Walt Disney World Releases ‘Free Dining’ Discount For Summer 2020, But With A Twist

Disney fans of the world are rejoicing this morning as the discount of discounts has been released as many hoped it would be. Early on Thursday, January 2, “Free Dining” was released for the summer months and guests were quickly rushing to book it or have it applied to their trips. While a discount is never guaranteed to be released, Free Dining is indeed back, but there are some differences with this year’s deal.

Traveling to Walt Disney World can get to be a little pricey, and each year, inflation causes the cost to go up. Discounts are usually released throughout the year by the company, and they help families get the magical trip of a lifetime at a bit of a friendlier cost.

The “Free Dining” or “Free Disney Dining” discount has been released each year for nearly a decade now, but could it be on the way out? This year, there are some changes to the discount and a much shorter window in which guests can book it for their trips.

On the official website of Walt Disney World, the latest discount is available to book beginning on January 2. It is only available to book through January 16, and after that, the opportunity will be gone.

Not only is the booking window short, but there is a very limited number of dates in which you must arrive to qualify for the discount.

• June 17 through June 28
• July 5 through July 7
• August 29 through September 8

To get Free Dining, your check-in date must be on one of those dates and you must also have at least a four-night stay and a minimum four-day park hopper ticket. If your trip does not fit into these requirements, the discount will not be applied to your vacation.

For the dining plan you are getting, there are different levels depending on which type of resort you are staying at. The Value and Moderate resorts at Walt Disney World will receive the free quick-service dining plan while the Deluxe and Deluxe Villas will receive a free Disney dining plan.

Not every single resort at Walt Disney World is included in this discount either. Here is a list of excluded resorts and room types that won’t qualify for Free Dining.

• Disney’s Art of Animation — The Little Mermaid standard rooms
• Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort
• Three-bedroom Villas
• Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground
• Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

Free Dining is a great discount that may not always constitute as “free” by the standards of some, but it shouldn’t truly matter if you’re saving money. Walt Disney World is looking to build up their summer rush of guests flowing in, and this is a great way in which they can do it.