>> FREE DINING 2011 WATCH - Read Post # 1 BEFORE Posting

[got2luvtink]

I'm with you! Looking for free dining in early December or it's a no-go.

I'm with you! If there is no November FD, we will just have to see another part of the world. I have quite a big family, and there's just no way to justify the cost if there's no "free" dining!

ETA:

Does anyone know if you only have to pay for 1 photobook, if you have one confirmation number, but 2 rooms?

 

[Luvmepluto]

We are going in November anyways! We were debating booking until SW came out with their 40th anniversary deals.......$40.00 one way....that included dates in November. We purchased tickets for 4 of us at $387.00! I figure that Disney will come out with some deal......but, I would love to have FQSD!!!!!

 

[vleeth]

We are going in November anyways! We were debating booking until SW came out with their 40th anniversary deals.......$40.00 one way....that included dates in November. We purchased tickets for 4 of us at $387.00! I figure that Disney will come out with some deal......but, I would love to have FQSD!!!!!

Are these deals still going on? Is there a certain website? I would love to fly to Disney!

 

[SarahD]

Are these deals still going on? Is there a certain website? I would love to fly to Disney!

Southwest Airlines had a 72 hour sale to celebrate their 40th birthday. It ended last week. Sign up for their e-mails and watch for sales.

 

[Luvmepluto]

Are these deals still going on? Is there a certain website? I would love to fly to Disney!

No, it was only offered for a couple of days! This is the first time my daughter will go on the Magical Express.....we always drive! You can register with SW......and they will let you know when those deals come out.

 

[DisneyMom5]

If anyone is a member of Mypoints.com, they have been having a daily deal, I'm assuming as promotion for a travel agency, in which you can book the free dining sale, AND you will get a $100 credit for each room booked. That would pay for the photo book. Mypoints is a point earning website...I have earned a lot of gift cards through there. Anyway, just thought I'd give a heads up...you probably could find the deal on their special deals page, or it's just coming out on their daily deal email every couple of days. We can't go this year, because we decided to move to Wisconsin instead.
(Well...it really wasn't an either or thing--more of a that's where the job is kind of thing. LOL)
Watching closely what happens this year, in hopes of going next year.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

THIS INFO IS POSTED ON THE DIS HOMEPAGE AND FACEBOOK PAGE:

Rumor - free Dining Plan to be released August 3rd
by Scott Smith
Jul 29, 2011

A rumor has begun circulating that Disney will offer a free Dining Plan for select dates. According to the rumor, bookings beginning August 3rd, 2011 will be eligible for the free Dining Plan for the following travel dates:



October 2, 2011 - October 8, 2011

October 23, 2011 - November 5, 2011

November 13, 2011 - November 19, 2011

November 27, 2011 - December 3, 2011

December 11, 2011 - December 17


Quick Service dining would be available to Value resort guests and Regular Dining for Moderate, Deluxe and Villa resort guests. To read more about this rumor, visit this thread on DISBoards.com.

 

[jdd]

THIS INFO IS POSTED ON THE DIS HOMEPAGE AND FACEBOOK PAGE:

Rumor - free Dining Plan to be released August 3rd
by Scott Smith
Jul 29, 2011

A rumor has begun circulating that Disney will offer a free Dining Plan for select dates. According to the rumor, bookings beginning August 3rd, 2011 will be eligible for the free Dining Plan for the following travel dates:



October 2, 2011 - October 8, 2011

October 23, 2011 - November 5, 2011

November 13, 2011 - November 19, 2011

November 27, 2011 - December 3, 2011

December 11, 2011 - December 17


Quick Service dining would be available to Value resort guests and Regular Dining for Moderate, Deluxe and Villa resort guests. To read more about this rumor, visit this thread on DISBoards.com.

Wow - seems like very selective dates. I can see why Thanksgiving/Christmas would be blacked out (and even Jersey Week), but why the last week of September, mid-October and early-December

 

[mom2rtk]

Wow - seems like very selective dates. I can see why Thanksgiving/Christmas would be blacked out (and even Jersey Week), but why the last week of September, mid-October and early-December

Free dining for the last week of September was offered previously.

Mid-October and 2nd week of December are times they don't need additional bookings, probably because of Columbus Day weekend and Pop Warner.

 

[momto2inKC]

Wow - seems like very selective dates. I can see why Thanksgiving/Christmas would be blacked out (and even Jersey Week), but why the last week of September, mid-October and early-December

The start of Food and Wine Fest, Disneys 40th anniversary (I think that's the anniversary coming up?), Columbus Day (lots of schools out for fall break), and the beginning of Dec is Pop Warner.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

Wow - seems like very selective dates. I can see why Thanksgiving/Christmas would be blacked out (and even Jersey Week), but why the last week of September, mid-October and early-December

No, not really, seems to go along with the dates that were blacked out last fall/winter.

They already offered a free dining promo, that had to be booked by December 20, that included late September dates, plus that's the the height of the Food & Wine Festival and they probably don't need to fill the rooms.

Mid-October is when Columbus Day/Week falls, which is when a huge number of school districts, especially in the southeast, have their fall breaks, and at least 2 conventions, which includes a huge golf tournament are also during that time frame, so again, I don't think they need to fill resort rooms for that time - this would be the 3rd year that Columbus Day/Week was blacked out.

As for the December time frame that is blacked out, that is during the Pop Warner Football/Cheerleanding competitions, which bring in a lot of crowds and was also blocked out last year. Also, that is when they pre-tape the ABC Chrismas parade, which also draws in the crowds, making it more of a moderate week to visit, as opposed to a slow week to visit.

 

[jdd]

Free dining for the last week of September was offered previously.

Mid-October and 2nd week of December are times they don't need additional bookings, probably because of Columbus Day weekend and Pop Warner.

The current free dining offer only goes through 9/24. We, of course, are there from 9/28-10/3 which isn't covered. Just seems strange to me to skip 9/24-10/1. And I'm sure there weren't so many dates blacked out last year. I'm just very disappointed in the discounts for this fall - I was able to get a 40% off room only rate in 2010, and this year it's about 25%

 

[mom2rtk]

The current free dining offer only goes through 9/24. We, of course, are there from 9/28-10/3 which isn't covered. Just seems strange to me to skip 9/24-10/1. And I'm sure there weren't so many dates blacked out last year. I'm just very disappointed in the discounts for this fall - I was able to get a 40% off room only rate in 2010, and this year it's about 25%

I was referring to the first free dining offer that had to be booked by last December. I believe it covered the last week of September. They didn't include it when they re-offered it this spring, probably because they had enough discount bookings in that timeframe from the first offering. It's a popular week becuase of the start of food & wine.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

The current free dining offer only goes through 9/24. We, of course, are there from 9/28-10/3 which isn't covered. Just seems strange to me to skip 9/24-10/1. And I'm sure there weren't so many dates blacked out last year. I'm just very disappointed in the discounts for this fall - I was able to get a 40% off room only rate in 2010, and this year it's about 25%

There have been 2 free dining offers that have covered September of 2011 already. Here is a list of 2010 and 2011 free dining dates so far (new rumor dates not included):


2010: August 15 - September 30, Oct 1 - 7 • Oct 22 - 28 • Nov 12 - 18 • Nov 27 - Dec 2 • Dec 10 - 21


2011: Jan 1 - 5 • Jan 9 - 13 • Jan 21 - Feb 3 • Feb 11 - 17 • Feb 25 - Mar 3 • May 27 - Jun 2 • Aug 19 - Sept 29

That's a lot of discounts.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

The current free dining offer only goes through 9/24. We, of course, are there from 9/28-10/3 which isn't covered. Just seems strange to me to skip 9/24-10/1. And I'm sure there weren't so many dates blacked out last year. I'm just very disappointed in the discounts for this fall - I was able to get a 40% off room only rate in 2010, and this year it's about 25%

See the post above this one.

 

[jdd]

No, not really, seems to go along with the dates that were blacked out last fall/winter.

I don't have the free dining info from last year, but I know the room-only discount was much broader. Those dates were 7/5-10/7, 10/11-11/23, and 11/28-12/16. Maybe it's the free dining that's more restrictive??

Again, just disappointed not to have gotten a better deal - makes me think they're definitely cutting the discounts. And I'm really concerned about the trip I'd like to plan for next summer

 

[PrincessTiffany]

I don't have the free dining info from last year, but I know the room-only discount was much broader. Those dates were 7/5-10/7, 10/11-11/23, and 11/28-12/16. Maybe it's the free dining that's more restrictive??

Again, just disappointed not to have gotten a better deal - makes me think they're definitely cutting the discounts. And I'm really concerned about the trip I'd like to plan for next summer

I gave you all the free dining info from last year, verbatim, in post #1114. Disney has put out more free dining discounts this year than ever before, they haven't cut back at all in that regard. They also offered a number of room discounts for the first part of the year and even a Kids Stay & Play Free offer for fall. They haven't released any room discount for late fall and early winter yet, so how can you say they have lessened the discounts for this time of year. I have no doubt they will release some room discounts for later this year, but we really can't critique them until they are announced.

 

[jdd]

I gave you all the free dining info from last year, verbatim, in post #1114. Disney has put out more free dining discounts this year than ever before, they haven't cut back at all in that regard. They also offered a number of room discounts and even a Kids Stay & Play Free offer for fall. They haven't released any room discount for late fall and early winter yet, so how can you say they have lessened the discounts for this time of year. I have no doubt they will release some room discounts for later this year, but we really can't critique them until they are announced.

I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm just surprised at the black out dates. There's another thread going where lots of people are upset that their dates are blacked out. I realized free dining was offered at the end of 2010, but I'm not sure people were making vacation plans that early. I will back out of this now - have no interest in causing problems

 

[Colleen27]

Wow - seems like very selective dates. I can see why Thanksgiving/Christmas would be blacked out (and even Jersey Week), but why the last week of September, mid-October and early-December

Actually, all of the discounts coincide with events that have a noticeable impact on occupancy.

Sept 25 to Oct 2 blackout - Already covered by the first fall free dining offer, the one that was available last year. Also, the very popular overlap between free dining in the traditional hurricane season period and Food & Wine, and with Disney's stated intent to scale back discounts many were thinking possibly the only overlap between FD & F&W. Plus the weekend of 10/1 is MK's 40th which is sure to draw die-hard fans.

Oct 9 to 22 - Columbus day/fall break week for many school districts, and the week of the big charity golf tourney at the Disney courses. Also, two conferences going on that week, a softball league world series and a martial arts tournament at WWoS.

Nov 6 to 12 - Jersey Week/Election Day/Veteran's Day week. Common minor school break, always somewhat higher attendance than the rest of the season.

Nov 20 to 26 - Thanksgiving week.

Dec 4 to 10 - Pop Warner week, the only sporting event held at WWoS that requires that participants stay on-site. Generally the All-Stars, POR/FQ, and CBR will be nearly full with the football and cheer teams, POP and CSR will be full of families trying to avoid the groups, and the deluxes see a bump in occupancy from people who don't want to take a chance of being at a PW resort and from those who bump up to a higher level of resort when their moderate choice is unavailable.

Dec 18 on - With Christmas Eve falling on a Sat. many schools will have all or most of the week leading up to Christmas off. I'm actually surprised the offer ends the 17th rather than a day or two earlier, because that is the Saturday before the holiday. The big planning sites don't forecastthe holiday crowd spike as coming until a couple days before Christmas but all the districts around me get out on the 20th so I'd expect to see enough families letting their kids miss the last two days before the break to have the holiday rush starting the weekend of the 17th/18th.

 

[nicki.momof3]

I wonder if the same policy about check in date will apply as it always has in the past.

In the past as long as you check in by the last day listed as available for the promotion you get it for your length of stay.

For example, last year free dining ending Dec. 22nd. We checked in on Dec. 17 and we got it all the say through the 25th.

Hopefully, that will apply this year. We are already booked Dec. 16-25th at POR. Plane tickets are purchased so we are going. I am a teacher so our travle dates are locked with the school breaks.