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

[bebec22]

Just booked Pop Aug 16-20! Haven't stayed at Pop since 2006. I stayed at CR my last 2 trips so it will be a bit of a change but I know my kids will love it!

 

[Coconuts]

When a FD reservation is cancelled it goes back into the rack rate offers, it does NOT go back into FD offers. The only way resorts open up for FD is if Disney decides to add more rooms to certain resorts.

 

[Disney Ron]

I suspected this was the case since I cancelled 2 FD reservations and never saw them return to the FD pool of rooms

I only brought this up because I see posts that people will say I just cancelled my FD ressie for this resort on these dates and good luck to anyone who was looking for this time period. What they don't realize is that it goes back into the rack rate inventory and not the FD inventory. In the past at the opening of FD the resort I wanted wasn't available so I'd book another just to have FD and 2 days later Disney adds rooms to the resort I wanted so I cancel my booking and grab the new one. So my original booking is now gone and someone who wanted to stay where I just cancelled can't take advantage of the fact that I cancelled.

I had POR in a Pool View with FD for 9/26-10/4. I decided to take a "Magical" deal instead and cancelled my FD one. It's sad that someone who wanted FD at POR can't have it. Just imagine the FD reservations that are lost with people changing resorts or cancelling reservations all together.

 

[sjs314]

I only brought this up because I see posts that people will say I just cancelled my FD ressie for this resort on these dates and good luck to anyone who was looking for this time period. What they don't realize is that it goes back into the rack rate inventory and not the FD inventory. In the past at the opening of FD the resort I wanted wasn't available so I'd book another just to have FD and 2 days later Disney adds rooms to the resort I wanted so I cancel my booking and grab the new one. So my original booking is now gone and someone who wanted to stay where I just cancelled can't take advantage of the fact that I cancelled

I had POR in a Pool View with FD for 9/26-10/4. I decided to take a "Magical" deal instead and cancelled my FD one. It's sad that someone who wanted FD at POR can't have it. Just imagine the FD reservations that are lost with people changing resorts or cancelling reservations all together.

The amount of rooms going back into rack rate must be astronomical with the amount of changes going on daily, I wanted FD at BWI when unable to book that grabbed FD at AKL but we really wanted to be an Epcot resort so I booked a Deluxe CL Room at BWI for 3 nights with FD and cancelled AKL, a few days later a garden view at YC appeared for the same 3 nights with FD so to save $$$ I switched again canceling the Deluxe CL FD room at the BWI .
We wanted to add a day or 2 but bought our airline tix now so I doubt we will add days now even if BWI opens up for FD.
It is a shame FD room cancelations to not return to FD inventory

 

[iteach7th]

When a FD reservation is cancelled it goes back into the rack rate offers, it does NOT go back into FD offers. The only way resorts open up for FD is if Disney decides to add more rooms to certain resorts.

And that just stinks because all those people who went in and put holds or deposits on multiple reservations just reduced the free dining offers for the rest of us that were up in the middle of the night trying to get FD for the weeks that we are definitely going to travel but couldn't because they were all getting snapped up so quickly.
I am a part time Disney travel agent and still have 3 families that I couldn't get FD even though I was trying as soon as it opened up. They are only going if they get free dining, their dates are concrete and there hasn't been anything available. It's very hard to explain to someone that they do not get the discount when Disney says the offer is good until July 7 and they continue to advertise the discount as though anyone can make a reservation between now and July and get the discount.
They think I don't know what I am doing since I knew by 5 am on the day the offer was released that they would not get FD unless something magical happens. I still keep checking multiple times a day and see things that are open up in in the high end room levels at a few mods and deluxe resorts but nothing in the moderate/value end. Last year I saw rooms some open up about 2-3 weeks into the discount but still nothing this year. It was like Black Friday morning where they advertised the prices were good for the entire weekend but they only had 20 items per store and they were gone within the first 5 minutes.

 

[Disneylover99]

The amount of rooms going back into rack rate must be astronomical with the amount of changes going on daily, I wanted FD at BWI when unable to book that grabbed FD at AKL but we really wanted to be an Epcot resort so I booked a Deluxe CL Room at BWI for 3 nights with FD and cancelled AKL, a few days later a garden view at YC appeared for the same 3 nights with FD so to save $$$ I switched again canceling the Deluxe CL FD room at the BWI .
We wanted to add a day or 2 but bought our airline tix now so I doubt we will add days now even if BWI opens up for FD.
It is a shame FD room cancelations to not return to FD inventory

And that just stinks because all those people who went in and put holds or deposits on multiple reservations just reduced the free dining offers for the rest of us that were up in the middle of the night trying to get FD for the weeks that we are definitely going to travel but couldn't because they were all getting snapped up so quickly.
I am a part time Disney travel agent and still have 3 families that I couldn't get FD even though I was trying as soon as it opened up. They are only going if they get free dining, their dates are concrete and there hasn't been anything available. It's very hard to explain to someone that they do not get the discount when Disney says the offer is good until July 7 and they continue to advertise the discount as though anyone can make a reservation between now and July and get the discount.
They think I don't know what I am doing since I knew by 5 am on the day the offer was released that they would not get FD unless something magical happens. I still keep checking multiple times a day and see things that are open up in in the high end room levels at a few mods and deluxe resorts but nothing in the moderate/value end. Last year I saw rooms some open up about 2-3 weeks into the discount but still nothing this year. It was like Black Friday morning where they advertised the prices were good for the entire weekend but they only had 20 items per store and they were gone within the first 5 minutes.

I would think Disney is holding on to these rooms hoping they won't have to add them to the fd pool, but I figure if they don't start booking these rooms soon, either through rack rate or a room discount, they will eventually go back into the fd pool. Keep checking!

 

[VillainFavs]

But if those rooms don't go back into the FD pool, why is there constantly changing inventory? I've been looking pretty much every day and the inventory changes almost daily. This resort wasn't available yesterday, but is today. This one had plenty today, but nothing shows up tomorrow. Why are people finding things now that they couldn't a week ago? It's not like there's been a huge second wave of availability, like Disney suddenly released a whole bunch. It's a room here or there. I don't understand how that happens if rooms aren't put back into the pool.

 

[jayfo]

I'm going to cancel my AS Sports FD Visa dining package today for Aug 14-18 if anyone wants to try and get it. Don't know how soon after I cancel it becomes available...??

 

[Disneylover99]

But if those rooms don't go back into the FD pool, why is there constantly changing inventory? I've been looking pretty much every day and the inventory changes almost daily. This resort wasn't available yesterday, but is today. This one had plenty today, but nothing shows up tomorrow. Why are people finding things now that they couldn't a week ago? It's not like there's been a huge second wave of availability, like Disney suddenly released a whole bunch. It's a room here or there. I don't understand how that happens if rooms aren't put back into the pool.

I do think some rooms are going back into the pool. But I also think Disney is holding back certain room categories/resorts/dates in the hopes that they can sell those rooms without fd. I could be wrong, but I think at some point, a whole whack of rooms will get added to the fd inventory, if Disney can't move those rooms.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I only brought this up because I see posts that people will say I just cancelled my FD ressie for this resort on these dates and good luck to anyone who was looking for this time period. What they don't realize is that it goes back into the rack rate inventory and not the FD inventory. In the past at the opening of FD the resort I wanted wasn't available so I'd book another just to have FD and 2 days later Disney adds rooms to the resort I wanted so I cancel my booking and grab the new one. So my original booking is now gone and someone who wanted to stay where I just cancelled can't take advantage of the fact that I cancelled.

I had POR in a Pool View with FD for 9/26-10/4. I decided to take a "Magical" deal instead and cancelled my FD one. It's sad that someone who wanted FD at POR can't have it. Just imagine the FD reservations that are lost with people changing resorts or cancelling reservations all together.

And this is why people shouldn't book multiple places for the same dates because once they are released nobody can have them. I don't say that to be mean or start anything just true.

 

[jayfo]

And this is why people shouldn't book multiple places for the same dates because once they are released nobody can have them. I don't say that to be mean or start anything just true.

How does anyone know (unless they work there) which category of room type this FD one goes to? Lord knows every CM you talk to can give you a different answer. With thousands of reservation transactions happening daily, it comes down to luck of the draw sometimes with availability.

 

[Disney Ron]

How does anyone know (unless they work there) which category of room type this FD one goes to? Lord knows every CM you talk to can give you a different answer. With thousands of reservation transactions happening daily, it comes down to luck of the draw sometimes with availability.

jayfo, I'm the one that broke the FD info about a week or 2 before it came out and all my info turned out to be 100% correct. You can go back in this thread to see what I'm talking about. The person that gave me that info told me that when any "Special offer" reservation is cancelled it goes back into the rack rate inventory. I think they should know what they're talking about and that's all I'll say on this.

 

[Disney Ron]

But if those rooms don't go back into the FD pool, why is there constantly changing inventory? I've been looking pretty much every day and the inventory changes almost daily. This resort wasn't available yesterday, but is today. This one had plenty today, but nothing shows up tomorrow. Why are people finding things now that they couldn't a week ago? It's not like there's been a huge second wave of availability, like Disney suddenly released a whole bunch. It's a room here or there. I don't understand how that happens if rooms aren't put back into the pool.

My dates haven't had anything added in the last 10 days, I check multiple times a day. If your dates have changes then Disney is adding rooms it's not cancelled rooms going back into the FD inventory.

 

[sjs314]

My dates haven't had anything added in the last 10 days, I check multiple times a day. If your dates have changes then Disney is adding rooms it's not cancelled rooms going back into the FD inventory.

I also have been checking since FD dropped, I've seen rooms disappear but none added, the final reservation I booked was on 4/30 and even though I am still checking numerous times a day to see if there might be any availability at BWI for lower rate rooms my searches have been unsuccessful.
Canceled rooms going back into rack rate inventory makes sense especially since I'm sure people will book now at rack rate in hopes of room discounts being released in August like last year.

 

[Disney Ron]

I also have been checking since FD dropped, I've seen rooms disappear but none added, the final reservation I booked was on 4/30 and even though I am still checking numerous times a day to see if there might be any availability at BWI for lower rate rooms my searches have been unsuccessful.
Canceled rooms going back into rack rate inventory makes sense especially since I'm sure people will book now at rack rate in hopes of room discounts being released in August like last year.

sjs, just noticed you're a fellow New Englander. I'm next door in Rhode Island. Believe me I know what I'm talking about. The only way more rooms open at resorts is because Disney decides to add some, not that others have cancelled them. Case closed!!!

 

[sjs314]

sjs, just noticed you're a fellow New Englander. I'm next door in Rhode Island. Believe me I know what I'm talking about. The only way more rooms open at resorts is because Disney decides to add some, not that others have cancelled them. Case closed!!!

I'm confused by your reply since I totally agree with you, In fact a posted a few pages back about never seeing my canceled rooms return to the FD inventory.
Any way peace out

 

[Disney Ron]

I'm confused by your reply since I totally agree with you, In fact a posted a few pages back about never seeing my canceled rooms return to the FD inventory.
Any way peace out

I'm sorry sjs, my post wasn't meant how you took it. I'm agreeing with you. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[sjs314]

I'm sorry sjs, my post wasn't meant how you took it. I'm agreeing with you. Sorry for the confusion.

No worries

 

[Disney Ron]

No worries

Sometimes I'm not very good at conveying my thoughts in print.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

I wonder if they are waiting to see how Pandora does before releasing more FD rooms?