Free Dining-2011

[pinkerbell]

I to am hoping for free dining to be announced in April for fall. They have done this before and the offer expired in June. We have ours booked from last yr but know some friends who want to go as well. Is there any unofficial buzz that it might be coming. I know there are peole talking of free dining pins - does anyone know if they are for fall dates??

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I'm a bit new to staying on WDW property & looking for discounts. Is it possible that Disney would announce, sometime this spring, some free dining for nov or dec of this year? I know that, obviously, you don't know for sure, but am just wondering if this is how they tend to do it for nov/dec promotions. Also, what are these pins that I keep reading about & where should I sign up to, hopefully, get one? If I were to book a vacation package & then Disney puts out a promotion, can I call back & get the promotion applied to my package (assuming I meet the correct dates, etc)?

The free dining promo started in 2005, up until 2009 it usually only included late August throug early October dates. In the summer of 2009 they announced a second free dining offer which extended into November and December. Last summer they also released November and December free dining dates. So, if you are looking for free dining for this winter, I wouldn't look for any fd codes or discounts to be released until this summer.

Pins are email pin codes that sent out to random people. They are name specific and non-transferrable. I have been going to Disney for years and I think I'm a member on every Disney site there is and we have NEVER gotten an email pin code - yet some people get them all the time - it's really random.

And, yes, if you have already booked a trip and a discount code comes out, you can call and have the discount applied to your current reservation. If you have paid in full they will credit you back the difference.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

My husband and 3 boys are going in Nov of this year and we had just called disney the other day and the lady that my husband was speaking with thought they would be offering the free dining then. It would be 1 sit down and 1 quick service meal, but she said that if you wanted to do just quick service meals you could just tell them thats what you would like to do. We are going to do just quick service this time around I don't like having to rush to get to dinner. And I want to be able to eat when we are ready to eat too.

The free dining plan used to include the basic dining plan for all level resorts - 1 TS, 1CS and 1 Snack. But starting 2 years ago, the free dining discount at Value resorts included the Quick Service and the Moderate and Value Resorts received the Basic Plan under the discount. You can pay the difference and upgrade to a more expensive plan, but you can not downgrade the package through Disney Reservations. If you are staying at a Mod or Deluxe you can't just tell them you are doing the Quick Service. There have been reports that once there, upon check-in, you can visit guest services and see if they will exchange Table Service meals for Quick Service meal, but there has been extremely varying reports to if this is actually possible.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I really hope to take advantage of free dining in November. I never did the dining plan before. Are there any ideas on when it will be announced?

IF they offer free dining for November and December, those dates most likely won't be released until this summer - June or July, probably.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I am looking to book our first Disney trip in September of 2012.. I am new to this! A friend told me to look out for the free dining in the fall, when should they post special offers like these? (I know it's a long while from now) Should I wait until they post the special to book, or should I book and then when the offer arrises, am I able to add the free dining to my booking? Totally clueless, sorry if this is a stupid question but thanks in advance!

The 2012 WDW Vacation Packages can't be booked until the 2012 rates are released this August, 2011. But in answer to your other question, yes, you can add a discount code to an existing reservation. Disney will credit you the difference.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

As noted in the previous posts, last two times free dining was announced for later in the year, it was in the April time frame.

For the last two years, November and December free dining dates have been released in the summer, not April.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I just got off the phone with Disney to book my trip in Sept. I did get a room discount at POR. However I was really hoping for Free Dining. It is me, DH and DS16, DS13, DS8. So for us, Free Dining saves us $980. I asked the CM about Free Dining in Sept. and she said "Don't hold your breath" because it has already been offered. I always book my trips in late winter for the fall and had no idea that Free Dining had already been offered. The in the next breath she said "You never know, so keep checking". I am so keeping my fingers crossed!!!!

I have no doubt that a CM told you that, but every year (heck, every week!) someone posts the exact same thing, that a CM told them that there would not be anymore free dining, but there always is . . . .

It simply comes down to numbers. Disney is in busniess to make money and that's exactly what free dining does for them. Free Dining is one of the best money making ideas those marketing geniuses at Disney have ever come up with. For example, look at the current crowd numbers for September and early/mid December. Those months used to be very low crowd periods - September even used to be described as a ghost town. With the introduction of the free dining discount Disney is now able to bring in tens of thousands of people to the Disney parks and resorts during those weeks that generate millions of dollars.

Personally, I think it's a pretty good bet that another late fall/winter free dining discount will be released this summer.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I found these dates for free dining this year:

2011: Jan 1 - 5 • Jan 9 - 13 • Jan 21 - Feb 3 • Feb 11 - 17 • Feb 25 - Mar 3 • May 27 - Jun 2 • Aug 19 - Sept 29

All of those dates had to be booked by December 20, 2011, so those dates are no longer available.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

You should consider using a travel agent. After my first trip with mine, she emails me the instant Disney releases any promotions to see if I'm intersted. This is the only way I knew about free dining at the end of May/beginning of June that was available back in the fall, and I jumped on it super quick.

You don't really need a TA to do that. Just check these boards. Also, they run the commerials on T.V. constantly. I've been able to obtain a free dining discount for the last 5 years and have never needed a T.A. Also, if you are using a TA for Disney, you have to make sure they are a Disney Specialist or really know their Disney stuff, because there have been many, many posts from Disers who have had a lot of trouble with TAs not calling to apply codes or even being aware of Disney Discount codes.

 

[lustergirl]

my bets are on a early spring free dining announcement for early fall again this year.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

hoping for that DH said last night that he doesnt think we will go if we cant get free dining...early november i hope and i hope

 

[mayshamp]

I just checked. Now they are offering free dining for August 28 to September 24. Again!!! Yes!!!

 

[srauchbauer]

waiting and hoping for October.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

You might be able to get info quicker and more up to date on the code and discounts forum found here