What should I do? Keep my reservation in Oct or move it to Sept?

[mom2connorandcaleb]

We are booked for Oct 23-29th with a 35% off room pin. I was talking to Disney today and they told me that since I have a Disney visa I can get free dining if I move my reservation to September. I tried to make dining reservations that week and 2 of the places I wanted are already booked completely. Should I keep my reservation and hope for free dining in Oct or change it? I am badly struggling about what I should do! Someone talk me into or out of it! Thanks!
Christy

 

[Hootch]

dining isn't really free. You'll have to pay rack rate. If you are booked in a deluxe, or even a mod, the room discount may be of more value than the free dining.

It appears, based on posts on these boards, that a lot of people are booking September in anticipation of free dining being offered. The crowds are lower but the ADRs tend to get booked early. Have looked for availability for dining in September? The whole month has been open for ADRs for awhile.

 

[Sugardimples]

I would stay with October just because it may be cooler. We were there last year during the last week of September and it was way too hot for me.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We are booked for Oct 23-29th with a 35% off room pin. I was talking to Disney today and they told me that since I have a Disney visa I can get free dining if I move my reservation to September. I tried to make dining reservations that week and 2 of the places I wanted are already booked completely. Should I keep my reservation and hope for free dining in Oct or change it? I am badly struggling about what I should do! Someone talk me into or out of it! Thanks!
Christy

You don't say where you're currently booked but if you were to book in a value resort, the free dining plan is quick service only so no adrs to make. Only mods & deluxe get the table service free.

 

[minnie mum]

We are booked for Oct 23-29th with a 35% off room pin.

I was in a similar quandary, only we are booked the end of Sep. I assume from the 35% discount that you are staying at a deluxe resort. Don't know how many are in your group. But if there are only 2 of you (like us), you may find that the savings on your resort costs are better than your savings with free dining. The requirement to buy the $100 photobook is also a large factor.

Add in the fact that getting ADRs for popular dining spots for a Sep. stay at this late date (yes, I said late) will be VERY difficult.

So I was able to talk myself OUT of changing our reservations without too much difficulty. As things stand we have a really nice room discount and I already have all of the ADRs I wanted.

Now if you have a larger party, then free dining may be a better deal for you. In that case you really have to weigh the pros and cons of having to change all of your ADRs and probably not getting into several of your "most wanted". Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[nkereina]

How much money are you saving? I am currently booked with a 40% off pin in September and then free dining was announced, and I got a quote and it actually would cost me $40 more to switch to free dining. With the added cost of the photo book in the free dining promo this year, it didn't save anything for me.

I'm traveling 9/24-10/1 and booked my ADRs at the 180 day mark. I got everything I wanted then. Now, I'm almost to the 140 day mark and I'm wanting an earlier time at Whispering Canyon and at Tony's Town Square - not typically hard places to get ADRs at - and there has been zero availability between 4pm-7pm on the days I want for the last two weeks. ADRs would be tough to get, especially because of the previous and current free dining promos. Unless you're saving like $400+, I would keep your dates the same.

 

[Granfan]

I would keep the room discount. I have Oct and all ADR's I wanted booked and was tempted by free dining but after weighing everything no way will I change.