Ask MouseMisers
Do you have a Disney related question you just can’t find the answer to? Maybe you are planning your Disney vacation, and you can’t figure out what works best for you? Go ahead and ask MouseMisers. Just fill out the comment box below with your Disney question, and we will get right back to you with an answer.
(Sorry, we had nearly 1,000 answered questions here, but the service we were using changed, and we lost all of them). Oh, and answers are free, so ask as many as you like!
One thing to remember, we are not travel agents. Please do not ask us for prices for your Disney vacation, we will not reply back to you. There is a big, huge Mouseketrips logo on the left hand side of our site that will link you to Mouseketrips, they will be happy to get any kind of prices you want, we won’t.
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{ 152 comments… read them below or add one }
Trying to book Disney world the last week of June’/early July? When will discounts be posted and any idea what they may be based on previous years
If we see deals in the summer, they are usually a % off deal, though honestly, deals rarely repeat from year to year, so that is just a guess. I don’t expect to see new deals for another 4 – 6 weeks.
Information on Disneylands dining plan is limited. Is it similar to Disney World’s dining plan? Is it worth it to buy the dining plan in Disney Land?
Not similar at all. You basically purchase vouchers, that have a dollar amount. You just use the vouchers to pay for meals, and no change it given. Not a money saver or a time saver, very, very few people use it, it just doesn’t ever make sense.
Hi Keith. Do you have a link somewhere or do you know the dates in September for free dining? And also does Disney usually include all resorts when they offer free dining?
Denise – Such a link does not exist. We will not know dates or even if there will be a free dining discount until said discount is released. We are not expecting it to be released until late March or early April.
No, they do not include all resorts. The Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation have been excluded from all deals since they opened, and that should continue for a while. They often exclude French Quarter as well. It just depends on the discounts, how full each resort is, etc.
Hi, How much do the All Star resorts charge for dopping off a bag of laundry at the front desk? Thanks
Katrina – A lot! You are charged per item, and it depends on what you drop off. Shirts and pants are both about $6 each, socks and underwear run about $2 each, pajamas are $6, etc. There should be a price list and a laundry bag in your room when you arrive. There are also really good self serve laundry facilities at the resort you can use too.
Couple more questions as our trip is drawing near………We are staying at Port Orleans Riverside and do not plan on going to any parks the first day as we arrive mid afternoon…..Would you recommend making our way to the monorail and riding it so the kids can look around or is this something we can’t do or shouldn’t spend the time doing????? Also, only ADR I don’t have is for that first night – would you recommend trying to head over to Chef Mickeys (still some openings) or Downtown Disney? If we order pizza as one of our table service meals – do you know is this a timely thing to do or pretty fast and easy? Thanks!
Dawn – Yes, the monorail is a great option, make sure you ride the Epcot line too. It doesn’t require a ticket, and is a great way to start your trip if you aren’t going in the parks.
I would say Chef Mickey’s, if you can get in. It is a fun restaurant, pretty decent food. There are options in DTD too, I really like Raglan Road, very loud, great food, but no Disney characters of course. I know the pizza is a bit slow, and honestly, not all that good. Sounds like you have the time, definitely worth going somewhere. Consider Kona Cafe or The Wave too, great food and on the monorail.
Also, if we did decide to make our way over to Chef Mickey’s for dinner the first night….how much time should we allow from leaving Port Orleans Riverside to get there in a “safe” time frame? Thank you!
Dawn – Well, bus to Magic Kingdom, then walk or ride the monorail over. I would say an hour, and that should give you time to take the monorail around once or twice. Maybe make it 90 minutes, that should give you time to do the Epcot line too, and you can always show up a bit early to your dinner time.
Did you hear that Disney Dining in 2014 is going to change to a select menu. You wont be able to order what you want. I didnt but somoone told me . They saw it somewhere.
Margie – Nope. Well, we have heard versions of this rumor for years, but it has never come to pass. If a change like this is made, we wouldn’t find out for sure until 2014 packages are announced, which would be sometime later this Summer.
I am just not sure how they would ever do this. Many parties only partially pay with dining plan credits, and those with the dining plan don’t use credits each meal. They have simplified menus the past few years, I can see them continuing that rather than an entire separate menu.
We are planning a trip the second week in September 2013. I can see that they currently have specials (30% off) for the spring months. Is it common to see the same kinds of deals come out for the fall later in the year? Would we be better off waiting to get a better price? Thanks!
Carla – September is typically the cheapest month to travel, it is value season, and we usually see the best discounts of the year released for that month.
No need to wait, you can apply any new discounts to your existing reservations. Consider using a Disney Travel agent, they will apply the deals for you and make sure you get the best deal possible.
Any word if Splash Mountain might be opening sooner than March 20th?
Katrina – No news yet. Disney is usually very conservative with their reopening dates, it is pretty common for rides to open a week or two earlier than expected. I am there the week before it is supposed to open, so I am hoping to see it open early too.
We will be there Mar 3-8th. Really hoping it’s open then! Thanks
Hello, can you please tell me if WDW is offering free dining for last week in August2013? Thanks very much!
Holly – At this time, there are no discounts available for August, nor is free dining being offered at any time. We are fully expecting to see free dining for September and possibly part of August, though until the discount is actually released, we won’t know for sure if we will see it at all, or what the dates may be. I don’t expect to see it for another month or so.
Wow, what a quick response! I am totally shocked at your speed! Thx so very much!
We are going to the Disney Museum (San Francisco) on Thursday, Feb 21 for my husband’s birthday. Are there any promos or discount codes that I can apply?
Jane – Sorry, probably not much help as we only handle the theme park discounts. The only discount I am personally aware of is a AAA discount, which is $5 per person.
Love the museum though, you will have a blast!
Thank you.
We were looking to go down the week of 6/24. I was curious how crowded is it going to be. Also what would be the best place to stay for the money.
Nancy – Crowded! It is summer at Disney after all. According to TouringPlans crowd calendar, you are looking at 8s and 9s (out of 10), so expect it to be pretty crowded.
I guess it depends on how much money you have to spend. Personally, I think the moderate resorts are the best “deal”, you get super nice rooms, nice pool, very quiet grounds and a pretty decent location. If you have more money to spend, the Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club are great “values” for what you get.
Hi, Kind of an off base question but I am trying to find out which character were part of the original Playhouse Disney Live show at Hollywood Studios. Is there a way to find a list of the changing cast anywhere? Thanks
Katrina – Definitely off base. It opened in 2001 with Bear, Tutter, Treelo, Pip and Pop, and Ojo. I remember that from time to time it had characters from the Book of Pooh and other Playhouse Disney shows.
Not sure there is a list anywhere, sorry!
Thanks
We are staying in the Little Mermaid rooms the first week of Oct…would we have a chance of getting any kind of discount? I know they haven’t given any out so far for people staying there.
Genevieve – Not very likely at all. Ever since the Little Mermaid rooms opened up, they have been excluded from every discount released. As long as they remain popular, and are booking up, I don’t see Disney including them in discounts. Once we start seeing them included in deals, then it will be much more likely to see them included from that point forward.
We have made our reservations at Disney’s Caribbean Resort for the week of Thanksgiving. I remember being there years ago during this time. This year we took
the meal plan. How would that work on Thanksgiving? If I remember correctly, there
were quite a few places that offered a “Special” Thanksgiving dinner. Where could we
make our Thanksgiving special and at what cost???
Mickey – Most restaurants offer their regular menus, and a few Thanksgiving specific options. In cases like that, the dining plans works just like it normally does. Some restaurants (it seems to change), offer a alternative menu, but they make concessions for the dining plan. Basically, just make your reservations as you normally would, and assume the dining plan will cover you.
Hello, I was just looking at the concept art for the Main Street Bakery. Is it already closed for the remodel?
Katrina – Yes, the Main Street Bakery in the Magic Kingdom closed in January, and will reopen sometime this Summer, no opening date has been given.
Where can I get one of those Dole Whip’s with rum at EPCOT? Do they have them without rum?
Lionel – There is a food booth between the entrance to the World Showcase and Canada called Pineapple Promenade. They sell the rum version, basically the ice cream with some rum on the bottom as well as the regular Dole Whip there.
This is a special booth that will only be there during the Flower and Garden festival this year.
I’ve seen on some message boards that people are saying the week of Oct 12-19 will be blocked out from discounts. Do you think that is true? I’m not counting on free dining during that week, but was really hoping for 25-30% off room discounts.
Amanda – Really, really hard to say right now. For 2012, they offered free dining for the following dates:
September 30 – October 4, 2012
October 19 – November 1, 2012
They also offered a room only discount for similar dates, with the black out dates also receiving a discount, but a lesser one (20% vs 25%). We really just won’t know what is going on until we actually see the discounts this Summer. I would be surprised to see free dining for Fall dates, and I think it is more likely we will see some other sort of discount that covers most of the dates.
To say that that week will be blacked out, at this point, is just a flat out guess, obviously ignoring 2012 discounts.
You mention only the last day of September for free dining. In he past we have gotten free dining in the middle if September.
Denise – The dates above were only the dates in October that were offered, as she asked about October. That was also for the Fall free dining, not for the regular Free dining that normally covers late August – September. We are fully expecting the September free dining again this year.
I truly apologize, as I am sure this question has probably been asked a thousand times.
I usually book our trip early so we can make payments on it. I want to know if Disney does the PIN related free dining only, do you think I will exclude myself from receiving one if I already have the trip booked? We’re planning on going September 21-28th and I know in the years past, that’s pretty much smack dab in the middle of free dining. I am in limbo afraid that they won’t release it to everyone and if I book too early, I’ll exclude myself from the free dining PIN. I’m making sure to check out dates and log in on the WDW site to obtain a PIN (it worked before for me when I was considering going in February). What would you recommend – go ahead and book it and gamble that they’ll offer free dining to all, wait until they actually release free dining offer, which lately has been later and later, or book it and hope it won’t exclude me from receiving a PIN? Thank you!
Laura – Actually a good question. We have found that having an existing reservation doesn’t seem to hinder receiving PIN codes for your travel dates, we know people that this happens to every year.
I would be very surprised if we don’t see free dining at some point soon for September. They have had it every year so far, and until they stop one year, we will keep expecting it. FYI, for 2011 and 2010, free dining was not released until late April, only 2012 was super early. We usually don’t expect to see it until first week of April.
Thank you! I’ll go ahead and book it then! This girl is incredibly excited!
I’m planning our family’s first Disney trip in October (though I wish I could do it in September!). I am just reading through these questions and answers and came to this one. I don’t understand what Laura means by “hope it won’t exclude me from receiving a PIN”. I have already booked our hotel, dining plan and park tickets through Disney. If they do decide to offer free dining, what will I have to do to get it? I’ve been obsessively checking for free dining updates!
Sonja – Disney uses two different kind of discounts, general public ones that anyone can use as long as they fit your dates, you live in a certain area, are a passholder or whatever requirements they have one them.
The second are PIN code offers that Disney mails or emails out to you directly. They usually use PIN codes when they only want to book up a few rooms at a discount, not a whole bunch.
Most likely, there will be a few October general discounts. We will announce anything new here and on our facebook page. Once released, you will have to call Disney or your travel agent, and have them apply the discount for you.
You can take a break, it is likely we will not see October discounts until sometime this Summer. Last year, they were released in July, I would expect something similar this year.
Hello Keith,
Thanks for all of your very helpful insights. I have a question, if you book a Disney trip on one of the Disney locations and susequently they offer a better deal (say free dining) can you get that deal or are you out of luck? How does it work? Many thanks!
Kevin – Most of the time, yes. I always suggest to book early, no real reason to wait. When a deal comes out, it can be applied to your reseration, as long as there is availability and it covers your dates, etc.
If you book directly with Disney, you will have to watch for deals and call back to get it applied, they will not do it automatically for you. If you book through a decent Disney specialist travel agent, they will take care of any deals that come along for you, and get them applied once released.
Hi All,
We are staying at a non disney resort in Oct 2013. The only thing left for me to buy for the trip is the park tickets and I was hoping to get a meal plan. Are there any deals that include both for people that arent staying at a Disney hotel. Or if I could buy each separate somewhere to save more money that would be great. ANY IDEAS?
Nick – the Disney dining plans are only available to those staying at a Disney hotel, and who purchase a package that includes their hotel, park passes and the dining plans. There is not a way to purchase them separately.
Hi,
Sorry if this question has been asked already. I’m trying to hold out on booking my trip until some late August specials are released. Can I book some ADRs now and prepay and then apply my dining plan after I book my package? Or will I still have to pay for the ones I booked. I want to do a character meal on my daughter’s birthday.
Tressa – A few things:
1. Book your reservation now, with the dining plan on there. That will solve all your problems. You can always cancel, move dates or apply any discounts that come out. No real reason to wait.
2. Most character meals do not require payment in advance. They all require a credit card guarantee, but they do not charge you now, and that is required if you have the dining plan or not.
3. If you book something now that requires payment in full, you can just pay for your meal with your dining plan credits when you eat, and they will refund you at that time.
Best of luck!
Thanks! I see now that I’ve booked that I can apply my dining plan to the pay in advance dinner shows. Although I can’t book Mickey’s BBQ. Maybe I’m too early or it’s not running during the time I’m there.
Thanks! I’ll go ahead and make my ADRs. It was a character dinner that I had to pay in full for. I’m holding off on booking my trip since we may upgrade to a higher category resort if there is a good enough special available.
Tressa – You can always change your resort later on once deals come out, it doesn’t effect your reservation, dining reservations or anything else.
Hi staff at Mousemisers,
We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children ages 5 & 7). We are visiting Disneyland from July 20 to 26, 2013. We require accommodation and tickets. Do you have any specials at this time please?
Regards,
Shayne
Shayne – I am unaware of any Summer deals, at least at the Disneyland hotels. We just barely saw Late Spring deals last week. If we see Summer discounts, they may not be released for a while.
However, many of the non-Disney hotels do run specials from time to time, there are just so many, we don’t keep track of them.
Thankyou Keith – can you suggest some good non-Disney hotels close to Disneyland to stay for 6 nights for our family please?
We are from Australia and are thinking of going to Disneyland for 5 days. Based on your experience do you think that is too many days and what do you think would be the best value Disneyland tickets for us please Keith?
Shayne – I love the Disneyland Hotel if you can swing it, I think it is worth it. If you want to stay off-site, the Candy Cane Inn is very nice. I also like the Anahiem Fairfield Inn and the HoJo. If you want more of a suite hotel, you will have to go a bit away from the parks, but both the Embassy Suites South and the Marriott Suites are nice.
5 day is plenty to see everything. During the Summer, it gets quite crowded, so 5 days is probably about right to give you enough time to see the two parks and not miss anything and not feel rushed.
For the tickets there are no such things as values. Just buy your tickets at the gate, or in a package with your hotel. There are “resellers”, but the risk is just way too high for the reward. You might save a few dollars, but it is more likely you will just lose all your money.
Could you explain exactly what a “Key to the World” is? I have a vague idea…it takes the place of a credit card? Is it safe?
Sonja – Your Key to the World card is your room key, park pass and a charge card. You basically charge on it, and it gets charged to your room. You get a statement before you leave, or anytime you ask for one. I guess it is as safe as a normal credit card, if lost, you just need to tell your hotel and they will deactivate it.
Disney World is doing away with these, and going to an RFD based wrist band at some point this year, no idea what it will be called, but will serve the same functions.
I read in an earlier post that Port Orleans French Quarter is sometimes excluded from the deals. We are currently booked there for September 6th-13th, 2013. Can you tell me if the free dining deal applied there in 2012?
Thank You!
Courtney – Correct, the last few discounts, Disney has been excluding French Quarter. The Free Dining offer for September 2012 included French Quarter.
Hi Keith–the last 2 years we have stayed at POR in lodge 14 in a preferred room. We are a family of 5 and need to stay in Alligator Bayou. We are going the end of Aug (hoping for FREE dinig again). Trying to decide if we should spend the extra $100 and book a preferred room or book garden room and request lodge 38…the distance from 14-38 is what Im contemplating…is there a real big walikng distance between the two?
Thanks! Michelle
Michelle – We stayed right by 38 last week, it is a pretty decent walk, maybe a few minutes. If walking isn’t a big deal for you, it won’t be a problem. For us, we only went to the main building maybe once per day, but we were super close to the North bus stop, which was nice.
Planning trip to DisneyWorld in September 2013. I know that the park starts closing early. How are crowds Labor Day weekend? .I know for a few days in September the parks stay open longer. Want to see fireworks and a parade. What to do after the park closes so early? If we eat dinner in a park do you have to eat before park closes?. Don’t want to eat so early. How long do buses run after park closes.
Labor Day is a bit crowded, not horrible, but quite a bit more crowded than the rest of September. While the parks do close earlier, I found it really isn’t a big deal. The crowds are so low you are doing something all day long, so by the time they close, you are ready to head back to the hotel. Epcot is always open until 9, looks like Magic Kingdom is open until 10 most nights.
Typically they take dining reservations up until the park closes, you don’t need to finish by park closing. The buses usually run an hour or two after park closing, but they will make sure you have a ride home if you are still in the park.
Thanks…ended up booking a preferred room in lodge 14, corner window, 1st floor..
Does POR guarantee room requests? We tried to do that at The Caribbean Resort with no luck. Actually got a really bad location, furthest from everything.
Katrina – They do not, for the most part. The moderate resorts do have preferred location rooms, so if you book and pay for that, then they guaranteed you will be in a certain section. You can request a building/location, but nothing is guaranteed at all.
Hi Keith,
My family and my sister’s family have a trip booked for October 5-12….hoping for Free Dining. I have been hearing scary rumors that Disney is doing away with Free Dining and won’t offer it this year.Or if they do, it will onlybe for August and September. Have you heard this?
Lesli – Just rumors, no one has any idea. I actually thought they weren’t going to offer Fall free dining last year, it was a bit of a surprise for me that they did, I was totally wrong. I do feel the same way this year, I doubt we will see it, but that is just a guess. Crowds are way up, and therefore, discounts will be way down.
If we see free dining for August/September, which I think we will, it should be sometime in April. Fall discounts won’t be released until sometime in July most likely, and a lot can change between now and then.
Hi Keith-
I (as are many) am anxiously awaiting the possible Free Dining for sometime in the Fall. Question – I’ve heard Disney only announces one deal at a time. WIth this new Summer Discount coming that has to be booked by June 14th – does that mean any Fall Free Dining Discounts wouldn’t be announced before the 6/14 date?
Eric – Typically, yes, they only like to have one discount at a time that they can advertise and focus on. However, there have been times when there have been 2 – 3 different discounts out at one time, so not unprecedented. For August/September free dining, if we see it, it will be long before June. For later in the Fall, that is historically not announced until July, so there isn’t any conflict there.
I am anxiously awaiting the park hours for October 9-15. Everyday I check and only one more day is shown than the day before. Is it typical for them to release park hours only one day at a time? Or can I expect a sudden release of the entire month of October? Also, fingers crossed for free dining during October! :/
Sonja – In the past, they released one month at a time, but lately, they have been adding a day or two every day or two to the website. They are released by a month at a time elsewhere, you can download them here:
http://mousemisers.com/images/october.pdf
Don’t expect to see October discounts for some time, you can uncross your fingers for a while.
Thanks for the quick reply! How do you get the hours when Disney hasn’t even released them on their site yet? Also, 180 days before my vaca, I can call and make reservations at the restaurants. Does this mean I can only make reservations for the one day that’s 180 days out? Or can I make them all for my whole trip, even though some days will be more than 180 days away?
Sonya – They are released, but for some reason, they just don’t put them on the WDW site as quickly as they used to.
If you are staying at a Disney hotel, you can book all your reservations 180 days in advance of the day you are checking in, as long as you aren’t staying more than 10 nights, you can only book those 10 days first, you would have to call back each following day to book that date. If you are staying off site, you can call 180 days in advance, but 180 days in advance of the day you are dining, so you would have to call back each day to do a new day’s reservation.
ANOTHER QUESTION!
We want to dine at Sanaa (located at AK Villas-Kidani Village) on the same day we go to AK. However, looking at the map, it looks like it’s quite a distance from the AK park. Time-wise, how long should we give ourselves to get from AK to Sanaa? Also, we aren’t buying the park hopper pass…only the base tickets. We should be fine going to the AK Villas, right? And how on earth do we get there?? Bus? Lots of questions, I know, but I want to have it figured out before my 180 day window, which is next Friday! YAY!
Sonja – Ate at Sanaa a few weeks ago, absolutely fabulous, one of my new favorites at Disney.
Not walkable, it is about a 10 minute ride from Animal Kingdom. Probably closer to 5, not too far. I would leave yourself at least 20 just in case, you may have a few extra minutes to walk out and see the savanna.Take the AKL bus, it will stop at the villas first, then heads back to the Lodge.
We are planning a trip to Disney Oct. 3-9 this year. 5 adults and 1 child and 2 infants. We have not booked yet waiting for the possibility of Free Dining. Everything I am reading says go ahead and book and if available they would apply it. I am so scared of doing this for fear that I would miss out on the offer because I pre-booked. We are looking at the Art of Animation, question would be, does it matter what category resort you stay in to be eligible for the free dining?
Beverly – New discounts can be applied to existing reservations, there aren’t any special restrictions or penalties. You are best off to book now and start planning. Please note if you book directly with Disney, they will not apply it for you, you must call back and specifically ask them to do so. If you book with a decent Disney Travel specialist like Mouseketrips, they will take care of you and apply it for you.
Just an FYI, the Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation have been excluded from all discounts in the past, and it appears they will be excluded for some time.
In the past, the value resorts, including the family suites, have been given the Quick Service dining plan for free. The moderates and above have been given the Disney Dining plan for free. You can upgrade by paying the difference if you wish. If we see Fall free dining, I would assume it will be this way, but no idea until we actually see the discount.
I was just wondering, and not sure if you know the answer…does housekeeping clean the room (family suite) every day in All-Star Music? Or is it a must call basis? Just wondering so we can budget for Mousekeeping tips.
Thanks
Sonja – Yes. The only rooms at Disney not cleaned on a daily basis are the Villas, if you are a DVC member and are paying with your DVC points. All other rooms have daily mousekeeping.
Hi again.
Trip is booked and finalizing dining reservations. My kids want to eat at Tony’s Town Tavern one night and then see the parade and fireworks afterwards. I don’t want to risk not being able to get a table on the porch during the parade and would rather have dinner and then find a spot outside. What time should I book my dining reservation for (parade is a 9 pm) to give us enough time to catch the parade? Can I see the fireworks from the street in front of Tony’s?
Tressa – Tony’s Town Square has very few tables outside, and honestly, you may be waiting forever to sit out there. The view of the parade would be ok, but you would be sitting about 2 feet higher than others are standing, so probably not all that great.
I would think if you are in by 7, you would be out by 8:30 at the latest, plenty of time to get a great seat for the parades. Oh, yes, the parade goes right in front of Tony’s.
I’m here again to ask another question
Last year, Columbus Day week was not as good as the rest of the weeks in Oct for room off discounts.(25% off deluxe rooms, instead of 30% I think). Do you think the same will be done this year? We will arrive the day before Columbus Day and will be there through the week. Was hoping to get Animal Kingdom Lodge at 30% off.
Amanda – The last two years, Disney has followed the same schedule, for the most part. However, that was with free dining, and I have no idea if we will see it again this year. If we do not, and just see discount, it is more likely to be uniform throughout the month. Honestly, it is just a guess now, we won’t know until we actually see the deals this Summer.
What are your thoughts on being a Florida resident and getting the annual pass? It seems like once you do all other deals, mostly free dining, are out the window. I get that you get a great deal if you go a lot but I like the idea of a nice long week there. The 3 day special tickets can’t be used together either. So conflicted as to what to do when we move there next year.
Thanks, Katrina
Katrina – There isn’t a correct answer. You really just have to sit down and do the math to see what works best for you. I know plenty of FL residents and annual passholders who still do free dining. They just purchase the package with the minimum tickets required, and save the tickets and use them towards the cost of their renewal. But again, you have to do the math to see if it works for you or not.
I wasn’t aware you could save the tickets to put towards renewal. That helps a lot thanks. Even now with the no expiration option discontinued?
Katrina – The Expiration only starts if you start to use the days. Tickets are good forever if you haven’t started using them.
We are trying to decide which month to go to disney world this year; september or october? Which month would you recommend? What is the least crowded month of the year? Also, do u think free dining will be offered in october? Thanks for your help
Annie – September is going to be less crowded and less expensive, but definitely more hot and humid too. I would think it is still like we will see free dining in September, much less likely to see it in October.
We have 5 adults, a four year old and 2 infants wanting to stay in just one suite at Art of Animation. As I understand it, they will allow 6 and 1 infant in a pack and play. There is not additional charge for the infants so what would happen if we booked the one suite and had the extra infant? Don’t feel like I am trying to cheat them because there is no charge anyway and I am sure this happens to families all the time anyway. Your thoughts?
Beverly – Not going to happen. The family suites will sleep 6. They allow one infant which will not count towards the 6, so you can technically have 6 plus an infant. They will count your second infant though, so you have 7 plus an infant, which is too many to put into the family suite, not to mention 5 adults in a family suite is really 3 too many, it really isn’t made for more than 2 adults.
I have known plenty of people who show up with extra people, and Disney has made them book an extra room. I would look at doing 2 rooms at a value hotel, it is going to be cheaper, and you will have more room/beds.
Keith… thanks, so you think I would have more room if we got 2 adjoining rooms at like the Little Mermaid at Art of Animation? You refer to “plenty of people” showing up with extra “people” and having to get an extra room, we are actually talking about an extra “infant” here, and you also say the suites are not recommended for more than 2 adults, I thought that was the purpose of a suite in most cases when you had maybe 2 couples and 2 kids. In looking at their rooms, does not seem to be much “moving around” room in any of the rooms in the “value” category.
Beverly – I have known quite a few people who “forgot” to list infants on the reservation and were forced to pay full price for a second room. The suites are really designed for a family of 2 adults and 4 kids, or thereabouts. The beds in the front room are not super friendly for adults. The Villas work well for multiple families sharing one room.
If you get two rooms, the square footage is going to be the same as if you do a family suite, but you will get four dedicated beds rather than one dedicated bed and some fold out ones. Granted you don’t get the sitting area/kitchenette, but the two rooms would fit all of you and again, quite a bit cheaper.
Can adult children who still are eligible for military benefits because there dad is retired military buy discount disney tickets
Denise – Usually only the military member or spouse can purchase tickets. I would contact Shades of Green though, they will know for sure.
http://www.shadesofgreen.org/
Do you know where I can get military discount Dianey World tickets in Michigan?
Denise – The only place to purchase them is at WDW or “on base” from your purchasing department.
Thanks Keith, would you say that the rooms @ Port Orleans Riverside would be bigger than in Art of Animation or All Star Music and would Port Orleans be suitable for little ones?
Beverly – The rooms at moderate resorts are bigger and have queen beds instead of double size beds. Yes, the moderates are still very suitable for little kids, great pools, nice rooms. They are much better for adults.
Looking at last years discounts free dining did not start until September 30th. We were okay because our trip was booked mid November. This worries me because we are booked mid September this year. I know you are not a magician and can’t pull tricks out of a hat, but any thoughts?
Mark – We have seen free dining in September every year since Disney introduced the dining plans, and we are still expecting to see it for 2013. The last few years, Free Dining has been released in two waves, one for August/September and a second wave for October – December.
http://mousemisers.com/2012/2012-free-disney-dining/
Keith,
My daughter just told me that Disney World is not offering the free dinning this year. Is this true? We are planning a trip for late Nov. thru. early Dec. That would be very disappointing if true.
Thanks, Carol
Carol – It has not been offered yet, but that does not mean it will not be offered. We are still in the timeframe when Disney has historically released free dining for September, so we are just waiting at this point to see what Disney does. For October – December, don’t expect to see discounts until July or August.
Hi Keith! I’m in the process of planning our 2nd trip to Disney World. For our first family vacation, we visited Disney over the Christmas Holidays. Next time around we’d like to visit Disney when the crowds are not as crazy! I’m sure Disney is always busy, but if you had to pick a time between February-August for a Disney vacation, what month would you choose & why?? Thanks!
Jill – Personally, I would go in late February. There is a window in late February/early March where prices drop back down to regular season instead of peak season. The weather is usually very nice and crowds are pretty low. Just about any other time is going to be more busy. If you can in January, it will be cheaper and less crowded, but you might get bad weather too.
Also, late August isn’t bad, cheap and low crowds, but it is HOT and HUMID.
Keith you mentioned the 2 times of year I have been. Late August 4 times and once it was very hot, too hot for my then 4 year old and last year too rainy. Otherwise a pretty good time. We just went this past first week of March and it was almost too chilly. I kept wearing shorts but in the a.m. I was cold. Way less crowds and the Garden Festival was nice to experience. (although we did this trip without the kids so maybe it was a tad more relaxing)
We are checking in at All Star Sports on Oct. 9th. I know last year and in years past they have offered free dining during the 1st parts of October, skipped the middle part, and offered it again during the last parts of October. Any thoughts on how likely we may be to have it offered on the 9th?
Annie – Here are the dates for 2012 free dining around 10/9:
September 30 – October 4, 2012
October 19 – November 1, 2012
If we see free dining in October, and that is a big if at this point, the date will likely be simliar to 2012, so I would say at this point, very unlikely we will see free dining for your dates. However, nothing is set in stone until we actually see discounts released, so you never know.
There is a Thread out talking about Disney World announcing Free Dining for September next week. Have you heard anything about this?
Katrina – We do not comment or post rumors, sorry. I have seen probably 100 rumors this Spring about free dining, all claiming to be “true”. When a discount is released, we will post the correct information here.
I wouldn’t expect to you want to post rumored dates or discounts. I just thought maybe they had finally decided to release dates and you were as excited as everyone else that has been waiting.
Katrina – Unfortunately, until Disney actually releases the discount, no one knows for sure what they have decided to do.
Disney visa cardholder and last year we got a day ahead on free dining for September can I be notified again. Seeing on the web that it look like it will be at least be offered 3 weeks in September. Any word yet.
Brenda – For the last year or so, for every major discount, Disney World has released the discount to Disney VISA cardholders first, and given them 3 – 4 days advance period to book before it is released to the public. We expect hem to do that again once September discounts are released. Once released, we will post all info here.
Any “news” that you read on the internet at this point is just a guess. Even if it is an educated guess with inside information, Disney is known to change discounts at the last minute just to make sure that the leaked information ends up being wrong. We are expecting to see September discounts soon, probably in the next few days, but again, just a guess, I have no inside information.
What is the secret to getting a discount on campsites at Fort Wilderness?
Lesley – In 10+ years, I have never seen one of the discounts include the campgrounds. Some dates are available for a AAA discount, but other than that, you just pay full price and have a great vacation.
Thanks Keith, it helps to be validated! We did sign up for AAA and are saving $160 on our upcoming trip.
Hi! I’m hearing a lot about Disney visa card holders getting perks like discounted hotel rates etc. Does this include the Disney visa debit card or only the credit card? Thanks!
Moriah – Yes, if you have a Disney debit card from Chase, you should qualify. Disney pushes the credit card of course, so that is all they ever mention in the discounts.
Just wanted to let you all know that the coveted “Pins” are on their way……………. I received mine today for Free Dining for select dates through November…………
Kelly – Yep, been talking about it all afternoon on our facebook page, just haven’t had a chance to write up an article here (will be doing it shortly).
https://www.facebook.com/mousemisers
I’m safe this year with September dining but how does one get a pin?
Hello Keith,
I hope all is well and appreciate all the advice you have given. Not really a question, more comment and seeking your feedback. The Disney vacation online system has changed. Been using it for the last 5-6 years and it was exceptional in my opinion. Now the site is extremely slow and a lot less intuitive. Is it just me?
Kevin – I agree, somewhat. For the most part, yes, a set back from what was available before. However, it is kind of a work in progress, and they are moving towards a more complete start to finish system. Once the rest of the additions are in place, I think it will be an improvement. However, I don’t have a lot of faith in Disney IT, so I guess we will see what actually happens.
Hello! Just wondering if you know about when the dining plans are announced for the following year? We are booked for January!
Thanks!
Colby – WDW usually announces packages for the following year sometime around July. We have seen it as late as early August, but usually sometime in July. We keep hoping we will see them earlier, in June, maybe this year.
If you are booked already for 2014, you are going to have to cancel and rebook as you currently have a room only reservation, and to add dining, you have to book a package. Just beware, so when you call to change, you will cancel, get a refund and start over.
I’m currently booked under the Marathon Weekend Package. So it is the Magic Your Way with tickets, just no dining. Its only available for about two weeks in January. Thanks for the info Keith!
Hello where can I find good deals for disney park and hotels thank u
Carolina – All current Disney discount are listed here up in the top left hand corner.
When do you think we will see room deals become available for October dates?
Amanda – We don’t expect Fall discounts to be released until sometime in July, based on historical release dates. Could be earlier, likely to be later.
I’m trying to go to see my favorite group at Eat To The Beat at Epcot in October, and I’m noticing that even the PINs, which I have yet to receive (probably won’t, with my luck anyway) have blacked out the dates between 10/3 and 10/17. Naturally, my trip dates are the 10th til the 17th.
So what I’m wondering is, are there ANY discounts at all typically offered during that time, or am I looking at paying full price for my trip?
Katie – Last year, they offered Free Dining for limited dates, and then a second room only discount (also used on packages) for all dates. The “blacked out” dates were discounted less, but were discounted. If the Free Dining is not extended to everyone, I expect to see something similar this Fall, plus a package deal for select dates.
http://www.mousemisers.com/2012/2012-fall-disney-world-savings/
Thank you!! That’s helpful! I’ll be happy with any discount at all.
Hi Keith.
I was wondering if in the past Disney has given any discounts around Thanksgiving? We are going 11/22-12/2. Also, any tips for a family not chosing a dining plan?
Thanks,
Michelle
Michelle – Yes. There are usually a few days around Thanksgiving that are blacked out, but most of your dates should qualify for a discount. We are unsure what discount(s) we will see for Fall this year, but you should be ok.
The dining plan is simply a way to pay, you don’t get any special access. Just plan your meals and enjoy yourself.
Hi…If my dates booked for Disney World are 8/27 thru 9/3, are all my dates covered by the free dining offer that starts 9/2 thru 9/25?
Sheree – With free dining and most package discounts, the only date that matter is the day you check in. You MUST check in on an available date, nothing else matters. So, you must check in between September 2 – 25, or you get nothing.
I have a few questions. I am coming June22-30th 2013 wth my son’s baseball team for a tournament at Disney’s WW of Sports Complex. Most of the team is staying off site. Will they be able to take advantage of ANY Disney offerings, such as the transportation or the dining plan? Some of us are staying at the All Star Resort.
Also, others that have went to this tournaent before say is is reccomended to rent a car, beacuse it is lenghty and dificult to get to WWOSC early in the morning. any advice about traveling with a team, or about the Wide World of Sports ompx would be helpful.
Thank You
Bonnie
1. The only way to do a Disney Dining plan is if you purchase a package that includes your hotel room, park passes and the dining plan. The dining plans are not available for separate purchase. So, off-site can never use the dining plans. For those staying on site, they can if their package includes it, you can’t purchase them any other way.
Anyone can use the Disney transportation, they don’t ask for ID or anything.
2. Staying off-site, they MUST have a car, I can’t imagine how they are going to get anywhere without one. For those at All-Star Sports, a car might be helpful. There is internal transportation, but if you need to be at a certain place at a certain time, I wouldn’t rely on the Disney buses.
We are staying at Beach Club 10/6-10/12. My free dining pin does not include theses dates but was hoping for a room discount at least. I am noticing the hotel is pretty much sold out for these dates – assuming because of Food and Wine Festival. Do you think they will still offer a room discount if the hotel is sold out??
Thanks!
Julie – Discounts are always hard to predict. However, if a hotel is sold out for your travel dates before a discount is released, it is very likely that there will not be any availability once the discount is released, even if you have a room already. It is hard to say though, you really just have to wait for a discount and see what happens. Best of luck!
Do you know when they might open up the dates to book the candlelight packages at EPCOT?
Gary -For 2012, they were released June 26, so I would expect similar timing this year, so probably a few more weeks.
My husband received a pin code in the mail for free dinning. It shows our address, but if I decide to go and not him, am I able to use the pin code? Is it a family(address) code or he has to be with me to use it? Thanks
Peggy – Technically, the person receiving the PIN offer must travel. However, they are usually a bit lenient when it comes to spouses. I would suggest you call Disney or your Travel agent, and have them check for you. I don’t think it should be a big deal. Worse case, book a trip with your husband included and call back and take him off.