Free Dining for select dates through September 2011

[NokOnHarts]

Going Jan. 17-24, Free dining only covers 2 of my days Guess that won't be happening.

So if it's between a 25% discount on a room or a $200 gift card, which is better? Only reason I'd be interested in the gift card is if it can be used at the restaurants (sit down and quick service). Otherwise a gift card would not benefit me at all. What are the rules on using the gift cards?

[dinahvixen]

So happy - we're arriving on the 2nd of June and my dad was going to go with us and stay at POP - he couldn't afford the trip before and we were trying to think of ways he could go - less nights, etc (we're staying for 5), and now my kids and we are very excited that GRANDPA CAN GO! That dining makes a world of difference, thanks, Disney!

[crltkcagle]

I am so excited to be getting free dining!!! We always go the last week in May and this was definetly a surpise! Just saved us a grand!!!

[the other micki]

Wow! When I booked my Sept. 2011 vacation a little over a week ago, I thought I'd be waiting at least 6 months to hear anything on free dining! This great news for us!

[TheVBs]

I know it's already been said, but - WOW!! We're planning to go next fall and I thought I'd have to wait months to see if they'd do free dining again. This is wonderful!

[CleveSJM]

Wow! When I booked my Sept. 2011 vacation a little over a week ago, I thought I'd be waiting at least 6 months to hear anything on free dining! This great news for us!

I was about to type almost the exact same post! Big family here... Love saving about $900!!! Thanks Wendy!!!

[Kaps]

We are going Nov 4th through the 14th. I was hoping they would add these dates but no luck I wonder what is happening that they are blacking out the first week of November ?

[TheVBs]

I just emailed the news to my DH. I thought he would think I was nuts for suggesting that we book over a year out. The response I got from him - "GO DISNEY!"

So, if I understand correctly, if we book our trip starting on the last day the package is available, Sept. 29th 2011, it will be good for our entire stay, right?

[Daisy'sMom]

Some of my family would be really interested in this for next year. But when they talked to CMs on ressie line, they said they knew nothing about this so far in advance. Is it only thru Magical Journeys? If that's the case, I will tell them to call MJ.

[fatboy]

Are you SURE it is free dining for all the above dates?? That is not what it says on the "PROMO". It has an end date for the free dining. Then says call for "OTHER GREAT RATES". It does not say free dining for the entire period.

[The Hitchhiking Ghost]

I don't know if this is a dumb question or not but does your whole trip have to fall within the dates, or just the first booking date.

The original posts says "for arrival on most nights ..." then goes on to list a time frame of November 27 to December 2nd as one eligible window.

So if we were to book a vacation from say November 30 to December 7th, would we get the ddp for the entire stay, not at all, or just prorated. Our arrival date would fall within the eligible time frame, but our departure date most likely would not.

We were contemplating going December 2011, but the extended offerings have gotten us to rethink maybe going 2010 instead, and how the ddp is treated makes a differnce between which package we'd choose from.

[azcavalier]

I don't know if this is a dumb question or not but does your whole trip have to fall within the dates, or just the first booking date.

The original posts says "for arrival on most nights ..." then goes on to list a time frame of November 27 to December 2nd as one eligible window.

So if we were to book a vacation from say November 30 to December 7th, would we get the ddp for the entire stay, not at all, or just prorated. Our arrival date would fall within the eligible time frame, but our departure date most likely would not.

We were contemplating going December 2011, but the extended offerings have gotten us to rethink maybe going 2010 instead, and how the ddp is treated makes a differnce between which package we'd choose from.

In the past, it has always been that you get the offer for the length of your stay as long as you BEGIN your stay during those dates.

For the last two years, and this year as well, we are going down the last weekend of the original free dining offer, but we get it for the length of our stay. Of course, both last year and this year they wound up extending it into December, so I guess the point is moot, but that's how they used to do it. You should be OK for your entire trip.

[BIGDOG]

The free dining offer is the worse special that Disney offers. It reduces the quality of the food stresses out the employees at the rest.; and makes the overall cleanliness of the food establishments degraded. I was really hoping that the dining fiasco was over and there would just be a room special and no dining offers. I never use the dining option but still we pay for the fall out of the over all effects. This news makes us rather sad and if we do go we normally use small out of the way places that are never crowded if there is such a place any more.

[TheVBs]

Just checked the WDW website and I'm able to book end of Sept. 2011 with the free dining! This will officially be the earliest we have ever booked any vacation.

[PopPhan]

Going Jan. 17-24, Free dining only covers 2 of my days Guess that won't be happening.

So if it's between a 25% discount on a room or a $200 gift card, which is better? Only reason I'd be interested in the gift card is if it can be used at the restaurants (sit down and quick service). Otherwise a gift card would not benefit me at all. What are the rules on using the gift cards?

First part: True.Since your trip does not BEGIN in a valid "Free DDP" time frame, you are not eligible for this promotion.

Second part: Jan. 17-24 = 7 nights. Sounds like you are staying at a Value resort (since you mention only the $200 gift card,) so the $200 Gift Card would tend to be the bigger savings. 7 nights @ Value resort (2 adults) = $786 * 20% = $157.20.

Gift Cards can be used almost anywhere they have a card reader. There are only a few exceptions, and I do not believe any of the restaurants fall into the exception category.

[Dsnygirl]

I know it's already been said, but - WOW!! We're planning to go next fall and I thought I'd have to wait months to see if they'd do free dining again. This is wonderful!

I totally agree -- our dates for next August were set b/c my oldest DD turns 13, and we promised her "the World" () for her b'day. (The trip isn't the gift, just the day, as hers to choose & plan what we do... ) So, we were just hoping that free dining would be announced for our time period, as it's a longer trip for us and would be quite a savings. So, when I called my DH on Monday morning and said, "Guess what??", he just said, "Book it so we get a room..." and now we're all set. Woohoo!

[Buttercup]

Another dumb question here...

In all the years we've gone, we've never used the Disney Dining Plan. But as the kids get older (and are eating more!) I'm thinking we might work our trip around this free dining offer.

We don't do a whole lot of Table Service meals, so I don't think the regular dining plan (and staying at a Moderate in order to get it) would be worth it for us. The Value Resort/Quick Service Plan seems like a better fit for our family.
But what if we have dinner one night at a Table Service place? Can we apply one of our Quick Service Meals to that, and then just pay the difference to the Table Service price?
(not sure if that makes sense) Or do we have to just pay cash for the Table Service meal, and then we'll have an extra Quick Service meal leftover as a result?

[TheVBs]

I'm pretty sure you'd have to pay out of pocket for the TS. But since you get 2 QS meals per day, if you end up with an extra because you went to a TS, you could just use 3 QS in one day. Does that make sense?

[doviasgirl]

Nancy....which would be a better choice....a bounceback offer that was booked last year (for Sept of this year) and maybe book it again for 2011 or go on and book the Free Dining offer for 2011 that is being offered now. I know the new price hikes will be in the new Free Dining offer, however, I didn't know if they are still offering bounceback offers and if they would automatically include any price increases in that offer. Thanks!

Either way we're going!!

[Tink1]

Nancy....which would be a better choice....a bounceback offer that was booked last year (for Sept of this year) and maybe book it again for 2011 or go on and book the Free Dining offer for 2011 that is being offered now. I know the new price hikes will be in the new Free Dining offer, however, I didn't know if they are still offering bounceback offers and if they would automatically include any price increases in that offer. Thanks!

Either way we're going!!

Should be the same. You would have to really run it by your agent to be 100% sure

Nanc