******Official 2017 Free Dining Plan Watch, Wait, and Dream

[disorganizedchaos]

I currently have a reservation for 12/10-12/16 at CBR with QSD that was booked back when the GC offer was still up. I tried modifying first thing but the only rooms available were pirate. Since I already have a room, will they be able to just add the free dining if I can get through on the phone?? It seems like it should be so simple...

No. They intentionally limit which rooms qualify. Since many people jumped on the GC offer it's likely they don't need to fill standard rooms. I hope I'm wrong since we are in the same situation, but so far our reservation doesn't qualify based on availability.

 

[Atinsley22]

Apparently we missed a day on our reservation at Pop does anyone think I'll be able to add it when the hubbub dies down, like add a day at the beginning?

 

[Srbright]

@ChiCat, It is NEVER is free, which is why I always call it "free" dining. It is a discount. Your discount is the price of the QSDP for 2 people which is 2x48.20 or $96.40 per night. Rack rate for your room (Pirate Room, no tickets, no DDP) is $2115 ($2420 with tax) for 8 days or $264.37 per night. If you apply your discount of $96.40 per night to rack rate, you get $168 per night. Multiply that by 8 to get back to your length of stay and you get $1344.

You are paying $134 MORE for "free" dining.

Yeah but... you know you get...like...FOOD for that $134, right? For an extra $134 over the discount rate you get 2 meals and 2 snacks a day. Unless you're going to say that for the $1200 they just wouldn't eat anything for those 8 days?

Stacy

 

[Tonyz]

I might be doing this as well.

Yeah it's tough to complain about this. I plan on spending a lot of "break time" at The Poly to make up for it!

 

[Elle23]

How long does it usually take for modifications to show up? It let me upgrade to preferred and add a day to my reservation online (and charged me accordingly), but my old reservation is still showing up (unless I click on change reservation, then the new stuff is there).

I knew I should have just left it all alone.

 

[LLCM]

Modified existing reservation (no issues) and added the Disney Dining plan upgrade. Still worth the extra cost with my eating machines and for our Christmas getaway with many of the increase in buffets go up anyways! Coronado Springs take 2...countdown for dining ressies is on!

 

[aprescher]

No. They intentionally limit which rooms qualify. Since many people jumped on the GC offer it's likely they don't need to fill standard rooms. I hope I'm wrong since we are in the same situation, but so far our reservation doesn't qualify based on availability.

That's so stupid! I was up first thing and jumped right on it. It is what it is and Im going regardless but it just doesn't seem right that because I booked months in advance I miss out...

 

[lacy1101]

Yikes! That really sucks!

You ain't kidding! And if it was just me, that really, really, sucks. Anyone else?

 

[Skallywag Steph]

I currently have a reservation for 12/10-12/16 at CBR with QSD that was booked back when the GC offer was still up. I tried modifying first thing but the only rooms available were pirate. Since I already have a room, will they be able to just add the free dining if I can get through on the phone?? It seems like it should be so simple...

No it doesn't work that way.

 

[Robertfam08]

Well we will be one of the families who downgraded in room to make the price worth it! Free Dining is still the best savings for us (with four, now five kids) by a long shot. Our kids are ages infant - 8 years, and character meals are still a huge part of our trips. We typically stay at CBR, but pirate rooms do not work for us, and that price was not worth it after upgrades. Grandparents are coming along this time so we could spread kids out in rooms, and it made more sense to stay at ASMU with upgraded dining for over $1,000 less than CBR without the upgrade. Now I won't feel the least bit guilty buying MVMCP tickets! So...we'll be checking in November 25 - December 1 with two rooms at ASMU!

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

Do RO discounts go as quickly as free dining? Any word yet on when those would drop for Dec?

Last year the second set of Fall Room Only Discounts came out sometime in August. Last year the 1st set of RO discounts that were released were for dates up until November 5. Maybe they will release the second wave of RO discounts before August this year because these are RO dates are only until October 7.

 

[pigletto]

I think I am going to just keep my November POR standard room and regular dining plan with the Canadian ticket deal. It works out to be $10.99 cheaper than FD at ASMU suite. I did book my room and added dining in January before the prices increased. I think more will open up this week for everyone after people figure out what they really want. There hopefully will also be a second Room Only release for November and December sometime in the summer like last year!

FWIW I would do exactly the same as you are doing. We just can't swing the extra for POR this year considering the exchange rate and two Orlando trips in 3 months. But POR is our favourite, and you will have the better dining plan!

 

[TwoMisfits]

Yeah but... you know you get...like...FOOD for that $134, right? For an extra $134 over the discount rate you get 2 meals and 2 snacks a day. Unless you're going to say that for the $1200 they just wouldn't eat anything for those 8 days?

Stacy

Look back at her Math - she took the QSDP price out...it really is $134 more than if she went with the RO offer and added everything else at rate to her reservation (the tickets and QSDP)...

 

[shruley]

Excited! I booked CBR Jan 1, and was really surprised at the time the only thing available was preferred. I and my TA kept checking for a standard to open after construction was announced but it never did. We did at least get the $75 gift card offer. Checked about 7:30 this morning and she had gotten me free dining, moved me down to a standard room (I think that saved me $500 right there), and I kept the gift cards. We get park hoppers anyway (we go in Aug so like to go to EMH mornings when it's cooler and then back to the pool in the afternoon, then NOT go back to the EMH park) and without dining plan we were planning on 6 table service meals (2 character meals) as the girls all had restaurants they REALLY wanted to go to. So it's worked out well for us I think!!!

 

[mamamelody2]

I have a room booked at POP for free dining dates, but can't get through. Since I already had the dates booked will I be able to get FD, or do they only give out a select few?

You will only be able to add FD to your existing reservation if there are FD rooms available.
Right now, at least for my dates, there are no FD rooms left, although there are rooms available.

 

[Christinecinti]

I have a couple questions I hope you guys can answer for me.

What time do your dining credits expire? If we check out at 9am on our last day can we still use a dining credit for lunch or dinner?

Is park hopper an all or nothing deal? If we need 8 day tickets, can we apply park hoppers to just 4 of them?

I feel like I should know the answers to these questions but I don't.

... People probably already said, but yeah you can use the dining credits till midnight on check out day. And PH is all or nothing, can't split days...

 

[sharonabe]

Can anyone comment on how quickly the RO offers go? Will they go as quickly as FD and I should probably book ASAP or will they take more time to fill up?

The sooner the better, especially this year. Just like FD, there are only so many rooms allocated and once they're gone, they're gone.

I currently have a reservation for 12/10-12/16 at CBR with QSD that was booked back when the GC offer was still up. I tried modifying first thing but the only rooms available were pirate. Since I already have a room, will they be able to just add the free dining if I can get through on the phone?? It seems like it should be so simple...

I have a room booked at POP for free dining dates, but can't get through. Since I already had the dates booked will I be able to get FD, or do they only give out a select few?

Already having a reservation has no bearing on whether you get FD or not. Just because you have a room, does not mean you can apply the discount. Disney is trying to fill unsold rooms. As far as they are concerned, your room is sold, so they don't need to offer you a discount. Sorry to the both of you, but calling will not make this happen. HOWEVER, wait a couple days for the flurry to die down and try again. As people book and cancel, your room may open up. I'd keep checking until the end date of booking.

What time do your dining credits expire? If we check out at 9am on our last day can we still use a dining credit for lunch or dinner?

Is park hopper an all or nothing deal? If we need 8 day tickets, can we apply park hoppers to just 4 of them?

Your other option is to get a 4-day PH pass through Disney on your reservation, then go through a third party retailer for a separate set of 4-day single-park tickets.

Getting two different 4-day tickets will be WAY MORE expensive than just getting an 8-day.

 

[robinb]

Yeah but... you know you get...like...FOOD for that $134, right? For an extra $134 over the discount rate you get 2 meals and 2 snacks a day. Unless you're going to say that for the $1200 they just wouldn't eat anything for those 8 days?

Stacy

No, they DON'T get food for that $134. Follow the math. I subtracted the cost of the QSDP from the rack rate.

 

[Kiki_pa]

Yep. Every day multiple times a day. I'm currently on hold with Disney hoping I can be hit with some Pixie dust today.

How'd you get throught???!!!! I can't get through! Been trying since 7AM

 

[randye1]

Hey, we went with a group of 13 aged 7-70 last year, too!!
It was great, but I am SO SO looking forward to this year with just DH and I.

DW and I did a trip by ourselves last year it was great and gives a completely different perspective on Disney. Enjoy