Hi Kathleen!
Love answering questions from fellow MA Moms and Dads! Thanks for writing.
I am sorry to hear that you missed the recent "free dining" promotion. It has proven to be an extremely popular option for guests, as you can probably imagine, and had been extended from 2010 into 2011.
Guest flow and resort reservation levels have a lot to do with what, when, where, and how Walt Disney World offers its various promotional deals. In a bad economy, it takes more to get people to decide on a vacation. As things improve, and more people decide to spend money, there is less need to "incentivize" travelers. It is hard to say when, or even if, Walt Disney World will offer "free dining" in the future, but if they do, stay tuned to the Disney Parks Blog, or keep checking the homepage of
www.waltdisneyworld.com in the spring and summer. You never know (nor do we) what they're cooking up next!! :)
Chris