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

[LoveTheBeach23]

Thank you, LucyBC80!

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Jumping on the band wagon. I plan to be up early, before work, to book online. Haven't read the entire thread, any word on the minimum number of park tickets required? My previous experience with an existing reservation was the CM had to cancel that, then book the new one. She told me you can't have two reservations at the same time. Something simple took about an hour. It was not a positive experience.

 

[wdw4rfam]

I am currently booked at AKL Aug 27th - Sep 4th with a travel agency exclusive offer. I have been told that free dinning can not be combined with this offer. Would any of you choose AKL with no free dinning or a moderate/value with free dinning?

We ditched free dining to stay in deluxe and never looked back. Loved deluxe so much, bought DVC. We did free dining for 8 years in a row. I so miss the excitement of the free dining drop- which is why I'm here. But I'd stay at AKL over free dining.

 

[sharonabe]

Okay, so I went to WDW News Today. Doom off (I'm sure someone already said I can't keep up today seems like.) They only don't mention Values because they are talking about changes. If that had changed they would have mentioned it. So they are not incorrect, all their info seems right, just wasn't what there post was discussing. At top it says MAJOR CHANGES. But on to other news.

They did have this!

must book a minimum 3-night-stay with 2 days of Park Hopper or Park Hopper+ tickets.

This is what I had heard to but I didn't want to say anything until I had outside confirmation. I really think this is going to help a few here!! YIPPEE!

I think I would hold off on celebrating this until it really happens tomorrow, if it happens. Black did come back here last night and he said it was 4-day ticket minimum. I trust him more than the others right now.

I have a question about doing the free dining online. If I currently have a package booked, do I need to cancel that reservation and then made a new one once the free dining drops? OR Can I create a second reservation for the same dates and then just cancel the original? Please help. Last year I spent hours on the phone and actually had to call off sick from work so I could get the free dining on an existing reservation

If you can modify your current reservation, try that first. If not, then make a new reservation and then cancel the old one. You don't want to be left without anything at all.

 

[Tonyz]

I am currently booked at AKL Aug 27th - Sep 4th with a travel agency exclusive offer. I have been told that free dinning can not be combined with this offer. Would any of you choose AKL with no free dinning or a moderate/value with free dinning?

There will probably be a resort discount that you can use for AKL. I would stick with that. A couple years ago I decided to not do free dining and stay at AKL (with the discount) instead and it was definitely the right decision since AKL is the best place on earth.

 

[Niki P]

I'm hoping that Sports is the easiest get tomorrow. We have the least amount of problem with it. Here's wishing everyone gets what they want tomorrow!!!

Sports is our favorite All Star!

 

[lok1sgrl]

His costume would go well with yours, too bad we're not there at the same time!

It most definitely would!

 

[Amanda999]

Question: if I book a Free dining reservation for two people can I increase it to three people at a later date? My husband may not be able to go so if he doesn't go I would still go but my son and his girlfriend would go instead. Can I add them to the reservation and cancel my husband and still get the free dining promo for all 3 people?

Assuming you stay at/below room occupancy limit, no problem. (Some resorts' king-bed rooms limit occupancy to 2 (and maybe a baby??).)

Keep in mind that you can only book FP+ 60 days out for the people listed in the room. (If everyone can be listed now, that's what I'd do - just be sure to remove anyone not going before the deadline to do so w/out a fee.)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

And there are some saying 8/13 and some saying 8/21. Conflicting rumors all abound. We won't know till it drops. And it wasn't me who PM'ed her so someone else out there says 2 day tickets. Hmmm....

Haha yep not you so you're off the hook if it isn't 2 days.
I won't post who did PM me because I don't want anyone to jump all over them.

 

[sharonabe]

I'm so sorry if this has already been answered but my weekend is crazy and I have approximately 5 minutes until my next thing.

Can someone who has gotten FD online before help me out? I currently see the 'change reservation' option so I'm pretty sure I can do it online. Do I change where it says Package and there will be a FD package option or do I change at the Dining Plan section and there will be an option for the free one??

Thanks so much! Getting so excited!!!

It should be under the package since this will be a package reservation.

 

[Tonyz]

So if both free dining and room discounts are released tomorrow will it be just as hard to get on the phone with Disney if you're applying the room discount vs. the free dining frenzy?

 

[samsteele]

So if both free dining and room discounts are released tomorrow will it be just as hard to get on the phone with Disney if you're applying the room discount vs. the free dining frenzy?

Hi, Tonyz! Yes. It will be nuts on the phone tomorrow regardless if you want FD or room discount. Extremely long wait on hold will be the norm. Can you do it online?

 

[mamamelody2]

Can I get your opinion? I stayed at Pop with FD last year and I really liked Pop. Planned on doing it again this year but after adding PH and whatnot, FD would only save me $50. So of course the crazy Disney wheels in my head start turning and I got a monorail resort bug.

I don't really love anything about the Contemporary except for its location but I can get it for about $1,700 more than Pop. Just typing that out I see it is a ton of money. But I have a 3yo and a 5yo and the location just seems so convenient and it would be nice to just see that side of things and see the fireworks at night and not have to deal with buses and whatnot. I am getting a bonus at work that I planned to use for savings so I could swing it but it's definitely not the smartest financial move. So I guess what I am asking is, is it TRULY worth it? Would you do it?

FWIW, we are staying at AKL the last 3 nights of our trip (rented points).

Well, I can say for me, I would definitely not spend $1700 just to not have to take a bus to MK or EPCOT. That's a ton of money. That's a big chunk of another trip!

 

[dizneefan13]

We have reservations for CBR 11/13-11-25. If FD does indeed begin 11/14 (or any other day during our rez) can I go online and change the dates? so that our start date is within FD time? or do I have to call? If FD does drop tomorrow, the phones will be super crazy, I'm assuming.
TIA!

 

[KimBean]

I think I would hold off on celebrating this until it really happens tomorrow, if it happens. Black did come back here last night and he said it was 4-day ticket minimum. I trust him more than the others right now.



If you can modify your current reservation, try that first. If not, then make a new reservation and then cancel the old one. You don't want to be left without anything at all.

I agree. No celebration. But, just don't want people who only need 2 days to not even check that is all.

 

[mamamelody2]

It was so quiet last night now a million newbies with questions - thank goodness it's almost done bc the repetitive questions is driving me bonkers - more than I was over FD

Haha, the repetitive questions are rather annoying. Especially since most could be answered by a 30 second google search. LOL.

 

[Magicalcarpetride]

It really depends on how flexible you are. If you are set on a specific resort on specific dates then you'd probably be more likely to get those right when FD drops, but availability is changing all the time. People have reported getting their second or third choices the morning of and then finding their dream resort weeks later.

On a side note, DS LOVES surprises. Once he wanted to be surprised for his birthday. Not a surprise party, he didn't want to know his birthday was coming and then SURPRISE IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY.

We were able to surprise him with a trip a couple of years ago. It was so much fun! My sister and her kids were going and he was sad that we were missing out (we travel with them a lot) bwa ha ha. Woke him up in the middle of the night, DH carried him to the car and he as we drove out of the driveway he asked "Do I have any shoes packed?" (He's my worrier, probably why he likes surprises. Less time to worry).
Have a great time!!

This is so cute! Sounds like a future crazy disboard planner!

 

[Tonyz]

Hi, Tonyz! Yes. It will be nuts on the phone tomorrow regardless if you want FD or room discount. Extremely long wait on hold will be the norm. Can you do it online?

Oh joy! You free dining people gotta ruin it for the rest of us! Can you do it online? I wasn't sure that was possible. I would love to if I can.

 

[mamamelody2]

Wow...I've been away for awhile apparently caught a bug of some kind.....no fun, but I wanted to tell everyone the FD wait has been a good one with great company on this thread!!! Cheers to another Fabulous Magical Disney Vacation everyone!!!!!

Cheers to you, too! I seem to have caught the same bug. My husband thinks I'm a bit nuts.

 

[Magicalcarpetride]

Guys I'm very sad because if a 4 day PH or PH+ is required vs the "usual" 2 day I cannot go.
We only need 4 nights and 2 day PH and we'd go to MNSSHP.
We cannot spend another $175 per person for the 4 day ticket for absolutely no reason!
So looks like if that ends up being the case we will go for a very very short trip for MVMCP with a 1 day PH for Hs and EPCOT or we will just not go until next year.

https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...rns-2017-major-changes-moderate-resort-stays/