2011 Free Dining is Extended! New dates as of 8/3

[TravelMama]

I feel like the FD gods are against me. We arrive the day after the current offer ends (sept 25) and leave the day the new rumored FD promo is to start (Oct 2). I know there's nothing I can do, dates are not flexible, guess it would just be nice to know why this week is blacked out.

 

[Sandisw]

I feel like the FD gods are against me. We arrive the day after the current offer ends (sept 25) and leave the day the new rumored FD promo is to start (Oct 2). I know there's nothing I can do, dates are not flexible, guess it would just be nice to know why this week is blacked out.

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think when the 2011 dates were originally introduced last year (to be booked from August 2010 through December 2010), your dates were included.

 

[KELLY]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think when the 2011 dates were originally introduced last year (to be booked from August 2010 through December 2010), your dates were included.

That is correct. That is when we usually go and had booked. When the new memories package came out we moved our trip up 3 weeks so dd wouldn't miss school. We go for 10 days so it was just easier.

 

[TravelMama]

Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I think when the 2011 dates were originally introduced last year (to be booked from August 2010 through December 2010), your dates were included.

Yeah I know in a perfect world I wish I could have taken advantage of that, but unfortunately my BIL cannot sign up for vacation time until after the first of the year so we just could not book during that promo. Then once vacation schedules are made for him they are written in stone and cannot be changed, so no flexibility, and as we know having flexibility can get you the best deals when traveling. So back in January we just pick a week hoping FD would become available and by the looks of it we chose badly.
I guess was just curious what would make that week (Sept 25- Oct 1) a black out week for Free Dining.

 

[pmdeve]

We are planning our trip during the F&W. If we are able to book and get free dining can we use our snack credits for the kiosk? Also, can we us our counter service credit. I am not certain, but I thought I remember reading last year that you could use a counter service for two snack credits.

 

[jeannettejeannette]

OMG....I am on pins and needles waiting for tomorrow release. I hope it is not just a rumor. I have our trip already book for Oct 2 - 7. I booked with a travel agent, do I just talk to her to get the free dining applied or do I call Disney directly? My fingers are crossed for tomorrow!

 

[cableguynoe]

OMG....I am on pins and needles waiting for tomorrow release. I hope it is not just a rumor. I have our trip already book for Oct 2 - 7. I booked with a travel agent, do I just talk to her to get the free dining applied or do I call Disney directly? My fingers are crossed for tomorrow!

I believe Disney wont help you if you went through a travel agent. That's one of the bad things about using a middle man.
You'll have to go through your agent.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

OMG....I am on pins and needles waiting for tomorrow release. I hope it is not just a rumor. I have our trip already book for Oct 2 - 7. I booked with a travel agent, do I just talk to her to get the free dining applied or do I call Disney directly? My fingers are crossed for tomorrow!

No, you will not be able to add the code. The TA owns your reservation and they will have to add any discounts or make any modifications to your reservation.

 

[jm-mom]

I'm holding my breath about tomorrow's supposed announcement. IF it does come, is it likely to be at midnight tonight or some time during the day? Should I be up early, early to get it added to my reservation?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I'm holding my breath about tomorrow's supposed announcement. IF it does come, is it likely to be at midnight tonight or some time during the day? Should I be up early, early to get it added to my reservation?

7 a.m. EST

 

[cableguynoe]

So for those of us that already have our reservation and assuming the dates of free dining coincide perfectly, is there any reason to rush to have that discount applied to our reservation?
Or can I just do it anytime before I finish paying the trip off?

 

[PrincessTiffany]

So for those of us that already have our reservation and assuming the dates of free dining coincide perfectly, is there any reason to rush to have that discount applied to our reservation?
Or can I just do it anytime before I finish paying the trip off?

If you want to keep your specific resort or room category you need to call tomorrow or as soon as possible. There have been FD offers in the past that have sold out the first day. Pop and POR tend to go first.

 

[Just*the*ten*of*us]

If you want to keep your specific resort or room category you need to call tomorrow or as soon as possible. There have been FD offers in the past that have sold out the first day. Pop and POR tend to go first.

Thank you, thats good to know!

 

[KELLY]

Yeah I know in a perfect world I wish I could have taken advantage of that, but unfortunately my BIL cannot sign up for vacation time until after the first of the year so we just could not book during that promo. Then once vacation schedules are made for him they are written in stone and cannot be changed, so no flexibility, and as we know having flexibility can get you the best deals when traveling. So back in January we just pick a week hoping FD would become available and by the looks of it we chose badly.
I guess was just curious what would make that week (Sept 25- Oct 1) a black out week for Free Dining.

I'm guessing that when it was offered last year. They were able to fill those rooms the first time around. So there is no need to offer it again.

Thank you, thats good to know!

Also ASMO standard rooms and standard rooms at WL.

 

[ses1230]

We are planning our trip during the F&W. If we are able to book and get free dining can we use our snack credits for the kiosk? Also, can we us our counter service credit. I am not certain, but I thought I remember reading last year that you could use a counter service for two snack credits.

Yes you can use your snack credits at the f&w kiosks.

There have been some reports of resorts allowing 2 or 3 snacks for a CS credit. I do not believe that is the case at the parks, though.

 

[cableguynoe]

If you want to keep your specific resort or room category you need to call tomorrow or as soon as possible. There have been FD offers in the past that have sold out the first day. Pop and POR tend to go first.

I'm not quite sure I understand this.

I have reservations at POFQ.
It's possible the the FD will run out, even though I am checking in on the right dates?

 

[eskgwin]

I haven't read far enough back, but it seems like something is going on at 7am Eastern time tomorrow. Can someone tell me what it is? We are going to DW staying at the Beach Club August 10-19. I missed the FD from last year by a few days. I made our reservations on January 7. So, if I would be able to get FD, that would be great. If not, then oh, well, we are going to DW. Thanks.

Allyson

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

I haven't read far enough back, but it seems like something is going on at 7am Eastern time tomorrow. Can someone tell me what it is? We are going to DW staying at the Beach Club August 10-19. I missed the FD from last year by a few days. I made our reservations on January 7. So, if I would be able to get FD, that would be great. If not, then oh, well, we are going to DW. Thanks.

Allyson

The offer for fd that is coming out tomorrow isn't for your dates.... it starts in Oct 2011 and rumor has it that it will go thru Sept 2012 .... with blackout dates of course.

 

[NikkiLovesWDW!]

I'm not quite sure I understand this.

I have reservations at POFQ.
It's possible the the FD will run out, even though I am checking in on the right dates?

They allot only a certain number of rooms per resort for each promotion. So you will still keep your reservation but there might not be any "discounted" rooms left. Hope that makes sense.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I'm not quite sure I understand this.

I have reservations at POFQ.
It's possible the the FD will run out, even though I am checking in on the right dates?

Yes, that is correct. Each Disney Resort is only allotted some many FD rooms/codes. Having an existing reservation does not guarantee you a free dining discount. For example, let's say POFQ has 300 free dining rooms/codes alloted to their resort. Let's say over the next seven days they either sell out and/or apply all of those 300 rooms/codes. Even though you still have your reservation at POFQ when you call on the 8th day and there are no FD rooms/codes left, you would miss out on applying it to your existing reservation. So you would either have to change to a resort that still had FD rooms/codes available or stay at POFQ with no FD discount. I'm not saying POFQ will sell out in a day, a week or at all, but, in the past, some resorts have sold out on the first day of the FD promo. Pop and POR tend to sell out first, followed by All-Star Movies.

Did that make sense?