FREE DINING AND ROOM RATE DEALS AT DISNEY WORLD
As predicted, Walt Disney World has released fall 2013 deals for free dining and for room-only discount rates.
Disney’s page on the free dining deal at Disney World is here, and its page on the room-only discount is here.
The specifics are pretty much as predicted, but I don’t have all the details yet. I’ll add to and correct this page as they emerge.
FREE DISNEY WORLD DINING DEAL SPECIFICS
Free Dining is available only for limited dates:
- September 29 to October 2, 2013
- October 18 to November 2, 2013
- November 11 to November 23, 2013
- December 12 to December 22, 2013
…and excluded from the deal are the following resorts:
- Campsites
- 3-Bedroom Villas
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Value resort guests are eligible for the “quick-service” dining plan for free, and moderate and deluxe resorts guests for the regular dining plan for free.
While this deal needs to be booked by September 15, availability is limited. So act now!
ROOM ONLY DISCOUNTS AT DISNEY WORLD DEAL SPECIFICS
There’s two room only deals, one covering stays from September 29 through November 9, and the second covering stays from November 10 through 22 (November 25th at the deluxes and DVC properties) , and then November 30 through December 23. The first needs to be booked by September 15, and the second by November 3.
Moreover, beyond the slightly different deluxe dates noted above, Family Suites at Art of Animation are included only September 29 to October 5, 2013, October 20 to November 2, 2013, November 10 to November 22, 2013 and December 15 to December 23, 2013.
Exclusion details are still coming out, but Campsites, Standard Little Mermaid Rooms at Art of Animation, and DVC at the Grand Floridian are excluded.
Typically, eligible deluxe and DVC rooms will see 30% discounts, moderates 20% discounts and values 15% discounts.
Dave,
I am in the process of booking our trip for next year. We have done the HUGE prices before with a Christmas trip, Deluxe Dinning, and Park Hopper, with non-military discounts. Now that we have experienced Christmas there, I want to go in the fall and grab some discounts. I am unable to go in September 2014 and therfore need to book in Oct. 2014. Orginaly, I thought about booking at the Art of Animation but after searching historical FD I noticed that they normally do not offer it. I assume it would be safe to book at Cornando Resort. My husband is in the military so we can get discounts. I want the FD so staying at SOG is not an option for me. The FD is really important to us as a family of 4. My questions is, if I book Oct. 4th-12th 2014, do you think historically, I will be eligible for FD when it rolls out. I can’t go before Oct. 1 and it looks like they split Oct. out in the past. I have been told I could book now and when it rolls out, I can call and grab the FD option with military tickets. Any suggestions to get the best bang for my buck next year?
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Hi Stephanie!
First, my bet would be that we won’t see free dining in October in 2014. I may be wrong–I hope I’m wrong–but the only free dining in 2014 I’d predict would be similar to this year’s September deal: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/05/09/disney-world-free-dining-for-september-2013/
And even if offered for October dates, you will have to buy a minimum number of full-priced tickets to get the deal. This minimum has been a slow as two days–but that’s still around $200/person…
If it is offered, it won’t matter if you have a current reservation or not. You will be competing with everyone else to grab one of the slots offered. And yes, CS oughta be safe…
Sorry to not be overly helpful…
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We are staying two nights at Disney World on 10/22-10/24. We did this to have a couple days of fun on land before taking our Disney cruise on 10/24. We are staying Port Orleans Riverside, is there a minimum night stay on the room only discount?
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Amy, no there isn’t, except for some popular arrival nights (e.g. weekends). With your mid-week arrival, you should be able to find something, if the deal is not yet sold out…
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Thanks Dave! Im feeling better now, its just for months we had those dates booked and I was set on being there for my actual birthday. But we will still celebrate of course!!
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Ok, Kel!
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Hi DAve,
Well deals finally came out, unfortunately we had our reservation from oct 6-14th and my travel agent spent hours on the phone and could not get us a room discount! 🙁 (it sold out) So after realizing it was too pricey to stay at our date we moved our trip to sept 29th-oct6th. I am totally bummed because my 30th bday is on oct 11, which is the reason why we re going in the first place. My travel agent says its ok to celebrate my birthday, but it just doesn’t feel right cause its the week after. What are your thoughts, is it ok to wear the button and everything still? Im feeling a little sad about this, I just wanted to be there on those dates! lol
Thanks!
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Oh Kel, so sorry! On the good news front the official rule is that you can get and wear a birthday button up to 6 months before, or 6 months after, your birthday! 🙂 See the latter part of this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/02/01/is-walt-disney-world-free-on-your-birthday/
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Dave,
We are going to be staying at WDW from December 4th-9th but have not booked our reservations yet. I checked the computer at 9pm on the 1st of August and no room deals were left for any values I wanted ( not a fan of the All Stars) or moderates. Will more rooms be released as it sold out on the first day? It really doesn’t seem fair. I even went to AAA and they couldn’t do anything for me. Any suggestions on what to do or how to obtain a discount? Does this deal mean it will me very busy for the week I selected?
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Hi Brittany!
First, see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2013/08/03/dont-give-up-yet-on-free-dining/
Second, AAA won’t be much help. If you continue to have no luck, try Expedia and such.
Third, no, there aren’t enough rooms in the WDW hotels to have a material effect on crowds in the parks. The hotels and restaurants will be packed–but not the parks. The parks are crowded when kids are out of school–and they aren’t this week.
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I was able to book the GF after being booked at the CR. What am I giving up? We are first time visitors who will return.
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Katherine, CR is more convenient and kid appealing, GF more lovely and adult appealing. For links to more detailed reviews of each, see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2011/11/08/the-monorail-resorts-at-walt-disney-world/
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For those not able to get a disney room or dining promotion, check out travelocity and orbitz with their various promo codes (search on retail me not). People have been reporting getting 35-40% off, even on resorts blacked out if disney discounts. Have to pay in full up front. Not sure if it could mess with magic bands or FP+ stuff, but may be worth the risk.
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Thanks, Mike!!
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Thx Dave! I was actually lucky enough to get a pin for FD, but had to change my resort from POR to CBR. I have stayed there before, and it’s nice, but was really looking forward to staying at POR. We love the FD, so I chose to sacrifice my resort. Thx for all your helpful info!!
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You are welcome, tbuff 🙂
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Dave,
We are going Dec 3 and currently are staying at POR – riverside due to us having 5 people. Unfortunately, neither the FD or room discount applies to our stay. Do you think an upgrade to the all star music suites is a good idea now that it is discounted, and do you know if the AK bunk bed rooms will allow for 5 people, being that two of us are my two little girls that would share a bed? If not, do you know of any other resorts that could accomodate 5 people that are eligible for a discount to get close to our POR price? Thanks
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Hi Brian, will any of the kids be younger than three at the time of your visit? If not, then no go on AKL.
The Music suites are likely already sold out. If not, it looks like with a discount they’d cost about the same as POR…so give it a shot.
For more on these Music suites see this: https://yourfirstvisit.net/2012/09/05/review-the-family-suites-disneys-all-star-music-resort/
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What a frustrating day. 3 calls to disney on hold time 4 1/2 hours total. End result no dining plan /no resort discount on a already booked reservation. Disney needs to do better when offering these deals. Obviously these deals are slim only used
to show interest on there website. I would like to know how discounted offers are really available.
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Hi Diane I’m so sorry! I also don’t quite understand the last bit of your comment…
https://yourfirstvisit.net/planning-your-first-family-trip/when-to-go/next-best-dates/weather-and-when-to-go/chance-of-cyclonic-storm-affecting-florida/
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