Fall 2013 Promotions

[twhitham]

If they dont offer FD for Value but they do for Moderate - I would have to do some math to see what the better deal is... 2 rooms at Art of Animation with paid for dining or 2 rooms at a Moderate (with only 1 bathroom each and no microwave...) but with free dining.
I think I might still stay at Art of Animation, having a seperate bedroom and bathroom might be worth it to me!

I have done the pricing, for my family it would be cheaper to stay moderate and get the free dinning than staying at art and pay full price for dinning. Another area I priced was the fact that the dinning plan has gotten really expensive. A family really has to plan the table service to make it worth their wild. We paid for the dinning plan but are just barely going to go past the break even point. I hear more and more people saying that they have and will pay out of pocket. Something to consider.

 

[twhitham]

When I priced it for my family it would be cheaper to stay at the moderate and get free dinning than to stay at art and pay for dinning. The dinning plan has gotten so expensive that one has to properly plan the table meals to take full advantage of the dinning plan. I hear more and more people saying that they pay out of pocket and come out better. I will be keeping a close eye on it during our vacation.

 

[ReturnToOz]

I am hoping for free dining October 11 to the 19th? I read "As far as the Free Dining goes, as long as your check in day is included in the Free Dining Dates, you will get the Free Dining for your entire length of stay". Does this mean if the free dining starts the 18th I still can get free dining for my entire stay? However if I check out on the 19th and if starts that day I am out of luck for free dining for the previous days? I think last year it was "10/19/12 - 11/1/12" for free dining.

 

[denisea51]

ummm If you are leaving on the 19th and it starts then....You don't need it....you're leaving.

Denise

 

[shelbecat]

I am hoping for free dining October 11 to the 19th? I read "As far as the Free Dining goes, as long as your check in day is included in the Free Dining Dates, you will get the Free Dining for your entire length of stay". Does this mean if the free dining starts the 18th I still can get free dining for my entire stay? However if I check out on the 19th and if starts that day I am out of luck for free dining for the previous days? I think last year it was "10/19/12 - 11/1/12" for free dining.

As you wrote, your check-in date must be in the free dining range. So Free Dining would have to begin on or before Oct. 11th for your vacation to receive free dining.

If Free Dining begins on Oct. 18th as you stated, then you cannot receive free dining for your entire stay. You could theoretically switch to a new reservation beginning on the 18th, but you have to add park passes to receive the free dining plan, which means paying full price for the first day of your park passes again. It's not typically worth it to vacation this way.

Hope that clarifies it!

 

[SFreelove]

I talked to an agent today. For early fall (aug-sept) these promos typically come out in march-april, later fall promo (oct+) comes out in June-july. If you research past years, this is also proved so I'd say its safe to go by. GL

 

[anniebabymu]

Hoping for FD here too. We will be in the World Sept. 27 - Oct. 6. However, if the current BB offer is an indication of dates, we may back arrival up to the 26th.

What is the current BB?? We're staying at POR April 16-23 and would love to get a BB... and would love it even more if it were FD! May be a little easier to convince the hubs to upgrade to annual passes and go back soon!

 

[pauly's girl]

Thanks Pauly's Girl - that tidbit makes me excited We've never done the FD before but I'm thinking this will be the year if the timing is right!

You are so welcome...I hope the timing is right and you have a fantastic vacation!!

 

[policycobb]

I was planning on booking today for October 6th. I may wait a few weeks and see what happens. I would love free dining or even a % off room rate.

 

[vacation_junkie]

If they dont offer FD for Value but they do for Moderate - I would have to do some math to see what the better deal is... 2 rooms at Art of Animation with paid for dining or 2 rooms at a Moderate (with only 1 bathroom each and no microwave...) but with free dining.
I think I might still stay at Art of Animation, having a seperate bedroom and bathroom might be worth it to me!

If speculation has it correct....
Free Dining at the Moderate resorts will probably only be the QS plan.
The Deluxe resorts will offer the regular dinnig plan.

 

[Mom2six]

If they dont offer FD for Value but they do for Moderate - I would have to do some math to see what the better deal is... 2 rooms at Art of Animation with paid for dining or 2 rooms at a Moderate (with only 1 bathroom each and no microwave...) but with free dining.
I think I might still stay at Art of Animation, having a seperate bedroom and bathroom might be worth it to me!

Are you talking about the suites at Art of Animation? We stayed in a Finding Nemo suite and LOVED it! I did want to mention that an Art of Animation suite is a little more expensive than a moderate room. You do get that microwave, sitting area, and second bathroom. So, paid dining in a suite at AoA is more than paid dining in 2 standard rooms at a moderate. FD at a mod would be cheaper - but what hold more value for you. The suites are a lot more room.

 

[mm1971]

I am also waiting to hear about FD for Sept. I have already booked my resort but I want to know why are some of you waiting to hear about FD before you book your room? Can't you add it to your ressies when it comes out? Or is it because they only offer FD at certain resorts? Denise

If they see a lot of bookings then they may not feel the need to offer free dining.

And that is the catch. I booked at 180 days just so I could get the ADR's in for August. Hopefully they offer something for late August. If not, it looks like we'll be paying more this time around.

I waited until the breaking point where we had to start reserving ADR's. If I had a choice I would have waited longer so the booking would not show.

 

[aprilp]

I went the first week of December in 2009 and 2011; we got free dining and loved it. We want to go again this year. However, I am thinking that I remember seeing somewhere that in 2012 they took the first week of December off of free dining. Does anyone remember? I'm assuming they'll do the same thing this year...of course I will wait to book and ask for time off at work until I know for sure but I'd like to start planning to see when we'll need to go.

 

[jessicamouse]

We went 11/29 to 12/6 last year (2012) and were blessed with free dining. Hoping for the same this year!

 

[tiggore91]

I went the first week of December in 2009 and 2011; we got free dining and loved it. We want to go again this year. However, I am thinking that I remember seeing somewhere that in 2012 they took the first week of December off of free dining. Does anyone remember? I'm assuming they'll do the same thing this year...of course I will wait to book and ask for time off at work until I know for sure but I'd like to start planning to see when we'll need to go.

They generally don't offer free dining the first week of December because of the Pop Warner football thing they do every year. Depending on when that is, there are no discounts that week.

Also, I highly doubt you will see free dining in October because of the Food and Wine Festival. I believe they have been cutting it off at the end of September the past 2-3 years.

 

[Lindaland]

I have booked already, wanted to wait but the overtime at work is happening now and I can do a couple extra shifts to pay for our trip. And I also get pretty neurotic about not paying for things when I can.

 

[maddiebee]

When they do post the discounts, how aggressive do I need to be about calling and adding them to my current reservation? I've been obsessively checking because I know they only do it for a certain amount of rooms?

 

[Bagheera23608]

.

Also, I highly doubt you will see free dining in October because of the Food and Wine Festival. I believe they have been cutting it off at the end of September the past 2-3 years.

Not according to the research I've been doing. All the charts I've looked at have had FD offered the last two years in October, if not the last three years. I've got ALL my fingers and toes crossed that it is offered this year as well. It would help me out immensely.

Here is a somewhat convoluted chart of past FD dates of the last few years:

http://wdwprepschool.com/about-the-disney-dining-plan-and-how-to-get-it-for-free/

 

[imadisneygirl68]

We are hoping for FD in October too.. We have 11 people going for Halloween. We in 2011 and had FD which helped greatly.....Finders and Toes crossed.

 

[black562]

Ok guys, first, you don't have to book at 180 days to get ADRs. I booked one each morning for each of the days I want to go and I had choice of any time I wanted. With the exception of BOG, everything is still available, including hard to get ones like CRT and Ohana even today and I'm well inside the 180 day window at this point. The only benefit to booking is the 180+10, but it isn't necessary. Remember, Disney has no incentive to offer a promotion if their rooms are booked, so those who book in anticipation may be shooting themselves in the foot.

That said, here are historic patterns for fall free dining offers. Remember too that the bounceback from last year for fall 2013 were for stays beginning on August 18; however, the end dates carried from Sept. 13 for Moderates to Sept 26 for Deluxe. If the trend follows the bounceback, they very well may be shortening the window of dates for free dining depending on the level of resort. I'm looking for the trend going back to late April, leaning toward April 25.

2006 - Booking started April 1
2007 - Booking started April 9
2008 - Booking started April 7
2009 - Booking started March 30
2010 - Booking Started April 29
2011 - Booking Started April 28
2012 - Booking Started March 1