Questions about free dining plan

[gonitts]

Kind of a Disney rookie here so to speak so any help would be greatly appreciated. Last time we were there was in 2010 and only been here twice since 2004. My questions are about the free dining plan. We are planning a trip to Disney in Oct 25-Nov 1 of this year. I've checked the last 2 years and that week has been on the list of the free dining plan both those years. I was thinking of staying at CBR as we've stayed at the other moderate resorts before and wanted to try a new one. Well I started to read the CBR thread (the big one) and back in November some people were saying that the CBR was only 1 of 2 moderates offering the free dining plan. Is this always the case because I thought when they offer free dining plan it was for all the hotels except the Value Resorts? I'm probably wrong I guess.

In December 2010 we stayed at Coronado and I think we booked the trip early in the year and when the free dining plan came out and our dates were included our Travel Agent just applied it to the reservation.

If anybody can help me and just explain the free dining plan in general would help us out. Just trying to save as much as possible.

When do they usually announce the dates for the plan for the fall months?

 

[MakiraMarlena]

No it is not always the case.

In 2014, the fall offer excluded the following resorts entirely: Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Art of Animation, All Star Movies and the Villas at the Grand Floridian (just the villas, not the hotel). So it is true that the only participating values were Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach. Will it be the same this year? We don't know yet.

All other resorts had various availablity for the promotion.

All value resorts have historically been excluded from the British free dining offer but not the US one.

The free dining promotion is pretty simple, purchase a package reservation between 3 and 14 nights (21 if you're British) at full rack rate for the room, plus at least 2 day park tickets and they will throw in a dining plan. Type of dining plan depends on type of resort, if it's a value you get quick service, if higher you get the regular plan.

If there is a general public offer for the last half of 2015 then it will probably come out in April/May.

 

[Mikie]

Free dining has been offered at all resort levels a the Value resorts just get a plan with all quick service, no table service. Disney probably offers the free dining (or any discount) at resorts where bookings are low and they need to fill rooms. So as The economy is coming back and park attendance is rising, blackout dates, hotel exclusions and hotels included but running out on special offers super-quick are on the rise.

You or your travel agent can get a discount applied to your reservation if you already have a booking when the discount is released, subject to availability of course. Disney does it automatically apply it.

Many speculate that if you book in advance hoping for the discount to come later, you may be causing a problem: you,ve already filled a room, so Disney has less incentive to offer discounts at that resort. Some suggest if you are at all flexible on dates, you should not book (more empty rooms) until discounts are released and then jump on booking a date and resort that's included in the offer. My dates are usually pretty fixed, so I have to book when I know it and just hope for a discount to come later - I landed in blackout dates this year

I'm having trouble with posting links today, but if you google "disney world historical discounts" you can find a chart listing past discounts and when they were released.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

You or your travel agent can get a discount applied to your reservation if you already have a booking when the discount is released

I'm going to point out that this is true if you have previously booked a package reservation. If your previous reservation is a room only reservation, it will have to be cancelled and rebooked as a package to apply the promotion.

 

[aaarcher86]

Also wanted to point out that, going by last years dates which were -

August 31 – October 3, 2014
October 26 – November 1, 2014
November 9 – 20, 2014
December 12 – 23, 2014

You would need to check in on 10/26 - FD can't just fall within your date range (just using these dates as an example).

 

[wdwrich]

... So it is true that the only participating values were Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach. Will it be the same this year? We don't know yet...

Just wanted to point out that Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach are classified as "moderate" Disney resorts, not "value".

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Of course they are. I wrote the wrong word. So sorry.

 

[gonitts]

Thanks for the help everyone. Kind of new at this I usually hang out on the cruise forums as we go on cruises much more than Disney. Want to take my then 6 year old before he gets too old. He was 22 months old in 2010 and of course doesn't remember anything.

So if we reserve the dates I said earlier and find the dining plan isn't available those dates or the CBR isn't offered in the deal can we switch without any penalty? Thx again.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you book a package, you can have the package switched to another resort or room type where there is availablity.

Or you can switch the dates of your reservation.

If your check-in date isn't included in the promotion, you can't get free dining for any of your stay, even if later dates do show up on the promotion. Only the date you check in counts.

 

[Missytara]

I think it is going to be interesting to see what occurs when CBR completes its refurb and adds the rooms for 5.

The reason why POR is blocked out most of the time is because it is the only resort that is affordable as a moderate for a family of 5. That being said, I am sure Disney did their homework and realized there is a high demand for moderate rooms for 5. I bet they know they can fill them, especially for the next couple of years as the word gets out that they added them.

Similar to AofA resort. There have been no real discounts because they don't need them to fill the resort.

 

[aaarcher86]

I'm interested as well.

Maybe exclude both and offer RO like they did for POR last time.

 

[Missytara]

I'm interested as well.

Maybe exclude both and offer RO like they did for POR last time.

That is my hunch as well. They are losing a lot of money on rooms on FD with two adults and three kids under the age of 17, but above the age of 10. They are basically all adults.

 

[bluezy]

While we're "pointing things out" I'll just mention it wasn't *all* of Art of Animation that was excluded from Free Dining last fall -- it was only the Little Mermaid rooms. Traditionally those are the only rooms at AoA that are excluded from discounts (and occasionally the Nemo suites). We've gotten discounted rooms (suites) at AoA and a friend had Free Dining in a LK suite last fall.

 

[scanner219]

If you get the quick service plan free, can you pay the difference for the regular dining plan?

 

[wdwrich]

If you get the quick service plan free, can you pay the difference for the regular dining plan?

Yes.

 

[chilepeppr4]

Do you think we will be offered free dining this fall?

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

I think it is going to be interesting to see what occurs when CBR completes its refurb and adds the rooms for 5.

The reason why POR is blocked out most of the time is because it is the only resort that is affordable as a moderate for a family of 5. That being said, I am sure Disney did their homework and realized there is a high demand for moderate rooms for 5. I bet they know they can fill them, especially for the next couple of years as the word gets out that they added them.

Similar to AofA resort. There have been no real discounts because they don't need them to fill the resort.

I'm wondering this as well. I would love to try CBR since we haven't been able to do anything but POR in the past. I do love POR btw, just anxious to try something new that my family of 5 will fit in.

 

[aaarcher86]

While we're "pointing things out" I'll just mention it wasn't *all* of Art of Animation that was excluded from Free Dining last fall -- it was only the Little Mermaid rooms. Traditionally those are the only rooms at AoA that are excluded from discounts (and occasionally the Nemo suites). We've gotten discounted rooms (suites) at AoA and a friend had Free Dining in a LK suite last fall.

Yeah - I'm sure that was part of the plan. Exclude the 5 person rooms and those families either end up with a suite or 2 rooms now if they want FD.

Do you think we will be offered free dining this fall?

Yes, in some capacity. Attendance and profits are up. I'm banking on September (as usual), a few dates in Oct/Nov/Dec and heavily limited availability for all dates.

 

[We Dream of Disney]

I have a question! We are looking at going the first weekend in December and I'm pretty sure that it will be a black out time. What if our stay is long enough to where one of our days is not blacked out and is included in the free dining promotion? Would then have free dining the whole time? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. Thanks in advance!

 

[jennab]

I have a question! We are looking at going the first weekend in December and I'm pretty sure that it will be a black out time. What if our stay is long enough to where one of our days is not blacked out and is included in the free dining promotion? Would then have free dining the whole time? I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. Thanks in advance!

I believe your check in day has to be during the non-blackout days then you get FD the whole time. So if it goes until 11/30 for example you would need to check in that day.