2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[sharonabe]

tal.

So, if the 24th is the check-in/check-out day, which stay would meals/snacks and potential FP apply to?

YES, you can use your credits to pay for them during the first couple nights when they don't have enough and they can use theirs at the end of the week.

As to the check-in/check-out day. As I said before, ALL their credits from stay 1 will have to be used BEFORE any credits from Stay 2 will be available. So if they are all gone before they check out, their Stay 2 credits will be active. If they have even ONE snack credit left, they need to use it before they can get credits from Stay 2. But Stay 2 will be available on the 24th if all credits are used.

And the FP+ will not be available for those first two days since they won't have their tickets for those days until you arrive. The first day they will be able to make FP+ is the 24th.

 

[mandis77]

Hoping someone has some advice for me. Thanks!

Rumor is Poly is not included this year so you may need to look at different deluxe options. The info on the first page of this thread has the rumored resorts that are participating in this promotion. I can only speak for what I did in 2016 as I have not tried to book more than one room per MDE account. In 2016 I booked 3 rooms under 3 separate MDE accounts. I made everyone make MDE accounts before I booked the rooms and then just logged in/out of the accounts as I made the reservations. That being said, if you are planning on making multiple reservations be ready to pounce on that promo as soon as it drops. It's a lot of navigation and screens to get through without glitching.

A couple weeks after FD dropped I called in and had the reservations linked together and requested to be adjoining/adjacent. Also we linked our MDE accounts together (friends/family) so I could make all the FP and ADRs for everyone. It worked perfectly and when we checked in two of the rooms were connected with the 3rd room right next door. Hope this helps.

 

[Bekah97]

Hey guys, so question. We are getting to disney on 8/19 and were planning on trying for free dining. However, if the dates dont start until the 20th and I try to book free dining on the current reservation I have that starts the 19th, will it apply FD to the dates that are applicable or will it not allow me to book free dining if my reservation starts the 19th? I hope this makes sense.

 

[mandis77]

Hello everyone. Unfortunately I couldn't get any info on the resort inclusions/exclusions for you. Since I don't deal in rumors, but only deal with facts, the news I supplied earlier today is all I have. I won't even begin to guess about resorts, because I wouldn't be giving you factual information.

Free Dining is dropping tomorrow and the dates I gave for the general public offer are correct. My source wasn't positive on how many days park hoppers are required but believed it was either 3 or 4. If I get anything else I'll be back later with it, if not, good luck to everyone and drink plenty of coffee tonight.

Thank you!! In roughly 12 hours this will all be over!

 

[mandis77]

Hey guys, so question. We are getting to disney on 8/19 and were planning on trying for free dining. However, if the dates dont start until the 20th and I try to book free dining on the current reservation I have that starts the 19th, will it apply FD to the dates that are applicable or will it not allow me to book free dining if my reservation starts the 19th? I hope this makes sense.

You can do a split stay - book room only for 8/19 and then FD for the remainder.

 

[mandis77]

Yes the value resorts will fill first. When mods got the regular DDP, it was the other way around, but with just QSDP at mods, it doesn't make financial sense to pay more for the room.

Agreed. It makes no sense to get a mod this year. Our plan is to book POP preferred and if that is not available then jump all the way up to AKL standard.

 

[mousefan73]

Ok. Thank you. Yes, nuclear family is not a question. If grandparents split stay, this is how it works. Stay 1: Nov. 22-23 ( paid DP with 4TS, 4QS, 8 snacks). Stay 2: Nov. 24-Dec1 (FD). Daily plan: Nov. 22 check in, Mickey's Backyard BBQ (2 TS each=4), no park, no FP. Nov. 23: Magic Kingdom, BOG lunch (1QS each =2), CRT (2TS each=4), maybe 2 FP (understand that might be difficult to secure). Nov. 24: Animal Kingdom, (1QS and 1TS each, and potential FP). See, they would use more TS credits during the first stay than they have alloted and eventually use fewer TS credits in the latter part (and more QS credits later on). That's why I was asking about using some of our TA credits to pay for them and then they pay us back by using some of their TS credits later in the trip during stay 2, when they are using more QS credits. Over the entirety of both stays, we have a 6-day ticket total.

So, if the 24th is the check-in/check-out day, which stay would meals/snacks and potential FP apply to?

You can give your credits away if that is what you are asking... and your parents can pay you back too.

 

[Sharongal74]

Oh the waiting....... we have stayed in a moderate the last 2 times for free dining. Going back to value. Have never stayed at pop and if movies is included I have wanted to stay there. Which to choose? I do want a renovated room and not sure how quickly movies will be done.
On another point, keep checking. If you don’t get what you want tomorrow, rooms in the past have opened up. Lots of people have reservations they change or cancel. And 2 years ago I checked for months to add 1 day (had a room only for the 1 day) I called a few weeks before the trip and they added it on to my free dining. Never hurts to be persistent!
Good luck everyone!

 

[Huff]

he said he saw that happen with the summer promos (whereas before the dinning period had to begin on any of the dates and could carry on 14 days after if you wanted) but that he couldn't confirm until it ia released tomorrow.

I'm unaware of any summer special with that limitation.

The summer kids dine free promo stated this "Valid for arrivals most nights from May 28 through August 30, 2018 when you book through August 1, 2018"
That is the same policy that FD has always had. Offer valid for your stay as long as your arrival date falls withing the offer window.

 

[Disney Ron]

I get up for work at 3:00 in the morning. I told my source if they get the resort info by 9:00 to let me know and I will post it here. They are trying to find out as I post this. If 9:00 EST comes and I haven't posted anything you won't be hearing from me again. Hopefully I'll have some more info in the next 3 and a half hours.

 

[kpd6901]

YES, you can use your credits to pay for them during the first couple nights when they don't have enough and they can use theirs at the end of the week.

As to the check-in/check-out day. As I said before, ALL their credits from stay 1 will have to be used BEFORE any credits from Stay 2 will be available. So if they are all gone before they check out, their Stay 2 credits will be active. If they have even ONE snack credit left, they need to use it before they can get credits from Stay 2. But Stay 2 will be available on the 24th if all credits are used.

And the FP+ will not be available for those first two days since they won't have their tickets for those days until you arrive. The first day they will be able to make FP+ is the 24th.

Ok, I was confused when it came to the checkout day. I assumed that the plans wouldn't overlap, but it appears they do, in terms of how they get applied to that day. The snack credits are easy. They can just get a couple snacks to save for later in their resort or something, if needed. Thank you.

 

[MinnieMommyof2]

Hi! First time forum poster/First time Disney World trip planner here. I have a question about the Park Hopper option. I already have a package to stay at WL in November. We have 4 day tickets to theme parks. I'm curious about adding the Park Hopper (as I'm reading it may be required to get FD). When it gives me the option for Park Hopper it states this: $239.64 (+79.88).
My question is, is that 79.88x each person, per day? Or just a one time per ticket fee? Trying to see if FD would even be worth it to us because we really have no intention to visit more than one park per day, or wait until the RO discount comes out and hope it applies to our stay.
We are staying for 6 nights with 2 girls (2 & 5) so we only purchased 4 tickets to the parks (figuring one day rest at WL in between and the arrival date at Disney Springs).

Thank you, in advance, for any insight ya'll can give.

 

[krisfan]

Hi! First time forum poster/First time Disney World trip planner here. I have a question about the Park Hopper option. I already have a package to stay at WL in November. We have 4 day tickets to theme parks. I'm curious about adding the Park Hopper (as I'm reading it may be required to get FD). When it gives me the option for Park Hopper it states this: $239.64 (+79.88).
My question is, is that 79.88x each person, per day? Or just a one time per ticket fee? Trying to see if FD would even be worth it to us because we really have no intention to visit more than one park per day, or wait until the RO discount comes out and hope it applies to our stay.
We are staying for 6 nights with 2 girls (2 & 5) so we only purchased 4 tickets to the parks (figuring one day rest at WL in between and the arrival date at Disney Springs).

Thank you, in advance, for any insight ya'll can give.

78 per person for whole stay...

 

[Becky Mouse]

Oh yeah. We love Pop and the new room renovations are awesome. My son just saw a video of Movies and about died over it and said he wants to go there. So who knows what I'll do. Like I said, I'll make a split decision like I do with everything else in my life lol

We loved All-Star Movies! Did you see the DIS Unplugged vlog on it? They loved it, too (and a lot more than Pop). Personally, I thought it was worth it to pay the extra $10/night or whatever for the preferred room. We chose Toy Story, and it had fun theming. Also, because it cost extra, a lot of people at the value resorts don't upgrade. At least for our stay, that area of the resort was really quiet!

 

[MinnieMommyof2]

78 per person for whole stay...

Ahhh. Now it makes sense..It's not both $$ figures, the $239 is the total, they just did the math for me..
Learning something new literally every hour! Ha!!
Thanks!

 

[jsburas123]

Question- we are not sure if doing 8 or 9 days. Is it better to go ahead and book 9 days and if decide later to just do 8 will it mess up our free dining plan to take a day off reservation? Or is it better to just book the 8 then if decide to do 9 days then just try to add a day.

 

[SPOERLX3]

We loved All-Star Movies! Did you see the DIS Unplugged vlog on it? They loved it, too (and a lot more than Pop). Personally, I thought it was worth it to pay the extra $10/night or whatever for the preferred room. We chose Toy Story, and it had fun theming. Also, because it cost extra, a lot of people at the value resorts don't upgrade. At least for our stay, that area of the resort was really quiet!

I agree! For my trip Pop standard vs Movies preferred is about the same price. $2653 POP standard vs Movies preferred $2677. Definitely worth it!

 

[Becky Mouse]

Hey guys, so question. We are getting to disney on 8/19 and were planning on trying for free dining. However, if the dates dont start until the 20th and I try to book free dining on the current reservation I have that starts the 19th, will it apply FD to the dates that are applicable or will it not allow me to book free dining if my reservation starts the 19th? I hope this makes sense.

I would recommend booking a room on 8/19 for 1 night only, for resort only. Then, on 8/20, book a second reservation for free dining. We did that for free dining in 2016. We stayed one night at All-Star Movies, and then we transferred to CSR for our free dining reservation. Back then, moderates got the Disney Dining Plan, but it sounds like moderates only get the quick service plan now, so it would be a better value to stay at value resorts for the deal.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Question- we are not sure if doing 8 or 9 days. Is it better to go ahead and book 9 days and if decide later to just do 8 will it mess up our free dining plan to take a day off reservation? Or is it better to just book the 8 then if decide to do 9 days then just try to add a day.

bOOK 9 days. They may not have a room for the 9th night if you want to add it later....

 

[hope59]

any rumbling about the Disney Visa offer for earlier dates?