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

[KimBean]

The more and more I hear other people's experiences (plus my own) with trying to book Pop for early December, I really think Disney didn't release any FD rooms for the first 2 weeks of the month. Either holding them back to fill up the other resorts first or holding them back till closer to the promos end to see how behind they will be with the renos.


I've been checking all day to see if it would let me book my original dates (11/25-12/5), and while rooms have been coming and going for all the other resorts from people canceling, changing, etc, Pops been unavailable this whole time. Plus, I was on the site the minute it dropped this morning and nada. That has to be more to it then just bad pixie dust.


I'm still grateful I got the dates I got as it means I get to spend my birthday at Disney - something I never though I'd get to do working in retail - but it's interesting.

I have not seen pop for this time and I have been checking all day. Pop standard is there but it disappears when you select FD. I think you are right.

 

[Neeky78]

How?? I had a standard reservation and when I called to modify they told me I had to switch to a pirate room in order to qualify for free dining.

It's to do with availability. For your dates the standard rooms for fd must be sold out so only pirate avail. But keep checking as it changes as people change their minds and bookings.

 

[erigby]

When I modified my CBR reservation I was told I had to switch to a pirate room (I had a standard) in order to qualify for free dining. But I see a lot of people on here saying that they got free dining with a standard room. To those of you who got FD for CBR did they make you switch to a pirate room?

 

[mousefan73]

oh GREAT point for the con. that could be very difficult

you can book ADRS with no res.. go ahead and try if your ADR has already past.. September reservations already have had their ADR date...

 

[otg]

We got two standard rooms with free dining at all star music for November 25- December 2. I'm happy, but I was shocked how fast rooms went.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Does anyone else feel like the room prices are inflated on the FD plan? I priced my package out several times and I just can't figure out why there's an extra almost $400 in there. I even included tax, still $400 more. The site won't let you break down the package to see how much the room costs.

Mine FD package ended up being $67.23 less than what I priced out.

August 26 - Sept 3rd (8 nights) at POP in a standard pool view room
7 day park hoppers for four adults

My price when pricing it out = $3411.32
My FD package price = $3344.09

 

[Goofy'sPal]

So excited. Everything is coming together. Got free quick service dining with table service upgrade. Moved from CBR to Pop saving over $630. Going to 2 MNSSHPs on Sept 29, Oct 1. All dining booked, trying to change time for one. Going to celebrate Epcots 35th Birthday and MKs 46.
Going on my 6 WDW vacation and 3rd solo.
Im going Sept 28- Oct 4

 

[KimBean]

We got two standard rooms with free dining at all star music for November 25- December 2. I'm happy, but I was shocked how fast rooms went.

I could only get preferred 11/27-12/7. No standards. Maybe because my dates go into Pop Warner and they know they will book them anyway. Couldn't modify my standard. No availability. Still happy.

 

[Christine43]

Going to try to catch up here. How did it go??

My email says 5:37. I got ASMu preferred for 11/27-12/7. I'm a happy girl!

We got POR from 8/21 - 9/4, I just had to modify. Thanks for your help, Kim

 

[Neeky78]

When I modified my CBR reservation I was told I had to switch to a pirate room (I had a standard) in order to qualify for free dining. But I see a lot of people on here saying that they got free dining with a standard room. To those of you who got FD for CBR did they make you switch to a pirate room?

See my response above. It didn't post when I thought it did so I was bit late, sorry!

 

[agassizsmile]

WOW!!! Can you book a different package then cancel the TA's? You won't get your GC but $1000. more is not chump change.

I booked por myself with FD and saved. $1000

 

[Mickeycrocs]

was able to modify my ressie, at 5:30 am and didn't even have to get out of bed! @black562 @The Dirty Steve @Disney Ron

 

[Neeky78]

So excited. Everything is coming together. Got free quick service dining with table service upgrade. Moved from CBR to Pop saving over $630. Going to 2 MNSSHPs on Sept 29, Oct 1. All dining booked, trying to change time for one. Going to celebrate Epcots 35th Birthday and MKs 46.
Going on my 6 WDW vacation and 3rd solo.
Im going Sept 28- Oct 4

I'm planning on MNSSHP on Oct 3! Are the tickets avail yet??

 

[Christine43]

I had a garden room booked with a TA and she was unable to change it. I tried myself with my husbands account starting at 5:38. No luck. All day I have not seen one room open there. My dates are 8/24 - 8/30. I'm booked at the Yacht Club right now with free dining - it's awesome there but way over budget... I'll keep trying.

I don't know if it's because we're there for two weeks and we already had it booked but I would bet some rooms are going to open up. We've gotten free dining at POR days after it dropped in the past, keep trying and good luck!

 

[Christine43]

I was really bummed out since POR isn't included in the offer for our dates starting 12/8. I have 2 rooms with our family of 6 and found AKL standard view to be much cheaper than what we are paying for at POR. I am over the moon excited! AKL is one of my dream resorts (any deluxe is a dream resort) and I can't believe I snagged 2 rooms for that price.

We got POR but I would be THRILLED to stay at AKL!

 

[RJstanis]

I'm about 75 pages behind but just wanted to let people know if it hasn't been said (I'm sure it has though) that more rooms have been released today/this afternoon. We are going mid December and only the pirate rooms at CBR were available when FD opened. But a couple of hours ago when I looked just to see they had standard rooms, water view rooms, preferred rooms as well for my dates. I'm so happy that we are getting our dates, standard at CBR, gift cards, and the free dining. It's so amazing! I truly hope everyone else gets even luckier between now and their trip that haven't already. I didn't really believe it, but just keep checking.

Now we just have to decide if we are going to upgrade to regular dining or just pay out of pocket with the construction gift cards supplement. The extra $50 a day to upgrade looks to be the best option value wise but we'll see. I'm finally excited with no hesitations for our trip!

 

[akayf]

Don't worry the Boardwalk area is better themed than the Contemporary. I'd much rather stay there.

We love the Boardwalk! You have to go to the bakery there-the best! We stay there frequently. Our last trip there we had a view of TOT from our balcony.

Thank you everyone! I'm content with Boardwalk. DH is the issue. He has been going to Disney since he was a kid and his parents always stayed on the monorail. So he hates the idea that we have to take a bus to his favorite park-MK.

But the chance to use snack credits at the boardwalk bakery has helped him deal.

The kids flipped when I showed them pics of the boardwalk so 3 out of 4 of the family are excited. DH just has to suck it up and deal with the fact that the monorail resorts are not the only cool places on site.

 

[otg]

I could only get preferred 11/27-12/7. No standards. Maybe because my dates go into Pop Warner and they know they will book them anyway. Couldn't modify my standard. No availability. Still happy.

You will be happy with a preferred. I would want preferred if I didn't have two rooms. It's easier to get connecting rooms in standard. We had preferred last year they are close to the main building.

 

[dfurst05]

I'm planning on MNSSHP on Oct 3! Are the tickets avail yet??

Tickets have not yet gone on sale.

Here is the link to the official thread for the party, if you are interested:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/o...ry-halloween-party-boo-to-you.3580223/page-88

 

[sharonabe]

My understanding is that the poster wants to upgrade from a 2 day park hopper ticket to a 3 day base ticket. That's where I see the challenge but I'm quite willing to be wrong. I just don't want to see the poster lose their FD if they remove the park hopper option. If they were to do this, why wouldn't everyone who doesn't intend to hop but is forced to purchase the PH tickets because it's park of the deal?

Sorry, I am not familiar with Salute tickets and how those work/worked.

You could very well be right. I've always thought that as long as the ticket you wanted is more expensive than the ticket you have, it could be done. But it has to be done once you are there and already checked in. In the past, you always used the ticket first, and then upgraded to what you wanted, but with the park hopper option, that probably wouldn't work. If I were going to try it, I would do the upgrade BEFORE I entered a park.

The Salute tickets are a highly discounted ticket for military only. For a few years there, the cost difference from the minimum FD ticket to the cost of the Salute was just a few dollars, so many got FD and a discounted ticket. However, the Salute tickets were also park hopper tickets.