Free Dining 8/28-9/24

[MeganK123]

I just recieved an email from Disney Visa that they are doing Free Dining plan on packages for travel 8/28-9/24 (we check in on 9/26, darn it). Must be for at least 5 nights.

Free quick service for value and regular dining for moderates, deluxe and deluxe villa.

The package opens to the general public on 5/2, and must book by 8/27.

I just got it and am reading through it, let me know if you have any questions.

Megan

[jilly7896]

I check in on 9/25. I'm playing with numbers to see if it's worth checking in a day ahead. Thanks!

[josh]

Thanks! :RpS_w00t:

[4mickeyfreax]

I understand this is available now for Disney Visa cardholders, as well. Code: I25 for Value resorts and O2M for moderates and above

[MeganK123]

I check in on 9/25. I'm playing with numbers to see if it's worth checking in a day ahead. Thanks!

Would checking in early mean that the discount could be applied to the entire vacation?

[jilly7896]

Would checking in early mean that the discount could be applied to the entire vacation?

As far as I know, as long as you are checking in within the dates listed, it will carry through your whole trip. I need to confirm that though. According to my 'Disney Math'. It would cost me $17 to add an extra night to my check with the free dining! I need to check with the rest of the group to see if they can do that!!

[MeganK123]

Yeah I am going to do some math as well, I check-in to Royal Pacific on 9/24 to do US and check into CSR on 9/26 to 10/1.

[josh]

As far as I know, as long as you are checking in within the dates listed, it will carry through your whole trip. I need to confirm that though. According to my 'Disney Math'. It would cost me $17 to add an extra night to my check with the free dining! I need to check with the rest of the group to see if they can do that!!

Who cares what they can do! BOOK IT!!! :RpS_flapper:

[stevenmilz]

Pardon my ignorance on this "free dining" subject, but I have a question. I've seen the free dining offers before but never really looked into it as it wasn't during our visit timeframes. This one is -- we'll be there 9/10 thru 9/17. So how really does this work? Currently we have a 1BR at BLT using the FL resident "room-only rate" discount. As four out of the five travelers have FL seasonal passes, we only need to get a ticket for my dad joining us from PA. We don't have DDP for this trip (not eligible with the room-only rate unless we add a ticket for each traveler), but will have our TIW subscription by then which will probably be just as good as if we purchased DDP.

Am I to assume that in order to take advantage of the free dining, I'd have to scrap my current reservation and look into a package deal that would include the room (probably at a much higher rate), tickets for everyone, and then the free dining?

[MichaelColey]

You would have to book at rack rate (and add tickets), so it would probably be considerably more than just adding the DDP.

[jilly7896]

Am I to assume that in order to take advantage of the free dining, I'd have to scrap my current reservation and look into a package deal that would include the room (probably at a much higher rate), tickets for everyone, and then the free dining?

I believe that is correct. You can only have 1 discount applied to your reservation, so you would need to remove the room only discount to apply the free dining.

[stevenmilz]

OK, thanks for the info. That what I thought, so it definitely does not make sense for us.

[jilly7896]

OK, thanks for the info. That what I thought, so it definitely does not make sense for us.

no, I'm sure you are getting a much better discount already!

P.S. I went to Penn State... only for 2 semesters, but I did go!:RpS_laugh:

[mousehelper]

Sometimes free dining is a great deal... But...

Consider that Disney exists to make money. So -- they are not sitting around saying--- 'oh, we'll lose a lot of money with this free dining thing, but oh, wouldn't it be lovely of us to offer this to these nice folks?'
Nope. They know they want X from you. They will offer you free dining and you pay rack rate for your room. Or they will offer you a great discount on your room and have you pay for dining. Either way-- they know they are getting about X.
Never fall easily for marketing... especially from a mouse!
:RpS_biggrin:

[ejs1027]

As long as you arrive on the last day of the promotion you are entitled to it for your entire stay. We have done the with FREE DINING 2 years in a row.

[jilly7896]

Sometimes free dining is a great deal... But...

Consider that Disney exists to make money. So -- they are not sitting around saying--- 'oh, we'll lose a lot of money with this free dining thing, but oh, wouldn't it be lovely of us to offer this to these nice folks?'
Nope. They know they want X from you. They will offer you free dining and you pay rack rate for your room. Or they will offer you a great discount on your room and have you pay for dining. Either way-- they know they are getting about X.
Never fall easily for marketing... especially from a mouse!
:RpS_biggrin:

We have the dining plan currently with the kids stay and play free. Free dining is the better discount, so If I get everything I want AND an additional night in Disney for only $17! It's a good deal for me :)

[blyday]

Sometimes free dining is a great deal... But...

Consider that Disney exists to make money. So -- they are not sitting around saying--- 'oh, we'll lose a lot of money with this free dining thing, but oh, wouldn't it be lovely of us to offer this to these nice folks?'
Nope. They know they want X from you. They will offer you free dining and you pay rack rate for your room. Or they will offer you a great discount on your room and have you pay for dining. Either way-- they know they are getting about X.
Never fall easily for marketing... especially from a mouse!
:RpS_biggrin:

So true!!!! What is amazing to me is that most people see the free dining promo and are certain that it is the best discount ever offered. However, especially with deluxe resorts, a room discount is actually the better deal by a long shot!!!! I've had clients where I've had to prove to them 3 different ways that they are saving more money by using a room discount and paying for their dining then paying rack rate for the room and getting free dining. That word "free" carries so much more power then 35-40% off!!! Just think of how many people who don't have a TA who really knows what they are doing or who don't belong to a website like this one that are so excited to get that "free dining" and end up paying hundreds of dollars more then they would have if they'd understood the discounts!!!!

Oh and Steve......even if you didn't have APs and were getting tickets.....I guarantee that you would be saving more money on a 1-bedroom with your room discount then you ever would with the Free Dining......so you've got the best deal!!!!

[jilly7896]

As long as you arrive on the last day of the promotion you are entitled to it for your entire stay. We have done the with FREE DINING 2 years in a row.

Thats what I thought. Thanks!

[MichaelColey]

The last two or three years, we did 14 day trips that started a few days before the free dining promotion ended. We got "free dining" for the whole trip.

It was a phenomenal deal, when you could get it with Value resorts (and even better when it included appetizers and tips), but now it's just a mediocre deal. As others have pointed out, it's almost always a BAD deal if you stay in a Deluxe.

[yayasue]

We check in on 9/24, does free dining apply to us?

I'm wondering if free dining is better than the kids stay and play free promo? I'm pretty sure that's what we're booked for...

[MichaelColey]

If you check in on 9/24, it does apply for your whole trip.

It's almost definitely a better deal, but it'll depend on the length of your stay, how many kids, how many adults, etc.

[yayasue]

If you check in on 9/24, it does apply for your whole trip.

It's almost definitely a better deal, but it'll depend on the length of your stay, how many kids, how many adults, etc.

Thanks! That is great :) I will have to check everything out. We are staying 7 nights, 2 adults, 3 kids(6,3 and 1, so 2 paying kids)

[blyday]

Thanks! That is great :) I will have to check everything out. We are staying 7 nights, 2 adults, 3 kids(6,3 and 1, so 2 paying kids)

That is the key thing to do.....check it out!!! Whenever a new discount comes out, you should always check to see if it will save you money over what you currently have booked. If it doesn't then stick with what you have, if it does, then book with the new promo.

[MichaelColey]

Thanks! That is great :) I will have to check everything out. We are staying 7 nights, 2 adults, 3 kids(6,3 and 1, so 2 paying kids)I'm not exactly sure how the "kids stay free" promotion works, but I'm guessing that you pay rack rate on the room and the park passes for the kids are free.

If that's the case, two kid's passes are roughly $240 each, so you're saving $480 (but paying full rack rate on the room).

If you want free dining, you'll have to pay the $480 for the two extra passes, but you'll get meals for all four of you for a week. I think that normally runs about $850.

You might also want to look at room discounts (and paying out of pocket for the dining plan or skipping it altogether) to see how those compare. I don't know that there are any room discounts for September at this time, but there may be as it gets closer (typically 2-4 months out). They'll probably be 20-40% off, depending on the resort. For Deluxe and sometime Moderate, those are usually the best deals.

[Brandie]

You might also want to look at room discounts (and paying out of pocket for the dining plan or skipping it altogether) to see how those compare. I don't know that there are any room discounts for September at this time, but there may be as it gets closer (typically 2-4 months out). They'll probably be 20-40% off, depending on the resort. For Deluxe and sometime Moderate, those are usually the best deals.

Here's the offers for room only discounts that I was able to dig up!

http://www.easywdw.com/forums/showthread.php?68-General-Public-Room-Only-Savings

[mousehelper]

Situations like this is why I always use a Disney Specialist Travel Agent. I would be neurotic about checking codes, and running numbers, and seeing if I needed to change my booking to save more money. I'd much rather let someone who knows the system, does this daily, and whose job it is to make me happy do all this for me. And I plan Disney trips all the time! I'm not a TA (nor do I play one on TV), but I know more than the average joe about bookings. And I would not do it myself!

Note-- I said a Disney Specialist. Your girlfriend's cousin who books a lot of trips to Aruba is not the person you want booking your trip! You need a Disney pro. And---- you want someone you trust will LOWER their commission in order to save you money. Cuz each time they apply a new code, they are spending more time on you, and making less money! So-- if you find someone like this, hold on!
:RpS_smile:

[yayasue]

Thanks for the info everyone. I am calling my TA today to have her check the new promo against what I have to compare prices. I will let you all know the result :-)

[yayasue]

Situations like this is why I always use a Disney Specialist Travel Agent. I would be neurotic about checking codes, and running numbers, and seeing if I needed to change my booking to save more money. I'd much rather let someone who knows the system, does this daily, and whose job it is to make me happy do all this for me. And I plan Disney trips all the time! I'm not a TA (nor do I play one on TV), but I know more than the average joe about bookings. And I would not do it myself!

Note-- I said a Disney Specialist. Your girlfriend's cousin who books a lot of trips to Aruba is not the person you want booking your trip! You need a Disney pro. And---- you want someone you trust will LOWER their commission in order to save you money. Cuz each time they apply a new code, they are spending more time on you, and making less money! So-- if you find someone like this, hold on!
:RpS_smile:

I wish I had one of those!! hahaha. She's just a normal TA but half the time I have to tell her about checking the stuff out for me.. I must find myself a Disney Specialist seing as we're wanting to book a Disney Cruise for next year!!

[Janine]

Psst... check out Blyday's signature.

[Brandie]

Note-- I said a Disney Specialist. Your girlfriend's cousin who books a lot of trips to Aruba is not the person you want booking your trip! You need a Disney pro.

Amen! Maybe it is okay if my in-laws found this forum.

[yayasue]

Psst... check out Blyday's signature.

I thought of her too! I'm in Canada though...

[mousehelper]

I thought of her too! I'm in Canada though...

So? Canadians are allowed in WDW! :RpS_tongue:
I'm not a TA, but I work with Canadians all the time. And I work with American TAs who work with Canadians all the time.
I mean, I'm just sayin'
:RpS_wink:

[yayasue]

So? Canadians are allowed in WDW! :RpS_tongue:
I'm not a TA, but I work with Canadians all the time. And I work with American TAs who work with Canadians all the time.
I mean, I'm just sayin'
:RpS_wink:

You are very right! :RpS_wink:

[blyday]

Quote Originally Posted by mousehelper View Post
Note-- I said a Disney Specialist. Your girlfriend's cousin who books a lot of trips to Aruba is not the person you want booking your trip! You need a Disney pro.

Amen! Maybe it is okay if my in-laws found this forum.

Maybe a link to the thread could "magically" appear in their email boxes???:ranger:

[DisneyMom]

We are in Canada and used a TA from The Magic For Less last for our trip in January. It was great - I talked to her once on the phone and everything else we did through email.
(Brenda - I didn't know you were a TA until I got over here on this forum...)

[Linda]

I Know we are all excited about the Free Dining and I would like to add that to book this it is under the "Memories Package". This includes a Disney's PhotoPass Photo Book to relive your Disney vacation memories! This 20-page book is printed on archival paper to preserve it for years to come. This also adds about $65 to the package. I have already booked several clients to this package and some are not happy with the the PhotoPass but it is still cheaper than paying for the dining.

Also as stated before you have to do the math! Some packages are better for one person than for another. All depends on where you stay, for how long and, how many adults/children are going.

[yayasue]

Going to find out tomorrow or tuesday if it's a better deal for me, my TA is going to play around with the promotions to see which is best.:RpS_smile:

[blyday]

(Brenda - I didn't know you were a TA until I got over here on this forum...)

:RpS_smile: Yeah.....that seems to be a reoccurring theme!!! The truth is that over on TGM, since we can't mention that we are TAs, then the only ones who knew that I was a TA are the ones who had reason to go over to the post that has the TAs listed. It is very nice of Josh to let me actually mention that I am a TA.

[Janine]

Interesting. TGM had no problem benefiting from the great advice you gave to his paying customers, but you weren't allowed to benefit from the exposure at all.

[bnoble]

It's not that unreasonable a position. Rather than try to decide which "commercial" posts are okay, and which are not, Mike just banned them all. The single, sole exception was DVC point rentals.

I'll venture a guess that if this site ever grows large enough, Josh will eventually have to do something similar as well. Otherwise, the site becomes one big advertisement.

[blyday]

It's not that unreasonable a position. Rather than try to decide which "commercial" posts are okay, and which are not, Mike just banned them all. The single, sole exception was DVC point rentals.

I'll venture a guess that if this site ever grows large enough, Josh will eventually have to do something similar as well. Otherwise, the site becomes one big advertisement.

I agree and totally understand where TGM is coming from. I find it annoying from time to time however that I have to say something ridiculous like: "I had a friend have x happen to them and the situation was resolved this way." instead of simply saying, "my client had this same problem, what we did was x and it worked perfectly." I get the no advertising but if I'd mentioned that I'd worked with a client......my post would have been deleted. I don't want to see this board turn into an advertising free for all by any means but it is still nice to be able to talk about my job.....just like anyone else can talk about their job.

[DisneyMom]

And I even did go to that post and still missed it somehow Brenda! Although I was very happy with the one we used that was recommended to us.
Most of the forums I'm on don't allow advertising because you get the spammers. But it does make it tough if you can't talk about your job when your intentions are only good...

[mousehelper]

It's a very thin line you walk. It drives me crazy that when someone begs over there-- 'can't I just pay someone to do all this for me???' that I can't answer them. But I get why, and I respect why. I'm not a TA, but it's the same idea.
Personally, I think Josh is being more than generous, and I hope we can protect that.
:RpS_smile:

[Brandie]

I just recieved an email from Disney Visa that they are doing Free Dining plan on packages for travel 8/28-9/24 (we check in on 9/26, darn it). Must be for at least 5 nights.

Free quick service for value and regular dining for moderates, deluxe and deluxe villa.

The package opens to the general public on 5/2, and must book by 8/27.

I just got it and am reading through it, let me know if you have any questions.

Megan

:focus:

The plan previously available only to Disney Visa card holders is now available to the general public!

[mousehelper]

Hmm... Free Dining , if you buy an expensive photo Package. And you need to stay for 5 nights? Hmm, guess Disney wasn't kidding when they siad they were weaning guests off the great discount packages of the past! :RpS_sad:
Show me the room only discounts, please! :RpS_glare:

[yayasue]

Just heard back from my TA and the free dining plan saved us 232.40$ :-)

[blyday]

Hmm... Free Dining , if you buy an expensive photo Package. And you need to stay for 5 nights? Hmm, guess Disney wasn't kidding when they siad they were weaning guests off the great discount packages of the past! :RpS_sad:
Show me the room only discounts, please! :RpS_glare:

Not only do you have to by an expensive photo package.....you have to pay $20 more for the package then if you bought it separately. The cost with the free dining is $99.95 but it only cost $79.95 if you purchase it directly from photopass. Yep.....definitely cutting down on the discounts!!!