage. No luck needed.

It's recommended not to book hoping for FD unless you're going either way. FD is used to fill rooms where necessary.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's probably advisable to book if you will be going whether you get free dining or not and you really want a certain resort/category, but keep in mind that you may have to change resorts or categories to get the free dining. Booking ahead won't get you any advantage on booking free dining since you have to call and apply it after it has been released for booking.

If you won't go unless you get free dining, I suppose you could cancel or move the reservation once you learn it isn't offered for what or when you want. But if you won't go without it, you might as well wait until it is released unless you really want the 180+10.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Does Free Dining ever become available for stays during May?

First and only time there has been public free dining in May was 2011 for check-ins May 27 to June 2.

 

[mjallemand]

It's probably advisable to book if you will be going whether you get free dining or not and you really want a certain resort/category, but keep in mind that you may have to change resorts or categories to get the free dining. Booking ahead won't get you any advantage on booking free dining since you have to call and apply it after it has been released for booking.

If you won't go unless you get free dining, I suppose you could cancel or move the reservation once you learn it isn't offered for what or when you want. But if you won't go without it, you might as well wait until it is released unless you really want the 180+10.

We're going whether or not we get free dining, but saving $600 to $800 via Free Dining is a damn hard deal to pass on, so the wait continues.

 

[bellrae]

The reservation number stays the same, but they're still checking availability under the promotion just like they would a new reservation. When they add FD to your current reservation, a free dining room comes out of the available pool. Pre booking doesn't give any advantage. No luck needed.

It's recommended not to book hoping for FD unless you're going either way. FD is used to fill rooms where necessary.

In my case it really was luck. Nothing about my booking changed, they just added the FD on. It happens.

 

[aaarcher86]

In my case it really was luck. Nothing about my booking changed, they just added the FD on. It happens.

... Nothing about your reservation would change if there are rooms available in the free dining pool.

The only luck was that rooms were still available, but the procedure is exactly the same. If someone else had gotten the last room in the pool before you, when you called they would have told you it wasn't available for your booking. It doesn't matter if it's new or already booked.

I explained it the best I can. If you don't get how it works on their end that's fine. Getting free dining on the guest side is getting free dining.