Free Dining Plan causing WDW to make changes

[Teenchy]

Sorry if this is old news but just passing along information sent to me by Tikiman about how the Free Dining Plan is affecting WDW. Although it sounds like headaches for us guests but it sure seems like the promotion is working!



With the free dining plan things have not been so
pleasant at WDW. Even the Polynesian is feeling the
affects. People who are staying at the Polynesian are
finding out they cannot even get into 'Ohana unless
they had prior ADRs.
Also it has caused Disney to make some temporary
changes. As of August 13- September 4 these changes
will take place.
• Chef Mickey's - open for lunch from 12:30 p.m. - 3
p.m.
• Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) - will open until
12 noon for breakfast
• Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) - will open at 4
p.m. for dinner
• Grand Floridian Cafe (Grand Floridian Resort & Spa) -
will open at 4 p.m. for dinner
• Concourse Steakhouse (Disney's Contemporary Resort) -
will open at 4:30 p.m. for dinner
• Boma (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge) - will open at
4:30 p.m. every day of the week
• Liberty Tree Tavern (Magic Kingdom) - operating hours
for dinner will be the same as Cinderella's Royal Table
• Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom) - operating hours for
dinner will be the same as Cinderella's Royal Table
• Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe (Magic Kingdom) - buffet
dinner, served from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (walk-up only)
Note: Grab 'n Go sandwiches and salads will no longer
be available in the Merchandise locations at Disney's
Port Orleans Resort, Disney's All Star Resorts, and
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resorts
August 20, 27, September 3 will be added as additional
days for the Spirit of Aloha Show.
Last week Disney oversold rooms so guests had to be
moved to Tahiti for one night until rooms became
available on Sunday checkout. Tahiti was going to close
this Monday and no report on if it did. The guests that
were inconvenienced buy this one day move were either
upgraded to Hawaii concierge or were moved into Tahiti
and given access to the concierge lounge. This
increased the amount of people in the lounge and the
first night food ran out. They increased the amount of
food the next night and there was a lot left over.
The DVD players were installed in the Hawaii rooms and
guests can check out DVDs with the concierge.
Also available to concierge guests now is the Wildlife Discovery Excursion available at 10am and 1pm daily for $45 a person. You are put in a climate controlled vehicle for a hour excursion with an expert safari guide and you go beyond the safari trail with stops along the way and photo opportunities. Part of the money goes to the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Minimum age is 3 years old and they only take 14 people at a time.
Soon I will be posting some info and from some
documents I got a hold of. They are the original
documents announcing the plans and into the early
design of Disney World (called the Vacation Kingdom)
and the resorts. It was part of the Press Kit given out
in April 1969 and describes the Polynesian resort as a
10 story building.
Aloha
Steve

If you want to be removed from the list for the
updates just email me at polynesian@tikiman2001.net
www.tikiman2001.homestead.com

 

[flscooman]

Sorry if this is old news but just passing along information sent to me by Tikiman about how the Free Dining Plan is affecting WDW. Although it sounds like headaches for us guests but it sure seems like the promotion is working!



With the free dining plan things have not been so
pleasant at WDW. Even the Polynesian is feeling the
affects. People who are staying at the Polynesian are
finding out they cannot even get into 'Ohana unless
they had prior ADRs.
Also it has caused Disney to make some temporary
changes. As of August 13- September 4 these changes
will take place.
• Chef Mickey's - open for lunch from 12:30 p.m. - 3
p.m.
• Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) - will open until
12 noon for breakfast
• Ohana (Disney's Polynesian Resort) - will open at 4
p.m. for dinner
• Grand Floridian Cafe (Grand Floridian Resort & Spa) -
will open at 4 p.m. for dinner
• Concourse Steakhouse (Disney's Contemporary Resort) -
will open at 4:30 p.m. for dinner
• Boma (Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge) - will open at
4:30 p.m. every day of the week
• Liberty Tree Tavern (Magic Kingdom) - operating hours
for dinner will be the same as Cinderella's Royal Table
• Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom) - operating hours for
dinner will be the same as Cinderella's Royal Table
• Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe (Magic Kingdom) - buffet
dinner, served from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. (walk-up only)
Note: Grab 'n Go sandwiches and salads will no longer
be available in the Merchandise locations at Disney's
Port Orleans Resort, Disney's All Star Resorts, and
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resorts
August 20, 27, September 3 will be added as additional
days for the Spirit of Aloha Show.
Last week Disney oversold rooms so guests had to be
moved to Tahiti for one night until rooms became
available on Sunday checkout. Tahiti was going to close
this Monday and no report on if it did. The guests that
were inconvenienced buy this one day move were either
upgraded to Hawaii concierge or were moved into Tahiti
and given access to the concierge lounge. This
increased the amount of people in the lounge and the
first night food ran out. They increased the amount of
food the next night and there was a lot left over.
The DVD players were installed in the Hawaii rooms and
guests can check out DVDs with the concierge.
Also available to concierge guests now is the Wildlife Discovery Excursion available at 10am and 1pm daily for $45 a person. You are put in a climate controlled vehicle for a hour excursion with an expert safari guide and you go beyond the safari trail with stops along the way and photo opportunities. Part of the money goes to the Wildlife Conservation Fund. Minimum age is 3 years old and they only take 14 people at a time.
Soon I will be posting some info and from some
documents I got a hold of. They are the original
documents announcing the plans and into the early
design of Disney World (called the Vacation Kingdom)
and the resorts. It was part of the Press Kit given out
in April 1969 and describes the Polynesian resort as a
10 story building.
Aloha
Steve

If you want to be removed from the list for the
updates just email me at polynesian@tikiman2001.net
www.tikiman2001.homestead.com

Boma is actually opening at 4:00 and seating till 10:30

 

[capellt]

Does anyone know if these changes are permanent? or just for this free dining plan time?

 

[Teenchy]

Does anyone know if these changes are permanent? or just for this free dining plan time?

Looks like temporary changes for now.(Till 9/4/06.)

 

[shoppingnut]

I wonder if this isn't being done because many guests have asked if they could exchange a sit down meal for a counter service. I'd guess that they are testing this out to see how it works out. Even though they are giving you two counter service meals and additional snacks or pin/lanyard, this is still costing them less than you eating a sit down meal.

 

[prberk]

I wonder if this isn't being done because many guests have asked if they could exchange a sit down meal for a counter service. I'd guess that they are testing this out to see how it works out. Even though they are giving you two counter service meals and additional snacks or pin/lanyard, this is still costing them less than you eating a sit down meal.

I am not entirely certain about that. I would guess that a the profit margin is much greater on a table service meal, but not the actual cost -- just the "price" (consumer cost).

Paul

 

[HinunterZuNich]

I just returned from WDW (Aug 17-23) and the crowds were comparable to late July crowds. I wasn't expecting to to be empty or anything near that, but having the free dining cause lack of choices made the trip a little bit of a bummer. They even combined the menu at Tony's into one all day menu, not sure what was left off though.

 

[shoppingnut]

I am not entirely certain about that. I would guess that a the profit margin is much greater on a table service meal, but not the actual cost -- just the "price" (consumer cost).

Paul

Possibly not if the restaurant isn't a WDW owned one, like Chef de France and they have a negotiated deal to pay so much for that meal. Also they are now not paying an 18% gratuity either.

 

[epcotfan]

Note: Grab 'n Go sandwiches and salads will no longer
be available in the Merchandise locations at Disney's
Port Orleans Resort, Disney's All Star Resorts, and
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resorts

Why?

 

[Figments Friend]

Maybe they have been having problems with Guests buying them all up to smuggle into the Parks? Just a guess....and in a way it does'nt make a lot of sense since why would Guests with Free Dining want to do this anyway? I mean...they can eat wherever they want for FREE in the Parks!! LOL!


I am heading down in about 3 weeks, and i have the Free Dining Plan as well. Last year was SO awesome with that special deal...that i could'nt resist passsing this years' repeat.

I am glad this thread was started. This is all interesting info i need to know. Thanks!

 

[PSU_Princess]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this..so I was hoping that someone reading this one would know the answer. Does anyone know when the free dining plan was announced for this year? I would really like to go back to the world next year, and if free dining is a possibility again that might influence my decision about when to go. My DH isn't a fan of buying the dining plan because we generally don't do a lot of sit down meals...but if it's free that gives a reason to try out some of the great places!

 

[wdwishes2005]

]I wonder if this isn't being done because many guests have asked if they could exchange a sit down meal for a counter service.[/B] I'd guess that they are testing this out to see how it works out. Even though they are giving you two counter service meals and additional snacks or pin/lanyard, this is still costing them less than you eating a sit down meal.

I bet that, and the fact that unless you made PS way in advance you are pretty much out of luck as far as sit downs at WDW.

 

[ypcat]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this..so I was hoping that someone reading this one would know the answer. Does anyone know when the free dining plan was announced for this year? I would really like to go back to the world next year, and if free dining is a possibility again that might influence my decision about when to go. My DH isn't a fan of buying the dining plan because we generally don't do a lot of sit down meals...but if it's free that gives a reason to try out some of the great places!

IIRC, it was open to Disney Visa card holders April 1 or 2. The opened to general public a couple days later. We made our ressies on 4/2.

 

[PSU_Princess]

IIRC, it was open to Disney Visa card holders April 1 or 2. The opened to general public a couple days later. We made our ressies on 4/2.

Thanks for the info!--I do have a Mickey's Visa but I guess I tend to skip over some of the information!

 

[brucie]

im thrilled about the free dining i am going Aug 22 with the free dining package. I can't wait to eat at all the restaurants that I normally can't afford, my last disney trip we ate mostly Mc Donalds after we left the park and then there was the tuna on krackers and macaroni and cheese cooked in a kettle in our hotel room! We still had a blast but this will be nice!

 

[PhilharMagician]

im thrilled about the free dining i am going Aug 22 with the free dining package. I can't wait to eat at all the restaurants that I normally can't afford, my last disney trip we ate mostly Mc Donalds after we left the park and then there was the tuna on krackers and macaroni and cheese cooked in a kettle in our hotel room! We still had a blast but this will be nice!

Today's the 24th??? :hammer:

 

[brucie]

oops I meant Sept

 

[kennygman]

Make sure you have ADR and show up early. Make sure your entire party is present or you can't be seated, they will only wait a few mins before bypassing you for someone else. Service was way down compared to Dec not Free Dining Plan usuage. Wait times were huge, glasses rarely refilled and characters were in a hurry to get to all the tables.

 

[PrincessK]

I just got back (8/15-8/22) and dining was crazy. Unless you booked the 90 days out, you weren't eating. I tried to add a 3rd person onto one of my meals--no way. It was interested to say the least!

 

[Figments Friend]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this..so I was hoping that someone reading this one would know the answer. Does anyone know when the free dining plan was announced for this year? I would really like to go back to the world next year, and if free dining is a possibility again that might influence my decision about when to go. My DH isn't a fan of buying the dining plan because we generally don't do a lot of sit down meals...but if it's free that gives a reason to try out some of the great places!

HI!

If i remember right, it was offered in late April through the first week in June. I remember this now as i had JUST come back from a brief 3-day visit and then suddenly here was this great offer staring back at me! LOL! I also remember the last weekend you could book for this Free Dining add on was the first Saturday in June.

Last year i also took advantage of the FD Plan offer. I think that one was offered in May thru late June, but i could be wrong as it was a while ago.

Hope this helps!

I think if they find a way to handle the problems it seems they are having this year, they will continue to offer it as it is obviously a huge success. Attendence must be way up when compared to the usual late summer/early fall numbers. I always go to WDW during that time period, and did notice things being a little busier.

I return in about 3 weeks. I hope things will go as wonderfully as last years FDP expereince did. Now after reading some of this thread, i am starting to wonder if it will instead be a bit nutty.

I'll still have a great time though!