The Death of Free Dining?

[BuckeyeBama]

Free Dining will be offered. Be patient.

 

[Flamingeaux]

Disney is addicted to special offers. IN MY OPINION there will some FD offer for the usual fall dates. I'm hoping for a FD PIN for May.

 

[TDC Nala]

If this one doesnt fill enough rooms, there may yet be a free dining offer, we can't do anything but stay tuned. It is all about filling rooms, if they fill enough rooms without free dining there won't be any.

 

[indigoxtreme]

I looked at the new offer for our May trip and it is higher than if I paid for the MM myself, based on the Spring Offer

 

[Liljo22]

i really believe it's going away......they haven't offered it in August for the last two year, meaning late August, well in 2012 they did but had trimmed it....i was there in August and in my buyback package it was very small print that free dining was offered, but the room discount was really pushed instead. I find Disney cutting back and back what they are offering.

FD was created to attract vacationers during the recession when room occupancies fell all over the US. Now that park attendence is booming, Disney is going to pull back on their offerings until they find the sweet spot.

 

[eangel12]

I received a fall pin...room discount NO free dining!

 

[smitch425]

I received a fall pin...room discount NO free dining!

"Fall" refers to Oct-Dec. Aug/Sept is "late Summer". What dates are covered under your PIN? Is it the same one that has been floating around since last year, or is it actually for Fall dates?

 

[NYDisneyKid]

free dinning

 

[eangel12]

"Fall" refers to Oct-Dec. Aug/Sept is "late Summer". What dates are covered under your PIN? Is it the same one that has been floating around since last year, or is it actually for Fall dates?

I think October but don't have it in front of me!

 

[StacyMarie]

I looked at the new offer for our May trip and it is higher than if I paid for the MM myself, based on the Spring Offer

Same here. There wasn't any difference in price at all.

 

[ekendall2]

I thought this would be gone last year. It doesn't seem like they are having any trouble getting people there, as every time of the year seems to be busy anymore.

I have never been able to take advantage of it as I am a teacher.

I would imagine that its too early for them to release it yet. Probably trying to see how many rooms they can book before giving it away.

 

[Colleen27]

I can't imagine that a very small room discount and an add-on that not many people are even aware of yet will fill rooms during hurricane season, but I do think the days of decent discounts are numbered. Disney is conditioning us to pay more and get less and based on recent attendance reports they're succeeding.

 

[davedmaine]

WDW released their fall discount offer this morning and it is NOT free dining, for the first time in several years. They have been threatening for years to take it away, do you think they actually did it this time? If so, do you think we'll see a drop in fall attendance when it has been steadily growing during the fall?

Hopefully. The plan is a complete racket. Free dining is no bargain for anyone. I scratch my head when people say they can't go unless fd is offered..

 

[dwheaton]

This is good news for me if it stays true. It forces them to do more at their restaurants and not dumb them down. I think they're doing so well with attendance and have decided that they won't take a huge hit. Like others have said, they can always offer it a bit later if the movement is slow.

 

[ArthurKing1220]

If they take away free dining, perhaps the restaurants will be forced to up their game...

Agreed. We can only dream ....

 

[SPOERLX3]

This historical data documents that FD for September has never come out any earlier than 3/1 and that was in 2012. Last year the promo for FD in September wasn't offered until 5/6.
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

With that being said, I have read on some of the threads throughout Disboards that they may start limiting the FD offer only via a PIN code.

I have gotten a couple of PIN codes for Room discounts in September and FD but only through 3/5/14.

Here is hoping and praying for a Visa cardholder, PIN code or general public FD for September

 

[sethschroeder]

I sure hope they don't offer free dining at least not until 9/15 when I am safely out of WDW....

Did the math on dining and room discounts beforand never came close last year. This year we rented dvc.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

This is good news for me if it stays true. It forces them to do more at their restaurants and not dumb them down. I think they're doing so well with attendance and have decided that they won't take a huge hit. Like others have said, they can always offer it a bit later if the movement is slow.

Actually, nothing will change as long as the dining plan still exists. Free or bought, the dining plan killed restaurant quality in WDW. It guarantees meal "purchases" with no regard for quality. It has to be purchased before a trip begins.

 

[BadgerGirl84]

Actually, nothing will change as long as the dining plan still exists. Free or bought, the dining plan killed restaurant quality in WDW. It guarantees meal "purchases" with no regard for quality. It has to be purchased before a trip begins.

I agree. For selfish reasons, I'd love for free dining not to be offered this fall. I always stay off site and it would mean some ADRs would be easier to get most likely, and perhaps fewer people.

 

[DebbieB]

Hopefully. The plan is a complete racket. Free dining is no bargain for anyone. I scratch my head when people say they can't go unless fd is offered..

If you put 4 adults (especially 2 adults + 2 kids 10 to 17) into a value or moderate room, it's a good deal.