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

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Ok so I want to make sure i understand. We CAN'T do RO and get the dinning plan? We have 4 day park tickets, currently in a package and we are paying for dining. So basically if I want the dining plan I need to either score FD or pay full price? I'm sorry, I'm just confused with the conflicting information. Never looked into RO before.

You will be able to use a room rate discount and then add tickets to make it a package and then add a dining plan if you wish.

 

[VillainFavs]

You can take the boat to HS. You don't have to walk.

Take the boat to HS. Do not attempt to walk it from the BC in August. I made that mistake once.

Now, I've heard talk about the boats taking a long time to get to HS from BC. Are they reasonable? I'm thinking especially on days we want to get there early in the morning. Will they be backed up and I'll have to wait for a second one to come along? I like that WL has the boat to MK, but a bus as well. I wish BC had that same option.

And that walk in August is exactly what I'm afraid of!

But in all fairness, we don't spend a ton of time at HS so it's not really that big of an issue. Just my mind racing and having to consider every possible pro and con to each!

 

[vanjust14]

These are exactly some of the arguments we're having with ourselves!

1. I love the idea of being able to walk to Epcot! But then I'm not too thrilled with the idea of having to walk to HS. I know it's a little less than a mile, but in the summer heat, that's extra walking I'm not sure I want to do! It would be nice if they had a bus that went there as well! The access to MK from WL was great!
2. This is the one we're really struggling with! On one hand, we really like the idea of not worrying about cost once we're there. On the other hand, we like the idea of the freedom of ordering just an app for dinner or just having snacks/grazing or whatever we want! Sometimes with the plan, you focus on getting the most "value" out of your credits instead of what you really want at the time.
3. We don't use the CS at the resort much anyway, so that's not really a factor.

Can you tell we're being just a bit wishy-washy on this????

You don't have to walk to HS, you can take the boat! That's what we did

I've nevered stayed at WL but I loved BC...their pool is great!

 

[monorailrabbit]

You will be able to use a room rate discount and then add tickets to make it a package and then add a dining plan if you wish.

So I would have to cancel and rebook? That makes me nervous since there hasn't been availability at my resort.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

So I would have to cancel and rebook? That makes me nervous since there hasn't been availability at my resort.

You could try to modify but if there is already little to no availability its unlikely that you would be eligible to modify and get the discount since they are wanting to book empty rooms and yours is already full.
This is why if you are counting on a discount you should wait to book until the discount is released.
But if you are going regardless of discounts and are willing to pay full price then you should book what you want and then if you can save money great but if not you have what you wanted.

 

[Dashzap]

So I would have to cancel and rebook? That makes me nervous since there hasn't been availability at my resort.

If you had a room-only reservation (confirmation number with 12 digits) and you wanted a dining plan, you would call. They would book a package with dining using a code in the same offer as the room-only booking (provided that discount allowed ticketless packages. Some do. Some don't.) Then they would cancel your room-only reservation. You wouldn't lose your room; it would be booked a different way. You would get a new confirmation number (with 8 digits).

The booking rules are a bit different, too.

Room-only reservations you put down a deposit of one night's stay plus tax, and the balance is due on check in. You can cancel a room-only reservation without penalty until 5 days before arrival. You can modify it at any time.
Package reservations you put down a $200 deposit, and the balance is due 30 days before arrival. If you change or cancel a package within 30 days of arrival, you are likely to incur a penalty.

HTH

 

[squirrel]

Anyone wanting to book a Deluxe resort should head over to the discussions on the *******. There is a travel agency that is getting better than online prices for rooms.

 

[SG131]

While we wait, I was hoping someone could help me out with a dining reservation question. My cousin booked her dining about two weeks late so she had trouble getting into Tony's where she really wanted to go for her party of 7.

She was willing to split her party up into two tables so we made a MDE Account for her mom to allow for the overlapping reservations. My question is since her mom's magicband and fastpasses are all under my cousins account, how do I get the reservation and MDE linked to her magicband?

 

[KimBean]

There's a commenter on the disney world subreddit saying that current FD rumor is for Values to only get Breakfast, Mods QSDP, and Deluxe regular DDP. I thought that was U.K.... Did I miss something?!

Well... I think a lot of us would not be happy. I would probably just stay value and pay for DDP. Or go offsite.

 

[donp]

While we wait, I was hoping someone could help me out with a dining reservation question. My cousin booked her dining about two weeks late so she had trouble getting into Tony's where she really wanted to go for her party of 7.

She was willing to split her party up into two tables so we made a MDE Account for her mom to allow for the overlapping reservations. My question is since her mom's magicband and fastpasses are all under my cousins account, how do I get the reservation and MDE linked to her magicband?

On the family and friends section of MDE, one needs to invite the other and share all plans. Then, she should be able to pull up those ressies. Was that your question?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

This is going be long because I think the back story makes it.

Best character greet for me would be when my first was 7. It was a super budget trip. I decided to quit my full time job in 2005 to homeschool. I didn't know a recession was around the corner. We could barely make it on dh's salary alone. Then his job started paying him 2/3. He stayed because there were no jobs and we were happy to have one. We planned a very budget trip. We pretty much had a condo for free from my in laws. I had bought tickets from our tax refund. We planned to eat at condo quite a bit. About a month before we were going my dh lost his job. He wanted to not go. I reasoned we have room and tickets we can eat at condo mainly if we need to. I won. We went.

First day there, it was year of a million dreams. When we walked in we got passes for all day fast passes. I don't remember what they were called. But I still have them. Blue on a lanyard and it was automatic fast pass all day on all FP rides. For whatever reason they were letting us in and then you had to wait at the land. We waited at Tomorrowland. Not many people around us and as soon as they open it Stitch is standing by Monsters Inc. my 7 year old just takes off running arms open wide bee lining it to him. (She is shy and very reserved) He gets down on one knee and opens his arms wide. She leaps into them and it was the biggest hug ever. Stitch was and is her fav.

It was one of the best days and trips. And wouldn't you know it, my DH got a call right outside Mexico at Epcot telling him he was hired!

It was our last trip as 3!

Just had to say this was so cool. We were in DL for the year million dream. We got a few sets of day fp's. One we did not use and we ended up not using so gave to another family.

If any body want to crunch the numbers .. i hope this excel will help
numbers will almost match including tax.. you can compare as many combinations you want..just find the room price per night.. other tickets and DP price it will calculate
caution : I am not responsible for mistakes

This was neat to look at. Thank you for the hard work.

Right.......Go Cowboys!!!!!

Woohoo Go Cowboys.

There's a commenter on the disney world subreddit saying that current FD rumor is for Values to only get Breakfast, Mods QSDP, and Deluxe regular DDP. I thought that was U.K.... Did I miss something?!

That was not a US offer that was over sea's I think.

 

[KimBean]

Question. I've been wanting to add an extra day. I thought I would just wait and see if it is available when I book FD and that would help me decide. It was coming up available and then showed sold out, then came up available again, now sold out.

I'm torn now if I should try to modify my existing reservation but that just scares me fore some reason. If I try to modify it and it isn't available no way I can mess up and lose my ressie is there?

 

[PrancingPony]

Well... I think a lot of us would not be happy. I would probably just stay value and pay for DDP. Or go offsite.

We would probably stay value and pay for food OOP, just be super thrifty with our meals. I'm hoping Disney weans us off FD a little slower than that though.

 

[Icicles]

So I would have to cancel and rebook? That makes me nervous since there hasn't been availability at my resort.

I was just doing Disney online chat about this- I'm Canadian and US calling is $$$.
I am currently booked at CBR with GC. I'm developing Back up plans in case FD doesn't work out. I asked about modifying the reservation to RO, using Cdn tix and purchasing a dining plan. As a previous poster said, it's a ticketless package, so have to call Reservation Centre to book. Plus, as long as I'm still staying at CBR, won't lose GC.
Hoping it truly is that simple if FD doesn't work to my advantage!

 

[donp]

Question. I've been wanting to add an extra day. I thought I would just wait and see if it is available when I book FD and that would help me decide. It was coming up available and then showed sold out, then came up available again, now sold out.

I'm torn now if I should try to modify my existing reservation but that just scares me fore some reason. If I try to modify it and it isn't available no way I can mess up and lose my ressie is there?

You have time at the end to refuse to make the modification. If you can't modify to what you want, you should not lose what you already have.

 

[Disney Ron]

Okay I see. So hector says, his TA says details will drop tomorrow and FD will drop 4/24. Sounds about what we are expecting.

Kim, the reason info could come tomorrow is that the call center CM's have their update meetings on Friday. Tomorrow is when they should be told of the FD offer. I don't know how Black gets his info, but I have to guess he may have a connection with a CM. The CM I know will not be able to talk to me until Saturday afternoon if at all this weekend. If I find out anything look for my post mid afternoon Saturday. If my hunch is right about Black, I'm sure he'll beat me to the punch tomorrow.

 

[SG131]

On the family and friends section of MDE, one needs to invite the other and share all plans. Then, she should be able to pull up those ressies. Was that your question?

Yes, thanks a lot!

 

[Icicles]

I've read different things over the last few days- are we expecting any more clarity on what FD might be tomorrow? Or really only find out 12am-4am Monday?

 

[Dashzap]

Plus, as long as I'm still staying at CBR, won't lose GC.

Make sure they note on your reservation that you had the GC from booking the RO before March 20th. If they are a regular phone CM, they may need to touch base with guest services to be sure it is still on there.

 

[Nagy3girls]

Speaking of sickness.. last time we went in 2015 my 3 youngest kids got so sick thankfully we were there 2 weeks each kid was out for 2-3 days with fevers and vomiting it was horrible my mom husband and I took turns staying at the hotel.. spent so much money at the hotel buying Tylenol and American gravol.. I came prepared for mild sickness not the plague here's hoping this trip we have better luck! Our last day all the kids felt better we parked hopped like crazy to make up for lost time.. poor hubby almost didn't get to try test track.. it was his first trip to Disney
Hoping everyone has good health while on vacation not fun being stuck inside the hotel room at disney!!

How awful! I'm sorry. I understand what it is like to be stuck in the hotel sick. You are right...it's NOT fun. Praying we all have safe, healthy trips this time!!