Sounds weird, I know, to be happy about a downgrade. 
We were originally booked in OKW 2 bdrm for 8 nights on free dining MYW pkg with 10 day base tickets. Pkg price 5500. 9/29 - 10/7. This is myself, DH, DD21, her daughter DGD18mo, DS17, DD11, and possibly an additional adult or two depending on other family member plans.
Due to a series of events, I found myself needing to downgrade my package by at least 2000$ at least. I had read many of the threads about downgrading free dining packages while retaining the free dining, it really seemed iffy, plus time was moving along...
So last week I called to change. We had narrowed our choices down to Fort Wilderness Cabins, CSR, CBR. Nothing available. Talked to Guest Services. Nothing available. Had them check values & POR. Nothing available. So I KEPT my free dining package, and also booked a room only at CSR for my days. I had NO IDEA what I might actually end up with, & my 45 day mark is coming up 8/15.
I didn't tell my family any of this, I didn't want them to go through the same emotional rollercoaster I was. If we really had to go without free dining, it would translate to fewer days in WDW or else go the value route, which DH adamantly does not want to do. (I cannot explain his unreasoning bias, for all you value fans, personally I would be fine there.)
So I have been calling every day from work, checking, checking, and today, I spoke with the wonderful STELLA in guest services, availability popped up in the cabins!
So now I am booked, Whew, 7 nights in the cabins, 7 nights of free dining, I don't have to cancel any of my ADRs, don't have to arduously rearrange my itinerary, and DH & kids are happy.
Of course when I called home & happily said, well, it looks like we have successfully switched to the Cabins, DH had NO idea the tension, the drama, the overwhelming (MY TRIP WILL BE RUINED, RUINED I SAY) black cloud that had been hanging over us, so he just said "Well that's great honey" in a mildly chipper voice.
Oh well, another happy pixie dust WDW reservation melodrama ending.
We were originally booked in OKW 2 bdrm for 8 nights on free dining MYW pkg with 10 day base tickets. Pkg price 5500. 9/29 - 10/7. This is myself, DH, DD21, her daughter DGD18mo, DS17, DD11, and possibly an additional adult or two depending on other family member plans.
Due to a series of events, I found myself needing to downgrade my package by at least 2000$ at least. I had read many of the threads about downgrading free dining packages while retaining the free dining, it really seemed iffy, plus time was moving along...
So last week I called to change. We had narrowed our choices down to Fort Wilderness Cabins, CSR, CBR. Nothing available. Talked to Guest Services. Nothing available. Had them check values & POR. Nothing available. So I KEPT my free dining package, and also booked a room only at CSR for my days. I had NO IDEA what I might actually end up with, & my 45 day mark is coming up 8/15.
I didn't tell my family any of this, I didn't want them to go through the same emotional rollercoaster I was. If we really had to go without free dining, it would translate to fewer days in WDW or else go the value route, which DH adamantly does not want to do. (I cannot explain his unreasoning bias, for all you value fans, personally I would be fine there.)
So I have been calling every day from work, checking, checking, and today, I spoke with the wonderful STELLA in guest services, availability popped up in the cabins!
So now I am booked, Whew, 7 nights in the cabins, 7 nights of free dining, I don't have to cancel any of my ADRs, don't have to arduously rearrange my itinerary, and DH & kids are happy.
Of course when I called home & happily said, well, it looks like we have successfully switched to the Cabins, DH had NO idea the tension, the drama, the overwhelming (MY TRIP WILL BE RUINED, RUINED I SAY) black cloud that had been hanging over us, so he just said "Well that's great honey" in a mildly chipper voice.
Oh well, another happy pixie dust WDW reservation melodrama ending.
