Free Dining participants -- Which hotel?

[mrshams]

If you signed up for the free dining plan, which hotel and category did you chose? I was looking it up on the Disney website and the only hotel that came up was Saratoga Springs. Were the other hotels included and just sold out?:confused:

[crazypoohbear]

I chose POP but we ended up with All Star Music because POP was booked.
We chose the value because we wanted to get "more bang for the buck"
We had ressies at the Dolphin but when free dining opened up we changed resorts.
I believe that each resort had a certian block of rooms that were availabe for free dining and when those fill up that's that.
Kind of like when a wedding party blocks a certian number of rooms for guests. 1st come 1st served. If you really want a value check with Magical journeys. I beleive that travel agents have access to certian blocks of rooms also. So the disney site might show sold out when actually you could get the deal through a travel agent.

Good Luck
Maybe we will see you in August/sept

[MickeyandTink]

We staying at Pop Century during the tail end of free dining. My in-laws are joining us down there and had to book All Star - Music because Pop was unavailable. We kept checking back every couple of days and after a few weeks a room at Pop came open for them.

If there is some other resort you would prefer to stay, I'd keep checking the disney site online or with your travel agent to see if it comes open.

Good luck.:thumbsup:

[kathiep]

We had already booked CSR prior to the free dining announcement because we had wanted to try this resort.

On the day free dining was announced - we had our reservations changed to include the free dining option.

We were prepared to change resorts if necessary - but we got lucky.

Last year we booked late for free dining - we were only interested in stay in a moderate and the only resort we could get then was CBR.

[psychotekkie]

We managed to get Pop, but later on the same day we got it, we started hearing that it was booked up completely. I guess we were just in time!

With the free dining, you have to pay rack rate for the room (correct me if I'm wrong on that one), so if you go to a Deluxe, you will not save as much as if you go to a Value.

[tinksmom02]

We're booked at the very end of free dining for POFQ. Terrisue at MJ booked us in the very first morning free dining was announced!

[Mnchknbrat1982]

I'm at POFQ!!

[septembergirl]

We booked Pop on the first day that Free Dining became available to Disney Visa Card holders. At that time I was told only preferred locations were available.

[MaryPoppinsFan]

I just booked May 12th and we got the POP. We are checking in Sept.21st so we are at the very tail end of the program. I booked through Magical Journeys
this is our first time on site :mickey: and we are going to the MNSSHP the first night there :ghost: :frank:

[Crow]

Karen at MJ got me in at POP on the Monday when free dining was announced for Visa holders.
im arriveing Sept 21 also. right now its 6 nights for free dining at POP, then 2 nights at WL just cause iwant to stay there again.
i am thinking about staying an extra day though, so may ask Karen to look into it.

[Olga]

POFQ! 19-29 September

[SpecJoe Magic]

We're staying at All-Star Sports September 18-23.

[scooterca42]

Pop - but at first we were in ASMu - we wouldn't have minded, because hey - Disney - but Wendy at MJ followed up with me a few days later and space had opened up at Pop! DH didn't mind where he stayed as long as he was on site, but I was kinda hoping for Pop.:mickey:

Just another reason to use Magical Journeys, I guess!:thumbsup:

[KAT1811]

We're at Coronado Springs for free dining September 12 -23. We had existing reservations and changed them over to include the free dining as soon as it was announced. We have water view rooms and they were fine but another family we were traveling with had the junior suite and it was not included. They had to switch to two connecting rooms (they have since cancelled but that is a whole other story!!! :sick: ) From what I've heard free dining is VERY popular and the rooms avaliable with the special are VERY limited. SSR is probably the only thing left.

[cmay0507]

What date's are you going? I typed in the dates that I am going Sept 20th to the 27th and there are a few options available.:mickey:

[Crow]

Pop is booked. i asked Karen about adding a day or 2 to my res there, and it wasnt available. guess the free dining is working.

[KellAnneL]

We had booked POP with Free Dining, then decided with the money we saved, we could do POFQ, and it was available. We will be there Sept. 8-15.

[MickeyandTink]

We booked Pop on the first day that Free Dining became available to Disney Visa Card holders. At that time I was told only preferred locations were available.

That's what we were told as well. However, we kept checking back every few days and a standard location opened up so we switched it over. I figure the savings will by a :beer: or two over in WS :thumbsup:

[Mickey91]

We are booked at the POR waterview. We also had made ressies early and called first day it opened to the general public and was in luck to switch to free dining. :mickey:

If you aren't locked in to a particular week, try some other dates. Maybe you will get lucky. Good luck!

[Bethanymouse]

We are staying at the POP for free dining!:thumbsup:

[RPHX2NC]

POR Sept 19-25

[Jen C.]

We will be at the Poly for free dining~8/29-9/4.:party:

[NJRRK]

Cr 8/26 - 9/1

[E-OR]

We were booked at ASmovies before free dining came out. Once we got free dining we moved to POFQ with the money we will save on food. Can't wait - September 15-23!

[MouseHouser]

POFQ Sep 22-30.
Free dining, MNSSHP and the F&W Festival!

[PeterPanFan]

Grand Floridian but were not happy with the free dining. We want the park less crowded!!!!!:thedolls:

[Mary Poppins fan]

Poly, August 31-September 5 :lei:

[Jen C.]

Grand Floridian but were not happy with the free dining. We want the park less crowded!!!!!:thedolls:

I think you'll find that while the free dining does impact the crowds somewhat, the crowds overall are still low in volume. I certainly wouldn't let the offer bother me. I'm almost positive that you'll be very delighted. :thumbsup:

[crazeedizneefinatic]

CBR from September 21-30! Hope we made a good choice!

[countrycharmer]

Coronado for us. This will be our second year on the free dining...saves money for our trips in December!

[WinnieThePooh]

September 19 - 25 POFQ with free dining 64 days and counting........:minnie::mickey3:

[mrsmomus]

POR Sept 16-23 for us!!
Kim

[Lucyrella]

We booked with our Disney Visa the day the free dining was released. We were booked at the POP, then on June 8th I got the surprise email that we could get a free upgrade to either SS or OKW, we chose the OKW, couldn't pass up the 1 bedroom villa with 2 little princesses:princess:We are booked August 26 to September 1st. Can not wait!

[Ms.Disney]

We booked POR befor free dining was announced, so I went ahead and paid for the DP. After it was announced I called and tried to get free dining they told me I would have to switch to CBR we didnt want to do that so I called about a week later and was able to get free dining:mickey: We got back $500.00!!!

[crazykids]

Poly Concierge Sept. 19-29!

[cherbie66]

What is this free dining plan that everyone is talking about?

[bibbidiboo3]

The free dining plan is a promotion offered by Disney to increase tourism at slow times when kids are going back to school. You had to book in April, May or June.

We booked our trip before knowing about it and are happy to be saving lots of $$$ for 4 of us to eat. We're staying at POR 9/15-9/22!!

[chechas]

Since it is a 40th Bday celebration for my best friend, we did Boardwalk Inn waterview with the free dining plan for Labor Day weekend.

[LuckyMum22]

We're at P.O. Riverside. We booked on the first day the MYWw/free dining was offered for Disney Visa card holders. We will be there August 29 to September 4. Airfare was cheap too!
43 days 9 hours and 58 minutes till we arrive!

[Lizzie]

We are at All-Star Music September 4-11th.

[Kairi_7378]

AAA was trying (rather aggressively) to have us move our vacation up a week so that they could add Free Dining to our package. I think that means that they can give you free dining.

[k_reile]

Sept 22 thru Sept 29, BWI

[MouseManiac]

POFQ ~ Sept. 22nd thru Oct.2nd!

We're flying down on the 21st so we can hit the ground running on Saturday! See you in the parks bright and early!:mickey:

[mook3y]

ASmu, BWV and VWL!

Can't wait!!!

[jakeybake]

We chose the Beach Club.

First because it's late August and we wanted a place with a great pool for the hot weather.

Second because of the location. We can walk to Epcot and between World Showcase, Yacht and Beach Club and Boardwalk restaraunts we will be within walking distance of almost every Table Service restaraunt we want to eat at.

And lastly, we just love the resort and figure we would take the money we would normally spend on food and just apply it to staying at a Deluxe Resort.

[pixiesmimi]

We are staying at the CBR August 26 - 31. As soon as I saw the free dining offer at the value resorts (where we stayed last year) I jumped on it. Then DH said that if we were getting free dining, he would want to upgrade to a moderate and stay somewhere we had not stayed before. I looked and all of them and narrowed it down to POR or POFQ or CBR. We settled on the CBR. I am so looking forward to it!

[adhale]

All Star Sports Sept.22-29

[psychotekkie]

We got Pop and then it sold out later the same day. Going August 26th to 30th.

[brogan54]

staying @pop sept20-oct2:party:

[GrmGrninGost]

We chose POR! :mickey:

[Dizneyfan]

All star Sports. Was originally staying at movies but changed. Would love to switch to SSR. I've called numerous times but there is no availability.:(

[gueli]

Poly... we had already booked when the free dining plan came out. They swapped us over & we saved a bundle.
My understanding was that each week they put a few more rooms at different resorts into the free dining.
But the other thing I found out (when booking the trip originally) was that there are differences between a travel agent & the disney site, each one had limitations on what was available...
:mickey:

[MizMissy]

Sept. 22-29 at AKL (or, at least, I hope not to be moved from AKL).
We used the free dining savings to upgrade to AKL (that's how I'm justifying it, my DH wanted AKL from the beginning).

[princessgirls]

I made my reservations the very first day of the promo for Disney Visa holders. Pop was already sold-out for the week I wanted which was August 26-Sept 3. However, Port Orleans which is my favorite was available, so all was good. POP was $400 cheaper for my family, but at POR I get the fridge and a little bit more room.

I'm very excited!
Julie:mickey:

[KODABEAR]

WILDERNESS LODGE!!!:minnie:

[Brooklynos]

We are staying at AKL for our first time. Tried for POFQ (That's where our honeymoon was!) but ended up at AKL!!! I am so excited.

[kbr3sco]

I originally booked on line for POP:cloud9:,
switched for FreeD:call:and ended up with ASSports.
Unhappy....wanted POP again.:fit:.......
ended up at CR..........:dizzy:..

I still want POP (and my FREE dining:( )!


Sept 20-26