DISNEY WORLD FALL 2013 FREE DINING DEAL
As expected, Walt Disney World announced today a free dining deal good for most arrival dates from September 2 through September 25. You need to book this deal by July 31.
Savings vary by resort, and not resort hotels are included in the deal.
Here’s the basics of what’s available:
Deluxes, Disney Vacation Club, and Moderates:
- Free “regular” dining plan, which gives you credits for one table-service meal, one quick-service meal, and one snack per night of your hotel stay.
Values:
- Free “quick service” dining plan, which gives you credits for two quick-service meals and a snack per night of your hotel stay.
For more on the dining plan, including how/when you can use these credits, see this.
The best-loved dining venues will book very quickly, so make your dining reservations as soon as you can! See this for ideas, and also this.
While I’m widely booed for saying so, I expect this to be the only free dining offer for US residents in 2013. For why, see this.
Oh, well, gotta call em as I see em! And at least I’ll get a free breakfast out of this!
For more, see Disney’s page on this deal here.
Also today Disney World announced a room rate deal covering most arrival dates August 15 through September 28
Many smaller families aimed at more expensive hotels will save more with the room rate deal than with the free dining deal. See this for more on this room rate deal.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Hi Adrienne,
I’ve not heard of this either. Dave’s third paragraph is spot on.
Just did a google, is this it? http://www.southwestvacations.com/Deals/Package.aspx?onsaleid=2740752
THis one does say “Book a flight + hotel + MAGIC YOUR WAY® Ticket package for 5 or more nights,” which includes tickets.
Reply
Thanks, Steve!
Reply
I realize this may be more of a question for Steve, but….I came across a package deal from Southwest that includes lodging at CBR, free dining, and airfare. They do not require that I buy the park tickets with the deal, so would I be able to buy the Military Salute tickets seperately, or would they require some sort of proof that I bought the full-price tickets before activating the free dining?
Reply
Adrienne, I don’t track packages offered by third parties like Southwest, so can’t comment on the specifics–I doubt Steve does either.
If, though, you truly don’t have to buy tickets at all, ever, to get this deal–which, honestly, strikes me as really odd–then yes you can get the military tix.
In your shoes I’d either work with a travel agent to make sure all sides of the deal are clear, or not buy the Military Salute tix til after your check-in and confirmation that you have the dining plan without the need to buy tix…
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Hi Dave, I agree there is definitely some weirdness to the availability of the free dining for September dates. My end date is around the end of the free dining offer end (which is 9/25).
Reply
My travel agent and Disney both told me AoA was not available with free dining for my dates (a 6 night stay in September). I’m not sure if it was the dates or because it was 6 nights. A 5 night stay starting on the same arrival date however *was* available with free dining. So my agent booked a 5-night stay with free dining, followed by a 1-night stay with no dining.
Reply
Hi Jen, there seems to be some weirdness to the September dates–the deal seems to stop and restart in the middle of the month…where your beginning or end dates around then?
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Thanks for the info! I booked my visit thru my travel agent, can I just call Disney with my confirmation number to see if I have a PIN code or do they need to call instead? Is a code attached to a name or an email address? It would be beyond awesome to get free dining. Thanks for all the great info on your site ……
Reply
Crystal, either you or your travel agent to call them. And thanks for the kind words…
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Wondering when it would be likely that free dining, if there is any, would be announced for December? We are booked at the Wilderness Lodge 12/2 -12/13, in a woods view room if that makes a difference. And is there any chance of getting a PIN code for free dining if we are already booked with the dining plan? I have gotten a PIN code in the past for a % off for early summer 2013, but didn’t use it. Thanks!
Reply
Crystal, see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/05/17/you-may-have-a-free-dining-pin-code-for-walt-disney-world-even-if-you-dont/
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Dave,
Thanks for everything on this site. We used it liberally in planning our first trip – last September. We stayed 7 nights and got the free dining. My travel agent thinks it applies only to 5-night stays this year. That does not make sense to me. Do you know the answer.
Thanks.
Scott
Reply
Scott, the example Disney provides on its website is 5 nights, but you can reserve for longer. There’s also a minimum stay requirement which will vary by arrival date…Suggest you try on Disney’s site to test your dates–use this link http://bookwdw.reservations.disney.go.com/ibcwdw/en_US/_framework/components/processEngine?process=false&pageRender=true
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Thanks Jen E. Apparently, it is sold out many but not all dates. And it happens to be sold out for the dates I am going. 🙁
Reply
Sept 19-24th. I just tried again and it shows A of A as one of your choices 🙂 Good luck!
Reply
@Jen. E. Really? I just looked and it didn’t come up. Which dates did you search? Thanks.
Reply
Hi…MSG for the other Jen. Looks like you can book A of A free dining online and get a Cars room…
Reply
Dave, I could change from AoA Lion King Suite to All Start Music Family Suite and save $600. Do you think this would be worth it? I have a 6 year old and 14 month old and this will be their first visit to WDW. I’m torn… I hear such great things about AoA.
Reply
Jen, that’s a tough call…and the answer partly depends on how you’d use the $600, and how you view the positives of Music vs AofA (there are some!!)—see this https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/09/05/review-the-family-suites-disneys-all-star-music-resort/
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Is it possible there are free dining weeks in November or December? If so, when would they be announced?
Reply
Sandra, anything is possible, but I doubt it. See this for why: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/05/08/mymagic-and-free-dining-in-2013-inferences-from-the-q2-disney-earnings-call/
If it does come out, I’d expect to see it announced in August.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
How does one get one of those magic codes?
Reply
Wendy, see my unbelievably helpful answer to Scott here: https://yourfirstvisit.net/required-september-2013-itinerary-and-to-do-list-changes/#comment-397260
Reply
The free dining at AoA was sold out as of 4:30 on 5/9 so I could not get it. Today (5/10) I tried to use the hotel discount (10%) and it was also sold out at AoA. Total bummer.
Reply
Damn, Jen…
Reply
My sister who is a travel agent and was there last year received one as well. She tried to book it for our trip in November, but the PIN # is tied to the individual’s name. What do you think the chances are that they will open this up for us “non special” guests? Right now our reservation is for AA Little Mermaid but we would have to switch to Pop Century for the free dining, which I would be willing to do.
Reply
Arlene, I don’t have an opinion that’s worth much on this. Disney is going down an unprecedented track of data-based personalized revenue management (see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/09/11/nextgen-personalization-walt-disney-world-musings-2012-disney-analytics-optimization-summit/ ) so there’s not much value to generlaizing base don the past…
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
Just wanted to let you know that I booked a free dining package today for November using a code I got in an e-mail last night (that allowed me to book a free dining package for most dates in October, November or December) – so maybe there is hope for further free dining announcements after this September one as well! Love your site!
Reply
Thanks Jen. I’ve gotten multiple messages, emails and comments that free dining pin codes for the rest of 2013 are out there, and I’m so glad you got one!!!!!
Reply
Called today and got my free dining for AofA. But they would only reserve a family suite, we could not specify…Lion King, Nemo, etc. any idea how we can get the specific building we had in mind?
Reply
Jen once you hit the 60 day online check-in window, you’ll get an option during online check in to pick your building…
Reply
Called right at 7am EST today and got the free dining! I can’t wait for my trip! Dave, thanks for all the great tips. Now I’m just hoping we can get in to Be Our Guest Restaurant!
Reply
Good luck Lisa!!
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook!
Reply
I’m assuming this is true, but just have to check to be sure. You can’t get the discount and the free dining, correct?
Reply
Right–one or the other!
Reply