The Official Free Dining Watch 2007 Thread

[Camilo]

I've been calling daily trying to switch from AMSu to POP, but no luck for me yet.
Oh well, I'll keep trying...
Congrats to those able to change their reservation to the resort they wanted in the first place....

 

[DisneyMom5]

Okay itlooks like pop is all booked up!!! at least from these threads but anyways my question do you think since its more crowed then the other value do you think transportation is going to be a problem? long waits? and so on?

My guess is NO. Here is why: I believe that the reason Pop sold out so quickly for Free Dining, is that it was the most popular Value booked during the Bounceback and UK Free Dining programs, so not as many rooms were offered. No matter what, WDW will not make ALL their rooms Free Dining, they will only set aside so many, because they prefer you pay full price.

So if Pop was already near saturation for free dining rooms, and they want to spread people out a bit, they will offer more rooms in the AS resorts at the sale price to "fill out" those resorts.

If it is most cost effective in off season to run all resorts at 1/2 full, then they try to make all resorts 1/2 full, not some 1/4 and some 3/4.

Does that make sense?

Totally depends on which week you are going, but I do think over all, it will still be low season, but Disney has now guarenteed that the rooms will be "full-er" and that people will stay on site and spend $ on other things, because they are tied down by their ADRs.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it, because it helps me sleep at night and not have crowd anxiety dreams. LOL

 

[ruthma]

My guess is NO. Here is why: I believe that the reason Pop sold out so quickly for Free Dining, is that it was the most popular Value booked during the Bounceback and UK Free Dining programs, so not as many rooms were offered. No matter what, WDW will not make ALL their rooms Free Dining, they will only set aside so many, because they prefer you pay full price.

So if Pop was already near saturation for free dining rooms, and they want to spread people out a bit, they will offer more rooms in the AS resorts at the sale price to "fill out" those resorts.

If it is most cost effective in off season to run all resorts at 1/2 full, then they try to make all resorts 1/2 full, not some 1/4 and some 3/4.

Does that make sense?

Totally depends on which week you are going, but I do think over all, it will still be low season, but Disney has now guarenteed that the rooms will be "full-er" and that people will stay on site and spend $ on other things, because they are tied down by their ADRs.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it, because it helps me sleep at night and not have crowd anxiety dreams. LOL

You can also add that some of the rooms were taken by the 40% off deal.

 

[thelionqueen]

I booked last Thursday at POP, all that was available were standard rooms at the time.....I've got my TA at Dreams checking almost daily for me for a preferred room. I heard that POP filled up almost immediately though! I'm going to keep trying right up until the very last day possible. I'm sure more rooms will be released before then...I hope!

Either way though, I'm going to Disney and getting free dining!

Would you all mind telling us what dates you are looking for @ POP? I made our preferred POP ressies 1st thing on Monday (Disney Visa holder day ) and got exactly what I wanted. I did call back on Monday to add 4 days on the end of our ressie (9/22-10/6) and there was availability to do this. Just curious as to what dates are sold out, thanks

 

[kimberlyp02]

We are trying to change from AsMu to Pop for 9/22-9/29 :-( No luck, I've been calling everyday for a week. I saw yesterday that there was a preferred room available online, and within a couple of minutes it was gone. So there must be alot of people looking for those and snatching them up as soon as they become available.

My dh also found a standard room available and booked it yesterday then as soon as he hit send it changed him to ASSp! I had to call and cancel that ressie. That was odd.

 

[wic0721]

Would you all mind telling us what dates you are looking for @ POP? I made our preferred POP ressies 1st thing on Monday (Disney Visa holder day ) and got exactly what I wanted. I did call back on Monday to add 4 days on the end of our ressie (9/22-10/6) and there was availability to do this. Just curious as to what dates are sold out, thanks

I'm going 9/15 - 9/22. I went onto the Disney website yesterday, out of curiousity, and it came up sold out for my dates...offered me ASMu. I'm going to trying to get a preferred room though!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I was contemplating switching to a moderate for the first week of free DDP and when I checked yesterday it looked like everything was booked except Saratoga and Ft. Wilderness. I tried again several times last night and couldn't even get the screen to come up. Their website has so many problems...it's extremely frustrating!

 

[kimberlyp02]

KEEP TRYING!!!!!!!!!

I just checked and got what I Wanted at POP!!! Standard room






Ok, I'm a little happy here....lol.... We really wanted to try ASMu, but we wanted the popjets at Pop again!

Anyway, keep trying!

 

[Henneman's]

My guess is NO. Here is why: I believe that the reason Pop sold out so quickly for Free Dining, is that it was the most popular Value booked during the Bounceback and UK Free Dining programs, so not as many rooms were offered. No matter what, WDW will not make ALL their rooms Free Dining, they will only set aside so many, because they prefer you pay full price.

So if Pop was already near saturation for free dining rooms, and they want to spread people out a bit, they will offer more rooms in the AS resorts at the sale price to "fill out" those resorts.

If it is most cost effective in off season to run all resorts at 1/2 full, then they try to make all resorts 1/2 full, not some 1/4 and some 3/4.

Does that make sense?

Totally depends on which week you are going, but I do think over all, it will still be low season, but Disney has now guarenteed that the rooms will be "full-er" and that people will stay on site and spend $ on other things, because they are tied down by their ADRs.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it, because it helps me sleep at night and not have crowd anxiety dreams. LOL

thank you just needed a little reassuring!!!!:

 

[kimberlyp02]

Oh, just so you know, when I booked this morning I booked online with Pop then called and they had another available still so I changed my current to pop then cancelled the one I did online, so there were definitely multiple rooms. Online and the CM on the phone said that there were preferred and standards available. I'd call first thing each morning. That's when we've seen availability online too! Maybe they add a few each day?

 

[thelionqueen]

Oh, just so you know, when I booked this morning I booked online with Pop then called and they had another available still so I changed my current to pop then cancelled the one I did online, so there were definitely multiple rooms. Online and the CM on the phone said that there were preferred and standards available. I'd call first thing each morning. That's when we've seen availability online too! Maybe they add a few each day?

Would you please post dates so that others can see if POP is available?? Thanks

 

[disneymom06]

Yes, I am curious about dates as well. I called this morning 7am, and no POP rooms avail and only 1 at AS. I was able to switch to POR, I had CBR. I need two rooms so this is really frustrating.

I also am unable to access the disney site. I keep getting an error reading. I know part of my problem is my dates, 8/26-9/3. I may add days to see if that works.

 

[kimberlyp02]

I posted my dates above in another post. They were 9/22-9/29

 

[cocowum]

Yes, I am curious about dates as well. I called this morning 7am, and no POP rooms avail and only 1 at AS. I was able to switch to POR, I had CBR. I need two rooms so this is really frustrating.

I also am unable to access the disney site. I keep getting an error reading. I know part of my problem is my dates, 8/26-9/3. I may add days to see if that works.

add a few days to your ressie. I had POP for 8/26-8/31 and when I called and tried to change it to 8/26-9/2 there was no availability but when I asked for 8/26 to 9/5 there was.

Good Luck

 

[Albertan mom]

I just got off the phone. Pop was not available Aug 26-Sept 3.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I got my new AAA magazine yesterday and they had a big advertisement for the free dining promo. I wish I could go!

They also had a profile of amusement parks and they totally botched the description of WDW. They forgot AK and said EE was in MGM. Sheesh. You'd think a travel mag would get it right.

 

[Camilo]

I've checked Disney's website 30 minutes ago and POP was available for my dates (Sep 8th to the 16th).
I called them and changed my reservation to stay there.
This was the resort I wanted in the 1st place.
Dance with me, my wife and my son

 

[spindoctors]

I've checked Disney's website 30 minutes ago and POP was available for my dates (Sep 8th to the 16th).
I called them and changed my reservation to stay there.
This was the resort I wanted in the 1st place.
Dance with me, my wife and my son

We will also be in POP from the 8th - 16th with free dining! Congrats!

 

[Reese]

I've checked Disney's website 30 minutes ago and POP was available for my dates (Sep 8th to the 16th).
I called them and changed my reservation to stay there.
This was the resort I wanted in the 1st place.
Dance with me, my wife and my son

Congratulations . I was able to move to preferred at ASMo (our first choice) by checking the website and calling when I seen availiblity too.

 

[gonemousin']

I've checked Disney's website 30 minutes ago and POP was available for my dates (Sep 8th to the 16th).
I called them and changed my reservation to stay there.
This was the resort I wanted in the 1st place.
Dance with me, my wife and my son

Congratulations!! I'm so happy for you and your family!! POP was our first choice as well.