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

[GLS]

The Halloween party dates haven't been released yet either, right? So much to plan... come on Disney.

 

[squirrel]

The Halloween party dates haven't been released yet either, right? So much to plan... come on Disney.

No but by looking at park hours you can figure out what dates they will most likely be.

 

[Rusty2rules]

The Halloween party dates haven't been released yet either, right? So much to plan... come on Disney.

No but by looking at park hours you can figure out what dates they will most likely be.

I'm going the last week of September. The schedule has MK closing at 7 pm the 24th and the 26th. Heck, sunset isn't until 7:30ish! I'm guessing they have MNSSHP at least one of those nights.

 

[KimBean]

Just curious, is everyone game for a FD drop tonight/tomorrow morning?

Sure. You know something?

 

[dznygrl70]

Sure. You know something?

????????Is this a hint?

 

[KimBean]

????????Is this a hint?

Either that or having some fun! Come back!! Lol.

 

[squirrel]

Talked to my TA, no double dipping on the Savory Summer Offer and Canadian Ticket discount. I could switch to the Canadian Ticket with the room but it only saves about $200 US. Not worth it with 2 adult CS meals each night for 10 nights.

The prices I posted for the Summer Discount on rooms are wrong, that was before adding in the cost of the tickets. Not sure how that happened but it makes it much more than what I already have booked. So I'm sticking with the Savory Summer Offer until FD is released. Also will be checking how much it is since room and park ticket prices have increased since booking. I can upgrade my SS offer to QSDP for just over $605 US. So FD might not be the best deal for me.

 

[penguin29]

I'm not even trying to book FD this year, but I still scroll through looking at the avatars and get excited when I see Steve or Black's avatar! Such a cheap thrill...

 

[penguin29]

It was fun seeing Tom Bricker on here as well!

 

[Wojodis]

I think it means Table Service. X means it's the deluxe plan.

Nope just switched around and rebooked as quick service. Same code still there

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Either that or having some fun! Come back!! Lol.

Yeah I know Captain Obvious here.....just making sure everyone is still alert but I sure wouldn't mind a drop really really soon!!!!!

 

[McFlea]

I'm going to put my two cents in here. Living is great and a necessity (duh). But, you know what? I believe you "buy" experiences. You don't rent them. Experiences make life worth living. That's how I was raised. I feel bad for these people who feel like they do everything in their life just to keep up with the Jones' and say "what's the point, worry about real life". My first trip to Disney with my family was in 2004 when my son was almost 10. To this day I can tell you all about that trip and he can, too. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. But I couldn't even begin to tell you what I bought material-wise in 2004, if anything. He and I went to Vegas last fall, his first time. He'll be able to tell his kids when he's my age "I remember the first time I went to Vegas with my dad...". I'll remember those, and other "experiences" like those, the rest of my life. My DW had never traveled until we got married. No weekend trips, nothing. Lived in the same house her hole life, same old same old. She's not going on this trip, but now one of her stipulations for letting my DS and I go this trip was that she and I still do our weekend trips through out the year. LOL She looks forward to them, makes life worth living. In my opinion, if you don't "do" Disney or other experiences like that, you haven't lived life.

This is a great post. Brought tears to my eyes, thanks for sharing it! I used to worry so much about the future, we'll do this, we'll do that, when we retire etc. Well, my sister-in-law passed away from cancer, got sick extremely fast and fought three years before she died at age 40. It changed my life. Tomorrow is not a given, so in our family we try to enjoy today more. We go to Disney, it's our thing. Maybe others need to find their "thing" too. But for us, the experiences and memories we have made at Disney are priceless and worth every penny. We've worked hard to afford the trips, and still do. I wish we could afford to go more often truthfully. We talk all year long about our planned trip, what we will do and see. It brings us joy. And we talk all the time about our memories from our past trips.

3. All my quick dine favorites-this one might seem silly, but some of my favorite Disney times are in those quick dine restaurants. My kids (12, 21, 23) get up and do a crazy dinosaur dance when Walk the Dinosaur comes on in Restaurantosaurus. Sharing a giant cinnamon roll in Gaston's Tavern feels like we stepped into the movie. And the very first place I ate in WDW 16 years ago was Pecos Bills and it still feels like my "You have entered the happiest place on earth" place.

Getting excited!!

I got choked up reading all this - it sums it all up. The planning, anticipation, excitement, experience and memories - priceless.

 

[dznygrl70]

It was fun seeing Tom Bricker on here as well!

I really like his website. Very nice guy with down to earth advice.

 

[Felicis]

^^^ So agree with all of this. For us travelling to DW is a massive investment - we are actually extending the mortgage to enable us to do it. But I have lost friends to cancer, and have friends fighting cancer, and I know that every memory you build with your child/ren is soo worth it. It is going to be a trip of a lifetime for us, and not doing it would cause me so many regrets!

 

[Tom P.]

This definitely does not sound like a TA that I would want handling my reservation. Since you have not received any responses from her after a few emails, and she specifically stated that she would not even attempt to modify your reservation until 7:30 am, I would definitely cancel and use another TA who will actually work for and with you, or just book yourself. You will not be able to make any modifications to the reservation yourself since she booked it for you. Using a TA should make your life easier and less stressful, not causing you more stress and worry over your vacation. just my 2 cents

While I know that you normally cannot make any modifications to a reservation made by a travel agent, surely Disney has some kind of contingency in place for extenuating circumstances, don't they? What if a TA just goes MIA? What if they just go out of business before your trip date? What if they just drop dead? I would hate to think that if you book through a TA and then something happens you are just out that money.

 

[KimBean]

^^^ So agree with all of this. For us travelling to DW is a massive investment - we are actually extending the mortgage to enable us to do it. But I have lost friends to cancer, and have friends fighting cancer, and I know that every memory you build with your child/ren is soo worth it. It is going to be a trip of a lifetime for us, and not doing it would cause me so many regrets!

I have so many stories linked to Disney world. No doubt the toughest was when my MIL was going through chemo for breast cancer. I made her a book and posters for her hospital room. Disney or bust. It was all she wanted Disney world with her 2 grand daughters. Her goal was go through treatment have mastectomy and make it to Disney. We didn't know it had spread everywhere. The doctor that was letting her know it was stage 4 actually left and I had to tell her. Her only question? Am I making it to Disney? I couldn't say anything, could only shake my head. She was gone 3 months later. We took the kids to Disney when we had planned. Got a little flack for it because it wasn't long after her passing. My 11 year old needed to be reminded that happiness still existed. My MIL made me promise I would still take them. I feel she is proud of me.

I know that is personal, but that is just one instance where disney has held out a lot more meaning for us then just a theme park.

 

[Marianm]

but.......I am working on our September trip and cant decide on a resort! We are staying at CBR in December for 11N/10D with our 3 kiddos but the DH and I are planning 9/1-9/4 and I cant choose a resort! Any input on Contemporary, The Grand or AKL?? We are dining at Sanaa and Kona but haven't finalized anything else yet! Depending on availability and which room we go with Im thinking a RO might be a better discount then FD especially if you factor in having to buy the hopper for FD

I LOVE the Contemporary and since I have young kids, I would never go to Disney and stay somewhere else. If it's just you and your husband, I think any of those would be nice. I've never stayed at AKL because it just seems so far away from everything to me.

 

[Disneygurl84]

Wait when does everyone think FD will drop???

 

[KozFam]

Kinda MY TA just told me something I did not know. Disney takes a hold of 3 days without a $200 deposit? Is this true? She said I could do it online if a deal comes out and I want to grab a 3-day hold. This ensures I don't lose the deal until she and I can talk. Anyone else done this 3-day hold thing and if so online?

I did this accidentally recently. Was booking our package and there was a computer glitch and it kicked me out (I was already logged into MDE) before I hit the button confirming the transaction (charging to my credit card). I then got an email saying that my reservation was on hold, but that I had 3 days to make the $200 deposit on it. Go figure. So yes, it appears you can do it (though I'm not sure how you make it happen "on purpose.").

 

[DisDee1982]

If you split stay FD does not carry over. Meaning in order to get free dining at both resorts, you would have to book the minimum requirements at both resorts(I think in the past it has been 3 night min, and a 2 day PH ticket. If you were to book the minimum requirement at CBR you would get the DDP while there, then when you switched to Aoa, if you booked a minimum of 3 nights, and got a whole new minimum 2 day PH ticket, you would just get the quick service plan.

We are doing a split stay, Pop for the first three nights, and BC for the last 5. We're paying OOP for the DDP at Pop, then hoping for FD at BC(and all of our tickets are on this reservation)

Disney prices tickets such that the fewer days tickets you buy, the more expensive per day it is. Price it out carefully, it may not be worth it to to 2 separate ticket packages.

Right, got it! That's super-helpful... I think we'll just stick with AOA and keep fingers and toes crossed for FD. With our big fam and our love of character meals, that's our best value anyway we price it out (even with upgrading to DDP from QSDP). Thanks for the reply