******Official 2017 Free Dining Plan Watch, Wait, and Dream

[squirrel]

My TA did double check my original booking with the Savory Summer Offer and to upgrade to the QSDP it is $30.25 per adult. It's $605 for the two of us to upgrade for 10 nights.

 

[sjs314]

Wow, they've really been cutting out October, haven't they?

HOPEING they bring back FD for the last week of oct into nov this year, there seems To Be a lot of room availabity

 

[FinnsMom7]

My plan was December 8-14 bc some years FD started second Friday and the BB would support that but the longer I wait the more unsure I get - I can easily push my arrival back a few days if I have to - ugh I need to know

 

[JerseyJanice]

No the last year for gratuities was 2007, maybe part way through 2008.

My first FD was after the change in 2008. If I remember correctly, Value resorts still received the DDP up to 2010. I can't recall if that year I booked a bounceback or not so it may have been different if it wasn't a bounceback.

It was regular DDP in 2008 for us at Pop Century.

We did bounce back while there for 2009 at Pop with the regular DDP.

Did another bounce back for 2010. Friends joined us and paid to upgrade from QS to try regular plan.

Those of you who love a bargain--you can make out like a bandit with your snack credits if you book Free Dining during the Food & Wine Festival.

 

[KimBean]

My TA did double check my original booking with the Savory Summer Offer and to upgrade to the QSDP it is $30.25 per adult. It's $605 for the two of us to upgrade for 10 nights.

Oh goodness another $$$ figure. So the savory summer value appears to be 1/3 of a QS dining package. It would cost $960 for you to get a QS pkg normally. So in $$$ this discounts your package by $355.

Since I don't have this I'm not going to comment about it anymore. I hope you guys get it figured out though!!

 

[elle325]

It was regular DDP in 2008 for us at Pop Century.

We did bounce back while there for 2009 at Pop eith the regular DDP.

Did another bounce back for 2010. Friends joined us and paid to upgrade from QS to try regular plan.

Those of you who love a bargain--you can make out like a bandit with your snack credits if you book Free Dining during the Food & Wine Festival.

It's really fun to eat "around the world" at Epcot during the food and wine festival using snack credits. So many fun things to try!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I know everyone keeps saying that it's too early for FD to drop (and I agree, it's early), most of the sites I've read predicted an early release this year. Some speculated it would be as early as the end of March. Obviously that didn't happen, but the point is, they all thought it would be released early, so if it is, it shouldn't be such a shock. We won't know till it drops, but it's fun to think about it dropping so soon!
'

 

[pigletto]

It's really fun to eat "around the world" at Epcot during the food and wine festival using snack credits. So many fun things to try!

This is our plan if we end up with free dining. We'll be there opening weekend unfortunately so there will be crowds but we plan to eat around the World Showcase in the afternoons and then hop to another park when the evening crowds roll in. Hopefully that will work. We've never been for food and wine and it was a nice surprise that it was starting Labour Day weekend this year!

 

[pigletto]

I know everyone keeps saying that it's too early for FD to drop (and I agree, it's early), most of the sites I've read predicted an early release this year. Some speculated it would be as early as the end of March. Obviously that didn't happen, but the point is, they all thought it would be released early, so if it is, it shouldn't be such a shock. We won't know till it drops, but it's fun to think about it dropping so soon!
'

Yep. It's wishful thinking on all our parts.. great if it does, and not surprising if it doesn't. It doesn't hurt to keep waiting

 

[squirrel]

Oh goodness another $$$ figure. So the savory summer value appears to be 1/3 of a QS dining package. It would cost $960 for you to get a QS pkg normally. So in $$$ this discounts your package by $355.

Since I don't have this I'm not going to comment about it anymore. I hope you guys get it figured out though!!

Tell me about it! I'm sick of looking at numbers. Between this and my taxes, I've had enough. Bring on the Free Dining promo. I think I have it all figured out!

Paying everything out of pocket I figure the cheapest (but still having some fun) it would cost us about $600 or so for food (some extras can be used with my free Starbucks $ from Swagbucks). I did not include the RoL at TH breakfast that I booked as I would be paying for that out of pocket as I'm not upgrading to the DDP. So with the new discounts on room and tickets that brings my total to approx. $2,300. So now I know how much more I'm willing to pay for free dining, if I can't get it at that price I'm sticking with the room and ticket discount.

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Yep. It's wishful thinking on all our parts.. great if it does, and not surprising if it doesn't. It doesn't hurt to keep waiting

Your right since we're in such good company!

 

[elle325]

This is our plan if we end up with free dining. We'll be there opening weekend unfortunately so there will be crowds but we plan to eat around the World Showcase in the afternoons and then hop to another park when the evening crowds roll in. Hopefully that will work. We've never been for food and wine and it was a nice surprise that it was starting Labour Day weekend this year!

That's what we did the last two years. It can get really really crowded at night. Plus it's harder to see all the menus in the dark

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

Honestly, I would be happy with ANY discount at this point. This is our most expensive vacation to date, finally making the plunge and staying at my dream resort (the poly), but worried standard view won't be included in FD or room offer. If a room offer should come out can I apply that to my current package on line? I did receive a PIN in my mail for *up to* 30% off rooms thru Aug 31st but its under my maiden name AND we are going Aug 27th-Sept 2nd, so I if I could even apply it and get a discount for our whole week stay.

 

[elle325]

The least crowded time we found to "eat around the world" was right when it opened up at 11am. No lines at any of the kiosks!

 

[squirrel]

Honestly, I would be happy with ANY discount at this point. This is our most expensive vacation to date, finally making the plunge and staying at my dream resort (the poly), but worried standard view won't be included in FD or room offer. If a room offer should come out can I apply that to my current package on line? I did receive a PIN in my mail for *up to* 30% off rooms thru Aug 31st but its under my maiden name AND we are going Aug 27th-Sept 2nd, so I if I could even apply it and get a discount for our whole week stay.

It's worth a phone call. Not sure how it works for maiden name but I would think you have a decent shot. Also not sure but I know for every other offer as long as you check in during the deal you get it for the whole time.

 

[Mollymovacca]

Technically you could pay for it with them (I am also booked at CBR with gc) but the issue would be timing. I don't know when we actually get the gift cards. I imagine it won't be until we pay off the balance closer to the date, or possibly not until we check in.
Which may be too late to get a ticket for the party as they're sometimes sold out.
Hmm. Good question.

We get the CBR gift cards when you check in!

 

[cshell624]

The least crowded time we found to "eat around the world" was right when it opened up at 11am. No lines at any of the kiosks!

We always head to WS when it opens during F&W. First up, Canada for filet and cheese soup.

 

[otg]

I honestly think I have ran the numbers for every possible week and discount combination imaginable. I am so tired of crunching numbers for what if dates!

 

[squirrel]

We always head to WS when it opens during F&W. First up, Canada for filet and cheese soup.

That cheese soup, so good. They have it on the cruise line too. One of the times it was so close to what I remembered it tasting like at Le Cellier.

 

[cshell624]

This is our plan if we end up with free dining. We'll be there opening weekend unfortunately so there will be crowds but we plan to eat around the World Showcase in the afternoons and then hop to another park when the evening crowds roll in. Hopefully that will work. We've never been for food and wine and it was a nice surprise that it was starting Labour Day weekend this year!

If you go, be sure to pick up a Festival passport. You can get them at the Festival Welcome Center. It's a nice little souvenir to record all the things you tried at the food booths. And it's free!!