Was free dining available in Jan06?

[Snurk71]

We're looking at changing our trip to mid January 2007 vs. our usual December timeframe and are curious if free dining was available last January (2006) for reference - in case this is something we might want to be thinking about on the off hand it would be offered again.

Anyone recall the specifics?

Thanks

 

[tinkerbell60]

The free dining package was offered last Aug-Sept and again this year at the same time. The announcement was made in late March-early April.

 

[JimMIA]

I doubt seriously if a free DDP would be offered in January...or February...or March...or April... That's prime tourist time in Florida.

Think hurricanes, sweltering heat, and daily thunderstorms -- that's when you'll get free DDP. Like mid-August until the end of September.

 

[Redwitch]

No free dining in January '06.

We did get a deal on MYW tickets, free plus option. We bought the dining plan, made no effort to maximize the plan and came out ahead.

 

[Nancyg56]

No free dining in January '06.

We did get a deal on MYW tickets, free plus option. We bought the dining plan, made no effort to maximize the plan and came out ahead.

We did the same, and found the savings well worth the cost of the plan.

 

[bicker]

I wouldn't say January is prime tourist time at WDW. It's typically pretty empty, both hotels and parks. The difference is that WDW can fill-in, that time of year, with conventions. Conventions wouldn't take the same chance of encountering a hurricane as tourists would.

Late-February and March are, surely, prime tourist time, though.

 

[JimMIA]

I wouldn't say January is prime tourist time at WDW. It's typically pretty empty, both hotels and parks. The difference is that WDW can fill-in, that time of year, with conventions. Conventions wouldn't take the same chance of encountering a hurricane as tourists would.

Late-February and March are, surely, prime tourist time, though.

Right, but I said Florida.

If tourism business is booming in Florida generally, there is no need for Disney to offer BIG promotions. They get enough of the peripheral visitors ("We're taking a cruise anyway, so let's spend a day at the Everglades and two days at Disney...") that they don't have to.

That's a different set of visitors from the ones who spend a week at WDW, but still a very significant segment of the visitor market. We get 85 MILLION tourists a year, so there is a lot of spill-over business for everyone.

 

[jjohnson]

Disney only offers free food when it's too hot to eat

 

[dizfanz]

No it wasn't offered in January and don't go giving them any ideas please!

 

[disney2d2]

Is the free plus option still available? Where? When?

 

[bicker]

The deadline for booking the free Dining Plan was June 25.

 

[disney2d2]

The deadline for booking the free Dining Plan was June 25.

I was refering to RedWatch saying that they got "a deal on MYW tickets, free plus option".

But I see it now that she said Jan '06, not '07.

 

[Nancyg56]

Disney only offers free food when it's too hot to eat

 

[frayedend]

Right, but I said Florida.

If tourism business is booming in Florida generally, there is no need for Disney to offer BIG promotions. They get enough of the peripheral visitors ("We're taking a cruise anyway, so let's spend a day at the Everglades and two days at Disney...") that they don't have to.

That's a different set of visitors from the ones who spend a week at WDW, but still a very significant segment of the visitor market. We get 85 MILLION tourists a year, so there is a lot of spill-over business for everyone.

I have to agree with Bicker on this one (It kills me to say that! ) I was there in January and if the peripheral visitors actually helped them then I don't think I would have been able to pretty much walk onto everything. It was absolutely dead. The weather can be iffy (we had great weather, but I've heard it gets in the 30s sometimes too). I wouldn't be surprised at all if they offered free dining, but the rates are low already in January and you can get really good AAA rates and stuff so they probably won't add it next year.

 

[DCDisney]

We always go in January and the special for packages is always somewhat less than the fall hurricane season deals. Typically it's a room discount of about 10% and some sort of free ticket options (always has been hoppers last year it was plus, year before was free kids ticket). We usually end up saving around $300 for a 7 night trip in a moderate between the value package price and whatever January sale they offer.

Yvonne

 

[krissyh]

I was refering to RedWatch saying that they got "a deal on MYW tickets, free plus option".

But I see it now that she said Jan '06, not '07.

I believe this ended in March. I suggest going to a site like www.allearsnet.com - that has a great deal of information regarding prices, meal-plans etc. And keep an eye out for a "code" for January. I have gone the last two years in mid Feb. and each year there has been a "code deal". 2005 - it was a room only discount and 2006 - a free ticket upgrade. I believe both came out in Oct. or Nov. All you can do is watch for one.

 

[Dizneydaz]

We used DDP in Jan. 05 (paid for it) when it was new. We were there in Jan. 06 with out it (it wasn't offered for free.) We also used it in Sept. 05 (for free). We are going back this Sept. to use it for free again.

I wouldn't plan on getting DDP free in January.

Sorry.

 

[DonnaDuck]

We were also there January '06 and paid for the dining plan. We will be back again in '07 and we are paying for the DP again. It would be nice if it were free...but if it meant huge crowds, I'd rather pay for the DP and have light crowds.