2016 Free Dining Watch

[Jing]

True, not FD by standards to date, but I am going to bet if it goes well and works, this is what FD will look like from now on. Sad but possibly true. I really hope not.

Exactly what I thought - "this is a test..."

 

[kimmar067]

Exactly what I thought - "this is a test..."

epic. FAIL.

 

[elkkthunder]

Can you apply then dining discount to get the dining plan with 1 ts on a discount

 

[bluezy]

Can you apply then dining discount to get the dining plan with 1 ts on a discount

Yes, you can "upgrade" to either the QSDP or DDP for a reduced rate. I believe the quotes my TA gave me were about $26/person/night to upgrade to the full QSDP and about $45/person/night for the DDP.

 

[mockmom3]

We are hoping for FD when we go in Oct. around the 17th. Have to book soon since we have two families with a total of 9 going.

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

We are hoping for FD when we go in Oct. around the 17th. Have to book soon since we have two families with a total of 9 going.

The 17th of October is probably not a good date for Free Dining, if you look back at the past two years offerings. It has been around the last week of October that has been included in the offer. Your check-in date has to fall in the offer dates to get FD the whole time, unless you do a split stay (and are staying that many days) with half without FD, and half with FD. October has become really less and less included in the FD with most of it being blacked out.

If it was me, and I was flexible and set on free dining, I would be planning on the last week of October. With things the way they are, I'm not sure of course there will even be FD this year. But I've thought that last 2 years too, I'm always scared until they announce it. Or if there is, if it will be Oct 23 or maybe not until Oct 30 that is not blacked out, where there is a weird half week at the end of the month.

Sorry, I don't know how helpful this was. But I did not know if you knew that the 17th is most likely going to be blacked out based on past offers.

 

[Disneynov2015]

The 17th of October is probably not a good date for Free Dining, if you look back at the past two years offerings. It has been around the last week of October that has been included in the offer. Your check-in date has to fall in the offer dates to get FD the whole time, unless you do a split stay (and are staying that many days) with half without FD, and half with FD. October has become really less and less included in the FD with most of it being blacked out.

If it was me, and I was flexible and set on free dining, I would be planning on the last week of October. With things the way they are, I'm not sure of course there will even be FD this year. But I've thought that last 2 years too, I'm always scared until they announce it. Or if there is, if it will be Oct 23 or maybe not until Oct 30 that is not blacked out, where there is a weird half week at the end of the month.

Sorry, I don't know how helpful this was. But I did not know if you knew that the 17th is most likely going to be blacked out based on past offers.

When in nov would be a good time to book with hopes of FD?

 

[ontheuptick]

Question -

I know that to get FD you need to book your room as a package, including buying your tickets through Disney. I'm looking to get an AP with my next stay. Could I book my FD package deal with tickets and then Upgrade when I get on property to an AP and still have the Free Dining offer?

I was thinking of doing a Summer trip, getting AP then and then going for our fall trip. But when I realized that to get FD I would need to book the whole package through Disney I realized maybe the summer trip should be put off and not buy the AP at that time.

Thanks!

 

[Malibustyle23]

Question -

I know that to get FD you need to book your room as a package, including buying your tickets through Disney. I'm looking to get an AP with my next stay. Could I book my FD package deal with tickets and then Upgrade when I get on property to an AP and still have the Free Dining offer?

I was thinking of doing a Summer trip, getting AP then and then going for our fall trip. But when I realized that to get FD I would need to book the whole package through Disney I realized maybe the summer trip should be put off and not buy the AP at that time.

Thanks!

You can upgrade your park tickets to an ap. Most recommend using one day first and then upgrading so that if you had any discount or paid before a price increase the difference would be lesser. The amount between current prices and the the ap. Many call it price bridging.

If you already have an ap and don't need to use the fd tickets you can always not use them and save them for a future trip or (I think) use them to save on a renewal of the ap next year. The easiest thing to do if you choice this option is to ask for them to separate out those tickets and give you a card of the tickets so you won't have them on your magic band and accidentally use them.

Hope that all made sense and I explained it accurately.

 

[Malibustyle23]

When in nov would be a good time to book with hopes of FD?

Unless you are going to go regardless of a discount or not you should wait to book until the promo is offered. Disney is offering discounts because they have the need for more visitors. If the rooms are booked they don't need to offer anything. Plus you never know what the requirements will be this year i.e.: park hoppers, length of stay, room type, locations, etc. So even if you do book you may have to at the very least add the promo at the most change your reservation to reflect the requirement(s) which may require you to cancel and refund the first reservation and rebook.

Just my opinion, others may disagree.

But to answer your question you can look here and see past discount dates offered through the years. But this is Disney so how knows what this year will offer.
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#codetrends

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

When in nov would be a good time to book with hopes of FD?

The free dining general offer last year was 8/28/15-12/21/15, with the blackout dates of 10/3/15-10/24/15, 11/1/15-11/7/15 and 11/20/15-12/14/15). So looking at this years calendar, the 2nd and 3rd week of November might be your best bet.

Oh, and anyone that wants to google Historical Disney World Resort Discounts, the first result will tell you years worth of when offers were released and dates offered, black out dates etc. I look at this a lot when planning my dates if I have a specific offer in mind. It gives you a good idea of when "might" be ok if Disney cooperates haha!

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

Unless you are going to go regardless of a discount or not you should wait to book until the promo is offered. Disney is offering discounts because they have the need for more visitors. If the rooms are booked they don't need to offer anything. Plus you never know what the requirements will be this year i.e.: park hoppers, length of stay, room type, locations, etc. So even if you do book you may have to at the very least add the promo at the most change your reservation to reflect the requirement(s) which may require you to cancel and refund the first reservation and rebook.

Just my opinion, others may disagree.

But to answer your question you can look here and see past discount dates offered through the years. But this is Disney so how knows what this year will offer.
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#codetrends

You beat me too it while I was typing! This is great advice btw!

 

[hdh23]

Just out of curiosity: if you want Free Dining, why did you book now? I've read through the FD2015 thread from last year and based on the experiences people reported, it was not any easier for people who had already booked to secure Free Dining than someone who hadn't booked.

If I learned one thing from reading through that whole thread it was: Do not book in advance.

What incentive does Disney have to offer a discount on their product if it is already selling on its own?

It's obviously your choice, and I was in the same boat as you prior to reading that thread - I was ready to book now, and have Disney apply the discount later. I'm not criticizing.

If you are completely set on going at that time to that resort, regardless of whether or not you get any discount, then by all means - book! Otherwise, there is a significant benefit in waiting - give Disney incentive to have the discount on more rooms, so that you'll actually be able to have a shot at getting it when it goes live!

From my own experience I think you are exactly right. We booked a room knowing that if they offered free dining later that I would call and change it. Well, when free dining was offered, people who hadn't booked yet logged on and booked. I waited 4 hours ( No that's not a misprint)... on hold to secure free dining. Once I got through they informed me that there were no more rooms available for the free dining at the resort we were booked at. We had to change resorts. We live in Idaho so I woke up and started calling at 4am when the lines opened. Never again.

 

[kimmar067]

From my own experience I think you are exactly right. We booked a room knowing that if they offered free dining later that I would call and change it. Well, when free dining was offered, people who hadn't booked yet logged on and booked. I waited 4 hours ( No that's not a misprint)... on hold to secure free dining. Once I got through they informed me that there were no more rooms available for the free dining at the resort we were booked at. We had to change resorts. We live in Idaho so I woke up and started calling at 4am when the lines opened. Never again.

....WHAT???? And miss out on all that fun? [ ]

 

[bluezy]

From my own experience I think you are exactly right. We booked a room knowing that if they offered free dining later that I would call and change it. Well, when free dining was offered, people who hadn't booked yet logged on and booked. I waited 4 hours ( No that's not a misprint)... on hold to secure free dining. Once I got through they informed me that there were no more rooms available for the free dining at the resort we were booked at. We had to change resorts. We live in Idaho so I woke up and started calling at 4am when the lines opened. Never again.

That's where a good Disney Travel Agent can come in handy and exactly why I've used one for the last 10 years. We make our reservations as soon as we know when we want to go. Then she takes care of getting the discount applied and I don't have to do anything. When the Summer Meal promotion came out last week, she had already taken care of getting the discount applied and sent me a new confirmation receipt before I even woke up that morning.

 

[KimBean]

Concerning black out days... what if the start of your trip is not a blackout date but it goes into the timing of blackout?

 

[Malibustyle23]

Concerning black out days... what if the start of your trip is not a blackout date but it goes into the timing of blackout?

As long as your arrival day is on a free dining day your entire package qualifies.
If you arrive on a black out day and the next is a fd day. You may want to do a room only then start your package once the free dining starts.

 

[KimBean]

As long as your arrival day is on a free dining day your entire package qualifies.
If you arrive on a black out day and the next is a fd day. You may want to do a room only then start your package once the free dining starts.

Thanks. This was the case last time too for me, don't know I brain burped. Maybe I was just thinking of it as free dining/ no free dining and the word blackout date threw me off. I am just waiting to hear about free dining and then making my ressie.

 

[vrajewski10513]

From my own experience I think you are exactly right. We booked a room knowing that if they offered free dining later that I would call and change it. Well, when free dining was offered, people who hadn't booked yet logged on and booked. I waited 4 hours ( No that's not a misprint)... on hold to secure free dining. Once I got through they informed me that there were no more rooms available for the free dining at the resort we were booked at. We had to change resorts. We live in Idaho so I woke up and started calling at 4am when the lines opened. Never again.

This isn't the case for everyone. I had a reservation already made, and just went on the website at 6am and modified my reservation. Took 2 minutes and got what I wanted. Granted we ended up havign to cancel due to personal issues, but we're going this year and I already made my reservation and hopefully can do the same thing this year.

 

[CaraMiaBelle]

So, now that Disney has the modified QS Free Dining for the summer, how do we think this might impact possible Fall/Winter Free Dining and promotions?

I am wondering if they may possibly use a new tiering discount going forward.
For instance, use the new, modified QS for value resorts, regular QS for moderate resorts and DDP for deluxe resorts.
OR maybe just the new modified QS combined with some other discount. Similiar to S/P/D

I am at least thinking/hoping that there will be more of a discount than what is currently being offered over the summer since it is usually a much deeper discount in the fall/winter, or summer stays don't even get discounted at all.

Just wondering what you all thought...