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

[Neeky78]

I Need help! I dont' know where to even start. Right now we are booked at CBR with the GC offer but I can' figure out if it would be better to try to get two rooms at Pop(which scares me because we may not have connecting rooms), stay at CBR and pay upgrade for DDP instead of QSDP or move to a Deluxe and get DDP free there. Does anyone have any idea which would be a better value?

This is the million dollar question! You have to crunch the numbers yourself to figure it out. If you go back through the thread you'll find websites people use for calculating the rack rate for your room choice (fluctuates during the year and weekends are more expensive) and prices for meals at the TS restaurants you want to go to to see if it is better to pay OOP for those compared to paying to upgrade the plan.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

This is the million dollar question. You have to crunch the numbers yourself to figure it out. If you go back through the thread you'll find websites people use for calculating the rack rate for your room choice (fluxtuates during the year and weekends are more expensive) and prices for meals at the TS restaurants you want to go to to see if it is better to pay OOP for those compared to paying to upgrade the plan.

If I get a bounce back in sept im going to do a mod next year, Screw the numbers. I deserve something different.

 

[jelic5]

Oh and sorry, if you have the modify button available you should be able to modify, but if not I would suggest taking a cat nap and calling when the phones open.

Thank you!! Yes, I have the modify button available

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Free dining is nice, and I pretty cheap, but next year I'm going to cast off that support and go whole hog. I'm going to toss it aside like an underwire bra with an exposed wire that keeps poking you in the boob. Time for something new.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Thank you!! Yes, I have the modify button available

Just hope it hangs around till Monday morning.

 

[samsteele]

Free dining is nice, and I pretty cheap, but next year I'm going to cast off that support and go whole hog. I'm going to toss it aside like an underwire bra with an exposed wire that keeps poking you in the boob. Time for something new.

You go, sister! Best post since Black's info. I so mean that.

 

[Neeky78]

number crunching today .. If I am able to keep what I have now at CBR - standard room with 8day hoppers then I'll come in under budget by just over $500 (mostly due to the GC we'll be getting for 7 nights). If I have to swap to the pirate room and hopper + it puts me $5 over budget. Then there is staying at ASSP for the same time frame with the free quick which would be about $400 under budget and if we upgrade to the dining plan then I am about $300 under budget.. so for me it hinges on if we can keep what we have already, if not I am heading to Sports and paying out of pocket for all my table meals (which the budget already includes so the $400 over is just spending $$)

How did you work out that getting the Quick Service at ASSP will be $400 under budget but upgrading will be $300? That's only $100 difference for 8 nights of upgraded dining?
Sorry if I'm missing something. Just want to check you've got the right numbers. Remember the dining upgrade of $21 per adult is per day, not per trip.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

You go, sister! Best post since Black's info. I so mean that.

Thanks. I really should have corrected the typos.

 

[anitsa123]

That's ridiculous - its basically an admission that for this particular school district, education isn't about learning, its about obedience.

t th
For our state the schools get paid per student per day so if a student is out they lose money on that student.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

How did you work out that getting the Quick Service at ASSP will be $400 under budget but upgrading will be $300? That's only $100 difference for 8 nights of upgraded dining?
Sorry if I'm missing something. Just want to check you've got the right numbers. Remember the dining upgrade of $21 per adult is per day, not per trip.

I was wondering that too. But then again we don't know how many people are in the room but even if its on that is 169 dollars. But if she is rounding ????

 

[KimBean]

I am super disappointed in this rumor of mods only getting QS dining. I just don't see the value in staying at a mod resort if this holds true. Why would I pay more for something when I can get a better deal for the same offer. I would bet there is going to be huge rush to book values and leave mods, Unfortunately for my family staying at a value requires 2 rooms or a suite and the numbers just don't work out. I guess I need to start crunching some off site prices or maybe Disney is going to finally price me out of a vacation and I will need to look elsewhere.

Yeah I really don't see many people booking FD at mods. Either staying offsite, going down to value to afford the upgrade, or stepping up to a deluxe and getting DDP free.

Or those that already grabbed CBR with gift card.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

t th
For our state the schools get paid per student per day so if a student is out they lose money on that student.

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE. That is wrong on so many levels. its six of one, half a dozen of another. Either get paid for test scores, or get paid for student attendance. My mom worked for the school district when I was a kid and we never had to worry about this, we just had to worry about things passing at the polls and when they didn't pass, the schools withheld things like bus service and lunches and after school sports. Make the parents pick up the slack. Things sure got done and passed the next year.

 

[Aidan's Mommy]

We are planning to go Dec 9-16. We homeschool too!

We are going the same week! We are (hopefully) staying at CBR. We have the GC deal there now..hoping to also get FD.

 

[timtennille22]

Latest rumor on the country I live (SA country), by this Sunday (April 23rd) a major newspaper will show lots of publicity pages about the Disney Free Dining promotion (paid by the major TAs down here). Fingers crossed.
I read most of you are going on November, no one is joining us on September

We will be at CBR September 1-10.

 

[FinnsMom7]

Ok but I really wanted to get my reservation under my Dbf name - when Fd drops if I book a new ressie can I just use him as guest one and contact name for shipping documents under my MDE?? He is linked to my MDE from last year already

 

[Jeaniec]

Hey guys!

I've been stalking the thread, and you amazing people for awhile now! I just wanted to ask a quick question, and hopefully I will be able to have enough time to stick around until FD drops.

If the deal drops again at 4am, and I can't modify my resort at all (it says i need to call), then I still need to wait until 7am? Or do we think the phone lines will open earlier?

Last year I was able to get a great room for a week at POP AND Free Dining in June. So I am just wondering about this year a little bit more since I'm starting earlier than usual.

So glad you are joining us.
If you can not modify online, you may want to consider making a new reservation if your room type/resort are available with FD. You can then cancel your current reservation. The other option is to wait and call at 7 am. The wait can be really long. Some people here have had luck calling the tech folks to get their modify button fixed. I'm not sure why some reservations have a modify button, and some don't. A Disney mystery. But, if you are going to call, do it sooner rather than later. Things will get crazy once FD drops.

 

[kels420]

Oh and sorry, if you have the modify button available you should be able to modify, but if not I would suggest taking a cat nap and calling when the phones open.

I have "change Reservation". Is that the same as modify? Just making sure

 

[Jeaniec]

I have "change Reservation". Is that the same as modify? Just making sure

That's it. You can go ahead and play around with it to see how it works.

 

[KozFam]

Kind of off topic....but we're all here for the food right?!?! Has anyone eaten at T-Rex? Yay or nay? My boys are 4 (next week) and 5.5. It's not too scary is it? Also, they never seem to have availability online but I've heard if you call the restaurant directly they have lots of tables. Any truth to that?

Ate there when daughter was 3.5 and son was 7.5. It is very loud. I wouldn't say scary, but just very loud. It has a few different themed rooms that are fun to walk around and see. Food was average (not amazing, but not bad). Absolutely true that you can call directly and make reservations, that's how I did it. It's not owned by Disney, so they take many reservations just by calling directly. Have fun!

 

[KozFam]

Can I just ask...what is the advantage of using at TA? I see that a lot of people use them and was wondering what the benefit was, since it is quite simple to self book through the website.

I think mostly because some agencies have exclusive deals (discounts) not available to the general public otherwise. And also - some folks don't enjoy the "legwork" of all the details related to Disney vacations and would rather have a TA do it.