Since 2005, Disney has been offering the
Free Dining promo for Magic Your way packages with a 3 night minimum and a 14 day maximum (Basic Dining Plan; 1 TS, 1 CS, 1 Snack per person per night) during the last part of August until the end of September, give or take a few days. It is usually offered to UK visitors first (and for longer booking dates) and for the last two years, I believe, it has been offered as a bounceback to guest staying in the resorts during the Free dining promo. The free dining offer is usually announced during the first week of April. The first couple of days it will only be open to Disney Visa holders and then will open up to the general public. The booking dates for this year for the general public were August 24 through September 20 (but you could book up to 14 days past that date and still receive the FD promo) and you had to book by June 22 to receive the FD offer.
Free Dining has been a brilliant plan on the part of Disney to fill the crowds during what was previously their slowest season, and hurrican season to boot. And then having the bounceback for free food while the free diners are there in the parks, on their Disney high, well I would call that pure marketing genius.
The UK is already being offered a Free Dining promo for next year. The change for 2009 is that the Free Dining will be for the new Counter Service Dining plan. All speculation is that this will also be the offer for US guests.