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

[pghmom]

It think 3k is definitly a workable budget-since that was my budget as well. Granted my family is small -1 parent 1 child- but I booked a POFQ standard room for 6 nights, 6 day tix, and the DDP and added on one night at All star Music with no dining plan since we are arrive so late that night we couldnt use it anyway and the grand total including trip insurance was 3,100.

If you could stay at a value hotel, pay out of pocket for meals and be thrifty about it, and only purchase the tickets you need-even less perhaps and a a pool day or 2- then I dont see why 3,000 wouldnt be enough.

Try calling a TA (I have really enjoyed working with my Dreams TA) and tell them your budget have have them tell you what trip you can get for that.

Good idea about the TA!

Right now if we stay at CBR with the GC offer for 2 adults 2 kids with 5 day tix (no PH) we are at ~$3100, but will get $525 back in GC. If we can stack with a RO discount (fingers crossed!) that will likely be our best financial bet. Staying off site + parking costs definitely add up. We can do a grocery order for fruit, milk, granola bars, etc. and pare down the dining options. This just may work...

Is there a thread for RO discounts? I've typically not paid any attention to them in the past

 

[JoyAhead]

Does anyone know if free dining effects crowds levels much? We are staying AOA LM, so not FD eligible. Not switching to POP if it's just QSFD. So thinking about switching weeks to a non FD week if this verifies since we are currently checking in on Nov. 26. Not sure if enough people pay attention to FD for it to matter.

 

[Bethislucy]

I wish they would release it to Disney visa holders first

 

[vever]

http://blog.viajeromagico.com/2017/...agosto-septiembre-noviembre-y-diciembre-2017/

Above is the link for the latest blog info on FD in Spanish; Translators???

 

[ThistleMae]

If you spend most of your time at MK, I would def not change to AKL. Although I hear it's a great resort

I think AKL is the most beautiful resort. The pool at night is just so magical, and the resort itself is just spectacular. And...you get the added benefit of being close to AK...and Pandora!

 

[DisFanDad]

My concern is that there are no
longer available rooms for our dates booked (because of the gift card deal I'm guessing) so how hard is it going to be to modify my reservation when FD is released? We have a family of 5 and I'm only seeing pirate rooms available for our dates

I'd just hold your reservation, when FD drops go online and try to book a new reservation that fits your family. If you can't do it online, they can't modify you on the phone either. If you can, then cancel your previous reservation, (Maybe call after you have booked the FD to ensure the gift card thing applies, if you can even get a room at CBR)

 

[stayathomehero]

Does anyone know if free dining effects crowds levels much? We are staying AOA LM, so not FD eligible. Not switching to POP if it's just QSFD. So thinking about switching weeks to a non FD week if this verifies since we are currently checking in on Nov. 26. Not sure if enough people pay attention to FD for it to matter.

I have exactly one experience with free dining, but here's what I experienced:

We went in November of 2015, and historically November was low. However, when we went, we had 10/10 crowd levels on days that were predicted to be 3, 4, or even 1 out of 10. I don't know if this was because of Free Dining, or due to a shift of Fall becoming more and more popular (I remember going Thanksgiving week in the 90s, and WDW was a ghost town! Hah!).

Anyone else have insight to this, or did I just go on a flukey busy week? (It was Nov. 11th through the 18th of 2015.)

 

[jessiegirl1982]

As far as I know they are not, so getting both wouldn't make sense.

There is always one open. One usually closes in the fall for refurb, reopens in January where the other one goes under refurb for a few months (or that is at least my understanding).

 

[smallworldnh]

I apologize if this has been asked already. I've been crunching numbers as well and the dining plan is too expensive for us OOP. Does dining have to be purchased for the entire length of stay or can you choose the amount of days you want to use it?

 

[tchull]

I have a quick rack rate question, as I want to make sure my comparison are correct as I look at FD vs RO.

We will arrive Sept 9th, so right now there are not any special offers for those dates. So the current online quote I am getting for our room in Sept should be the rack rate correct?

By my calculations...FD still prices out a little less, but I want to make sure I'm figuring the room only discount correctly. Thanks!

 

[efoote01]

HOw much is it to upgrade to the regular dining plan per person? I need to crunch some numbers again

 

[FinnsMom7]

Staying off site is a no go for us.

And you need to factor parking when crushing numbers. The difference between the upgrade from QS to the standard DDP is almost the same as parking for the parks.

I referred to where I stayed having shuttles so parking wasn't included - and when the hotel is $75 cheaper a night parking isn't that big a cost

 

[FinnsMom7]

My plan was pretty much the same. Leaving here on December 8th and coming back the 17th. Pop Warner might make a bit of a difference. We were there in February during all the cheer competitions. It impacted the parks later in the day. Lots and lots of teens. But it was only for a couple of days. It really didn't bother us.

Two years ago we were there in middle of their competition and hotel was rowdier than usual with large groups of kids at once but parks didn't seem worse due to them - the airport was a different story - having to wait an hour for some cheerleader mom to fight with flight attendants about bringing too many carry ons - then proceeded to be rude and loud entire flight home

 

[ThistleMae]

I have exactly one experience with free dining, but here's what I experienced:

We went in November of 2015, and historically November was low. However, when we went, we had 10/10 crowd levels on days that were predicted to be 3, 4, or even 1 out of 10. I don't know if this was because of Free Dining, or due to a shift of Fall becoming more and more popular (I remember going Thanksgiving week in the 90s, and WDW was a ghost town! Hah!).

Anyone else have insight to this, or did I just go on a flukey busy week? (It was Nov. 11th through the 18th of 2015.)

We went Thanksgiving week in 2015. FD was offered but we chose room discount instead. I'm typically used to going during off season times. In general, I didn't feel is was overly crowded, except one night at MK for Wishes. There was one weeknight night when it poured, I mean buckets for a couple hours and no one was in MK. We got on all the rides with no waits. We got wet but it was worth it. Who knew? Probably never happen again.

 

[amytaylor2]

I apologize if this has been asked already. I've been crunching numbers as well and the dining plan is too expensive for us OOP. Does dining have to be purchased for the entire length of stay or can you choose the amount of days you want to use it?

It's for your entire stay, for everyone in your party.

 

[VillainFavs]

did you figure in a RO discount for the BC too? good chance there will be a RO for Fall too, no rumors yet....

We're actually going in August and already have a room booked with a great discount.

 

[4Hawks]

http://blog.viajeromagico.com/2017/...agosto-septiembre-noviembre-y-diciembre-2017/

Above is the link for the latest blog info on FD in Spanish; Translators???

It says they have pretty reliable information that their predictions are correct.

Check-in dates:
8/13-9/30
11/14-11/20
11/25-11/27
12/3-12/23
No free dining in October

Min of 4 nights, max of 14 nights.
Must purchase hopper or hopper plus tickets.

 

[melissa bottorff]

We're booked sept 23-30 so dining should be covered. Staying at cbr. With the gift card deal. Two adults and two paid children. One two year old. We only booked mod because we wanted the character dinners. With the gift card would it be better for us to stay where we are and upgrade dining plan or go to a value and upgrade? What do you so all to crunch number

 

[JackieBal]

Good idea about the TA!

Right now if we stay at CBR with the GC offer for 2 adults 2 kids with 5 day tix (no PH) we are at ~$3100, but will get $525 back in GC. If we can stack with a RO discount (fingers crossed!) that will likely be our best financial bet. Staying off site + parking costs definitely add up. We can do a grocery order for fruit, milk, granola bars, etc. and pare down the dining options. This just may work...

Is there a thread for RO discounts? I've typically not paid any attention to them in the past

We booked CBR with the GC offer and it worked out cheaper for us to do the current summer expedition discount (and add the DDP) because it also gave us the discount on our Tix (Canadians eh!) then having to pay for parkhoppers and wait on pins and needles for FD.
Summer expedition rate for 6 nights with 8 day Tix (no PH) and DDP = approx $3300
Rack rate, same Tix with PH = approx $3400 (and just hope for FD which may now only be QSDP so even better deal!)
And CM confirmed we will still get GC.

 

[momto4obkids]

I have exactly one experience with free dining, but here's what I experienced:

We went in November of 2015, and historically November was low. However, when we went, we had 10/10 crowd levels on days that were predicted to be 3, 4, or even 1 out of 10. I don't know if this was because of Free Dining, or due to a shift of Fall becoming more and more popular (I remember going Thanksgiving week in the 90s, and WDW was a ghost town! Hah!).

Anyone else have insight to this, or did I just go on a flukey busy week? (It was Nov. 11th through the 18th of 2015.)

I would have to look up the dates to be sure, but I think you may have hit Jersey Week and the end if Food and Wine Festival? If that's the case, then it was busy then!