TOP SECRET Ladies and gentlemens like the previous year MY FREE DINING NEWS

[Ward On Board]

My TA got us 6 days at POFQ from 12/10-12/15 with FD and 3 days of park tickets for $2025. I guess we can change our minds and reduce if that seems to be the better deal. Being a first timer, I have NO clue!!

 

[sjs314]

Have gone through 1 CM and 2 Supervisors....have pretty much lost out on AoA (even though thats where i originally booked in April) because the original cast member refused to let me even have free dining, then needed to reboot her system, then said AoA didnt qualify....oh lordy me...its been a big mess!!!

Keep a lose eye if possible on the availability showing under the FD promo online. When I have been interested in booking a certain resort/room category I will check as often as possible ie every hour and then call as soon as you see it appear. I have had CM tell me there is no availability but when I insisted I had it right there in front of me on the screen they refreshed and they then saw it too. Good Luck

 

[TheRatPack]

We had that happen one year too. Called the day it was released and no availability at the resort we'd chosen. Called back a week later and more rooms had opened up.....so don't give up

 

[StilAPrincessAtHeart]

Well, in one morning I went from staying at my first choice resort, POFQ, to one I was not so excited about, ASMO, to one that I'm o.k. with, POP.

Called right at 7:00 am (central) and was on hold for 1 hr. 45 min. only to be told that almost NOTHING was available for my dates. POR was available for $200 more or I could have ASMO. I went with ASMO with the dinning upgrade. After though, I checked the website and they had POP available and it was even $100+ less!! So, I booked online and then called back to cancel my ASMO.

I'm still disappointed about no POFQ availablity, but I may keep checking on that. On the other hand, I'm excited about saving even a bit more and maybe even being close enough to stroll on over to AOA to check it out.

Good Luck everyone!

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

Well, in one morning I went from staying at my first choice resort, POFQ, to one I was not so excited about, ASMO, to one that I'm o.k. with, POP.

Called right at 7:00 am (central) and was on hold for 1 hr. 45 min. only to be told that almost NOTHING was available for my dates. POR was available for $200 more or I could have ASMO. I went with ASMO with the dinning upgrade. After though, I checked the website and they had POP available and it was even $100+ less!! So, I booked online and then called back to cancel my ASMO.

I'm still disappointed about no POFQ availablity, but I may keep checking on that. On the other hand, I'm excited about saving even a bit more and maybe even being close enough to stroll on over to AOA to check it out.

Good Luck everyone!

Don't feel bad. We wanted POFQ but had to settle for CBR for October 22-27.

 

[kerriemiller]

all these comments make me so glad I was able to just go online and book. But I do have to call them because I accidently booked my youngest at age 2 when she will be 3 by the time we arrive. I do have to call because I need her to be on the dining plan.

I might just wait a few days

 

[AZK64]

It pays to call back! I called at 7 this morning and waited for 70 minutes to be told I had to upgrade my room at WL in order to get free dining. That saved us $400.00. When I looked on-line just now, standard rooms were still available. I called back, waited 2 minutes and a super helpful CM changed us back to standard for another $200.00 saving!! He couldn't tell me why standard wasn't available earlier.

It pays to call back if you don't get what you want at first!! People may be upgrading or changing resorts and your first choice may now be available!!

Good luck everyone!!

 

[mandas08]

Well, in one morning I went from staying at my first choice resort, POFQ, to one I was not so excited about, ASMO, to one that I'm o.k. with, POP.

Called right at 7:00 am (central) and was on hold for 1 hr. 45 min. only to be told that almost NOTHING was available for my dates. POR was available for $200 more or I could have ASMO. I went with ASMO with the dinning upgrade. After though, I checked the website and they had POP available and it was even $100+ less!! So, I booked online and then called back to cancel my ASMO.

I'm still disappointed about no POFQ availablity, but I may keep checking on that. On the other hand, I'm excited about saving even a bit more and maybe even being close enough to stroll on over to AOA to check it out.

Good Luck everyone!

I'm also excited to be so close to AOA. We may walk over for a few quick service meals...there menu looks amazing!

 

[StilAPrincessAtHeart]

all these comments make me so glad I was able to just go online and book. But I do have to call them because I accidently booked my youngest at age 2 when she will be 3 by the time we arrive. I do have to call because I need her to be on the dining plan.

I might just wait a few days

I wish I would have just done that in the first place. At the end of my call the CM said, "You may want to just check on-line. Often there is more info available there than we have." This was my first time ever dealing with FD so, lesson learned.

 

[StilAPrincessAtHeart]

I'm also excited to be so close to AOA. We may walk over for a few quick service meals...there menu looks amazing!

In the end, I think my daughter will enjoy both POP and being close to AOA better anyway. Really POFQ was more for the adults taste. lol. And yes, I too thought about trying the Fodd Court!

 

[loricdietzel]

Go with plan B. You won't regret the extra time. It will help make your trip a little less rushed and allow you some extra flexibility!

I am hoping someone can help with my dilemma! Here goes:

Currently, we have a room at POFQ for 12/19-12/22. We are paying for the dining plan and 2 days of park tickets. Our total is $1746.70

With the FD offer, we would switch our dates to 12/10-12/15 at POFQ. Because this gives us 2 extra nights, we would add 1 more day at the parks, so we would buy 3 day tickets. The price for this is $2025.20

That is a difference of $278 and some change and here are my choices:

A.) Go with plan B....it's a much better deal. You get to stay longer, visit an extra park and only pay $278 more.

B.) Stick to the original plan. This would occur after our 3-nt Disney cruise.

C.) Go during the FD offer, but only stay for 3 nights and visit 2 parks as the original plan included, just with different dates. This would cost $1349.80, which is a substantial savings.

This is our first trip (family of 4 with two boys--ages 6 and 8 at the time). Is it worth it to pay almost $300 more to visit 1 more park and stay an extra 2 nights?

 

[Belle4311]

Danny25, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!! We got FREE DINING and a hotel upgrade thanks to your advance info!!! I never thought I'd find anyone as obsessive as I am in the Disney planning process!

People, trust this guy! He'll save you a bundle!!!

 

[AmyinPA]

I have a QA. When you book online where does it say you are getting free dining? I was already booked at POR Riverside but in order to get the free dining for my week 10/20-10/27 I had to switch to CBR. However, I just went online and tried to book a new reservation through POR for those dates and it's available?

 

[tonya clayton]

I just wanted to say thank you danny25 for giving us the heads up. I was able to get my little duckies in a better row. I informed my TA ahead of time the changes I needed to make today. I also gave her the heads up, even though she still wanted to wait for official word. It made the wait so much easier knowing free dining was coming for my dates, and there were others doing the same planning and waiting for today. Know that you are appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I have a QA. When you book online where does it say you are getting free dining? I was already booked at POR Riverside but in order to get the free dining for my week 10/20-10/27 I had to switch to CBR. However, I just went online and tried to book a new reservation through POR for those dates and it's available?

Did you try to book through the Free dining link on the WDW site? Make sure you're going through that.
ETA: here it is in case you don't have it:
http://bookwdw.reservations.disney....e&market=fy13q1dine&CMP=BAC-CRT|6745748|11411

 

[smitch425]

I have a QA. When you book online where does it say you are getting free dining? I was already booked at POR Riverside but in order to get the free dining for my week 10/20-10/27 I had to switch to CBR. However, I just went online and tried to book a new reservation through POR for those dates and it's available?

You have to go to the special offers page and follow the specific link for the FD deal in order to see what rooms are available for the promotion.

 

[boymommyx2]

I went online and looked at changing my dates - we check in on the 9th and FD starts on the 10th.

Anyway, when I "booked" a trip I didn't see any savings compared to what we have booked already. Am I missing something?
(And I did go through the "specials" link)

 

[StilAPrincessAtHeart]

I have a QA. When you book online where does it say you are getting free dining? I was already booked at POR Riverside but in order to get the free dining for my week 10/20-10/27 I had to switch to CBR. However, I just went online and tried to book a new reservation through POR for those dates and it's available?

I think it only shows the availability if you've clicked through from the "Free Dining" promo link. So, go to "Special Offers," click on the Free Dining Promo, then click on "check availability." Then when you put in all of the info for your package it will show a little blue header that says you get free dining. If you upgrade dinning plans, it will also apply it for you.

ETA Oops, sorry, didn't see all the other replies.

 

[Jedi_Galvatron]

Called from my house phone at 8:30 am EST and stupidly said "change reservation" which put me into a longer queue then there is for Toy Story Midway Mania mid July lol. Called on my cell phone, after 1 hour on hold with that first call still on hold, said new reservation and was on with an agent within 4 minutes. The brilliant agent had my two reservations merged into 1 so I could get free dining for the entire 14 days (as it would not have been available on the second check-in date) but there was only category availability at Carribean Beach or Riverside for my length of stay and dates so I went with Riverside as I prefer it to Carribean. Saved $370 off the old combined two week total and now have 2-day base tickets for everyone in my room which we can use the value of to apply towards our next annual pass. Entire process took 15 minutes tops once I was on the phone with an agent.

Would never have been able to get all this done today without this thread and the wonderfull people here on the Disboards. I know I've been a member for a few years but it all never ceases to amaze me.

 

[cytdemasi]

I have been following the thread for the past week. Thanks Danny for the info. We are all booked for Dec 10th - 21st. We had the bounce back offer for Sept but were holding off for our first trip to Disney for Christmas today we made the switch. Time to switch over to the December thread and focus on what will be open in Fantasyland in December. It is finally time to celebrate . Good luck to everyone and hope all your plans work out. See ya in the December thread if you are visiting than.