Everything We Know About Free Dining 2007

[CanadianGuy]

Here's what we've learned so far about Free Dining. THIS INFO NOW APPEARS SOLID. I'm posting what we think we know so far and I have no doubt some of this information will change.

• Starting Monday, April 9th, 2007 .. Disney Visa Card Holders will be able to book Free Dining for the fall of 2007. You must have a Disney Visa card to book, they will ask for it.
  
• Starting Thursday, April 12th, 2007 .. The General Public may call to book the Free Dining promotion.
  
• There are room blocks dedicated for Disney Visa AND for the General Public
  
• Free Dining will be offered 08/26 to 09/22. Your check-in date must be on one of those days to receive free dining. Period. The only way around that is to split your reservation if you arrive before 08/26. If your check-IN date is 09/22, you can get Free Dining for the duration of your stay at your check-in resort. Moving resorts mid-stay under these circumstances would terminate your free dining.
  
• The main indications are that this will be for THREE nights minimum.. same as before.
  
• You must purchase a package that includes at least a one day base-ticket for each person staying in the room. All persons in the room must purchase the same level of ticket. (These can be upgraded separately after you check in if you wish)
  
• The last day to book is scheduled to be June 24.
  
• The code for DISNEY VISA CARD HOLDERS ONLY ... is ZHQ. Non-Disney Visa card holders should NOT try to book with this code.
• The GENERAL PUBLIC code for FREE DDP is ZHU
• You CAN book online by clicking HERE ...

 

[Lewisc]

In 2005 Disney originally said you need to book 5 nights to get free dining but it turned out that was a suggestion not a rule. Guests who don't want to stay 5 nights might get lucky this year.

Assuming free dining has a 5 night minimum guests should understand your package is paid in full long before you arrive. Guests who check early might not be entitled to any refund.

 

[Jill Schwartz]

This was on another Free Dining thread...sorry I don't know how to link:

Not till Monday. But I did ask minimum stay reqirements=3 nights.
It will be available at Values, Mods and Deluxe subject to availibilty. according to a CM .
__________________
According to this cast member, the Visa people are just quoting the ad copy which gives "5 night stay at a Value". I know in our newspaper that Disney ads almost always use this line, but the discount is applicable to more or less number of nights as well as all resort levels (subject to availablity)

So, I am betting that the min will be 3 like last year, and all resort levels will be included.
J

 

[teslaaunt]

Assuming free dining has a 5 night minimum guests should understand your package is paid in full long before you arrive. Guests who check early might not be entitled to any refund.

Im sure its pretty obvious what your saying, but I dont understand. Could you please elaborate? How would this apply in my case. 9/19-9/24-park hopper tickets with ddp. Im am making payments through the website and at this point have $900.00 to pay off before Aug.

 

[teslaaunt]

This was on another Free Dining thread...sorry I don't know how to link:

Not till Monday. But I did ask minimum stay reqirements=3 nights.
It will be available at Values, Mods and Deluxe subject to availibilty. according to a CM .
__________________
According to this cast member, the Visa people are just quoting the ad copy which gives "5 night stay at a Value". I know in our newspaper that Disney ads almost always use this line, but the discount is applicable to more or less number of nights as well as all resort levels (subject to availablity)

So, I am betting that the min will be 3 like last year, and all resort levels will be included.
J

from your mouth to Mickeys' ears please... I really dont want to have to add a night to my 4 night vacation just for the free dining. I would, of course, but what a hassle.

 

[atisikitabasket]

If we checked in on 9/22 would we qualify or would we need to check in on 9/21?

 

[Lewisc]

Im sure its pretty obvious what your saying, but I dont understand. Could you please elaborate? How would this apply in my case. 9/19-9/24-park hopper tickets with ddp. Im am making payments through the website and at this point have $900.00 to pay off before Aug.

You're staying 5 nights so a 5 night ninimum won't change your plans.

Package guests generally have to "pay in full" their entire package 45 days before their trip. Some posters may normally book "room only".

Some guests might book 5 nights (or whatever the minimum stay is) but plan on checking out early. Those guests might not realize they've already paid for their entire stay and Disney might not give them a refund. The cost for 3 nights and PAID DINING plus a possible change fee is likely to be higher then the cost of 5 nights with free dining.

It sounds like the minimum stay might be 3 nights.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Edited Master Post to account for new information.

Basket - check the first post of this thread for the answer to your question.

Knox

 

[gabriellewatson]

Here's what we've learned so far about Free Dining. ALL OF THIS right now is rumor. I'm posting what we think we know so far and I have no doubt some of this information will change.

• Starting Monday, April 9th, 2007 .. Disney Visa Card Holders will be able to book Free Dining for the fall of 2007. You must have a Disney Visa card to book, they will ask for it.
  
• Starting Thursday, April 12th, 2007 .. The General Public may call to book the Free Dining promotion.
  
• Free Dining will be offered 08/26 to 09/22. Your check-in date must be on one of those days to receive free dining. Period. The only way around that is to split your reservation if you arrive before 08/26. If your check-IN date is 09/22, you can get Free Dining for the duration of your stay at your check-in resort. Moving resorts mid-stay under these circumstances would terminate your free dining.
  
• Some rumors that you must stay for at least FIVE nights this year. That would be a change from last year. Several rumors counter this and say THREE nights minimum.. same as before. I'll update this when the official announcement is made.
  
• You must purchase a package that includes at least a one day base-ticket for each person staying in the room. All persons in the room must purchase the same level of ticket. (These can be upgraded separately after you check in if you wish)

Is this available at all resorts do you think? This year we'd like to stay at a Deluxe resort. Last year we were eligible when we stayed at Moderate. Thanks!!

 

[CanadianGuy]

I would think that Disney would want to include their highest profit/highest margin hotel rooms in this promotion. I'd be surprised if they don't.

Knox

 

[ducklite]

It's my understanding that there will be a limited number of "packages" and that each resort has determined how many they will be offering based on historical and current data of the number of rooms they have rented at at what price point. The idea is to sell rooms in resorts that can be more difficult to fill at higher price points.

I've also heard that at least one resort will not be particiapting, but that might have been Fort Wilderness, which I understand the campsites aren't eligible. I've heard that one of the deluxes will have an extremely limited number of packages available. (Less than 100 total!)

I've also read a couple of places that the children and adult credits have now been seperated, they are no longer pooled.

Anne

 

[bmekl]

We staying at AKL 8/25 to 9/1. Would we still be able to get free DDP? Would we have to make new reservations or just change what we have?

Thanks

 

[CanadianGuy]

We staying at AKL 8/25 to 9/1. Would we still be able to get free DDP? Would we have to make new reservations or just change what we have?

Thanks

When this offer is available to the general public (Tentative April 12th) call the reservations center and they will tell you what you need to do to qualify for this offfer.

There are limited packages for given dates at any resort and so you may have to switch to another deluxe to qualify if your resort is already well booked for your travel dates.

Disney Reservations Center can confirm all this for you when you call.

Knox

 

[CarolA]

It's my understanding that there will be a limited number of "packages" and that each resort has determined how many they will be offering based on historical and current data of the number of rooms they have rented at at what price point. The idea is to sell rooms in resorts that can be more difficult to fill at higher price points.

I've also heard that at least one resort will not be particiapting, but that might have been Fort Wilderness, which I understand the campsites aren't eligible. I've heard that one of the deluxes will have an extremely limited number of packages available. (Less than 100 total!)

I've also read a couple of places that the children and adult credits have now been seperated, they are no longer pooled.

Anne

I think Anne has hit the nail on the head. Disney has shown lately that they are not doing as much of the "across the board" discounts. There have been several instances where whole resorts have been excluded from the Discount. I would not be surprised to see it happen here.

 

[emh1129]

Thanks for combining all the info!

 

[maciemouse]

I just hung up with Disney moments ago. I was making reservations for our trip at the end of this month. If a CM has told any info over the telephone it is pure speculation. I also asked her if free dining was offered, would Deluxe resorts be included in this? Again she said she knows nothing about such offers. I did talk to chase today and was told it was being offered at value resorts.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I'd be SHOCKED and HORRIFIED if free dining was limited to Value Resorts.

So much so that I'd probably fall right off my chair in fact.

I don't buy that info from Chase. I believe you were told that, but I also think they're wrong. But we'll know on Monday.

I'm sorry she was rude to you. There's no reason for that.

Knox

 

[chocovrdmicears]

i'm new here and have been watching the 'free dining frenzy'. I have what is probably a silly question. If you booked a package months ago and it is at a deluxe resort within the potential 'free dining' period, and there are a limited amount of rooms that qualify...how does Disney 'issue' the free dining for that resort?.. I am assuming the first, say 100 people that call to book resort would get the free dining? Am I correct to assume that it is irrelevant as to how long you have had your reservations booked? or does that factor into it at all?

 

[CanadianGuy]

It doesn't matter how long you have had your booking.

There will be a limited number of bookings allowed for any given dates under the free dining plan. You have to convert your existing booking and get one of those 'limited' bookings.

Knox

 

[kparc]

• Starting Monday, April 9th, 2007 .. Disney Visa Card Holders will be able to book Free Dining for the fall of 2007. You must have a Disney Visa card to book, they will ask for it.
  
• Starting Thursday, April 12th, 2007 .. The General Public may call to book the Free Dining promotion.
  
• Free Dining will be offered 08/26 to 09/22. Your check-in date must be on one of those days to receive free dining. Period. The only way around that is to split your reservation if you arrive before 08/26. If your check-IN date is 09/22, you can get Free Dining for the duration of your stay at your check-in resort. Moving resorts mid-stay under these circumstances would terminate your free dining.
  
• The main indications are that this will be for THREE nights minimum.. same as before. I'll update this when the official announcement is made. Several current sources are now stating 3 nights... a few people have been told five nights by the Chase Disney Visa people.. but they are probably mis-informed.
  
• You must purchase a package that includes at least a one day base-ticket for each person staying in the room. All persons in the room must purchase the same level of ticket. (These can be upgraded separately after you check in if you wish)
  
• The code for DISNEY VISA CARD HOLDERS ONLY ... is rumored to be ZHQ. Non-Disney Visa card holders should NOT try to book with this code. We will post the general public code as soon as it is known.

[/QUOTE]

I just got off the phone with a DISNEY VISA CARD rep. They told me the same as quoted above. We are planning to be in Disney from 8/13 to 8/22 and can't go in late August or at all in September, (kids and school).

Well, my Dream wasn't one of the million Disney is giving!