HI Catherine!
I'm so glad to hear from a fellow South Carolinian!! Thanks for taking the time to ask me a question too!
Unfortunately, I haven't heard anything about free dining this year. New discounts were just released today, that include room and package discounts up to 30% off. These discounts are valid through mid-August. Hopefully that means there is a great discount just waiting for you!
I also looked back at the historical discounts on mousesavers.com. From that data, it does appear that free dining is typically announced in mid- to late- Spring. Perhaps it will be this year too!
If you are interested in booking your reservation before discounts come out, be sure to keep an eye on the
Special Offers page of DisneyWorld.com. Discounts can almost always be applied to existing reservations, so you'll want to give Disney reservations or your travel agent a call if you see any promotions which work for you! If your resort and room category are available, you should have no problems applying a discount to an existing reservation.
I hope this helps AND I hope you get just the special offer you're waiting for!