The Official Free Dining Watch 2007 Thread

[pamouselover]

Free dinning dreaming! Come one DISNEY let it out, I want to book my trip!

 

[kdzgon]

And if you want Le Cellier, book it ASAP. Or try it for lunch.

I was at WDW on March 11 and heard someone in the BC lobby say that Le Cellier was fully booked for dinner through the end of April. And that is without free dining.

Le Cellier is extremely popular, and much of March and April are not slow times (spring break, Easter, etc). With a total of 155 seats, Le Cellier is one of the smallest restaurants on property - it is no surprise they are fully booked.

 

[thunderbird1]

For the bounceback plan you could book a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 10 nights, and one person could book up to 3 rooms. However, the general public offer when it arrives may not have the same terms as the bounceback offer.

Holy cow! This is where a general public free dining offer may beat the bounceback offer. Beginning this year, you can now book packages for up to 14 days instead of 10. So IF there's a free dining offer in the next few weeks, and IF its terms follow the new package rules, we would be able to get four more days than those who booked through the bounceback promotion. In your face, bouncebackers! (Just kidding, of course!)

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I still wish we would have been able to take advantage of the bounceback offer as the rumored dates of free DDP only allow us a few days due to my kids' school schedule...so in our case the ability to book up to 14 days does us no good at all.

 

[TDC Nala]

I only needed 4 nights. But I am pretty sure the limit was 10. Could be wrong.

After 15 days of that much Disney food they'd put me in the MK parade as Monstro the whale.

 

[angwill]

I have a question since I have never had to change a reservation. I am not sure about how many days I will need to book and am looking for opinions and experiences of others. I want to book and add an extra day just in case chose to stay and extra day. I will know ahead of time if we need it but what happens when I change the reservation? Will I lose free dining?

Thanks,
Ang

 

[thunderbird1]

I have a question since I have never had to change a reservation. I am not sure about how many days I will need to book and am looking for opinions and experiences of others. I want to book and add an extra day just in case chose to stay and extra day. I will know ahead of time if we need it but what happens when I change the reservation? Will I lose free dining?

Thanks,
Ang

It was no problem adding a day last year, as long as you weren't over the maximum days allowed for the promotion or package. We added 2 days to go from 8 to 10 and it was no problem, but were told we couldn't add any more than that because 10 days was the most they could do for a package.

I have heard it can be more difficult to drop days, or to do anything that lowers the cost of your trip. Spending more money is no problem, but cutting back may be another story. No personal experience--just what I've heard. Someone else may know something different.

 

[smidgy]

KDZGON, would you be willing to share your AAA agents phone number (I'm sure he/she would love the business) my AAA agent, last year, tole me shoe could book me the free dining, but I would not get the AAA room rate. so we went for free dining in sept. but not with the AAA discount. she told me it was one or the other.
Just like, we are going in May. we were already booked through AAA, disney then offered the free hopper/plus option. my AAA agent told me I could have either one or the other, not both

 

[donnajz]

I've read that if Free Dining is offered, it will be for August 26 - October 22. We'll be there August 12-22. Can anyone confirm that the first day for Free Dining would be August 26 if it is offered and where did this information come from?

 

[Ziggy]

I've read that if Free Dining is offered, it will be for August 26 - October 22. We'll be there August 12-22. Can anyone confirm that the first day for Free Dining would be August 26 if it is offered and where did this information come from?

Don't worry they may offer something for those of us that have our visits planned before these date - fingers crossed

 

[jcemom]

I've read that if Free Dining is offered, it will be for August 26 - October 22. We'll be there August 12-22. Can anyone confirm that the first day for Free Dining would be August 26 if it is offered and where did this information come from?

I heard August 26 - September 22, not October. The rumor I read (a while back) was supposedly from ad copy or something.

 

[CherylA]

I heard August 26 - September 22, not October. The rumor I read (a while back) was supposedly from ad copy or something.

Yes thats what I had read. I was just searching all over the boards to see what I missed and when the date was changed to Oct! I would prefer into Oct actually but am making tentitive plans around a Sept 22 end date! If there is truth to Oct someone please tell me!

 

[TheLastPrincess]

So last year, I distinctly remember the offer being posted on Disney's site in late April-May, and then they extended the offer through June. We went at the tail end of the offer in mid-September, and even then, the resort CMs told us that September is VERY quiet, and that they need to bring in as many people as they can with promotions like Free Dining, etc.

I have a friend who works seasonally for Disney and he said he checked around and found out that APRIL 12 is when they run a new promotion. So with this in mind, I'm checking Disney's site EVERY DAY as April 12 nears.

In my opinion, it is not a good idea to book your rooms ahead of time before the plan is offered, if that is what you're waiting for. Because if it IS true that if they're filling their rooms with the Million Dreams celebration alone, then y'all are working against yourselves. The rooms do NOT fill up during their value season, so it's not like you're NOT going to get a room if you wait for Free Dining.

Like everyone else on here, I'm waiting impatiently to book our honeymoon for September.

 

[donnajz]

Sorry. I typed the wrong months above. I meant to say I saw where Free Dining might be offered August 26 - September 22 (not October 22). Sorry!

 

[jcemom]

Sorry. I typed the wrong months above. I meant to say I saw where Free Dining might be offered August 26 - September 22 (not October 22). Sorry!

No problem! I figured it was just a typo, but you never know. You might have heard something we didn't.

 

[noseybuddy]

Not happy about the Aug 26th date to begin free dining if this is true. Last year it started earlier. I was there Aug 17th and had free dining. I was hoping for this again. I didn't book a room, just have airfare. If disney doesn't come out with a good deal for my dates I might just go to US/IOA since it has been awhile since I have been there.

 

[TLHB70]

I have a friend who works seasonally for Disney and he said he checked around and found out that APRIL 12 is when they run a new promotion. So with this in mind, I'm checking Disney's site EVERY DAY as April 12 nears.

Good information to know. Thanks for sharing it.

BTW, congratulations on your upcoming wedding and honeymoon! I hope you get the free dining!

 

[kahliasmom]

Just got back from POR and I have the post vacation blues. Don't want to wait another whole year to go again. If they have free dining I could explain to my mother that lives next store why I would go again so soon. Transfered two of my theme park tickets that I didn't use to the no expiration option so I am already half way there with the free dining. If it is at the end of August I wouldn't be able to go then. Hoping for mid-August here.

 

[kparc]

My DW believes the free dining dates will begin in late August this year, because Orange County Public Schools, (which include the Orlando Area) are starting August 20th this year as compared to August 7th last year. She concludes - the parks will be pretty crowded with the Florida School kids so there will be no need to offer the free dining program in early August as they did last year. I've told her to "STOP WITH ALL THE NEGATIVE WAVES!" So........ who knows what Disney will do. I only know that Disney says this is the year of a million dreams and my dream is for free dining so we can go! So they are gonna offer it in early August!

 

[TDC Nala]

Columbus Day is October 8 this year. That's pretty early. Chances are WDW wants to prevent free dining stays extending through that quite busy weekend.