When do discounts go "live"?

[SJSloan]

After Disney announces a discount, when is the discount bookable? Midnight, 6am, 7am, "who knows"?
I am already on the look-out for Free Dining in December 2016 and I know historically it is at the end of April/early May so I have a while. The general public will have a week notice since it is usually offered to Disney Visa card holders first correct?
If discounts are bookable beginning at midnight, then would it be better if I book a new reservation with Free Dining (or whatever discount) and then call to cancel a current reservation, rather than wait for the dreaded 7am mark and attempt the call for 2 hours?
Thanks!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Time to hibernate. You have 6 months to plot. I always book before the discount then apply it later. It guarantees a room preference. It worked for POR pool view this year and all needed do after announcement was modify the booking. I booked BB fd for next year so I don't have plot anymore.

 

[SJSloan]

Thank you. I know I have a while, but right now there is very little for me to do so I am researching and planning as much as possible. I have a room booked, but I heard free dining can fill up really fast so I am trying to determine the best strategy. If discounts are offered on-line starting at midnight, then could I log on and book a duplicate trip with free dining and then cancel my current reservation? That would give me a lead on others that are waiting until 7am to call to "modify" and waiting for 2 hours while "all circuits are busy."

Or is there a way to modify a booking myself? On-line to apply the discount? I have never had to do that before.

Like I said I know I can't do anything yet, but I am not good at just sitting around and waiting for a Disney vacation to happen so I am trying to get all my ducks in a row (and then I will rearrange them again and again...)

 

[MsThumper]

Thank you. I know I have a while, but right now there is very little for me to do so I am researching and planning as much as possible. I have a room booked, but I heard free dining can fill up really fast so I am trying to determine the best strategy. If discounts are offered on-line starting at midnight, then could I log on and book a duplicate trip with free dining and then cancel my current reservation? That would give me a lead on others that are waiting until 7am to call to "modify" and waiting for 2 hours while "all circuits are busy."

Or is there a way to modify a booking myself? On-line to apply the discount? I have never had to do that before.

Like I said I know I can't do anything yet, but I am not good at just sitting around and waiting for a Disney vacation to happen so I am trying to get all my ducks in a row (and then I will rearrange them again and again...)

Based on my experience, since MDE came out, it would appear that you can cancel anything booked through Disney. I have personally cancelled 3 reservations online myself, and everything worked out fine.

As far as modifications, the only time I get/have gotten the change reservation option is when I have booked something online myself. I currently have 4 reservations booked (1 Disney Visa, 1 Bounceback, 1 through Orbitz, and 1 booked through Disney website) and the only one that has a modify option is the one I booked online myself. 3 have the cancel option. The once that doesn't have the cancel option is one I booked through Orbitz.

I have done a modification myself. I had a reservation for AKL for this past August that I had booked online myself and I was able to modify that reservation, changing it from a Florida Resident Discount to an AP Discount, saving us $10 a night.

These have all been room only reservations. I have never booked a package, so I have no experience with cancelling or modifying those.

Hope this helps!

 

[SJSloan]

Based on my experience, since MDE came out, it would appear that you can cancel anything booked through Disney. I have personally cancelled 3 reservations online myself, and everything worked out fine.

As far as modifications, the only time I get/have gotten the change reservation option is when I have booked something online myself. I currently have 4 reservations booked (1 Disney Visa, 1 Bounceback, 1 through Orbitz, and 1 booked through Disney website) and the only one that has a modify option is the one I booked online myself. 3 have the cancel option. The once that doesn't have the cancel option is one I booked through Orbitz.

I have done a modification myself. I had a reservation for AKL for this past August that I had booked online myself and I was able to modify that reservation, changing it from a Florida Resident Discount to an AP Discount, saving us $10 a night.

These have all been room only reservations. I have never booked a package, so I have no experience with cancelling or modifying those.

Hope this helps!

Yes that helps a great deal! Thank you! I actually just logged on to see what you were talking about and saw a "Change Reservation" link and then a link to "Add Current Offers" (of something of that sort). I didn't know that was available. Hopefully that strategy works when it comes time for a promotion.