Free dining

Old Tink, can you show me the link where you're seeing someone saying the predicted dates for free dining? I looked on the DisBoards and they are predicting the release date to be Monday but no one has any firm prediction of the free dining dates as you posted in your original post (Aug 28 - 2nd week in Dec) so I'm just curious where you're getting this info from.

I have a question about free dining. my husband and i have not booked out trip yet because I've been waiting to see if there are going to be good deals (like free dining). We plan on booking our trip ourselves through the waltdisneyworld.com. my question is if i book our trip now and free dining or anything like that become available will i get a refund if i have already paid for it? Or should i wait until they officially roll out the free dining to book?

You can go ahead and book now. If/when a discount becomes available YOU will have to call and get your refund though. Disney will not just automatically give it to you.

Thank you scrappy!!! now i have one more question... if i book our hotel, tickets and dining plan now without free dining I'm going to book a value resort but if we had free dining I'm going to book a moderate resort. so the question is if i book with the value resort and then get free dining can i change to a moderate resort?

I am sure you can. I am not 100% sure how that will work. We have never changed resort levels when changing reservations.

Thank you very much scrappy

We are currently at POP for this September and are planning on changing to a moderate if a free dining offer comes out to take advantage of the DDP vs the QSDP. I know people in the past who have done this with no issues, you will just have to be flexible with what resorts and room types are available for the free dining.

Thanks Allie! we just booked at AoA and are going to switch to one of the moderate hotels if we get the free dining. I'm happy to know that it won't be a big deal to change if we decide to do that

We originally wanted to stay at AoA (LOVE the Little Mermaid theming!), but once we heard that they never offer free dining, decided to switch to a value resort. However, after crunching the numbers, I went ahead and booked at a moderate. The room is so much nicer, and the cost of staying at a moderate and getting the free regular dining plan was the comparable to staying at a value resort and paying to upgrade the dining plans from quick service to regular.

Then again this was all on speculation. If free dining isn't offered for our dates...whoopsee! I will just suck it up because I fell in love with the room we booked!

Which moderate did you choose, Princess Cupcake? I've been to PORS and POFQ, and thinking about going to CS this time.

We changed to PORS...once I saw the Royal Rooms I knew I had to make it happen, there was no way I could stay anywhere else. I tell everyone I chose the room for my daughter, but in reality it was for me! I have looked at many other resorts, and they are nice, but PORS seems just....magical! I just wish they had the fifth fold away bed like in the Bayou so we could bring an extra person!

Thanks, but I'll wait until Disney announces it. It's usually a couple of days after the Disney Visa discounts are announced.

That's the link I was referring to that I'd already been looking at. Both links you posted are using Joe as their "source". You're original post stated:

which is very misleading to say because 1) Joe has clearly stated he has no inside source at Disney and all his predictions are based on rumors and digging through online posts and 2) he never confirmed any specific dates for the FD offer where as you quoted "Aug 28-second week in Dec". The exact quote from him that you linked says
"As for this year, it appears Free Dining will somewhat mirror last year, and may even include the last day or two of August. September Free Dining will probably be announced on Thursday May 1. It may be just for Disney Visa Card holders to start out with, but it might be for everyone. I'll post it on my Facebook page and let Dad know when we hear some more. If Free Dining does indeed run through December again this year, I see it sticking around for next year as well, though slimmed down."
Nothing in that states that it WILL be offered from Aug 28-second week in Dec. It is all speculation. Which is exactly why you shouldn't rely on these rumors to plan your vacation because it gets slightly altered each time someone retells it.

I wasn't saying the links are misleading. The links are very upfront about not promising anything, not knowing for certain, and having no specific dates. I was saying that your original post is misleading because it is worded in much more definite terms, stating that someone with insider information (none of the people you linked claim to have insider information, they all just gather speculations and look for patterns) has said there will be free dining from Aug 28-mid Dec (none of the people you linked gave specific dates, only "maybe the first couple of days of August" and "if it did last until Dec...", etc). I'm just pointing out that this is why you can't trust everything on the internet because it's like a big game of telephone and the story changes the more people it's passed through.

You can! I have always used a TA when doing this though so I'm not entirely sure what the process is if you do it online.

Made a similar change on my last trip when FD was offered. Was unable to make the change online, but called Disney and they were able to facilitate and post a refund.

Perfect!

Yhaaaa!
Can't wait!

The rumors are strong, as you had this info while calling WDW, as others have reported at DISboards and Daddy's something (don't recall the blog's name now...)

Both bloggers state that the free DP could be released today (it wasn't " so sad), next Monday or May 5th, while cardholders would be able to start booking in May 1st.

I hope Disney heads up everyone and releases next Monday, as I'm tired of waiting!

Free DDP announced for UK travellers today for 2015...Got an e Mail.....Not that I'll be going unless a unknown rich relative from an unknown land leaves me their inheritance ...Am I related to you Mr Ferret.?

Oldtink you are certainly blessed. Congratulations to you on your son's graduation on MD. And what a wonderful send off to your husband. He is having is own "Mr. Holland's Opus" (one of my favorite movies). May God continue to bless you and yours.