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

[DisKaren]

When I was looking at all of this for our trip ) trip will be in Sep, did our planning back in Oct.) I found that it would be within $200 for our 10 day trip to upgrade to a mod rather than upgrade from QS. That seemed like a good deal to me because I have one son that is VERY hard for anyone to share a bed with, so the extra bed at POR is perfect. I know that prices have changed and our family numbers (3 adults, 1 13 year old) are probably different but I hope this helps.

Just a heads-up in case you didn't realize -- those murphy beds at POR are reportedly 63" long. I don't know how tall your son is, but I asked about those beds on another thread because we were considering the same thing for my son who will be 14 at the time of our trip. He is about 5'7" now, so we decided that would be pushing it.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

My TA says she hasn't heard any FD rumors...I'm still going with 4/17.Our trip dates are 8/24 to 9/1.So if FD is for 8/28-9/1 hypothetically we qualify right? Or no?Confused.....Would we have to pay out of pocket for the 24th-27th? Can someone break it down please?

If your check in date falls during the promotion, you get FD for the length of your trip. In your example you would have to do a split stay, 8/24-27 without FD then the second stay starting on 8/28 would qualify.

 

[Sharongal74]

My TA says she hasn't heard any FD rumors...I'm still going with 4/17.Our trip dates are 8/24 to 9/1.So if FD is for 8/28-9/1 hypothetically we qualify right? Or no?Confused.....Would we have to pay out of pocket for the 24th-27th? Can someone break it down please?

You would also have to ask about tickets. You may have to buy 2 sets and that probably wouldn't save you any money. Unless you can activate the tickets early but that would mean no fp for the first few says.

 

[scard192]

You would also have to ask about tickets. You may have to buy 2 sets and that probably wouldn't save you any money. Unless you can activate the tickets early but that would mean no fp for the first few says.

buy the number of days of tickets you need for the whole trip with the FD package. As PP says you can pick them up early and activate them at Guest Services at a park. You could then make FP+ for 8/24-27;probably would not be able to get FEA or 7DMT but should be able to get some decent ones.

 

[Taylor F.]

I really hope my standard room at Poly qualifies along with my mid-Sept dates.

I calculated out my ADR costs and how much the standard DDP costs for 3 adults 2 kids (and a free infant). The DP would save us $$ as opposed to paying OOP. So free dining would make it even better. We know we want to stay at Poly so... hopefully it all works out!

 

[JackieO]

Just a heads-up in case you didn't realize -- those murphy beds at POR are reportedly 63" long. I don't know how tall your son is, but I asked about those beds on another thread because we were considering the same thing for my son who will be 14 at the time of our trip. He is about 5'7" now, so we decided that would be pushing it.

Thanks for the heads up! DS is 5' so he'll be alright but I'm glad to know what to expect. He's really tough to sleep with (he's ALL OVER THE PLACE!) so we've stuck him on the floor on a mat before. He'll be glad for anything with a mattress. Oh the pains of being the baby.

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

We're going no matter what!

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

My TA says she hasn't heard any FD rumors...I'm still going with 4/17.Our trip dates are 8/24 to 9/1.So if FD is for 8/28-9/1 hypothetically we qualify right? Or no?Confused.....Would we have to pay out of pocket for the 24th-27th? Can someone break it down please?

You asked this question several pages ago and someone explained it to you. What matters is your check in date falling during the promotion. In the situation you presented, free dining would not start until the 28th so you would not qualify with a 24th check in date. What you could do is have a room only reservation for the 24th thru the 28th, then a separate free dining reservation checking in on the 28th. In this scenario, you would have to pay for all of your meals for the nights of the 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th but you may qualify for a room discount. On the 28th, you would check out and check back in for your free dining reservation. Sometimes they can keep you in the same room, but there's no guarantee. When it comes to park tickets, if they are all purchased under the free dining reservation, you can use them for your earlier stay, but I think you will not be able to book fast passes 60 days in advance for any days you are wanting to use tickets before the check in date of the reservation they are attached to. Anyway though, if free dining doesn't begin until August 28th, and you employ the split stay strategy described above, you would receive free dining only for three nights from Aug 28th thru Aug 30th and you would be able to use those credits from the time you check in on the 28th thru midnight on Sept 1st.

 

[TomServo27]

I would not count of this. I booked the BB last year and the final date to book the BB offer was Sept 9/17. I've been booking BBs for 6 years now and the other 5 years always included the entire month of September but not last year.

I'm hoping your dates are included but 'definitely' is a pretty strong word when the BB dates changed so much last year for 2017!

I'm flexible be nice to not have to change dates but I will if needed.

 

[flounder3]

You have to book a package to get FD.

I booked our room at the Sports and got pH tickets as well. Do u think I can just modify my plan if fd is available??

 

[TomServo27]

Edit

 

[Neeky78]

We're going no matter what! Hopefully I don't need to change my dates for my BB with FD at WL but if I do and Disney won't let me switch I think I'm going to cancel and try to get an "agency exclusive"....the prices I was quoted would let me stay at Poly or GF for not much more than staying at POP and buying a dining package based on their current August offerings.

Which agency is that with? Can you pm/dm me?
Wait, can we pm/dm on here?? Never thought to check!

 

[Moocabn2258]

As I'm sitting here at work dreaming of free dining, I'm considering changing/adding some ADRs.

Thoughts on Tusker House or Boma???

I've never eaten at either but can't decide between the two. Has anyone eaten at both? Tusker is a character meal but the food options at Boma looked a bit better? Thoughts?

in advance!

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

As I'm sitting here at work dreaming of free dining, I'm considering changing/adding some ADRs.

Thoughts on Tusker House or Boma???

I've never eaten at either but can't decide between the two. Has anyone eaten at both? Tusker is a character meal but the food options at Boma looked a bit better? Thoughts?

in advance!

I like tusker over boma but mainly because I'm a picky eater and I felt that tusker had more "less adventurous" food! Lol. Plus tusker has characters!

 

[randye1]

As I'm sitting here at work dreaming of free dining, I'm considering changing/adding some ADRs.

Thoughts on Tusker House or Boma???

I've never eaten at either but can't decide between the two. Has anyone eaten at both? Tusker is a character meal but the food options at Boma looked a bit better? Thoughts?

in advance!

Boma hands down. Better food more variety. Plus the lodge is very cool.

 

[KimBean]

After reading hundreds, if not thousands, of posts and comments about free dining, I think she was justified making that point. A lot of people seem offended that free dining isn't offered when they want to go and accuse Disney of only providing free dining "to fill rooms", like it's a nefarious scam.
Most people recognise fd for the marketing strategy it is, but a lot don't.

I do see your perspective. I was unaware of this misconception. If it is a true belief that some have that Disney offers free dining because they love some people more than others then I can see why she said this. Sometimes the stupidity of people is truly beyond my comprehension.

 

[Disneylover99]

For those of you planning on staying at POP or other values, if you get free dining will you leave it as a QS plan? If you plan to upgrade to the DDP is it cost effective to do so or at that point would it be better to just book a mod (assuming one is available)? I want to do at least one character meal. I'll have to do the math but just wondering what others are thinking. We will have 3 Disney adults, one child and one infant.

We are staying at Pop with FD for two weeks this summer. We will not be upgrading to TS. We like the flexibility of all quick service meals. It makes our vacation really relaxing and enjoyable.

 

[Disneylover99]

buy the number of days of tickets you need for the whole trip with the FD package. As PP says you can pick them up early and activate them at Guest Services at a park. You could then make FP+ for 8/24-27;probably would not be able to get FEA or 7DMT but should be able to get some decent ones.

Totally agree! I hope everyone knows they can activate their tickets early if they need a room only reservation for a few days prior to the FD package kicking in. Availability for day of fp's is generally pretty good.

 

[DisneyNic]

Late November?!?!! I'm loving this info.

Me too!!!!!!!!!!!

I just went and looked and I got the e-mail. I will register when I get home. Looks like I can put my cable package as well as insurance and cell phone too!

I didn't get the email Is there some link on it that you could share? Or info about how or where you register? I pay all of the things you mentioned with my DV so I would love the extra perks!

I have been told, however, that even on the Dining Plan, adults may "split" meals at a TS restaurant and thereby use only 1 credit. never did this myself when on the plan, only when OOP...most meals in the TS restaurants are big enough to split between two people.

ETA: To clarify: You cannot split meals, either on a dining plan or OOP, at the buffets, though.

I have heard that too with the exception of Via Napoli. I don't believe they allow you to share if you are on DDP.

 

[scard192]

We are staying at Pop with FD for two weeks this summer. We will not be upgrading to TS. We like the flexibility of all quick service meals. It makes our vacation really relaxing and enjoyable.

our kids are older now and very vocal last year that they wanted to spend as much time as possible on attractions and not "waste time" in TS restaurants. Was so nice eat when we wanted and where we wanted instead of where I decided 6 months before. when the kids were younger we did DDP and a lot of character meals.

Like the freedom of QS meals especially now that we are locked in with FP+ times.