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[Minne&Mickey92]

hi everyone this might be a long shot but just wondered if anyone could give some advice on the free disney dining plan

Basically we priced up our trip beginning of july with the free disney dining plan included staying at animal kingdom lodge, were waiting till pay day to book . but when we went to do so yesterday noticed that the free disney dining plan had ended making our trip 800 more !! just wondered if anyone knew when this offer is usually on each year / how often and could advise us whether we've missed out and should just book to secure our place now ? were planning on visiting sept 2013

look forward to any help people can give
 :nemo:

[Sparkchild]

I've done the dining plan many a time and it is great if you can get it for free. We never buy it outright, we wait for the free deals. Right now WDW is offering a free dining plan for 6 day stays for most nights Sept 30-Dec 20, 2012. You have to be there for 6 days and pay full price for the hotel room. If you stay at the Value resort you will only get the free "quick Service" dining plan. If you stay at a Moderate or higher resort you get a full dining plan. The difference is:

Quick service gives you: Two quick service meals (fast food places) and one Snack (almost any food item from vendor carts valued at $6 or less. A snack can be anything from popcorn to a soda.) You will get two meals and one snack per day you stay at the Disney resort. You can spread out your meals and can use them in any order.

Full Dining plan gives you: One quick service meal, one snack, and one "table service meal" (This is any sit down restaurant. Some restaurants charge you for two table service points if you eat there, such as Cinderella's Castle). Again, you can spread out the meals and use them in any order.

If you are planning on being there and can get the free dining plan, do it! There are limited slots open for free dining so book sooner rather than later. They hold only a handful of rooms in each resort for this offer and once they are gone you have to choose another resort (most likely a more expensive resort), or not get it at all. My family has used this dining plan several times and we love it. If you are going during EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival you can use the snack points on food from the international vendors around the world showcase. We don't eat dinner at all those days we just walk around the showcase and eat. it is worth using the table service points on nice restaurants, basically you're getting a $30+ meal for free.  You can check out Restaurant menus and price lists on food carts to see if they accept the dining plan, most due. There is a spoon and fork icon with a letter, either a "T", "S", or "C", referring to Table, Snack, or Counter service accepted. If you are getting the dinging plan, book your table service meals early. The days of walking into a restaurant at WDW and getting a seat without reservations is non-existant. Book early and plan out your meals. if you do this correctly you can save around $55+ per person each day just in food. If you have to pay for the dining plan, I would skip it. They charge you around $70 per person per day for the dining plan, and you could spend less without it.  

Buzz me if you need more info. WDW is my second home.
Jubes

[jlc]

The free dining plan offer is definitely on at the moment - until 15 November 2012.

I've booked up for Old Key West (July 2013) with the dining plan option.  I just tried a booking and the AK lodge is in the offer:

//http://wdtc.disneyinternational.com/Special-Offers.asp?ID=8

Stay between 01 Jan - 19 Mar 2013 & 07 Apr - 08 Dec 2013 to take advantage of FREE dining for the whole family. You will also receive $100 Disney dollars and can take advantage of 14 days for the price of 7 on park tickets.