The Official Free Dining Watch 2007 Thread

[HLAuburn]

Does anybody know for sure about the minimum stay requirement? Is it 3 or 5 days?

We booked 4 nights, so it can't be 5!

 

[Sethsmama]

Got my resy with free dining this morning! I had a ressie holding with AAA and they called (So I didn't have to be on hold forever!) and got the free dining added to my ressie! So now I'm so excited I can't stand it! We are going Sept. 14-23rd staying at POP!

GOOD LUCK TO ANYONE ELSE THAT HASN'T GOTTEN THEIRS YET....

 

[mirthmaiden]

We booked 4 nights, so it can't be 5!

Thanks. I have a 5-night stay already booked, but I was thinking of cutting it down to 3 nights. Anybody book a 3-night stay with free dining?

 

[Kitty-chan]

There are details on the requirements on MouseSavers.

Three cheers for Mary Waring of MouseSavers! Hip hip hooray! She keeps us from having to re-invent the wheel.

 

[thelionqueen]

Just an update on a previous post.

I had made my ressie a couple of weeks ago anticipating applying the code this am. A CM told me that I would need to cancel my ressie and rebook, and the previously paid deposit would be refunded to me...WRONG...WRONG..WRONG...

The very nice and knowledgable CM I spoke with this am kept the same reservation (and confirmation #) and applied the previously paid deposit to the balance of the updated reservation..simple as pie!

Kills me the difference of knowledge & experience each CM has that causes me headaches during these times

In any event, everything was switched with no problems and now I need to go to the gym in preparation for our 10 day eating fest!!!!

 

[jjb52]

Thanks. I have a 5-night stay already booked, but I was thinking of cutting it down to 3 nights. Anybody book a 3-night stay with free dining?

Three nights at Popfor 2 adults over Labor Day for $423 with 1 day pass (we have annuals) and free dining. Got through after 20 minutes when I called at 8:30 today.

 

[5boyz]

Congrats to all that got their "free dining". I have to pay for mine...lol!! Anyway never had it before so can someone give me some ideas of where to eat? My daughters 8th BD is while we are there my son is 10. They are pretty good eaters. Are the portions good sizes? We went to Princess Lunch 2 yrs ago at Akeushu(spelling) and the portions were way too small. So just wondering before I book at CAA today if it is worth it to pay all that money if we are going to be hungry again later? Also is it the same discount thru CAA as Disney direct? Thanks!!!!

 

[spindoctors]

I also posted this on the trip planning board...

Okay, I'm in a good pickle here. I was worried about my AAA TA getting us free dining since she didn't come in until 9:30 this morning so I had booked free dining myself at 7:00 this morning. Now we have two free dining packages and I need to cancel one. I would love to give AAA my business - the TA ultimately did a good job even though I had to talk her through everything - but I'm worried about possible problems since we aren't dealing directly with Disney.

Also, the AAA price is about $120 cheaper and I can't figure out why. It makes me wonder if there is a mistake somewhere.

What would you do? I want to cancel one ASAP to open up the room for someone else.

 

[MrsPMC00]

I also posted this on the trip planning board...

Okay, I'm in a good pickle here. I was worried about my AAA TA getting us free dining since she didn't come in until 9:30 this morning so I had booked free dining myself at 7:00 this morning. Now we have two free dining packages and I need to cancel one. I would love to give AAA my business - the TA ultimately did a good job even though I had to talk her through everything - but I'm worried about possible problems since we aren't dealing directly with Disney.

Also, the AAA price is about $120 cheaper and I can't figure out why. It makes me wonder if there is a mistake somewhere.

What would you do? I want to cancel one ASAP to open up the room for someone else.

This is our 4th year using AAA, and I have NEVER had a problem. I like the few little "perks" you get from them...preferred parking, discount card for World of Disney, etc. If you want, PM me and I can answer any questions, etc you have. When I talked to my agent today, she thanked me for my persistance....they still have not been notified of the free dining, although she said the CM did tell her they expect it to go public as has been reported on the 12th.

 

[Jill Schwartz]

YIKES!!
Mousesaver is saying "you must book with a DV AND pay off the balance with a DV!!
When I booked, the CM didn't say ANYTHING about having to pay the balance with the same card. I just read the terms online for my reservation and it doesn't say anything like that.
We have lots of Disney Rewards points that wanted to use...that was the whole point of booking the trip and using that card for the last 3 years...so we could use the points on a trip!

How could they keep me from going online and paying off the balance using points that have been transferred to my Disney Rewards card??

 

[mirthmaiden]

I also posted this on the trip planning board...

Okay, I'm in a good pickle here. I was worried about my AAA TA getting us free dining since she didn't come in until 9:30 this morning so I had booked free dining myself at 7:00 this morning. Now we have two free dining packages and I need to cancel one. I would love to give AAA my business - the TA ultimately did a good job even though I had to talk her through everything - but I'm worried about possible problems since we aren't dealing directly with Disney.

Also, the AAA price is about $120 cheaper and I can't figure out why. It makes me wonder if there is a mistake somewhere.

What would you do? I want to cancel one ASAP to open up the room for someone else.

The AAA price should be cheaper. That's the advantage of going with AAA in the first place. What problems are you worried about? After the initial booking is done, I can't think of any disadvantage of dealing with AAA vs. Disney except it may take a bit longer to make changes.

 

[THINK*PINK]

Whoo Hoo I just can't believe I SAVED $1,169.89 with the free dining. Good luck everyone!!!

 

[mirthmaiden]

This is our 4th year using AAA, and I have NEVER had a problem. I like the few little "perks" you get from them...preferred parking, discount card for World of Disney, etc. If you want, PM me and I can answer any questions, etc you have. When I talked to my agent today, she thanked me for my persistance....they still have not been notified of the free dining, although she said the CM did tell her they expect it to go public as has been reported on the 12th.

We're probably going to use WDW transportation most of the time, so it won't be a huge issue. But I'm a brand new AAA member and I've booked both of my upcoming trips with them, with two different TA's. Neither of them said a thing to me about preferred parking or a discount card for World of Disney. Is this some "upper tier" thing, or should I get those things too?

 

[Magical JenK]

I also posted this on the trip planning board...

Okay, I'm in a good pickle here. I was worried about my AAA TA getting us free dining since she didn't come in until 9:30 this morning so I had booked free dining myself at 7:00 this morning. Now we have two free dining packages and I need to cancel one. I would love to give AAA my business - the TA ultimately did a good job even though I had to talk her through everything - but I'm worried about possible problems since we aren't dealing directly with Disney.

Also, the AAA price is about $120 cheaper and I can't figure out why. It makes me wonder if there is a mistake somewhere.

What would you do? I want to cancel one ASAP to open up the room for someone else.

The $120 difference sounds like trip insurance?? This will be our 3rd trip w/AAA & our 3rd Free Dining. I love the extra perks you get like the other poster said. I say, stick w/AAA.

 

[annieb727]

I haven't seen anyone book longer than 10 days - that I recall counting (and YES, I did read EVERY page of this)...has anyone booked for 14 days?? That's what we're planning to do...I want to book using Disney Visa, but I can't find the card, so I went on Amazon and bought a book that I wanted anyway, to test what my expiration date was (can't remember it LOL).

I also have a AAA TA, but she's off on Mondays - I would like to stick with AAA, but I'm worried about not getting what I want.

Has anyone confirmed there are resorts that are all full yet? I'm stressing out about this!! AAAHHH!!

We're going 9/16-9/30 - and we want ASMo Preferred (buzz or woody). But we'll go with any Value to save that $1200 or so.

 

[MrsPMC00]

We're probably going to use WDW transportation most of the time, so it won't be a huge issue. But I'm a brand new AAA member and I've booked both of my upcoming trips with them, with two different TA's. Neither of them said a thing to me about preferred parking or a discount card for World of Disney. Is this some "upper tier" thing, or should I get those things too?

You should get them too...they are part of AAA's Disney travel package. I have gotten them every year.

 

[mirthmaiden]

The $120 difference sounds like trip insurance?? This will be our 3rd trip w/AAA & our 3rd Free Dining. I love the extra perks you get like the other poster said. I say, stick w/AAA.

It could be trip insurance since that is $119.90 for 2 adults. But I'm confused now... Isn't AAA rate supposed to be less anyway? There seems to be conflicting information about whether or not you can get both AAA rate and free dining on the same package. Some people say you can't, others say they got it with both discounts. My TA told me if free dining came out she would get it added to my package and the price would be reduced accordingly. She didn't say anything about choosing between the discounts.

 

[mirthmaiden]

You should get them too...they are part of AAA's Disney travel package. I have gotten them every year.

Guess I'll go back and look through my paperwork. I don't remember seeing anything about that, but I'll check again. Thanks.

 

[kindakrazy2]

Keeping my fingers crossed for Thursday! We have a res and are going regardless but still....I won't be eating nearly as well without free dining!

DH called this morning just to see if they would notice he didn't have a Disney Visa - just a regular one!

They told him there was a promotion but he had to mention it - not them. So he said "Disney Visa" and they said "yes, do you have one?" and he said "well, no but I was hoping you could...well....you know...." and she said "call back in say 3 days"!

Fingers crossed we will still get our same room at POP!

 

[kimberlyp02]

YIKES!!
Mousesaver is saying "you must book with a DV AND pay off the balance with a DV!!
When I booked, the CM didn't say ANYTHING about having to pay the balance with the same card. I just read the terms online for my reservation and it doesn't say anything like that.
We have lots of Disney Rewards points that wanted to use...that was the whole point of booking the trip and using that card for the last 3 years...so we could use the points on a trip!

How could they keep me from going online and paying off the balance using points that have been transferred to my Disney Rewards card??

The CM I spoke with this morning checked for me. I was told that you ONLY had to have your deposit charged on it. In July Discover card starts a 5% promo for all hotels, etc so I'm hoping to charge the rest to there. She said that would be fine but put me on hold to double check and was told by her "manager" that yes, I can pay the balance however I wanted but HAD to pay the deposit with my disney Visa. HTH! And hopefully she was correct.