Mobile Ordering Now Available for Disney Dining Plan Users

Last year, Walt Disney World introduced us to Mobile Ordering through the My Disney Experience App but only credit card users could use it up until now. Today, a new update was introduced to the app with Disney Dining Plan users now able to use Mobile Ordering. You can now redeem meals and snacks all through your phone. 

All three Disney dining plans are available with Mobile Order: the Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan, the Disney Dining Plan and the Disney Deluxe Dining Plan. To access Mobile Order, tap the “Order Food” button under “My Plans” in the app. Watch the video below to see the convenience of using Mobile Order with a Disney dining plan – whether you’re redeeming a snack credit for a Dole Whip at Aloha Isle or a quick-service credit for a Pandoran feast at Satu’li Canteen.

Other updates introduced to the My Disney Experience app this time include room charge viewing, Online Check-in Service and wayfinding that are sure to help prove the overall experience for Walt Disney World guests. Are you excited for Mobile Ordering now accepting the Disney Dining Plan?

Source: Disney Parks Blog

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. 

Disney Dining Plan Makes Changes for 2017; "Finding Dory" Swims to Opening Weekend Animation Record

Disney Dining Plan Makes Changes for 2017:

2017 will bring changes to the Disney Dining Plan, but not the changes most thought would be coming. One major change will be coming to the Quick Service meals where a dessert will no longer be offered, instead guests using the Quick Service Plan will now have 2 snack credits per day per person. The Basic Dining Plan is also expected to receive two snack credits a day per person. The quick service meal will no longer offer a dessert either Nothing is expected to change on Disney's Deluxe Dining Plan.

Yesterday, when the 2017 brochures released one change which was expected after a glitch earlier this month isn't happening. Many thought that many of the Character Meals with the exclusion of Cinderella's Royal Table will remain as 1 Table Service credit. A glitch earlier this month showed on Disney's dining site that Chef Mickey's, Akershus, and Tusker House would be listed as two table service credit meals. That however has not change as many thought for 2017 as they remain just 1 meal credit. 

Here is run down of what will be available to guests on both the Quick Service and Basic Dining Plans:

Quick Service Dining Plan-

•  2 quick service meals (Entree & Drink) per person per day
•  2 snack credits per person day

Basic Dining Plan -

• 1 quick service meal (Entree & Drink) per person/day
• 1 table service meal (Entree, Drink, and Dessert) per person/day
• 2 snack credits per person/day

No word on what the Dining Plans will cost for 2017 but guests can begin booking 2017 Disney World vacation packages tomorrow June 21, 2016.

"Finding Dory" Swimming to Opening Weekend Animation Record:

"Finding Dory" is swimming into the record books after its opening weekend. The sequel which returns our favorite forgetful blue tang, Dory, smashed the opening animation weekend record, held previously by Dreamworks' "Shrek the Third" since 2007, grossed $136. 2 million on its opening weekend. More than $12 million more than its predecessor. 

Pixar's previously held the number 2 film on the list when "Toy Story 3 was released in 2010 and it made $110.3 million. Analysts expected the film to open with $100 million-plus numbers, but never thought it would smash the record. Paul Dergarabedian, comScore's senior media analyst said, "The thought was: 'Could this be the movie to eclipse "Toy Story 3's" opening?' not 'Could it become the biggest animated opening of all time? That's the power of the Pixar brand."

2016 remains a huge success for Disney at the Box Office as "Finding Dory" becomes Disney's third film this year to hold the box office crown along with "Zootopia" and the live-action remake of "The Jungle Book." "Finding Dory" may have hold of no.1 at the box office for at least a few more weeks until Universal's animated film, "The Secret Life of Pets" hits theaters on July 8.