Free Dining Watch 2009 - Dates Released!! Update post 1

[CLR4321]

Awesome...thanks! I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be going on in October! I am glad to know that as a Disney Visa cardholder I have a great chance at getting it.

[DisneyBunny15]

Does the offer apply to DVC Members?

[LuccaDrake]

Originally Posted by DisneyBunny15

Does the offer apply to DVC Members?

In the past the answer has been no....however that could always change assuming it will be offered to the public this year.

[DisneyMom5]

RE: FD AND 40% - probably not happening. However, I believe that the Disney Visa offer for later last year included a slight room discount in addition to FD. I believe you got a higher rate season for a lower rate. Not 100% on that, but I remember comparing prices and it was lower.

RE: DVC - As the point of the sale is to fill unfilled rooms AND get you to pay for a package...probably not. If you have DVC points, your room is already paid for, and does not benefit them. You'd only be paying for tickets.

Here's hoping for an announcement on the 30th! I have some serious planning to do!

[TLHB70]

Originally Posted by lisalonglash

Oh yeah, I totally agree - each person really needs to run the numbers for their individual situation to see which option saves them the most! We're staying in a value (ASMu) and there are four of us (2 adults, 1 junior, 1 child), so it's a no-brainer for our situation to take FD if it's offered versus the 40% off room code we're already booked with. The 40% pin saves us just over US$300 for our stay, while the FD would save us US$130 PER DAY

Fingers crossed for FD big-time here!

That is our exact situation too. FD is definitely a better deal for us!

[Funnyguy]

Last year when Free Dining was offered, does anyone know if you could get it if you just had resort reservations, but did not have a "vacation package"? Just asking because everytime I price up my trip with the "vacation package" with the hotel and tickets its much more expensive then if I price the hotel and tickets seperate. I'm just not sure if they gave free dining if you didnt sign up with the tickets and hotel together?

[KKB]

Originally Posted by Funnyguy

Last year when Free Dining was offered, does anyone know if you could get it if you just had resort reservations, but did not have a "vacation package"? Just asking because everytime I price up my trip with the "vacation package" with the hotel and tickets its much more expensive then if I price the hotel and tickets seperate. I'm just not sure if they gave free dining if you didnt sign up with the tickets and hotel together?

You only have to order a one day ticket for each person to receive free dining (days based on the number of nights you are staying)

[penjen]

Funny guy- I think you would need the hotel and atleast one day passes for each person to get the FD.
hth

[lilys.mom]

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

We have gone the last three years and have stayed at Poly each time but decided for a chance this year. I picked CBR b/c its the closest to Poly in theme (tropical, beachy). I hear good things about it so I hope its good. Have you booked already? I am just waiting for free dining to appear so I can book

Good Morning! I went ahead and booked my room and ticket package! Hoping it will be easy/ok to add free dining when the big announcement comes!!!! I am just hoping I will be able to get DD2 away from the pool at CBR

[Funnyguy]

But do you have to purchase the hotel and tickets together?


When I figured our hotel and tickets together under the vacation package it came up about $300 more than if I bought the hotel and tickets both seperate. I know I've heard one reason is Disney automatically figures in vacation insurance on the "vacation package"....which I don't need and didn't even know I had last year.

[LuccaDrake]

Originally Posted by Funnyguy

But do you have to purchase the hotel and tickets together?


When I figured our hotel and tickets together under the vacation package it came up about $300 more than if I bought the hotel and tickets both seperate. I know I've heard one reason is Disney automatically figures in vacation insurance on the "vacation package"....which I don't need and didn't even know I had last year.

Yes it must be booked together as a package (assuming FD is offered with the same Terms as previous years). If you do not want the vacation insurance simply decline it.

[IDoBelieveInFairies2]

Subscribing and hoping for a deal!

[DisneyMom5]

Originally Posted by Funnyguy

But do you have to purchase the hotel and tickets together?


When I figured our hotel and tickets together under the vacation package it came up about $300 more than if I bought the hotel and tickets both seperate. I know I've heard one reason is Disney automatically figures in vacation insurance on the "vacation package"....which I don't need and didn't even know I had last year.

YES, you have to purchase them together. Don't know why you are getting such a descrepancy. Should be the same. Packages include tax, do rooms only? If not, it's the taxes. Quotes for packages do not include the insurance unless you get to that point in the system.

I have never found a difference when pricing it out separately from Disney, only if you are buying tickets from a discounter.

ETA: One additional thought - The WDW website automatically adds preferred room to value hotels, and you have to unclick it, as well as including all the ticket options, and you have to unclick that also. Try that when you price.

[Disneyfalcon]

Originally Posted by Funnyguy

But do you have to purchase the hotel and tickets together?


When I figured our hotel and tickets together under the vacation package it came up about $300 more than if I bought the hotel and tickets both seperate. I know I've heard one reason is Disney automatically figures in vacation insurance on the "vacation package"....which I don't need and didn't even know I had last year.

You can take the insurance off. Packages used to be more than buying it all seperately, but now they are actually almost identical. Within a few dollars of each other.

If your package came out $300 more, it was probably because of insurance, and maybe an extra day got added in, or park hoppers, etc.

I'm almost certain you will have to buy a package to get free dining, but don't worry, it really shouldn't cost you any more.

[ZeroToHero]

Originally Posted by Disneyfalcon

If you want to compare your 40% off pins and free dining, you can get a pretty good idea now.

Take the total of your 40% off package. Add in the cost of the regular dining package for your family if you have not already.


Then price a Magic Your Way package of the same length. NOT a buy 4 get 3 package, price a regular Magic Your Way package. Make sure you have the same options included as your 40% off package i.e. insurance or not, park hoppers, water parks, number of ticket days, etc. Do NOT add in dining.

Now compare the two and see which is a better deal for your party.

I also wanted to add that for some people, they might not do the DDP if they don't get free dining (people like me ) because they're cheap.
So for them, I would assume 15-20$ per quickservice meal, and 30$+ per tableservice, depending on where you're eating (I tend to price out about how much it would be at each restaurant, depending on what I'm interested in eating).

You would then multiply that by number by number of people eating, numbers of each type of meal eaten for the entire trip.. etc.

Sorry I'm making you all do math!

I know for myself, I have a TS each night of the trip if we get free dining, but if we don't, I have us going to one TS the night of our anniversary, and the rest is quick service. (I suppose you could also look at the QSDDP too... so many numbers!)