Question about free Dining Plan and length of stay

[BDL]

I've seen the different posting of free dining... The dates, the levels (DDP vs DxDP), etc... But I have also seen them state "book any 5 night/6day package..."

Does this mean that if I book a 6n/7d package trip, where my check-in day (if not my whole vacation) falls in the free dining window, that I will not be eligible?

 

[MuchLovedMama]

That is the minimum nights/days. You can have up to 14 nights of free dining.

 

[POOHsie]

The minimum requirements for Free Dining are a 3 night stay, and 2-day minimum park tickets/per person in the room. All people in the room have to have the same reservation items. To keep your up-front costs down, buy the minimum tickets, then upgrade the tickets at your hotel when you arrive. Buying more park days and options costs the same in person as in advance. That will help spread out your total costs over a period of time. And once you check in, each person in the room can update their tickets differently, i.e., number of days, adding options.

You get the Free Dining package for your entire stay, as long as your check-in day falls within the offer period. If the offer is thru the 30th of a month, and you check in on the 30th, you will get free dining for your entire stay, (even tho you checked in on the last day of the offer) You may get Free Dining for up to a 14 day stay.

 

[Faldred]

The "5 night/6 day" phrasing is an example (but one they hope you assume is the minimum). The actual minimums, as noted above, are 3 nights with a 2 day MYW ticket purchase.

Note, that is based on historical information. There is nothing preventing WDW from putting out a specific offer that has different minimum requirements. Check the fine print before making any assumptions.

 

[BDL]

Thank you all for your replies. My last trip, I actually moved a day back (kept the same duration) just so our check-in day fell under free dining. And it was always a 5n/6d trip. Now, we are going with a bigger group and are planning a 6n/7d trip, and if free dining happens to come down the pike, I just wanted to make sure the length would be the only hurdle. Otherwise, we'd have a canundrum... Minus 1 day, save on the meal plan vs. maximizing a 7 day trip of Disney at Xmas.