2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[abbymorgsmom]

Does anyone have experience with trying to add FD to existing reservations for 2 rooms, for 2 separate families. We are traveling together, and our reservations, tickets and ADR are all linked on our MDE. Just wondering if one of us gets through first, would they be able to make the addition for the other family(room). Thank you for any thoughts.

 

[tlmadden73]

November room only discounts have come out in July of past years. I'm waiting for Nov 13-17.

I hear that is a good time to go!

(Nov. 10 - 16th here) -- I was originally looking at your dates . .but I extended/pushed my trip up earlier so we could cross paths with my cousin (and his family (and his parents)). They are going Nov. 5-12 so I bumped up my dates (and paying a higher hotel rate) for the Veteran's Day weekend days. Extend the trip and see family I haven't seen in years? Worth it! But probably no discounts for that weekend either, but maybe the days afterward.

Here's to waiting on discounts!

 

[Burlingtondw]

Were there earlier DVC dates last year? I thought it dropped as GP

 

[Disneyfam5104]

Were there earlier DVC dates last year? I thought it dropped as GP

No early dates last year - all dropped same day for GP

 

[MegElizabeth209]

Are people thinking that the Contemporary is definitely excluded from FD this year? That's where we are staying regardless of FD or not so trying to decide if I should still be waking up early on drop day...

 

[mickeystoontown]

I hear that is a good time to go!

(Nov. 10 - 16th here) -- I was originally looking at your dates . .but I extended/pushed my trip up earlier so we could cross paths with my cousin (and his family (and his parents)). They are going Nov. 5-12 so I bumped up my dates (and paying a higher hotel rate) for the Veteran's Day weekend days. Extend the trip and see family I haven't seen in years? Worth it! But probably no discounts for that weekend either, but maybe the days afterward.

Here's to waiting on discounts!

We were in Walt Disney World November 16th through the 25th, 2018. Crowd levels were manageable during the first few days and grew over the rest of the trip. I think that there were two or three days that were 9 out of 10 and 10 out of 10 levels. With the use of Fastpasses (and I was able to grab more even while in the parks), we were able to see and do everything that we wanted.

 

[Taylorshaudean]

12.47am on the 20th it’s friday

So it sounds like you're 12 hours ahead.
5:30 AM Thursday, in Orlando, FL is
5:30 PM Thursday, in Perth WA, Australia

I was just able to google it "what time will it be in Perth Australia when orlando is 5:30AM"

 

[scrappinginontario]

Modifying question!

I booked a Standard room at Pop. I am flexible to change my dates to arrive a day later. I'm also okay to switch to an all star or a different category (ex. preferred) at Pop. My preference would be to keep the standard room at Pop and shift my dates. If that doesn't work, I would want to try to book an All Star or a more expensive category at Pop depending on availability.

So once it drops, what do I click after hitting modify? Change under "Vacation Offer", "Travel Dates", or "Resort"? I don't want to waste valuable minutes clicking the wrong thing since I am flexible! I've never modified like this before so I don't know what happens after you hit Change under Vacation Offer. Thanks in advance!

Personally, I go in and click 'Change' beside 'Standard Price Package' because the small print below that reads, 'Select 'Change' to search for other available offers' and since I'm looking for a FD offer, I'm hoping it will look for that.

That's my Plan A anyway

Does anyone have experience with trying to add FD to existing reservations for 2 rooms, for 2 separate families. We are traveling together, and our reservations, tickets and ADR are all linked on our MDE. Just wondering if one of us gets through first, would they be able to make the addition for the other family(room). Thank you for any thoughts.

I will be in a similar situation. Once I modify my own reservation, I want to go back in and attempt to snag FD for my cousin's family whom I helped book a trip for. They are a family of 6 so have 2 different reservations, each one booked on a separate MDE account. I believe I need to lot in to each person's MDE separately and modify each one. Even though the reservations have been linked by calling Disney, only the one made on each MDE account has a 'Change Reservation' button.

I believe you need to change each reservation on the MDE account it was made on.

 

[tink1957]

To those who are saying that there will be a 4 day ticket minimum requirement...this was the rumor last year also and it turned out to be false. So don't worry until it happens.

I am following along this year but not doing free dining as we are only going for 2 days. I enjoyed planning along with you last year when we stayed at Pop for free dining and the thrill of scoring what we wanted after being up all night.

Hope everyone gets the resort they want this year...good luck

 

[HETRICKL]

I currently have a package of room & tix made prior to the tix price increase arriving 11/22. If FD does start with 11/24, I’d modify my reservation to that. My question is, if the modifying online doesn’t work for whatever reason & I have to make a new reservation, do I just book the room & I can transfer the tix from the old package, or do I book a whole new package with tix? I don’t want to nd up with two sets of tix. Thanks!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yeah I didn't believe the 4 day ticket last year and I don't believe it this year either.

 

[paulahvc]

Yeah I didn't believe the 4 day ticket last year and I don't believe it this year either.

I don't mind the 4 days as I have a 7 day trip booked, but I wasn't planning on park hopper, I'll have to do a modify/new res if the dates etc work out for FD. And snap! Also going for xmas and MVMCP trip

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I don't mind the 4 days as I have a 7 day trip booked, but I wasn't planning on park hopper, I'll have to do a modify/new res if the dates etc work out for FD. And snap! Also going for xmas and MVMCP trip

Park hoppers have been required for years though.
I would mind the 4 days because my sister and I like quick trips. 2 day park hopper and a party ticket is all we need to get everything done that we want to do and our thought is if we miss something we will make it a higher priority next trip.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I currently have a package of room & tix made prior to the tix price increase arriving 11/22. If FD does start with 11/24, I’d modify my reservation to that. My question is, if the modifying online doesn’t work for whatever reason & I have to make a new reservation, do I just book the room & I can transfer the tix from the old package, or do I book a whole new package with tix? I don’t want to nd up with two sets of tix. Thanks!

If your tickets were purchased through Disney as part of your original package, if you need to book a completely new reservation you will need to book room, tickets, park hopper and dining plan all together to qualify for the FD promotion.

When the dust settles, call in and cancel the original reservation and the tickets linked with that will go too.

 

[scard192]

Were there earlier DVC dates last year? I thought it dropped as GP

last year there were extra days for Dis Visa and Canadians:

• August 13 through September 30, 2017 (13th for Disney Visa and Canadians, 21st for General Public)

 

[G719]

I hear that is a good time to go!

(Nov. 10 - 16th here) -- I was originally looking at your dates . .but I extended/pushed my trip up earlier so we could cross paths with my cousin (and his family (and his parents)). They are going Nov. 5-12 so I bumped up my dates (and paying a higher hotel rate) for the Veteran's Day weekend days. Extend the trip and see family I haven't seen in years? Worth it! But probably no discounts for that weekend either, but maybe the days afterward.

Here's to waiting on discounts!

I love November! We are doing 4 days at the other place down the road for the 1st time and then 4 days at Disney.

 

[labdogs42]

Where does it say it will be offered over Thanksgiving? I can't imagine them offering a promotion during a time that will be busy simply due to people having off work/school. They aren't even having Christmas parties that week (again, assumingly because they don't need to draw people to WDW during the holiday week).

The rumor (in the second post of this thread) is:
11/24 to 11/27/18

That is technically the Saturday after Thanksgiving . .so basically it is for trips that are happening the week after Thanksgiving.
If I recall, your trip has to START during the time frame to be eligible, correct?

Ah, yes, that makes more sense! I was (of course) looking at the wrong week for Thanksgiving LOL. It always throws me off when it is so early. But, I love going right after Thanksgiving, too. If these are the right dates, I might be planning a quick trip!

 

[Upsidedownmom]

Question..we already have our trip planned for Sept 4-11. Should I add the dining on now and then it's free if I get it? Or will it be added when I click change reservation when deal drops?
Thanks

 

[kday2229]

I am going somewhat the same time, and it is hard to not be bummed about a "missed" discount.

I just look at it .. I booked the time and okay with the price without knowing if ANY discount or promotion is available. So if I can't get one, no loss, if I can get one . .bonus.

Besides, as Pete says -- free dining isn't really free. You pay rack rate and are locked into certain restrictions that may require you to pay more than you originally planned (stay an extra day, stay at a higher tier room/resort). There may be RO discounts that are even better value. I just never look at free dining as a perk personally because I know I can't (or don't want) to eat all the food offered. Plus the restrictions and the hassle of trying to get it, just doesn't seem worth the "potential" savings.

I am more looking forward to those RO discounts or any other promotions for my planned days.

We were hoping for “free dining” as well for November 12-17. We originally had our reservations at Wilderness Lodge for a Nature View Room. For 4 five day park hopper tickets, the room, and memory maker the total was around $4600. When the rumors came out that Wilderness Lodge might not be included I looked at POR (our favorite) and for a Garden View Room there with the same tickets, memory maker, and the Disney Dining Plan it came out to $200 more! So the way I see it if I can get a room discount there for those dates I’d be pretty happy seeing as how I could possibly pay less than $4600.

 

[lovin diz]

To those who are saying that there will be a 4 day ticket minimum requirement...this was the rumor last year also and it turned out to be false. So don't worry until it happens.

I am following along this year but not doing free dining as we are only going for 2 days. I enjoyed planning along with you last year when we stayed at Pop for free dining and the thrill of scoring what we wanted after being up all night.

Hope everyone gets the resort they want this year...good luck

I hope u r right. I need two day park hoppers 4 nights and the party tickets.