Specifics of free dining please

[penguinande]

Ok, so I've done a bit of looking and I've asked around on the dining board, but I want to know more about the details of the free dining plan. Here are my questions:
Within what dates can I be fairly certain it will be offered?
It's it better to wait until free dining is released and then book, or to book first and then try to add it on?
I understand that it works on a point system. Do you use up a lot of points eating character dining? Other types of table service meals?
Anything else I should know about it, in terms of savings?

 

[penguinande]

Hmm... I think maybe this should have gone on a different board. Perhaps the mods will move. Sorry!

 

[Madame]

The link I wanted to post is blocked. Google Disney free dining 2014 & you'll get a result to show you the 2014 FD dates.

 

[Madame]

Google disney dining credits & the touring plans link will give you a list of how many dining credits per restaurant.

I think CRT and Mickey's Backyard BBQ are the 2 character meals that take 2 credits, the signature restaurants also take 2 credits.

 

[Marnm02]

There is never any guaranteed time to get free dining, and they seem to be reducing the days it's offered every year. Any time in September is usually a safe bet. Last year there were dates offered in October, November, and December, but there were also blackout dates during all those months.

The drawback to booking in anticipation of the discount is that it fills up space at your preferred resort during your preferred dates, making WDW less inclined to need to offer discounts to fill rooms. That said, if you'd go to that resort on those dates regardless of discounts, it makes sense to get it booked, especially since the 180 + 10 ADR benefit will give you a better shot at getting your preferred ADRs. Keep in mind though that just because you book, say September 1-7 at POP, and the free dining promo ends up covering September 1-7 at POP, you don't necessarily get the discount. You have to call and have your reservation changed, and you're subject to the availability of rooms designated for that specific promo. Some people sit on hold over the phone for hours to change their reservation to FD, and meanwhile everyone else who didn't pre-book is booking online, so once the pre-bookers get through on the phone they are disappointed to find that their resort has actually sold out of FD rooms.

The regular dining plan offers 1 table service credit, 1 quick service credit, and 1 snack credit per person, per night. They're all in a bank for you to use as you wish throughout your stay. All DDP QS locations cost 1 QS credit. Most TS locations (including most of the character meals) cost 1 TS credit. Some "Signature" TS locations, and dinner shows, cost 2 TS credits. This guide gives more specifics on which restaurants are included and how many credits they cost: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/m...alog/WaltDisneyWorld/en_us/PDF/2015Dining.pdf

 

[penguinande]

Thanks for the info. So, it sounds like it might be better to wait and see what is offered.