Bonjour Joanna,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thank you for your question!
The “Free” Disney Dining Plan is a
special offer that allows Guests to add a
Disney Dining Plan to a full-price Walt Disney World Vacation Package at no extra cost. If you plan to stay in a
Deluxe Resort Hotel, you’ll get the “regular” Disney Dining Plan aded to your vacation package
If you want to get an idea of how much this vacation will cost, price out how much a
Magic Your Way Vacation Package would cost for your dates at
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, with park tickets but no Disney Dining Plan. If a free dining offer is released and it includes those dates, that should be the approximate price for your family’s stay.
I don’t know yet when or even if this special offer will be available in 2016. Historically, it’s offered during non-peak seasons, which can include the end of October/early November, but these dates are always subject to change. Plus, this offer is limited to a certain number of reservations and sometimes even to a certain number of Resorts. Personally, even though my family loves food, I haven’t always found that it’s that great of a deal. That being said, I know some families absolutely LOVE the Disney Dining Plan (especially when it's free!), so I encourage you to do some research beforehand on sites like mousesavers.com so that you can make an informed decision!
Have a Magical Day,
Lynne