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

[DisTXMom]

Just wandering if anyone had any luck getting FD with a contemporary standard room?

Nope. That's the first thing I tried. Garden wing, followed by TPV- nada.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I got FD for 9/29-10/8. I got SSR

Yes, FD is blacked out for all of October and early November but if you check in the last couple of days of September you qualify for FD your entire stay, including whatever days in October. There is no FD if your check-in date falls in October or early November.

 

[monorailrabbit]

It didnt drop at 4. it was 533

4:33 my time. sorry i've been up since then and didn't remember the exact time.

 

[minniemous]

Sounds like the server may not be accepting the information.

Do you have an email confirming the change?
You could also login using a different browser and see if your reservation is updated - - -
or go to your credit card website and check for a pending charge......
or call Disney.

I have an email confirmation but it still has not updated...It has been about 4 hours now..I am not worried because I have the email confirmation. This entire process did not go remotely smooth..Luckily it worked out for us.

 

[bookgirl2632]

Well, I had to book a separate reservation, but I got it! Now, I just have to wait to be able to cancel my original one. I can't at the moment since the website is not cooperating. My sister is still trying though. I told her to not give up since things usually open up when it calms down. People change plans or resorts or cancel altogether.

 

[Tonyz]

Bingo Bango Bongo!! Keep trying ladies and gents, because I just got the Poly discount for my three nights!! Switched to the Boardwalk and now back to The Poly! The Hawaiian Rollar Coaster Ride lives!!

 

[AmyCate]

Just wandering if anyone had any luck getting FD with a contemporary standard room?

I got a Garden Wing Standard Room at the Contemporary with free dining. I was online at 5:30 this morning when it was released.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

So what's the easiest way to keep checking? Looking for fd at the Poly, standard room 11/18 - 11/25. Should I keep the "results" page pulled up, which currently says "This resort is unavailable . . . " and just keep hitting "refresh"? Or do I need to back out of that and start at the beginning each time?

I think you can just keep refreshing. Are your dates flexible because Poly has a standard room available for November 14-22 right now.

 

[Mollymovacca]

Since some people were confused about whether CBR was offered with FD for Pirate Rooms only, thought I'd share our experience. We had reservations for 3 standard rooms at CBR for 9/27- 10/3. Our TA was able to get all 3 modified to FD this AM. I know some people mentioned that they starting checking as soon as FD dropped and only Pirate Rooms were available, so it appears the offerings varied by dates/ availability, which makes sense. We did all save a little, but it wasn't a huge savings. Since we all had to pay the increased ticket/room rates and upgrade to the regular dining plan, we saved about $175 per room w/ FD vs. RO discount, regular dining plan, and purchasing tickets on our own.

Since our reservations were modified, not cancelled, we were told we would keep the GCs. (all reservation #s stayed the same).

I think most people had better luck with their TAs getting their CBR ressie modified. Glad for you! Can you send me some pixie dust that something opens up for our ressie there!

 

[shruley]

I was thinking the same. I do not understand why people use Travel Agents anyhow, unless they are offering you an incentive (like Costco does).
Going through most TAs, the price is the same. Why lose control over your reservation?

To each their own. I really enjoy planning for Disney, choosing restaurants, making an itinerary. I don't enjoy Disney's 5 am timetable for things (I'm not on the east coast), like dining reservations, or the wait on hold if I have to call them, etc. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled my first TA years ago, but the one I'm with now I've used multiple times and she's never not gotten me what I want. CRT breakfast back when that was the most coveted reservation, this trip we got BOG dinner on our requested day, she booked ROL package before I even knew it was available, even though I'd just been reading the ROL thread on DIS the day it opened. We got free dining this year, and previous years, she's gotten us our first choice the day it was released. Although I've figured most things out on my own, there are a few things I've been debating (after extensively reading the threads here) and she's given some piece of advice that I've really appreciated. I could make all my own dining reservations, etc if I wanted to, but I just don't see the reason when someone else does it for me, and I don't have to wake up early. I can't access the Disney website while at work, and there are days I don't get home til 9 at night. It's just easier to email her and she does whatever I need her to! It's hard, though, if you don't have trust in them. I've heard some awful stories.

 

[Tonyz]

So I woke up at 6:30 to do something that I could've woken up at 11:30 to do. Gotta love Disney!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

was anyone able to get FD standard room at poly?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Does anyone know how adding or subtracting 1 day to your reservation affects free dining? With Nov so far away, I'm not sure what our flight options will be... I made them "1 day short" (which I hated to do) in case we can't fly out until Thur. If it turns out I can add Wed on (if we can get evening flights after school/work that won't break the ba, I know in the past they've added it no problem the 2 times I've done it (One of the times I got FD for that night too, and once I did not due to no availability the 1 night I was adding.) So seems like adding a day on depends on luck of availability for FD that 1 night... but I'm most confused on whether you are allowed to DROP the first day of your reservation without losing your FD reservation? (of course BOTH of those days fall within the free dining window). It's only relevant because if I'm able to Wed night on once things calm down, but later can't get a flight till Thur, does it mess up the FD reservation.

In the past, WDW allowed you to change dates within your original booking without a problem, but about a year or so ago, they changed the policy. If you try to drop a day, they will have to look at existing inventory to see if your new dates have room inventory (they can't simply take off a day). If there is no availability with the new dates, you can lose your promo.

 

[lacy1101]

Since I can't seem to do anything on the website because of the error messages, I'm resorting to calling. Is (407) 939-5277 the number everyone is using? Or, actually, maybe I should try tech support instead . . . anyone have that number?

 

[granmarquee]

I think most people had better luck with their TAs getting their CBR ressie modified. Glad for you! Can you send me some pixie dust that something opens up for our ressie there!

Absolutely! Sending positive vibes and pixie dust wishes your way. It sounds like lots of folks booked multiple reservations, so I have confidence that a decent amount of inventory will open up in the next few days.

 

[dosekies]

Been up since 3am and hoping something magically opens up for a standard room at CBR! It would be amazing to combine this with my gift cards I'm already getting.

 

[Mollymovacca]

Absolutely! Sending positive vibes and pixie dust wishes your way. It sounds like lots of folks booked multiple reservations, so I have confidence that a decent amount of inventory will open up in the next few days.

Thanks! I booked our second option but we really want CBR with the queen beds and our gc perk!

 

[Bimmy56]

Well, I had to book a separate reservation, but I got it! Now, I just have to wait to be able to cancel my original one. I can't at the moment since the website is not cooperating. My sister is still trying though. I told her to not give up since things usually open up when it calms down. People change plans or resorts or cancel altogether.

don't worry about it yet. We had to book a new reservation to get free dining, and about 5 hours later, our old reservation was gone without us being able to cancel it earlier, but our dining reservations were on the new one

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

I think that this year's FD offer tells us that Disney is more focused on filling Value and Deluxe resorts during this time period. The old FD plan pushed people to Moderates - this one pushes folks away from Moderates.

Agreed, but it doesn't make it as good of a deal with a deluxe anyway. You have to pay rack rate for the hotel and you're restricted on type of tickets etc.
Plus even if it's a decent deal, it's only for the cheapest deluxes like WL and AKL.
I think it's more Disney trying to do away with Free Dining period because it made most sense at the moderate level.

 

[vever]

Been up since 3am and hoping something magically opens up for a standard room at CBR! It would be amazing to combine this with my gift cards I'm already getting.

Me too