Free Dining & Annual Passholder

[DanStat]

I consider myself pretty savvy when it comes to booking a WDW vacation, however I'm having trouble with this scenario...

I am an Annual Passholder. The rest of my family is not. We received a PIN for free dining. My mom and sister would take advantage of the PIN, which includes park hopper tickets and free dining. I will be going with them, however I do not need free dining or a park hopper ticket. We would all be flying together and want to use DME.

Any thoughts on the best way to book this? I called Disney twice. The first CM said that I needed to book 2 separate reservations. The second said I would have to book the plan for all 3 of us for a minimum of 2 days, then have my family members upgrade their park hoppers to longer tickets at the theme parks.

Really confused and would appreciate any expertise you all may provide...

 

[DisneyJoe]

The second said I would have to book the plan for all 3 of us for a minimum of 2 days, then have my family members upgrade their park hoppers to longer tickets at the theme parks.

This one, since you need to book a package to get Free Dining, and have a minimum number of ticket days.

They can also upgrade their tickets at the resort front desk.

You can take your tickets and apply them to your next AP purchase.

I'm assuming you all want to be in the same room.

 

[Nemo14]

I don't know for sure, but I think you all have to be on the same package., which would mean that you have to buy a minimum 2-day ticket. You can use that ticket though when you go to renew your AP, whenever that may be.
As far as the dining plan goes, I think you just have a certain number of credits, so you could use your credits to bump up to signature dining or HDR or the Luau for the rest of your party.

 

[blackthidot]

If you have an AP you just have to buy 2 day base tickets to qualify for Free Dining for the number of nights you have paid in the hotel. Actually everyone has to have at least 2 day base tickets but being they don't have APs I don't think that's an issue for you. So it's more geared towards you. If you want free dining with your AP you HAVE to buy 2 day base tix. That's is all. You can use those tickets towards a new AP, sell it on eBay, give them as gifts or whatever.

 

[lunchbox1175]

If you have an AP you just have to buy 2 day base tickets to qualify for Free Dining for the number of nights you have paid in the hotel. Actually everyone has to have at least 2 day base tickets but being they don't have APs I don't think that's an issue for you. So it's more geared towards you. If you want free dining with your AP you HAVE to buy 2 day base tix. That's is all. You can use those tickets towards a new AP, sell it on eBay, give them as gifts or whatever.

this is the one....although I agree with @Trotsky, the TiW is better than the free dining plan over the long term.

 

[luv]

An AP hotel discount and TiW card may save you more money than a free dining package.

I'd get a travel agent, though, to be sure how it all works. The TAs are free and the ones who specialize in Disney are more reliable sources of Disney info than the Disney staff.

 

[dreamfinder]

I consider myself pretty savvy when it comes to booking a WDW vacation, however I'm having trouble with this scenario...

I am an Annual Passholder. The rest of my family is not. We received a PIN for free dining. My mom and sister would take advantage of the PIN, which includes park hopper tickets and free dining. I will be going with them, however I do not need free dining or a park hopper ticket. We would all be flying together and want to use DME.

Any thoughts on the best way to book this? I called Disney twice. The first CM said that I needed to book 2 separate reservations. The second said I would have to book the plan for all 3 of us for a minimum of 2 days, then have my family members upgrade their park hoppers to longer tickets at the theme parks.

Really confused and would appreciate any expertise you all may provide...

Everyone needs to be on the same package. So either you buy yourself a 2 day ticket to hold onto and get free dining you don't want, make 2 different reservations, 1 for them and 1 for you, or you look into using a room discount/TiW.

Only you can run the numbers to see which is best. I'd guess that buying yourself a 2 day ticket will be cheaper than 2 different reservations, plus you would get yourself free dining, and can use the ticket towards your next AP. Comparing free dining/room discount + TiW really depends on your resort of choice, how many people will be in the room, and what you would be eating. 2 people staying at a deluxe often do better taking a room discount, but 3 or 4 staying at a value often do better with free dining. Look at menus, see what you would eat if paying out of pocket, and then see if free dining works for you in this scenario. That's the only way to know which would be better for you.