Recap Last Year's Free Dining For Me...

[keishashadow]

Not thrilled w/the plan WDW's offering for this summer ($1,500 for 6 nights @ Value for 2 A, 1 Jr & 1 C and base tix).

Anyone recall when:
1) last year's free dining plan was announced? and
2) what dates it ran?

Is there a minimum number of nights that the MYW plan must be purchased (i.e. 2 or 3 nights?)

TIA

 

[helenk]

I do not recall when the free dining was annouced but the dates it was available was during hurricane season, September to the beginning of October.
I think that the minimum of nights for a package is 3 nights, but you must book the dining for each of the nights booked. You can not book for 6 nights and only have dining for 3.

 

[Luv2Travel]

I believe I booked that package last July. As HelenK said, it ran during the hurricane (value) season which was late Aug thru Oct 4. It was a GREAT deal, but just like the 7 nights for the price of 4 deal, I wouldn't ever expect to see it again.

 

[keishashadow]

I believe I booked that package last July. As HelenK said, it ran during the hurricane (value) season which was early-mid (?) Aug thru Oct 4. It was a GREAT deal, but just like the 7 nights for the price of 4 deal, I wouldn't ever expect to see it again.

...wishing for October - maybe? Stranger things have happened.LOL

 

[MScott1851]

The thing was, it wasn't really "free." You had to book at rack rate to get it.

If you were staying 4 people in a value resort room, it was a great value. DH and I stayed at a Deluxe, and we just about broke even. I'd had rather had the discounted rate of $119 at WL or AKL that they offered the year or so before, and pay for my own meals.

 

[Luv2Travel]

...wishing for October - maybe? Stranger things have happened.LOL

I should've been more positive and mentioned that I do believe the best deals we will see this year will be during that time period again. After the last 2 years of hurricanes I think WDW may still throw out some good incentive to bring people to FL during hurricane season. The "free" dining did work well - it was PACKED the week we went and that was our 3rd or 4th year to go at that time. I understand MScott's point, it wasn't a great deal for deluxes, but we did our first stay in a moderate and we made out like bandits. My family of 5 (priced as 4 adults and 1 child) paid $25 more a night for $2000 worth of food for the week. I just don't know if it really helped WDW's bottom line. The deal ended on Oct 4 so we had to take our kids out of school a week before their fall break to go to WDW. I don't think there were any other discounts for the rest of October. Goodluck! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another good deal too.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

About when free dining was announced last year - I think there was a good booking window and it closed around the 5th of July? I get confused b/c we booked first, then switched when the package was announced. I think I still have my paperwork at home and will check (I booked it the first day it was announced, so if I still have the confirmation letter, it will tell me within a few days when the deal was announced.)
Best guess though - sometime in May, and had to book by sometime in July.
From other speculation, I wouldn't count on Free Dining again (although we loved it! ), but some other pretty good discount.
I will probably try to avoid seeing what it is since I have already arranged to rent DVC points for an OKW 1 BR - I don't want buyer's remorse!

 

[emmabelle]

I have written down that on 6/02/05 free dining was available for the dates of 8/20/05 - 10/4/05 for stays of 5 nights or longer. Then on 7/21/05 they released the same dates again, but for stays of 3 nights or longer. Hoping for something good this end of August for the land portion of our vacation

 

[keishashadow]

About when free dining was announced last year - I think there was a good booking window and it closed around the 5th of July? I get confused b/c we booked first, then switched when the package was announced. I think I still have my paperwork at home and will check (I booked it the first day it was announced, so if I still have the confirmation letter, it will tell me within a few days when the deal was announced.)
Best guess though - sometime in May, and had to book by sometime in July.
From other speculation, I wouldn't count on Free Dining again (although we loved it! ), but some other pretty good discount.
I will probably try to avoid seeing what it is since I have already arranged to rent DVC points for an OKW 1 BR - I don't want buyer's remorse!

We're booked @ VWL, but I'd cancel in a New York minute if they'd offer free dining & book @ AS. BTW, you - as a renter of points - beginning with stays the end of April can now add on the dining plan to DVC rentals (up to a few days prior, w/o a MYW tix purchase...at least that's what the Dining CM's tell me).

Thanks to all who checked their records, I'll keep an eye out for future Oct. disc.

 

[HollyJoy]

So can someone tell me what this "free dining" thing is? I'm assuming it is different from the dining package that is offered now.

 

[Tigge50447]

We did the free dining package at the end of Last August. It was FANTASTIC. Basically we ate for free the entire time we where there. You got one free sit down mean and one counter service and a snack for each person for each day. I had booked all of our reservations before going down so we never had to wait for seating. Once we paid for the pizza to be delivered at the all-star, I wouldn't recommend that it was horrible pizza. I don't think it was real cheese.... YUK!

For those of you who knew about the free dining meal we were even able to get the fantasmic dinner package on the free meal plan.

I sure hope they dome out with this again. My BF said it will be the only way he'll go again, I'll have to fix that......

 

[TDC Nala]

So can someone tell me what this "free dining" thing is? I'm assuming it is different from the dining package that is offered now.

Yes, it is. It was a special promotion available to purchasers of room/tickets packages in 2005 value season (Aug. 20 - Oct. 4). It was the same dining plan that is usually offered as a package add-on, but at no charge for that limited time.

Don't know if it was specified - the plan for DVC stays costs the same as it does for the package, but you don't need to have bought tickets, just booked a stay at a DVC resort. There's a post on the DVC board that says this works for cash stays at DVC resorts, too.

 

[cobbler]

It was the same dining plan that is avail now only it was free when you booked a package of a room/ticket combo. The room had to be at rack rate, no discount and you had to have at least a one day pass for everyone in the room.

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

We're booked @ VWL, but I'd cancel in a New York minute if they'd offer free dining & book @ AS. BTW, you - as a renter of points - beginning with stays the end of April can now add on the dining plan to DVC rentals (up to a few days prior, w/o a MYW tix purchase...at least that's what the Dining CM's tell me).

Thanks to all who checked their records, I'll keep an eye out for future Oct. disc.

Thanks keishashadow! Yes, I have been carefully monitoring the situation and we are planning on adding the dining. I only meant that I would avoid seeing what the deal was b/c I can't cancel the rental. (Ahhh, the price of being a renter instead of an owner.) I want to own, really I do, but can't justify the outlay of cash. I have thought about buying into HHI, since my Dad lives there (but I would NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS stay at his house) and we live close enough to vacation, then I could get into DVC cheaper and still be able to book at 7 months, but I don't see that happening anytime soon either.

Your friend, a sad non-DVC owner.