2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[PrincessBelle39]

Oh yes, I understand your dilemma now! Well, that's too bad. I would definitely be on the lookout for any room-only discounts that may apply to your dates! I have a mid-November stay which looks like will not qualify for FD, so I'm hoping for a RO discount!

That's a shame also. So close yet so far away. Oh well. It would be nice. It would save us a bit with 6 people even for quick service but it's not a deal breaker.

 

[WalkDisneyWorld]

Is it weird that I'm not even going to book Free Dining this year but I'm all keyed up in anticipation for it with the rest of you?

Nope. Our dates are excluded this year, but I’m watching & hoping that a friend gets it. Also...been doing this so long that it would feel even more weird to stop!

 

[DrFacilier]

Just checked my Change Reservation button again and it works after being dead for 2 days! Maybe it's a sign lol.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Really, what resort and how many days? I am booked at pop since last month for 8/25-9/5 and 10 day park hopper plus with quick serve plan and prefered pool room. Fingers crossed it's just a few minutes for me too! What do you think?

We stayed at Poly in a standard room 9-14-17-9-23-17.....I took advice from Dory, only I had to apply it in a Free Dining way, Just Keep Refreshing Just Keep Refreshing......!!!

 

[AnakinsDad]

What's the best guess for drop time on this?

 

[ml sumner]

Is it weird that I'm not even going to book Free Dining this year but I'm all keyed up in anticipation for it with the rest of you?

I'm the exact same way. We're going next month, but was able to take advantage of free dining for several years in a row. I hope everyone gets what their hoping for!

 

[Baez]

Try to book what will work for you. The last 2 years, I booked 7 nights free dining (that’s all that was available on booking day). I tried daily (both calling and looking online) to extend it an extra day. I had no success either time. It’s not as easy as adding or dropping a day anymore. If the package you want isn’t available they won’t just add or drop a day. I could have changed resorts and got 8 nights with free Dining but we really wanted to stay where we were.

I have the same predicament. I booked 14 days but will only stay 10 because my work hasn’t approved which dates. What do I risk if I get FD and have to cancel 4?

 

[123SA]

I'm really envious of those of you who have success with the change reservation function. Mine just circles around and brings right back to the same page.

 

[kbaugh23]

So, I just chatted with a cast member on the Disney World website and this is what she said:
"In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time."
Should I trust it?
Here's my chat transcript:

Info
at 20:20, Apr 23:
Thank you for choosing to chat with us. A Disney Cast Member will be with you shortly.
Info
at 20:21, Apr 23:
You are now chatting with Carletta.
Carletta
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Bonjour, and welcome to the Beast's castle! My name is Carletta, how may I help you break the spell?
You
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Hello, if I have a package booked will free dining be able to be applied to it or can it potentially sell out?
Carletta
at 20:22, Apr 23:
My friend Lumiere and I will be happy to assist! If you have a package booked, you can always call and modify it to include free dining when that is announced, as long as there is resort availability and your travel dates fall within the special offer window!
You
at 20:23, Apr 23:
Will I be able to do it online?
Carletta
at 20:24, Apr 23:
If you have booked a package, you should be able to modify it online, through your My Disney Experience® account!
You
at 20:24, Apr 23:
What time will I be able to do that?
Carletta
at 20:25, Apr 23:
When a special offer is released, you'll be able to make modifications that same day at 7:00 AM Eastern Time!
You
at 20:30, Apr 23:
So the soonest I will be able to modify is 7am online?
Carletta
at 20:31, Apr 23:
In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time.

 

[kathleen29]

Does anyone know for the value resorts if it will only be preferred rooms available with the promotion or standard as well? I really wanna do all star music, but I don't mind walking and definitely don't wanna pay an extra 150 dollars for a preferred room for the trip.

 

[Disneylover99]

So, I just chatted with a cast member on the Disney World website and this is what she said:
"In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time."
Should I trust it?
Here's my chat transcript:

Info
at 20:20, Apr 23:
Thank you for choosing to chat with us. A Disney Cast Member will be with you shortly.
Info
at 20:21, Apr 23:
You are now chatting with Carletta.
Carletta
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Bonjour, and welcome to the Beast's castle! My name is Carletta, how may I help you break the spell?
You
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Hello, if I have a package booked will free dining be able to be applied to it or can it potentially sell out?
Carletta
at 20:22, Apr 23:
My friend Lumiere and I will be happy to assist! If you have a package booked, you can always call and modify it to include free dining when that is announced, as long as there is resort availability and your travel dates fall within the special offer window!
You
at 20:23, Apr 23:
Will I be able to do it online?
Carletta
at 20:24, Apr 23:
If you have booked a package, you should be able to modify it online, through your My Disney Experience® account!
You
at 20:24, Apr 23:
What time will I be able to do that?
Carletta
at 20:25, Apr 23:
When a special offer is released, you'll be able to make modifications that same day at 7:00 AM Eastern Time!
You
at 20:30, Apr 23:
So the soonest I will be able to modify is 7am online?
Carletta
at 20:31, Apr 23:
In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time.

No.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

What is the quickest way to tell if it dropped when I wake up in the middle of night if I wake up in the middle of the night?

Check the offers on the Disney site, be prepared for it to act up so be patient refresh the page A LOT and a little luck you’ll be set

 

[WalkDisneyWorld]

I'm so glad you used that phrase! Yes, in most circumstances. Unfortunately, nobody knows what will happen to the consumer or TA sites when this promo drops. Disney just updated the TA site and it hasn't been tested with the traffic of a popular promo as of yet. A few years ago, the TA site completely crashed on FD drop day. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen again.

My advice to anyone staying up tonight to try to book or modify - if you find what you want and can't book or modify online, be on the phone at 7 am. Or even 6:55 am and just keep hitting redial and hope your call gets picked up as soon as the lines open. After 7 am, the phone lines will build and it may be a very long day on hold.

This reminds me that I remember back when we had to call in, people here would post other numbers besides just the main one that could often help route you more quickly to an actual CM. This could be helpful information to some if that still works. Does anyone here remember that? I was just a lurker back then, so I don’t have any of that info saved.

 

[DrFacilier]

I'm really envious of those of you who have success with the change reservation function. Mine just circles around and brings right back to the same page.

Did you check recently? I had the same thing for a couple of days but I tried it a few minutes ago thinking it wasn't going to work and it did.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Does anyone know for the value resorts if it will only be preferred rooms available with the promotion or standard as well? I really wanna do all star music, but I don't mind walking and definitely don't wanna pay an extra 150 dollars for a preferred room for the trip.

That would be interesting to know. If it does end up working for us, if I have to pay preferred at POP, then I'd prefer to go standard at the Caribbean for about $38 difference per night.

 

[Lisa LSR]

So, I just chatted with a cast member on the Disney World website and this is what she said:
"In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time."
Should I trust it?
Here's my chat transcript:

Info
at 20:20, Apr 23:
Thank you for choosing to chat with us. A Disney Cast Member will be with you shortly.
Info
at 20:21, Apr 23:
You are now chatting with Carletta.
Carletta
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Bonjour, and welcome to the Beast's castle! My name is Carletta, how may I help you break the spell?
You
at 20:21, Apr 23:
Hello, if I have a package booked will free dining be able to be applied to it or can it potentially sell out?
Carletta
at 20:22, Apr 23:
My friend Lumiere and I will be happy to assist! If you have a package booked, you can always call and modify it to include free dining when that is announced, as long as there is resort availability and your travel dates fall within the special offer window!
You
at 20:23, Apr 23:
Will I be able to do it online?
Carletta
at 20:24, Apr 23:
If you have booked a package, you should be able to modify it online, through your My Disney Experience® account!
You
at 20:24, Apr 23:
What time will I be able to do that?
Carletta
at 20:25, Apr 23:
When a special offer is released, you'll be able to make modifications that same day at 7:00 AM Eastern Time!
You
at 20:30, Apr 23:
So the soonest I will be able to modify is 7am online?
Carletta
at 20:31, Apr 23:
In order to be able to give everyone the chance of adding special offers, we will be making the modifications available at 7:00 AM Eastern Time.

It would be wonderful if that was something we could count on, but I'm sure we've all learned that CMs don't always know the details.

 

[Disneylover99]

Does anyone know for the value resorts if it will only be preferred rooms available with the promotion or standard as well? I really wanna do all star music, but I don't mind walking and definitely don't wanna pay an extra 150 dollars for a preferred room for the trip.

There have always been standard rooms available in the past, but so much depends on dates, resorts, etc....Standard rooms are most popular and go first at all resort levels.

 

[123SA]

Did you check recently? I had the same thing for a couple of days but I tried it a few minutes ago thinking it wasn't going to work and it did.

I just did a re-check before I complained about it here. I'll try again since there is hope that it will fix itself. Thanks!

 

[Baez]

used to have to always call to prove you had the credit card. last year the e-mail from Chase had a link to book on line. and an offer code if you wanted to call

Do you know when they sent that email?

 

[Adreana]

Wasn’t the rumor last year that length of stay was 4 nights plus park hopper? It turned out to be 3 nights plus park hopper. I’m hoping that is the case this year.

Me too. This trip was supposed to be for house hunting but ended up booking 4 days at Disney and 7 at universal. Never went during September though!