Reservation questions

[lindkaye]

Hope someone can answer the following for our upcoming trip. We are going late fall for 12 days. We arrive on a Thursday, the free dining program does not start until that Sunday thru Friday and then we still have until the following Tuesday before we leave. Do we have to make two reservations due to the fact we are arriving 3 days before the free dining program starts? I thought I read somewhere that you had to but cant find that info any longer. Also, the big question my husband has.. If we do have to make 2 different reservations can we purchase our tickets when we first arrive for the whole time we are there? I would hate to have to purchase 2 sets of tickets (1-3 day ticket and then 1 - 9 day ticket) due to the fact 3 day tickets are so expensive. We don't need tickets the day we leave and for 1 other day we are going off property. Hope this make sense. Thanks for your help on this !

[gerald72]

If you have 2 reservations, purchase enough park days to cover the whole vacation for the first part. They don't expire until 2 weeks after you first use them, regardless of when you check out.

[Disney Hungarian]

If you have 2 reservations, purchase enough park days to cover the whole vacation for the first part. They don't expire until 2 weeks after you first use them, regardless of when you check out.
But, they were wanting the free dining. To get the free dining they would have to buy the package which includes the tickets to get the free dining. It is a pretty complicated situation that they are facing.

To get the free dining; the first day of your package has to be within the window of the promotion.

[tinksmom02]

If I'm not mistaken, in order to get the free dining, yes, you'd have to make 2 reservations. The first reservation would be for when you check in until the day before the free dining opens (I think you said Thursday, Friday, Saturday), and the second can be from the first day of free dining until you check out (Sunday through the following Tuesday), up to 10 days.

Free dining is considered a package deal, so yes, you would have to purchase a minimum number of tickets (but I'm not sure how many--I want to say 3?). I don't think you'd be able to access any of the tickets associated with that second reservation until the second reservation actually kicks in, so you'd have to buy separate tickets for the first part of your trip.

I've never split a reservation, though, so all this is based on what I've read here on Intercot. Perhaps someone with personal experience with this will come along to better help you!

[Tink1]

Yes, to get free dining you must also purchase at least a 2 day base ticket.

Since Disney's tickets top out at 10 days, for 12 days of access you would need to buy a 10+2 anway.

Another Option would be an Annual Pass, but then you would still need to purchase a 2 day base with free dining packages.

Depending on the resort and party make up, Free Dining could be a good deal, or a not so good deal.

Nanc