Question about dining plan and arrival dates

[jenandjuice]

Question about dining plan and arrival dates...

If this is an inappropriate question to ask please let me know and excuse my ignorance.

My trip is for next thanksgiving and I was hoping for FD, I know I won't know if that will come into affect for a while but here are my thoughts.

IF FD is only offered through the Friday before thanksgiving what if I changed my dates to arrive that friday before, would that mean I'd get FD the entire trip?

Also, there are 2 adults and 1 kiddo going, and what if I was the only one to arrive on the friday before? Not sure if we want to pull the kiddo out of school that friday or not. Would it still be free dining?

Basically does the whole party have to check in, or does at least one person have to check in and you pay for the whole party?

I know this is all extremely hypothetical, but I'm a super-planner and just wanting to know how this would work.

Lastly, is it easy to change dates, so if I booked for 11/17 - 11/25 and then later decided to change it to arrive on 11/16 will promotions be able to be applied?

Thanks in advance!

 

[havoc315]

-Typically, if there is a free dining offer, you would need to check in by the Thursday before Thanksgiving. They actually made an error this year, and had later check-in dates, but then they fixed it, and required check-in by November 17th.

-I believe your entire party would have to check-in. That said, you *might* be able to check in on behalf of everyone. Not sure how fully the front desk would be checking to make sure everyone else was physically with you.

-You can usually re-book/modify your reservations when new offers come out, but it may depend on availability, and also how close you are to your actual travel dates.

I wouldn't make a bet, 1 way or another, as to whether there will be free dining the week before Thanksgiving. But if there is, it will most likely end the Thursday before Thanksgiving week. And yes, if you checked in on that date, then you'd get free dining for the whole stay.

 

[jenandjuice]

Thank you so much for your responses!

And for indulging my hypothetical probably would never happen thought process

 

[nkereina]

If you check in on the last day the promo is offered, you will have free dining for the duration of your stay.

In the past, they used to require everyone to be at check-in to make sure everyone was accounted for. When free dining first came out, people would add "phantom" guests to their reservation, just to get extra credits which is why they started requiring everyone to be at check-in. However, for the last couple of years, they have not required to see everyone at check-in. Though they most likely won't ask for everyone to be there, I'd be nervous about it.

As PP said, it is easy enough to call and change your check in date once you find out the dates of the promo. If you do it the day the promo is released, you most likely won't have availability issues. However if you wait, the promo could sell out at different hotels since only a certain number of rooms with the promo are allotted at each hotel.

 

[jenandjuice]

Yeah, I probably won't worry about it, the last thing I want is to be nervous at the start of my stay!

By the way...I think my cowboys are gonna beat your bills Sunday

Had to add that when I saw your avatar!

 

[nkereina]

Yeah, I probably won't worry about it, the last thing I want is to be nervous at the start of my stay!

By the way...I think my cowboys are gonna beat your bills Sunday

Had to add that when I saw your avatar!

haha! Sorry to disappoint, but Freddie Jackson will handle the Cowboys D single handedly

 

[jenandjuice]

haha! Sorry to disappoint, but Freddie Jackson will handle the Cowboys D single handedly

Sooo...where was your boy?

To be honest...I was actually shocked by that game, our guys looked like a different team!