2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[pixie_mtl]

The UK 2019 Free Dining is out on the what-who-cannot-be-named For me that is a good indicator that there will be a bounce back between August and October Do we have a 2019 board yet?

Here are the terms for the UK:

Offer is available for bookings made 19 Apr-06 Nov 2018 for arrivals 01 Jan – 07 Apr & 26 Apr – 30 Nov 2019.

Free Dining is as follows:

Value Resort: 'Breakfast' plan (1 QS credit)

Moderate Resort: Quick Service Dining Plan

Deluxe Resort: Regular Dining Plan

 

[sandym718]

Glad I found the new thread. Though realistically I’m probably going to be looking for a RO discount. We’re booked at the Poly and don’t want to change that.

 

[larissawbb]

May I ask a dumb question?? I'm renting DVC points at the BRV at the WL - free dining isn't offered for DVC owners, is it? (It would be awesome if it was, but I'm guessing the answer is "ha ha - no...")

No because you are renting from an owner. The free dining promotion is only offered if you pay rack rate directly to Disney. You may save enough to add the dining plan and still save money.

 

[mickeystoontown]

SO, Jersey Week is 11/3 and then Veteran's Day lead to what I feel would be the first possible date of 11/12. Now, from what I hear, there is lower than usual occupancy levels in the first couple weeks of November at CBR and CSR. I think it would be very unlikely to see them stretch it out past 11/17. So the question remains, is there a significant need to fill rooms during that week? It seems the cheerleaders arrive earlier each year at CSR the week of Thanksgiving and that may be enough with the fill in. My gut tells me there's more dates we haven't seen yet. That could be RO 11/12 to 11/17.

I'd take CBR or CSR if it meant free dining for our trip. We arrive on November 15th and depart on the 24th. Room only would save us money too but not as much as free dining.

 

[K-Jen]

In my next life......I want to run Disney. I will implement a Free Dining date that drops every year on the same date, ie April 23! Thinking this could save lives due to undo stress. I’m channeling!

 

[Shermonica Simon]

The UK 2019 Free Dining is out on the what-who-cannot-be-named For me that is a good indicator that there will be a bounce back between August and October Do we have a 2019 board yet?

Here are the terms for the UK:

Offer is available for bookings made 19 Apr-06 Nov 2018 for arrivals 01 Jan – 07 Apr & 26 Apr – 30 Nov 2019.

Free Dining is as follows:

Value Resort: 'Breakfast' plan (1 QS credit)

Moderate Resort: Quick Service Dining Plan

Deluxe Resort: Regular Dining Plan

So every year the value is less and less. I have never even heard of the breakfast plan. I will not be booking in 2018 for the breakfast plan. One reason I hope to go this year is because after this year Disney will be out of reach for an ordinary single income family like mine. In fact it already is out of reach. We can only go during free dinning.

 

[scrappinginontario]

So every year the value is less and less. I have never even heard of the breakfast plan. I will not be booking in 2018 for the breakfast plan. One reason I hope to go this year is because after this year Disney will be out of reach for an ordinary single income family like mine. In fact it already is out of reach. We can only go during free dinning.

The 1 free QS meal is not called a ‘Breakfast Plan’ here but has been offered in Canada and the US. I currently have 2 reservations booked for family this August that have the 1 free QS meal plan. It came out early this year.

 

[Maggiefabb]

I'm new to this...can someone answer for me if when it's released if it pops up then I add dining, is it under offers??? Looking for first timers advice. I'm going to book online I've seen the dates rumored but I'm not sure how to book. Please give me expertise!

 

[kdisser]

So every year the value is less and less. I have never even heard of the breakfast plan. I will not be booking in 2018 for the breakfast plan. One reason I hope to go this year is because after this year Disney will be out of reach for an ordinary single income family like mine. In fact it already is out of reach. We can only go during free dinning.

This is considered FD for the UK. The US version is still rumored to have QS plan. Like previous poster said there was a deal running that offered a single QSmeal a day free (for kids). They run that promo in the US from time to time it is usually called "stay, play and dine". Not to be confused with the Free Dining promo we are waiting for.

 

[mamamelody2]

To those who have gone with FD in the past, does the food taste better knowing that it is "free"?

YES

 

[kdisser]

I'm new to this...can someone answer for me if when it's released if it pops up then I add dining, is it under offers??? Looking for first timers advice. I'm going to book online I've seen the dates rumored but I'm not sure how to book. Please give me expertise!

On release date if you have NOT made a reservation it will be located in the offers area. Click on it from there to enter dates, resort, tickets, and dining (which will not change the price unless you are upgrading the dining). Upgrading the dining is wanting the regular DDP at a value resort or the deluxe dining.

 

[mamamelody2]

I sure hope this thread sticks around...

 

[sharonabe]

So every year the value is less and less. I have never even heard of the breakfast plan. I will not be booking in 2018 for the breakfast plan. One reason I hope to go this year is because after this year Disney will be out of reach for an ordinary single income family like mine. In fact it already is out of reach. We can only go during free dinning.

FWIW the UK free dining has had the "breakfast plan" or 1QS meal at the Values for a couple years now.

The UK offers really have no bearing on what U.S. offers will be other than they always seem to drop about a week to 10 days before the current year's U.S. offer.

 

[Maggiefabb]

On release date if you have NOT made a reservation it will be located in the offers area. Click on it from there to enter dates, resort, tickets, and dining (which will not change the price unless you are upgrading the dining). Upgrading the dining is wanting the regular DDP at a value resort or the deluxe dining.

Would you recommend making a reservation first? Any other suggestions?

 

[Tammy 72]

Glad I found the new thread. Though realistically I’m probably going to be looking for a RO discount. We’re booked at the Poly and don’t want to change that.

Me too. Hoping for FD for the studios.

 

[kdisser]

Would you recommend making a reservation first? Any other suggestions?

That is a topic of debate. I am an old school thinker when it comes to this I book FD when it comes out. If you are going NO MATTER the discount then yes book now, but I have heard and watched multiple posters who give "solid" say to wait to book FD when it comes out. Although I am going this year with or without it I will wait for FD it is what I have done i the past and will continue. But that is me. I cannot speak for everyone else.

 

[sharonabe]

Would you recommend making a reservation first? Any other suggestions?

Just to add on to PP's recommendation:

If the only way you can go is to have the free dining, then you might as well wait. There is no advantage to already having something booked. In fact, it could cost you precious minutes if what you have booked doesn't qualify and you have to change a bunch of stuff around in order to make it work. By waiting until the morning it comes out, you start fresh and make your decisions based on what is offered instead of trying to match your vacation to what they have.

If you're going whether you have free dining or not, then make your reservation for the EXACT thing you WANT to have: the resort, the dates, the room preference, the tickets and the dining you WANT to have no matter what. This way you know you have what you want. Once free dining is announced, availability across the board will start to lessen for the dates encompassing the free dining promo.

 

[kdisser]

Would you recommend making a reservation first? Any other suggestions?

My other suggestion is to look for any ADR (advanced dining reservations) that you might want. If something is available you can book it without having a hotel package as long as it is 180 days out. I have already booked a few breakfast ADR's that I know we want for our trip. Because once FD is released ADR's gets to be slim pickings.
Another tidbit that I find extremely helpful is to have a list compiled of your top selections of hotel, dates, and tickets already priced out. I have a list together with hotels, dates, tickets in order of what we want to get first. So when FD drops I can work on putting together my top pick if it is not available I work down the list. Having pricing planned and a gameplan in place helps in the wee hours with an adrenaline rush and no sleep.

 

[crewsn]

Yes! Last year my 6 year old decided he wanted to eat a grilled cheese at Ohana. If I paid $35 for that grilled cheese I would have flipped and shoved some shrimp down his throat! lol but it was “free”!

This. Taking young kids to these buffets or required to pay per person meals and then they don't eat seriously would make me want to scream otherwise. With it being "free" I could really care less if he sits there and just eats rolls off the buffet then. With it being "free" my husband and I feel like we have such a more relaxed attitude about it all otherwise we'd be thinking about how much money were just flushing away.

 

[Chrissynanna]

My other suggestion is to look for any ADR (advanced dining reservations) that you might want. If something is available you can book it without having a hotel package as long as it is 180 days out. I have already booked a few breakfast ADR's that I know we want for our trip. Because once FD is released ADR's gets to be slim pickings.
Another tidbit that I find extremely helpful is to have a list compiled of your top selections of hotel, dates, and tickets already priced out. I have a list together with hotels, dates, tickets in order of what we want to get first. So when FD drops I can work on putting together my top pick if it is not available I work down the list. Having pricing planned and a gameplan in place helps in the wee hours with an adrenaline rush and no sleep.

Yepp... I have all my dining reserved already but don't have our hotel or anything booked yet. Just waiting on the FD to drop. Sadly all the places we want to eat are booked full so I grabbed what I could for now.