Some FREE DINING Info & Guidelines

[D.DUCKMENOW]

Your dining reservation have absolutely nothing to do with making or having a resort reservation. It does not matter if you are on free dining or not and you don't switch anything in regard to your dining reservations.

If you are going mid-September your 180 day ADR window will open in mid-March. The August/September free dining discounts should be released around the end of March/beginning of April. So go ahead and make your ADRs and your resort reservations (all you have to put down to book your package is $200.00). When the code is released, just call Disney reservations and have them add the FD discount code to your existing reservation - you don't switch or cancel anything. When you check in to your resort you will be given a Key to the World Card (KTTW) which will be used as your room key and will have your park tickets and dining credits on it. When you have a meal, you will simply use that card to pay for your meals - the fact that you received a free dining discount has no baring on any of that - it's the exact same protocol if you pay full price for the dining plan.

thank you so much. i finally get it

 

[jrodrigues527]

i don't understand disney dining plan. i hear it is not worth it for the children but yes for adults. Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[jrodrigues527]

what is the code for the free dining. is it already implied when you book your trip through disney?

we are planning on 6 days... 7nights... parker hopper and value resort however want to upgrade dining to basicplus.

 

[DisGirl1971]

i don't understand disney dining plan. i hear it is not worth it for the children but yes for adults. Your thoughts appreciated.

The Regular/Basic Disney Dining Plan is a much bigger discount for children than for adults. There is no way I could feed my kids a character meal, a fast food/counter service meal and a snack per day for $16.00 per day - that wouldn't even cover the character meal, let alone the other meal or the snack. We now plan all of our yearly Disney trips around free dining promos, but before that we paid for the Disney Dining Plan - it usually saved us a few hundred dollars vs. paying out-of-pocket. We are a family of 7, so a free dining discount saves us around $1,500.00

There are no current free dining discount codes out right now. I don't know when your family is going to Disney or where you are staying, but the August/September free dining discounts should be released in the next 6 to 8 weeks and the October - December free dining discount should be released mid-summer, probably July. If you will read the first post of this thread carefully, it will give you all the information you need about booking a resort package and adding a free dining discount to your existing reservation when a free dining discount is released for the general public. Remember, you will have to call and ask them to add the discount code to your reservation, they will NOT do that automatically.

 

[TinkerShy]

Hi there!

Recently started lurking, first time posting.

My Fiance and I are getting married soon (March 2nd! Yay!) and heading to WDW for our honeymoon later that day (3/2-3/9). We made our reservations quite recently (like, in January), long after the free dining package was being offered, however we did get the basic dining plan anyway since it's our honeymoon and why not!

My question is (and I already read the bit on the front page about how to add the FD pin if there is one) is it worth it to call and ask if we could change to FD? We could just upgrade from QS if that's what's being offered (staying at POFQ) or hopefully they'd be offering basic since we're staying at a moderate anyway. It would theoretically save us a lot of money, which we could use to save or spend some on souvenirs while we're there. I just don't know if we have a shot of any rooms being left on the FD offer since we're so close to our stay.

Thanks for listening! I've been wondering about this for a few days and finally got the courage to post to ask. I could use an outside opinion.

^_^

Edit: Well, I missed a bit on the front page, it looks like I couldn't sign up for it even if they had rooms available since our check in date is the day before the promotion. Silly me. = /

 

[smitch425]

Hi there!

Recently started lurking, first time posting.

to the Disboards!

 

[Halloween Baby]

Thanks for all of the super valuable information!!

We are planning a trip for the 3rd week in August but have not booked anything yet. We want to stay at Pop or All-Stars and I am wondering if I should go ahead and get the ressies before any announcements are made?? Do the value resorts usually fill up after the announcement?

Also, if I book the trip and we come to find out that no offers are made for that time, can I cancel the dining package and just keep the room and tickets?

Thanks for the help!

 

[DisGirl1971]

Thanks for all of the super valuable information!!

We are planning a trip for the 3rd week in August but have not booked anything yet. We want to stay at Pop or All-Stars and I am wondering if I should go ahead and get the ressies before any announcements are made?? Do the value resorts usually fill up after the announcement?

Also, if I book the trip and we come to find out that no offers are made for that time, can I cancel the dining package and just keep the room and tickets?

Thanks for the help!

Pop and All-Star Movies are the ones that have "sold out" first in the past. If you know where you want to stay, I would go ahead and book and then when the discount is released all you will have to do is call and get them to apply the FD discount to your existing reservation.

If you have to drop the DDP off of your reservation, you can do this without penalty until 45 days before your check in date. After the 45 day mark, I believe, they would charge you a $50.00 fee for downgrading your reservation.

 

[chrisw127]

Thanks for all of the super valuable information!!

We are planning a trip for the 3rd week in August but have not booked anything yet. We want to stay at Pop or All-Stars and I am wondering if I should go ahead and get the ressies before any announcements are made?? Do the value resorts usually fill up after the announcement?

Also, if I book the trip and we come to find out that no offers are made for that time, can I cancel the dining package and just keep the room and tickets?

Thanks for the help!

Booking early does two things for you: 1) It secures your reservation if you definitely plan on going regardless of whether or not you get a discount and 2) it saves you time on the phone because Disney already has your info so it's easier to switch you over.

The one thing it doesn't do is guarantee you'll get the promo you want. It's possible on the day the offer comes out it's not available for your room type or your resort. You'll only get the offer if they can switch you over based on availability.

There's actually a pretty good theory that booking early makes the system work against you for a discount. I didn't used to believe this, but we (I'm a TA) had a meeting with our Disney sales rep a few nights ago and we naturally asked about free dining and he was very non-committal and said "Bookings are looking very good, we don't offer it if it looks like we won't need it to fill rooms." We all know this, of course, but it's nice to hear it from Disney and I think it drives home that waiting might be a good idea. And it pains me to say this, because as a TA, it makes my job easier if people book early so that I can change them over when it comes out, but as a consumer, I'm not sure if booking when the offer comes out isn't the better option.

 

[Halloween Baby]

Thanks for that info!! We actually just booked the airfare this morning, and I was thinking of calling to book the stay too. I think I'll wait based on that advice. I think for the time of year we will be staying, there should be a value resort available, even if I have to wait another couple months before booking!! And who knows... maybe they'll send me a pin before then! One could hope...

 

[chrisw127]

Thanks for that info!! We actually just booked the airfare this morning, and I was thinking of calling to book the stay too. I think I'll wait based on that advice. I think for the time of year we will be staying, there should be a value resort available, even if I have to wait another couple months before booking!! And who knows... maybe they'll send me a pin before then! One could hope...

No problem. Good luck.

 

[LucyBC80]

Can I add the free dinning over the internet or do I have to call?

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

Can I add the free dinning over the internet or do I have to call?

You will need to call and if it is available for your resort, room type, etc they will add it.

 

[TinkerShy]

to the Disboards!

Thanks for the warm welcome Smitch!!

 

[Motsy]

I'm just joining in on this, and I'm very interested in booking with free dining next time. My first question is do you already have to have your trip booked before the FD code comes out in order to use it? Or can you, once it comes out, call to book my whole trip with FD? Second question: how can I get a code? Do they come out on WDW's website?

 

[VroomVroomLightning]

I'm just joining in on this, and I'm very interested in booking with free dining next time. My first question is do you already have to have your trip booked before the FD code comes out in order to use it? Or can you, once it comes out, call to book my whole trip with FD? Second question: how can I get a code? Do they come out on WDW's website?

You don't have to have your trip booked already to get the FD when it comes out. Some people prefer to do so because 1. They are going with a discount or not and 2. Disney will have your information already so it is just a matter of them putting the code/discount on on to your package.

Codes or often referred to on here as pin codes are sent out in e-mails to random people. No one knows how or why certain people get them and others don't. The best way to get your name in "the door" to possibly receive them is go on the Disney World site and register with all of your information including valid address and e-mail address because pins can come either way. Another thing wouldn't hurt to get your name in their system is to order the planning dvd or the customized maps.

I hope I answered your questions and did correctly. If I answered anything incorrectly someone please feel free to jump in and correct me.

 

[jrodrigues527]

The Regular/Basic Disney Dining Plan is a much bigger discount for children than for adults. There is no way I could feed my kids a character meal, a fast food/counter service meal and a snack per day for $16.00 per day - that wouldn't even cover the character meal, let alone the other meal or the snack. We now plan all of our yearly Disney trips around free dining promos, but before that we paid for the Disney Dining Plan - it usually saved us a few hundred dollars vs. paying out-of-pocket. We are a family of 7, so a free dining discount saves us around $1,500.00

There are no current free dining discount codes out right now. I don't know when your family is going to Disney or where you are staying, but the August/September free dining discounts should be released in the next 6 to 8 weeks and the October - December free dining discount should be released mid-summer, probably July. If you will read the first post of this thread carefully, it will give you all the information you need about booking a resort package and adding a free dining discount to your existing reservation when a free dining discount is released for the general public. Remember, you will have to call and ask them to add the discount code to your reservation, they will NOT do that automatically.

We are staying in May - 24-31st. So there aren't any discount out right now?

That was very helpful. Right now we only have a 1yr old - who will be 23month when we book. Taking her a month before her 2nd Birhday.

 

[dizneemjk2]

Great information! I wish they would offer free dining at the end of April.

 

[g3pak]

Motsy- there are 2 kinds of codes. The Pin code that was explained a few posts ago, and then the code that you need to book FD if/ when it comes out.

The Pin code is unique to each person or family. If I got a code it does no good to give it to you because you can't use it. On the other hand, the FD code is usually a short letter/ number code used by everyone. Keep watch on here- as soon as it is out someone will post the FD code.

 

[DisDaze]

I'm seeing multiple threads about a rumor for a new free dining offer coming out on March 1st (most likely for Disney Visa holders first.) Hope this pans out for everyone . . .