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

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

Did someone call my name?

Now it officially feels like the FD thread!!!

 

[revdisney33]

Did someone call my name?

The Godfather hears all!

 

[VillainFavs]

So is there any early speculation from those "in the know"??

 

[mstblu]

Time to party!

Did someone call my name?

 

[Katmat75]

Did someone call my name?

So glad to see you here! The one who knows all about FD! Any word yet?

 

[ThistleMae]

I just wish none of us would have to hope for free dining in order to make the trip more affordable. This is one wish that isn't going to come true.

 

[Jellybass]

Oddly enough we may not switch to free dining if the costs are significantly higher than what we booked the summer meal deal for. The way we are looking at it, we are there 9 nights, 4 people, which totals 36 quick serves (spelled out in the booklet they sent) which, if we choose the right things, we could have 2 breakfasts and dinners each day that would satisfy the four of us.

 

[ShinyRedGloss]

Never got free dining before should I book now and modify or wait? I keep seeing conflicting answers. Any clarification would be great. Thanks!

 

[scard192]

Never got free dining before should I book now and modify or wait? I keep seeing conflicting answers. Any clarification would be great. Thanks!

recommendation has always been that if you are going no matter FD or not go ahead and book; if not wait for FD to drop. Disney offers FD to fill rooms, the more rooms that are booked in anticipation of a discount the less reason to offer that discount.

 

[Rusty2rules]

I keep seeing conflicting answers. Any clarification would be great.

If you're looking for clarification you won't get it here. LOL Different posters have different theories. There are those that say if you book your room in advance, and enough people do it, then Disney senses the need for incentives aren't there so they won't offer free dining, room discounts, etc. And I get that. Me personally, it's still off-season, crowds will always be lower. Nothing will change that. I book my room in advance so I know I at least have a room and then modify my reservation as needed to get the FD. Once the discounts come out the rooms fly off the shelf so to speak, and they keep adding restrictions to qualify and lowering the amount of rooms eligible for any discounts, just making it harder to qualify. I'd rather know that I have room that history tells me qualifies for the discount than wait for the discount to drop and hope I can get a room that qualifies. But that's just me.

 

[Disneylover99]

Never got free dining before should I book now and modify or wait? I keep seeing conflicting answers. Any clarification would be great. Thanks!

See page #22, post 430. I think @VillainFavs explains it well.

 

[Rusty2rules]

I dunno. Say what you will. I'd still rather have a room reserved, deposit in, blah blah, and modify the reservation I already have than have to start from scratch. But I really do get the flipside of the argument. But I have a TA deal with all that stuff, too. It's not like I'm on the phone at 6 a.m. on hold for an hour waiting for the next available CM.

 

[Marianm]

I dunno. Say what you will. I'd still rather have a room reserved, deposit in, blah blah, and modify the reservation I already have than have to start from scratch. But I really do get the flipside of the argument. But I have a TA deal with all that stuff, too. It's not like I'm on the phone at 6 a.m. on hold for an hour waiting for the next available CM.

I agree with this. I book my whole vaca package in advance (this time a year in advance). I'm not banking on free dining- but we only stay in a certain hotel and I wanted to make sure I got a room.

 

[allysetraskos]

​

I made a graph with the historical dates graph... that way you can see for comparison what is usually offered during free dining. I am a graph person, if I see it written down its hard to compare but when they past years are side by side its easier to guess.

 

[Rusty2rules]

I think your chart might need a little tweak if I'm looking at it right. According to Mousesavers, 2016 all of September was included. And the promo actually started on August 14, 2016. Sorry.

https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

 

[allysetraskos]

I think your chart might need a little tweak if I'm looking at it right. According to Mousesavers, 2016 all of September was included. And the promo actually started on August 14, 2016. Sorry.

https://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/

I edited it right away my shift key didn't want to work... The website I read said that Aug 14 was for visa card members.. I just posted for general public.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

We alternate between values and mods every year. We stick with quick service with the values and do regular TS with the mods. It makes each year quite different. This year we're doing Pop, we hope to book a FD bb at POR for next year.

I'm hope to make that the plan but I want to do a marathon next year so I don't know if this will be available when that is going on.

 

[Rusty2rules]

The website I read said that Aug 14 was for visa card members.. I just posted for general public.

So now what? Visa card holders (and Canadians) don't count? (kidding...well, about the Visa card holders, anyway) (That was a direct shot at @Disneylover99)

 

[mcbutler23]

What's y'all's opinion on CBR being included? I'm just wondering with the $75 gc out there right now. That would be the ultimate score - FD plus those gc's?!? When I run my numbers it would only cost me $20 more than POP. DH would surely think that I was lying to him about how much the vacation cost.

 

[cshell624]

What's y'all's opinion on CBR being included? I'm just wondering with the $75 gc out there right now. That would be the ultimate score - FD plus those gc's?!? When I run my numbers it would only cost me $20 more than POP. DH would surely think that I was lying to him about how much the vacation cost.

I'm guessing if they fill enough rooms at CBR with the gift card offer, FD would probably be excluded there, but it would be nice.