Free Dining is Back and is Now Available

Free dining for Walt Disney World this Fall has officially been released and you better get in touch quick if you want this amazing deal. Like last year, guests must book a minimum 5-day/6-night minimum at a select Walt Disney World Resort Magic Your Way package with a Park Hopper Option. Guests staying at a Value or Moderate Resort will receive a free Quick Service Dining Plan. Guests staying at select Deluxe resorts will get a free Basic Dining plan for their stay. 

Guests can book through July 7, 2018 but this offer does go by fast. It is for the following dates:

• August 20 through September 29
• November 24 through November 27
• December 7 through December 23, 2018

Resorts included are:

Value:

• All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports
• Pop Century
• Art of Animation Suites

Moderate:

• Caribbean Beach 
• Coronado Springs
• Fort Wilderness Cabins

Deluxe:

• Grand Floridian
• Old Key West
• Beach Club Resort & Villas
• Yacht Club
• Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Boardwalk Inn & Villas
• Saratoga Springs

The resorts that are excluded include:

• Campsites
• 3-bedroom villas
• Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation.

Book now before this amazing offer of free dining goes away. Guests can upgrade from a Quick Service to a Basic Dining Plan for a fee. 

Free Dining Confirmed Plus New Room Only Offer at Walt Disney World

Yesterday, I reported that free dining at Walt Disney World would be announced today and that has been official. The major change has happened with Deluxe Resort guests only receiving the Free Basic Dining Plan and Value and Moderate Resort guests receiving the Quick Service Dining Plan for free. Please Note: Guests can upgrade to the Basic Dining Plan for a fee. 

Here are the full details and dates for the free dining offer:

Receive a Free Quick Service or Disney Dining Plan when you purchase a three night minimum non-discounted package that includes a room at a select Walt Disney World Resorts and a minimum  2-day ticket with the Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus Option for arrivals most nights during the following time periods:

• August 21st to September 30th, 2017 (August 13 for Disney Visa Cardmembers & Canadian guests)
• November 14th to November 20th, 2017
• November 25th to November 27th, 2017
• December 8th to December 23rd, 2017

Offer Exclusions:

• Little Mermaid Room at  Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
• Disney’s Port Orleans Resort- French Quarter
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
• Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
• Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• 3 Bedroom Villas
• Disney’s Port Orleans- Riverside is excluded from November 14th to December 23rd, 2017

HURRY! Rooms are very limited and will fill up quickly. To take advantage of this special offer, guests must make your reservation by July 7th, 2017.

Along with Free Dining, Walt Disney World also announced a room only offer with up to 25% off select resorts. This is for stays most nights from August 1 through October 7, 2017 and rooms must be booked by August 31, 2017. 

With this offer, you can enjoy distinctive Disney Resort Guest benefits and amenities – including early access to Disney FastPass+ planning, Extra Magic Hours, complimentary Resort transportation, standard parking and entertaining amenities!

*The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Length-of-stay requirements may apply. Savings based on the non-discounted price for the same room. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes 3-bedroom villas, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms and the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows. 25% savings for select Disney Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts; lower savings may be available at other select Disney Resort hotels.

Happy Savings everyone, 

John

Free Dining to be Announced Tomorrow with Major Change

It's that time of year again where Walt Disney World announces their yearly deal for Free Dining. This year will bring one major change as guests staying at Moderate Resorts will no longer be receiving a free Basic Dining Plan instead they will receive a free Quick Service Plan. Guests staying at Deluxe resorts will now be the only ones to receive the Basic Dining Plan for free. 

Guests must book a minimum 3-night stay and a 2 day Park Hopper/Park Hopper + option with their ticket purchase. While this hasn't been made official, booking is set to begin tomorrow, April 24. Booking dates unofficially are from August 21, 2017 (it will be August 13 for Disney Visa Cardmembers and Canadian guests) and will run through September 30, 2017, plus select dates from November 14 through December 23. 

Again this is not official and the official announcement for the Free Dining offer is expected sometime tomorrow morning. 

Free Dining & Room-Only Discounts Announced for Disney World, Fulton's Crab House to Become Paddlefish

Free Dining & Room-Only Discounts Announced for Disney World:

Dig in Disney World guests as free dining was officially announced this morning. Not much different then what we have been hearing but some changes in the official announcement. Dates are mostly the same with dates from August 23 - October 1, November 15-21, November 26-28, and December 10 through December 21, 2016. Disney Visa Cardholders have an earlier Dining offer where the offer begins August 14. 

Booking window begins today, April 25 and the offer will be available to book until July 8, 2016. Full list of the offer exclusions include: Campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Disney's Art of Animation - Little Mermaid Standard Rooms, the Bungalows at Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's All-Star Movies Resort, and Disney's Port Orleans - French Quarter. Disney's Port Orleans - Riverside is only available during August 23 through October 1, 2016 and not available during the dates of 11/15-11/21, 11/26-11/28, and 12/10-12/21. 

Disney also announced another discount for up to 25% room-only in a "Back-to-School Savings Offer" that is available for stays most nights August 26 - November 5, 2016. The offer must be booked by August 31, 2016. 

Offer exclusions include: The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, campsites, 3-bedroom villas, Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort—The Little Mermaid Standard Rooms. 25% savings for select Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts; lower savings may be available for other Resort hotels.

To note at this time most rooms are unavailable for booking on the free dining offer. Between my mother and myself, we were on the phone for 2 1/2 hours (hence why the blog is so late)and finally got our free dining booked through Caribbean Beach. Only 146 days to go until I'm home. 

Fulton's Crab House to Become Paddlefish in the Fall:

When Fulton's Crab House re-opens after its 6-month renovation in the fall it will be totally new restaurant under the new name, Paddlefish. The new update will include new interiors that will reflect the crisp luxury of modern yachting. A rooftop lounge will also be added that will overlook Disney springs plus an outdoor waterfront bar with a "build your own" fish boil along with private dining area.

The menu will also get a refresh that will include fresh seafood with an oyster shucking bar, Florida stone crab and Alaskan king crab, hearty steaks and chops, and classic and curated cocktails. The working paddle-wheel will also make its return to Paddlefish on the back of what was once the Empress Lilly.

Fall Free Dining Now Available to Book and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is Now Officially Open

Fall Free Dining Now Available to Book at Walt Disney World:

If you were waiting to see when free dining would be available this fall to book your trip, this morning it was announced for select dates and resorts this fall. Walt Disney World have now until July 10 to jump on this yearly offer now for the fall. Here are the dates that the offer is available:

August 28 - October 2, 2015

October 25 - October 31, 2015

November 8 - November 19, 2015

December 15 - December 21, 2015

The Free Disney Dining Plan is available when guests book a non-discounted 6-night/7-day Magic Your Way Package that includes a room at select Disney resorts and tickets with Park Hopper or Water Park & Fun option. The basic dining plan is given at deluxe, moderate and deluxe villa resorts. The Quick Service is available at value resorts, it can be upgraded to the basic plan for a fee. At Disney's Art of Animation Little Mermaid standard rooms are excluded from the deal.

Disney is also offering the up to 30% off of rooms at select Disney World resort hotels for vacations booked for dates August 15 - October 3, 2015. Booking for this deal must be booked by August 7, 2015. 

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is Now Officially Opened:

The souvenir mugs for the specialty drinks are in so that means Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is now officially opening. After soft opening earlier this month Trader Sam's Grog Grotto will be opening nightly from 4 p.m. until Midnight. Guests under the age of 21 are only allowed in the Grotto until 8 p.m. The souvenir mugs for the specialty drinks Uh-Oa!, Krakatoa Punch, Nautilus, Polynesian Pearl,  HippopotoMai-Tai, Rum Flight shot glasses come in three colors, and the Shrunken Head are now all available. 

It has been pretty busy since the soft opening with some nights having waits of up to 2 hours to get in the new tiki bar. Guests are advised to arrive early and if they want a table they can look no further then the outside of the bar in the new Trader Sam's Tiki Terrace with its lava rock waterfall and live Hawaiian-themed entertainment nightly. You even have the beautiful view of the Seven Seas Lagoon with prime seats for Magic Kingdom's Wishes.