When waiting for Free Dining do you book with the dining plan and then wait?

[luvdisney77]

Do you book your package with the dining and then when FD comes out, call and use the code? OR do you just book a package and then add dining when/if the FD comes out?

Does it matter? I want to book our trip and start paying on it, but not sure if I should add dining to it or wait it out? This is for a Sept 2013 trip...crossing fingers for free dining.

 

[MMS1125]

I'd just put money aside and wait until it's released to book. If the resorts are already booked solid they have no reason to release any discounts for that time period. I know generally every year there's been FD in September but if the way this year is going so far is any indication it might not happen even then.

You could just book a bounceback when you are there in March to at least have some sort of discount. Just remember if you book room only and want to change to a pkg later IF FD is released you will get refunded your deposit and have to put a new one down. It doesn't just transfer to the new reservation.

 

[nat1234]

Just booked our Sept trip today. We're staying at POR Sept 22-30. I asked the cast member about a CAA discount for the room portion of our package and she mentioned free dining being offered for that time of year that would be a better discount for me. So I'm thinking that it's going to happen. Just not sure when. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I booked the dining plan for the same reason that you have, so I'm booked and I can start paying it off. And this way I'll know that our meals will be covered while we're there. When and if free dining is offered for that time, I'll change my reservation to include the free dining. Happy planning.

 

[Huff]

If rooms are all booked then why would Disney later offer a discount? Each resort has only so many rooms allocated for FD guests. Already having a reservation does not put you in the front of the line for an FD room. No advantage to being booked already.

The only reason to book early is if you do at 180+10 for making ADR's if the discount has not been released by that time.

 

[shafke]

Whenever the final decision is made to book the trip we book a room only reservation. This can be changed without penalty up to a few days before the trip and cancelled up to a week.

If a discount code comes out the I book a new reservation with the code and cancel the original reservation. (You cannot change a room only to a package)
Packages also have cancellation/change fees once you are within 3-4 weeks of the check in date.

 

[vandygirl]

I had the same question...

This is my first attempt at getting FD (November, fingers crossed). Is there a penalty for booking a package that includes dining now, and then (if FD does come out) call and change to that? Would you have to rebook and lose your rooms, deposits, etc?

Sorry for the confusion...I just don't want to book something that I can't take back if FD comes out

 

[TheDisney411]

I had the same question...

This is my first attempt at getting FD (November, fingers crossed). Is there a penalty for booking a package that includes dining now, and then (if FD does come out) call and change to that? Would you have to rebook and lose your rooms, deposits, etc?

Sorry for the confusion...I just don't want to book something that I can't take back if FD comes out

There's no penalty and you don't rebook anything. When a free dining, or any discount code is released, you just call and have them add the code to your existing reservation. Some room categories can be excluded from some discounts and some resorts can have limited availability, so have a back up resort or room category in mind when you call to add the code. But even if you changed resorts and even dates, to take advantage of the discount, you still would not cancel or rebook and your reservation number stays the same. They simply credit you the difference. The only time you would have to rebook to take advantage of a free dining offer would be if you were booked under a booked under a room only reservation.

 

[vandygirl]

PERFECT! Thank you!!!

One more quick question - in recent history, do they still give FD to the Value Resorts or only to the Moderates and above?

 

[TheDisney411]

PERFECT! Thank you!!!

One more quick question - in recent history, do they still give FD to the Value Resorts or only to the Moderates and above?

In the last 9 years that they have had free dining discounts, the value resorts have always been included in the promos. About 3 years ago they started offering the Quick Service DDP for free with the values and the regular DDP for free with moderate and deluxe resorts. You can pay the difference between the plans to upgrade to the regular or deluxe DDP.