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

[jlundeen]

Where is the thread about the vacation account program? I am planning to pay our vacation with discounted giftcards but this seems to have an added bonus!

Thanks

Well, dang it, I can't find the main one, if there is one, maybe I dreamed it! (I'm terrible at searching for stuff here!)

But if you look in the BUDGET Forum, or do a search for "DVA" or "Disney Vacation Account" you will find many treads with various activity....

Also, you can go to the main DVA website: https://disneyvacationaccount.disney.go.com/ and look at the FAQ page, you'll find all sorts of info.

The biggest thing to be aware of is that you in order to qualify for the Bonus $20 per $1000 spent, the account must be open at least 120 days PRIOR to spending....

 

[markpenske]

I’m not sure if anyone else has done this yet.

Let assume the dates are the same as last year, just adjusted for the way the days fall in 2017 vs 2016.

These would be the key dates:

Announcement date: 4/24/17.

Arrival dates for free dining:

Aug 13 – Sept 30,

Nov 3 – Nov 4,

Nov 14 – Nov 21,

Nov 26 – Nov 28,

Dec 9 – Dec 20

 

[trixiemuffin]

That Aug 13 arrival date would apply to Disney Visa cardholders only.

 

[markpenske]

I'm a Disney visa card holder. How do you get that announcement? email? Disney's website?
I think last year the date for visa card holders and general public were on the same day (April 25th)

 

[babydoll65]

Usually the bounce back dates offered tend to become the gp dates. There were many dates excluded. Hopefully Disney will be extending those dates

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

I’m not sure if anyone else has done this yet.

Let assume the dates are the same as last year, just adjusted for the way the days fall in 2017 vs 2016.

These would be the key dates:

Announcement date: 4/24/17.

Arrival dates for free dining:

Aug 13 – Sept 30,

Nov 3 – Nov 4,

Nov 14 – Nov 21,

Nov 26 – Nov 28,

Dec 9 – Dec 20

This would be great.....but let's get that announcement date moved up to hmmm let's say.....NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[trixiemuffin]

I'm a Disney visa card holder. How do you get that announcement? email? Disney's website?
I think last year the date for visa card holders and general public were on the same day (April 25th)

I don't think you would see it on Disney's website. Mousesavers, DFB, etc. would email you about it as soon as it is confirmed if you sign up for their emails. Disney Visa doesn't usually put it on their website until later in the day it is announced.

 

[KozFam]

Interesting. Went back through the past 5 years of when FD has been announced to see if it's always on a certain day of the week. In the past 5 years, it was announced on a Wed, Thurs, Fri and twice on a Monday (the last 2 years). Not sure if that really points towards a Monday release or not. We'll see...

 

[Rusty2rules]

I’m not sure if anyone else has done this yet.

Let assume the dates are the same as last year, just adjusted for the way the days fall in 2017 vs 2016.

These would be the key dates:

Announcement date: 4/24/17.

Arrival dates for free dining:

Aug 13 – Sept 30,

Nov 3 – Nov 4,

Nov 14 – Nov 21,

Nov 26 – Nov 28,

Dec 9 – Dec 20

For me, that'd be awesome if those were the dates. Here's hoping!

 

[KimBean]

I’m not sure if anyone else has done this yet.

Let assume the dates are the same as last year, just adjusted for the way the days fall in 2017 vs 2016.

These would be the key dates:

Announcement date: 4/24/17.

Arrival dates for free dining:

Aug 13 – Sept 30,

Nov 3 – Nov 4,

Nov 14 – Nov 21,

Nov 26 – Nov 28,

Dec 9 – Dec 20

I hope this is right! I want to keep my 11/27 start date.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Apparently it has something to do with the 50th anniversary.

I seen that it would be down Aug 28-Nov 16 however nothing that it would be for the 50th anniversary. Doesn't make sens for it to be for the 50th anniversary since that won't be until 2021, they just celebrated the 45th on Oct 1, 2016. And I hope it is back open on Nov 17th as that's my 40th birthday.

 

[KimBean]

Usually the bounce back dates offered tend to become the gp dates. There were many dates excluded. Hopefully Disney will be extending those dates

I went back to last year to try and see how much the general public free dining in 2016 was expanded from the bounceback offer. If I found the right information it looks like this:

Bounceback offered in 2015 for 2016:
5/31 - 6/7
8/26 - 10/1

Free dining offered in April 2016 for 2016:
8/25-10/1 (earlier for Visa owners start 8/14)
11/15 - 11/21
11/26 - 11/28
12/10-12/21

So the largest set of days are pretty much the same but then Nov and Dec dates added.

 

[KNovacovschi]

Last year it was Dinosaur and Thunder that were both down.

I was so sad as Thunder is my favorite at MK but I still made the best of it.

 

[Disneylover99]

That Aug 13 arrival date would apply to Disney Visa cardholders only.

And Canadians.

 

[KNovacovschi]

OK......joining the fray. I just spent way TOO MUCH time reading 112 pages of this thread.......now 114.

I asked DSS (Disney Signature Services) and they said I would not be charged the new ticket prices if I change to FD (if offered). Seems there is confusion on this. I will push DSS to hold true to this if it ends up not being the case.

This is weird or new for this year as I always book my package before tickets go up and have always had to pay the difference in ticket prices when adding FD, unless I've booked a BB. It's always been explained to me that hey don't just add the FD to existing reservations they book a whole new one and just keep the same reservation number.

 

[Disneylover99]

This is weird or new for this year as I always book my package before tickets go up and have always had to pay the difference in ticket prices when adding FD, unless I've booked a BB. It's always been explained to me that hey don't just add the FD to existing reservations they book a whole new one and just keep the same reservation number.

I've had to pay new ticket prices when making a change to tickets on a BB.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I'm sure it probably is true. You would think that they would wait and do it say January to March though when it's cold outside and most people don't want to get wet on a ride.

It is usually January when they take Splash Mountain down, it's so they can clean it. I found it odd that it was open this year in January and now I know why, because of the refurb in the fall. I just don't believe it's for the 50th.

 

[KNovacovschi]

I've had to pay new ticket prices when making a change to tickets on a BB.

When I book a BB I don't generally make any changes though and leave it as is. I was just essentially saying that you do indeed have to pay the price difference if a package was booked before the new ticket prices were released when booking FD.

 

[TomServo27]

This is true, but when we went last year, like they said Dinosours and Big Thunder and It's a Small World were all down, and we knew this far in advance. So sounds legit to me.

I was referring to it being refurbished for the 50 anniversary not it being announced this far ahead of time.

 

[babydoll65]

I went back to last year to try and see how much the general public free dining in 2016 was expanded from the bounceback offer. If I found the right information it looks like this:

Bounceback offered in 2015 for 2016:
5/31 - 6/7
8/26 - 10/1

Free dining offered in April 2016 for 2016:
8/25-10/1 (earlier for Visa owners start 8/14)
11/15 - 11/21
11/26 - 11/28
12/10-12/21

So the largest set of days are pretty much the same but then Nov and Dec dates added.

I just thought it was odd that most of September is excluded which has some worried that it won't be offered in the gp offer.