2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[WalkDisneyWorld]

Seems like most people on here have already made their reservations and are just planning on modifying in the morning? I’ve been trying to hold off booking to not contribute to the appearance of rooms being filled ahead of the promotion but now I’m questioning this and thinking I should just go ahead and book now so that all I have to do in the morning is add the promotion?

We’ve done free dining for many years now—booking at least 2 rooms each time, sometimes 3. We’ve always booked a brand new reservation each time. You never know what each year’s availability will be, but each time it’s worked easily for us. I hope knowing that makes you feel a bit better. The main thing is to be up & checking in order to book as soon as the offer is out.

Another tip I read one time is to make sure that you already have your credit card information saved on your MDE account bc it helps the checkout process to go faster. When every second counts, little things like that can help. I hope things go smoothly for you!

 

[Ahuck06]

Weeee!!! Thank you so much @black562 & & @Disney Ron. Look forward to more info this evening! I can taste the free dole whips and mickey pretzels already. This board is the best. Thanks again!

 

[Ahuck06]

I saw them go down in the middle of the night. Any chance that won’t happen tonight?

These boards go down every night

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I saw them go down in the middle of the night. Any chance that won’t happen tonight?

The DISboards are consistently down in the early hours of the morning.

 

[SPOERLX3]

This may have already been asked, so I apologize if this is a redundant question. Does anyone know if the Disney Visa Debit Card has the same perks to qualify for things like extended free dining as the Disney Visa Credit Card?

Yes, the Disney Visa Debit and the Disney Visa Credit Card are treated exactly the same and have the same perks. I don't believe the Debit card earns reward points but you can book with the Debit card just like you can the credit card with the extended dates

 

[UGA03]

So for us annual passholders, can we get the FD? If it requires ticket purchase on top of the hotel reservation are we just pushed out of the promotion?

 

[jenilynn]

They were down when I got up at 4:30 this morning ... not sure if that's the case every morning or not as I am usually sleeping soundly at that time!

Yes goes down every night for an hour or two.

 

[MAF]

Ugh so devastated. I tried to book online and I kept getting the message that they couldn't process and that I needed to call in. Guess I have to wait until I get home tonight.

 

[Kaelorian]

Me too! I’m freaking out! Praying it’s not true!

Praying too!! I'm getting stressed out! We're checking in on the 27th and staying for two weeks as well. Since we're a family of 5, there are limited rooms for us, but I also have to book my inlaws room. So I have to be lightning fast tonight, lol. Not having the offer carry over for the whole trip would be awful. We'd have to make major budget adjustments and downgrade resorts. I'm so stressed I feel like getting to bed already (lol, I'm on the west coast, pst zone) just to make the day go faster and be able to stay up all night to snag this offer! But I'm too anxious to sleep I'll be a zombie tonight! Sigh!

 

[jjjones325]

Did I read correctly that if FD drops tomorrow we can book at Midnight Eastern Time?

 

[sharonabe]

Sharonabe,

We are using a Disney vacation planner (I work with her, so thought it would be easier). She said that the reservation cannot be modified online to include free dining that she actually had to call. Is that right? Since she is doing it, I don't think I can modify the reservation to include it myself.

I didn't read through, so someone else may have answered you. Apologies if duplicate information.

I don't know why she can't modify online; that doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not a TA.

Since you've used a TA for the reservation, YOU cannot modify it online; the reservation "belongs" to the TA and she's the only one who can modify it. If you're concerned she may not be able to get FD for you, you CAN make a completely new reservation online tomorrow morning and then transfer that reservation to her if she doesn't come through.

 

[Disneylover99]

So for us annual passholders, can we get the FD? If it requires ticket purchase on top of the hotel reservation are we just pushed out of the promotion?

Buy the minimum number of tickets and save them.

 

[Emmasmommy1011]

So for us annual passholders, can we get the FD? If it requires ticket purchase on top of the hotel reservation are we just pushed out of the promotion?

You can if you purchase the required tickets needed. Which can then be used in towards to cost of your yearly AP.

 

[Lisa LSR]

Did I read correctly that if FD drops tomorrow we can book at Midnight Eastern Time?

Where did you read that? I can't recall a time being mentioned.

 

[disneymomofthree81]

I new here, so I apologize if this was already answered. Does anyone know what time FD dropped last year, not the date, but the exact time it came available online?

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Did I read correctly that if FD drops tomorrow we can book at Midnight Eastern Time?

Not likely. It has been known to drop between 3am-6am....but nothing is set in stone

 

[sharonabe]

Sharonabe,

We are using a Disney vacation planner (I work with her, so thought it would be easier). She said that the reservation cannot be modified online to include free dining that she actually had to call. Is that right? Since she is doing it, I don't think I can modify the reservation to include it myself.

I didn't read through, so someone else may have answered you. Apologies if duplicate information.

I don't know why she can't modify online; that doesn't make sense to me, but I'm not a TA.

Since you've used a TA for the reservation, YOU cannot modify it online; the reservation "belongs" to the TA and she's the only one who can modify it. If you're concerned she may not be able to get FD for you, you CAN make a completely new reservation online tomorrow morning and then transfer that reservation to her if she doesn't come through.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I new here, so I apologize if this was already answered. Does anyone know what time FD dropped last year, not the date, but the exact time it came available online?

Free Dining dropped at approx. 5:30 am EST in 2017. See the first post in this thread for all the info on 2017.

 

[SherBear77]

Praying too!! I'm getting stressed out! We're checking in on the 27th and staying for two weeks as well. Since we're a family of 5, there are limited rooms for us, but I also have to book my inlaws room. So I have to be lightning fast tonight, lol. Not having the offer carry over for the whole trip would be awful. We'd have to make major budget adjustments and downgrade resorts. I'm so stressed I feel like getting to bed already (lol, I'm on the west coast, pst zone) just to make the day go faster and be able to stay up all night to snag this offer! But I'm too anxious to sleep I'll be a zombie tonight! Sigh!

My check in date is Sept. 29th so if this is true, we’re going to have to think about going a week earlier or biting the bullet and just paying for dining ourselves.

 

[shan981]

If I have an existing reservation, and I am able to modify it to add free dining, does it still count as being booked on the original date, or do modifications reset that? Asking because we booked prior to the new parking charges, and we may be driving, so I wondered if that would affect us at all.