The Free Disney Eating Plan is a good Walt Disney World trip package deal low cost. This covers information, suggestions for reserving, present dates, predictions & rumors for future dates round Halloween & Christmas, and solutions to questions together with whether or not this deal is “price it.” (Up to date February 7, 2024.)
Let’s begin with the excellent news, which is that Walt Disney World has introduced again the paid Disney Eating Plan (DDP) in 2024! Should you’re unfamiliar with the DDP, we’d direct you to our complete Information to the 2024 Disney Eating Plan. That covers the fundamentals, what the DDP consists of, whether or not the Disney Eating Plan (paid) is definitely worth the cash, and far more.
Free Eating is now obtainable for journey dates via September 2024. If these dates are too early for you, the excellent news is that–as mentioned under within the rumors & hypothesis part–we’re anticipating a second wave of Free Eating for Late 2024. If you wish to be notified instantly when extra 2024 reductions are launched, join right here for our FREE Walt Disney World publication.
We’ve constantly notified our subscribers when Free Eating and different Walt Disney World offers drop on the day they go reside at ~6 or 7 a.m., which usually provides you a 2+ hour head begin on Disney’s official announcement. That will not look like a lot, but it surely makes an enormous distinction when reserving–it implies that you gained’t have to attend on maintain for hours on the cellphone or in a protracted digital queue on-line.
Within the final a number of months, Walt Disney World has launched over a dozen completely different reductions, together with some that run all through October 2024. There are even focused offers obtainable via December 25, 2024. This can be a enormous change as in comparison with 2021-2022, when many dates didn’t have reductions in any respect as a result of revenge journey and visitor spending being so sturdy. That coupled with capability is why the Disney Eating Plan took so lengthy to return within the first place. These are each non-factors now, and issues are kind of again to 2019 norms.
That is all related to the return of Free Eating in 2024 as a result of the deal will not be supplied out of company benevolence, however as an aggressive transfer to assist increase resort occupancy numbers. That wasn’t needed for the final couple of years as a result of pent-up demand. Nevertheless, that has modified considerably within the span of a couple of yr, and now Walt Disney World is pulling a number of “levers” to attempt to incentivize demand in 2024.
On that observe, listed below are some predictions about subsequent waves of 2024 Free Eating at Walt Disney World…
2024 Free Eating Forecast & Rumors
Within the final yr or so, Walt Disney World has launched a few completely different reductions that we’d categorize as Free Eating “adjoining.” They’re the identical varieties of promos and are supposed to enchantment to these would’ve been inclined to guide Free Eating, however they typically should not pretty much as good. Essentially the most notable examples are the “Free” Disney Eating Card Deal for 2024 and the 50% Off Tickets & Eating Plans Low cost for Youngsters in Spring & Summer time 2024.
These reductions could be superb for some households, however they’re not the “actual” Free Eating. For a lot of Walt Disney World trip planners, the above provides are nonetheless a greater provide than share financial savings on a room. For nearly everybody, they’re inferior to the total Free Eating. So a step in the precise course, however not nonetheless extra like “Weight-reduction plan” Free Eating than the unique method.
The excellent news is that, as talked about above, Free Eating is now obtainable for journey dates from July 1 via September 30, 2024. You’ll be able to guide the deal instantly through Walt Disney World’s official web site right here.
Moderately than doing the work your self, we’d advocate requesting a FREE no obligation quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, an Approved Disney Trip Planner and having these journey brokers guide for you. They’ll help you with the planning course of, make it easier to select essentially the most economical dates, greatest add-ons, and so on.
Equally as necessary, they’ll make it easier to with low cost comparability purchasing. There are a ton of various reductions at present obtainable for Walt Disney World in 2024, and that quantity is simply going to develop! So what you see now isn’t essentially every little thing that’ll be obtainable on your journey dates.
February 7, 2024 Replace: Walt Disney World has shared that it’s your “Final Probability” to get pleasure from a FREE Disney Eating Plan, as reserving is simply obtainable via February 14, 2024. Beforehand, there was no finish date for the reserving interval–it was open-ended.
This isn’t regular. Sometimes, reserving would stay open till the beginning of the journey window. It doesn’t seem that Free Eating is ending early as a result of excessive demand or lack of resort availability. As an alternative, it seems like Walt Disney World is pulling out the playbook that led to the “Disney Vault” and different synthetic shortage methods in an try to incentivize bookings.
We’ve already seen extra and higher reductions so far in 2024, which is probably going the results of softer bookings and decrease occupancy. Most lately, a particular provide dropped a brand new Walt Disney World Resort Low cost for Visa Cardmembers. Once more, that is one in every of many offers which might be at present obtainable.
All of this beforehand led us to take a position that Walt Disney World would develop Free Eating, fairly than finish it early. Precisely that occurred 4 years in the past when there have been three “waves” of Free Eating. It’s nonetheless doable that’s the plan, and that Walt Disney World is ending this model of Free Eating and can roll out a nearly-identical basic public provide in March, or one other wave of later dates down the highway. It’s additionally doable that they’ve hit their resort occupancy goal (for now), and can provide different–completely different–particular provides for July via September at a later date.
Regardless, we’d extremely advocate reserving as we speak for those who’re on the fence and even probably wish to make the most of the ‘Free’ Eating promo. If a greater low cost is launched within the coming days, weeks, or months, you possibly can all the time swap to that. Nevertheless, you can not later guide a reduction that’s now not obtainable!
To that time, a few of you have got requested concerning the chance of Free Eating for added dates in 2024. We’ll begin with the unhealthy information, which is that there’s virtually zero likelihood of Free Eating for dates earlier than July 2024. I suppose there’s an outdoor risk if resort occupancy numbers stay actually delicate and Walt Disney World will get determined.
I’d put the probabilities of that at underneath 1%, although. Disney is fairly good at forecasting resort occupancy, and if the numbers or projections have been unhealthy between now and June 2024, the corporate would’ve already supplied Free Eating for these dates. Suffice to say, for those who’re touring earlier than the beginning of the present wave of 2024 Free Eating dates, you must guide a special particular provide ASAP.
About the one cause there’s even a ~1% likelihood of Free Eating earlier than July 2024 is within the occasion of a sudden recession or cataclysmic financial prevalence that ends in Walt Disney World needing to behave aggressively ASAP to shore up enterprise. Let’s hope that doesn’t occur, as such a situation would clearly have destructive actual world implications far past Free Eating.
With that in thoughts, we beforehand predicted that Free Eating could be launched on January 3, 2024 and/or March 25, 2024. Because it seems, the primary date was appropriate. However that doesn’t essentially shut the door on Free Eating being launched once more in Spring 2024.
It is because the 2024 Free Eating dates launched in January solely run via September 30, 2024. As you possibly can see from the historic dates under, it was widespread for Free Eating to even be supplied in November and December yearly up till 2019.
The principle cause Walt Disney World wouldn’t but launch reductions for October 2024 and past additionally pertains to resort occupancy numbers. Once more, the corporate is admittedly good at projecting resort bookings, but it surely’s similar to a climate forecast–extra correct as dates draw nearer and fewer correct additional into the longer term. Walt Disney World solely needs to supply reductions as essential to fill resort rooms, so that they launch reductions in phases.
This rolling nature of Walt Disney World particular provides isn’t actually a prediction–it’s what occurs constantly yr in and yr out. The corporate usually releases its first batch of reductions in early January, subsequent set in late March or early April, and one other through the summer season. Except for the early January launch, none of those dates are actually set in stone–they’ve been inconsistent in the previous couple of years.
Accordingly, we have now far much less confidence within the March 25, 2024 date. Based mostly on latest tendencies–when offers have been launched earlier–that date makes essentially the most sense. If we glance again to prior years, anytime between then and April 15, 2024 would make sense. Traditionally, Free Eating has been launched in April greater than another month, however I’d nonetheless wager on March between the 2 spring months as a result of Walt Disney World has been releasing reductions sooner than regular for 2024.
What we additionally know is that Walt Disney World has been following the acquainted method of 2019 reductions. It might sound odd that they’d return 5 years to duplicate a particular provide technique, however that’s exactly what’s taking place. That’s partly as a result of issues have been irregular at Walt Disney World for some time–2024 is the primary yr of Free Eating since then–and partly as a result of the post-pent-up demand financial setting is similar to 2019.
Should you look again to the 2019 playbook, there have been three waves of the low cost launched–to completely different teams (basic public vs. Disney Visa) and completely different date ranges. Again then, the third wave of Free Eating–which was the one which included dates for September, November and December–was launched in mid-July.
It’s doable that Walt Disney World will replicate that technique precisely, releasing a second wave of Free Eating in late March 2024 for most people that covers the very same dates (or the same set) as the present Disney+ subscriber provide. It’s additionally doable that most people provide will come sooner if occupancy targets aren’t met, or under no circumstances if they’re.
It ought to go with out saying–however I’m going to say it anyway: spend the ~$8 for a month of Disney+ if you wish to guide Free Eating. There aren’t any ensures of a basic public provide, and even when one is launched, it’ll be extra picked over–with fewer resort and room choices. Spending the $8 to have entry to the deal is price it.
In any case, I’d wager on one other wave of Free Eating for added journey dates past September 2024, and I’d additionally wager on it being launched earlier than mid-July 2024. Despite the fact that Walt Disney World is pulling from the 2019 playbook, they’re doing it earlier and extra aggressively. It’s arduous to see them ready till that late in the summertime for one more spherical of Free Eating.
As for the journey dates I’d count on to see in a subsequent wave of Free Eating, November and December 2024 are the givens. Exclusions round Jersey Week, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving are probably, however not within the week earlier than Christmas.
The most important wildcard is October; that was principally excluded from Free Eating prior to now, however October has slowed down (minus fall break, which remains to be very busy) within the final couple of years as a result of fewer conventions.
My prediction for the second wave of Free Eating is (roughly) the next dates:
- October 1-9, 2024
- October 25 to November 3, 2024
- November 13-21, 2024
- November 30 to December 25, 2024.
That’s probably essentially the most expansive set of dates that may be supplied–don’t be shocked if there’s little to nothing in October, in addition to fewer dates (or none in any respect) between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.
Clearly, that is solely a prediction–the precise dates may differ slightly or lot, and it’s completely doable that nothing is launched in any respect!
Personally, I don’t assume that is the top of 2024 Free Eating at Walt Disney World–there might be as many as 4 waves of the promo. I additionally wouldn’t be in the least shocked if this deal books up nicely sufficient with Disney+ subscribers that there are simply two waves and it by no means hits most people, interval. (Anybody with any sense will simply purchase a month of Disney+ to get fast entry to the deal.)
With that mentioned, nothing is about in stone but. All of this relies upon what bookings and occupancy are like for later in 2024–and that’s unknown and unknowable proper now. There’s an opportunity that no matter Walt Disney World releases on January 3 gained’t be sufficient, and so they’ll must act quick and launch one other deal in February or March 2024 to extend bookings.
Once more, we wish to emphasize that that is not a rumor–it’s merely us analyzing resort bookings and previous precedent on reductions, and making an informed guess. Walt Disney World may go one other course completely, as the corporate has acknowledged repeatedly that they wish to scale back discounting.
Nevertheless, Disney additionally likes excessive ranges of per visitor spending numbers, and no different particular provide helps obtain these excessive per caps like Free Eating. Regardless of “free” being within the title, it’s an advantageous promo from Disney’s perspective as a result of it locks friends into full-price motels and tickets. It additionally retains friends on-site for essentially the most half, since they’ve “free” meals at Walt Disney World. No different low cost accomplishes all of those necessary targets for the corporate.
Both method, will probably be carefully monitoring the 2024 Free Eating scenario, retaining our ears open for extra information a couple of return of Free Eating. Ought to one thing–something–be launched or rumored, we’ll ship you an alert for those who join our FREE Walt Disney World publication.
We’ve constantly notified electronic mail subscribers when Free Eating and different offers on the day they go reside at ~6 or 7 a.m., which is a 2+ hour head begin on Disney’s official announcement at 9 am. That makes a enormous distinction when reserving Free Eating–you gained’t have to attend on maintain for hours on the cellphone.
Free Eating FAQ
Free Eating is Walt Disney World’s most complex promotion, and is usually a enormous headache to guide. Between restricted availability and navigating a seas of guidelines and restrictions, it’s simple to make errors. This part of the put up covers the foundations, phrases and circumstances, and insurance policies that usually govern the Free Eating promotion.
We all the time advocate that Walt Disney World first-timers (or regulars who simply don’t wish to cope with the trouble) request a FREE quote from Be Our Visitor Holidays, an Approved Disney Journey Planner. Most legit journey brokers don’t cost for reserving Walt Disney World holidays (and also you don’t pay a premium for them–Disney pays them fee), in order that’s actually the best technique to go.
With this particular provide, Walt Disney World friends reserving trip packages with non-discounted resort motels and park tickets obtain the DDP for every member of their celebration for no extra cost. For apparent causes (who doesn’t love free meals?!), the promotion is extremely in style and a few resorts that supply free eating are likely to promote out rapidly.
Friends reserving the Free Eating promotion for Worth or Reasonable Resorts will obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan, with friends staying at Deluxe or Deluxe Villa Resorts receiving the usual Disney Eating Plan.
There are some room exclusions for the Free Eating promo: 3-bedroom villas, campsites, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Wilderness Lodge, Bungalows at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, and Little Mermaid Rooms at Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort.
These resorts and room tiers are all not eligible for Free Eating. Moreover, room stock is proscribed throughout all resorts. In apply, because of this once you go to guide, a specific class (commonplace view, backyard view, and so on.) might not be obtainable on your journey dates–or your journey dates might not be obtainable at a particular resort in any respect.
To make the most of Free Eating, there’s additionally the requirement that friends buy tickets that embrace both a minimal 4-day Park Hopper or the Park Hopper Plus choice. Moreover, a 4-night minimal keep is required with a most keep of fourteen nights.
This implies you possibly can’t buy discounted Walt Disney World tickets from a licensed reseller, which we usually extremely advocate in our Walt Disney World journey planning recommendation. That is one thing to remember when doing the maths to find out if “Free Eating” is an efficient worth for you.
In relation to Free Eating, doing the maths is extremely necessary. Different reductions (resembling a room-only low cost) is perhaps higher for your loved ones. Keep in mind, there isn’t any such factor as a free lunch; you have got forfeit an alternate low cost to qualify for Free Eating. We break down a few of the math in our “Is Free Eating Value It?” put up.
When you have already booked a trip package deal with an arrival date that qualifies for Free Eating, we advocate utilizing the “modify reservation” hyperlink in your reserving to use the promotion to your package deal. That is the quickest and best technique to apply the promotion.
You may see different recommendation that recommends calling to guide Free Eating. That is outdated. Should you name Walt Disney World’s reservation line, you’ll probably wait on maintain for an hour (or hours) till you’re capable of communicate to an agent. Reserving or modifying your reservation on-line is far faster and simpler.
Even when the net system crashes (which has occurred) or strikes slowly as a result of all of the visitors, it’s simpler to simply hold making an attempt on-line. Sadly, reserving on-line isn’t all the time doable and technical errors do occur…so that you might need to name and wait on maintain.
In case you are questioning which resort to guide for the Free Eating promotion, take a look at our new Finest Walt Disney World Resorts for Free Eating put up. It provides our most popular choice for every resort tier. Oh, and don’t neglect to make some ADRs for one of the best and hottest Walt Disney World eating places.
With this Free Eating provide, Worth and Reasonable Resort friends obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan through the promotion. Friends at Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts obtain the usual Disney Eating Plan.
We extremely advocate making Advance Eating Reservations as quickly as doable. Sure, even earlier than Free Eating is obtainable, for those who can. Everybody gobbles up the great ADRs rapidly for Free Eating dates, so for those who don’t guide early, you may be caught consuming counter service or unpopular eating places at some point of your journey.
To reply another widespread questions: sure, you will need to buy tickets with the provide even when you have already got them (or an Annual Move). No, bookings made with Disney Trip Membership factors should not eligible for the provide. No, you can not “stack” this provide with a percentage-off room low cost (not less than not within the U.S.). For these questioning about different Walt Disney World reductions, take a look at our Present Walt Disney World Low cost Gives put up for what’s presently obtainable.
For particulars about which tier of the Disney Eating Plan consists of or for suggestions about which eating places to guide to maximise your use of the DDP, please see our complete Disney Eating Plan Overview Web page.
Be aware that the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion is all the time based mostly upon arrival dates. For instance, if Free Eating runs June 27 to June 28 and also you arrive on June 28 and keep till July 5, you are eligible for Free Eating–despite the fact that it’s blocked out for July 5 arrivals. (You didn’t arrive on July 5 in that situation–you arrived in June.)
Nevertheless, if it’s supplied those self same dates and also you arrive on June 26 and keep for a similar dates, you should not eligible for Free Eating, despite the fact that extra of your keep falls throughout an “eligible” interval than the primary instance’s. The work-around for that is doing a cut up keep, with the ineligible arrival nights a part of one trip and a second trip beginning on the first legitimate “arrival” date and persevering with thereafter. Once more, arrival dates are what issues with Free Eating.
Within the part under, we have now historic Free Eating dates for the previous couple of years. The remainder of what follows is historic details about the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion…
Historic Info
The next will not be pertinent to present bookings, however we have now discovered that readers discover it helpful to have particulars about previous Free Eating promos when planning for the longer term and what to anticipate. Be aware that the dates are fairly constant from yr to yr, with slight shifts for holidays, weekends, and particular occasions, or different issues which may be excluded from the Free Disney Eating Plan promotion.
Final yr, there was no early reserving window for Disney Visa cardholders, however there was an expanded date vary (see under). The 2 years earlier than, Disney Visa cardholders did have an early reserving window. Actual dates are listed under. Most years, most people is ready to guide Free Eating packages 5 days after Disney Visa cardholders can guide.
In years previous, Free Eating has been introduced in late April, with reserving opening first for Disney Visa bank card holders and most people a number of days later. The final couple of years, there was no early window for Disney Visa cardholders.
Listed below are the Walt Disney World Free Eating dates that have been obtainable from 2013-2020 for historic reference…
2020 Free Eating Dates (Cancelled):
- June 27 via June 28
- July 5 via July 7
- August 29 via September 8
2019 Free Eating Dates:
- July 5 – September 30*
- September 1 via September 18**
- November 17 via November 27**
- December 8 via December 23**
*First and second wave of Free Eating
**Third wave of Free Eating
2018 Free Eating Dates:
- August 20* — September 29
- November 24 — 27
- December 7 — 23
*Disney Visa Cardholders may guide for arrival dates starting August 2.
2017 Free Eating Dates:
- August 21* – September 30
- November 14 – 20
- November 25 – 27
- December 8 – 23
*Disney Visa Cardholders may guide for arrival dates starting August 13.
2016 Free Eating Dates:
- August 23* via October 1
- November 15 via 21
- November 26 via 28
- December 10 via 21
*Disney Visa Cardholders may guide for arrival dates starting August 14.
2015 Free Eating Dates:
- August 28 via October 2
- October 25 via October 31
- November 8 via November 19
- December 15 via December 21
2014 Free Eating Dates:
- August 31 – October 3
- October 26 – November 1
- November 9 – November 20
- December 12 – December 23
2013 Free Eating Dates
- September 2 to September 25
- September 29 to October 2
- October 18 to November 2
- November 11 to November 23
- December 12 to December 22
Different Free Eating Posts & Sources
Should you plan on getting the Disney Eating Plan take a look at these different Walt Disney World posts:
Need extra eating suggestions? Take a look at our 101 Scrumptious Walt Disney World Eating Ideas. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations. Planning different facets of a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about motels on our Walt Disney World Resorts Evaluations web page. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a novel take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Trip Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, one of the best place to begin is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for every little thing that you must know!
Your Ideas
Do you assume Free Eating will probably be launched in once more in March or April 2024, or will it take longer earlier than Walt Disney World “wants” to get that aggressive with offers? Are you a fan of the “free” eating promotion? Have any suggestions at no cost eating rookies? Should you’ve booked Free Eating, what did you concentrate on your expertise with the deal? Should you have been unable to get it, the place/when have been you unsuccessful? Tell us what you consider the promotion and whether or not you’re planning on making the most of it within the feedback!
