Will Free Dining be Returning?

[Mouse-n-Mini]

We just returned from our Christmas trip to wdw and can't wait to go back, but we spent so much $$ just on food (mainly junk food). I would love to know if free dining will be returning in 2006 so that we can save some cash on our next trip.

 

[Chicago526]

Good question!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

Your guess is as good as anyone else's. The free dining was wildly popular but like other popular WDW incentives, it may have been a one-shot deal. I'd love to see it return for late next summer but I'm not going to count on it.

 

[Kapp]

that the free dining was first offered to get the word out about the program and since that worked, free dining will only be used when it is needed to pump the parks up. I would not plan on it.

 

[nbodyhome]

I doubt it would be, the way it was before. A lot of guests would get a value resort room and then have up to 4 people on the plan. I doubt Disney made much money that way!

Maybe they'd do it if you went to a deluxe resort? I'd love to see it offered again!

Denise

 

[crisi]

There has been a September promotion for the past several years, however, they have never repeated the same promotion.

 

[In Luv with Disney]

They do have the Dining Plan for $38 per adult and $11 per child, which is a great deal if you plan on one nice sit down meal per day. You will DEFINITELY save $$ that way.

 

[rae662000]

Here's hoping that we are all wrong and they offer it again..

 

[nbodyhome]

I would never buy it, but I'd do it again for free!

Denise

 

[thelionqueen]

here and am going to guess that there is a good possibility that it will come back.

I think that with the unbelievable hurricane season we had this year, they are going to need a big deal to get people to book in Sept-Oct. I honestly think it may happen. I've got my mouse button finger ready the second it goes on sale

Also, since we got the free dining in Oct. I will never go without it again..free or not. I think Disney may have lost money (seriously doubt it though!) but will make it over and over again with repeat customers like us buying it after trying it for free.

I would tell anyone though, if it does come out again, don't hesitate. People who missed out on it the 1st 2 times will want it, which will make the availability harder to get. We booked immediately this year when it was offered the 1st time and got what we wanted, but a week later family members had a hard time finding anything. Just FYI..

Let's keep the faith..yes it's coming back...yes it's coming back...yes it's coming back..

 

[ceecee]

We have gone for the past 6 Septembers. We got the free dining plan but it was unbelievably crowded for that time of year. I would rather pay for it and have less crowds. I think they did it because of the Hurricaines and low reservations, so it obviously got more people coming. I'm sure they will make some changes if they do offer it again, ie: not pooling the child's and adult's meals together.

 

[bicker]

I did a little exercise to try to figure out how much we're going to be spending on food this coming January. If the dining plan was available to us, we would have saved $300.

 

[nbodyhome]

I didn't think September was that busy, we did the free dining plan in early October and it was pretty slow then too (compared with once the Food and Wine started).

I would love to see the free dining plan come back - it was very popular, and I think this time, it'd be much more so (I would definitely do it again).

Denise

 

[nbodyhome]

Oh - and from what I remember, they extended the free dining promotion booking time...I'd never seen them really do that before. So I guess it wasn't as popular as it'd seem to be.

Denise

 

[n2mm]

I don't think we'll see it again. It did what it was suppose to do--get people interested in it. I spoke with a dining CM yesterday while making my ADRs for my trip next month and told her I had heard that DVC members will be able to add the dining to their trips starting late April. I told her I did the free dining and it was great. I ate at places I've never eaten before and would gladly pay for it now. She agreed and said that was exactly what the free dining in September was suppose to do. She said it was a success and now the request for the dining packages is huge and the restraurants packed. We allow $100 a day to eat for the 2 of us, so the dining plan is still a bargain for us, plus we have the DDE for places we don't use the plan. Since we go every other month, the DDE also saves us money. This April we will sign up for the dining plan. But, of course, if they offer it free again this fall, we'll throw in a quick trip to take advantage of it--but not counting on it.

 

[billwendy]

I dont know,,,,,im not sure,,,,,we were there early september, and we were on the free dining program, but i couldnt believe the amount of people that werent on the plan that were there,,,,seriously, i was amazed!!!

wendy

 

[txgirl]

I dont know,,,,,im not sure,,,,,we were there early september, and we were on the free dining program, but i couldnt believe the amount of people that werent on the plan that were there,,,,seriously, i was amazed!!!

wendy

same thing here, and we asked people and they had no clue about the plan being free at that time! So sad but man it was the greatest for our family.

When we go back we will definitely use the plan. It was nice not to worry and about the cost once the trip was paid for and be consumed with "hey you better eat all that $12.00 hamburger or we are gonna wrap it up and take it with us!!!!!"

 

[InstImpres]

I doubt we'll see free dining again. They used it to pump the program. Like the OP said though, its amazing how many people don't know what they are booking. That's why many like using a Disney TA who constantly checks codes.

My feeling is they are using perks to get people to buy into the program, ie free dining, free ME otherwise they go with things that don't cost them money, ie free hopping and plus features.

Who really know though, anything is always possible!

 

[skiwee1]

I dont know,,,,,im not sure,,,,,we were there early september, and we were on the free dining program, but i couldnt believe the amount of people that werent on the plan that were there,,,,seriously, i was amazed!!!

wendy

Like us, those folks could have had APs and rather have that room discount then paying rackrate. When staying in a deluxe it is almost always worth taking the AP discount instead of the free dining as it is more money saved. I also didn't want the hassle of what we could eat and where. We do have the DDE and got a great discount that way.

 

[HayGan]

Like us, those folks could have had APs and rather have that room discount then paying rackrate. When staying in a deluxe it is almost always worth taking the AP discount instead of the free dining as it is more money saved. I also didn't want the hassle of what we could eat and where. We do have the DDE and got a great discount that way.

If I would have had free dining instead of paying ~$100 a day for the plan then I would have saved over $200 a day!!!! Hard to find any other discount like that!

After our trip, I am totally sold on the dining plan! DH & I won't do Disney without the dining plan!