Walt Disney World has launched one other teaser concerning the new reductions dropping tomorrow (April 9, 2024) that embody the second wave of Free Eating and room-only offers for summer season by way of vacation journey dates. This shares dates and particulars, plus what’s nonetheless unknown concerning the particular affords and educated guesses we will make to fill within the information ‘gaps’ primarily based on previous precedent.
These be a part of the lengthy checklist of particular affords which were launched to date for 2024 Walt Disney World holidays, with reductions for Annual Passholders, Floridians, Disney+ subscribers and Disney Visa cardholders. For each different particular provide that’s at present out there, see All Current Walt Disney World Discounts for 2024.
Sadly, that checklist is definitely not so lengthy proper now, as many reductions have been unceremoniously and prematurely pulled from the Walt Disney World particular affords web page. We talk about what’s occurring in the direction of the start of that put up (hyperlink above), however the level of mentioning it right here is so trip planners know they should lock one thing in sooner fairly than later. Walt Disney World is making an attempt to incentivize longer and earlier reservations, which is what it seems to be like is going on once more with the upcoming reductions…
Starting April 9, Disney Visa Cardmembers can get a Free Disney Eating Plan when buying a non-discounted 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Journey Firm bundle that features a room at a choose Walt Disney World Resort resort and theme park ticket with a Park Hopper possibility.
Walt Disney World teased that final week–now we additionally know the arrival dates that will probably be eligible:
- July 1-31, 2024
- September 1-7, 2024
- December 9-21, 2024
Full particulars will probably be launched on the morning of April 9, 2024.
Past that, our expectation is that this may comply with all the regular “guidelines” of Free Eating. (See our complete Guide to 2024 Free Dining at Walt Disney World and scroll previous the lengthy part of predictions, since these are not related now that Walt Disney World has informed us the deal is coming.)
Probably the most notable “rule” of Free Eating is that Worth and Average Resort company obtain the Fast Service Disney Eating Plan (QSDDP), whereas Deluxe and Deluxe Villa company obtain the usual Disney Eating Plan (DDP). The latter has far more worth, however Deluxe Resorts additionally value a ton extra money on common. Up to now, company on the decrease tier resorts have been capable of pay the distinction to improve from the QSDDP to the DDP.
Past that, count on just about the identical phrases and situations as the primary wave of 2024 Free Eating, simply swap Disney+ stuff for Disney Visa stuff. Desk service eating places might have restricted or no availability at time of bundle buy (a typical criticism with Free Eating in previous years has been the shortage of ADRs for many who arrived with out reserving something upfront).
Free Eating can’t be mixed with some other low cost or promotion. Disney Eating Plans exclude gratuities, which is able to have to be paid out of pocket at desk service eating places. Kids ages 3 to 9 should order from a youngsters’s menu, the place out there. The variety of packages allotted for this provide is restricted. Everybody in the identical room have to be on the identical bundle.
The primary Free Eating provide excluded the next room varieties: 3-Bed room Villas, The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.
Extra eligibility particulars often embody the requirement that you simply use a sound Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card to pay the deposit, and that the Disney Visa Cardmember should keep within the room.
In case you have extra questions not answered by the above, we’d advocate studying our 2024 Free Dining at Walt Disney World FAQ. That covers all the things we all know–and count on–at this level.
In at the moment’s tease, Walt Disney World additionally indicated that beginning April 9, company can guide “summer season journey and save as much as 30% on a room at a choose Disney Resort resort whenever you keep 5 nights or longer.” That’s all that was shared about this explicit room-only low cost, however there’s quite a bit we will parse from that transient quote.
The primary is the possible eligibility dates. Walt Disney World calls this a deal for summer season journey, which is instructive. Whereas we have been extremely assured {that a} room-only low cost would drop alongside Free Eating (as Walt Disney World is every week late on the following launch primarily based on historic launch dates), what we have been not sure of was whether or not it’d be: 1) a traditional room-only fee; 2) a guide early and save extra deal; or, 3) a keep longer and save extra low cost (or each #2 and #3).
Primarily based on the above, we now know that it’s #2. (That’s, until Walt Disney World doesn’t know when summer season ends. And in equity, the traces on “seasons” are kinda fuzzy in Florida.) That makes full sense and is totally per long-term previous precedent–simply no more latest reductions, which have incentivized earlier bookings and have provided for much longer lead time.
Historic reductions point out that the date vary for this room-only low cost will probably be roughly July 8 to October 3, 2024. That’s the conventional timeline for the late March/early April room-only launch, adjusting barely for different offers which have already been launched. There’s about an 75% probability these are the precise dates, with one other 20% probability the deal ends on September 22/28/30, and the remaining 5% that it begins a couple of days later. There’s excessive confidence in roughly these dates, although.
Once more, that’s until there’s additionally a guide early and save deal, wherein case the tip date might be December 23-25. Nevertheless it positive looks as if Walt Disney World would’ve talked about that on this tease if that have been the case, and not referred to it as a reduction for “summer season journey.” December positively isn’t summer season, even by Orlando requirements. (For these anxiously awaiting vacation reductions, this is able to almost definitely put the October by way of December launch in mid-June.)
In the case of low cost tiers for the room-only fee, we will look again to 2024’s first stay longer and save deal for likely rates:
- 30% off most Deluxe Resorts
- 25% off most Average Resorts
- 20% off most Worth Resorts
- 10-15% off fashionable resorts, for instance:
- Polynesian Village Resort
- Artwork of Animation Little Mermaid Rooms
- Port Orleans French Quarter
- Villas at…Fairly A lot In all places
- Membership Degree Rooms
- Suites at Moderates & Deluxes
Lots of this may change from low cost to low cost. For instance, I wouldn’t guess on French Quarter having a lesser low cost. Ditto that for Villas, Membership Degree, or suites. However I might count on the Polynesian and Little Mermaid rooms to not provide the utmost financial savings, as that’s usually the case.
The opposite factor we noticed with this 12 months’s first keep longer and save extra deal was that it utilized to reservations of 5 nights or longer. If you happen to guide 1-4 nights, you possibly can count on to see reductions which might be 5% off much less. (Which means a variety of 5% to 25% off.) Once more, all of that is what occurred with the primary deal like this of the 12 months, and it might differ this time. We predict it’s in all probability very instructive, as that was additionally a ‘guide early and save extra’ deal that encompassed July 8 to October 3, 2024 journey dates. It’s thus fairly straightforward to examine an virtually an identical repeat of that!
This additionally brings us full circle to the purpose about Walt Disney World prematurely pulling reductions. The above ‘keep longer and save extra’ low cost is definitely nonetheless out there…simply not the July 8 to October 3, 2024 journey dates half. These dates have been quietly pulled a month or so in the past, so solely the journey dates between now and July 7, 2024 stay. (Often that occurs the opposite approach–earlier journey dates get eliminated earlier than later ones.)
Up to now, Walt Disney World used to launch reductions with a “guide by” date famous up-front. Within the final 12 months, they’ve gotten away from that follow. On some events, they’ve eliminated them early (with discover); different instances, reserving is open-ended and the reductions simply disappear.
We suspect that Walt Disney World has been toying with the best way they’ve been doing reductions, making an attempt to entice planners to guide early with enticing affords whereas additionally making a false sense of urgency. In a number of instances, they’ve circled again with extra reductions even after these affords have ended in an effort to fill unsold rooms and hit occupancy targets. That’s precisely what we’re seeing right here, particularly if this low cost finally ends up being precisely what was launched earlier than (as much as 30% off stays of 5 nights or longer for July 8 to October 3, 2024).
In a nutshell, that is the Disney Vault technique–however utilized to reductions. It’s savvy technique relating to incentivizing obsessive Walt Disney World trip planners…however arguably much less efficient with informal company who would possibly solely go to DisneyWorld.com as soon as, see no reductions for his or her dates, and guide holidays elsewhere.
Given what we’ve seen this 12 months with WDW’s low cost technique, it additionally wouldn’t be utterly shocking if there’s a 3rd wave of Free Eating. When this deal was first teased final week, we have been skeptical of this risk. At that time, we wrote that the provide together with journey dates in December–the twelfth month of the 12 months–meant it was already on the finish of the calendar. Usually, particular affords happen on a timeline.
Nonetheless, we famous that it doesn’t imply a 3rd wave of Free Eating is not possible. If you happen to look again to the 2019 playbook, there have been three waves of the low cost launched–to totally different teams (basic public vs. Disney Visa) and totally different date ranges. The one cause I might see a 3rd wave this 12 months is that if Walt Disney World occupancy targets find yourself falling effectively wanting expectations for August by way of November, and they should scramble to supply one thing final minute.
Now that we’ve the precise dates–and see what Walt Disney World is doing reviving the ‘keep longer and save extra’ deal, I’m far more optimistic about the potential of a 3rd wave of Free Eating. It doesn’t meant that it positively will occur, however I’d say it’s nearer to 50/50 now. The perfect month of eligibility being the closest one (July 2024), skipping August totally and having restricted dates in September–the 2 slowest months of the 12 months–after which having availability once more in December is suggestive of that.
It doesn’t appear just like the dates have been chosen on the premise of precise occupancy projections. It seems to be extra like there’s near-term urgency to fill rooms in July, which is fast-approaching, adopted by a want to entice in December. One other wave of Free Eating for August by way of September (and perhaps bits of October and November) doesn’t appear in the slightest degree far-fetched. Nevertheless it’s equally doable they’ll persist with room-only offers for these timeframes, or roll with one other novel low cost.
Lastly, Walt Disney World teased that there can be “a brand new room provide for Florida Residents and extra!” I can’t recall the final time there was a brand new provide for Floridians however not Annual Passholders–often, when a deal is launched for one or the opposite, it involves APs first after which FL residents.
In different phrases, I’d say there’s a 99% probability of each Florida Resident and Annual Passholder room-only offers. My guess is that it’ll max out at 35% off for Annual Passholders and 30% off for Floridians, with journey dates of July 8 to October 3, 2024. That may be per previous precedent and the present Florida resident ticket deal.
Past all of that, there’s additionally an opportunity of one other Disney+ subscriber low cost and perhaps a Disney Visa cardmember room-only fee. Truthfully, I’d guess in opposition to each. It’s pretty uncommon to see multiples of the focused affiliation low cost–and this batch already has the Disney Visa Free Eating deal. Including one other to the combination would imply a grand complete of 5 new reductions, and it’s uncommon to see that many.
We’ll be intently monitoring the 2024 Walt Disney World low cost scenario, protecting our ears open for extra information about different particular affords. Ought to something be launched or rumored for future journey dates, we’ll ship you an alert when you sign up for our FREE Walt Disney World newsletter.
If you happen to’re already overwhelmed, you would possibly simply need another person to do the give you the results you want. Free Eating is Walt Disney World’s most intricate promotion, and could be a large headache to guide. Between restricted availability and navigating a sea of guidelines and restrictions, it’s straightforward to get pissed off, have issues, or be unsuccessful in scoring a reservation.
To that finish, we all the time advocate that Walt Disney World first-timers or regulars who simply don’t wish to take care of the effort use a journey agent. (Click here to request a free quote from Be Our Guest Vacations, an Authorized Disney Travel Planner that we recommend.) Most legit journey brokers don’t cost for reserving Walt Disney World holidays (and also you don’t pay a premium to make use of them–Disney pays them fee, so that they’re free to you), in order that’s actually the simplest technique to go. However when you’re going to go that route for Free Eating, you want to take action ASAP. Don’t count on to request a quote on the morning of April 9 and obtain a direct response–that you must get your geese in a row now.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Study motels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips put up takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for all the things that you must know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Excited that room-only reductions will probably be launched to most of the people, Florida residents, and Annual Passholders? Planning on reserving these or the second wave of Free Eating for Disney Visa cardmembers on April 9, 2024? Assume this leaves the door open for a doable third wave of Free Eating in 2024? Ideas concerning the 2024 Free Eating dates, bundle necessities & guidelines, or the rest? Agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions beneath within the feedback!
