Free Dining Offer Released

[WDWRox]

So far it's not looking too well for us and the "free dining offer". My MJ rep is telling me that although we already have a reservation made (deposit down) on a woods view room at the WL for a week, that the "free dining" offer is somehow restricted this year to certain room views in the resorts. I find that strange since in years past I was able to call up long after my reservation was made and the WDW rep simply added free dining to us with no problem. I can't find any documentation online anywhere about this offer having that kind of restriction on the type of room you're staying in. I guess if needs be we'll have to see if we can get into a courtyard view room to have this offer added.

[Crow]

i gave Karen @MJ some trouble & had her book me 4 nights Pop w free dining, cancelling my bounceback offer I had booked there for 7 nights. although i had to get a 1day pass also which i dont need now as i have AP. Ill let someone else use it or save it for a future trip.
and I hope for an AP rate in a few months so i can add on a few days to this trip.
and I have DDE so Ill use free dining for some signatures like CA Grill & FF, then use my DDE for other meals if i need. or for
thanks Karen!

[coloradowendyl]

So far it's not looking too well for us and the "free dining offer". My MJ rep is telling me that although we already have a reservation made (deposit down) on a woods view room at the WL for a week, that the "free dining" offer is somehow restricted this year to certain room views in the resorts. I find that strange since in years past I was able to call up long after my reservation was made and the WDW rep simply added free dining to us with no problem. I can't find any documentation online anywhere about this offer having that kind of restriction on the type of room you're staying in. I guess if needs be we'll have to see if we can get into a courtyard view room to have this offer added.

Each year the Free Dining promotion becomes more and more popular. That means that often certain views/locations/resorts are very limited or not available. We have been finding that preferred views in the values, views at WL and POR are very limited especially around the very beginning of the promotion (8/24), Labor Day, and the very end of the promotion (9/20).

I have had several clients that had to change views, room type,etc to get Free dining.

Hope this explaination helps!
Wendy

[WDWRox]

Each year the Free Dining promotion becomes more and more popular. That means that often certain views/locations/resorts are very limited or not available. We have been finding that preferred views in the values, views at WL and POR are very limited especially around the very beginning of the promotion (8/24), Labor Day, and the very end of the promotion (9/20).

I have had several clients that had to change views, room type,etc to get Free dining.

Hope this explaination helps!
Wendy

Yes it does. Thanks to both Karen and you @MJ for all the great help you've been giving.

[KarenP]

So far it's not looking too well for us and the "free dining offer". My MJ rep is telling me that although we already have a reservation made (deposit down) on a woods view room at the WL for a week, that the "free dining" offer is somehow restricted this year to certain room views in the resorts. I find that strange since in years past I was able to call up long after my reservation was made and the WDW rep simply added free dining to us with no problem. I can't find any documentation online anywhere about this offer having that kind of restriction on the type of room you're staying in. I guess if needs be we'll have to see if we can get into a courtyard view room to have this offer added.

It is not as simple as just having an existing reservation and applying the offer, The discounts are capacity controlled and not available for every resort and/or room category for all dates.

I was online and checked availability for you before Disney Reservations even opened this morning at 7 am. Woods view rooms were just not available at all for your dates, which is why I offered you courtyard view.

[GrmGrninGost]

Would love to take advantage of this deal....but during that time ---- it's SO hot.

Would they EVER have Free Dining during another time besides the oppressive time of year?....he he

Actually, we were there the second week of Sept last year and it wasn't all that hot. In fact, the day we planned on swimming, it was in the 60's bbbrrrr. We froze! Definitely not what we were expecting. In 2005, there was a hurricane stalled off the coast of Jacksonville all week and the weather was perfect! Not too hot not too cold, overcast but not much rain. Couldn't have asked for better! So, ya never know!

[sleepingbooty]

I'm confused. It says (on Intercot's front page) that packages start at $57/day for values, and $73 for moderates? Isn't that a considerable discount on the room on top of the free dining? In the past, (we've done free dining 3 times) it was always with rack rate on the room. So, shouldn't it be minimum of $82/day for values and 149/day for moderates? I actually booked with free dining on a bounce-back offer at Pop Century for 9/20-27th, so I guess I shouldn't worry about it - but if I could get a moderate for $77/night plus free dining, I'd certainly want to switch.

[BMan62]

I'm confused. It says (on Intercot's front page) that packages start at $57/day for values, and $73 for moderates? Isn't that a considerable discount on the room on top of the free dining? In the past, (we've done free dining 3 times) it was always with rack rate on the room. So, shouldn't it be minimum of $82/day for values and 149/day for moderates? I actually booked with free dining on a bounce-back offer at Pop Century for 9/20-27th, so I guess I shouldn't worry about it - but if I could get a moderate for $77/night plus free dining, I'd certainly want to switch.

If you read the fine print on this, it says "Prices based on 2 adults, 1 junior and 1 child." This is that same way they can say that a family of 4 can spend a week at WDW for $1600.

Two people in a value room = $82/night or $41/person per night. Base Adult MYW tickets for 6 days: $217 ($36.17/day) [bought separately] = $77.17/day

2 Adults, a 13 year old and a 6 year old - 5 nights/6 days PC std. MYW base tickets: $1354.00 ($56.41/day) -- Misnomer - dividing entire package by 6 days & 4 people. More realistically, divide the package by 5 nights ($67.70/night)

4 adults: $1505.24 ($62.72/day) -- Same Misnomer - By 5 nights ($75.26/night)

[Jforrest2]

After 1.5 hours on hold we were able to get our courtyard view at the Wilderness Lodge 9/13 - 9/20!!! We saved $1000.00 on our trip...yea!!

[Sunshine1010]

WOW...congrats!

[WDWRox]

It is not as simple as just having an existing reservation and applying the offer, The discounts are capacity controlled and not available for every resort and/or room category for all dates.

I was online and checked availability for you before Disney Reservations even opened this morning at 7 am. Woods view rooms were just not available at all for your dates, which is why I offered you courtyard view.

In recent years, it HAD been that simple. I guess I was expecting too much for Disney to keep their offer the same. (Sigh). I wish they'd at least be more specific in the general announcements for these deals so we wouldn't have to put ourselves or our MJ reps through the hassel of cancelling and remaking reservations. But you've done a great job for us, Karen, thanks so much!

(But just to clarify.....we already HAD woods view reservations made before this deal came out. Do you mean that in order to take advantage of the deal, we'd have had to cancel our existing reservation and try to create a new woods view reservation that WOULD HAVE included free dining? If that's the case, I'd have thought Disney would save itself some hassel, and its customer some aggravation by simply applying free dining for those who already had their reservations made. I think something about that part of it just isn't sinking in.)

[KarenP]

In recent years, it HAD been that simple. I guess I was expecting too much for Disney to keep their offer the same. (Sigh). I wish they'd at least be more specific in the general announcements for these deals so we wouldn't have to put ourselves or our MJ reps through the hassel of cancelling and remaking reservations. But you've done a great job for us, Karen, thanks so much!

(But just to clarify.....we already HAD woods view reservations made before this deal came out. Do you mean that in order to take advantage of the deal, we'd have had to cancel our existing reservation and try to create a new woods view reservation that WOULD HAVE included free dining? If that's the case, I'd have thought Disney would save itself some hassel, and its customer some aggravation by simply applying free dining for those who already had their reservations made. I think something about that part of it just isn't sinking in.)

It has always been the same with Disney as far as discounts being capacity controlled. They offer a limited number of room categories at each resort and some are not offered period. You may have just lucked out in the past in that the resort and room category you had already booked were available with the discount for your dates of travel. In this particular case Disney just did not offer free dining for woods view rooms for your dates.

And, no if the discount had been available I would not have had to cancel and rebook you with the discount. I would have just modified your existing reservations to include the discount.

I hope this clarifies everything for you!

[starrmomof2]

We had already put our deposit on a courtyard view at WL, then hoped for free dining. Debbie at MJ emailed me yesterday morning that everything had been updated with the free dining and that it was a good thing that we wanted courtyard because that was all that was available at WL for the new deal. I was a little surprised, too, because when we went a couple years ago, there wasn't as much distinction between views, or if there was, no one mentioned it to us. But, as several posters have mentioned, the program has picked up so much in popularity, that Disney was bound to begin limiting and directing visitors to traditionally lesser occupied views/options.

[WDWRox]

It has always been the same with Disney as far as discounts being capacity controlled. They offer a limited number of room categories at each resort and some are not offered period. You may have just lucked out in the past in that the resort and room category you had already booked were available with the discount for your dates of travel. In this particular case Disney just did not offer free dining for woods view rooms for your dates.

And, no if the discount had been available I would not have had to cancel and rebook you with the discount. I would have just modified your existing reservations to include the discount.

I hope this clarifies everything for you!

Yes it does, thank you! But one other thing......is there anywhere that the common person can check to see where and what type of rooming the free dining offers are valid for? Or do you just have to call up and make your reservation and ask the Disney folks?

[Tink1]

No, there is nowhere that the formula is listed that can be checked. If there are X amount of a room view and Y % of the X rooms are already booked prior to the release of the special and Disney is happy with that level, they will not discount it.

It does not matter if you have a room in the X view booked prior to the special. Once they reach that level for any night of your stay, it is not going to be offered.

Cleverocks had a great post that explained it as well. I will see if I can find it.

Nanc

[Tink1]

http://www.intercot.com/discussion/s...18#post1253318 may help

N

[2Princesses4Us]

I used a 30% coupon that was mailed to our house a few month ago to book our September trip. I did call WDW yesterday just to double check that was the better deal... and apparently it is, so I am not eligible for free dining! Oh well.... we're still off to DW!

[DisneyDudet]

So is the free dining for the basic dining? How much is it if you get Deluxe?

[KarenP]

So is the free dining for the basic dining? How much is it if you get Deluxe?

You can upgrade to deluxe for $32 a night for those ages 10 and over and $9.99 a night for children ages 3 - 9.

[DisneyDudet]

You can upgrade to deluxe for $32 a night for those ages 10 and over and $9.99 a night for children ages 3 - 9.

I figured that you would just pay the difference. Thanks!! The deluxe is too much food and time for us! We're just excited about the free basic plan, since we've never done it before!