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View Full Version : Potential of Free Dining Making Our Heads Spin


KayDee
02-10-2008, 03:54 PM
We know that free dining is not a guarantee but we are trying to book a trip with that in mind. We are having a bit of trouble trying to decide where to stay. There will be five of us on the trip: DH, DW, DW's mom and niece (11) and our DS (will be 1 year old). We don't know whether it is better to stay all together in a moderate room or at a Family Suite at All Star Music. We don't want to stay at a Value if this is going to be a super busy time. Can anyone recall how busy All Star Music was last year during Free Dining? There are so many pros and cons to each it is making our heads spin. What would you do and why? We are open to all suggestions for all value and moderate resorts.
KAT1811
02-10-2008, 04:53 PM
I would do two connecting rooms at a value resort long before I would put all of those people in one room (with one bathroom). We have 3 DDs (11, 3, &1) and the five of us in one room is tight!

The sleeping situation in the "family suites" doesn't do it for me. But that is just my opinion. Some families enjoy them.
jpH/keD
02-10-2008, 04:57 PM
I don't know if that time is super busy BUT if it is I would NOT stay at any All star resort. We went during Thanksgiving in 07 and our ASMovies was sold out!!! PAcked! The bus transportation was horrible. Every bus was slow and overcrowded and not enough and the wait times were double any other resort w/ less people! We are good sports but by the end of the week we were DONE! If it is considered busy or peak I would stay at a moderate!!! :thumbsup: Here are some numbers no one tells you. All Star resorts have 1,920 rooms each! Multiply that by 2 at the minimum and you have a HUGE # of folks compared to the other resorts. We will not go back until we have saved enough to stay at a moderate or even a deluxe so we can have less crowd potential on the busses! Just my 2 cents! Have fun!
KAT1811
02-10-2008, 05:08 PM
We went during Thanksgiving in 07 and our ASMovies was sold out!!! PAcked! . . . If it is considered busy or peak I would stay at a moderate!!!

Thanksgiving is one of the most crowded times at WDW.

The "free dining" promotion is typically offered in late August - early to mid September, the value season in WDW.
1EeyoreFan
02-10-2008, 05:46 PM
We stayed at ASMu last Sept. for free dining and it was pretty crowded but not unmanagable. We didn't experience long wait times for the bus except once when Wishes was over. That was a very long wait! Overall we had a great time and enjoyed some nice meals.
Strmchsr
02-10-2008, 06:06 PM
We don't want to stay at a Value if this is going to be a super busy time. Can anyone recall how busy All Star Music was last year during Free Dining? There are so many pros and cons to each it is making our heads spin. What would you do and why? We are open to all suggestions for all value and moderate resorts.

Family Suites are not available for discounts, so if you want to do the "free" dining you cannot do the family suite. You would have to do 2 connecting rooms.
BelleCiavo
02-10-2008, 06:12 PM
We don't stay at values, but have been to WDW during free dining 2x, it was not crowded at all. We go the week after Labor Day. I think the closer you get to October the more crowded it will be, especially if they do MNSSHP in September again.
KayDee
02-10-2008, 06:58 PM
Family Suites are not available for discounts, so if you want to do the "free" dining you cannot do the family suite. You would have to do 2 connecting rooms.

OK very good to know. What about the suites at CS and the Fort Wilderness Cabins can we get free dining there?
Strmchsr
02-10-2008, 07:19 PM
OK very good to know. What about the suites at CS and the Fort Wilderness Cabins can we get free dining there?

Those I'm not sure about. Either someone here can answer that for you, or you might check with Magical Journeys. They would know right away.
BelleCiavo
02-10-2008, 08:57 PM
OK very good to know. What about the suites at CS and the Fort Wilderness Cabins can we get free dining there?

We stayed at the cabins in 2005 and got free dining.
KAT1811
02-10-2008, 09:29 PM
OK very good to know. What about the suites at CS and the Fort Wilderness Cabins can we get free dining there?

Suites at CS are not part of the promotion either. We stayed there during the promo and they said that the suites were not part of the promo but it actually came out cheaper to get two connecting rooms instead of the suite.