2010 Free Dining Discussion-Free Dining released for everyone (see 1st post)

[dreaming-of-disney]

We were planning to rent points from a DVC owner to stay in AKV next October. But, if they come out with the free dining then we definitely don't want to miss out on that as it will save us a lot of money since we were planning to do the dining plan anyway. Should we stick with our plan or book at Pop Century hoping for the free dining?

 

[TDC Nala]

Forgive me Nala, I've had a couple glasses of wine and I just got confused...

I'm actually booking tomorrow! We are getting homeschool tickets when they are available (this is for Sept. 2010) but hoping for free dining. Sooooooooo...am I correct that I should book our room with a 1 day base ticket for all of us and then when free dining is (IF it is) announced, I can call up and add it to our reservation???

Sorry for the questions, I'm sure a CM will walk me through it tomorrow as well, this will be our first time onsite booking and I just don't want to do it wrong!

I do not know what a "homeschool ticket" is, but if it is not part of a package, then you have to book a package with a 1 day base ticket to get free dining. You have several options here. You can book the package with the 1 day base ticket and then alter that reservation later to add the free dining discount. If you don't get the discount, you can cancel that reservation and rebook it as a room-only reservation. You can also book a room-only reservation and change it to a package reservation when free dining comes out. This means the room-only will have to be cancelled and rebooked as a package. If you intend to call as soon as free dining is released, this shouldn't be a problem - if you have a Disney Visa card, even better, as Visa cardholders get to call before the general public does.

In both situations, the free dining package has to be available for the dates and resort you want, so I'd call as soon as possible or have a travel agent poised to make the change for you, if you prefer to use a travel agent.

 

[TDC Nala]

We were planning to rent points from a DVC owner to stay in AKV next October. But, if they come out with the free dining then we definitely don't want to miss out on that as it will save us a lot of money since we were planning to do the dining plan anyway. Should we stick with our plan or book at Pop Century hoping for the free dining?

That's going to depend on how badly you want to stay at AKV. If you are going to be satisfied with Pop Century and you'd rather have the free dining, I don't know that you shouldn't wait - but then you might end up staying at Pop Century without free dining, as there is no guarantee and I couldn't even guess the odds that there will be free dining in October, since this is the first year they've EVER had free dining in October -December for the general public and there's no history to draw on in considering the odds. (Remember that this year they also had free QSDP for value guests in October-December, so if the same occurs and you want basic dining you'd need to fork out $40 per night to upgrade - your kids are both dining adults.)

If you get a DVC member involved, you probably won't want to pull out of the rental contract and leave them high and dry so you can get free dining. I will say that I think DVC accommodations on points or rented points with paid dining is an excellent deal, IF you want the DVC accommodations. But if you'll be satisfied with Pop Century, you can book Pop and wait, or just wait. If you want roomier accommodations, book a moderate or a deluxe and wait to see what happens.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I do not know what a "homeschool ticket" is, but if it is not part of a package, then you have to book a package with a 1 day base ticket to get free dining. You have several options here. You can book the package with the 1 day base ticket and then alter that reservation later to add the free dining discount. If you don't get the discount, you can cancel that reservation and rebook it as a room-only reservation. You can also book a room-only reservation and change it to a package reservation when free dining comes out. This means the room-only will have to be cancelled and rebooked as a package. If you intend to call as soon as free dining is released, this shouldn't be a problem - if you have a Disney Visa card, even better, as Visa cardholders get to call before the general public does.

In both situations, the free dining package has to be available for the dates and resort you want, so I'd call as soon as possible or have a travel agent poised to make the change for you, if you prefer to use a travel agent.

Thank you! I think I will book the package with 1 base for each of us. If for some reason we can't get free dining, we'll do the ddp anyway and will have to have 1 base ticket each anyway.

The homeschool tickets are through the YES program and only available on certain dates in Sept. and Jan. They are 5 day tickets and substantially discounted, similar to the military discount tickets they had in 2009.

 

[TDC Nala]

If I were you, I'd look for a room-only discount (IF it turns out that you can't get free dining) rather than keep the full price package with ticket, if you don't need the ticket.

 

[Twoboysnmygirl]

I DO have a PIN that I got!

BUT, after crunching the numbers, we will still save doing ddp with 3 teenagers and a dh who thinks he has to eat at every single TS restaurant in Epcot!

Hopefully I won't have to worry about it, I haven't heard too many horror stories about people not being able to get FD right when it's announced. Keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for end of March/beginning of April!

 

[Pixie Princess]

I also have a question concerning free dining. I live in Georgia and our school system went to some weird calendar where we will be getting a week off in September. I think it's because some school board member that's very influential has a neighbor that's a homeschool family and wanted to get the same deals on vacation. (We get a week off in September, November for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks for Christmas, week off in February, week off in April for Spring Break, and we are gone for the summer the Friday before Memorial Day).

Crazy, I know. But here's the deal: we decided to see about going to Free Dining. The problem is: how do you go about getting it?

If you go to a value hotel, can you get the regular dining plan free, or just the CS plan? Do you normally have a minimum stay involved? Do you need to book the MYW package first? And, when you book, do you need a code?

I live in GA too, and we have the same thing, but our week off is in Oct. Personally, I'd rather the kids start later. We live in a county with two city school systems and then the county system. All the schools have this type of calendar, but none of the days off line up. It's all political, and bad blood between the school boards. Consequently we can't plan vacations with extended family who are in the county system. Annoying!

Okay I'll get off my soapbox now! We've done free dining several times, and in my experience you do need to book a MYW package with at least a one day park admission. I haven't changed a reservation to be free dining, but have for other deals once they were announced. It was very easy. You simply have to call up reservations and tell them you'd like to change to the current offer once it is announced. A good travel agent that specializes in Disney travel will also do this for you automatically. I have also found that if I change my reservation and end up spending more money (added an extra person, extended a stay) you are not charged the change fee.

You can get the regular dining plan staying at a Value resort, and I don't recall there ever being a minimum stay requirement. Our first free dining trip was a 4 day weekend trip.

Enjoy your fall break!

 

[TDC Nala]

I DO have a PIN that I got!

BUT, after crunching the numbers, we will still save doing ddp with 3 teenagers and a dh who thinks he has to eat at every single TS restaurant in Epcot!

Hopefully I won't have to worry about it, I haven't heard too many horror stories about people not being able to get FD right when it's announced. Keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for end of March/beginning of April!

Oh I see - you want the dining plan anyway (I don't use the dining plan so it often doesn't occur to me that people want to buy a ticket when they don't need one just to use it). Then booking your package ahead of time, if you already know where you want to stay and when, will work fine for you.

You can get the regular dining plan staying at a Value resort, and I don't recall there ever being a minimum stay requirement. Our first free dining trip was a 4 day weekend trip.

There is no minimum stay for a package with paid dining, but for the free dining promotion, you need a minimum 3 night stay.

In 2009, in August/September you could get the basic dining free if you stayed at a value. However, for the October-December offer, the free dining given to value resort guests was the quick service plan. You had to book moderate or above to get the basic dining plan free. No telling what they'll do with value reservations next year.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

That's going to depend on how badly you want to stay at AKV. If you are going to be satisfied with Pop Century and you'd rather have the free dining, I don't know that you shouldn't wait - but then you might end up staying at Pop Century without free dining, as there is no guarantee and I couldn't even guess the odds that there will be free dining in October, since this is the first year they've EVER had free dining in October -December for the general public and there's no history to draw on in considering the odds. (Remember that this year they also had free QSDP for value guests in October-December, so if the same occurs and you want basic dining you'd need to fork out $40 per night to upgrade - your kids are both dining adults.)

If you get a DVC member involved, you probably won't want to pull out of the rental contract and leave them high and dry so you can get free dining. I will say that I think DVC accommodations on points or rented points with paid dining is an excellent deal, IF you want the DVC accommodations. But if you'll be satisfied with Pop Century, you can book Pop and wait, or just wait. If you want roomier accommodations, book a moderate or a deluxe and wait to see what happens.

We're definitely not booking moderate or deluxe accomodations, as that is too expensive for us. We do like Pop Century (DH loves the icees). Just wanted to try AKV. So are you saying we are going to have to pay $40 per night for our 2 girls to get the free dining? Is this because they are considered adults on the DDP and the free dining is for 2 adults and 2 children? I'm confused. And is it $40 per girl or $40 for both girls per night?

I will say that I think DVC accommodations on points or rented points with paid dining is an excellent deal, IF you want the DVC accommodations.
I didn't think you could get the free dining with renting DVC points? Sorry for all of the confusion.

 

[TDC Nala]

We're definitely not booking moderate or deluxe accomodations, as that is too expensive for us. We do like Pop Century (DH loves the icees). Just wanted to try AKV. So are you saying we are going to have to pay $40 per night for our 2 girls to get the free dining? Is this because they are considered adults on the DDP and the free dining is for 2 adults and 2 children? I'm confused. And is it $40 per girl or $40 for both girls per night?

Possibly. This is assuming that IF there is an October free dining offer for the general public in 2010, it is the same offer that was made this year, which was if you stayed at a value resort you got the quick service dining plan free, not the basic. The upgrade cost to the basic plan would be $10 per night per adult, which would be $40 a night for your entire family of four, since the children are both over the age of 9. Only kids age 9 and under are eligible for the children's dining plan. Your kids will be considered "children" for the resort room booking - meaning they won't trigger an extra adult charge on the room - but they are adults for tickets and dining.

That's only if you want the basic dining plan (1 TS, 1 CS, 1 snack per night) rather than the quick service plan (2 CS, 2 snacks per night, refillable mug) when you are staying at Pop in October. If you're OK with the quick service plan then you won't have to pay anything extra. This is all assuming that there is an October offer in 2010 and that it is the same as the one in 2009.

And Pop Century no longer has icees - the machines were replaced with iced tea machines earlier this year.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

Possibly. This is assuming that IF there is an October free dining offer for the general public in 2010, it is the same offer that was made this year, which was if you stayed at a value resort you got the quick service dining plan free, not the basic. The upgrade cost to the basic plan would be $10 per night per adult, which would be $40 a night for your entire family of four, since the children are both over the age of 9. Only kids age 9 and under are eligible for the children's dining plan. Your kids will be considered "children" for the resort room booking - meaning they won't trigger an extra adult charge on the room - but they are adults for tickets and dining.

That's only if you want the basic dining plan (1 TS, 1 CS, 1 snack per night) rather than the quick service plan (2 CS, 2 snacks per night, refillable mug) when you are staying at Pop in October. If you're OK with the quick service plan then you won't have to pay anything extra. This is all assuming that there is an October offer in 2010 and that it is the same as the one in 2009.

And Pop Century no longer has icees - the machines were replaced with iced tea machines earlier this year.

Oh my gosh! My husband is going to die. It would be like him to boycot it by not going back. Is it sweet iced tea? That would help heal the wound.

 

[squirrel]

The White Tea was sweetened. There may have been another one or two that were also sweet. I believe one was not sweet. They were not very cold.


I booked the bounceback at Pop and I get the regular DDP. If they do just give out the QSDP for the value resorts, wouldn't it be better to upgrade to a moderate resort for your family. I would think the cost would be almost the same as upgrading the QSDP to the regular DDP. You would also have a larger room with larger beds and a fridge.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

But, the moderate resorts are more expensive than the value. And we would only be paying $140 per night for the villa which isn't much more than the value. I haven't priced the moderate resorts. I just knew they were more expensive than value. We're trying to save any way we can since this will be our 2nd vacation this year and we're only going for 5 nights and are always at the parks.

Did they have just plain sweet tea?

 

[TDC Nala]

It's a tough one. If you don't want Pop unless you get free basic dining (assuming it's out of your budget to pay $40 a night for the entire family to upgrade QSDP to basic dining), there really isn't any way to tell whether or not there will be a 2010 offer of free dining for October, and further whether or not the free dining offered at values will be QS or basic, until the time at which these offers are generally announced, which is June or July, if it follows the same course as last year (October free dining was an entirely different offer from August/September free dining - it wasn't merely an extension of the same offer). If you're going to check in prior to October 3 you might have a better chance at the August/September offer which would probably give you basic dining at a value, but if you're intending to travel later in October you will have to wait and see what happens.

If it's for sure that you do not want to stay at Pop Century unless they offer you basic dining free, and you don't want to stay at a moderate, you might have to resign yourself to renting the DVC and purchasing the dining plan, and then realizing that if you do get a PIN code for free dining or there is an October offer including basic dining for values, you're stuck unless you want to break the contract you made with the DVC member, which would in effect stick the DVC member with points they thought they'd rented. In that situation you can at least be sure you have the deluxe accommodations, and you'll still be on the dining plan.

I really don't envy you your choice. You might be able to wait until June or July and then book with a DVC member - I don't know the odds that Kidani or Jambo will fill up for October by then, but it's not one of the sought-after resorts for the Food and Wine Festival.

So the options you have are:

1) Book Pop Century now, if the offer is the same as this year's (assuming there even is an offer) pay $40 per night (total for the whole family) to upgrade QSDP to basic dining;

2) Book Pop Century now, if there's no offer you like cancel it and rent from a DVC member;

3) Book Pop Century and either accept QSDP if that's what you get free, or stay there even if there is no free dining plan offer;

4) Go with the DVC rental now and buy the dining plan, realizing that you will not be eligible for a free dining offer if they do have one that meets your requirements.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

It's a tough one. Thank you Nala for all of your help! I told my DVC friend that I would let her know in March as that is the earliest she can book AKV.

 

[j_darl]

I'm sure the free dining will continue in 2010 again because I've managed to get mine for Sept 2010 but through the UK Disney site staying at Saratoga Springs (got 47% off and free dining). They have real good offers on just now I think for the UK crowd so I'm sure those will filter through to everyone at some point.

Hi,
We too have combined the discounts offered in the UK for Sept 2010, 47% off Saratoga Springs 2 bed, free dining plan and the 14 night ultimate ticket for the price of 7 days. For the end total I just couldn't say no!!!

 

[MyBubbles]

Hi,
We too have combined the discounts offered in the UK for Sept 2010, 47% off Saratoga Springs 2 bed, free dining plan and the 14 night ultimate ticket for the price of 7 days. For the end total I just couldn't say no!!!

I'm exactly the same... for the total how could you not tell Mickey no!! I couldn't believe it, and I wasn't even planning on going to Disney next year. Now I can't wait and all the extra saved is even better!!

 

[squirrel]

The moderate rooms are more expensive than I thought. I just priced the difference between Pop and a mod and the difference is over $70. Both rooms were the standard.

I hope that the regular DDP is offered for Aug/Sept.

 

[blitzkrieg048]

Hey,
Trying to plan a trip for summer 2k10. Looking in either mid july or august. Does anyone know when free dining usually starts b/c I would like to try and avoid that time.

Thanx

 

[kpgriswold]

Free dining will start August 15, 2010.