Sooo lets assume I get free dining.. How do I use it

[Globalfootprint]

Hello.

We are coming with our four kids from Australia in September this year.. We have one teenage son and three kids under 8. We are trying to sae money anywhere we can whilst still leaving this a magical experience.

This will very muchly be a once in a lifetime trip for us and we are only doing it now because we got some half priced airfares.

I am in a wheelchair and we had to cancel our last family holiday for me to have surgery. So this time we are not telling the kids where we are going.. We are not even telling them we are going on holiday... Even o the plane they will be guessing because we have a stop over.

We need to save money where we can with this.

So atm we are booked into the Art f Animation for 13 nights with a 10 day hopper ticket. Unsure if we need Water Park.

Until a few days ago when I found this forum i had no ida Free Dining existed.

But now I do I will try to get it even if it means moving to a different resort and having an interconnecting room.

So lets assume I ca actually get it although I have no idea when to go online with the time difference

If I get the basic one with no sit down service.. How do I use it? How do I pay? What places can we eat at? Is this suitable as a diet for 2 weeks?

If I get the other ones that do include sit down menu. Where can we eat? How do we pay? Can you eat at Character dinings? Is this a suitable diet for 2 weeks? Do you think it will save us alot of money for 6 people? Should I pre book places? Where should I pre book?

What would you do? Any other recommended encouraged because I know alot about disneyland... But nothing about WDW Orlando... HELP ME!!

 

[Globalfootprint]

Anyone at all?

 

[ses1230]

Hello.

We are coming with our four kids from Australia in September this year.. We have one teenage son and three kids under 8. We are trying to sae money anywhere we can whilst still leaving this a magical experience.

This will very muchly be a once in a lifetime trip for us and we are only doing it now because we got some half priced airfares.

I am in a wheelchair and we had to cancel our last family holiday for me to have surgery. So this time we are not telling the kids where we are going.. We are not even telling them we are going on holiday... Even o the plane they will be guessing because we have a stop over.

We need to save money where we can with this.

So atm we are booked into the Art f Animation for 13 nights with a 10 day hopper ticket. Unsure if we need Water Park.

Until a few days ago when I found this forum i had no ida Free Dining existed.

But now I do I will try to get it even if it means moving to a different resort and having an interconnecting room.

So lets assume I ca actually get it although I have no idea when to go online with the time difference

Assuming you mean to make ADRs, you can go online at 6am eastern time or call at 7am eastern time at 180 days from arrival. Sorry I don't know what time that would be in Australia. (If it helps, it is 5/3 at 12:50pm eastern time right now). You said September, so your booking window is already open.

If I get the basic one with no sit down service.. How do I use it? How do I pay? What places can we eat at? Is this suitable as a diet for 2 weeks?

At the CS restaurant you tell the CM that you are using the dining plan. The credits will be on your band (not really "on" the band, but associated with your account), and you scan your band at the register.

You can eat at any of the CS restaurants in the parks, resorts and DTD.

If you want to eat at any sit down restaurants you would have to pay OOP.

I personally would not want to eat that way for 2 weeks.

If I get the other ones that do include sit down menu. Where can we eat? How do we pay? Can you eat at Character dinings? Is this a suitable diet for 2 weeks? Do you think it will save us alot of money for 6 people? Should I pre book places? Where should I pre book?

Pretty much the same procedure. You would pay by scanning your band. Gratuity is not included, you would have to pay that OOP.

You order from the regular menu.

Yes you can use the dining plan for character meals. Most are 1 TS credit, CRT is 2 TS credits.

Will it save money? Well that depends on how you eat. DDP includes dessert but not appetizers, alcoholic drinks or gratuity. All that would be extra cost. The best thing to do would be to look at the menus, either here on the DIS or on allears, and do some price comparisons.

Yes, you should definitely make ADRs.



What would you do? Any other recommended encouraged because I know alot about disneyland... But nothing about WDW Orlando... HELP ME!!

Here is a dining plan vs OOP calculator that might be helpful: http://seeyareelsoon.wix.com/seeyareelsoon#!dining-plan-calculator/cxc0 or http://www.distripplanner.com/

 

[Nohal]

If you are able to get free dining you will get the counter service (QS 2 counter service meals and one snack per night) if you book values, if you book a moderate or deluxe you will get the DDP (1 Table service, 1 counter service and 1 snack per night). You can book a value resort and pay to upgrade to the higher dining plan. There are many counter service places to eat with good food and a big variety. Go to Allearsnet.com for menus. We had the QS plan one year and never had a burger. We even had steak at Epcot in the American Pavilian. If you plan to do a lot of charachter meals then it would probably be worth upgrading to the DDP. You need to start making your ADR's if you go the table service route especially now that free dining is available. A snack is almost any item under $4, so for breakfast you could get a bagel, pastry, individual cereal etc at your food court and save the meals for lunch and dinner. There is a lot of information on these boards to help you with further questions.

 

[bbak3030]

Most of the time the CM will ask you before ordering if you are on the DP. Then they will tell you what you get.
Don't forget to add in tips for table service, as those are not included.
Even though your 180 day window has passed, there will still be plenty of places to make ADRs. Good luck and have fun!

 

[jezebel73]

The cost to upgrade from the quick service to the regular dining plan is $19.03 for anyone 10+ and $3.13 for anyone 9- per night of your stay. If you are looking to do character meals, this is definitely the way to go! Yes, you do need to keep in mind that you will have the cost of tips on those meals, but with the free dining, this is still a huge savings, especially for a large party like yours.

Also, you can mix up the credits any way you wish. Staying 13 nights with the regular dining plan, you get 13 CS, 13 TS, and 13 snack credits per person. You can use any combination or amount from this pool on each day of your stay, but remember that if you run out, you will get stuck with out of pocket meals at the end of your trip. Also, the children use child credits, the adults use the adults (so yes, they are all in the pool, but each person has their own set of 13 credits, if that makes sense).

I've almost never needed to buy extra food on top of this plan during a trip. If you use a snack for breakfast or have something light in the room, then eat two meals during the day - both of which have dessert - it really is a lot of food. Also with your large group, if you have some bigger and some smaller appetites, just shift food around at the table to make everyone happy! I've been known to let my child eat my cheesecake while I take her grapes if I'm full. And at a CS place, you can scope out how much food is coming out for certain meals as people walk past with their trays so you know what the meal size will be.

Lastly, if you do upgrade to that plan, definitely make ADRs for your table meals. Free dining is busy dining!

 

[Globalfootprint]

Thisbis a great lot of information and Im starting to understand it a bit better.

I appreciate all the responses..

I guess one last question I have is that I keep trying to make ADRs but they all seem to be asking me for payment up front... I cant afford to do this so should I just figure out which ones I want then quickly book them in straight after I get the free dining...?

Do they all need payment up front.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

THey are not asking for payment up front. For most of them, you must enter a credit card to hold the reservation. And then, if you don't cancel the day before, or you just don't show up, you'll be charged $10 per person.

If you are trying to book Cinderella's Royal Table or any of the 3 dinner shows, to book those you do need to pay in full at the time of booking. Had you already added the dining plan to your resort reservation you would be able to change that to a credit card guarantee only, but if you don't have the plan at the time you book you have to pay and then change your method of payment and get a refund when you pick up your tickets for a dinner show, or arrive at CRT.

 

[Mikie]

You've gotten some great and thorough responses. I would just add that you can find some variety at QS (the option that's free with your value resort) but not much for the kids - you'll run into lots of burgers or chicken fingers and if your kids are used to more variety (2meals of that every day!) I like to upgrade to the dining plan where I'd plan several buffets which all have lots of variety (and veggies, which are hard to come by at QS). With your kids ages, and the length of your trip (plenty of time to see everything) if they like disney characters, I'd book lots of character meals! They're fun, good food, and very pricey when you're not on a free dining plan.

You also mentioned water parks - again, you have a nice long vacation with time to see everything, but your younger kids will be too short for many of the water slides. Unless the teenager and adults really love water parks, I'd spend all my time in the regular parks, hotel pool and downtown disney and save the money vs adding water parks.

 

[dancin Disney style]

You've gotten some great and thorough responses. I would just add that you can find some variety at QS (the option that's free with your value resort) but not much for the kids - you'll run into lots of burgers or chicken fingers and if your kids are used to more variety (2meals of that every day!) I like to upgrade to the dining plan where I'd plan several buffets which all have lots of variety (and veggies, which are hard to come by at QS). With your kids ages, and the length of your trip (plenty of time to see everything) if they like disney characters, I'd book lots of character meals! They're fun, good food, and very pricey when you're not on a free dining plan.

You also mentioned water parks - again, you have a nice long vacation with time to see everything, but your younger kids will be too short for many of the water slides. Unless the teenager and adults really love water parks, I'd spend all my time in the regular parks, hotel pool and downtown disney and save the money vs adding water parks.

Just to add to this...

If your 3 youngest kids are good eaters you can book them as age 10 and then they will get the adult dining plan. To do this you will have to pay for their park tickets as adults though....approx. $20 each additional. If you opt to do this they can have the freedom to choose a meal from the adult or kids menu.

With regard to the waterparks, we visit them on every trip and have since my youngest DD was only 6. She's a very tiny girl and she enjoyed many of the slides even then. You should check out height requirements but I think your kids would still have tons of fun. That said, 10 park days is more than enough and I think you should take those extra 3 days as relaxation days to just enjoy your resort pool. You can also visit other resorts or DTD. Spread them out through your trip. The parks can be exhausting, in particular, in the heat.

 

[ameliahyde]

Hello.

We are coming with our four kids from Australia in September this year.. We have one teenage son and three kids under 8. We are trying to sae money anywhere we can whilst still leaving this a magical experience.

This will very muchly be a once in a lifetime trip for us and we are only doing it now because we got some half priced airfares.

I am in a wheelchair and we had to cancel our last family holiday for me to have surgery. So this time we are not telling the kids where we are going.. We are not even telling them we are going on holiday... Even o the plane they will be guessing because we have a stop over.

We need to save money where we can with this.

So atm we are booked into the Art f Animation for 13 nights with a 10 day hopper ticket. Unsure if we need Wat

Until a few days ago when I found this forum i had no ida Free Dining existed.

But now I do I will try to get it even if it means moving to a different resort and having an interconnecting room.

So lets assume I ca actually get it although I have no idea when to go online with the time difference

If I get the basic one with no sit down service.. How do I use it? How do I pay? What places can we eat at? Is this suitable as a diet for 2 weeks?

If I get the other ones that do include sit down menu. Where can we eat? How do we pay? Can you eat at Character dinings? Is this a suitable diet for 2 weeks? Do you think it will save us alot of money for 6 people? Should I pre book places? Where should I pre book?

What would you do? Any other recommended encouraged because I know alot about disneyland... But nothing about WDW Orlando... HELP ME!!

Given the ages of your kids and the fact you can secure it for free, I would definitely go for free dining. The character meals with little ones are really wonderful. You will be there an extended stay, so I,think you will have lots of time to hit many. In my opinion, the breakfast character meals are awesome. The Mickey waffles are one of my favorite foods on site! You can do late breakfasts with the character meals that are close to lunch time, and all parks have at least 1 restaurant which does a character meal for breakfast. Many resorts offer them too.

There are so many other great dining options which are included in the dining plan and are 1 table service meal credit. I myself would not do the counter service only plan. I find it limiting, but there are people who do it and love it.

As for snacks, you can be super creative with snack credits and get things which can serve as a small meal. The meals are often large, even with counter service, and you could easily split them at times to conserve credits.

 

[Globalfootprint]

Thanks so Much everyone.

Is there a list somewhere that shows which places have character dining..??

Id like to do all f them considering we are there s long and will have so many credits

Or any other places we shouldnt miss for breakfast/lunch/dinner..

Buffets will be good for us because our kids are picky.. They do like Italian though.. Other than that pretty bland normal food.

 

[ses1230]

Thanks so Much everyone.

Is there a list somewhere that shows which places have character dining..??

Id like to do all f them considering we are there s long and will have so many credits

Or any other places we shouldnt miss for breakfast/lunch/dinner..

Buffets will be good for us because our kids are picky.. They do like Italian though.. Other than that pretty bland normal food.

Character Dining locations

 

[mgsquared]

If you haven't booked the free dining yet, contact small world vacations for help! They set me up!