free dining 09

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Permalink Reply by Trish on May 6, 2009 at 7:06am

We're going in Sept./Oct. for free dining for the first time and don't really know what to expect. Are the menus different? And how hard is it to get ADR's?

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Permalink Reply by disneyholic1977 on May 6, 2009 at 10:41am

We didn't have the free Disney Dining Plan, but I'm assuming it's treated the same as the regular DDP. We just used it for the first time and LOVED it (we've been going to Disney for 32 years). There was more food included than we could eat and it was VERY easy to use. It is coded into your key card and you simply present it at the register (or waitress) and the amount is deducted. What we found really great was my husband could get our food and simply present his card to "pay" for both of our meals (I thought I would need to present my card for my food). The plan included one table service meal, one counter service meal and one snack each day (if you don't want a table service meal each day, you can use that credit for another counter service meal). As far as reservations go, I called the day before we left and was able to get reservations at the exact time we wanted. The DDP does not have a different menu. Hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by Julia Ullrich on May 6, 2009 at 5:00pm

Hi Trish

Its my First time in Disneyworld as well I have tried to research this (the info I have is basic), depending on which dining plan you have, the two most common are :-

The quick service dining plan which
Two quick service meals – includes entrée, dessert (at lunch & dinner) or juice (at breakfast) plus non-alcoholic beverage, OR combo meal plus plus non-alcoholic beverage or juice (at breakfast) OR combo meal plus dessert and non-alcoholic beverage (at lunch and dinner)

Two snacks from a wide variety of options
plus a refillable mug (which can be refilled at no cost only at your resort hotel )

The second dining plan (is the one I have booked) which includes
Table Service Meal includes one main course, one dessert (except at breakfast) and one single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage OR one full buffet and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage.
Quick Service Meal includes one main course, one dessert (except at breakfast) and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage OR one complete combo meal and one single-serving non-alcoholic beverage.
Snack includes a choice of ONE of the following: frozen ice cream novelty, box of popcorn, piece of fruit OR 20oz bottle of Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite or Dasani Water, at snack cart or merchandise shop locations and select Quick Service restaurants.

It is recommended on most sites to book ADR as some places are booked well in Advance especially for a Character Breakfast at Cinderellas Royal Table which seems to need almost atomic clock timing to book 180 days in advance to get a seat (personal view).

Call WDW Dining on (407)939-3463 or (407)WDW DINE. WDW Dining opens at 7am Eastern Time (12pm GMT).
Start calling a few minutes before 7am, and hit redial if you get a message saying they are closed. Keep hitting redial, don't leave a gap between calls, until you hear a voice say all operators are busy, or you hear Disney music playing. Keep on holding until you get answered.

Often, all avaiable seatings will be booked up by 7:05am, maybe sooner!

As soon as the CM answers say you want to book for Cinderella's breakfast, and for how many, don't waste any time!

If they are booked up, try calling back at 7:15am, when those who have tried the above strategy have cancelled one of their ressies. Or the CMs at WDW Dining have discovered multiple bookings in the same name!

Try calling back every day from a week before you go, as cancellations may come up.

Still no luck? When you arrive, ask at guest services if they can ring to see if there are any seatings available, or call into the Castle and ask at the restaurant podium. Try this also on the day, arriving as early in the morning as possible.

SEE WHAT I MEAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are a few others that may need advance booking such as the dinner shows etc.
The rest of the ADR can be made 90 days for up to 10 days after their check-in date. hope this helps

A credit card is needed to secure your PS for the Hoop-Dee-Doo, Polynesian Luau, Victoria & Albert's & California Grill.

THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE BASICS MAYBE THIS THREAD WILL HELP


I MAYBE A LITTLE OFF WITH SOME OF THE INFO THE OTHER MEMBERS WILL HELP OUT AND CORRECT ME

regards princessjulia




Trish said:

We're going in Sept./Oct. for free dining for the first time and don't really know what to expect. Are the menus different? And how hard is it to get ADR's?

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