For years, those looking to visit Walt Disney World wait very impatiently for the day that the discount they hope will be released. Well, that day has arrived as “Free Disney Dining” has now been released for select dates during the fall and winter months of 2017. As it happens every year, there is limited availability, and it is going to go very fast since the discount is already live, so, get on it while you can.
Many have come to anticipate and expect and even guess when Free Disney Dining will be released each year, but they still have to wait to book it. Until Disney actually releases it, nothing is confirmed, but the dates and exclusions and details are all here as released on the official website for Walt Disney World.
Please note, things are a little different from past years and you need to know everything to make sure it is the right discount for you. Free Disney Dining is not available for all stays, but it is on select dates throughout the year and valid for most nights during the following time frames:
- August 21 through Sept. 30, 2017
- November 14 through 20, 2017
- November 25 through 27, 2017
- December 8 through 23, 2017
For those guests who are Disney Visa cardholders, Free Disney Dining will actually begin on August 13 and stretch through September 30, 2017, for the first set of dates. Make sure to check with Disney before booking to make sure these dates will be available.
The major difference for this year’s deal is that it will be both Value Resorts and Moderate Resorts receiving free Quick-Service Dining. For guests at Deluxe Resorts, the Regular Dining plan will be free with this discount. Those staying a Values and Moderates can upgrade to Regular Dining for a fee.
In order to take advantage of Free Disney Dining at Walt Disney World, more needs to be done than just having a room booked. Guests must book a full vacation package with room, tickets, and dining as well as have their trip meet all the qualifications included in the discount.
One thing to remember is that having a room booked does not automatically give you the discount or the savings. It must be applied to your vacation package and each participating resort only has a certain allotment of rooms which are available for free dining.
For those wanting to book this new discount or have it applied to their trip, here are the qualifications needed:
- Check-in date must fall into one of the eligible dates listed above.
- Trip must be a minimum of five (5) nights and there is a maximum of 14 nights.
- Tickets must be Park Hoppers or Park Hoppers Plus
- Minimum two-day Magic Your Way Ticket
- Must book by July 7, 2017.
As always, there are some resorts which will not participate in this discount, but that is nothing new. This means that if you’re already booked at one of these resorts and are looking to participate in Free Disney Dining, you’re going to have to move your stay.
Here are the excluded resorts for 2017:
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid standard rooms
- Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground – Campsites
- 3-Bedroom Villas
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort – Villas & Bungalows
Other resorts may be excluded, but it also depends on availability for the select dates.
If you’re looking at getting in on this deal for a trip to Walt Disney World later this year, it is highly advised that you get in on it now. Once the word is fully out about Free Disney Dining , rooms are going to fill up very quickly and you may find it difficult to even locate a non-discounted room.
Walt Disney World is one of those places that many people may never get to visit more than once in their entire life. In order to go, families do save and hope for the best discounts imaginable which could end up shaving a bit of the overhead cost off their vacation total. Each year, Free Disney Dining is that discount which everyone waits for, and for 2017, it is here again, but it isn’t going to last long. If you’re looking to take advantage of this discount, do it now before the magic disappears.
[Featured Image by Disney]