Free Disney Dining 2008?

Is this only for Disneyworld? I am planning to go to Disneyland.. This is my first time there so I’m not sure what it applies to. thanks!

Keith

Krissy

Yes, this discount has been historically for just Walt Disney World. Disneyland has never, and most likely will never have free dining, as their dining programs are much different than at WDW.

KATHARINE

What is the mininum days of stay to get this free dining ?

Keith

Katherine

Historically, the minimum stay has been three nights for any WDW package discount, and that should be the same this time around. You must also have at least a one day park pass on the package to qualify.

KATHARINE

thks.

Pixie Dust

We booked the bounceback last Sept with regular dining. We then decided to do deluxe dining, and called to see if I could just pay the difference between regular and deluxe….CM said no, needs to be a special code for deluxe, which there wasn’t. But I’m stubborn and kept calling (I need to call them every day for clients anyway) and finally got a GREAT CM (wish I had written his name down) and changed my file over to deluxe. I just paid the differential between the basic dining and deluxe. So if you want deluxe, deal with a Disney Specialist agent who can keep calling until they get a CM who knows how to do it, or is willing to dig….or keep calling Disney yourself. It can be done!!!

Terry

I hope those dates are going to be accurate. The first year we went we were able to get the dining plan during the food and wine festival, which just makes Epcot so much fun. It looks like they have shrunk back the dates each year since then. Howevere it looks like if the above dates are true, then it will overlap for the first 2 days of the Food&Wine. So my question is, since a plan I am formulating is to overlap the free dining with the 2 days it looks available during the Food and wine. let’s say I planned a 7 night vaca, with 5 of it being on the meal plan, 23rd through the 29th. I imagine I will only get the free dining until the 27th, (since I read they are compartmentalizing each day now instead of in the past where you could get the same rate on your first day, locked in for your whole stay, same I miagine with dining plan?) If I get the 5 free days worth of meal tickets, do I have to use them all before the 28th? Or since I will have them could I use them any day? Not sure if the free ones would exprire when the offer does.

Keith

Terry

While Disney has changed the pricing based on the nightly cost of the room, they have not done that with the discounts, so as long as you check in by the last day it is offered, you will get the discount for your entire stay. Since the dining plan is based on the number of nights you stay, there is no way for Disney to break up the dining plan, and only give it to you for a portion of your stay. If you are staying 7 nights, you will get 7 nights worth of dining plan. Please do not let the end date of the promotion make any difference in your planning, as long as you check in on that date or before, you will be fine for your entire stay.

Terry

perfect! ;] Thanks Keith.

Jennifer

Would it be fair to say (just to clarify) that you are speculating on the promo dates? NO ONE that we are aware of knows the dates for sure. The ones that you are posting are the bounceback free dining dates that were offered to visitors last Septmeber. Due to your posted dates, there has been a “ripple effect” across the internet. Yet no one but you have posted promo dates?

Not to mention, Disney instituted a policy late last year that prevents anyone from extending a promo past the end date. While they may handle free dining differently, there is no reason to assume that they will.

I am not trying to stir up trouble – just clarify any info you may be posting.

Jennifer

Just wanted to add to my above post – I am very sorry if it came across as harsh. I was affiliated with a large (think worldwide) travel agency for many years, and have heard “but I read it on the internet, it must be true” so many times when it comes to things like this. I’m just trying to make sure no one is disappointed in the end if things turn out differently than they thought they would. 🙂

Keith

Jennifer

I tried to be pretty clear in the post that the dates are unknown, and the promotion dates were an educated guess on my part. I do not know what dates will be covered.

Some clarification as to how I came to my dates may be in order.

In 2006, there were two offers made for free dining in 2007, for UK residents and the bouceback offer. Those dates covered were 8/5 – 9/29 and 8/12 – 9/29. The free dining dates for the general public ended up being 8/26 – 9/22, substantially shorter than what had been offered for the other two groups months before.

In 2007, two similar offers were made, covering the following dates:

UK Resident Free dining: August 10 – September 27, 2008
Bounceback offer for WDW guests: August 30 – September 27, 2008

Based on those dates, and historical evidence, it is very unlikely that Disney will make the general public offer for dates outside of what was offered before, and most likely, the dates will be shorter than what was offered to the other groups. The assumed offering dates of August 30- September 27 are based on what happened last year. Again, this is just speculation, nothing is known at this time on promotion dates, and in fact, we are not even sure if it is free dining or not.

Last year I was able to secure proof of the free dining, and promotion dates a few days before hand, I am hoping to be able to do the same thing this year.

I am sorry if it seemed as though I know the dates, I tried to be very clear.

To clarify on the “policy”, if the package discount involves a basic room discount, such as the current May discounts, the policy holds true, only the nights within the offer dates are discounted. However, with the recently expired discount that gave you the park hopping and water park fun and more upgrades for free, if you extended past the offer dates, you still received the upgrades on all your dates, not just a portion of them. That should hold true for the dining plan.

I guess we will all have to wait and see. If I do find proof of the free dining or the dates, I will post it here.

Jennifer

Thanks for clarifying how you came up with your dates. I just wanted to add that free dining for the general public has always included at least one week of August, so that may be a possibilty. The fact that Universal is now offering a free dining plan (though a bit limited in scope) from August 17 – October 9 may have some bearing on Disney’s dates, as well.

Last year, towards the end of the bounceback period, every person who tried to book beyond the promotion dates was denied. This was right around the time when Disney was instituting their new booking policies. People who traveled early on during free dining (myself included) were able to book past the end dates, but by the third week in September, it was no longer possible.

Good luck to all!

Erica

In the past, if Disney has offered the free dining plan – do they announce it a day or two ahead of when you can book? And on the day you can book – are you able to book right at midnight? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!

Keith

Erica

On all Disney discounts, there is no formal announcement made, it is just released, and we usually see the press released sometime later. The discounts do not technically become available until the reservation center opens up at 7 AM EST. The online version usually follows shortly thereafter.

Lisa

Keith and everybody else,

I inquired about Sept. 23-Oct. 7th and had asked about Free Dining and the possible ability to upgrade to the deluxe and pay the difference the CM (of course) said they had no idea if it would be offered, but then as we kept talking (and she was trying to convince me to make a “tentative” booking) she said that they had a meeting the week prior about free dining. She was really vague about what the meeting was about, but I got the impression she was trying to hint to me that it was coming, and I would be able to upgrade for a cost. Now, again- this is purely my own opinion and speculation, but regardless-they are having meetings about something involving the dining plan. So all we can do it keep our fingers crossed.

I am curious to know if free dining does happen and it does start on 4/10, then where is the first place we can get a confirmation of this, so we can be on the phones early 4/10?

Thanks for any info you have!

Keith

Lisa

Thanks for the update. I got the same impression when talking to my Disney rep. I have always been told though that CMs don’t know about upcoming discounts until they are released, but I do not know that for sure.

The discounts should be released on April 7 for Disney VISA cardholders, so you should know 3 days before what the discount will be, and what the dates will be.

Lisa Tillis

I have a Disney Visa. Will I need to have a promotion code before I call Disney on 4/7 to make a reservation? If so, would I need to obtain that from the Disney Visa site? Also, I am staying on Disney property for the first three nights, then switching over to a time share for seven additional nights. I have been trying to determine if my dining credits will expire once I check out of the Disney resort or if I could spread them out over the rest of my stay since we are planning on getting a 7 day Magic Your Way base ticket?

Ben King

They expire midnight checkout day.

Keith

Lisa

You may or may not need a code, depending on the CM you get on the phone. I will try to get them posted here as soon as I can just in case.

As Ben said, all of your dining credits expire at midnight the day you check out, so plan accordingly.

Amy

Hi Keith

Now with the hope of the release of the free dining dates, does this offer apply to all resorts by WDW or does it apply to moderate and deluxe resorts? Also do you know if any of the resorts do a special first-time anything for kids? Thanks so much.

nancy

I read the following on another board & wanted to pass along the info. I hope they are wrong as we are going 9/25-9;/30! cant believe I am the first to post this. My Mom is a travel agent. She recieved an email this morning from her Disney Rep. Here are the details for 2008 Free Dining. 08/24/08 – 09/20/08. Disney Visa holders can book on 04/07/08 with code AYG…General public opens up on 04/10/08…sorry she didnt give me hte code for this one, as I have been waiting for the Disney visa code.

Keith

Amy

The discount should apply to all resorts. We have yet to see a Disney discount that excludes a class of resorts, though there could always be a first time.

Nancy

Thanks for the info, sounds like I need a new Disney rep! 😉 This very well could be accurate, as the shift in dates would not surprise me. Disney wants to keep free dining away from the Food and Wine festival, which starts on September 26. By having the last check in date of September 20, most people will be gone by the first or second day or Food and Wine. The week earlier in August doesn’t surprise me either. Well, I got the April 7 and 10th date correct at least.

If I can find any further information, I will post it here.

Dawn

We just booked our family of 5 trip for Oct. 15 – 21. Do you think we can cancel and reschedule for the time in which this free dining is offered, if they offer it?

Keith

Dawn

As with any Disney package reservation, you can make any changes you want to it, including moving dates, up until the 45 day point before you leave. Once the discount is released, just call back up to Disney and have them adjust the dates for you, shouldn’t take too long to do. They won’t have to cancel your reservation, they will just move the dates.

Veronica

We have booked with Expedia for a Magic Your Way package for Sept 12th. If I’m reading correctly, that may be the exact time when DW is offering free dining. I do know that I can change my hotel for a minimal fee. Would that change be enough to create a new package if I do it after April 10th. (of course, if the offer happens:)I also have the option of completely cancelling and starting again but I’m not sure we want to do that as everything is booked. Any advice? Thank you!!

Will Disney allow a partial free dining package (ie, if we arrive on Aug 22nd and stay through Aug 29th – would we be able to get free dining for the Aug 24 through 29th portion)? Has anyone ever done this?

Torie

My question is similar to CJ- We’re planning on being at WDW 9/19 – 9/25 —- IF they do the free dining will it apply to our entire stay or just the days included in the promotion? When I called WD Dining this morning, the rep I spoke with said you can’t purchase the dining plan for 4 days if you’re staying for 6- it can only be purchased for your entire stay. Can anyone clarify for me how it would work if we arrive on the 19th but the free dining is only through the 20th? Thanks so much!

Keith

Veronica

I would call up Expidia on the 10th, armed with the code we will post here for the free dining, and ask them to apply to it to the reservation. If they are unable to do so, call a Disney Travel agent or Disney directly and book directly through them, and cancel the Expedia reservation.

As it stands right now, you are out of luck. If the discount starts on August 24, and you check in before that date, you cannot get a partial discount. You can either postpone your trip a few days, or make two reservations, with the second starting on 8/24. The second option is expensive and a pain, you will be much better off rescheduling.

Torie

Based on history, as long as you check in by the last day of the promotion, it is applied to your entire stay. DIsney did change their policy last Fall, whereby if the discount is a monetary discount, you only get the discount on the days you are there during the discount period. However, as you mentioned, there is no way to do a partial dining plan, so as long as you check in by September 20, you will get the dining plan for free for your entire stay.

Veronica