2018 Free Dining Watch Thread V3

[JessHH]

Yes, but you need to have added tickets and the dining plan to be eligible for the free dining.

The easiest thing is to make a new reservation online and cancel the old one, especially if you have a room only already booked.

Is that correct that in addition to meeting all the other requirements park hopper, # days, dates, hotels, rooms...etc., that we also must have the dining plan added to our reservation in ADVANCE in order to make the modification to FD when it drops?

 

[Kaelorian]

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.

We can't move our dates without getting charged the airline fee for changing flights. We'd have to bite the bullet too and pay out of pocket. But, we're all still going to Disney! Once tomorrow is over I'll be able to move on one way or another. This just needs to hurry up so we can find out already!

 

[mousefan73]

Alright veterans of FD. Help me out here. Just thinking a little bit. My family of 3 adults, 2 children are staying at AoA Cars Suite. My parents simultaneously staying at Pop. We have our ressies already booked from Nov. 19 thru Dec. 1. The plan was hoping FD mirrored last year, so we would hit that Nov 19 date and get it, removing the final three days and leaving Nov. 28. No avail, it seems on that date. Our plan B was to remove the first 3 days, arrive Thanksgiving day, Nov. 22 and stay thru Dec.1 to take advantage of lighter crowds near the end of our trip. We are flying, but my parents are driving, but booked before the parking fee. Regardless, we have 6-day tickets, planning 2 off days in between, plus MVMCP. No hopper currently. I really could use a helpful volunteer. Assuming rumors of resort inclusions remain the same, it looks like my family is out of FD regardless, but my parents might still get some if they do a split stay in option B. (We are all getting the regular DP anyway based on the choices for character meals and the like). I hear people talking about paying oop for meals during part of the split stay. Can you still get the DP for the non-FD part? And if you do, I assume that you cannot roll over unused credits from stay 1 to stay 2, right? Our plan would be Mickey's BY BBQ for Thanksgiving (2 TS credits) on Nov. 22, CRT for 2 credits on Nov. 23, Tusker House on Nov. 24. Again, assuming my family of 5 is out (AoA) and not splitting a stay, could we just use our credits to help them pay for one of their 2 credit meals and my folks credit us back later in the trip (paying for is with some of their credits)?.....or is this all moot because their first split might be too short anyway? If it does work, does that save my parents anything significant? Or not really worth it? Would going this route be a case of biting off a nose in spite of a face if RO discounts apply to our Plan B dates later on? Thank you so much!!

sorry so many posts, but one idea is officially putting 2 of your adults on your parents FD POP reservation. then you get 2 people with dining and pay OOP or DP for the other 3.. You can physically sleep in AOA.. splitting the costs is easy then.. I would put any "adult" under 18 with them to avoid the 25 extra over 18 charge if more than 2 adults..

 

[Nancyg56]

Is that correct that in addition to meeting all the other requirements park hopper, # days, dates, hotels, rooms...etc., that we also must have the dining plan added to our reservation in ADVANCE in our to make the modification to FD when it drops?

The CM I spoke to told me that to modify online it had to be like to like, as he put it. I added the plan and hoppers to my reservations.

 

[mousefan73]

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

it does everynight..

 

[SPOERLX3]

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

.
There is no set time. It comes out at different times every year

 

[Obi Shaun Kanobi]

Anyone know if POR is included in any of the dates this year? Sorry if this was already answered. I am assuming it will be in the earlier dates, but not November and December. Does that seem to be the case again this year?

 

[GenGen22]

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!

I feel your pain... Fellow west coaster here...I'm so tired today cuz I woke up every couple of hours thinking did it drop yet...lol and this is w/o an alarm.. And now we have to do it again tonight... Things we do for our Disney vacations..

 

[MAF]

So just to be 100% clear, you must have a Dining Plan on your already booked package to be able to modify to FD online?

 

[Funfire240]

Is that correct that in addition to meeting all the other requirements park hopper, # days, dates, hotels, rooms...etc., that we also must have the dining plan added to our reservation in ADVANCE in order to make the modification to FD when it drops?

It's been a couple years since I modified to the free dining but when I did it, I didn't have the hoppers or dining plan added on in advance. We had our packages with the resort and tickets. I went on to modify early in the morning. I was able to look under available offers and find the free dining. Then it took me thru the steps for the number of days of tickets (park hopper was set so that you could not take it off but could change to upgrade and include the water parks) then it took me to the dining page where it showed the quick service plan included and also gave me the option to upgrade to either the regular or deluxe plans. It all went smoothly and I changed two rooms with no problems on two different accounts.

 

[sharonabe]

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?

I think this one got answered. You must purchase tickets to get FD, but you don't have to use them.

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

NO...no one knows when it will drop. See below

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?

Last year it dropped at 5:30 a.m., but in the last 3-4 years it's been anywhere from midnight to that 5:30 am. NO ONE KNOWS. That's why most people on this board that are hoping (needing) FD will be up ALL NIGHT tonight.

Is that correct that in addition to meeting all the other requirements park hopper, # days, dates, hotels, rooms...etc., that we also must have the dining plan added to our reservation in ADVANCE in order to make the modification to FD when it drops?

You're okay. Whatever you have booked now is fine. When you click on the "change reservation" link, it will direct you to whatever you need in order to qualify for FD. Having everything on there will make no difference.

 

[Stephdisney]

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.

I am by NO means an expert on any of this but I just thought I would share my experience. I had a reservation booked prior to the parking change and I made a modification and changed my tickets to park hoppers. When I got the new confirmation email it has a disclaimer on there that says " Important Details.... For reservations made March 21 or later, a per night parking fee will be charged to your hotel folio....."

Soooo I'm not sure if I will have to pay the fee now or not. But it does have me somewhat concerned.

 

[Goseethemouse]

Does anyone have a link etc. to the official policy regarding activating a ticket ahead of time? I know several people have mentioned that it worked for them but we are looking at staying two weeks, one week onsite and one week offsite. The way the dates look we would have to do the offsite stay first and it would be a major pain if we couldn't use our tickets during that time. Especially as it is my son's birthday!

 

[sharonabe]

So just to be 100% clear, you must have a Dining Plan on your already booked package to be able to modify to FD online?

NO!!!!!!! You do NOT have to have dining on your reservation in order to modify to FD.

 

[GenGen22]

So just to be 100% clear, you must have a Dining Plan on your already booked package to be able to modify to FD online?

Someone on here suggested to have dining. Last time I got FD I called my TA after dining was already added and they upgraded to FD. So, yesterday I called in and added QS dining to my room plus 4 day ph's.

 

[tinkarooni]

So just to be 100% clear, you must have a Dining Plan on your already booked package to be able to modify to FD online?

This has never been the case in the past, I highly doubt this and I have no intention of adding in advance.

 

[sharonabe]

Anyone know if POR is included in any of the dates this year? Sorry if this was already answered. I am assuming it will be in the earlier dates, but not November and December. Does that seem to be the case again this year?

The only rumors we've seen have POR excluded completely. Doesn't mean there won't be availability for the earlier months, but it doesn't look promising.

 

[Cheryl Adams]

I’m thinking the inclusion of the 11/24-11/27 dates makes this seem unlikely. Why include a 3 night window if the whole trip has to fall within the dates.

Never mind!

 

[Canadisney Fly]

It wasn't part of last years offer but some rumors are saying that it could be included this year. I did do the math already and with updated pricing, it comes out to $90 less than my current Pop reservation. I probably won't even switch but I'm going to make that decision on a whim.

I've booked for ASMo for my SIL, because getting the rock bottom lowest option is what's important to her, but if I were booking the trip for me, I'd do Pop. I really liked the option to walk across the bridge to AOA for a change in food courts, and have the option to take the bus to AOA if things are looking scary at the Pop bus stop.

I love the themes at ASMo, so I'm hoping I can join her in December (especially if the renos are finished and the room has two queen beds), but it looks like they're starting with the preferred buildings, so it's anyone's guess as to whether the renos will be done. In the future, the option for the Skyliner gondola will make Pop even more appealing!

 

[Mbuksa]

Doesn't make sense that if there's a 4 night minimum that some of the dates are only 3 nights.

You just have to check in on one of those dates, your length of stay can be up to 14 days