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

[DisneyMom5]

Originally Posted by Disneymom2266

Another question I have is... I am a DVC member, and will be booking my room through points. I do have a Disney Visa card, so... can I still book the free dining for my whole party, even if we stay on points, and I am the only Disney Visa holder? I have never seen anything like this with my Visa statements, how do you know about the promo?

No. You have to book a package. They are trying to sell rooms and tickets.
If your room is already paid for, they are not benefitting to give you free dining.

[Disneymom2266]

Originally Posted by DisneyMom5

No. You have to book a package. They are trying to sell rooms and tickets.
If your room is already paid for, they are not benefitting to give you free dining.

Then do you think it would be more worth it to just book the whole thing with the discount? Is the discount only on food, and where can you stay?

[DisneyMom5]

Originally Posted by Disneymom2266

Hi Everyone! I keep hearing of this free dining. How does it work,and how to you go about getting it? Can you go anywhere you want for dinners? Any info will be greatly appreciated. I am hoping for a girls trip in September.

You use a code (either through Disney Visa or later General public) to book a package (room and tickets), and then they add the Dining Plan for free (1 Table Service credit, One Counter service credit, and One snack credit, to be used in the order you want, from check in until midnight of your check out day. So you can do two TS one day and two CS one day, or whatever.)

Some people have found it cheaper to save their DVC points for another trip, and book a value resort room with tickets and free dining.
If you are planning on buying the dining plan, this may be an option for you.

You can eat anywhere the plan is accepted (check out the dining plan brochure on Disney's official website.)
Reservations (ADRs) before travelling are absolutely necessary during Free Dining.

[DisneyMom5]

Originally Posted by Disneymom2266

Then do you think it would be more worth it to just book the whole thing with the discount? Is the discount only on food, and where can you stay?

Yes (depending on the cost of the resort you choose),
yes,
and all Disney owned resorts are eligible for the plan, depending on availability.
So not Shades of Green and Dolphin/Swan, or the DTD hotels.

The best value is Free Dining and a Value resort, though some people have had excellent savings on Moderates. Deluxe is not as good a value on this sale, unless you were going to buy the dining plan anyway, and have no other discount for your stay.
You cannot combine discounts.

Happy Planning!

[Disneymom2266]

Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it!

[Disneymom2266]

Disneymom%,

I will never complain about planning again. I admire you wholeheartedly for doing it for 7 children plus a hubby, and inlaws!

Did you enjoy the pricess bfast at Ackershaus? We didnt like it at all. The girls loved the princesses, but the food was horrible. Now my kids are 18 and 12, so I miss them being little and enjoying the princesses,etc. Now it`s a totally different trip. I am 43 and contemplated having more, but now I think too old maybe? I will continue to enjoy your posts.

From your Illinois neighbor.

[mom2two2]

I am so sorry. I should have clarified my earlier question about booking the morning that Free Dining comes out.

I meant booking the actual Free Dining Package. I did not mean ADRs (I have not gotten that far yet - lol). I assume that the trick in getting the hotel and dates you want for Free Dining Package would be to call first thing in the morning when lines are open (is that 7:00 am FL time?). How does online booking (of the whole package) work? Does an icon appear on the Disney site at a certain time? I am trying to guess what would be the best bet for getting the dates/hotel I want on that first day that booking is available.

If I am trying to book the Free Dining hotel package for late Aug I would be able to make ADRs 90 days back from the date of arrival in Aug correct?

[SlightlyGoofy]

Hey there MOM! I done missed you too. Been a lot of sickness going on around here and everything mechanical is breaking down. Nothing that money cannot fix though so that is good.

Yes, it was the Disney Visa Free Dining during December I was referring to. I am wishing and hoping that lightning strikes twice as that would be the best of all worlds, Christmas decorations, great prices, lower crowds and Free Dining! What more could a gal want? (other than a certain family joining me down there).

SG

[KKB]

Originally Posted by mom2two2

I am so sorry. I should have clarified my earlier question about booking the morning that Free Dining comes out.

I meant booking the actual Free Dining Package. I did not mean ADRs (I have not gotten that far yet - lol). I assume that the trick in getting the hotel and dates you want for Free Dining Package would be to call first thing in the morning when lines are open (is that 7:00 am FL time?). How does online booking (of the whole package) work? Does an icon appear on the Disney site at a certain time? I am trying to guess what would be the best bet for getting the dates/hotel I want on that first day that booking is available.

If I am trying to book the Free Dining hotel package for late Aug I would be able to make ADRs 90 days back from the date of arrival in Aug correct?

If you must call the day it is open to the general public, and you are pretty set in where you want to stay, I'd be on the phone as soon as you can. Expect to WAIT (gees, I waited 20 min. one regular Sunday!) If you are a Disney VISA holder, you can call earlier or if you are flexible about where you stay, you don't need to rush to the phones. There will be availablity for awhile, just not at all resorts all the time.

[Cdn Mickey]

Originally Posted by mermaid&cinderella

It was $129 each way, for the 3 of us with the taxes it was just over $1000 which is a great deal. Is the $362 tax in???

This is right off the Airtransat website today
TOTAL: $362.81
Price taxes not incl. : $133.76 *
Other taxes : $214.94
Sales tax : $14.11
DEPARTURE
Saturday, September 12, 2009
from Toronto (Pearson International) at 0:00 AM
To Orlando (Orlando International) at 0:00 AM, Saturday, September 12, 2009
Flight TS tba
Economy Class
Returning on the September 19th.

[DisneyMom5]

Originally Posted by Disneymom2266

Disneymom%,

I will never complain about planning again. I admire you wholeheartedly for doing it for 7 children plus a hubby, and inlaws!

Did you enjoy the pricess bfast at Ackershaus? We didnt like it at all. The girls loved the princesses, but the food was horrible. Now my kids are 18 and 12, so I miss them being little and enjoying the princesses,etc. Now it`s a totally different trip. I am 43 and contemplated having more, but now I think too old maybe? I will continue to enjoy your posts.

From your Illinois neighbor.

I actually enjoy it. It's a sickness, I know.
The only way one can enjoy a trip with seven children and the relatives is to plan the heck out of it.
My kids are easy though, because they LOVE WDW, and they love the perks I get them by being a compulsive planner.
[After being the family of the day at MGM one time, and eating all that free food twice, my dh no longer complains about my over planning. LOL]

We did like the Princess breakfast, but not because the food was so outstanding. [Though we DID enjoy it!]
The looks on my little girl's faces were priceless, and even my SIL was so excited about meeting Ariel. LOL
We won't be doing that one this time.
Going to try meeting Cindy and crew at 1900 Park Fair.

Originally Posted by mom2two2

I am so sorry. I should have clarified my earlier question about booking the morning that Free Dining comes out.

I meant booking the actual Free Dining Package. I did not mean ADRs (I have not gotten that far yet - lol). I assume that the trick in getting the hotel and dates you want for Free Dining Package would be to call first thing in the morning when lines are open (is that 7:00 am FL time?). How does online booking (of the whole package) work? Does an icon appear on the Disney site at a certain time? I am trying to guess what would be the best bet for getting the dates/hotel I want on that first day that booking is available.

If I am trying to book the Free Dining hotel package for late Aug I would be able to make ADRs 90 days back from the date of arrival in Aug correct?

I would not guarentee that the icon will be available, or accessible, the very first morning. Their website is notorious for malfunctioning at moments like that.
I'd call.
There is an ADR calculator somewhere on the web. Google it. VERY helpful!
And yes, approx. 90 days from your check-in, and you can book 10 days (in a row) worth at a time.

Originally Posted by SlightlyGoofy

Hey there MOM! I done missed you too. Been a lot of sickness going on around here and everything mechanical is breaking down. Nothing that money cannot fix though so that is good.

Yes, it was the Disney Visa Free Dining during December I was referring to. I am wishing and hoping that lightning strikes twice as that would be the best of all worlds, Christmas decorations, great prices, lower crowds and Free Dining! What more could a gal want? (other than a certain family joining me down there).

SG

Thanks Linda! We'd like to do that to. Just thinking that Sept. is gonna work out for all involved.

Originally Posted by KKB

If you must call the day it is open to the general public, and you are pretty set in where you want to stay, I'd be on the phone as soon as you can. Expect to WAIT (gees, I waited 20 min. one regular Sunday!) If you are a Disney VISA holder, you can call earlier or if you are flexible about where you stay, you don't need to rush to the phones. There will be availablity for awhile, just not at all resorts all the time.

In '07 I called to book 3 rooms on the day that Disney Visa holders could. I waited about an hour. (A Monday.)

When I called to book 2 more rooms on the day it was available to general public (that next Thurs.), I waited over TWO hours, and that was calling right at 7 am. I did have to call Grand Gatherings that day, so I think that's why it took longer.
I wasn't able to get both rooms where I wanted them, but later was able to change the one.

If you are flexible about resorts and views/standard vs. preferred, and are not booking for 16 people, you should be ok. LOL

ETA: The website crashed while I was on the phone with the CM, and before it did I couldn't get ANY rooms at Pop, but when it came back up I was able to get one.
So if you possibly can get a Disney Visa, you have a much better shot of getting rooms exactly where you want them. If you don't have a preference, you'll be ok.


Happy Planning everyone!

[ZeroToHero]

Originally Posted by Cdn Mickey

This is right off the Airtransat website today
TOTAL: $362.81
Price taxes not incl. : $133.76 *
Other taxes : $214.94
Sales tax : $14.11
DEPARTURE
Saturday, September 12, 2009
from Toronto (Pearson International) at 0:00 AM
To Orlando (Orlando International) at 0:00 AM, Saturday, September 12, 2009
Flight TS tba
Economy Class
Returning on the September 19th.

Why are the taxes more than the flight itself?!

[KKB]

I know a lot of DISers were online while on hold the last couple of years...
Then those that called later in the day or later in the week didn't have near the wait time; but it does seem that some of the later callers (though not all) did have to compromise and take their 2nd or 3rd hotel choices.

I know I waited 45 min to book ADRs 180days out 2 years ago on a Sunday afternoon...

Bet if we tried in the middle of the night we might not find much wait time (though I suppose there are fewer CMs working at that time, so wait time may still stink...)

I gotta say, as huge as Disney is, it is a rare day that there isn't serious wait time when calling and their internet site can be SLOOOOOOOW...you'd think that they would be interested in upgrading such things. Those are a couple of the few things I can complain about when it comes to Disney...

[Kat73]

Hi I have a question

I'm probably going solo in September and hoping for a FD code. However there's a chance one of several people may decide to tag along- they just won't know when the codes come out likely.

If I book a room with FD, for myself, can I call back a month or two later and add a person to the room- I know they'd need to at least get a one day park ticket- but will Disney let me add FD to new people in the room later on?

[lisalonglash]

Originally Posted by KKB

I know a lot of DISers were online while on hold the last couple of years...
Then those that called later in the day or later in the week didn't have near the wait time; but it does seem that some of the later callers (though not all) did have to compromise and take their 2nd or 3rd hotel choices.

I know I waited 45 min to book ADRs 180days out 2 years ago on a Sunday afternoon...

Bet if we tried in the middle of the night we might not find much wait time (though I suppose there are fewer CMs working at that time, so wait time may still stink...)

I gotta say, as huge as Disney is, it is a rare day that there isn't serious wait time when calling and their internet site can be SLOOOOOOOW...you'd think that they would be interested in upgrading such things. Those are a couple of the few things I can complain about when it comes to Disney...

That's one of the many reasons we booking our Disney vacation with our travel agent - she does all that stuff for us for free!