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

[anitsa123]

Watching April still no baby while catching up on reading here

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you're not messing with the tickets, I'm not so sure. I just made changes to a resort package I booked last August. I did not pay the new ticket prices.

But if you're adding free dining, you're actually canceling the old resort package and buying new, in the system. Last year when ticket prices went up, anyone who switched to FD was made to pay the increased price.

 

[ThistleMae]

thank you . So it's a new reservation . So keep The old and see if I can get new one . Seems like best option at this point .

Yup....you are welcome.

 

[ThistleMae]

I think you'll find not having a dining plan quite freeing. We're going to the Poly late August and we'll live off of counter service kids meals, dole whips, and bread pudding from the Tambu Lounge.

Love the bread pudding. I think you can get chicken wings at Tambu too. You'll make out fine with your plan. It can be quite freeing actually.

 

[Disneylover99]

But if you're adding free dining, you're actually canceling the old resort package and buying new, in the system. Last year when ticket prices went up, anyone who switched to FD was made to pay the increased price.

I feel like everyone says this (me included) when any change is made to your reservation, like adding days on/taking days off. I'm just surprised I didn't have to pay extra.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

I thought POP was just as nice as Poly.

 

[JackieO]

Now that we're going to have to stay off property I'm not sure what to do with my Disney vacation account. Can I use that money to pay for food in Disney? Can I pay for my annual passes with it? Or do I just cancel the account and get all that money back on gift cards?

 

[ThistleMae]

We were there the same time, and while I wouldnt say it was 10/10, it was significantly more crowded than expected.

You know, I think it just boils down to which parks you are at, on which days and which times. It just made me think, who cares what time of year you go, it's always fun! There is another thread in here I was following for a while talking about cutting your vacation short due to crowds. Many folks said they absolutely would not, while other people indicated they might do just that. I would never do that, no matter how crowded I thought it was.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Yes if you already booked before the ticket increase and add FD then you will have to pay the difference in cost for the new tickets, I've had to do this every year unless I book a BB. Also off the top of my head the resorts Black mentioned being excluded on his FB page are as follows(sorry if already posted but went through quickly):

All Star Movies
AOA Little Mermaid
Port Orleans Riverside
Port Orleans French Quarter
Bay Lake Towers

There probably is a couple more but those are the ones I remember.

 

[ThistleMae]

I think Disney Visa holders should cross their fingers and hope for something extra to come our way this year. Although it came out a few hours after the deal dropped last year, it was the only way I could get a room at POP because they were all gone in the first 30 min.

Wow...I've heard the same thing, but I also heard that there seemed to be more availability some days after the initial drop, like there are a couple waves of availability. IDK...it's what I've read.

 

[ThistleMae]

Ok new here- have read through the last 30 or so pages and have a question- so I apologize if this has been discussed before. We typically use a Disney travel agent Through Mousekatrips and in 2015 we went and ahead and booked our trip before FD was announced. then when FD came out- had it changed over but it was a major fiasco and nightmare. Our TA is also not convinced FD will even be offered. Saying just so much less incentive to offer it now- that rooms are selling like crazy in the fall.

This year our TA advised me to just wait and book if and when it comes out- I've also read this on other boards too bc if people are booking now then Disney won't see the need to offer many FD rooms. But it seems like everyone here has the mentality to book now and modify later?

This is the rule of thumb many people use, and it is the one I would use. I'd book where I really want to stay, if FD does not fall on the dates I need. If FD comes out, and the dates are right, I'll try and book where it is offered. That way, if things fall through, I can stay exactly where I want. I don't want to be clambering for a reservation only to find everything is gone. Just my thoughts.

 

[vanjust14]

There has been some mention of the Disney Vacation Account. I just looked into it and I see that you can earn a $20 gift card for every $1000 spent (up to $500) after having an account open for 120 days. It was also mentioned here that you can save additional money by purchasing disney cards at Target with the 5% red card discount (great idea).

My question is, do you think this is the best way to save your money for a trip, as opposed to a high yield savings account( about 1%APY)? Has anyone done the math? Just curious! I'm thinking the Vacation Account seems better but the few articles I read said it was not the best way to go. Main reasons being you can't purchase airfare with it unless it is a part of your Disney package (which I would not do) , and you can't pay for anything with the account anything once you get to Disney.

 

[kels420]

Some people do pre book, some don't think it's a good idea. To me I don't prebook. I don't want to take the chance of not being able to modify, or having to wait on hold for hours. And I can understand the thought of Disney limiting due to availability. I got up last year at 4:10 am and had no issue getting it for 10 days in a standard room.

That's kind of how I feel too. Also, All these people calling and booking are just making odds less that they'll do FD at those resorts bc they won't need to if they're booking up

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Wow...I've heard the same thing, but I also heard that there seemed to be more availability some days after the initial drop, like there are a couple waves of availability. IDK...it's what I've read.

I can say that when we went a few years ago during free dining we wanted to book at Yacht Club but there was no availability so I booked Beach Club. A week or two later I checked again and Yacht Club was available so I booked that and canceled my Beach Club res. So yeah, I think they do add availability as time passes.

 

[jessiegirl1982]

One more thing this site is great for Target or Walmart gift cards which you can then spend for a Disney one at the store. 2 surveys a day nets me about 50 a month. http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/tallen5466

Has anyone been able to do this lately? I tried a few days ago, and it wouldn't let me purchase a Disney GC with a Target GC (did it like crazy back in 2015 and saved a bunch).

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Ok new here- have read through the last 30 or so pages and have a question- so I apologize if this has been discussed before. We typically use a Disney travel agent Through Mousekatrips and in 2015 we went and ahead and booked our trip before FD was announced. then when FD came out- had it changed over but it was a major fiasco and nightmare. Our TA is also not convinced FD will even be offered. Saying just so much less incentive to offer it now- that rooms are selling like crazy in the fall.

This year our TA advised me to just wait and book if and when it comes out- I've also read this on other boards too bc if people are booking now then Disney won't see the need to offer many FD rooms. But it seems like everyone here has the mentality to book now and modify later?

This is so stressful!

Probably why the FD offer is so much worse and more limited this year. Pre-booking is a mistake if you are hoping for FD.

 

[vanjust14]

Now that we're going to have to stay off property I'm not sure what to do with my Disney vacation account. Can I use that money to pay for food in Disney? Can I pay for my annual passes with it? Or do I just cancel the account and get all that money back on gift cards?

I just read an article on this. One of the downfalls of the account is you cannot pay for other things, like off-site rooms or airfare not booked as part of a Disney package. You also cannot use the account to pay for anything once you get to Disney ( food, souvenirs, etc).

 

[ThistleMae]

So does this mean a whole new reservation , or can i use the modify reservation link on the Disney page when i look at my current reservation?

This question comes up all the time, and I've seen different answers about modifying online...but it is a new reservation so I don't think u can modify, you have to make a new reservation. I don't know if you can make a new one online, before cancelling your old one. Can anyone answer this please?

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

I'm booked with the bb offer at wilderness lodge in September and I definitely wouldn't change it for AK lodge. If you make any resort changes at this point, you will end up paying the increased ticket prices.

I know, I don't want to change but unfortunately I may not have a choice. If DH takes a job in va then ds will miss the first 2 days of first grade (the way I have it currently booked). If it wasn't the first two days I wouldn't care but there's no way I can do that to him. I need to have a backup plan and no matter what it's going to cost me way more $$$!!! It doesn't look like WL has much available so I don't know what to do. I'm thinking AKL or YC/BC will be our backups. It's DHs 40th so he doesn't mind forking out the extra $$$ thankfully!

 

[JackieO]

I just read an article on this. One of the downfalls of the account is you cannot pay for other things, like off-site rooms or airfare not booked as part of a Disney package. You also cannot use the account to pay for anything once you get to Disney ( food, souvenirs, etc).

Ok so I'll just have the money refunded onto gift cards and close out that account.