2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[Stephdisney]

As long as your reservation number remains the same after you modify, you will not have to pay the new parking fee.

This is great news!! Thank you! I went back and checked and my reservation number is the same.

 

[jjjones325]

As long as your current reservation is booked with FULL rack rate on the room (and your room qualifies) and you have the minimum park ticket requirement already added, then yes, that's what should happen. Don't know if it's exactly $1075....how many nights?

Oh yeah, number of nights and what not is probably important. We booked the package with no discount, hoping we'd get FD. 6 nights. 6 day PH tickets. Preferred room at POP. Regular DDP. So we should meet minimum stay/ticket/PH requirements, so I'm hoping to save the $1075 which seems to be the cost for QS Dining for 2 adults and 2 kids (11 and 4).

 

[kpd6901]

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?

2) Why can't they just get a new reservation with 2-day tickets and DP for stay 1? I don't see why they would need to activate tickets early. Is there a minimum stay for DP/FP. If it is 3 day minimum, I suppose we could just move the split day one day from Nov 24 to Nov 25, which is our MVMCP day.

 

[mousefan73]

Thanks for the replies. Not sure I am willing to risk is if it isn't official policy. If we get unlucky and things have changed, it would pretty much mess up the entire vacation.

Go to the ticket board and get more information. I am 99,9% sure it is now possible. This is the wrong thread. I was just how it was a few years ago... Things may have officially changed.. there is the all about tickets sticky. or ask Robo I believe

 

[krisfan]

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?

2) Why can't they just get a new reservation with 2-day tickets and DP for stay 1? I don't see why they would need to activate tickets early. Is there a minimum stay for DP/FP. If it is 3 day minimum, I suppose we could just move the split day one day from Nov 24 to Nov 25, which is our MVMCP day.

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?

2) Why can't they just get a new reservation with 2-day tickets and DP for stay 1? I don't see why they would need to activate tickets early. Is there a minimum stay for DP/FP. If it is 3 day minimum, I suppose we could just move the split day one day from Nov 24 to Nov 25, which is our MVMCP day.

Buying separate tickets is too expensive...
Example after 4th onwards ticket prices will drastically reduce in price..
4 day ticket is 380
8 day ticket is 425

FP will only start from u r resort stay date of u r second reservation

 

[mousefan73]

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?

2) Why can't they just get a new reservation with 2-day tickets and DP for stay 1? I don't see why they would need to activate tickets early. Is there a minimum stay for DP/FP. If it is 3 day minimum, I suppose we could just move the split day one day from Nov 24 to Nov 25, which is our MVMCP day.

FP is independent of the dining credits... Dining credits are valid until midnight of the day you check out. EVEN if you check into your second reservation. You do not need to get them a new set of tickets... ex. split stay.. nights 1-4 free dining offer.. You get 4 nights resort and 4 nights dining credits.. if you want to add on a second reservation, no dining... you do not have to start new with the tickets.. You can always make the park ticket days longer than the resort stay.. We are donig this... For our 4 night FD pop package we are upgrading to 8 park days ... Tickets are valid for 14 days from first use.. Heck you can go to universal in between and come back. FPs are not an issue either..

You could aso do the package second with FD and get your tickets activated earlier. Here you might ahve an issue with the FP though maybe some one can comment. I hope I am helping. I am tired.

 

[scard192]

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?.

your dining credits would be available on 11/24, the check in day of your FD package. You will be able to make FP+ 60 days in advance of 11/24.

once the tickets are activated on 11/22 they can make FP+ for the 22nd/23rd,not sure what they would be able to get Thanksgiving weekend but worth a try.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Am I figuring theses costs up correctly? Already have booked DDP at Pop. If we snag FD, we'd get the cost of the QS Plan free, meaning our package price would reduce by $1075? 2 adults and 2 kids (11 and 4).

No, you may have to change your tix, you will be required to purchase a certain number of days tickets with park hoppers and your room rate will be full rack rate so if you have any discount on your room, that will likely go up. Right now the rumor is a purchase of 4 days park hopper tix, but that might change since it is just a rumor.....thus free dining isn't always a better deal. You need to know your current room rate, ticket cost and estimated out of pocket on food to know if it's really worth it.

 

[sharonabe]

Oh yeah, number of nights and what not is probably important. We booked the package with no discount, hoping we'd get FD. 6 nights. 6 day PH tickets. Preferred room at POP. Regular DDP. So we should meet minimum stay/ticket/PH requirements, so I'm hoping to save the $1075 which seems to be the cost for QS Dining for 2 adults and 2 kids (11 and 4).

You'll be saving more than $1075! Your 11 yr old is considered a Disney adult for dining, so you should have paid the adult price for them. I'm calculating $1513 for 3 Disney adults and 1 child for 6 nights.

 

[jjjones325]

You'll be saving more than $1075! Your 11 yr old is considered a Disney adult for dining, so you should have paid the adult price for them. I'm calculating $1513 for 3 Disney adults and 1 child for 6 nights.

$1513 would be the savings for 6 nights of the Regular DDP. But, since we are at POP, we only get the credit for the QS Plan, right? That's what I used to get the $1075.

 

[mickeystoontown]

Sharonabe,

We are using a Disney vacation planner (I work with her, so thought it would be easier). She said that the reservation cannot be modified online to include free dining that she actually had to call. Is that right? Since she is doing it, I don't think I can modify the reservation to include it myself.

A travel agent can definitely modify a reservation online in most circumstances. I just double checked a client's reservation to make sure that it had the "modify reservation" link and it's right there for me to use.

 

[kdisser]

Just some thought on what the CM said and is a bit of specualtion with the FD needing to be within the dates of FD promo and cannot extend more days. The easiest way I can offer to debunk this rumor is think of the DP in concept. When we go to add the DP onto ANY kind of vacation you CANNOT pick and choose how many days you want dining. It is an all or nothing package (unless you do a split stay and only have dining at one destination, but it is still for the ENTIRE time at that destination). Just food for thought to put that rumor to rest.

 

[sharonabe]

Thank you all for your help. My folks are not huge on rides, so missing FP for the short end of a split stay may not be a huge deal. Two questions.
1) The split stay would make stay 1 Nov.22-23 and stay 2 Nov 24-Dec. 1. How does the DP credits and FP work related to the dates? If we are at Animal Kingdom on Nov. 24, does that use DP/FP from stay 1 or stay 2?

2) Why can't they just get a new reservation with 2-day tickets and DP for stay 1? I don't see why they would need to activate tickets early. Is there a minimum stay for DP/FP. If it is 3 day minimum, I suppose we could just move the split day one day from Nov 24 to Nov 25, which is our MVMCP day.

I think you're making this more complicated than it needs to be.

Your nuclear family is staying put and paying for dining for entire stay, correct? Those credits will be active from the time you check in until midnight of the day you check out.

Grandparents may do split stay in order to take advantage of free dining, correct? First stay could be room only with paid dining if they want. Second stay MUST have tickets attached in order to get free dining. It makes much more financial sense to get the number of days' ticket they want with the free dining stay and to not get any tickets with first stay.

Now, if they do pay for the dining plan for that first stay and don't buy tickets, you'll have to call in (wait until FD hoopala dies down) and get a "ticketless package." If you do this, ALL of their credits from first stay will have to be used BEFORE the dining from 2nd stay can be accessed. This includes all snack credits.

 

[KarenP64]

Just some thought on what the CM said and is a bit of specualtion with the FD needing to be within the dates of FD promo and cannot extend more days. The easiest way I can offer to debunk this rumor is think of the DP in concept. When we go to add the DP onto ANY kind of vacation you CANNOT pick and choose how many days you want dining. It is an all or nothing package (unless you do a split stay and only have dining at one destination, but it is still for the ENTIRE time at that destination). Just food for thought to put that rumor to rest.

I'm sorry, but I can't see how that debunks it....

 

[mousefan73]

I'd like to know this too! Which resorts are usually left after a few hours? Days?

My gut feeling is that it will be tight simply as if rumors true about POR complety off, CBR construction.AoA out and many dont like CSR. What ither options besides delux?

 

[Baez]

Heading to bed before 5:00 pm EST in hopes to be wide awake come 12:00. Happy free food hunting and good luck everyone!!

 

[Susan Doeberl]

Going crazy waiting on more news.

 

[sharonabe]

Just some thought on what the CM said and is a bit of specualtion with the FD needing to be within the dates of FD promo and cannot extend more days. The easiest way I can offer to debunk this rumor is think of the DP in concept. When we go to add the DP onto ANY kind of vacation you CANNOT pick and choose how many days you want dining. It is an all or nothing package (unless you do a split stay and only have dining at one destination, but it is still for the ENTIRE time at that destination). Just food for thought to put that rumor to rest.

True, but it wouldn't be that difficult to "discount" the dining plan fee with "free" dining for the nights that qualify and charge for the ones that don't. You'd still have to get dining for the length of stay, but you wouldn't pay for every night.

 

[Minnie368]

I am by NO means an expert on any of this but I just thought I would share my experience. I had a reservation booked prior to the parking change and I made a modification and changed my tickets to park hoppers. When I got the new confirmation email it has a disclaimer on there that says " Important Details.... For reservations made March 21 or later, a per night parking fee will be charged to your hotel folio....."

Soooo I'm not sure if I will have to pay the fee now or not. But it does have me somewhat concerned.

I booked a BB last October for FD for this December. I just yesterday changed our dates, but our reservation number stayed the same. I was unaware of the info you posted about not having to pay the parking fee if booked before March 21. The CM I spoke to told me about the parking fee and I just assumed I’d have to pay it. Where did you see the March 21 detail mentioned in your email because I don’t think it’s in mine?

 

[Disney Ron]

Hello everyone. Unfortunately I couldn't get any info on the resort inclusions/exclusions for you. Since I don't deal in rumors, but only deal with facts, the news I supplied earlier today is all I have. I won't even begin to guess about resorts, because I wouldn't be giving you factual information.

Free Dining is dropping tomorrow and the dates I gave for the general public offer are correct. My source wasn't positive on how many days park hoppers are required but believed it was either 3 or 4. If I get anything else I'll be back later with it, if not, good luck to everyone and drink plenty of coffee tonight.