So am I completely out of luck?

[the_green_machine]

with the new 2012 Free Dining promotion just announced I'm wondering if I'm out in the cold....

I arrive at WDW on Jan 20th 2012 and the free dining promo doesnt start until the 22nd....am I out of luck or is there some way you can see me getting around this?

Any info would be greatly appriciated...Thanks!

 

[TDC Nala]

How long a trip were you planning?

You can book the first two nights on a separate reservation and then check out and check back in on a package, to get free dining for the rest of your stay.

But you're definitely out of luck for the first two nights. Problems arise if you want DDP for those first two nights at all - because unless you have an annual pass you'd have to book a separate package AND buy tickets with that package to get the DDP. That means you will be buying tickets with BOTH packages. That might actually negate whatever savings you could get out of free dining.

If you can get by without DDP for the first two nights, you can book your full length of stay tickets with the free dining package starting the 22nd, then pick them up separately from the package two days early. There's no way to start the dining two days early though...you can only do that with the tickets. See the Ticket FAQ on the Theme Parks board for information on how to do this. Apparently you have to go to Guest Services to get the tickets, you can't just pick them up at the resort.

The other option is to rent points from a DVC member for the first two nights, then have them add the dining plan for those nights (you'd be paying them for adding the plan, but you would not have to purchase any tickets to get it). But then you would most likely be changing resorts after the first two days.

 

[the_green_machine]

How long a trip were you planning?

You can book the first two nights on a separate reservation and then check out and check back in on a package, to get free dining for the rest of your stay.

But you're definitely out of luck for the first two nights. Problems arise if you want DDP for those first two nights at all - because unless you have an annual pass you'd have to book a separate package AND buy tickets with that package to get the DDP. That means you will be buying tickets with BOTH packages. That might actually negate whatever savings you could get out of free dining.

If you can get by without DDP for the first two nights, you can book your full length of stay tickets with the free dining package starting the 22nd, then pick them up separately from the package two days early. There's no way to start the dining two days early though...you can only do that with the tickets. See the Ticket FAQ on the Theme Parks board for information on how to do this. Apparently you have to go to Guest Services to get the tickets, you can't just pick them up at the resort.

The other option is to rent points from a DVC member for the first two nights, then have them add the dining plan for those nights (you'd be paying them for adding the plan, but you would not have to purchase any tickets to get it). But then you would most likely be changing resorts after the first two days.

I've booked a 7 day (Jan 20th to 27th) trip.

So what your saying is that I'll have to buy 2 separate packages regarding tickets, and since it is cheaper the more days you buy I may end up paying just as much with a 2 day package (X2, for my wife and I) then an additional 5 day package (X2)...

Thanks for the heads up...I'll have to speak with my travel agent and see if its worth messing with my ressie.

 

[the_green_machine]

So I just looked into the tickets and with a 2 day package (X2) coming in at $357.00 (approx. and I'd be paying in CAD) and a 5 day package costing 534.64 I'd be paying almost 330.00 more just for tickets.....thats totally not worth free dining....Thanks for all your help.

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

If you can get by without DDP for the first two nights, you can book your full length of stay tickets with the free dining package starting the 22nd, then pick them up separately from the package two days early. There's no way to start the dining two days early though...you can only do that with the tickets. See the Ticket FAQ on the Theme Parks board for information on how to do this. Apparently you have to go to Guest Services to get the tickets, you can't just pick them up at the resort.

This could still work for you if you are willing to pay for your food the first two days without the dining plan.

 

[vicki_c]

This could still work for you if you are willing to pay for your food the first two days without the dining plan.

I agree - don't discount it out of hand - if you just pay out of pocket for your food on the first two days, you don't need to buy any tickets (you can do a room only reservation). With the free dining reservation, you purchase a long enough ticket to cover the entire stay - and you can pick up those tickets up to 3 days before your package reservation starts.

So you would have a room only for the first two days, the rest would be a package with free dining and tickets covering enough days for both reservations.

However, there are normally room discounts at that time of year and that might be cheaper than free dining - it just depends on the make up of your party, what resort, and how you eat.

 

[Diegosmom]

That is our same check in day as well...although we are staying till the 29th...

Here is what I did

Booked Jan22-29 with 7 day tix and free dining

Now I will do room only (and hope for a discount) for Friday night and sat night. Although Friday night is in questions. We are driving down and we were planning on checking in around midnight on Friday night. We might still drive down Friday night but stay in a cheap hotel the first night then get room only on Sat night...Or we might get up super early on sat morning (like 4am) and drive down checking in at Disney with room only. I will pick up our tix 1 day early. And we will just pay OP for Sat meals (already planning on doing OP on Friday since we wont be at Disney till midnight).

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're two adults and you're staying at a deluxe resort, make sure before you commit to free dining and splitting your stay that you can't get a room discount that would work out to be a better deal than free dining. I am sure there aren't any out for January yet, but there probably will be.

 

[havoc315]

So I just looked into the tickets and with a 2 day package (X2) coming in at $357.00 (approx. and I'd be paying in CAD) and a 5 day package costing 534.64 I'd be paying almost 330.00 more just for tickets.....thats totally not worth free dining....Thanks for all your help.

You don't need to make both reservations packages. You can buy a 7-day ticket for the second package, and make the first reservation "room only."

 

[TDC Nala]

You only need to buy tickets with both reservations if you want a dining plan on the first reservation. If you can get by with no dining plan the first two nights (which will mean paying OOP for food), make a room only reservation for the 20th and 21st and buy tickets for the full stay with the free dining reservation. If you make the two reservations for the same resort, request to stay in the same room. It's not guaranteed but they'll do it if they can.

You can pick up the tickets and use them early. You just can't do that with the dining.

 

[the_green_machine]

So I contacted my travel agent and after he crunched the numbers I think we have something to work with. Luckily when we booked initially we did room and flight separate. So we kept the flights as is and we have re-booked the room for the 20th to the 22nd (OOP) then an additional booking for the remaining 5 days with free dining.... according to him we are only being charged $55.00 (we are staying at Pop) to upgrade for the 5 days (each) pretty good savings over all.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[megswdw]

You might be better off just waiting for a room only discount. You price the room only discount as a room. Then, you add tickets and it gives you the option to add the dining plan. If you are staying at a Deluxe, this is almost always a greater savings than the free dining anyway.

 

[the_green_machine]

Actually, I've just booked and made out alright (Value Resort by the way). I had to book the resort through another company up here in Canada. I ended up saving a little over 200.00 on my room and another 3 to 400.00 on my dining so I'm satisfied now, It's all done and paid for!

Thanks for all the great suggestions!