Hi, Melodie!
The most common free dining period at the
Walt Disney World Resort in recent years was late August through late September, with appearances during other times of the year from time to time, such as January through March and October through December. Promotional offers available in the recent past can sometimes be an indicator of when a current year’s savings will be released, but there are of course are no guarantees that future offers will follow suit.
No free dining offers have been announced for this year, but keep in mind that room discounts can sometimes equal a larger savings than free dining. Keep an eye on the Walt Disney World Resort’s
Special Offers webpage for any promotions that may be announced, including a possible free dining special.
The
Disneyland Resort has never had a free dining offer, and while there are dining plans available, they are based on a pre-paid meal voucher system that is very different from the Disney Dining Plans at Walt Disney World. The Disneyland Resort’s plans don’t necessarily offer any savings and can actually cost more than buying a meal outright because change isn’t given when the price of the menu items is less than what the voucher is worth.
I hope this helps, Melodie. Please feel free to ask me any other questions you may have as you continue to plan your pixie-dusted vacation!
Wishing you magic,
Courtney