When does Disney usually offer free dining for UK guests?

[MartynEm]

For two of my recent three trips I've got free dining alongside my on-site moderate resort stay and 14DUT, the first and third bookings were made in February (2-13 and 2014) and had free dining, while the other, 2014, was made in May. I got an email from Disney today stating that booking for next year will get dining if made by the 3rd of November ... have Disney changed the free dining timings, or will it open up again in 2016 (so I could book again in Feb for instance)?

 

[Elise79]

They shortened the booking window last year.

Previously, they released it again after Christmas however last year they only had a free nights offer after Xmas.

If you want free dining I would say it needs to be booked by 3 November - there are some times when not all resorts/room categories are available as they have sold out.

 

[MarkE83]

They started selling packages for 2016 with free Disney Dining in March or April 2015. I booked a package in May 2015 for POR that gave free QS dining plan, $200 gift card and free memory maker. In July they charged it to a free $100 gift card, now its no gift card at all. I imagine if they stop offering the free dining it'll be replaced by room discount offers instead - I've since booked a Room & Tickets at YC for less than the POR deal, and we'll just pay for our food instead and lose the POR deposit.

 

[scoobydooby]

They started selling packages for 2016 with free Disney Dining in March or April 2015. I booked a package in May 2015 for POR that gave free QS dining plan, $200 gift card and free memory maker. In July they charged it to a free $100 gift card, now its no gift card at all. I imagine if they stop offering the free dining it'll be replaced by room discount offers instead - I've since booked a Room & Tickets at YC for less than the POR deal, and we'll just pay for our food instead and lose the POR deposit.[/QUOTE

Ring them and get your deposit transferred to the new reservation. Why lose it? They will almost certainly do this for you.

 

[MarkE83]

Even though it's two completely different travel companies? I booked the first trip through the Walt Disney travel company in the UK, and the second through a US based travel agent.

 

[scoobydooby]

Yes I can't see why not try. You're just trying to transfer monies in essentially the same reservation system potentially as the travel agent is booming via Disney. It's worth a try.

 

[Pepper pots]

Yep..We booked ours in April for 14 nights at WL and got free DDP along with $200 gift card, memory maker,etc..

 

[StarWarsJez]

Given (as we all know) 'free' DDP is just a tool disney marketers use to maintain high room rates, do they lower the room costs after the DDP offers end?

 

[BudgieMama]

Given (as we all know) 'free' DDP is just a tool disney marketers use to maintain high room rates, do they lower the room costs after the DDP offers end?

I regularly checked prices on our last trip, and never saw the room come down to what we paid for our free dining package. Might not always be the case, but I think we got the best available deal for our first trip.

 

[scoobydooby]

Given (as we all know) 'free' DDP is just a tool disney marketers use to maintain high room rates, do they lower the room costs after the DDP offers end?

When I went in May 2014 I booked in the February with a 30% off room rate for AKL. As it was just me and DD, who eats like a flea, that was a better discount for us the free dining. In 2015 when all four of us went and DH and DS eat like pigs, the free dining was an okay deal. Personally though I'm with you, I prefer the room discount. They do seem to happen annually but work better for shorter notice bookings. Free dining really required you to know your plans a year in advance often, or even more.

 

[tinkerpea]

The room discount can be great, depending on how many there is.
Were a family of 5, the 3 kids are disney adults and so free dining always works far better for us.

We did however book the poly for 14nights back in 2014 with the room discount as it worked out for better for us that trip.

 

[jon18uk]

We booked in May 2015 with the free dining offer, for travel in September 2016.
This years offer was free dining and $200 gift card if booking between May and July 2015, then free dining and a $100 gift card if booking July to September 2016.

This seems to be getting people to book much earlier than previous years, when the offer seemed to be on from January the same year as travel.

 

[Elise79]

Even though it's two completely different travel companies? I booked the first trip through the Walt Disney travel company in the UK, and the second through a US based travel agent.

Yes I can't see why not try. You're just trying to transfer monies in essentially the same reservation system potentially as the travel agent is booming via Disney. It's worth a try.

Unfortunately, they are unlikely to do that as UK bookings are considered to be completely separate companies. The UK booking will be subject to UK T&Cs which will mean loss of deposit for cancellation.

 

[MarkE83]

Unfortunately, they are unlikely to do that as UK bookings are considered to be completely separate companies. The UK booking will be subject to UK T&Cs which will mean loss of deposit for cancellation.

I can confirm that I've already contacted the WDTC UK, and I did indeed have to just eat the deposit loss. But I'm staying at the Yacht Club now instead of POR, so I'll be just fine!