Free Dining doubtful - travel agent says WDW bookings up by 50% for August this year

[calypso*a*go-go]

Group of 21 here. I have 2 sisters that were sent pin codes for the 40% off, but neither of these 2 sisters is coming with us. We didn't get a code, so, yes, I am expecting something more than just 0% off rack rate!

Geez...that's got to be so frustrating !!! Good Luck on some good discounts headed your way.

 

[aubriee]

Uh, I'm confused. There already is a sweet discount available for that time of year. (40%) What else would you be expecting?

Quite a few people were not allowed to use that 40% off code however, even though their dates fell within the allowed dates. I was lucky enough to get the free dining already (via the Bounce Back Program), but have called numerous times trying to get the 40% off code for another trip in either Nov or Dec. I've been turned down every time with the CM saying the 40% off codes were PIN codes and not for the general public. I think it's already been established that quite a few people got the discount who were not supposed to, but they were just lucky.

 

[tony609]

I simply save the money until the next recession or attack. Then WDW will be begging for visitors.

That is a horrible thing to say. I hope that we never go thru another 911. I am horrified anyone would even bring something like that up on here. And I understand what the poster was saying, don't think I don't. I think they should have said it in a better way.

 

[aaronandterri]

Hi from the uk, just reading your thread , we have alreeady been offered free dining here for august for a while now,,,,,it worked like that last year as well, was know over here first, cant imagne it will just be uk?
Lasy yearit was dates the same for everyone in august.
dates 12 august thru 29th september.

hope that heps xxx

 

[bicker]

but not everyone has been able to get that 40% off.

True, but the discount is offered, and perhaps to enough guests to sufficiently fill the resort. Discounts are, ostensibly, intended to fill the resort, not necessarily provide lower-priced vacations for all.

 

[Harambe]

Hi from the uk, just reading your thread , we have alreeady been offered free dining here for august for a while now,,,,,it worked like that last year as well, was know over here first, cant imagne it will just be uk?
Lasy yearit was dates the same for everyone in august.
dates 12 august thru 29th september.

hope that heps xxx

That is hopeful, then! Like I said originally, we don't use the DDP (and this year we are at the Swan, so we can't even if we wanted to), but it is important for others. Some folks can only go if they get a good deal.

And as far as the 40% deal and everything - you can find other great deals if you search around - we got the Swan for 125 a night, which is fantastic! And we use our Disney Visa dollars to pay for a lot of our meals (we haven't stockpiled a lot since last trip, but enough for a few CS's and one big TS, anyway!).

Disney is expensive, but if you hunt around, you'll save money somewhere!

 

[fuzzball]

I believe the UK offer had to be booked by 6 November 2006. I don't know of any other free dining offers in the UK at the moment. If any UK readers know different please drop me a note as we are hoping to take advantage again this year if the offer appears again.

 

[aubriee]

Hi from the uk, just reading your thread , we have alreeady been offered free dining here for august for a while now,,,,,it worked like that last year as well, was know over here first, cant imagne it will just be uk?
Lasy yearit was dates the same for everyone in august.
dates 12 august thru 29th september.

hope that heps xxx

The UK and the Bounce Back offers are different for this year though. The UK offer was for stays August 12th-Sept 29th and participants were required to buy length of stay park tickets. The Bounce Back Program was for check ins August 5th-Sept 29th and participants only had to buy a one day MYW park ticket. If free dining is offered who knows what the requirements may be.

 

[Tinker74]

Hi from the uk, just reading your thread , we have alreeady been offered free dining here for august for a while now,,,,,it worked like that last year as well, was know over here first, cant imagne it will just be uk?
Lasy yearit was dates the same for everyone in august.
dates 12 august thru 29th september.

hope that heps xxx

free dining wasn't offered in the Uk last year. It was only offered to the USA.
I actually had a package booked through disney UK but they wouldn't add free dining to it so I had to cancel and rebook with disney USA to get free dining.
Iam lucky enough to have 2 weeks of free dining this year too. This time booked through a UK tour operatour

 

[MickeyT]

That is so nice. Unlike others in this world that are all about ME! I hope you thoroughly enjoy your trip!

 

[MickeyT]

That is hopeful, then! Like I said originally, we don't use the DDP (and this year we are at the Swan, so we can't even if we wanted to), but it is important for others. Some folks can only go if they get a good deal.

And as far as the 40% deal and everything - you can find other great deals if you search around - we got the Swan for 125 a night, which is fantastic! And we use our Disney Visa dollars to pay for a lot of our meals (we haven't stockpiled a lot since last trip, but enough for a few CS's and one big TS, anyway!).

Disney is expensive, but if you hunt around, you'll save money somewhere!

That is so nice. Unlike others in this world that are all about ME! I hope you thoroughly enjoy your trip!
__________________

 

[Sammie]

Yes bookings are up and hopefully they are not bookings that will be cancelled if Disney does not offer free dining, because that is limiting whether they offer it or not.

That said, I was told by a reliable source that it is not out of the guestion at this time. They are studying the booking levels for certain weeks and more than likely will offer it but for a much smaller window due to the increased bookings.

So if you booked hoping for free dining, and you will cancel if you don't get it, you contributed to the fact that the window might not include your dates.

If anyone has reservations they know they won't keep without free dining, personally I would be cancelling them.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Wow Sammie -- you've really got me torn now! I currently have reservations 8/21-8/31 with the 40% off promo and DDP. I was hoping for free DDP with an earlier check-in date (maybe 8/14-8/24?). I honestly would prefer going a different time of the year (especially since I don't have any DVC points until Sept.!) but feel like I'm locked into summers now that DD is starting high school.

I don't know whether to cancel everything and hope for free DDP on the dates that would work better with school starting, or maybe try to move my existing resv. with the discount to a date that might work with Thanksgiving break...oy, what to do!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I think you have some good connections, Sammie !

I agree that booking with the intention of canceling if free dining is not offered is defeating the purpose. I am hopeful that it will be offered and within a time frame that I can go because I cannot justify an extra trip without it this year. If not, I will look for another "sale" when I can make it

 

[zuzu310]

Nancyg56, I feel your pain. I think this is the only way that we will be able to afford 4 adults going. Afterall the food really adds up. This is considering that my dad and I can be real crankies when we don't get to eat for awhile. Crossing my fingers and toes that my dad can come and experience the magic for the first time at 51. Come on Disney announce something soon!

 

[MayLynn]

Luckily, We did get the 40% off room rates for Sept. 27-Oct 5. We were able to upgrade to a moderate resort instead of staying in value again.

I am really hoping that they do offer dining plan free for at least some of the days I will be there. We are going on a Grand Gathering trip and it sure would make it alot better for us.

Please Disney, give us a break here.... bad enough that school starts so early here that our summer vacations are very hard to come by, but free dining plan would soften the blow....

 

[Nancyg56]

Nancyg56, I feel your pain. I think this is the only way that we will be able to afford 4 adults going. Afterall the food really adds up. This is considering that my dad and I can be real crankies when we don't get to eat for awhile. Crossing my fingers and toes that my dad can come and experience the magic for the first time at 51. Come on Disney announce something soon!

I hope that you and your Dad can have a magical vacation together

 

[JimMIA]

I'll go back to what I said on a previous thread. I think Disney will offer free dining again. It has been a huge success, and it's the kind of promotion that they can scale. They can expand or contract the dates, make more or fewer rooms available, vary the mix of room-nights available at various resorts, etc, etc. It's the kind of promotion which lends itself to endless fine-tuning.

The UK and Bounce Back promotions were wildly successful. And in addition to those we had a very quiet year in 2006 for hurricanes. So I'm sure projected occupancy rates are up for the late summer, and I wouldn't be surprised to see fewer room-nights made available for free dining.

I'm also sure Sammie's comments above are accurate. The speculative ressie folks - "I'll reserve and then cancel if they don't offer free dining" - probably are hurting their own interests. But I wonder if there are really enough of them to make a difference.

If there appear to be a lot of those ressies, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney said you can't change an existing ressie to a free dining ressie -- that would level the playing field and discourage playing that game in future years. They have a right to protect themselves, and let's not forget that they get to make the rules.

 

[MickeyT]

Well said JimMIA, well said. Part of the fun is the waiting and hoping and it is ultimately up to Disney to what they want to do. I can't help but believe that they enjoy the buildup to these things.

 

[tinkerbelltanya]

free dining wasn't offered in the Uk last year. It was only offered to the USA.
I actually had a package booked through disney UK but they wouldn't add free dining to it so I had to cancel and rebook with disney USA to get free dining.
Iam lucky enough to have 2 weeks of free dining this year too. This time booked through a UK tour operatour

Actually The free DDp was offered in the UK last year, it was released in about JUne time. I know because My mum and I booked in the MArch for september , in the June WDW released the free DDP, for late August throught September. Unfortunately we could not change our booking to take up the offer

The impression over here in the UK, is that it will be offered again. Many people here have already taken advantage of the Free plan offered for bookings before Nov 06.

We are waiting for its release again in June/July for this september, as Mum wants to go back.