Free Dining

WishIwasThere

WishIwasThere

Active Member
I got my email offer late yesterday, but it mentions 5 night/6 day package. Is this the only way you get the free dining? I haven't called yet but we are only going for 4 nights/5 days in September. And is it only for staying at certain resorts? The email lists only value resorts or deluxe villa resorts (Saratoga or Key West).

So I am weighing my options. I already have plane tickets at an awesome price (went up $50 a ticket the past two weeks for same flight), so to change that would cost some money if I have to go to a 5 night stay. I also have reservations at Shades of Green for a price, about 1/3 of what a deluxe Disney resort would be. So saving me about $100/day going with free dining really won't help me that much :(. Plus the wife likes to eat off site sometimes.

Wouldn't it be nice if they did the 7/4 deal plus free dining. Then the resorts would be packed for September.
 
NewfieFan

NewfieFan

Well-Known Member
EaglesfanNJ said:
TopDog (or anyone else that can chime in for me) I'm not a first time dining plan user, but it will be the first time i've called ahead to make ADR's. Last time i was there, we did it by the seat of our pants and just booked at the concierge when we got there, we had odd dining times, but it was just the wife and I, no kids, and we did not mind. This time with a baby, i'm not taking a chance. So i need some tips from you..

1) We arrive in Disney Sept 27th, so by my count i'm calling June 29th, which is a Monday to make ADR's. Now when i do this, how does it work? Can i make ADR's for my entire trip that day? We are there until Oct 3rd. What time can i start calling in the morning?
2) I'm fairly newer to the site and i have learned much, one of the common themes i read is EVERYONE talking about Le Cellier... do you all recommend Le Cellier? I love steak, the wife will eat steak too but is more partial to chicken, and the baby will just eat whatever we have. Any other dining or ADR tips you guys have for me is appreciated!
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Everybody has already answered your first question so I'll chime in on #2... Le Cellier was great and really lived up to it's expectations! I had the mushroom fillet (mmmmmm:slurp:). We also enjoy Rose & Crown as well. We've eaten there twice and both times it was really nice. We had a seating just before Illuminations so we were able to go outside and watch the show and then come back in for our dessert! They have a little viewing area for customers of the restaurant or you could be seated outside and see the show from your table!
 
Tink313

Tink313

Member
Original Poster
NewfieFan said:
Everybody has already answered your first question so I'll chime in on #2... Le Cellier was great and really lived up to it's expectations! I had the mushroom fillet (mmmmmm:slurp:). We also enjoy Rose & Crown as well. We've eaten there twice and both times it was really nice. We had a seating just before Illuminations so we were able to go outside and watch the show and then come back in for our dessert! They have a little viewing area for customers of the restaurant or you could be seated outside and see the show from your table!
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This is the first time I am going to try to get Le Cellier & Rose & Crown. I hope Im able to get them I heard such good things from reading everyones post here:wave:

I've already booked the day off work, my colleagues can't believe it :ROFLOL:
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Hey we disney goers have to keep on top of these things. Its the only way to go:lookaroun :lol: :ROFLOL:
 
HaleighPants

HaleighPants

New Member
Sorry if this has already been answered...but when will this offer be available to guests that don't have the disney visa? Or is it not? I would love to schedule a trip for late august but I won't be able to make it this year without the discount...
 
F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
WishIwasThere said:
I got my email offer late yesterday, but it mentions 5 night/6 day package. Is this the only way you get the free dining? I haven't called yet but we are only going for 4 nights/5 days in September. And is it only for staying at certain resorts? The email lists only value resorts or deluxe villa resorts (Saratoga or Key West).
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No. I booked free dining and I'm only staying 4 nights. They use those as examples as a comparison for savings. The offer is valid for all resorts (but might not be available at all resorts, two very different concepts).

WishIwasThere said:
So saving me about $100/day going with free dining really won't help me that much :(. Plus the wife likes to eat off site sometimes.
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Saving $100/day isn't worth much? That's a lot actually.

WishIwasThere said:
Wouldn't it be nice if they did the 7/4 deal plus free dining. Then the resorts would be packed for September.
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They lose money by offering these discounts. Theoretically the discounts are offset by other spending at the resort, but Disney has acknowledged that though they are packed with guests, they aren't really making any money from them. SO don't count on that double whammy unless the economy REALLY tanks.
 
D

DisneyJoe

Well-Known Member
fosse76 said:
I think last time they offered it they gave Disney Visa holders a couple weeks head start before offering it to the public.
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Weeks? At least not in the last 3 years:

http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html#codechart

In 2006, it was 3 days.
In 2007, it was 3 days.
In 2008, it was 3 days.

My info and Mousesavers is saying March 30 this year.

http://www.mousesavers.com/packages.html#freedining :

"If you don't have a Disney Rewards Visa card, an identical offer is expected for the general public on 3/30/09"

-Joe
 
wdwmomof3

wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
I still wish that I had the Disney Visa, just to get the deal early. This waiting is killing me!! :ROFLOL:Mainly because we have never had a chance to get it before. I'm so excited & just want to rush through the weekend, and that never ever happens for me. :lol:

Now the real question is should I book it my self OR with KK? I am also booking for two other familys and my BIL is doing his own. What would be the better way & the fastest way to do this? I want to do it ASAP, and I know that it's going to be crazy Monday. Any advice?
 
Tink313

Tink313

Member
Original Poster
You could always book your vacations now and on Monday switch them over to Free Dining :slurp:

That what I did. On Wednesday night I made my reservations(I was going crazy I couldnt wait :hammer:) and on Thrusday morning at 7am I added free dining (I think I have OCD. I started thinking that I was going to wait along time to get to a cm and by the time I finially get through there are no more rooms available with free dining. :eek: I know like that could happen:lookaroun :p :lol:) It was much easier for me this way and a peace of mind :eek:

ON Thrusday the process to add the free dining didnt take long at all.

Have fun planning. I wish they would put up the calendar for August and September Already :brick:
 
wannabeBelle

wannabeBelle

Well-Known Member
Hey there Tink, You are sort of correct. The number of packages that are available for this promotion is NOT the total number of packages that Disney has to sell. If you book a package at a specific resort with a certain room category, on certain dates, there is absolutely no guarantee that when you go to "add" Free Dining that it will be available!! When Free Dining is added like that what the person who is doing the reservation is actually doing is trading your package for one of the Free Dining ones at the same resort. If a Free Dining package isnt available for your resort on your dates, the fact that you hold a regular package at that resort, will not have any effect on your ability to get a Free Dining package. Belle
 
T

TURKEY

New Member
wannabeBelle said:
Hey there Tink, You are sort of correct. The number of packages that are available for this promotion is NOT the total number of packages that Disney has to sell. If you book a package at a specific resort with a certain room category, on certain dates, there is absolutely no guarantee that when you go to "add" Free Dining that it will be available!! When Free Dining is added like that what the person who is doing the reservation is actually doing is trading your package for one of the Free Dining ones at the same resort. If a Free Dining package isnt available for your resort on your dates, the fact that you hold a regular package at that resort, will not have any effect on your ability to get a Free Dining package. Belle
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Yep. Many people don't seem to understand that.

In fact the more people that book ahead of time to hold rooms just wanting to hold space until a promotion, the fewer promotion rooms available. Holding a room can backfire.

Just think, if everyone here booked in January for free dining dates before they came out, the resorts would already be sold and there would be no need for the promotions.
 
wannabeBelle

wannabeBelle

Well-Known Member
Exactly!! The only time I advise a client to book ahead of time, is if they are going to go regardless of a discount. Of course we still try for the discount if anything does become available, but if it doesnt for that time frame at least I know that the client was advised correctly and is in the resort that they wanted for that vacation. Belle
 

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