Free dining in the fall?

[TwoMisfits]

It could be that with attendance dropping, but hotels almost fully booked, they bring back their Spring ticket deal to get offsiters to show up for the fall...it's hardly a discount for onsiters, but would get bodies in the lesser parks to spend full price money on overpriced snacks, parking fees, and souvies...they know they can't guarantee offsiters will get any shot at the Pandora rides, so there has to be an alternate option, since offsiters have chances at all the new Universal stuff...

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I wonder if free dining will be scaled back to one meal a day across the board. Just a thought after seeing the QS free meal deal.

 

[focusondisney]

The "bounce back" offer represents the very depths of the attendance charts. There are really no slower times of year anymore.

And so Endeth the "free dining"...till the next recession which should be on the radar by now.

Or let more than 1 hurricane hit in September. Lots of folks swear off September after that.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

In past years, must one stay in a standard room to get the free dining deal at Pop? We are in a preferred pool room- would we need to downgrade to a standard if we want to apply the promotion and our dates apply?

they have all levels it just depends on availability

 

[Moliphino]

That's what I was afraid of. Not sure how I feel about CBR. On the one hand, if you can stack FD and the $75 per night gc's that's a great deal. On the other hand, worried about how disruptive the construction will be...

Are they giving $75/night to those who book after the construction was announced? I thought it was just consolation for those who booked before, but I could be wrong.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

Are they giving $75/night to those who book after the construction was announced? I thought it was just consolation for those who booked before, but I could be wrong.

I've heard that others are able to get free upgrades to other resorts and rooms instead of the giftcard.

 

[JenK0108]

Are they giving $75/night to those who book after the construction was announced? I thought it was just consolation for those who booked before, but I could be wrong.

They are giving it regardless of when you book. It is on the website when you go to book CBR. Not sure if they will give it with FD, but I believe people are getting the gift cards in addition to whatever offers are currently available.

 

[Rusty2rules]

Just curious, how many people actually would cancel or change reservations already made if FD is not offered during their dates?

I've slept on it a couple of nights and I think I've decided what I'll do if they don't offer FD. I'll probably switch my resort from POR to POP. And I'll probably change my park hopper tickets to base tickets. And I'll probably scale back my intended TS meals to QS. So, in essence, Disney will make more money off of me if they offer FD. I'm still hoping for FD but I'm starting to wrap my head around the fact that there very possibly won't be FD offered for my dates (end of September) and will be pleasantly surprised if they do.

 

[Katmat75]

I've slept on it a couple of nights and I think I've decided what I'll do if they don't offer FD. I'll probably switch my resort from POR to POP. And I'll probably change my park hopper tickets to base tickets. And I'll probably scale back my intended TS meals to QS. So, in essence, Disney will make more money off of me if they offer FD. I'm still hoping for FD but I'm starting to wrap my head around the fact that there very possibly won't be FD offered for my dates (end of September) and will be pleasantly surprised if they do.

I'm with you on that. We go every year at the end of September and always get the FD. But if they don't offer it, I will still keep reservation and we will scale back on what we spend. The BB was only good through September 9 and I like the end of the month better so I did not book the BB last year, which is something we usually do. Here's hoping we all get some pixie dust and free dining becomes available for all our dates! And released soon!

 

[Rusty2rules]

I wonder how many people will do similar things? Or cancel their trip altogether? Or, the ones who are waiting on FD to make a reservation, if they don't go at all? I wonder if Disney will be cutting off their nose to spite their face if they don't offer FD? I'll still go. Just, as Katmat75 says, I'll cut my spending back.

 

[tink1957]

We will only stay 1 night as opposed to the 3 nights we would stay if free dining wasn't offered since this is mainly a Universal trip for HHN.

 

[smallworldnh]

I've slept on it a couple of nights and I think I've decided what I'll do if they don't offer FD. I'll probably switch my resort from POR to POP. And I'll probably change my park hopper tickets to base tickets. And I'll probably scale back my intended TS meals to QS. So, in essence, Disney will make more money off of me if they offer FD. I'm still hoping for FD but I'm starting to wrap my head around the fact that there very possibly won't be FD offered for my dates (end of September) and will be pleasantly surprised if they do.

I think most people actually book the late August through late Sept., early Oct. dates is because of the historical free dining offers. I used to go in May but I switched to end of September for the FD alone. I'm already booked but I'm booked at a value so I would probably go anyway. FD sure would be nice though!

 

[Lurkerin]

This thread is very interesting. A lot more people are "Free Dining or Bust!" than I expected. I am watching because we have dates that may be in the range. We planned our dates around Heat, Family, and crowd levels. If we hit a promotion that is just gravy.

 

[Bethislucy]

This thread is very interesting. A lot more people are "Free Dining or Bust!" than I expected. I am watching because we have dates that may be in the range. We planned our dates around Heat, Family, and crowd levels. If we hit a promotion that is just gravy.

I'm with you we are going regardless. Our dates were part of the bounce back offer we had so I feel pretty strong we won't get it.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Actually, it seems most people will still go without free dining (if you read these boards), they'll just try to cut back...I don't think Disney would mind that trade b/c they will still get almost as much money from the customers for much, much fewer costs...if you spend $1K and Disney only has $100 in costs, Disney makes $900. If you spend $1500, but Disney has $900 in costs, Disney only makes $600. So, it doesn't just matter if you spend a little more with free dining, it's also if Disney spends a lot less on you without it...the only way the calculus changes for Disney is with widespread cancellations, not trade downs...

 

[pigletto]

I will go regardless but my budget is fixed. As I mentioned in another thread, the $3600 package I have booked is already costing me almost $5000 with exchange. We picked the time frame we did because I have a university student and a 7th grader who can't miss school anymore. Everyone would rather the heat than play catch up when they get home. And the only reason we decided to move onsite for this trip (after staying offsite for the last two) was the possibility of free dining.
We did the promo in late August for many years and we were excited about the prospect of the onsite experience and all the table service places that have priced us out OOP. I mean I "could" pay $200 for a buffet.. but I'm not going to.
Basically if no free dining for our dates we do a long hard look at costs, drop 75% of our table service meals, and do a room only or move back offsite. Our dates are set with flights, but my budget is set too.

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I'm with you we are going regardless. Our dates were part of the bounce back offer we had so I feel pretty strong we won't get it.

Were or were not?

 

[TwoMisfits]

I will go regardless but my budget is fixed. As I mentioned in another thread, the $3600 package I have booked is already costing me almost $5000 with exchange. We picked the time frame we did because I have a university student and a 7th grader who can't miss school anymore. Everyone would rather the heat than play catch up when they get home. And the only reason we decided to move onsite for this trip (after staying offsite for the last two) was the possibility of free dining.
We did the promo in late August for many years and we were excited about the prospect of the onsite experience and all the table service places that have priced us out OOP. I mean I "could" pay $200 for a buffet.. but I'm not going to.
Basically if no free dining for our dates we do a long hard look at costs, drop 75% of our table service meals, and do a room only or move back offsite. Our dates are set with flights, but my budget is set too.

Right, but with fixed budgets, isn't it to Disney's advantage to give you as little as possible for it? If you're gonna spend the $5K anyway and you are dead set on giving it all to Disney, wouldn't it be better for Disney to give you lower cost food in a lower cost room for it? The only danger to this strategy for Disney is if they think you'll stop going...if they read the boards, they apparently don't need to worry much about this from their fall visitors...

 

[Elsaalltheway]

I will go regardless but my budget is fixed. As I mentioned in another thread, the $3600 package I have booked is already costing me almost $5000 with exchange. We picked the time frame we did because I have a university student and a 7th grader who can't miss school anymore. Everyone would rather the heat than play catch up when they get home. And the only reason we decided to move onsite for this trip (after staying offsite for the last two) was the possibility of free dining.
We did the promo in late August for many years and we were excited about the prospect of the onsite experience and all the table service places that have priced us out OOP. I mean I "could" pay $200 for a buffet.. but I'm not going to.
Basically if no free dining for our dates we do a long hard look at costs, drop 75% of our table service meals, and do a room only or move back offsite. Our dates are set with flights, but my budget is set too.

If they stay kinda close to the bounce back from last year, you should just eek in.

 

[pigletto]

Right, but with fixed budgets, isn't it to Disney's advantage to give you as little as possible for it? If you're gonna spend the $5K anyway and you are dead set on giving it all to Disney, wouldn't it be better for Disney to give you lower cost food in a lower cost room for it? The only danger to this strategy for Disney is if they think you'll stop going...if they read the boards, they apparently don't need to worry much about this from their fall visitors...

No disagreement from me. This trip is a different one for us though. We branched out long ago and started splitting our time between Disney and Universal after years of just Disney. Then we moved offsite for the Disney portion and became Universal AP holders, then we did entire Universal trips and ditched Disney all together. So while this year it may appear that I'm determined to give Disney my $5000, that isn't necessarily so. It very well may be that I move to Bonnet Creek, which then necessitates the car, drops our park days to 5 instead of 7 plus waterparks, and takes most of our meals offsite.
I do totally get what you are saying though. I am not so enamoured with Disney anymore that I'll throw money at them no matter what they do. It needs to make sense to my budget. It does make sense to them to offer me less, but I'm not adverse to not giving them anything.