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

[Skallywag Steph]

Woah!! Lots of reading today. Seems nothing new- YET!?
I have been racking my brain for the past week since the rumor came out. We are booked at CBR Sept 25- Oct 1. 2 rooms they're are 7 of us total. 4 adults 1 child and 2 infants. We love CBR. News came out about construction and gift card offer, wasn't enough to turn us away (we've stayed during room construction and we're not bothered) more space is a big deal to us. Pools for kids is big deal for us. Even though we only have 1 rest day. QSDP is throwing me for a loop. I just don't know what to do. Book value and upgrade if dining is released or stay CBR and upgrade. If we can get any at all. Difference will be $927 between CBR and POP. BUT we will be getting $900 in GC which we thought OK that will be our spending. We either pay it up front for the package and get back to spend or go lower package and we will spend that anyways. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated because this brain is toasting with all the thinking. I am trying my hardest to figure and can't seem to see if a RO would benefit us. Our ADR are made
Ohana- Whispering canyon- BOG lunch and dinner- Tusker ROL- LTT- Cape may cafe
We want to do all of these, breaks for us work. OOP seems like a lot even if we used the gift cards. UGh
I hope everyone else planning is magical

We're in the same boat. We have two rooms for 5 nights at CBR with 6 adults, 2 kids and an infant. The GC is definitely the wrench in deciding what's best. At first I thought we'd upgrade if only offered quick service but then wondered if we'd have trouble using up the gift cards. I think I'm going to wait and see what's offered before making a decision.

 

[Disneylover99]

Possibly not true. Not sure if you'd call it 'combining' deals but currently Canadians can get room only discount + discounted Canadian tickets on the same reservation. I have 2 of these booked for different friends right now.

When you book a package now with tickets as a Canadian, does your price automatically default to the discounted tickets or do you have to select the Canadian ticket offer? If they automatically default to the discounted price, then maybe there is a chance it will work with FD. If there is a choice and you have to select them, I doubt you can use both discounts.

 

[sharonabe]

Ohana- Whispering canyon- BOG lunch and dinner- Tusker ROL- LTT- Cape may cafe
We want to do all of these, breaks for us work. OOP seems like a lot even if we used the gift cards. UGh

I took BoG out of this equation, but assuming all the rest are dinner reservations, and all of you are eating the skillet at WCC, your OOP cost just for those is at $954. If any of these are breakfast, that number goes way down. If you don't plan on the skillet, your number may go down. You'll use your QS at BoG lunch, so that really just leaves dinner at BoG to add to the count.

 

[Disneylover99]

We're in the same boat. We have two rooms for 5 nights at CBR with 6 adults, 2 kids and an infant. The GC is definitely the wrench in deciding what's best. At first I thought we'd upgrade if only offered quick service but then wondered if we'd have trouble using up the gift cards. I think I'm going to wait and see what's offered before making a decision.

I would just keep the quick service and use the gift cards to buy a few TS meals.

 

[laura2287]

some sites say 12/3-12/23 some say 12/8 to 12/23. 12/8 seems more likely due to pop warner

I'm wondering the same... I hope to go the first week of December, but historically this doesn't seem likely. My fingers are still crossed for 12/3!

 

[Stacie Rinehimer]

I took BoG out of this equation, but assuming all the rest are dinner reservations, and all of you are eating the skillet at WCC, your OOP cost just for those is at $954. If any of these are breakfast, that number goes way down. If you don't plan on the skillet, your number may go down. You'll use your QS at BoG lunch, so that really just leaves dinner at BoG to add to the count.

Thank you for doing that for me!
I also have one more to book but can't decide yet on which one I want. Seems upgrading is what is right for me. While some loved the GC, I would much rather just get the DDP and not the QSDP. I really hope my logic is making sense on the difference I am coming up with spending the GC vs what cash we would spend anyway.

 

[Stacie Rinehimer]

Stacie, my thought is I wouldn't give up the GC's so I would stay at CBR with FD and upgrade to the DDP. Especially since you love the resort and may be disappointed if you don't stay there. It all comes down to what you can comfortably afford.

We really do. We stayed at Movies once when they offered the free dining there. Our son was 3 and loved it. But the transportation was completely different than staying at CBR. Another factor on why we like it there more.

 

[ThistleMae]

I need advice from people better at running the numbers than I am. It's just DH and I going. We don't eat at any of the more expensive restaurants, and typically order some of the cheapest meals where we do eat. Because of this, I am thinking if we are staying at a mod, we would be better off taking the room discount instead of QS FD. If we did FD, we would still want a few sit downs, so would be paying out of pocket and potentially not using all our QS. Or should we upgrade to DDP instead of room discount? ADVICE PLEASE AND THANKS

Why not just keep the QS then, if available?

 

[agassizsmile]

Thank you for doing that for me!
I also have one more to book but can't decide yet on which one I want. Seems upgrading is what is right for me. While some loved the GC, I would much rather just get the DDP and not the QSDP. I really hope my logic is making sense on the difference I am coming up with spending the GC vs what cash we would spend anyway.

I dont even consider the CBR gcs as a savings cuz I still have to pay oop for my trip thirty days prior.Makes it easier to compare apples to apples.

 

[Stacie Rinehimer]

I took BoG out of this equation, but assuming all the rest are dinner reservations, and all of you are eating the skillet at WCC, your OOP cost just for those is at $954. If any of these are breakfast, that number goes way down. If you don't plan on the skillet, your number may go down. You'll use your QS at BoG lunch, so that really just leaves dinner at BoG to add to the count.

Just seen your edit. We booked ALL dinners. Yes the skillet. Trying to stay with buffets being our girls will be 1 and 2yrs old and can eat off our plates. I figured buffets will definitely have something for them

 

[Greg36]

When you book a package now with tickets as a Canadian, does your price automatically default to the discounted tickets or do you have to select the Canadian ticket offer? If they automatically default to the discounted price, then maybe there is a chance it will work with FD. If there is a choice and you have to select them, I doubt you can use both discounts.

It does just default to Canadian tickets, but I think another poster reported earlier that for the limited free dining offer for the summer they were unable to stack the Canadian ticket offer with that limited free dining offer... I was curious if anyone had any luck stacking the Canadian ticket offer with a BB FD offer, but I don't think anyone responded which made me think it did not happen...

 

[Icicles]

Also wanted to share that the first leg of our trip is at CBR and we qualified for the gift card offer, so I just called Disney to confirm that we will still get the gift cards if I make changes. I was told that if as long as I don't change dates, I can make other changes (including room type, if I have to to do so to qualify for FD) without losing the GC offer. I really hope that's true! We decided to split our stay and initially I was kicking myself, because we'll now be re-checking in and losing FD for 3 days.



But now, I'm realizing that between the gift cards and the fact that we could get a room-only discount on the last 3 nights of our trip, it'll work out. We can use those cards towards dining. We're also not checking in until late on our first day, Sunday 11/26, so we can use the QS dining credits from that day before they expire at midnight on our "checkout" day, Thursday. So we're really only missing out FD on 2 days, Friday and Saturday, the last 2 days of our trip. If everything goes according to plan (fingers crossed!!!) and I can score FD at CBR with a standard room, we'll be fine.[/QUOTE]

Hmm I have screen shots of a conversation where I asked about adding a day to our reservation -I was told won't lose GC, but won't get a GC for the dates added after Mar. 20

 

[Chris Anglin]

Ya'll, who say ya'll will be on when FD drops, have no idea what it's like to live in BFE where sunshine is piped in and not have good internet service and depend on work hours to get on. It sucks! But I do love the country life

 

[Attracted to Beasts]

Also, if you have the Disney visa you get 10% off at some restaurants like WCC.....that may be something to look into to save extra

 

[McFlea]

Anyone else finding more available for their dates? Ever since I found out I would possibly have to change my BB Dates (January) I've been checking online. WL has had nothing but club level rooms available for months!!! Now there seems to be almost everything! I was even able to change to a standard room for the earlier dates even though the website says standard is not available! Why the sudden influx in rooms?!?

Yes, I have noticed this as well. Lots of moving parts with this Disney planning thing!

 

[dolewhipdreams]

Woah!! Lots of reading today. Seems nothing new- YET!?
I have been racking my brain for the past week since the rumor came out. We are booked at CBR Sept 25- Oct 1. 2 rooms they're are 7 of us total. 4 adults 1 child and 2 infants. We love CBR. News came out about construction and gift card offer, wasn't enough to turn us away (we've stayed during room construction and we're not bothered) more space is a big deal to us. Pools for kids is big deal for us. Even though we only have 1 rest day. QSDP is throwing me for a loop. I just don't know what to do. Book value and upgrade if dining is released or stay CBR and upgrade. If we can get any at all. Difference will be $927 between CBR and POP. BUT we will be getting $900 in GC which we thought OK that will be our spending. We either pay it up front for the package and get back to spend or go lower package and we will spend that anyways. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated because this brain is toasting with all the thinking. I am trying my hardest to figure and can't seem to see if a RO would benefit us. Our ADR are made
Ohana- Whispering canyon- BOG lunch and dinner- Tusker ROL- LTT- Cape may cafe
We want to do all of these, breaks for us work. OOP seems like a lot even if we used the gift cards. UGh
I hope everyone else planning is magical

Another option is to see what those TS meals would cost out of pocket and compare to the cost of upgrading to DDP. If you could make them cheaper by not getting a beverage/dessert, or maybe even exchanging some of the TS for QS then that may turn out to be a more cost effective option.

 

[Icicles]

We're in the same boat. We have two rooms for 5 nights at CBR with 6 adults, 2 kids and an infant. The GC is definitely the wrench in deciding what's best. At first I thought we'd upgrade if only offered quick service but then wondered if we'd have trouble using up the gift cards. I think I'm going to wait and see what's offered before making a decision.

You don't have to use the GC during your stay and can use them at anything Disney- parks, stores, outlets... they never expire

 

[TwoMisfits]

Woah!! Lots of reading today. Seems nothing new- YET!?
I have been racking my brain for the past week since the rumor came out. We are booked at CBR Sept 25- Oct 1. 2 rooms they're are 7 of us total. 4 adults 1 child and 2 infants. We love CBR. News came out about construction and gift card offer, wasn't enough to turn us away (we've stayed during room construction and we're not bothered) more space is a big deal to us. Pools for kids is big deal for us. Even though we only have 1 rest day. QSDP is throwing me for a loop. I just don't know what to do. Book value and upgrade if dining is released or stay CBR and upgrade. If we can get any at all. Difference will be $927 between CBR and POP. BUT we will be getting $900 in GC which we thought OK that will be our spending. We either pay it up front for the package and get back to spend or go lower package and we will spend that anyways. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated because this brain is toasting with all the thinking. I am trying my hardest to figure and can't seem to see if a RO would benefit us. Our ADR are made
Ohana- Whispering canyon- BOG lunch and dinner- Tusker ROL- LTT- Cape may cafe
We want to do all of these, breaks for us work. OOP seems like a lot even if we used the gift cards. UGh
I hope everyone else planning is magical

I know you said you are worried and planned pricey buffets b/c you want to make sure the 1 and 2 year old have something to eat...BUT...
at their age, they would be happy splitting a kid meal or even just a snack-sized treat...I wouldn't book buffets just b/c it "saves" you money, b/c the $10-12 tip you'll pay on just ONE adult buffet meal (as a guaranteed 18% tip meal on a very pricey starting price) would buy you 2 kid meals at CS...

I'd get the TS's you like and steer away from buffets and use your price/tip savings to buy the littles food around the parks...

 

[dznygrl70]

Ya'll, who say ya'll will be on when FD drops, have no idea what it's like to live in BFE where sunshine is piped in and not have good internet service and depend on work hours to get on. It sucks! But I do love the country life

Country girl myself! I depend on my phone and computer at work and I only work 2 days a week. But, I wouldn't live in town if you gave me a house for free!

 

[Disneylover99]

It does just default to Canadian tickets, but I think another poster reported earlier that for the limited free dining offer for the summer they were unable to stack the Canadian ticket offer with that limited free dining offer... I was curious if anyone had any luck stacking the Canadian ticket offer with a BB FD offer, but I don't think anyone responded which made me think it did not happen...

I booked the FD bb last August before the Canadian discounted tickets were announced. I also haven't heard anything about Canadians booking the FD bb in Sept/Oct. and getting the discount. You're right. You'd think we'd hear it from someone if it were possible.

 

[tchull]

Ya'll, who say ya'll will be on when FD drops, have no idea what it's like to live in BFE where sunshine is piped in and not have good internet service and depend on work hours to get on. It sucks! But I do love the country life

I totally understand this! We did finally find a satellite internet provider that was decent, but not always very dependable. Hoping the skies are clear Sunday night/Monday morning! lol