Welcome to planDisney, Tamara! I'm so glad to be able to answer your question today. I'm planning a Disney vacation right around the same time as you, and I'm so excited that we're about to soak up the amazing energy of one of the most popular weeks of the year to be at Walt Disney World. With that in mind, I'm happy to clarify what your friend told you about dining promotions for your trip!
The famous "Free Dining" promotion, when it's offered, means that you can add the
Disney Dining Plan at no additional cost to a vacation package. A package is theme park tickets bundled with a stay at a
Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. Guests staying off-property are not eligible for the Disney Dining Plan, which means they aren't eligible for Free Dining. There aren't promotional codes that extend Free Dining, or even the ability to use the Dining Plan, to off-site guests.
If you're curious about deals, the best place to look is Disney's official
Special Offers page. You'll sometimes see room discounts or package offers for on-site resorts, and when available, that's where Free Dining would be announced. No coupon code hunting needed! If you decide to flip to an on-site stay or even do a split stay, you could become eligible for an offer that lines up with your dates, subject to availability and offer terms.
Since you're currently off-property for December 31 through January 9, here are a few budget-friendly food strategies that mirror the convenience of a dining plan: load a set amount onto
Disney Gift Cards to create a "prepaid" feel. Use
Mobile Order to see prices up front, and consider prix fixe spots like
buffets and family-style restaurants where value is easier to predict. You can also plan a few celebratory table-service meals and keep the rest quick-service to balance out the costs.
I hope this answers your question, Tamara, and please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help you plan your magical vacation!
Jessica