What's different about free dining this year?

[jade88]

Excuse me for not being completely plugged in at moment, but i've definitely noticed that free dining is pretty much sold out everywhere and at every period during the promotion.


I went to WDW using the free dining promotion in 2013 and again in 2014 and got free dining no problem. I didn't even jump on it right away, i even changed my reservation a month before to the next month and it was still available. It was never an issue of obtaining it, why is it sold out this year?


Has Disney scaled back the promotion to include less rooms at the resort or are more people simply packing into the promotion this year?

 

[dbennett3899]

My guess is that you're exactly right. Way less rooms are included it seems. This is just another step in scaling the promo back. Next year I could see them adding not only a park hopper requirement but maybe even memory maker. Baby steps in weaning us off and making us not want it. Just one mans opinion.

 

[DebbieB]

I think more rooms were already full, so they did not include as many in the promo. People who book rooms early so that they can "apply" free dining later are making it more difficult.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

I think more rooms were already full, so they did not include as many in the promo. People who book rooms early so that they can "apply" free dining later are making it more difficult.

This was me. I booked when I knew I was going and applied FD Monday. It was quick and painless. And I got the room I wanted plus FD. Try it. I'm not going to wait for a mad rush to book a vacation so the rest of you can have a chance at it. If you can't afford it then save more for it. Rant over.

 

[dmunsil]

I think more rooms were already full, so they did not include as many in the promo. People who book rooms early so that they can "apply" free dining later are making it more difficult.

The vast majority of people who book rooms are not thinking about discounts, free dining, etc. They're just booking the room they want and forgetting about it. When the economy is better and more people are travelling, the hotels book up more quickly and there are fewer discounted rooms.

Discounts were plentiful and generous starting in 2009 with the financial crisis, and have tapered off ever since as the economy got better. We're returning to normal. Prior to the financial crisis, Disney never had free dining or anything nearly as generous.

 

[yooperfan]

The vast majority of people who book rooms are not thinking about discounts, free dining, etc. They're just booking the room they want and forgetting about it. When the economy is better and more people are travelling, the hotels book up more quickly and there are fewer discounted rooms.

Discounts were plentiful and generous starting in 2009 with the financial crisis, and have tapered off ever since as the economy got better. We're returning to normal. Prior to the financial crisis, Disney never had free dining or anything nearly as generous.

Too bad the meal prices they inflated in order to make dining packages sound like a deal are here to stay with or without dining packages.

 

[smitch425]

This was me. I booked when I knew I was going and applied FD Monday. It was quick and painless. And I got the room I wanted plus FD. Try it. I'm not going to wait for a mad rush to book a vacation so the rest of you can have a chance at it. If you can't afford it then save more for it. Rant over.

You do realized that having a room already booked doesn't make it any more likely that you will get free dining right? Speed in booking is the thing that got it, not already having a room. There are many people who booked new reservations and got free dining before people who had rooms got it. It's just because they booked before the others modified.

 

[verleniahall]

I also had a room booked prior to FD - I booked it Oct. 1 2014 - We were going FD or not - I didn't even KNOW abotu FD until about a month ago with epopel started talking about it. But I am like a PP - I was able to modify my reservation, got free dining, and paid the upgrade to the DDP.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

You do realized that having a room already booked doesn't make it any more likely that you will get free dining right? Speed in booking is the thing that got it, not already having a room. There are many people who booked new reservations and got free dining before people who had rooms got it. It's just because they booked before the others modified.

Yep. I was going anyway. The FD was a bonus. Now I can get that facial and pedicure at GF !

 

[dmunsil]

Too bad the meal prices they inflated in order to make dining packages sound like a deal are here to stay with or without dining packages.

Most people who eat at Disney are not on the Dining Plan. They increased the meal prices because the demand was there and they could.

 

[Disney-Chick]

Yep. I was going anyway. The FD was a bonus. Now I can get that facial and pedicure at GF !

The issue comes when people "think" they are going and book just to book. But cancel the whole trip and not go because the dates/resorts did not follow their booking. This then causes issues for those who are holding off as it cuts back on the dates/rooms that are available. I have heard that those who did book before FD was released did not get the dates/room they wanted.

I was going whether FD came or not, though my plans would have been modified. I can afford to go without this but it does help my family out so that we can make the trip every year. I understand your comment about a mad rush, but for me we are all trying to go to a place we love and your comment about not letting others have a chance at it or that we should save more money seemed a bit harsh. But by no means am I saying you shouldn't have booked or continue to book before FD, I am just saying it sounded harsh.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Sorry it sounded harsh... It was not meant to be. But y'all should be prepared because this may be the last year for FD. Discounts were not that great either. So prepare for those to be curtailed too.

 

[Disney-Chick]

Sorry it sounded harsh... It was not meant to be. But y'all should be prepared because this may be the last year for FD. Discounts were not that great either. So prepare for those to be curtailed too.

I understand you didn't mean to sound that way. And I agree about planning. I had everything planned before hand and booked without any issues first thing. The only thing was that FD came out on the 19th of Nov. when I was hoping for a few days later. I like spending my birthday there. But really that isn't a huge thing. Just glad I was able to get the location and dates that I wanted in the end.

 

[schwaa]

They also scaled back the dates this year. Last year in December it began on Thursday, Dec 11. I booked December 10(Thursday) through the 15th based on that. Of course, this year it begins December 15.

 

[goopysolelady]

DD's originally booked our trip for All Star Music and one DD placed herself on the waiting list for WLV (yes, she knew the DP would not be included but wanted to use the rest of her available points so she just booked for herself and 1 DGD). When she was notified of an opening she took herself off 1st booking and grabbed the Villa. Just last week other DD changed the rest of our party over to WL and free DP without a problem...rooms still available there.

 

[wdw4rfam]

This was me. I booked when I knew I was going and applied FD Monday. It was quick and painless. And I got the room I wanted plus FD. Try it. I'm not going to wait for a mad rush to book a vacation so the rest of you can have a chance at it. If you can't afford it then save more for it. Rant over.

I will agree, I had 2 rooms booked for our family of 6, and I knew it would be easier to hit the modify and just add the offer than start from scratch putting all the info in. I was done modifying both reservations in 5 minutes. Plus the early jump at 5:45 helped too, since once everyone started booking the system crashed. So I do think pre- booking may have helped this time.